Technical Elements

The life-cycle cost conundrum

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The most frequently replaced exterior building component is the roof system, and roof system replacement costs are rising. As a result, building owners want to make informed choices to maximize their investments. Choosing a roof system with a projected long service life will help achieve this goal.

NRCA realizes this issue is important, but applying life-cycle cost concepts to roofing decisions is difficult. There is a lack of accurate data and numerous subjective variables to consider. Life-cycle cost data typically are based on equations involving variables such as initial costs, maintenance costs, energy consumption, expected service life, and tear-off and disposal costs. Furthermore, to the best of NRCA's knowledge, there is no reliable, unbiased accumulation of data that establishes the service lives of various low- or steep-slope roof systems.

What's available

To assist life-cycle cost data seekers, there are several sources of roofing-related life-cycle cost information. NRCA does not endorse these sources; they are referenced for...

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