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 | Testing at the Top
Completed in the spring of 2008, the cool and green roof demonstration/research project of Ann Arbor, Mich.-based architecture and design firm A3C took place atop its UrbEn Retreat. The project was implemented with the assistance of Firestone Building Products and in collaboration with Prof. Moji Nawab of the University of Michigan’s Sustainable Design Research Lab.
by Daniel H. Jacobs AIA, LEED AP
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 | Cool Roofs: A Piece of the Green Puzzle
As green building strategies evolve to keep up with increasingly stringent building energy codes and standards, so do cool roofs. A roof, as any other building component, can be selected to best serve a particular purpose, such as weather resistance or thermal regulation. Cool roofs are optimally designed to minimize the transfer of heat from the sun to the interior of a building.
by Julie Guyenet
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 | Betting on Solar
New Jersey’s Atlantic City Convention Center is the largest single roof-mounted, grid-connected solar system in the United States. At almost 500,000 square feet, the project is a huge investment for the city, which wasn’t about to gamble on its new roof. Facility managers wisely chose to enhance their energy saving investment with a durable and highly reflective TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin) roof membrane.
by Michael Russo
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Web Exclusive: Green Focus Turns to Energy-Saving Garden Roofs
Garden roofs are a scenic application that is swiftly gaining popularity globally for commercial buildings in metropolitan areas. They are found on convention centers, college campuses, airports and medical facilities, just to name a few.
by Susan Strong
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 | What’s Cool About Garden Roofing?
Designing and choosing a sustainable roofing system is not a new idea to architects. Garden roofing systems give architects another avenue of design while providing building owners the best of all worlds — beauty, innovation and energy efficiency.
by Riaz Hasan
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 | The Sun Rises On Solar Applications
In early October of last year, Congress/former President Bush signed the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008, virtually ensuring the continued health of the solar roofing industry through 2016. Solar-powered roofs qualify for a 30-percent federal tax credit (directly reducing the property owner’s federal tax bill) as well as a five-year accelerated depreciation.
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 | A Top 10 List for Vegetative Roofing Systems
Roofing isn’t the easiest of trades, and each roofing project presents its own challenges. The installation of a traditional roofing system can be summarized, albeit simplistically, as the installation of the insulation, membrane and, possibly, surfacing, followed by the installation of all of the flashing work necessary to complete the roofing installation.
by Helene Hardy Pierce
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 | Avoiding the Landfill: The Recycling of Vinyl Roof Membranes
Increasing raw material costs, higher landfill tipping fees, legislation to restrict disposal of construction materials — and an architectural community that demands the lightest environmental footprint achievable — all are leading toward the mainstreaming of post-consumer recycling and the day when specifiers routinely call for recycling of roofs at the end of their service life.
by Cary Black
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 | Green Roof Solves Stormwater Runoff Problem
Since 1913, Rice Fruit Company in Gardners, Pa., has distributed fresh fruit throughout the United States. As the largest apple-packing facility in the eastern half of the United States, Rice has developed a reputation based on quality and high standards.
by Mark Bushey
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 | Web Exclusive: Just What the Doctor Ordered
Selecting green products for new hospital construction can have a positive impact on patient outcomes and the productivity of its medical staff. Therefore, the owners of the 12,000-square-foot LEED-certified hospital within Washington state's Gateway Medical Center specified the hospital's building envelope with great care, including a durable ENERGY STAR single-ply roofing system from IB Roof Systems.
by Paul Nutcher CSI CDT, LEED AP
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 | Maintenance and Life-Cycle Considerations
The long-term success of a green roof revolves
around two main objectives: water tightness and vegetation. A quality seamless
waterproofing membrane should be the foundation of every green roof.
by Nathan D. Griswold
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 | A Growing Marketplace
As the United States becomes more ecology
conscious, Prospect Waterproofing Co. of Sterling, Va., is keeping up with advancements
in green technology and securing its position as a leader in the installation
and maintenance of vegetated roofs.
by Tom Watts
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 | Redefining Radford
Radford University has signed on for another season with fabric membrane roofing. Dedmon Center — the Radford, Va.-based university’s multipurpose athletic arena — is currently undergoing retrofit roofing construction, to be completed in November 2008.
by Kevin Mayer
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 | Photovoltaic Cells
Just like roofing systems, solar solutions come in a variety of types, sizes, efficiencies and price points. Before investing in a rooftop solar system, it is important to understand the types of photovoltaic (PV) cells available and which technology might be best for a particular application.
by Brad Burdic
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 | Designing Vegetative Roof Systems
Green roofs, garden roofs, vegetative roofs, landscaped roofs — no matter what you call them, they are here to stay. The movement toward energy savings and environmental stewardship is legitimate, and green roofs are a big part of it. Green roofs have a number of benefits; however, there are considerations that need to be dealt with whether you are a designer, contractor or building owner.
by James R. Kirby AIA
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 | Cool Roofing News/Product Roundup
Welcome to Cool Roofing, Spring 2008, a special section in Environmental Design + Construction, Roofing Contractor and Sustainable Facility magazines.
