“Smog-Eating” Roofing Tiles Convert Pollutants into Nitrogen
MonierLifetile, a Boral Roofing Company, has introduced “smog-eating” concrete roof tiles which they say will reduce the amount of smog in the atmosphere.
According to the company’s product brochure:
- Significantly reduces the effect of smog on the environment. Over one year, a 2000 sq ft smog eating concrete tile roof can destroy the same amount of Nitrogen Oxides as a car produces from being driven 10,800 miles.
- Made purely from minerals with an inorganic surface that withstands weather conditions.
- The tile surface does not promote organic growth such as moss and algae. Airborne pollutants are destroyed by the effect of sunlight on the catalyst and are rinsed off by rainfall. Additionally, because of the special pore structure, the concrete tiles dry out in half the time it takes ordinary tiles.
According to EcoHome via BuilderOnline [link], this technology has been used in Europe for a few years, mainly on road materials. Boral is testing it for other product offerings, including clay tiles.
The tiles will carry a price premium, an increase the company expects to come down with volume and time. Installation, performance, and weight are unchanged.
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Interesting concept, but I would be surprised if that it will go anywhere. For one, even for environmental minded individuals, it seems unlikely that they would pay a premium to reduce air pollution when they could pay that same premium for either solar or reflective shingles that lower energy use, not only reducing air pollution before it’s produced but also saving the homeowner on utilities. And secondly as a homeowner with children and pets, I would question the level of toxins in the rainwater that “rinses” off the roof and into landscaping and lawn.
Again, the concept is a great one but the application in roofing products is highly questionable. It sound much more suitable for use in roadways as is being done in Europe.
Thanks for the article…
Seems like a good idea. I wonder if it will be a success?
Sounds interesting. I’m sure that these roofs will still grow algae on them. Gloeocapsa magma seems to grow on any surface. I clean every type of roof surface out there. I have never found one that won’t get the black streaks on them. We see it on tile, slate, asphalt, metal and other surfaces every day. All roofs require some type of cleaning maintenance and I’m sure that this one will not be any different.
Brian
Brian,
While we appreciate your zeal for algae growth, this was about a tile that supposedly sucked up smog.
Granted, any algae growing on the tile would cancel out the smog-eating effect that that the tile produced. But the tiles were being tested and marketed for a more southern climate than you are used to in the upper northeast, a more moist and fluid climate. Yes?
Algae growth on roofs in the south is something hard to deal with. I’m interested in seeing the long term appearance of these roofs.
Some composite roofing material with this type of quality is the roofing material of the future for the next few years. Next to come after this, combining this shingle with solar??