Can you have a sustainability conversation?

RCS Influencer Wendy Marvin says you don't need to master sustainability to benefit from it.

Here’s the thing about sustainability that drives me crazy: we’re all waiting to have it “perfectly figured out” before we’ll even talk about it with customers. I get it. It feels like this massive, impossible goal that we’ll never truly master. But after years in this industry, I’ve learned something very important: our customers want to have this conversation, even if our honest answer is, “That’s a brilliant idea, but it’s going to cost you significantly more because, frankly, our industry and our municipalities are still working through the details.”  

Don’t believe sustainability matters to your customers? Do yourself a favor and look up how many universities now offer advanced degrees in sustainability. The demand is real, the questions are coming and you better be ready. Or someone else will.  

Stay ahead of the curve 

The secret to making sustainability work for your business isn’t becoming the greenest contractor overnight. It’s staying ahead of industry conversations. The best way I’ve found to do this? Get involved with your trade associations where sustainability committees exist. I sit on NRCA’s Sustainability Committee, and let me tell you, I’ve heard some eye-opening stories. Companies completely committed to green initiatives have been shut down by customers who won’t pay the premium or by local governments that aren’t equipped to handle the sustainable debris properly. 

Here's what I’ve learned: sustainability is complex and multifaceted. You can’t master it in six months. But you don’t need to master it to benefit from it.  

What your customers really want to know 

When customers ask about sustainability, they’re not necessarily expecting you to be the environmental guru of roofing. They’re testing to see if you’ve considered what matters to them. Are you an industry leader who stays informed, or are you the contractor who shrugs and says, “We don’t do that green stuff”? 

The knowledge that matters 

As roofing contractors, we often find ourselves caught between homeowners, builders and city planners who want sustainable builds but don’t always understand the cost implications. That’s where your expertise becomes incredibly valuable.  

Two terms you need to understand: Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). EPDs show you how to research a manufacturer’s environmental impact — crucial knowledge when discussing material choices with eco-conscious customers. LCA essentially tracks a product’s carbon footprint from manufacturing through disposal. When you can explain these concepts, you’re speaking their language.  

Learning about EPDs and LCAs gives you the power to have intelligent conversations even if your company isn’t ready to produce its own comprehensive sustainability impact report.  

My bottom line 

You don’t need to be the greenest contractor in your market to use sustainability as a business differentiator. You need to be the one who understands the conversation, knows the terminology and can honestly discuss both opportunities and limitations.  

Start with education. Join industry committees. Learn the language. When customers ask about sustainable options, you’ll respond with informed answers instead of uncomfortable silence. That knowledge positions you as a professional roofer who takes their concerns seriously — and in my experience, that’s often exactly what wins the job.