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 | Playing the Green Card
Metro Health Hospital Foundation in Grand Rapids, Mich., has hired Sustainable Research Group (SRG) to conduct a three-year study of the green roof system and engineered bioswales in the parking lot at its new hospital in Wyoming, Mich.
by Tom Watts
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 | The Green Movement Sweeps Eastward
What began on the West Coast with the passing of California’s Revised Title 24 Code in October 2005 has quickly spread throughout the entire country. Today, most major cities across the United States have adopted some form of energy efficiency standards for new construction and existing buildings.
by Stacey Richardson
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 | Energy Calculators
ENERGY STAR’s Roofing Comparison Calculator is equipped with a user-friendly functionality that anyone on the building team can use with ease. Developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of its mission to accelerate the market penetration of energy-efficient building technologies, the calculator analyzes several key variables, and is a highly recommended exercise when contemplating a change from a black roof system to an ENERGY STAR-rated white one, or determining the savings when considering among alternatives on a new building.
by Drew Ballensky
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 | Green Technology Turns America’s Roofs Into Energy Assets
As building managers continue to look for ways to reduce energy costs while facing America’s increasing demands for green compliance, many have begun to look to their roof as a way to satisfy both needs. Suddenly, a building’s roof has turned into an energy asset, with emerging green technology satisfying energy demands through a variety of alternatives. Not only is green building good for the environment, and for a building’s bottom line — it’s also good for the roofing industry.
by Mark A. Gaulin
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 | Topping Off Education
Replacing the weathered built-up roof at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, Calif., could have been a financial burden for this school district’s budget. But replacing it with a cool roof system that incorporates polyesters, SBS modified, and cool coatings helped the district save money while teaching the community about green initiatives.
by Tom Watts
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 | A Powerful Team Effort
Reducing utility costs makes financial sense, preserves natural resources and helps the environment. But renewables and other green technologies have the added allure of allowing building owners to not only conserve energy but generate power as well.
by Chris King
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Cool Roof Case Study
As part of a $12.5 million renovation designed to free the historic Friends Center in Center City Philadelphia from reliance on fossil fuels, the campus of buildings now boasts a 10,000-square-foot vegetated roof — the first in Center City and the largest in Philadelphia.
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 | Search for Solar Nets Big Results
One green corporation’s search for an environmentally friendly roofing system is complete after Sharp provided roof-mounted solar modules for the nation’s largest commercial solar electricity system at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.
by Tom Watts
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 | Producing a Truly Sustainable Roof System
The "cool roofing" concept is hardly a new one, having been recognized by organizations such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since the mid-1990s. Much time and effort have been expended to not only educate all concerned parties about this concept, but to encourage them to deploy products that "produce" cool roofing.
by Tom Hutchinson
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Product + Literature Showcase
GlasKap® CR, Johns Manville’s white acrylic coated fiber glass cap sheet, allowed Enterprise Roofing to meet California’s Title 24 energy code requirements.
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 | Stealth Benefits
As cool roofing enters a second decade of high visibility and growth, it is a safe bet that most building owners, facility managers and roofing contractors are well aware of the two primary benefits.
by Drew Ballensky
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 | Cool Roofing: High-Performance Building with Energy-Efficient Vinyl Roofs
In full sun, the surface of a black low-slope roof may experience a temperature rise of as much as 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (F), reaching midday temperatures of 150 to 190 F on a summer day. A white vinyl/PVC reflective roof on the same building typically increases only 10 to 25 degrees above ambient temperature under the same conditions. A differential of this magnitude begs the question: What makes one roofing material “cooler” than another?
by Carl De Leon
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 | Cool Roofing: Pushing Up Daisies
The
growing awareness of the ecological impacts of development and the associated
growth in the green building industry is prompting renewed interest in green
roofs. Due to their lighter weight and reduced costs, extensive green roofs are
poised to become much more common in the U.S. market.
by Meg Needle AIA
Jim Nicolow AIA
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Cool Roofing: New Green Roof Provides Basis for Extensive Study
Green roofs are quite common in Germany and other parts of Europe, as well as in Asia; however, few or only limited studies evaluating their benefits have been conducted. The Denver facility’s EPA evaluation will likely be one of the most thorough evaluations ever undertaken.
by Robert Kravitz
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 | Cool Roofing: Replacement Roof Uses Soybeans to Save Energy
Located in the heart of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, 669 N. Michigan Ave. needed a replacement for its existing asphalt-covered rooftop. The new roof boasts a highly-reflective, soybean-derived white coating that stays cool during the summer months, dramatically lowering both exterior and interior temperature levels.
by Grant Grable LEED AP
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 | SMALL SHOP TALK: Take No for an Answer 
“No!” This word stands between you and everything you want. No wonder it is such a tough word to hear. But if you are going to survive in this industry, you are going to have to learn to hear the word “no” for an answer!
