You don't need an MBA to know green means big business. When Neilsen studied consumer behavior in regard to eco-friendly products, they found that two-thirds now prefer to buy sustainable products over conventional materials.

Perhaps more telling: 52 percent of millennial correspondents will pay more for green goods, a rate three times higher than their boomer counterparts. That's important, because many millennials are just now becoming first-time home buyers, and their preference for environmental products doesn't stop at the front door.

Although millennials may not like to call themselves environmentalists, they're more likely to support the expansion of alternative energy sources, and according to one study, over three times more likely to say they prioritize climate change as one of the most pressing political issues.

If you're hoping to appeal to the next generation of homeowners and business owners, you need to be well-versed in environmental building and design practices, and know the difference between a product that is sustainable versus one that is just another part of the problem.

Increasingly, contractors and other building professionals are being asked to become amateur energy auditors and make recommendations for better energy efficiency and overall sustainability. That means every inch of a building's interior and exterior needs to be accounted for, to ensure they all meet the highest green standards and serve the uniform goal of reducing energy consumption.

Savvy buyers have probably already heard the good news about more common efficiency solutions, like blown insulation and smart thermostats, but they may not be as aware of less well-known measures they can take, like investing in more efficient roofing products for their homes.

Standard asphalt rooftops aren't exactly the coolest, and those energy-absorbent shingles baking in the sun can significantly increase summer AC expenses. The Department of Energy estimates that efficient roofing could potentially lower roof surface temperatures by up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Even more, investing in efficient roofing is a good strategy to help a building achieve its LEED certification "” which can ultimately increase a property's valuation.

The making of a "cool roof"

One trend in vogue among green builders and energy-forward property owners alike "” particularly those in the South and Southwest "” is the installation of a "cool roof." These surfaces are light-colored or reflective, to keep excess heat from being absorbed back into the building's interior, and they use a number of different materials to accomplish this purpose.

Typically, the ideal material depends on the angle of the roof, how sharply pitched or low-sloped it is. Popular choices for cool roofs include corrugated metal, reflective PVC roofing membranes, or tiles made from clay, concrete or slate. There are also reflective coatings that can be applied to existing rooftops, although these typically don't hold up as well over time as installing new, reflective roofing.

Keep in mind, however, that a cool roof's effectiveness may be drastically lowered without proper insulation, especially in more northern climates. An efficient cool roof should be viewed as an overall system, rather than a swap-out of materials, so the level of insulation and the type of roofing should all be selected with the area's climate in mind.

For instance, buildings in areas with high average rainfall totals may be better suited to leakproof membranes, rather than metal roofing. Where heating is more of a concern than air conditioning, recommend sheathing with a radiant barrier between rafters.

Condensation and mold control are other key issues to watch out for, as cooler rooftops can promote the growth of algae, mold and moss. Additionally, in some areas, energy providers may offer commercial building owners rebates or other saving for installing a cool roof on their property.

On the flip side, however, you should also be mindful of area building regulations, as not every jurisdiction has made a move to include them in local building codes. Additionally, the building's intended use should be taken into consideration: commercial facilities that exhaust chemicals or oils, or experience rapid shifts in temperature, may not be the ideal locale for all cool roof materials.

Roofing as a path to LEED certification

Among the potential benefits of cool roof systems is that they can help the buildings achieve LEED certification "” in fact, the right kind of roof could potentially earn as many as 22 points toward a site's certification. Energy Star certified reflective PVC membranes, for instance, can meet not only site-specific criteria like the Sustainable Sites and Energy and Atmosphere credits, it may also be eligible for Materials and Resources Credits, as well.

LEED certification correlates to property values, since greener homes tend to sell faster and for higher rates "” and being certified helps sellers get credit for less flashy features, like more sustainable materials. While the LEED program was initially designed for commercial entities, it was recently revamped to lump in residential sites as well, meaning homebuyers will be more likely to look for these credentials while home shopping in the future.

Cool roofs: a hot issue

Despite energy benefits for individual buildings, cool roofs remain controversial. In urban areas, a number of large, reflective surfaces could possibly have the unintended effect of actually increasing surrounding temperatures.

Many experts remain hesitant to give cool roofs their blessing, insisting these materials may in fact add to the urban heat island index "” the measure of how much hotter a metro area is, on average, compared to surrounding rural regions.

Typically, once an energy issue has been brought to the surface, however, there will be designers and developers rushing to improve upon initial materials. You can expect more innovation headed for the future of rooftops, new ideas that we're just beginning to see set forth, like living or green roofs covered with vegetation. Additionally, with solar energy systems being more widely employed in both commercial and residential settings, there's the potential that roof materials may evolve to meet solar-ready requirements.

As the quest for alternative energy heats up, the spotlight will be on buildings to use the energy we do have more efficiently, which means your most valuable asset to clients will be your professional opinion, and staying on top of green innovations and new techniques in your field will help you give it more readily and confidently.

» Reference: Construction & Building Materials, Facilities & Grounds, Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures, Construction & Building Materials,

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