ERA Publishes Guide to Sustainable Roofing Systems

The EPDM Roofing Association (ERA) is publishing “The View From the Roof: Building a Sustainable Future,” a comprehensive guide to incorporating EPDM into sustainable roof systems. By preparing this report, designed to help solve contemporary issues and preserve the built environment for decades into the future, ERA is extending its commitment to deliver technical and research support, provide dependable roofing solutions and communicate the longstanding attributes of EPDM roofing materials to the construction industry.

“We realize this is a critical time for the built environment and the people who create it. We need to provide answers to questions about sustainability, cool roofs, recycling, and the environmental impact of construction products,” said Ellen Thorp, Executive Director of ERA. “We are proud to continue our two decades of industry leadership by providing science-based answers to many of the questions that confront us.”

This report includes an overview of the growing commitment to sustainable building from government agencies, professional associations and academic institutions. It includes detailed instructions on using an EPDM membrane as the foundation of a sustainable roofing system, as well as information about the unique value that EPDM brings to a roof- top solar system. Finally, it includes detailed research results that bring into question long- held assumptions about the role of roof albedo on urban heat islands and energy efficiency.

Throughout its history, ERA has sponsored research on the benefits of dark roofs in cold climates, investigated the superior resistance of EPDM to hail, and conducted a service life assessment that showed the outstanding longevity of EPDM. To stay current with state-of-the-art thinking about the sustainability of various roofing systems, ERA leadership visited the IBHS (Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety), the Building Envelope Materials Research Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to consult with leading scientists on the result of their specific research.

Additionally, ERA has protected building owners and design professionals from restrictions that would limit their choice of building products. This has included defeating broad efforts to mandate reflective roofs in areas that require a variety of roof system components offering different solutions.

For more information, or to download a copy of “The View From the Roof”, contact Louisa Hart, ([email protected]) and Ellen Thorp ([email protected]) or visit www.epdmroofs.org.

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