You could plant a green roof. Phyotosynthesis is a very effective way to capture the suns energy so that it does not contribute to your roof being hot, and it is captured in the thin structures of plants several inches to feet above the roof so that it gets diffused off into the air.

Brendan,

Have you actually done this? If so, what did it cost?

I think green roofs are a fantastic idea, but I suspect most wood-frame houses are not built to hold the weight of the soil, water and plants. Doesn't this require a lot of structural work to support that weight?

Matt,
Wood frame houses can accomodate a green roof system quite easily.The weight of the soil, water and plants is not the same as you would have in your garden.Most trusses that are put in will support the system.Weight is also a factor with the clay and steel tiles as well,Check out the weight bearing load your turss system was built to sustain.When we developed ours it was based on the montana snow load ,,plus the fact we knew we were putting in a green roof.
The roof systems start with a good epdm roofing liner as you see used on commercial buildings.Instead of the normal ballasts the green roofing system is put into effect.There are commercial setups as well as easy to make homeade ones.The commercial set-ups are a cinch to put in they consist of several parts that contribute to keeping the weight of the roof materials down.These are designed in grids that allow water run off.The soil is a special lightweight mix and the plants are usually sedums which use less water.
In answer to your question yes I do have a green roof,mine was designed by us and uses my own design and soil mixes.Here is a picture from the magazine article in Natural homes,
http://www.naturalhomemagazine.com/multimedia/image-gallery.aspx?id=3944&seq=5
this was taken almost 2 years ago and has grown in much more as could be seen on worlds greenest homes the Happy house .Our green roof has been being planted in stages as we grow more sedums and add to the design which we prefer to the mixed look.
As to cost, since ours was preplanned it was extremely economical.To do a retro fit,cost estimate one would have to have measurements and plan out for roof valleys and angles and such.Steeper roofs in snow load areas are not a doable.
Mary

Thank you Mary!

First, let me say what a stunningly beautiful house you have.

Maybe this is more feasible than I thought. How did you find a roofer who had experience with a green roof? What questions would you recommend I ask them?

Matt

I would have a green living roof as a first choice too .
But , if that does not work out for you - consider a steel roof .
We had one installed four years ago .
Living in the hurricane central area , we had a heavy gauge steel installed .
Rated to winds of 140 mph .
Hope we never have to test the limit !
Was told that this is a 100 year roof .
It was laid right on top of the old roof - so no tear out and no roofing material going to the landfill .
mlevie - would this work for you as an alternative ?

gatormomx,

Actually, one reason we were looking to move beyond asphalt is that even though we don't have hurricanes, we get winds strong enough that we're constantly replacing shingles and the lifetime of an asphalt roof in our location is considerably shorter.

So yes, steel would be good in that sense, I think. Can I ask a few questions?

-if they don't tear off the old roof, isn't there a possibility that the wood decking may have rot that could compromise the new roof?

-how much more than a standard asphalt job did the new roof cost, do you think? 10% more? 25%? 100%?

-I realize there are all kinds of steel roof, did you get a standing seam roof, or steel tile, or something else?

Matt

Yes , the existing roof must be free of rot or other structural problems .
For the other questions , ask your local steel roof installer .
Get several bids and look at existing finished jobs .
Ask the owners if they were pleased with the work, workers and product .
With steel - as with many items - you get what you pay for .
I can guarantee steel is more expensive than asphalt .
For a heavy gauge steel - a lot more expensive .
We did not get tile . I don't know the name for the standard steel roof we see every where here .
Most people choose plain silver colored steel since any other color choice is more expensive .

I have always wanted to experiment with a living roof, but I am not sure if I am brave enough. They seem to offer compelling benefits. I just read this article about living roofs.

I have a similar question. I'd love to do a green roof but am contemplating putting in a rainwater collection system for potable indoor and outdoor use, so assume I'll need a metal or hard surface to collect the rain more cleanly and efficiently. Are living green roofs and rainwater collection compatible or am I correct about needing the clean hard surface?

If I go with a metal roof, does anyone have any recommendations for the gauge, type (standing seam or other), company or any other considerations I should think through before proceeding?

The other thing I've looked at is the paint-on white roof which is supposed to be super energy efficient. But I haven't been able to find anyone for a testimonial who has actually done it.
http://www.interstateproducts.com/white_roof_coating.htm

My composition shingle roof is about 1300 sq. feet and though I don't know the slope (how do you know that?), it's not steep (just a little ranch style home).

I hope you don't mind me posting my own personal questions here in your thread. It just seemed like we had similar questions.

Matt, I am curious whether your roof is flat or pitched. Is it strong enough to walk on? I am having visions of a rooftop vegetable garden. If you did hydroponics, it might not be terribly heavy. . . .

Jessica,

That's an awesome idea. Unfortunately our roof is pitched, and it's a two-story house, so I don't see the vegetable garden working for us.

Matt

Aww darn :-P

Hey there! We aren't exactly steel or clay, but our metal
roof integrated solar thermal collectors are a metal roof and solar collectors
in one. Our product consists of standing seam metal roofing, a patent-pending
solar thermal collection system made of custom-made aluminum piping and a layer
of added insulation. The collectors serve as a collection point for thermal
energy to be stored and later used for domestic hot water, space heating,
radiant flooring heating, ice melt, pool/spa heating and even cooling. Upon the
structure, the panels appear only as standing seam metal roofing, allowing the
structure to use solar power while maintaining architectural integrity without
the need for unsightly, added components on top of the structure.