Exterior Finishes

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has established standards in sustainable forest management and created a mechanism, third party certification, that ensures that they are followed. In addition to addressing its environmental impact, the FSC considers the impact of logging on local communities and indigenous peoples and supports their interests.

 

Conventional paint contains a multitude of harmful chemicals that off-gas into the air, negatively affecting the health of people and the planet. These paints release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are a class of carbon-based chemicals that have the capacity to evaporate readily at room temperature. Fortunately, you can easily avoid generating pollution and unsafe living spaces and still have beautiful walls of any color by using low-VOC, zero-VOC, recycled, or natural paints.

 

A concentrated effort to reduce energy consumption in buildings and their contribution to the "heat island effect"� has led to recent advances in the materials and systems for flat roofs (roofs with a slope from ¼ to 3 inches per foot), used primarily in commercial and multifamily construction. Selecting a roofing material that is highly reflective and emissive (cool roof) over one that is not, can reduce cooling loads by 20 percent or more, and help cool urban heat islands.

 

Economic Returns to Energy-Efficient Investments (pdf)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Energy-efficient roofing systems can reduce roof temperatures significantly during the summer, and thus reduce the energy requirements for air conditioning. The purpose of this Cool Roofing Materials Database is to assist with the selection of roofing materials which reflect, or otherwise reject, the sun's radiant energy, before it penetrates into the interior of the building.

 

  Asphalt Roofing Shingles Recycling
This site discusses the recycling of asphalt roofing shingles, or "composition shingles" including shingle quantities, composition, processing, products, and products made with recycled asphalt roofing shingles

 

A consortium of metal roofing manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and contractors with the main goal of educating consumers about the many benefits of metal roofing.

 

Siding related decisions have always been important. They have become even more important with the advent of energy efficient construction practices, new materials and modern designs. Here you will find information to help with exterior siding related decisions.

 

Detailed discussion of fiber-cement siding as a durable exterior cladding material.