Modern Roofing Options

The roofing industry innovations have resulted in customers getting a wide choice of materials and looks for the top finish

Roofing innovations are addressing the issues raised by traditional materials, be it installation time, labor effort, durability, sound and temperature insulation, design flexibility and many more aspects. Simultaneously, color options and a variety of finishes cater to aesthetic sensibilities too. Architects are now giving the style factor for the outer skin more importance, as they work to keep the interiors more comfortable with the inclusion of better insulation on the exterior, thereby cutting on energy bills for interior climate control and lighting. The exterior of the building is often designed to meet aesthetic requirements, paired with addressing maintenance concerns for the upkeep. The advanced product outcomes like Tensile roofing, metal roofing, clay, concrete and ceramic tiles roofing, etc, rose to meet these aspirations of customers.

The use of traditional and non branded products often created problems through the delivery of non standard materials. With varying dimensions, onsite work was considerable, therefore the need for skilled workers. Large scale projects needed more efficient and better quality products. Branded products like metal roofing now offer standard quality and dimensions. The products range widened from screw down panels to high end standing seam roofing systems. Add the inbuilt drainage design or the set grooves for sealant application matched with accessories like eaves and drain pipes and it couldn't get more convenient. The long life covered up for the initial higher cost. Names like Multicolor, Centurywell, Everest, Colour Roof India have become familiar to customers from several verticals. A step further, pre- engineering of buildings like those from Jindal, TataBluescope Steel, Interarch, Kirby, Cold Steel, PEBs Pennar, etc offer customized solutions with international quality. Paired with cladding solutions, these are single window approaches for turnkey projects.

It's an interesting products range to browse through, as roofing material manufacturers come up with solutions that "Look good, feel good and stay good", thereby keeping all concerned satisfied. Let's update with some interesting entries in the market in different base material categories.

The Tensile Wings

Mehler Texnologies is a part of Low & Bonar Group of UK and one of the world's largest manufacturers of technical textiles. The company specializes in manufacturing of high-end PVC Coated membranes for tensile structures. Almost twenty years ago, Mehler Texnologies was the first European company to develop PVC coated tensile membranes with a weldable PVDF lacquer as a top coat. The fabric is supplied under the brand name VALMEX^® FR and is available in various types (Type I, II, III, IV, V & VI). Continuous development and processing has led to a very fine double lacquer of PVDF on both sides of the fabric. This provides excellent anti-pollution properties which make the fabric easily maintainable and enhances the life of the fabric manifold. In-house weaving and coating ensures manufacturing of high-end products with very high strength and excellent finish.

Reasons why VALMEX^® FR always remains the choice for architects and manufacturers of tensile structures include:

• Both sides coating of high concentration weldable PVDF lacquer
• Welding without the need of grinding avoids damaging the base fabric
• 100% UV retardant
• Light weight and high strength
• Low-wick treated
• Flame retardant Resistant to microbial and fungal attack
• Very easy cleaning and maintenance
• Translucent, thus enhancing power savings
• 100% recyclable, a good example of environmentally safe and sustainable architecture
• 10 - 15 years warranty
• Available in various widths and sizes

Tensile fabrics entered the construction sector as a breath of fresh air for architects wishing to extend their creativity with flowing shapes that came together quickly and economically on ground. Large spans could now be covered, with less weight and more natural light. There are now several products for especial environments and for relocate able projects like exhibition venues. Another successful application area was the retrofit roofing business. Remember the major makeover of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi for the CWG Games? The roof, constructed by Birdair, was made from Sheerfill architectural membrane from Saint Gobain. On a smaller scale the interesting car parks and patio shades are increasingly around us, as are large span atrium roofs in shopping centers and other commercial spaces.

On the lines of steel PEB, architectural fabrics from big names like Ferrari Architectural Fabrics, Mehler Texnologies, etc are increasing their product availability in India. With fabrics that are further coated as per applicability, tensile structure roofs can be raised for almost any application. Combine that with design efficiencies and you are on your way to saving enormously on climate control and lighting, with the bonus of open floor space under 'free floating' roof architecture. Innovations are, on an ongoing basis, working for durability of material strength and appearance as also for insulation.

Metal Roofing: The strength of steel

Metal roofs were made first from copper or tin in early times. Catching up in the 19^th century were materials like galvanized iron through aluminum and now steel were a revolutionary step for fast completion of buildings and offering recycling benefits, at a time when these concerns were not in the limelight. Low cost, light weight and low maintenance were and still are the popularity pushers. Modern technology has added precision, safety, insulation, lifetime looks and textures to up the style quotient. There is also considerable reduction in both labor effort and material used. With standard factory produced sheets and accessories, repair and replacement now no longer means obvious patchwork on the exterior. Metal roofs also add value to a property in being fire retardant and scoring for green architecture.

Tata BlueScope Building Products offers LYSAGHT^® range of premium roof & wall cladding for industrial, infrastructure, commercial and residential segments. The division believes in continuous improvement to meet increasing customer needs. Recently, the division has launched a new standing seam profile known as LYSAGHT FLEXLOK^TM 400. The profile with its tapered and curved shapes meets the most demanding construction and design requirements while crafting roofs with outstanding performance and pleasing aesthetics. Moreover, it is a concealed fixed system that helps provide weather tightness and superior resistance to wind uplift.

LYSAGHT FLEX-LOK^TM 400 is made from superior quality materials such as COLORBOND^® steel and ZINCALUME^® steel that offers higher solar reflectivity and lower thermal mass, thereby providing cool comfort for building occupants. This system lowers roof temperature by up to 6oC and reduces electricity consumption by up to 15% over conventional roofing system, thereby providing greater thermal comfort throughout the year while using less energy.

LYSAGHT FLEX-LOK^TM 400 is mostly used in the infrastructure applications. Countries like China and Thailand have used the profile in stadium, airport, stations and power projects.


Metal roofing initially spread across industrial structures like factories, warehouses, airport hangers etc and for heavy rainfall areas. As products grew more adapted to Indian conditions their applicability increased, metal roofing is gaining in residential construction too, as insulation and ventilation solutions pair up. Matching metal roofing with the looks indistinguishable traditional roofing materials was a strategy that appealed to home owners looking for overlays or retrofitting. Companies also train workers on installation, further assuring delivery of quality of the installation. The after sales service and wide spread dealer networks also contributed in a large way for the growing popularity of this roofing.

Names like Tata BlueScope, Kingspan, Colour Roofs (India), Everest Industries and Multicolor Steel emerged as leaders in roofing sheets in steel, galvalume (55% Aluminum-Zinc alloy coated sheet steel) and other materials. All these have the advantage of high strength profiling, corrosion resistance with multiple coatings and insulation panels adding to interior comfort. On site roll forming technology and fixing large length sheets for industrial sheds were pioneered in the country. The capability of spanning larger areas per unit mass is another reason for the product acceptance. Interarch's Tracdek for example, scores with it's Galvalume steel products with organic coatings that effectively face the challenges of corrosion even in coastal areas.

Pre-engineered fitting

"The future of roof and wall cladding industry seems promising given the increasing demand for urban infrastructure. We are constantly putting efforts to increase the awareness on steel - usage and benefits, which will further result in broadening the perception of the stakeholders and the industry. We need to tell them about the varied applications when it comes to infrastructure in steel."

Interarch manufactures some of the most advanced roofing systems available in the market, ranging from typical screw-down roofing panels to high-end standing seam roofing systems. Interarch is the only company of its kind in India that can produce all its roofing systems in limitless lengths with site roll-forming capabilities for all its panels.

The company manufactured its innovative product TRACDEK^® in a high quality Galvalume^® steel, galvanized steel and aluminium with optional high performance organic coatings for long life, even in coastal areas.

TRACDEK^® profiles provide excellent spanning ability and remarkable recovery after excessive load. The long spanning ability and more coverage per unit mass permits wide support spacing, enabling supporting structure economies.


Green building concept is an emerging trend in roofing and walling industry in India and the fact that India is blessed with 300 sunny days per year and has the optimal conditions to combat its energy deficit with solar technology, supports the concept of green building in the best manner.

Multicolor, since early 90's embarked on a mission to change the landscape of industrial estates with beautiful industrial buildings clad with colorful steel sheets. Started as an associate of Coated Steel manufacturers in 1994 and provided the sales & installation support to Shree Pre-coated Steels, later to Ispat Industries and then to Blue scope Steel, Multicolor in 1997 tied up with Butler of USA, which has been a global leader in metal buildings. Initially, it became their Indian partners. "With the passage of time, as our clientele expanded, we set up our manufacturing facility at IMT Manesar in Haryana in 2002. Gradually, by adding more products over a period, we developed a complete portfolio of Metal roofing Systems, Steel Decking, Insulated Panels, Prefabricated Cabins, Purlin sections, Ventilation Systems etc to offer complete range of Metal Building Products from one single source to fulfill all the needs of a project. Today, we are proud to say that we have pioneered the concept of complete steel solutions in India and our portfolio will continue to expand with time."


