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Detailed Carbon Footprint Comparison: Asphalt Roofs vs. Synthetic Roof Over a 50-Year Lifespan (Without Replacing the Original Roof for Synthetic) To provide an accurate comparison of the carbon footprint of asphalt roofs versus synthetic roofs over a 50-year lifespan, where the synthetic roof is installed directly on the existing roof without replacement, we’ll consider the following:
  1. Asphalt Roof: Needs to be replaced at least once within 50 years.
  2. Synthetic Roof: Installed directly on the original roof, no replacement needed within 50 years.
Carbon Footprint Components for Each Roofing Type Asphalt Roofing
  1. Initial Installation
  2. Replacement after 25 years (average of 15-30 years)
  3. Disposal after each replacement
Synthetic Roofing
  1. Initial Installation (no replacement needed)
  2. No Disposal Needed
Carbon Footprint Calculations Asphalt Roofing
  1. Production and Installation
    • Initial installation: 67.5 kg CO2 per square (100 square feet)
    • Replacement after 25 years: 67.5 kg CO2 per square
  2. Disposal
    • Disposal emissions are estimated at 10 kg CO2 per ton due to transportation to landfill and landfill emissions.
    • Assuming 2.5 tons per square: Disposal emissions = 2.5 tons * 10 kg CO2/ton = 25 kg CO2 per square
  3. Total for Asphalt Roofing Over 50 Years
    • Initial installation + Replacement: 67.5 kg CO2 + 67.5 kg CO2 = 135 kg CO2 per square
    • Disposal for two replacements: 25 kg CO2 + 25 kg CO2 = 50 kg CO2 per square
    • Total Carbon Footprint: 135 kg CO2 + 50 kg CO2 = 185 kg CO2 per square
Synthetic Roofing (Authentic Roof Material)
  1. Production and Installation
    • One-time installation: 19 kg CO2 per ton
    • Assuming 2.5 tons per square: Installation emissions = 2.5 tons * 19 kg CO2/ton = 47.5 kg CO2 per square
  2. Disposal
    • Not applicable since the synthetic roof is not replaced within the 50-year span.
  3. Total for Synthetic Roofing Over 50 Years
    • Installation: 47.5 kg CO2 per square
    • Total Carbon Footprint: 47.5 kg CO2 per square
Comparison Summary Asphalt Roof Over 50 Years:
  • Total Carbon Footprint: 185 kg CO2 per square (100 square feet)
Synthetic Roof Over 50 Years:
  • Total Carbon Footprint: 47.5 kg CO2 per square (100 square feet)
Conclusion Over a 50-year lifespan, synthetic roofing materials (like Authentic Roof) have a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to traditional asphalt roofing. The synthetic roof’s footprint is approximately 47.5 kg CO2 per square, while asphalt roofing’s footprint is around 185 kg CO2 per square. This substantial difference underscores the environmental benefits of using durable, recycled materials for roofing, which greatly reduce both production and disposal emissions. Carbon Footprint Comparison Chart: Asphalt Roof vs. Synthetic Slate Roof for a 2000 Square Foot Home To compare the carbon footprint of asphalt and synthetic slate roofing for a 2,000 square foot home, we will use the previously calculated values and scale them up to the size of the roof. Recap of Calculations
  1. Asphalt Roofing
    • Carbon footprint per 100 square feet (1 roofing square): 162.225 kg CO2
    • Weight per 100 square feet: 0.15 tons
  2. Synthetic Slate Roofing
    • Carbon footprint per 100 square feet (1 roofing square): 47.5 kg CO2
Roof Size
  • Total roof size: 2,000 square feet
  • Total roofing squares: 2,000 square feet / 100 square feet per square = 20 squares
Total Carbon Footprint Calculation
  1. Asphalt Roofing
    • Total Carbon Footprint: 162.225 kg CO2 per square * 20 squares = 3,244.5 kg CO2
  2. Synthetic Slate Roofing
    • Total Carbon Footprint: 47.5 kg CO2 per square * 20 squares = 950 kg CO2
Chart Comparison
Roof Type Carbon Footprint per 100 sq ft (kg CO2) Roof Size (sq ft) Total Carbon Footprint (kg CO2)
Asphalt Roofing 162.225 2000 3,244.5
Synthetic Slate Roof 47.5 2000 950
Conclusion From the chart, it is clear that the synthetic slate roof has a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to asphalt roofing for a 2,000 square foot home. Specifically:
  • Asphalt Roofing: 3,244.5 kg CO2
  • Synthetic Slate Roofing: 950 kg CO2
This comparison highlights the environmental benefits of opting for synthetic slate roofing over traditional asphalt shingles, especially in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.