SOLAR SHINGLES

THE GREENER WAY TO GO

TRADITIONAL ROOFING MATERIALS
Asphalt shingles-One of the least expensive
materials to be used as roofing material, and they
are available in a wide variety of colors. Asphalt
shingles are commonly used on sloped roofs, single
homes and smaller residential projects.

Built-up roofing- the most popular material used on
low-slope roofs. A built-up roofing, is composed of
several layers of bitumen surfaces, and finished up
with an aggregate layer or coating.
HOW GREEN ARE TRADITIONAL MATERIALS?
Both asphalt and built-up roofing use asphalt as a go-to-
material.
Asphalt is a mixture of dark bituminous pitch with sand or
gravel, used for surfacing roads, flooring, roofing, etc.
The bituminous pitch used in making asphalt, sometimes
found in natural deposits but usually made by the distillation
of crude oil.
Crude oil is petroleum before it has been refined.
Since petroleum is a non-renewable resource, asphalt nor
built-up roofing is green.
SOLAR SHINGLES
Solar shingles are an integrated
photovoltaic (PV) building
product, which means they
directly generate electricity from
sunlight. They're made with
specific materials that naturally
undergo an electronic process in
the presence of sunlight.

HOW SOLAR SHINGLES WORK
ADVANTAGES
asphalt-based roofing
Affordable
Variety of Styles
Ease of Installation
solar shingles
Solar Shingles Are Practically Invisible
They Provide Clean Energy
You Can Sell Unused Energy
You Can Qualify for Huge Tax Incentive
Increase the Value of Your Home
Can Withstand More Abuse
Make Use of Wasted Space
DISADVANTAGES
Asphalt-based roofing
- Asphalt shingles get damaged if installed at below freezing temperatures.
- Attic ventilation issues can cause damage to asphalt shingles.
- Cheaper grades of asphalt shingles are susceptible to wind uplift.
- Asphalt shingles are not resistant to extreme temperature variations, which causes expansion and
contraction of the shingle and subsequent cracking.
- Shingles perform better in cooler climates rather than hot temperature conditions; extreme heat
causes shingles to crack and loose color.
- Regular maintenance and repairs are required and are better done before it rains or snows to
prevent further damage to the shingles
- Asphalt shingles are not an environmentally friendly roofing material. They are a petroleum based
product; manufacturing of shingles wastes a lot of energy and exacerbates green house gas
emissions.
DISADVANTAGES
SOLAR SHINGLES
No energy storage
Your roof has to be at a certain angle to catch the sun
You have to Install Solar Shingles during New Roof Installation
Cost of Installation and Product
COST ANALYSIS
SOLAR SHINGLES

The biggest name in solar shingles is Dows Powerhouse line. Dow reports that a typical
residential cluster of 350 solar shingles on a roof could slash ones household electric bill by
40-60 percent. Such an installation can cost over $20,000, but federal, state and local
incentives can bring the cost to half. Solar shingles costs have started to come down and the
federal government is still offering 30 percent tax credits with no cap on the purchase of solar
electricity equipment. 27 states and several cities offer additional incentives that can get
pricing on solar gear and installations down even lower. Solar shingles serve a dual purpose --
they generate electricity and act as shingles, which makes them less expensive in the long
run.
COST ANALYSIS
ASPHALT-BASED ROOFING
Manufacturer warranties currently guarantee asphalt shingles a 15- to 30-year useful life.
Generally speaking, the average cost of asphalt shingle roofing is $.80 to $1.20 per square
foot for the materials. According to CostOwl.com, for a medium-pitch roof, the average
cost will be somewhere between $100 and $200 per square for the shingles alone. (A square
in roofing lingo is equal to the size of a 10 x 10 area, or 100 square feet.) A 2500 sq. foot
would cost $5800 - $8000.
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend solar roofing rather than traditional roofing for the following
reason:
The greener material
Advantages outweigh disadvantages
Benefits in the long run
Makes you money