With the advent of the pre-engineered building concept, metal roofing products really came into their own. From screw down sheets, metal roofs came with their own accessories and design tricks to stave problems like leakage, suspect strength areas etc. Pre-engineering meant that roofing could be 'self-supported', freeing the floor space for working. MPIL Steel Structures has addressed the need for natural light with its MP Daylite polycarbonate sheet that matches its metal roofing profiles. There are wind driven ventilator systems too. Roof systems from Jindal Buildsys, with their permanent coating and profiled finishes, assure precision fits with anti capillary protection to keep away water. Tata Bluescope Steel presents consumers a range of solutions in pre-engineered buildings from very large projects to small cabins and residences. Roofing solutions are variously offered as coated steel, roof support systems and complete pre-engineered metal building systems to suit a massive range of applications. Their Lysaght range of profiles includes concealed fixed roofing systems, screw down roof profiles as well as accessories.

"The roof constitutes the most important part of the structure. A roof over a person's head is a fundamental right. It is a constant endeavour to ensure our roofing products are available even in the remotest of areas."

Everest AC Roofing Sheets are made from superior quality cement and imported fibre through a specially developed Fibre Orientation Process. Rigorous quality checks- standards, which are much higher than ISI, assure longer life and greater durability.

Everest Corrugated Roofing Sheets are beneficial in many ways: non-corrosive, vermin-roof, consistency in strength (along and across the sheets), dimensionally stable, permanence without maintenance, easy to fix, economical, high strength to weight ratio, matures with age, low thermal conductivity - keeps insides cool, better sound absorption - Less noise.


Everest AC Roofing is being used extensively throughout the country for factories, power plants, railway platforms, storage godowns, stadiums, schools, as well as urban and rural houses.

Clay makeovers

The red clay tile still invokes a nostalgic emotion in many Indians. Modern clay roofing, mostly seen as tile overlays over concrete slabs assuages some of these yearnings. Companies like Monier present sophisticated options in their catalogue that allow customers to return to traditional design without the inherent inconveniences. European brand Wienerberger, with a manufacturing facility in Karnataka, brings the traditional brick with a complete makeover to meet modern requirements. So solid brick related products now insulate interiors from thermal and sound, while extending the economy of clay construction with prefabricated wall and ceiling systems. As they are manufactured, the quality, size and color remain uniform, giving the exterior a homogenous finish.

Concrete or glazed clay roof tiles are now marketed with fittings and other components that include profile variations, improved strength, color palettes allowing customization and they are water proof too. New products like Elabana from Lafarge Roofing specifically suits small roof spaces like porches. The technology inside ensures delayed growth of moss etc on the outside. The insulation features are a part of the tile and in accessories like the Abutment and Wakaflex. An interesting provision to include the roof in the natural lighting of interiors is the Translucent or Clear tile, which is designed to blend with the overall tile profile and layout. It's a great way to get a free skylight! Ventilation tiles in their modern avatar come with suitable modifications that allow only the passage of air and no unwelcome animal visitors. Again, the size and profile integrates with the architecture.

Monier Roofing, world renowned in roofing solutions, has always been unique in bringing to its customers a complete roofing system rather than only roofing tiles. This roofing system has roofing tiles as well Roof system components that make pitched roofs perform better.

Apart from providing water tightness and adding beauty to a home, a roofing product should also be able to make the living space inside the house comfortable for the people to live in. Our Monier Cool Roof^® system does just that. The pure aluminium coating on the heat reflective layer laid under the tiles, reflect the radiant heat of the sun. This heat is then carried away by the cool wind entering from the eaves area in the roof. A Monier Cool Roof^® reduces the temperature inside the house by upto 10°C (this may vary from region to region) in comparison to a conventional roof. A customer can really feel such a temperature difference achieved inside the house and also since the load on the air conditioning system comes down considerably, this helps in a reduction in energy consumption.

This system comprises Concrete roof tiles (in Elabana or Plano profiles), Radiant Barrier underlay foil for Heat reflection, Compact roll to cover the ridge and hip area and Eaves Filler comb for the eaves.

Using the roof to stay cool

Roofs can be given on site treatments and finishes with overlays, or radiant barriers, to improve insulation. Harnessing solar energy, while keeping out the heat, is also an option. You will be comfortable, save on energy bills and most likely cut on roof maintenance effort and expenditure.

For Flat roofs

• Paint or tile them white to encourage heat reflection.
• Create a false roof with something as simple as grass/leaves or the sophisticated insulating tiles
• Paint less frequented tiled roofs with solar reflective paints
• Backed by efficient water proofing and weight distribution, take your garden to the top.

For Sloping roofs

• Overlay your concrete roof with tiles for the double benefit of a traditional façade and a air packed insulation layer.
• Extend the roof to create shades for the walls and windows

Paved with Tiles

Glazed, ceramic and vitreous tiles have moved up a level from floors and walls to become a part of the roof. Roof pavers are tiles customized for roofing purposes. Although these products are heavy and their compatibility with the structure needs confirmation, paver tiles are known to keep interiors cool. Creating terrazzo designs, especially on flat roofs is a popular method to have beautiful cool roofs and floors. Vitreous tiles that are thick and anti slip work well outdoors. With pitched tiled roofs still popular in monsoon intensive regions, these are popular solutions.

