Photo courtesy of Penn State's Solar Decathlon team
Photo courtesy of Penn State's Solar Decathlon team
Photo courtesy of Penn State's Solar Decathlon team
The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress is probably the most important industry organization you know the least about. Because the Alliance is fairly new and has not spent much on self-promotion, its activities often have gone unnoticed. But since its inception in 1996, the Alliance has funded studies on worker satisfaction and roof system longevity, funded NRCA's Roof Application Training Programs, and, more recently, dedicated resources toward environmental research and education. And it's doing all of this solely for the betterment of the roofing industry.
The Alliance is composed of a group of dedicated roofing contractors, material manufacturers and distributors who have contributed to the Alliance's endowment fund. And because the Alliance is open to all roofing professionals, it has become more than a way to create roofing-related programs—it has become a way to unite the industry.
"The Alliance is unique in that it stitches together the components of the roofing community," says Gary Wolfe, the Alliance's president and president of Wolfe Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Reading, Pa. "It's a way to bring roofing contractors, manufacturers and suppliers together to work for a common cause."
Banding together
In 1970, NRCA established the National Roofing Foundation (NRF), a separate but related organization, to undertake educational and research projects. (NRF is a nonprofit public foundation incorporated in Illinois and exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.)
When the Alliance was established within NRF, its members had an ambitious goal—to raise $7 million for an endowment fund dedicated to improving the roofing industry. Now, just more than 10 years later, the Alliance has far surpassed its original goal. Its endowment fund stands at more than $10 million.
To give the Alliance clearer direction and help it better achieve its goals, in October 2006, NRF decided to conduct business as the Alliance, and NRF's board of trustees and the Alliance's Steering Committee combined to form one board—the Alliance Board of Trustees.
Now known as the Alliance, the organization continues to set and achieve research and educational objectives and finance new and innovative programs to help improve the roofing industry.
Roofing research
As the roofing industry's interest in environmental issues and energy efficiency increases, the Alliance actively seeks ways to fund research of these topics.
In a recent partnership agreement, the Alliance contributed $100,000 to Penn State, State College, Pa., to help fund the university's green roofing and solar energy research, which includes research of green roof systems' R-values conducted by Jelena Srebric, a Penn State associate professor of architectural engineering and adjunct professor of mechanical and nuclear engineering; a photovoltaic study for the electrical contracting industry; and nanotechnology research involving photovoltaic integration.
As part of the research sponsored by the Alliance, Penn State recently participated in the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon. In this competition, college and university teams from around the world competed to design and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home, which had to generate enough energy to sustain itself and a functioning automobile. Penn State's Solar Decathlon entry is titled MorningStar Pennsylvania.
"MorningStar Pennsylvania's ultimate goal is to teach communities about energy efficiency and sustainable building methods," says Sally Gimbert, a team captain for Penn State's Solar Decathlon team and MorningStar Pennsylvania's structural team project manager. "The project also focuses on learning new methods to make solar energy affordable and stimulate local economies."
And MorningStar Pennsylvania's roof system is an integral part of that mission. With the help of NRCA member Marcon Roofing, State College, Penn State's Solar Decathlon team installed a roof system capable of supporting numerous photovoltaic solar panels.
Work on MorningStar Pennsylvania began in January 2006, and the completed project was displayed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in October. At press time, the Solar Decathlon's outcome was unknown. But regardless of whether Penn State's team wins the competition, the project will have been a success.
"It has been a wonderful experience in teamwork and collaboration between many different disciplines," Gimbert says.
Advancing education
The Alliance also has emphasized educational and training programs for workers, employers and the public. As one of its first initiatives, the Alliance helped fund NRCA's Roof Application Training Workforce videos; there are now more than 10,000 copies in circulation.
Recently, the Alliance has focused its worker-training efforts on the Gulf Coast region that was devastated by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina during 2005. Although it has been more than two years since the hurricanes struck, a lingering work force shortage continues to slow attempts to rebuild the damaged areas.
To help train construction professionals in the Gulf Coast region, the Alliance recently joined forces with the Gulf Coast Workforce Development Initiative (GCWDI). GCWDI was founded by Washington, D.C.-based Business Roundtable and recruits students to available construction jobs through its Get Rewarded for Education and Advancement Training (GREAT) program.
Through the GREAT program, GCWDI plans to provide free training for up to 20,000 new construction workers by the end of 2009. As of August, the program had trained more than 10,000 workers.
