Given their durability and ease of use, metal roofs have been a common feature on rural houses for decades. Now they’re becoming an increasingly popular choice on urban dwellings as well.
The Globe and Mail (Canada’s national newspaper) reports that metal roofs are now fashionable among architects and builders who are drawn to their environmental benefits and ability to complement the modernist sensibility of their designs. Architects say metal is an ideal way to showcase a part of a dwelling that is often treated as a design afterthought.
From the article:
“Metal roofs are often touted as the environmentally friendly choice, and for good reason: They typically last 50 years or more, double the lifespan of asphalt shingles, and are made from mostly recyclable materials, whereas asphalt shingles wind up in a landfill.”
Several architects and construction industry professionals are quoted in the article, including Steve Fox, general manager of the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute, who says more people are opting for metal roofs both because of their green-friendly characteristics and also because the material has evolved stylistically.
Although some metal roofs mimic traditional shingles, the article highlights the striking nature of standing seam metal roofs, which feature continuous panels that run from the top of the roof down to the eaves, with seams between then connected by fasteners.
“The roof form can be so striking, so sharp, so articulated, particularly in a modern house,” says Heather McKinney, a principal at McKinney York Architects, an Austin, Texas, firm that has used standing seam metal roofs in several residential projects. “You are looking for that roof to really a lot of times carry the message.”
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