Briefings

Manufacturer news

Metal-Era provides design tool

Metal-Era Inc., Waukesha, Wis., has partnered with CADdetails.com Ltd., an online product information provider, to provide Building Information Modeling (BIM) content for some of Metal-Era's products.

"BIM content is quickly becoming essential in the design phase of many projects," says Tony Mallinger, Metal-Era's chief operations officer. "We are always committed to providing useful tools and resources to the architectural community, so it made sense to offer the models for Metal-Era products."

In addition, Metal-Era has introduced its Hi-Perf Wind and Ventilation Warranty, which is available on the company's Hi-Perf Vented Fascia and Ridge Vent Systems.

According to Metal-Era, this warranty is the only one of its kind in the industry. The warranty ensures Hi-Perf Vented Fascia and Ridge Vent Systems will be free of defects in materials and workmanship; provide proper ventilation when designed according to Metal-Era's calculated net free area; and withstand winds up to 120 mph.

CertainTeed announces promotion

CertainTeed Corp., Valley Forge, Pa., has launched its Shingle HOGS promotion in which credentialed roofing contracting companies that register 30 SureStart™ PLUS warranties during 2010 will qualify to win one of 20 Harley-Davidson® Sportsters.

"CertainTeed appreciates the business and loyalty of our contractors," says Jay Butch, CertainTeed Roofing's senior marketing manager of contractor programs. "The Shingle HOGS promotion is an excellent way to show our thanks and give 20 deserving contractors the chance to own a Harley."

In addition, CertainTeed has partnered with LiveRoof,® Spring Lake, Mich., to create and distribute a system that combines CertainTeed's Flintlastic® polymer-modified bitumen roofing products with LiveRoof's integrated green roof systems.

"CertainTeed Roofing is on the cutting edge of design and together with LiveRoof is meeting the changing demands of innovative architecture," says Barbara McDonough, CertainTeed Roofing's commercial roofing marketing manager.

Bison Deck Supports changes its name

Bison Deck Supports, Denver, has changed its name to Bison Innovative Products, which the company states better encompasses its range of products and services for the roof deck and green roof industries.

"Our new company name identifies what we do, which is 'innovate,' while our niche and expertise still focuses on creating functional and beautiful commercial rooftop spaces," says Matt McClaughterty, Bison Innovative Products' national sales manager.

Johns Manville announces agreement

Denver-based Johns Manville and SolarFrameWorks, a Golden, Colo.-based photovoltaic (PV) solutions company, have agreed SolarFrameWorks will supply its proprietary building-integrated PV CoolPly™ solar roof system components to Johns Manville. Johns Manville will market the products through its business entity JM E³co.

CoolPly is available in TPO and PVC and features a tilt and proprietary air cooling chamber that is said to maximize the solar panels' per-kilowatt-hour energy output by keeping them cooler.

"This partnership further strengthens Johns Manville's leadership in sustainable roofing," says Fred Stephan, vice president and general manager of Johns Manville's roofing systems business. "We are excited to partner with SolarFrameWorks to incorporate their lightweight, flexible and durable components into our single-ply, built-up and modified bitumen roofing membrane systems."

Propex Operating announces partnership

Propex Operating Co. LLC, Chattanooga, Tenn., has announced its Opus Roof Blanket roof underlayment will be distributed by WOLF, York, Pa.

"In looking for a distributor that not only had world-class logistics but has a proven track record of bringing innovative building products to market, we were pleased to reach agreement with our first choice, WOLF," says Ralph Bruno, Opus Roof Blanket's executive vice president. "On top of their 160-year tradition, I have personally worked with them over the past decade, and WOLF has truly distinguished themselves as the pre-eminent distributor in the markets they service."

Metl-Span enters agreement

Metl-Span, Lewisville, Texas, has entered into a licensing agreement to distribute Tampa, Fla.-based Roof Hugger Inc.'s patented subpurlin systems.

"This is an exciting venture for Metl-Span that plays a key role in our expansion into the retrofit market and our 'green' building commitment," says Doug Pickens, Metl-Span's vice president of marketing. "Utilizing our highly energy-efficient insulated roof and wall systems, Metl-Span can be considered the proven retrofit alternative for building owners who need to substantially increase their building's thermal performance."

The W.P. Hickman Co. announces BIM availability

The W.P. Hickman Co., Asheville, N.C., has made Building Information Modeling (BIM) content available for its full line of metal commercial roof edge products.

BIM content is available at the company's Web site, www.wph.com, and through CADdetails.com Ltd., an online product information provider, at www.caddetails.com. The BIM files include a drop-and-drag feature that is said to allow users to select products to be imported directly into projects.

"We have been talking with architects for some time, and we know the time is right for us to provide our details in multiple formats that accommodate the needs of a broad range of users," says Lisa McIlvoy, The W.P. Hickman Co.'s director of marketing.

GAF-Elk changes product size

GAF-Elk Corp., Wayne, N.J., has converted its final remaining plant in Baltimore, Md., from producing English-sized Timberline® shingles to metric-sized shingles.

According to GAF-Elk, the English-sized Timberline shingle required about 78 shingles per square on a typical 25-square roof. The metric-sized product reportedly covers the same square footage using 64 shingles.

Sika Sarnafil awards projects

Sika Sarnafil, Canton, Mass., has announced the winners of its 2009 Projects of the Year Competition. Twelve contractors were recognized for outstanding workmanship in completing a project using a Sika Sarnafil thermoplastic membrane for roofing or waterproofing applications. A winner and two finalists were named in each of four categories: Low Slope, Steep Slope, Waterproofing and Sustainability.

