Mike Holmes Partners with Atlas and 3M™ for Earth Day

In the week leading up to Earth Day (April 22, 2023), the Holmes family — professional contractors and television hosts Mike Holmes, Mike Holmes Jr. and Sherry Holmes — took over Atlas Roofing's social media accounts to bring awareness to the damaging environmental effects of smog and the overwhelming amount of construction waste going into landfills. They also shared how Atlas' two new Pinnacle® shingles, Pinnacle® Sun and Pinnacle® Impact, were designed with the earth in mind, minimizing both issues.

When we hear the word "smog," most of us think "smoke + fog," or we picture the hazy layer of air pollution that often blankets the Los Angeles skyline. In scientific terms, smog is ground-level ozone and particulate matter created by chemical toxins being dispersed into the atmosphere. And whether you know it or not, smog pollution is an issue in many parts of the country.

The Problem

"Photochemical smog is produced when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides and at least one volatile organic compound (VOC) in the atmosphere," as National Geographic explains. "Nitrogen oxides come from car exhaust, coal power plants and factory emissions. VOCs are released from gasoline, paints and many cleaning solvents."

According to the American Lung Association's 2023 State of the Air report, which presents data from 2019-2021, “After decades of progress on cleaning up sources of air pollution, nearly 36% of Americans — 119.6 million people — still live in places with failing grades for unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution.”

(A Step Toward) The Solution

But just as human technology is the cause of this pollution, human technology can also be what helps to mitigate smog and its atmospheric effects.

As a top roofing materials manufacturer, Atlas is committed to innovation and finding ways to create more environmentally conscious products. To that end, earlier this year, Atlas introduced its new Pinnacle® Sun and Pinnacle® Impact shingles — both of which are HOLMES Approved Products.

Eco-Friendly Innovation

Pinnacle® Sun and Pinnacle® Impact feature 3M™ Smog-Reducing Granules, which, when activated by sunlight, transform smog into water-soluble ions, helping to remove these pollutants and improve air quality one roof at a time. With Pinnacle® Sun or Pinnacle® Impact shingles, the roof on a typical home has the smog-fighting capacity of 2-3 trees.

In addition, Pinnacle® Sun shingles are made with 3M™ Cool Roof Technology, which includes reflective granules that radiate the sun's heat away from a roof, decreasing a home's cooling requirements and increasing its overall energy efficiency. Because these shingles can lower indoor air temperatures, they are especially effective in climates with year-round cooling needs.

Because of their advanced, innovative shingle technology, Pinnacle® Sun was named one of the Holmes family's “Top 10 Home Improvement Products in 2023.”

Waste Not, Want Not

Fighting smog and creating more energy-efficient products aren't the only environmental concerns for the roofing industry. Waste is also a major problem, especially when it's dumped into landfills.

According to Mike Holmes, by 2025, global construction waste is expected to reach 2.2 billion tons annually — something that Atlas began addressing years ago with the introduction of its HP42® technology, which is built into all of its shingle products, including StormMaster® Shake and the Pinnacle family of products.

Because HP42® shingles are bigger than standard shingles (42" x 14" with a 6" exposure), less product is needed to cover the roof, resulting in faster installation and zero waste offset, completely removing excess and unnecessary material that would've otherwise been headed for a landfill.

One Small Step for the Environment, One Giant Leap for the Roofing Industry

As part of Atlas' continued efforts to uncover new and better sustainability practices, the innovation that went into creating its new Pinnacle shingles is a giant step in the right direction toward more sustainable roofing.

For more information about Pinnacle® Sun and Pinnacle® Impact shingles, visit AtlasRoofing.com.