What Will The Roofing Industry Be Like In 100 Years?

Over the last 100 odd years, roofing materials have drastically changed. Thatch is very rarely ever seen, slate is reserved for expensive buildings, metal roofing can still be found but the more popular asbestos is removed due to the danger it presents. Just by turning the clock back 10 years you can see the different materials being used and a more strict approach to HSE guidelines, as well as a larger focus on being ‘green’.

So what can we expect from the roofing industry in 100 years’ time? Here’s what we predict:

More Robust

One of the biggest criticisms over current roofing measures is that they are not built strong enough to stand up to more severe weather. The January storms of 2014, for example, saw over £1 million worth of damage to residential roofing alone after being abated by category 3 wind and extreme rain. As climate change continues there is likely to be increased measures to ensure that the roofing industry changes how robust their current materials are.

Solar Panels

With fossil fuels becoming scarcer, and therefore more expensive, it is likely that we will see a much greater push for ‘green energy’ creation schemes. Currently millions of acres of potential rooftop energy creation space are being wasted as they do not have solar panels converting the sun’s rays into energy. Although there are thousands of homes that have solar panels installed now, the likely hood is that this will become cheaper, more readily available and easier to fit to almost any roof.

Completely Heat Retaining

Wasted heat is a major problem, although in recent years we have seen far more insulation being introduced to help prevent this. By 2114, it is very likely that someone will have developed a roofing system that completely prevents heat from escaping – the same roof could potentially even help to keep a building cool in the summer, in a similar way to a thermos. There are already many products on the market designed to do this, but theoretically in 100 years they will become more affordable and therefore more commonplace.

Easy Fit

The likelihood is that roofs won’t just become more practical in terms of generating energy and retaining heat, but they are also going to become easier to fit. This will cut down install time and make repairs much easier, especially if there are only sections of the roof that is damaged. Don’t be surprised if roofing sections start being printed by a large 3D printer in order to make things faster and cheaper.

Made from Recycled Materials

In another step towards a greener future, we can probably expect to see an increase in the number of roofs being made from recycled materials. Recycled plastic, rubber, glass and reclaimed shingles are all currently used to provide a greener build and this trends is set to continue well into the future. Only a very small proportion of homes and businesses use green materials to clad their roofs at present, although down the line we are likely to see a much greater push for using this type of material.

iRoof

Let’s be honest if Apple continue to dominate the market the way they are now, give them 100 years and they are bound to expand into different markets. This could be where the roofing industry changes forever and we start plugging our music into the ceiling and blasting it out through the neighbourhood – or something equally as strange to us in the current day. It may be useful though, Roof Siri could control the temperature of your house through voice operated commands… it truly is the future.

That’s what we predict the roofing industry changes will be for the next 100 years, think you know any better? Let us know in the comments below: