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LA Homebuilder Offers Smog-Eating Tile Roofs

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) — An Irvine-based homebuilder is offering environmentally concerned Southern Californians smog-eating tile roofs.

KB Home tested the concrete tile roof, which neutralizes smog-forming nitrogen oxides spewed by vehicles, last summer in the Mojave Desert community of Lancaster. After an enthusiastic response, KB home began offering the smog-eating roofs in January in its Southern California developments, including about 25 in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

The Riverside Press-Enterprise says the green roof feature comes standard in some projects, but it's mostly offered as an average $800 upgrade.

Boral Roofing says a typical smog-eating roof can annually break down the same amount of nitrogen oxides as a car's engine typically produces during 10,800 miles of driving. The magic ingredient in the tiles is titanium dioxide.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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