Cool Roof Contributes to Sustainable House in Las Vegas Heat

Concrete roof tile, manufactured stone, and a cool roof system help meet energy efficiency goals at VISION House Las Vegas.

Designing homes to meet the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home program requires a layered approach from the foundation to the roof and everything in between. At the VISION House Las Vegas project, a collaboration between Beazer Homes and Green Builder Media, the desert climate adds another layer of challenge.

Beat the Heat

“If you can build a sustainable home in the harsh heat of Las Vegas, it stands to reason you can build one anywhere,” says Steve Booz, vice president of marketing and product management for Westlake Royal Building Products. “By participating in the VISION House Las Vegas program, we’re hoping to not only demonstrate the feasibility of sustainable living, but also set a new standard for environmentally conscious design and construction practices.”

The Westlake Royal Cool Roof System, the company’s Newpoint Concrete Roof Tile and their Cultured Stone manufactured stone will contribute to the sustainability of the two VISION House Las Vegas model homes at the master planned community of Cadence in Henderson, which is just outside of Las Vegas. 

In addition, a deconstructed model will be onsite for builders, contractors and buyers to see what’s behind the walls in Beazer’s READY homes. These homes and all future Beazer homes will meet the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home requirements.

“The opportunity to collaborate with like-minded companies and experts in the field allows us to leverage our collective expertise and resources to drive positive change,” Booz says. “We’re looking forward to collecting real world data between the house with the ‘regular’ installation and the house with the Cool Roof System installation.” 

Starting at the Top

The VISION House Las Vegas project will showcase a variety of products and systems that can be incorporated into production and custom homes in any climate for a high-performance, long-lasting home.

Westlake Royal Products at the project include:

• Newpoint Concrete Roof Tile, a durable, sustainable and resilient material designed to endure much longer than other roof systems such as asphalt. The product is manufactured with a small carbon footprint process using naturally occurring, abundant materials, can be easily repaired and is recyclable. Newpoint withstands harsh climate conditions and reduces the energy consumption used to heat the home in cold seasons and cool the home in warm seasons. Homeowners will benefit from energy savings and will lower their greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy consumption. 

The longevity of these concrete roof tiles reduces the amount of roofing materials that ends up in landfills. The tiles are available in numerous profiles and colors to complement a variety of architecture styles while protecting homes from wind, fire, hail and more.

• The Westlake Royal Cool Roof System reduces energy consumption to achieve up to 22% in energy savings annually, which reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the home. The system has five components that enhance ventilation and energy efficiency, including an Elevated Batten System that provides a thermal barrier and ventilation and the Westlake Royal TileSeal underlayment. 

At the VISION House Las Vegas these components will be topped with the Newpoint Concrete Roof Tile, but it can also be topped with US Tile Clay Roofing or Unified Steel Stone Coated Roofing, which are all highly efficient, durable and Class A fire rated options. Air enters the roof via the Vented Eave Riser, then the hot air rises and vents off the roof system through the Vented Ridge.

Durability at the Forefront

In addition to the roof products, the VISION House Las Vegas will include Westlake’s Cultured Stone product, which is engineered to meet or exceed building code specifications and is resilient, with a life cycle of more than five decades. The manufactured stone is durable, pest resistant, and noncombustible.

Cultured Stone is manufactured with lightweight concrete aggregate, which is low-emitting and UL Environment certified to have a minimum average recycled content of 60% pre-consumer stream material. The Cultured Stone plant in Napa, Calif. uses a closed-loop recycling system that reuses water throughout the manufacturing process.

Manufactured stone can be used on most wall surfaces and is lighter weight than natural stone, allowing for faster, easier installation with fewer architectural adjustments than full bed-depth natural stone. Each manufactured stone and brick is hand-painted with natural mineral oxides that infuse each surface with authentic colors and patina for visual and textural complexity. 

“Through innovation and technology, we are dedicated to advancing sustainable building product solutions, and investing in eco-friendly manufacturing processes, facilities and distribution channels to mitigate our environmental impact,” Booz says. “We’re spearheading recycling and waste management programs from production facilities to post-consumer usage.” 

Click here to read more about VISION House Las Vegas project.