New Roof to Reduce Carbon Emissions

In our last segment, I began exploring the many ways new green building systems are being exposed to the mainstream as part of Epcot’s VISION House, where millions have an opportunity to explore the major themes of whole-home automation, energy generation and efficiency, water conservation, indoor environmental quality and high-performance materials and durability.

We previously revealed how home sprinklers can help protect the environment, as well as save lives. Now, we will take a look at how a new roofing product from a Roswell, Ga. based company called Boral is also hard at work reducing carbon emissions that have such a negative impact on public health and air quality.

VISION House utilizes BoralPure “Smog-Eating Tile,” a first of-its-kind product in sustainable concrete roofing tiles that reduces the formation of smog. The revolutionary Smog-Eating Tile can be installed on both new residential and commercial buildings, as well as re-roofing projects.

According to information available at the Epcot exhibit, in one year, 2,000 square feet of Boral Smog-Eating Tile mitigates the same amount of nitrogen oxide—a major component of smog—produced by one car driving up to 10,800 miles.

The smog eating technology works via a catalyst embedded in the upper portion of the roof tile. When exposed to sunlight it speeds up oxidization reducing nitrogen oxide, which can be generated from fossil fuel burning processes resulting from operation of motor vehicles.

Working much like a catalytic converter in a car, the Boral tile incorporates a photo catalytic agent, titanium dioxide, to break down nitrogen oxide molecules and significantly reduce their impact on the environment.

Nitrogen oxide molecules can cause respiratory diseases along with permanent damage to plants and trees.

For more information on Boral Roofing and its clay and concrete roof tile systems, visit BoralNA.com.