Have you ever heard of a type of roofing that can be installed by roofing contractors known as Structural Insulated Panels? Well if not, you’re not alone. Many people still only think of asphalt roofing as the main roofing type, but really roofing contractors install new roofs and replacement roofs made of wood, asphalt, rubber, metal and sometimes even new types of roofing that are designed to be very ecologically friendly. Some roofs use solar shingles and some buildings are constructed to have green roofs, which provide a place for vegetation to grow, even in urban settings.
Structural Insulated Panels, known in the roofing industry as SIPS, are another type of earth friendly roofing that you may want discuss with your roofing contractor. Basically SIPS are prefabricated, insulated structures that can be used for building walls, floors, ceilings and, of course, roofs. According to the US Dept. of Energy (EnergySavers.gov), SIPS provide an energy savings of 12-14% over regular “stick” and “stud” framing. They are also very strong and when installed properly they ensure an airtight dwelling that has reduced noise and wonderful climate control.
To read more about this exciting option in roofing, check out this wiki article that gives a basic description.
You can learn about the energy savings potential here. If you choose to have your roofing contractor install this type of roof be sure to investigate any possible tax incentives for energy efficiency.