GreatWay Roofing has been honored with a "green business" award by a regional business publication for its efforts in installing cool roofing and promoting its benefits toward energy savings.

The Spirit of Small Business Award was presented by the Pacific Coast Business Times at the publication's luncheon Aug. 6 in Santa Barbara before about 300 leaders from throughout the region.

"This award is a phenomenal accomplishment for GreatWay Roofing for many reasons, probably starting with the fact it's difficult to associate green principles with roofing," said Rod Menzel, founder and chief executive officer of GreatWay Roofing, based in Moorpark. "It's easy to envision tar odors and construction debris. But early on we believed in utilizing cool roof technology, made it a significant part of our marketing plan, and spent the energy needed to explain the virtues."

"We congratulate GreatWay Roofing for their role in supporting sustainable building practices," stated the award's presenting sponsor, Southern California Gas Company. "Through energy efficiency, we can enhance the environment and the economy by conserving natural resources."

GreatWay Roofing was honored in large part for a focus on providing energy-efficient roofing options to the market it serves. The "green" roofing options offer customers long-term savings on energy costs through cool roofing systems, by reflecting away solar heat, thus reducing interior air conditioning costs and improving workforce productivity by simply keeping them cooler.

Additionally, the cool roof system is renewable because it can be applied over existing structures unlike other roof systems. The old roof systems do not have to be discarded and hauled to landfills.

"The cool roof system saves our customers money while at the same time saving valuable resources for all of us," Menzel said. More than 120 nominations were submitted from Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties for nine categories for the newspaper's seventh annual awards event that was launched after a casual conversation with a former federal Small Business Administration district director.

The nominations were judged based on each company's record as an existing business, its history of creating jobs and consistent growth, and its contribution to the community.

In eight years GreatWay Roofing has installed about 200 energy-efficient roofs, with about 90 percent of those on commercial buildings. In the past year the company applied an energy-efficient cool roof system to 189,000 square feet of roof space on four new buildings in Oxnard for Sunbelt Enterprises; and donated new roofs complete with installation for Moorpark Little League and the Moorpark Food Pantry, both nonprofit organizations in need.

Founded in 1999 in Ventura County, GreatWay Roofing also serves the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys. Previously GreatWay Roofing was called Great American Roofing until an extensive re-branding process resulted in a new name and logo last year. The company offers "green" and energy-saving materials such as "Cool Roof" technology for commercial buildings; a 12-point commercial roof maintenance program; and free no-obligation commercial roof inspections.

GreatWay Roofing today employs 20 people. Information: (800) 473-2876 or www.greatwayroofing.com.

Source: Ventura County Star