A MATTER OF STYLE

There are two basic styles of metal roofs: metal shingles and metal sheet roofing. Metal shingle systems look like wood shakes, tiles and slate. Sheet roofing starts with flat metal panels, which are formed into roofing panels and components. Some flat stock can be fabricated on site by contractors. Both styles are available in steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper and zinc alloys. Hastings used sheet metal made from Galvalume®, an aluminum-zinc alloy, at the suggestion of his subcontractor.

"On top of that, the subcontractor was teaching me about the roof's energy efficiency. That was sort of an afterthought for me. I learned that the reflective value of the roof should reduce the heat in the attic a lot," Hastings says.

[IMAGE: The finshed Hastings' project.]Most metal roofs meet the criteria for ENERGY STAR® qualified roof products by reflecting some of the sun's rays. This lowers the surface temperature by as much as 100 degrees, decreasing the amount of heat transferred into the building. Qualified reflective roofs can reduce peak air conditioning demand by as much as 10 percent.

To help builders find a contractor, the Metal Roof Alliance offers the "Locate a Contractor or Material Supplier" program at www.metalroofing.com.

TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHTS

This project included the following PATH-profiled technology:

• Metal Roof