Roofing Trends to Watch in 2025
Author: Lee Polevoi | January 9, 2025
As roofing contractors get ready for the new year, roofing trends in 2025 open a significant window into what the year's workload may be and what type of work they'll see. Residential and commercial customers are likely to be even more environmentally conscious than in the recent past. They will also expect contractors to employ more advanced technology and materials to do a better job of roof replacement or repair.
According to Benchmark International, the global roofing market "is on pace to see sustained growth over the next few years," with a compound annual growth rate of 4.3% and reaching more than $327 billion by 2028. Benchmark attributes this dramatic growth rate to "an enhanced focus on sustainable and eco-friendly practices, resilience to extreme weather events, innovative materials, energy efficiency requirements" and other factors.
In other words, the roofing market is booming. Here's a quick look at what's ahead for roofing contractors.
Advances in Energy-Efficient Roofing Materials
Savvy contractors understand homeowners' desire for durable, eco-friendly materials. There's an increasing demand for the use of recycled materials such as metal or composite shingles. Metal roofing, for example, is growing in popularity, due to its demonstrated longevity and wide array of colors and finishes.
Customers are also drawn to composite (or "synthetic") materials derived from recycled plastics, fiberglass and other composites. These materials often have the appearance of wood or slate, while providing for easy maintenance, enhanced weather resistance and overall toughness.
Another trend likely to grow in 2025 is the use of solar reflective shingles. These energy-efficient shingles reflect sunlight, generate electricity and absorb heat. (This translates into cooler households in the summer months, resulting in less dependence on costly air conditioning.) In many regions, these shingles come with potential financial incentives (discounts, tax breaks, etc.), another attractive quality among homeowners.
Improvements in reflective roof coatings make this option increasingly attractive to residential customers because they offer high-quality insulation and enhanced energy efficiency at a relatively low cost.
Cool Roofs and Green Roofs Increasing in Popularity
Continuing with the environmental and sustainability trend, roofers working in 2025 will encounter more homeowners opting for cool roofing materials (such as specific coatings and tiles). These materials do a great job of reflecting sunlight and limiting heat inside a home. This, in turn, leads to less reliance on air conditioning and a corresponding reduction in energy costs.
Green roofs, also called "living roofs" or "rooftop gardens," will likely gain more traction among environmentally conscious homeowners in 2025. Green roofs come with vegetation covering the top of a roofing structure. Benefits of green roofing include enhanced air quality, less heat absorbed in the household and efficient management of rainwater.
The use of green roofs and/or cool roofs in urban areas helps offset the "heat island effect." Heat islands are pockets of a city or suburb where "buildings, roads, and other infrastructure absorb and re-emit the sun's heat more than natural landscapes" would, leading to increased temperatures compared to outlying areas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Using Technology for Better Results
Employing drones for a "bird's-eye" inspection of residential rooftops will also grow in 2025. Roofers no longer need to rely on scaffolding or similar tools, thus reducing potential job-related injuries such as a fall from a roof. Drones capture high-resolution videos and photos, pinpointing indicators of roof damage (cracks, leaks, etc.). In many cases, they are also equipped with thermal imaging technology, enabling roofers to assess areas of heat loss or weaknesses in insulation.
Bypassing the need for manual inspection, the use of drones translates into reduced contractor time and labor, which in turn can result in lower expenses for homeowners.
Laminated (or architectural) shingles continue to gain in popularity among homeowners. These custom-made shingles are designed to highlight each individual shingle's style, cut and color palette. Architectural asphalt shingles convey the appearance of cedar or natural slate tiles while also being less expensive to install than wood or stone roofing materials. Customers who are particularly conscious of modern house design and roof color (including neutral shades such as gray or bold colors like green or red) will probably increase demand for this product in 2025.
Beacon Is Your Roofing Partner for 2025
When it comes to advanced technology, products like the digital platform Beacon PRO+ enable contractors to order all of their building materials and supplies easily and efficiently online. You can also manage your account safely and remotely, with detailed construction measurements of materials and labor. The result? A competitive edge in project estimates and management.
With growing customer demand and technological innovations on the rise, there's no better partner for your roofing business than Beacon. Offering a vast array of products and services, Beacon is the ideal choice for keeping pace with roofing trends, benefiting from roof innovations and growing your business in 2025 and beyond.