Over 75% of North America housing has roof shingles, and 90% of those roofs are made with asphalt fiberglass material. Asphalt roofs are also considered one of the least energy efficient roofing materials. This is because they absorb and conduct heat from the sun to attics. As a result, consumer’s demand for energy efficient roofs is greatly rising. Furthermore, asphalt shingles typically age / dry out from the heat, making them brittle. The life span of asphalt shingles ranges between 15 to 20 years. Asphalt shingles durability are affected by weathering and moisture. Those two mechanisms greatly affect the life span of shingles. An estimated 11 million tons of waste is produced annually in the U.S, due to shingles replacement.

There is a need to better tackle energy storage and extend the durability of asphalt roofing shingles. This project proposes the modification of asphalt shingles with an encapsulated aerogel product, called Aerogel Modified Bituminous material (aMBx); it was developed recently at Arizona State University. aMBx is expected to act as an insulator and making roofing shingles less temperature susceptible. The modified shingles will offer an improved thermal resistance by reducing cooling and heating loads in homes and buildings, and potentially reduce the impact on urban heat island effect.

Partner

GAF (Roofing manufacturer)