Environmental concerns continue to be a factor affecting modern construction processes and technology. In the roofing industry, interest in photovoltaic roofing (PV) as a green option is growing among both residential customers and commercial clients. These solar panels allow customers to produce a substantial amount of their own electrical power from solar energy while providing a visually appealing option as roofing material.
Solar shingles and photovoltaic roofing produce energy that provides multiple benefits for both the environment and those customers who have this type of roofing installed.
- Clean and renewable energy: Solar energy derived from photovoltaic shingles and roofing materials provides an extremely clean source of electrical energy for residential or industrial use. Since sunshine is plentiful, it provides an ongoing, unlimited and perpetually renewable source of energy.
- Savings on energy costs: Solar energy allows residential and commercial customers to reduce their consumption of energy from local utilities, which can slash monthly energy costs by a significant amount.
- Reduction of reliance on electric utilities: By deriving a substantial portion of energy from photovoltaic roofing, customers can reduce the amount of power they need from the local electric company. This reduces overall stress on the electric power grid, which means utility companies will burn less fuel and generate fewer harmful emissions.
Commercial and residential clients with an interest in photovoltaic roofing and related solar power technologies should contact their local energy conservation offices to see if there are state or local requirements for the use of photovoltaic roofing. Some states, such as California, already have regulations in place for the use of solar roofing. Ask about tax credits, rebates and other financial incentives that may exist to support the purchase and installation of solar roofing. These incentives could make solar roofing a good choice even in areas that don’t yet require it.
Contractors and construction professionals can improve their sales and marketing efforts with up-to-date building permit data provided by Construction Monitor. Contact us today for more information on our services or for help identifying trends and active areas in construction technologies such as photovoltaic roofing and other environmentally-friendly products.
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