Increasing Energy Efficiency and Wind Resistance of Roofs

Florida’s Miami-Dade County has some of the most stringent building code requirements in the nation for roofing. For example, roofs must meet the extreme wind-uplift resistance requirements of the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) Section of the Florida Building Code. In addition, the City of Miami goes a step above by requiring all new and re-roofing systems to include a solar-reflective cap sheet to reduce roof surface temperature and decrease the energy consumption of HVAC systems. Because of this, building owners in the Miami area have to do their due diligence when researching roofing options for both new construction and retrofits.

As part of a recent extensive remodel, the owners of Highland Park Apartments near downtown Miami opted to replace two aging low-slope roofs. The roofs over the complex’s two three-story buildings — each more than 40 years old — were in dire need of attention, having multiple leaks and some roof deck deterioration. After taking bids from a few roofing contractors, the property owners — 1545 Nadlan LLC for the first building and 1600 Nadlan LLC for the second building — hired Florida Quality Roofing of Hallandale Beach, Fla. The owners were impressed by the contractor’s suggestion to install a CertainTeed multi-ply modified-bitumen roof with a Flintlastic® CoolStar® solar-reflective white cap sheet.