Roofing System Installed on LEED Platinum Project in Napa Valley

Saginaw, Mich. — The Duro-Last roofing system has been installed on the Bardessono Inn & Spa in Yountville, Calif.  The spa is scheduled to open in February 2009 and will be submitted to the U.S. Green Building Council for LEED Platinum certification. The spa consists of five separate buildings that are protected by almost 80,000 square feet of Duro-Last’s single-ply PVC roofing system.

The spa’s prefabricated roofing system was manufactured at Duro-Last’s Grants Pass, Ore., facility and installed by authorized contractor Fidelity Roof Company of Oakland, Calif. Fidelity is also an approved installer for SunPower, the manufacturer of the PowerGuard solar electrical system that will provide electricity to the spa.

The spas many sustainable building features include a ground source heat pump to provide both heating and cooling; occupancy sensors to control electrical usage in every room; the spa makes extensive use of wood salvaged from native California trees; concrete and steel materials include a high percentage of recycled content; low-VOC paints and adhesives are used throughout the complex. Visit www.duro-last.com  for more information.

Dow Building Solutions Acquires Stevens Roofing Systems

Midland, Mich. — Dow Building Solutions, a unit of The Dow Chemical Company based in Midland, Mich., announced that it has agreed to acquire Stevens Roofing Systems and Geomembrane Systems, a business of JPS Industries Inc.

Stevens Roofing Systems, based in Holyoke, Mass., manufactures reinforced thermoplastic (TPO) commercial roofing systems. “TPO roofs are the fastest-growing segment of commercial roofing,” said Jody Wise, vice president of marketing for Dow Building Solutions (DBS), who noted that the acquisition poses “a terrific growth opportunity for Dow.”

Stevens Roofing’s president, Peter Kesser, said the agreement combines two companies with complementary strengths. “An innovative company like Stevens has led the way in thermoplastics, but as the market changes the big guys jump in,” Kesser told Roofing Contractor. “This allows us to have the horsepower of Dow behind us. The combination of Stevens’ innovation and Dow’s research and development makes this a Dow Building Solutions’ participation in the commercial construction market centers on creating energy-efficient structures, including insulation, weatherization systems and exterior wall systems. “DBS is focused on investment for long-term growth in segments that are less cyclical,” Wise said. “The commercial roofing segment has been running pretty strong for a few years now, and growth is expected to continue at around 20 percent a year.” 

Visit www.dow.com/styrofoam for more information.

Study Shows Green Roofs Differ in Building Cooling, Water Handling Capabilities

Austin, Texas — The first study to compare the performance of different types of green roofs has been completed by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin and suggests that buyers shouldn’t assume these roofs are created equal. Interest in vegetated roofs has increased as water and energy conservation becomes more important to property owners. Yet the study of six different manufacturers’ products found the green roofs varied greatly in capabilities such as how much they cooled down a building’s interior and how much rainwater they captured during downpours.

“Just having a green roof may not mean anything in terms of preventing water from reaching the street level, for instance,” said Dr. Mark Simmons, a center ecologist and the lead investigator on the study. “Green roofs have to be done right, and our hope is to help manufacturers understand how to improve their designs.”

Part of the rooftop differences, Simmons noted, resulted from the native plants used on the green roofs. Each had 16 different types of plants native to Texas in a similar arrangement as part of this first-ever study of their use on green roofs. The study didn’t directly measure their cooling impact. However, plants cool surfaces by providing shade, and by shedding water to cool down, like humans do by sweating. States such as Texas that experience flash flooding may benefit even more from the ability of green roofs to capture water, lessening runoff onto streets and storm drains. Yet this feature varied the most among the six manufacturers. The better green roofs retained all of the water during a ½-inch rainfall, and just under half the water when 2 inches of rain fell. Some roofs, however, only retained about a quarter of the water in a light, ½-inch rain and as little as 8 percent during deluges.

The presence of native plants likely helped all the green roofs capture water better. In comparison to sedums, a type of succulents traditionally used on most green roofs, native plants can take in more water and release more of it to the atmosphere. The center will study these factors in future green roof research. Visit www.utexas.edu/news/2008/07/28/green_roofs for more information.

10-Inch Tiles Added to Line of Synthetic Roofing Products

Carlisle, Pa. — EcoStar announced the addition of 10-inch Majestic Slate Traditional tiles to its line of recycled, synthetic roofing products. A narrower version of EcoStar’s existing 12-inch tiles, these 10-inch Majestic Slate tiles are intended to more closely replicate the look of standard slate tiles, which are traditionally manufactured in both 10- and 12-inch widths.

The new 10-inch tiles can be used individually or in conjunction with the standard 12-inch tiles. The 10-inch Majestic Slate is made of post-industrial recycled rubber and plastics, and is available in nine standard colors. Majestic Slate tiles provide protection from hail, driven rain and high winds. Offering a 50 year, transferable Gold Star Warranty and available with a 110 mph wind warranty, Majestic Slate tiles provide strength and durability without the burden of extreme weight. Visit www.ecostar.carlisle.com for more information.

BIPV System Designed to Meet Architects’ Needs

Moon Township, Pa. — EnergyPeak’s pre-designed and system integrated building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) laminate technology for standing seam roofs is designed to make solar energy attainable for projects of all sizes. Beginning with seven system sizes, from 3 kW to 120 kW, EnergyPeak pre-designed each system, including auto-CAD drawings and system part numbers for electrical drawings.

EnergyPeak’s ROI calculator reportedly allows architects to accurately predict numerous aspects of the BIPV system before it is installed. After receiving detailed project data, the ROI calculator determines expected power production and 25-year cash flow information. This data is then combined with any available public and private incentives, renewable energy credits and depreciation to determine final ROI. Visit  www.energypeak.com for more information.

Green Roof Research Project Announced

Surrey, British Columbia — Quad-Lock Building Systems, Ltd. has announced the start of a two-year research project in partnership with the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Centre for Advancement of Green Roof Technology (CAGRT). The goal of this research is to provide objective data on the performance of various green roof structures.  This new Roofing Evaluation Module (REM) will stand alongside wood frame REM structures that incorporate both green and conventional roofs. Visit www.greenroof.bcit.ca for more information.  CR