composite-roofing / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

1. Asphalt shingles: Asphalt shingles © Ecohome We’ll start with shingles to get it out of the way, because choosing an eco-friendly, durable roof covering starts first with dismissing any idea of installing asphalt shingles. High-embodied energy, rarely if ever recycled, they deteriorate rapidly with UV rays, emit s...

Which is better: cedar, pressure treated or composite plastic decking? a homeowner's & pro's guide Building or renovating a deck is a big decision for any homeowner, and a critical one for professionals. The choice of material impacts everything from upfront costs and installation time to long-term maintenance, dur...

Asphalt shingles are the most common and cheapest roof covering, at least until it's time to replace them. Metal roofing can last a lifetime or longer, so we feel that the cost levels out in the long run. Here is a comprehensive comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of metal roofing v asphalt shingles for buil...

Cedar shingles & shakes: a homeowner's & pro's guide Cedar shingles and shakes give a home a very natural feel that enhances any home's curb appeal. Known for their durability and insulation properties, these roofing and siding materials provide a beautiful, sustainable option for both new builds and renovation...

In North America, about 90% of pitched roofs are covered with asphalt roofing shingles. This petroleum-based product is incredibly popular for roof replacements: studies show that 81% of shingles sold go toward replacing old roofs. Chances are, if you’re redoing your roof you are probably looking at asphalt roofing shi...

  Hempcrete walls: a homeowner's and pro's guide More people all the time are looking for more healthy and eco-friendly building materials that are sustainable, resilient and non-toxic. Hemp is one such material. It took a very long time for hemp to take its rightful place in the home bulding industry, due to nothing m...

Deck building tips for a durable deck construction: Meeting setbacks and getting building permits in Canada & US Raised Deck frame specification - make sure the structure is strong enough Which raised deck foundations are best: cement pillars (Sonotubes), screw piles, floating deck blocks What's the best type of d...

The definitive guide to cleaning and preserving cedar roofs To maintain the unique beauty and longevity of a cedar shake roof, it is essential to have a definitive guide for cleaning and preservation that protects this premium, natural material. Unlike mass-produced roofing, cedar shakes and shingles require specific c...

It is pretty much inevitable that at least some warm, moist air from living areas will find its way into the roof of a building and bring with it the very real risk of frost and ice forming in a cold climate, or mold and rot in a temperate climate. This is a simple product of physics and the realities and limitations o...

Rooftop solar-power production is fairly commonplace now, and you always know exactly which roof has them because they are highly-visible and somewhat clunky looking. They aren’t ugly but, they aren’t really beautiful either.  As a follow-up to our original article on the Tesla solar roof here, the next phase of solar-...

The Telsa solar roof tiles are in the news again. They now have solar panel shingle installations going in 8 states so far - with what's becoming competitive pricing. If news of these PV roof shingles is also news to you, check out our Tesla solar roof review from when it was first announced in 2016. What was missing b...