Built to Wow: An Amazing Metal Roof Tops Award-Winning Aspen Home

By Metal Roofing Alliance

There’s no doubt that Mountain Living Magazine’s 2017 Home of the Year is a true design marvel.

From its epic 10-acre setting in Aspen, Colorado to its airy 15,000 square foot floor plan­—all meticulously planned and built to luxurious green living standards—it’s a modern masterpiece both inside and out.

That includes the home’s incredible metal roof, a custom-machined and mechanically sealed engineering wonder manufactured by Drexel Metals, a leading metal roofing systems and custom fabrication company and a Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) member.

Using metal made what would have been architecturally impossible possible for this home. To achieve the eye-catching design, the roof’s curved panels were custom fabricated and then mechanically sealed at each seam.

But the real beauty of this striking dark bronze metal roof is much more than skin deep. It is designed to deliver maximum reliability and performance in Aspen’s extreme climate conditions, no matter what the season. The roof features built-in gutters and an ice melting system under the eaves to withstand Aspen’s legendary winter snow and ice. In the summer, a special paint coating keeps the home cooler, saving energy by reflecting the intense mountain sun’s rays.

“No other material could have achieved the architectural requirements of this project, as well as delivered the exceptional performance and longevity needed to withstand the extreme weather conditions that Aspen gets,” said Brian Partyka of Drexel Metal.

The roof also protects the home against the danger of wildfires, which are increasingly threatening many areas in the west. While metal is a naturally non-combustible material, the home’s roof also was installed to “Class A” assembly standards, meaning a layer of fire-resistant material was installed between the roof and the home’s structure to provide even greater protection.

The home’s green story is as impactful as its thoughtful design features, and the roof is no exception. As a LEED-Silver certified home, it was important to the homeowners that the roof would last for generations, yet also be created from material that could be eventually recycled at the end of its long life. The roof’s 24-gauge Galvalume metal is manufactured to hold up for decades, made from a mixture of zinc and aluminum that protects against corrosion much longer, while being 100 percent recyclable.

“Between the energy efficiency performance, the longevity and the recyclability, you simply couldn’t have a more sustainable roofing choice for this project,” said Partyka.

And that’s an achievement worthy of the highest honors.

Lessons learned:

• Metal roofs can achieve lofty architectural standards

A curved roof that can also reliability stand up to climate extremes can be a difficult achievement, but metal roofs offer the flexibility necessary for even some of the most creative designs.

• Beautiful design goes hand-in-hand with great performance

While gorgeous, practical elements were prioritized for this award-winning home, including incorporating materials would last for generations and work well for Aspen’s unique environment. Energy efficient, strong enough to hold up to snow and ice loads, wildfire resistant and low maintenance, metal proved to be the perfect roofing choice.

• Sustainability never needs to be an afterthought

Being environmentally-minded means avoiding material that will wear out more quickly and that, at the end of its life, will end up in the landfill. By ensuring their home would be built to last for generations, these homeowners selected materials, like the home’s metal roof, that would be earth-friendly both now and for the long run.

For more information about the benefits of metal roofs, visit www.metalroofing.com