Roofing Materials and Air Pollution: What We Need to Know

Ever thought about how roofs can affect the air we breathe? Scientists have been exploring how chemicals from asphalt roofs contribute to tiny particles in the air, called secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). These particles can be harmful to our health. A recent study aimed to figure out just how much roofing materials add to this problem. Researchers looked at different factors like how hot roofs get, how much sunlight they absorb, and how long they're studied. They also considered the properties of the roofing materials. By using a method called Monte Carlo-based quantitative uncertainty analysis, they calculated more accurate estimates. Turns out, in a place like Southern California, during the hottest 720 hours, asphalt roofs contribute about 1. 7 x 10^-4 Gg/yr of SOA. For the whole year, it's around 2. 1 x 10^-5 Gg/yr. Compared to cars and trucks running on diesel or gasoline, this is much, much less.