Ceramic tiles are an emerging solution for creating 'white roofs' that is roofs which reject solar heat by reflecting the sun's heat. Orient Bell's Cool Tiles with a very high Solar reflective Index (SRI). These tiles will also minimize maintenance expenditure for roofs. Thermatek has heat resistant tiles and other compatible products especially designed to keep roofs cool. Trends to be followed are tiles that purify the air unveiled by US based Crossville, or those with self-cleaning properties like those from Casagrande Padana, Italy.

Insulation and ventilation

Furthering the idea of keeping roofing light weight yet thermal retardant has lead to innovations in insulation solutions. The principle is very basic - Direct your efforts at keeping the discomfort outside, rather than driving it out once it has entered your door.

Sandwich panels and bubble sheeting are two popular heat barrier and fire retardant solutions in this category. Imported products like the aluminum bubble sheeting from the Citadel Architectural Solutions bouquet or Kingspan catalogues are some examples. Traditional materials like bitumen are now available in easy to apply formats like bituminous membranes, self-adhesive bands and membranes, while their shingle and sheets qualify for primary roofing applications. Texsa India markets several solutions with auxiliary materials to upgrade the water proofing, thermal and acoustic insulation for buildings.

In a tropical country like ours, extracting hot air, especially from commercial and manufacturing facilities is important. Traditional high roof structures were equipped with ventilators. Today, turbine roof ventilators, wind driven ventilators are carrying out these functions with efficient power usage. With low maintenance and longer functional life these fitments maintain both the health and security of interiors.

With these new products steadily growing in numbers, style and variety, looking over the building top is certainly meeting expectations of an improved landscape. All this comes with the interiors safer, cleaner and cooler. The last barrier of reluctance to adapt is easily brought down when the checks for green practices look positive too.

Innovative Roofing Products by Kirby Building Systems

Kirby Building Systems India Ltd (Kirby India) has always been in the forefront of innovation by investing in new production technologies and evaluating the performance through continuous product development. Integrating the company's strength and expertise along with innovation has helped the company lead the Indian PEB market. Apart from the functional requirements, the company has incorporated curved roof panels, wall claddings, flashings, aluco-bond panels or other such features to improve the aesthetics of the building.


Kirby India provides two types of roofing products - KR Profile (Kirby Roof) and KSS-600 (Kirby Standing Seam). KR profile is provided both in bare and color galvalume forms in different thicknesses as per the customer's requirements. This roof is strong and cost effective and was specifically developed for roofing applications with the standard roof panel being 26 gauge with a minimum yield strength of 345 MPa. KR profile has 32 mm deep major ribs which taper in width from 79 mm to 25 mm and are spaced 333.3 mm or center. Additional minor stiffening ribs are spaced at 111.1 mm on center and are located between major ribs. Each panel covers an span of one meter area. The bearing leg design permits easier installation and maintenance, supports thicker layers and allows easier curvature for a visually appealing finish. The profile is prepared with a multi-layered coating system to ensure long life and optimum coating adherence.

This KSS-600 roofing system which was introduced by Kirby India in 2006 is the most specified standing seam roof system in the market as it comes with double lock standing seam ends, eliminates the risk of roof leakage at fasteners and side and end laps due to the concealed fastening system and provides excellent protection in all weather conditions. Kirby India is the first PEB manufacturer to achieve FM Global accreditation for its Standing Seam Roofing System (KSS-600). The various design features of this roofing system allows the company to offer the customers, a low pitch roofing as less as 2 degrees with fully sealed membrane roofing, even at high rainfall intensity areas. These are also available in very long length and can be rolled on-site where sheet lengths exceed the limit that are not possible to be delivered by road. This eliminates the need for end laps and consequently the potential for water ingress. This roof system is specifically designed to accommodate roof movement with daily and seasonal temperature changes. The system is attached to the building's structure with a special clip and tab assembly formed into the double-lock seam. Because the tab can move within the clip, the entire roof can expand and contract freely without sacrificing structural integrity.

This roofing system provides 100% leak proof buildings with faster installation. During installation, the 180-degree pre-roll formed edges of each roof panel are assembled and are further seamed by seaming machine, completing a full 360-degree seam. Inside the seam, a factory applied sealant eliminates the chance for even tiny capillary leaks. The KSS-600 roof system is available in 26 and 24 gauges aluminum/zinc or color coated steel panels.