Jones & Cleary Roofing is committed to green and sustainable roofing practices 

In both new construction and retro-fit applications, green roofs offers some distinct advantages that other roofing systems cannot, namely:

• Aesthetic beauty 
• Additional living space
• Reductions of heat, pollution and storm water runoff
• LEED points are available

There are two types of vegetative green roofing systems that can be installed:

Intensive 

This type of green roof is generally built in place and has a soil depth of greater than 6 inches. It is an ideal green roof to create an outdoor living space and can support larger varieties of plants, shrubs, and smaller trees. When considering this type of green roof there are some factors that you must take into account:

• Ease of access to the green space for maintenance
• Water access for the green space as these roofs generally require more water
• A structural survey to guarantee that the roof can support the added weight

Extensive 

This type of green roof can either be built in place or installed in a modular system of removable trays.  This method has a soil depth of 2 inches to 6 inches. An extensive green roof is commonly installed in areas where there would be little to no foot traffic but is still visible to the occupants of the building. They are planted with more drought resistant plants, such as succulents and some varieties of sedums. 

Like an intesive green roof,  consider these factors before installing an extensive green roof:

• A structural survey to guarantee that the roof can support the weight 
• Water access for the green space (while these plants are typically more drought resistant, no plant is drought proof and will require watering when rain levels are low)

Other sustainable roofing systems installed by Jones & Cleary include: 

Photovoltaic Arrays and Flexible Solar Panels

Another new technology on the market that we are excited about is integrated solar PV for your roof. While it is true that solar technology has been around for quite some time, it has been reinvented with rooftop design specifically in mind. These new solar panels called "flexible" or "thin film" bond directly to the roofing membrane thus negating the unsightly “grids” and the many roof penetrations associated with the standard crystalline solar panels. 

Each solar array is designed specifically for your roof and energy needs. By taking into account the surrounding obstacles when planning your array, we can optimize power production and negate unnecessary solar panels and cost.

Cool Roofing

We also specialize in “cool roofing”, or true white membrane applications. A cool roof is obtained by adding insulation to the roof and then installing a true white roofing membrane. This is particularly important here in the Chicagoland area with the implementation of new roofing codes by the city of Chicago which state that:

• A new low sloped roof must have an initial reflectivity of .72 and an emissivity of .92
• Reflectivity is the measurement at which the sunlight is reflected off of the roof surface
• Emissivity is the measurement at which heat is dissipated off of the roof surface
• R value of 20 or greater obtained by adding insulation

Contact Jones & Cleary Roofing and Sheet Metal for more information on green and sustainable roofing systems in Chicagoland.