There are several materials for buildings´ roofs and they have different characteristics which would adapt to different climate and environments.

Here is a list of materials that could be used in hot and tropical climates:

• Ceramic tiles: they are part of the Portuguese colonial heritage. It is an accessible material which provides good thermal comfort performance. Locking and fitting process of the tiles must be very accurate as they could dislocate.
• Metallic tiles: are quite common in construction sites. They are resistant and standardised, requiring less support structure. They have high reflection rate which keeps the indoor temperature low.
• Fiber cement tiles: they require more widely spaced support structures. They are low cost and fire-resistant, lighter than ceramic tiles, and save labour cost and installation time. However, thermal performance is low.
• Straw: They represent and environmentally clean material for roofs as the raw material is natural and biodegradable. Moreover, the lightness of the material requires less supporting structure.

Find more information and pictures here.