"There are a lot of local people in the Gulf Coast region who want to work but are unable to gain employment because they are untrained," Wolfe says. "This is the Alliance's way of responding to that work force shortage and making sure roofing contractors have trained workers to hire."
GREAT training is provided through partnerships with local community and technical colleges, and the Alliance is working with these colleges to ensure roofing education is included in basic GREAT training. But it is not easy to convince colleges to accept roofing education as part of their construction training programs.
"One of this initiative's biggest challenges relates to changing the images wrongfully associated with the roofing industry," says Ed Lundin Jr., NRCA member and vice president of Lundin Roofing Co., Port Allen, La. "Sometimes, people think of roofing workers as being underpaid and unskilled. We need to prove these programs will be training skilled workers who will have wages competitive with those of other trades."
Another challenge the initiative faces is convincing participating colleges that students will be able to find roofing jobs after graduation. The Alliance is working to garner support from local roofing contractors who would be interested in hiring roofing program graduates.
The Alliance's efforts seem to be paying off. One community college in Baton Rouge, La., already has expressed interest in discussing how a four-week roofing-focused certification program could be established.
Charitable causes
Although the Alliance originally was created to fund technical and educational programs, the organization's funds also have been used in charitable initiatives.
Shortly after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina struck, NRCA established its Disaster Relief Fund through the Alliance to provide new roof systems for buildings in the affected areas. The effort to raise funds was a great success, and more than $220,000 was spent on projects in the Gulf Coast region.
Initially, the funds were used to provide aid to people in the roofing industry who owned homes, companies or buildings that had been damaged by the storms. After this effort, the Alliance then offered financial assistance to others in the region through donations to charitable organizations.
One such organization was NRCA's national charity partner, Washington, D.C.-based Rebuilding Together.® Founded in 1988, Rebuilding Together is a nonprofit organization that provides free home repairs to low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners. The Alliance donated $100,000 to Rebuilding Together's effort to rebuild 1,000 homes in the Gulf Coast region.
In addition, the Alliance joined other roofing industry partners and participated in Rebuilding Together's Kickoff to Rebuild Feb. 2 in Miami. The annual event is held in conjunction with the Super Bowl, and this year, NFL players and officials, as well as community members, volunteered their services to help rebuild the home of Thelma Walker, a 67-year-old Miami resident whose home was damaged by Hurricane Wilma.
And recently, the Alliance has established a new initiative to help people in the roofing industry who are in need: Its Helping Our Own Program is intended to help those in the roofing industry who have experienced life-altering circumstances, such as injury, illness, disability or death.
The Alliance anticipates its Helping Our Own Program will help individuals in a variety of ways. For example, the program could help with disaster relief, disability accommodation, supply of medical or household equipment, and/or bill payment assistance.
The Alliance's Balanced Program Committee, which is responsible for selecting projects for funding and overseeing fund distribution, will review program applications received through Alliance members. Initially, any requests for funding from employees of roofing contractors, roofing material manufacturers, suppliers and distributors and their immediate family members who are eligible for the program must be nominated through an Alliance member.
"The Helping Our Own Program is going to be an excellent way to expand the Alliance's philanthropic side," Wolfe says. "It's going to be a way for us to reach out to people within the industry who are having a hard time and help them with their situations."
Annual programs
Although the Alliance constantly is searching for new and innovative ways to improve the roofing industry, it continues to support its annual programs.
The Alliance's current annual scholarship program, for example, provides employees, immediate family of employees and immediate family of NRCA contractor members with scholarships of $1,000 per year for up to four years of undergraduate study in university or vocational programs.
The scholarships are granted based on academic record, potential to succeed, leadership, participation in school and community activities, honors, work experience, a statement of educational and career goals, and an outside appraisal.
The Alliance awards an average of 10 scholarships each year—typically three new and seven renewals. However, this year, the Alliance awarded three new scholarships and renewed nine existing scholarships.
Recently, the Alliance appointed a scholarship task force, which has reviewed the existing program and has made recommendations for revamping the program. The changes will be effective starting with the 2009-10 school year.
Information and an application form for the 2008-09 school year are available now. The deadline for applications is Jan. 31, 2008.
In addition to its scholarship program, the Alliance recognizes those without whom the industry would not survive—roofing workers. The Alliance sponsors The Roofing Industry's Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards Program, which annually honors workers whose commitment and reliability stand out from the rest.
