A roof can do more: Understanding smog-reducing granules

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Specialty roofing granules can help contractors connect essential roof performance with customers’ air-quality and sustainability goals. 

A roof has always been expected to protect the structure below it. Today, advances in roofing technology are creating opportunities for that same roof to provide additional benefits, including supporting cleaner air and helping owners pursue sustainability goals. 3M™ Smog-Reducing Granules are a specialty roofing granule technology developed to help remove smog pollution from the air. Incorporated into finished roofing products through manufacturer partnerships, the technology gives contractors another option to discuss with homeowners, building owners and project teams interested in the broader impact of their material choices. 

That conversation can extend across roofing markets. On steep-slope projects, participating manufacturers can incorporate smog-reducing granules into shingles. On low-slope projects, the technology can be used in granule-surfaced commercial roofing materials. In both cases, the opportunity is to connect a necessary building component with an additional environmental benefit. 

For contractors, introducing the technology does not require becoming an expert in the science behind it. Their role is to understand that the option exists, identify where it may be available and help customers ask informed questions. That can include discussing the customer’s sustainability or air-quality priorities, the roofing system being considered, applicable manufacturer offerings and approved technical documentation. 

Smog-reducing roofing should also be viewed as one possible component of a broader sustainability approach, rather than a stand-alone answer to air pollution. Sustainability goals vary by customer and project, making it important for contractors to begin with the owner’s needs and explain available options without overstating what the technology can accomplish. 

Collaboration makes those options possible. 3M supplies roofing granule technologies that manufacturers integrate into finished products, while contractors connect customers with roofing systems suited to their projects. 

Learn more about 3M™ Smog-Reducing Granules and connect with your preferred roofing manufacturer to explore solutions that may be available for your next project!