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.
Smart roofing contractors go the extra mile and learn as much as possible about the products they install. Recent industry developments and product innovations support cedar roofing materials' renewed popularity. Contractors working with cedar in 2006 know that they have to be up to speed on trends, market niches, product quality and type, as well as sales support.
Roofing industry experts predict that some 450 million square feet of ballasted roof installed from 1976 and 1996 will be in need of replacing within the next decade.
On one such project, Bill O'Neill, president of Building Envelope Management Inc. of Boston, was hired by a building owner to look at a 225,000-square-foot combined warehouse and office building in Peabody, Mass.
Manufacturers often take advantage of the spotlight at the major trade shows during the winter to launch their new products, so our editors are always on the lookout for groundbreaking products at industry events, including the International Builders' Show and the International Roofing Expo. The unique, innovative, better, stronger and faster products on display receive notice in our annual Editor's Choice coverage. The following products and services were judged as this year's standouts by our editorial staff.
Now that you've purchased the right vehicle, what should you consider when upfitting the vehicle with the necessary equipment to meet your needs? Proper upfitting relies on how closely you've examined your application, including items such as payload, annual mileage and life cycle.
The roofing systems installed today are the result of significant suffering and learning, reflecting the lessons learned from fires, wind, heat and chemical reactions. Hail has always been a significant, if infrequent, threat to roofing systems, which bear the brunt of the force when the hailstones fly. For the last 10 years, the roofing industry has grappled with this problem after getting earfuls from the insurance industry. Tired of replacing roofs multiple times in "hail alleys" of the United States, companies have been offering discounts on homeowners insurance for dwellings with approved hail-resistant roofing materials.
The 121-year-old St. James Episcopal Church is one building in which the citizens of La Grange, Texas - population 4,478 - take pride. Declared a Texas State Historic Landmark in 1964, the looming maroon-and-cream-colored church is a local architectural treasure.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Rarely do you find anyone in the construction business who hasn't been victimized by "shrinkage" of tools, equipment and inventory. Most estimates peg construction theft to be a $1 billion industry. Pilferage is estimated to add a percentage point or two to the cost of new homes and small commercial buildings.
There are numerous issues affecting our industry and our world, and it is often difficult to choose which one to target in this column. This month I could boil it down to no less than two. So, in the spirit of springtime and the return of baseball, here is a double-header for you.
Over the course of the year, your company probably spends a significant amount of time and resources in providing training in such areas as computer operations, equipment operation and organizational procedures. These are all important elements of a successful company. However, they are all ancillary items, which can increase efficiency but do not add to the bottom line. In most cases, the type of formal training that will benefit your company the most is never provided: training for the applicators.
I know people get tired of hearing me preach about the importance of knowing your numbers. I laugh when people mistakenly think I am an accounting or financial nerd. I actually am not a detailed accounting type, and that is one of the reasons I left my first job as a cost accountant. I did not want to spend the rest of my life beating on a calculator all day. I do, however, know the financial answers I need, even if I do not compile the information myself. I use this information to make strategic decisions and run my business. Running a business without the numbers is like groping around in a dark room trying to find a black cat.
Until recently, my salespeople and I haven't been wired for success. Sure, my team has always been successful at communicating the benefits of a new roof to our consumers and getting them involved with our company, but we weren't operating at top speed. We weren't connected.
Great leaders understand that significant change takes the energy and talent of other people. Tell stories that illustrate how your listener fits into the picture.
A typical problem with the majority of construction jobsites is a lack of qualified persons (QP) to determine if any point of anchorage is capable of resisting the kinetic terminal impact force (TIF) of all of the potential anchorage points. By "capable," I mean the ability to resist TIFs without failure. The term "failure" in the OSHA standard is defined as "load refusal, breakage, or separation of component parts."
For most construction companies, it is not too difficult to find people with bodies who are able to nail shingles. The difficulty is finding the right people - people who are as committed to excellence as you are.
Firestone UltraPly' TPO XR bonding adhesive is the ideal choice for contractors and designed for use with UltraPly TPO XR membrane over different roof substrates, including new and reroof applications.
The next generation of roofing is here today. Soprema'S MOS System is a unique water-based substance that is simply mixed at the jobsite and applied with conventional spray equipment
EternaBond offers RoofSeal PLUS, a roof repair tape designed specifically for granulated roofs that are typically difficult to make long-lasting repairs on. This repair tape is 65 mils thick, making
Topps® Polyprene™ High-Performance Roof Cement is the superior choice for general reinforcement and repairs to flashings around equipment, vent pipes, chimneys, sign holders, etc., as well as anywhere two dissimilar or similar materials meet.
W. P. Hickman's BUR Plus 606 is a premium mopping asphalt modified with unique polymers to provide excellent weathering, flexibility and long-term retention of properties.
When you're looking for a time-efficient solution for adhering cured flashings and membranes to various substrates, Versico Incorporated has the answer.
Metacrylics Peel & Coat system was designed for end laps, roof seams, joints, valley gutters and fasteners. This product can also be used for repairing elastomeric membranes on single-ply roofs.
OlyBond® roof insulation adhesives eliminate unpleasant odors and reduce disruptive noises on the job, making them the perfect choice for occupied projects such as schools and hospitals.
INSTA-STIK is a single-component polyurethane adhesive used in place of asphalt or mechanical fasteners for attaching insulation boards to the roof deck or to one another in multi-layer systems.
Chem Link's 1-PART™ sealer is widely used in all parts of the country today as part of the ChemCurb System™ Penetration Seal - and it's used in metal pitchpans, too.
Interstate is a full line distributor of Sonneborn/Deggusa calking and sealant systems, including NP 1, a one-component, high-performance, nonpriming, gun-grade, elastomeric polyurethane sealant; NP 2, a three-component, highly flexible, nonpriming, high-performance polyurethane sealant; and SL 1, a one-component, nonpriming, self-leveling elastomeric polyurethane designed for expansion joints in concrete floors and decks.
Weather-Tite One Step Foamable Adhesive, developed and manufactured by Millennium Adhesive Products and distributed worldwide by WTT Systems, offers the roofing professional a significant technical and economic advantage.
Stevens' EP FastLine Adhesive by Ashland is a 100 percent solids, low-VOC, single component urethane adhesive specifically formulated to bond EP membrane to a wide variety of substrates.
Bostik Home Roofing & Flashing Sealant is a one-component, moisture cure polyurethane that is specifically engineered for sealing roofing, flashing and related materials.
The Tile Roofing Institute (TRI) will debut the industry's first installer training and certification program in April in conjunction with its Industry Forum in Scottsdale, Ariz. The program is designed to expand contractor knowledge of best installation practices, and raise awareness of tile roofing among contractors across the country.
The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress announced the winners of the sixth annual Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards.
Firestone Metal Products/UNA-CLAD introduced the Red Shield Warranty. The warranty, which offers coverage that is easy to read and understand, is available on the UNA-CLAD UC-3 Double-Lock, UC-4 No Clip, and the UC-6 Double-Lock systems, with term lengths of 5,10,15, and 20 years.
Every year, the Davis Memorial Foundation holds an Annual Raffle in conjunction with the Western Roofing Expo. This year, the Davis Memorial Foundation Board of Trustees announced that this year's grand prize winner will have the choice of a 2006 Mercedes-Benz C230 Sports Sedan or a cash prize of $20,000.
The Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) announced the completion and availability of its completely revised and updated RCMA Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Guide.
