The construction industry has experienced a sea change because of synthetic roofing materials, which come in a zillion not-prone-to-weather alternatives to natural roofs that were the stalwarts of architecture before roofing imitations came into wide use. Those natural roofs—think slate, shakes, or clay tiles—provided a discontinuous cover that no drop of rain could penetrate (they were, of course, largely hand-worked). Discontinuous roofing provides a cops-and-robbers kind of appearance. The cops on the roof (the rain can't get by) and the robbers inside (the space is dry). Synthetic roofing, in most cases, provides this kind of cops-and-robbers appearance but is, in essence, all in for the long haul. It not only looks like the real thing but will also cover a building for a long time. And in the places where synthetics are most often used, they meet the rules of an Architectural Style Book with hardly a whisper of protest.
Synthetic roofing materials might just be the most versatile of all roofing types. They are incredibly useful when it comes to customizing your roof, both in terms of appearance and (as you'll see) performance. A wealth of "look-a-like" options exist for synthetic materials—shingle, tile, slate, and even thatch. The roofing aesthetics can yield a huge payback in terms of property value, and that's probably a reason to give synthetic materials serious consideration. That's not all, though. You also have the potential with synthetics to tweak the performance of your roof in ways that might suit your situation: Some offer additional insulation, some are super reflective and are good for energy efficiency (especially in hot climates), and some are just plain old tough and wind-resistant.
Perhaps the greatest advantage of customized synthetic roofing is the combination of low life-cycle cost and low maintenance. These materials are designed to stand up to the most severe weather and to resist fading, cracking, and warping. In terms of cost over time, you are much better off with a synthetic roof. Durable synthetics have even longer guarantees than many of the "money-back" promises associated with truly energy-efficient roofs. Costs for energy-efficient roofing are generally comparable to those for roofs made with synthetic materials. But the energy savings associated with the EIV concept can be significant. That means roofs that look like this can save you as much as 30% compared with traditional roofing options. So even if the materials seem expensive, when you consider the life cycle, they are not.