Roofing workers up to and including superintendents employed by NRCA member or nonmember contractors are eligible to be nominated for MVP Awards. Winners are chosen based on community service and volunteerism; attracting new roofing workers and helping retain existing ones; contributions to a team effort; outstanding on-the-job performance; and other noteworthy contributions and activities.
MVP Award winners receive airfare and two nights' hotel accommodations to NRCA's annual convention where they are honored at NRCA's Luncheon. Additionally, winners are recognized in Professional Roofing magazine and NRCA's For Members Only newsletter, on NRCA's Web site, and in press releases sent to winners' local media and roofing industry trade press.
The MVP Awards Program recognizes a maximum of 10 workers from 10 geographic locations, and this year, one of those 10 workers will be chosen as the winner of Professional Roofing's Best of the Best contest. Professional Roofing and OMG Inc., Agawam, Mass., are co-sponsoring the award category, which will include a prize awarded by OMG and special recognition in Professional Roofing magazine.
Looking ahead
For more than 10 years, the Alliance has been bringing together roofing contractors, manufacturers and suppliers who are devoted to improving the roofing industry. And by working together, this group of roofing professionals will continue to make an impact.
"For the Alliance to serve its purpose, we must have task forces seeking ways to serve the industry in all three categories of our mission—research, education and philanthropic activities," Wolfe says. "There is plenty of work to be done."
More information about the Alliance can be found on www.roofingindustryalliance.net or by contacting Bennett Judson, the Alliance executive director, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7513 or bjudson@roofingindustryalliance.net.
Kaylee Alberico is Professional Roofing's editorial assistant.
Who makes up the Alliance?
The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress is composed of roofing contractors, manufacturers and suppliers who have pledged significant amounts of money to fund projects that help improve the roofing industry. Membership is open to all roofing industry professionals.
Currently, the Alliance has 120 members, including 89 contractors, 28 manufacturers and suppliers, and three individuals. Additionally, there are 30 Alliance associates—individuals or firms who have chosen to make one-time contributions.
The Alliance is managed by the Alliance Board of Trustees, a 16-member board that meets with the full Alliance twice a year to provide oversight for project selection and funding.
Gary Wolfe, president of Wolfe Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Reading, Pa., is the Alliance's president; Bob Bueche, president of Pioneer Roofing Co., Phoenix, is vice president; and Jim Geise, president of Jim Geise Commercial Roofing Inc., Dubuque, Iowa, is secretary/treasurer.
There are a number of ways individuals and corporations can become involved with the Alliance. Commitments to the Alliance may be pledged during three- to five-year periods, and public recognition is given in accordance with donors' wishes and levels of commitment.
For more information about the Alliance or to become a member, log on to the Alliance's Web site, www.roofingindustryalliance.net, or contact Bennett Judson, the Alliance's executive director, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7513 or bjudson@roofingindustryalliance.net.
Ongoing initiatives
The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress has two additional ongoing initiatives aimed at improving the roofing industry.
The Alliance, along with other industry partners, sponsors the SpecRight Program, a program designed to inform roofing contractors, building owners, designers and consultants about the important role quality roof systems play in environmental protection and energy conservation.
At the center of the SpecRight Program is a training session that educates roofing contractors about environmentally responsible roof systems. The Alliance has committed $50,000 toward the development of an online version of the SpecRight Program's training session, which currently is available in a one-day classroom format.
With a focus on ASHRAE 90.1-1999, the training session stresses the importance of proper design and installation, quality materials and ongoing maintenance. Participants can use this knowledge to emphasize quality over cost and help promote environmentally friendly roof systems.
Additionally, the Alliance has contributed $60,000 to an ergonomics study—conducted by Thomas Glavinich, chairman and associate professor of architectural engineering at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, and president of T.E. Glavinich & Associates Inc., Shawnee, Kan.—to identify and document best practices for preventing repetitive-stress injuries in the roofing industry.
The ergonomics study promotes roofing workers' health, productivity and longevity by focusing on how roofing workers perform work, including how they use tools, equipment and materials. The study's goal is to prevent or eliminate musculoskeletal disorders, which are injuries to the soft tissues of the human body, by designing work processes that take into account workers' physical capabilities.
For more information about the SpecRight Program, log on to www.specright.net. More information and a final report about the ergonomics study will be available by the end of this year.
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