Sustainable Roof Showdown: Garland, Tremco, Sika
Roof buyers used to pick on price and warranty length. Today sourcing teams ask tougher questions: How much post-consumer scrap hides in the membrane? Does the surface stay bright enough after three scorch-years to clear Title 24? Will the system still hold a leak-free edge long after the EPD’s reference year? We pulled the latest public numbers on three heavyweight brands so you can benchmark without the glossy brochures.
Recycled content: who walks the talk
Garland’s new StressPly Legacy modified bitumen clocks in at 27 percent combined post- and pre-consumer feedstock, plus a dash of bio-based oil (RoofingMagazine, 2024). Tremco’s TPA single-ply blends 25 percent pre-consumer PVC scrap into the core layer (Tremco, 2025). Sika Sarnafil holds a third-party UL claim for 10 percent recycled vinyl across its 10-foot membranes (Sika, 2025). Numbers alone never tell the whole story, but they do shape an EPD’s A1 hotspot and open doors on projects chasing recycled-content credits.
Cool roof ratings: white is not the only hero
Initial solar reflectance lands at 0.85 or higher for all three flagship whites, yet aging curves diverge. Tremco’s TPA/TPA FB White lists an Energy Star file of 0.86 initial and 0.70 after three years (EnergyStar, 2022). Sika’s EnergySmart White holds 0.84 initial and 0.76 aged per ASTM C1549 tests (Sika Datasheet, 2025). Garland’s Solex coating promises >0.85 reflectance for “many years,” but the company has not published a three-year aged value in the CRRC directory (Garland, 2025). If your bid spec references an aged Solar Reflectance Index of 64 or higher, dig for that data before short-listing products.
Durability keeps carbon in check
Longer life stretches the replacement cycle and dampens modules B2-B5 in any cradle-to-grave LCA. Sika carries a third-party verified 35-year service life for its vinyl membranes (Sika Checklist, 2025). Garland touts 40-year recyclable metal assemblies and 20-plus-year bitumen roofs (Garland, 2025). Tremco typically writes 20- to 25-year system warranties, though some restoration specs are shorter. These numbers arent going away any time soon: under EN 15804 +A2, service life is a mandatory disclosure that savvy reviewers now scan first.
Reading the fine print of the EPDs
An apples-to-apples comparison demands the same Product Category Rule, functional unit, and declared unit. Garland and Tremco both publish product-specific Type III EPDs under NSF 347, while Sika lists multiple Sarnafil sheets under ISO 14025. Check whether the PCR allocates recycled content via the cutoff or 50-50 method; that single choice can swing Global Warming Potential by double-digit percentages.
Procurement playbook: five checkpoints
- Ask for the latest CRRC aged reflectance value, not just the shiny initial lab score.
- Verify recycled content claims against UL E or SCS certificates cited inside the EPD.
- Compare service-life assumptions line by line; downgrade any marketing warranty that is longer than the LCA reference lifetime.
- Request proof of factory take-back programs if you need end-of-life recycling credits.
- Confirm that the EPD sits on a public database such as EC3 for seamless bid documentation.
Takeaway for specifiers
Garland leads on recycled inputs, Tremco edges ahead on initial reflectivity, Sika stakes its flag on lifecycle length. Your optimal pick depends on which LEED v5 credit or local ordinance your project scores highest. Pull the EPDs, circle the recycled content line, then cross-check the CRRC card. The fastest roof to install is still the one you never have to rip up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does recycled content in a roofing membrane influence an EPD score?
Recycled inputs lower the upstream (A1–A3) impact categories, most visibly Global Warming Potential and Abiotic Resource Use. The magnitude depends on the PCR’s allocation rules and whether cut-off or substitution modelling is applied.
Why should I care about 3-year aged solar reflectance instead of initial values?
Title 24, LEED v5, and several city codes use aged reflectance to predict long-term energy savings. A roof that drops below the threshold after weathering can leave owners without anticipated utility credits.
Can a 35-year service life claim be used directly in my LCA?
Yes, if it is third-party verified and matches the PCR guidance. Otherwise you must default to standard reference lives, usually 25 years for membranes and 50 years for metal decks.
Do take-back programs earn extra LEED points?
Not directly. However, they can support Construction and Demolition Waste criteria and bolster an innovation credit when paired with documented recycling rates.
Is it risky to specify a product that lacks a public EPD?
Yes. Without a published declaration you cannot benchmark impacts, verify recycled content, or satisfy material transparency credits, which may disqualify the product on government tenders.
About the Author
With a passion for sustainability and a love for complex data, Toby helps manufacturers efficiently collect data from across their organization and get their EPDs done right. He’s especially interested in how AI can support human expertise, helping R&D and factory teams work faster, smarter, and with less friction.