I’m not being pessimistic. The truth is that if you can hear “no” and not go home and put your head under your pillow, you will make it to the next “yes!” Everything is sales, my friend. To get good at sales, you need to get comfortable with “no.”
by Ellen Rohr
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 | Cool Roofing: Making the Case for Cool Roofs
Cool roof products have been around for years, but because of the educational and research efforts of organizations such as the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) and the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® Reflective Roof Products program, combined with the incorporation of cool roofs into certification programs like LEED and California’s Title 24, the market has expanded significantly.
by A Special Report Prepared by the Cool Roof Rating Council
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 | Cool Roofing: Beyond Cool and Sustainable
Roughly 10 years after emerging as closely related trends, both cool and sustainable roofing have become increasingly popular mainstream selection criteria as they continue to drive change in commercial roofing market dynamics, roof system design, product innovation, selection priorities, building codes, and legislation.
by Drew Ballensky
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 | Cool Roofing: The Modern Garden Roof
In the quest to find economically feasible green building alternatives, cutting-edge contemporary roofing technology is helping to bring garden roofs — a visually desirable architectural practice — into the mainstream.
by Shawn Stanley
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 | Cool Roofing: Learning About Green Roofs at the Library
A key design objective of the green roof of the Ballard Library in Seattle was the opportunity to generate community interest in green design by making the facility a dynamic teaching tool for sustainable design and environmental awareness.
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 | Cool Roofing: Green Roofs in the City
The City of Chicago, like many cities, is interested in saving energy and reducing both the heat island effect and wastewater runoff. But instead of simply preaching the virtues of garden roofs, Mayor Richard M. Daley has decided to make it a priority to install them on public buildings, including City Hall, which was capped with a new garden roof in 2001.
by Chris King
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 | Cool Roofing: Cool Metal Roofing
In the United States, buildings are responsible for almost two-thirds of national electricity consumption and more than one-third of total primary energy use. As a result, the current energy crunch has made conservation measures within these structures more important than ever.
by Scott Kriner
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 | Cool Roofing: Coatings Keep Things Cool
Few people doubt the value of using sunscreen to protect against sunburns and skin-damaging ultraviolet rays. Now a wide range of products are available that essentially act as sunscreens for roofing systems.
by Tom Meyer and Steve Heinje
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 | Cool Roofing: Solar-Powered Homes Shine in California
It was no surprise when Clarum Homes (Palo Alto, Calif.) announced plans in 2003 to build the largest Zero-Energy Home community in Watsonville, Calif. This innovative homebuilder has been installing solar electric systems in its homes as standard equipment since 1999.
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Cool Roofing: Letter from the Editors
Welcome to the fourth annual Cool Roofing special section, a joint effort between Roofing Contractor and Environmental Design + Construction magazines. In this edition, you will find valuable information including case studies on green building projects utilizing energy-saving, environmentally friendly roofing technologies.
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 | Cool Roofing: It Takes More Than Reflectivity to be Cool
The main campus of Texas A&M University boasts more than 7 million square feet of spray-applied polyurethane foam (SPF) roofing, and almost no other system has been installed at the campus for more than 30 years. Why? Proven energy efficiency, waste reduction and environmental responsibility, as well as long-term performance.
by Tom Harris
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 | Cool Roofing: LEED and Metal Roofing
Metal roofs have long been popular with architects for their dramatic appearance and long-term performance characteristics, particularly their low maintenance costs and durability. With the concept of sustainability now being widely embraced by the architectural community, metal roofs are being seen in a new light. Metal roofing can contribute significantly to the sustainable building movement.
by Kevin Corcoran
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 | Cool Roofing: Greening a University’s Roof
When the University of Wisconsin considered installing a green roof, university officials realized they needed some basic education on the topic. Their inquiries helped the university more thoroughly understand green roofing systems and their benefits.
by Robert Kravitz
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 | Cool Roofing: A Bright Future
In the past few decades, solar cell technology has evolved from powering calculators to powering emergency road signs, parking lot lights and satellites to providing all of the electrical power for houses.
by John D'Annunzio
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 | Cool Roofing: At Home with Cool-Colored Roofs
Cool roofs cut cooling loads by up to 20 percent through the use of reflective materials that limit solar heat gain. A conventional cool roof features light-colored surfaces — shades that commercial facilities with flat or low-sloped roofs find acceptable. However, homeowners typically prefer the aesthetics of darker colors for their steep-sloped roofs.
by Rachel Reiss Buckley
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 | Cool Roofing: Heavenly White Roof Lifts Spirits
The roof on the Evangel University Ashcroft Activities Center has survived the grueling elements of Ozarks mountain weather for more than 30 years. With the hope of preserving the roof for another 30 years, the University turned to Henry Company (Huntington Park, Calif.) and its elastomeric roof coatings products.
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 | Cool Roofing: Product + Literature Showcase
Met-Tile Cool Roofing Meets ENERGY STAR Requirements
Met-Tile’s new cool roof line comes in 10 designer colors that meet — and in some cases greatly exceed — ENERGY STAR requirements. Met-Tile combines the popular look of tile with the light weight of met.
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