What Makes a Shingle Roof
Sustainable
A lot of "green" roofing talk is fluff. Here's the straight version. The first thing that makes a roof sustainable is that it lasts, so the old one isn't headed to the landfill early and you aren't paying for a second one. Malarkey puts it this way: a shingle that lasts longer is "the very definition of sustainable." After that, it comes down to what the shingle is made of and what it does on your house.
When a homeowner goes with Malarkey, the shingle we install is Highlander Cool. We're a Malarkey Certified Pro Contractor. Here's what Malarkey says the shingle brings to the table.
What's in a Highlander Cool Shingle
- Upcycled rubber and plastic. Malarkey puts polymers from recycled tires and plastic bags into the shingle to improve durability and aging resistance, which also keeps that waste out of the landfill.
- Smog-reducing granules. 3M granules on the surface help clean emission pollutants out of the air.
- Rubberized asphalt. Malarkey's NEX polymer modified asphalt core is built for impact resistance, granule adhesion and aging. Malarkey says it's a cleaner way to make a shingle, with fewer emissions than the oxidized asphalt method used for standard shingles.
- Cool-rated colors. Burlwood, Moonlit Black, Riverstone Grey and Willow Wood reflect more of the sun to reduce roof heat, and they can be used to meet California's Title 24 cool roof requirement.
The Numbers, Per Roof
Malarkey publishes these figures for Highlander and Highlander Cool, based on a roof of 30 squares (about 3,000 square feet of roof):
- About 4 rubber tires upcycled
- About 2,900 plastic bags upcycled
- Smog-fighting potential of about 2 trees (Malarkey's figure, which it sources to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and 3M)
Those are Malarkey's approximations, not something we measured on your roof. A bigger or smaller roof moves them up or down. Malarkey has a sustainability calculator that runs the numbers by square, so ask at the estimate and we'll run your roof through it.
Energy Efficient, Too
Highlander Cool's colors are rated for solar reflectance, so the roof surface takes on less heat than a standard dark shingle. Pair that with real attic ventilation and the attic runs cooler. How much you feel it on the bill depends on your insulation and ventilation, so we won't promise you a number. The Title 24 numbers for each color are on our cool roofing page.
What "Green Roof" Usually Means
Quick note so nobody gets confused. In the building world, a "green roof" usually means a living roof, with soil and plants on top. We don't build those. When people ask us about green or eco-friendly roofing, what we offer is a shingle roof with recycled content and cool-rated colors, installed right so it lasts.
The Install Still Matters Most
A sustainable shingle over a bad install is still a roof you'll replace early. Every shingle job we do is a full tear-off, with:
- Deck inspection, with damaged wood repaired or replaced
- Synthetic or peel and stick underlayment, never old-style felt
- New drip edge and flashings
- Ridge cap shingles
- Permit and city inspection
- Cleanup and a magnet sweep
Frequently Asked Questions
Malarkey says the upcycled rubber and plastic are there to improve durability and aging resistance, not to cut corners. Highlander Cool carries a Class 3 impact rating (UL 2218) and a Class A fire rating, per Malarkey's spec sheet.
Not necessarily. Highlander Cool is the Malarkey shingle we install, and value for the money is one of the reasons. You get the written price at the estimate, and we bring the sample boards so you can see the shingle up close.
Yes. Malarkey's per-roof figures assume a 30-square roof. Ask at the estimate and we'll run your roof's squares through Malarkey's sustainability calculator.
Sources: Malarkey, Highlander and Highlander Cool flyer (California, Rev. 02/26); Malarkey, Sustainable Roofing; Malarkey, Sustainability Calculator.