John Renowden
Boral Roofing
Boral Roofing supplies the design/build industries with the most comprehensive array of sustainable concrete and clay tile roofing solutions worldwide. Most people do not realize that the majority of a…
What is the role of your materials and products in the development of today’s leading architectural ideas?
Boral Roofing supplies the design/build industries with the most comprehensive array of sustainable concrete and clay tile roofing solutions worldwide. Most people do not realize that the majority of a building’s energy is lost via the roof – specifically the non-sustainable roof options that are predominant on many structures. Because of this, we are completely dedicated to the creation of environmentally sound building products that not only push the limits of energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption expenses but that ultimately improve the health of homeowners, employees, etc. Our roofing systems can be incorporated into all building types, are attractive, and provide the architectural community with a plethora of truly eco-friendly roof solutions for many design projects.
What are the latest innovative developments that you are working on?
We just introduced a roofing tile product in the United States that literally reduces the formation of smog and cleans the air while protecting the dwelling. Because many of our U.S. cities face such an immense, ongoing struggle with smog mitigation, we believe this concrete roof system will be an industry game-changer. Not just because it is made of concrete – a sustainable material – but because it represents one real way that architects, builders and homeowners alike can make a real impact on reducing air pollution and the respiratory illnesses and deaths that are directly linked to it. Smog Eating Tile incorporates a photocatalyst that breaks down harmful levels of nitrogen oxide molecules thus significantly reducing their impact on the environment. The process is similar to the principle of the catalytic converter in your car. The catalyst is embedded in the upper tile body and speeds up oxidation, eliminating Nitrogen Oxide, a major smog component, from the air. 2,000 square feet of this tile has the ability to annually clean from the air the same amount of smog created by the average automobile driving 10,800 miles. Imagine the positive change in air quality we could all experience if this roofing system is widely adopted!
How can vendors and material developers push the boundaries of what is possible in advancing innovative design and architecture?
Great design and architecture is both visually engaging and highly functional. The sustainability movement has brought forth many material innovations that not only meet these two requirements but that also improve our health, protect our environment and reduce our costs. Our move toward environmentally sound design and building practices is a great example of how we, as an industry, are pushing the boundaries of great architecture. Our goal as a company, and hope for the industry, is that we continue to develop products and materials that ensure we protect the earth for generations to come.
Explain how your product or material was used in and contributed to the success of a particular project?
The Smog-Eating Tile was recently incorporated into a futuristic, battery powered home created by leading homebuilder KB Home and BYD, the innovative Chinese green technology company ranked #1 on the Bloomberg/BusinessWeek Top 2009 Technology Companies list, in a partnership with the progressive California City of Lancaster. The smog-eating tile, along with the solar generating and energy storage elements included on the prototype home, was selected to demonstrate innovations in energy efficiency, cost savings and environmental protection, but also to directly address the geography where the home was built in southern California, a place with many days of direct sunlight in addition to one of the most notorious smog problems in the country. This home has received national attention and was recently featured in the USA Today and the LA Times.