Berwald Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., St. Paul, Minn., won first place in the Low Slope category for its work on the Science & Technology Building at the University of Minnesota. Gibson Roofs Inc., Hanover, Mass., won second place, and Kodiak Roofing and Waterproofing Co., Lincoln, Calif., won third place.

KPostCompany, Dallas, won first place in the Steep Slope category for its work at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Boone Brothers Roofing, Sioux City, Iowa, won second place, and Walsdorf Roofing Co. Inc., Kiel, Wis., won third place.

Stock Roofing Co. LLC, Minneapolis, a Tecta America company, won first place in the Waterproofing category for a 2 1/2-acre vegetative roof it installed at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. J.P. Patti Co. Inc., Saddle Brook, N.J., won second place, and United States Roofing Corp., Norristown, Pa., won third place.

W.S. Aiken Roofing Inc., Chelsea, Mass., won first place in the Sustainability category for proposing a multifaceted approach to covering 25 roof areas at the Rowland Institute in Cambridge, Mass. Silktown Roofing Inc., Manchester, Conn., won second place, and Charles F. Evans Co. Inc., Elmira, N.Y., won third place.

Forty-three contractors submitted projects for evaluation in the annual competition. Entries were judged based on project complexity, design uniqueness, project importance, craftsmanship and creative problem solving. First-place winners were awarded cash prizes, and all finalists were presented with recognition pieces.

Contractor news

West Roofing Systems receives awards

West Roofing Systems Inc., LaGrange, Ohio, received a Special Recognition Award and Contractor Excellence Award during the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) 2010 Conference and Expo in Orlando, Fla.

West Roofing Systems received the Special Recognition Award for insulating 6.3 million square feet of temporary structures at 20 forward-operating military bases during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The company received the Contractor Excellence Award for its roof system installation at the Ohio Turnpike Administration Building in Berea, Ohio.

"The Special Recognition Award is not given annually," says Kurt Riesenberg, SPFA's executive director. "It is presented only for projects of unique significance that illustrate the benefits of spray foam, such as West Roofing's work in Iraq. This was one of the more emblematic projects in spray polyurethane foam history, extraordinarily large in scope, leading to unprecedented impact on the safety, quality of life and comfort of American soldiers serving in Iraq."

Distributor news

ABC Supply wins award

ABC Supply Co. Inc. has received the Gallup Great Workplace Award. The company is one of 25 to receive the 2010 award and one of six four-time winners having received the award every year since the program's inception.

Companies considered for Gallup Great Workplace Awards are evaluated by a panel of workplace experts who compare each company's results to those of millions of work teams using Gallup's database. The award is based on multiple criteria, including response rates, overall engagement levels and evidence of engagement's effect on performance.

"Since the beginning, the vision of our founders, Ken and Diane Hendricks, has been that ABC Supply would become the best company in America to work for," says David Luck, ABC Supply's president and chief executive officer. "Winning our fourth consecutive Gallup Great Workplace Award shows that we are continuing to move toward realizing that dream."

Other news

Roofing professional passes away

Joseph Halperin, former sales manager for Aeroil Products Co., South Hackensack, N.J., passed away Dec. 17, 2009. He was 87.

Halperin was a founding member of the Roofing Industry Educational Institute (RIEI) and served on its board of regents. In 1982, he was awarded a plaque of appreciation by RIEI for his service on behalf of the organization.

Halperin graduated in 1942 from Parks Air College (now a part of St. Louis University Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology) in East St. Louis, Ill., with a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering and was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps. He began working for Aeroil Products in 1949 and remained with the company until his retirement in 1979. During his employment, Halperin conducted a program of roofing safety seminars and wrote numerous roofing equipment safety manuals. Upon his retirement, he moved to Florida and opened a public relations company; his clients were members of the roofing industry.

Halperin volunteered for many wildlife organizations in West Palm Beach, Fla., including the John D. MacArthur Beach State Park on Singer Island and Grassy Waters Preserve. He is survived by his wife Diane, son Benjamin and two granddaughters, Madeline and Abigail.

Laboratory gains testing accreditation

Architectural Testing Inc.'s Fresno, Calif., laboratory has been accredited by the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) as an Accredited Independent Testing Laboratory (AITL); the laboratory is authorized to test roofing materials for solar reflectance and thermal emittance.

CRRC has created a rating system for measuring and reporting roofing products' solar reflectances and thermal emittances. A manufacturer wishing to establish a cool roof rating can apply to CRRC to become a licensee, choose an AITL and then send product samples to the AITL for initial testing.

RICOWI publishes hurricane report

The Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues (RICOWI) Inc.'s board of directors has approved publishing the organization's Hurricane Ike Report.

Following Hurricane Ike's landfall Sept. 13, 2008, RICOWI dispatched a logistics team to the Houston area to conduct aerial surveillance, target sites and prepare for RICOWI's teams. A team of wind engineers, roofing materials specialists, insurance analysts, structural engineers and roof consultants investigated 110 low- and steep-slope roof systems in damaged areas and collected information regarding structure type (use or occupancy), wall construction, roof system type, roof slope, building dimensions, roof deck, insulation, roofing material, construction and attachment method. The team also noted terrain exposure and estimated wind speeds.

"Overall, when roofs appeared to be designed and installed according to the current codes and followed manufacturers' recommendations, they were not damaged or suffered minor damage from the hurricane force winds," says RICOWI Chair Rick Olson.

The report is available at www.ricowi.com.

ERA's recycling program reaches milestone

The EPDM Roofing Association (ERA) announced more than 5 million square feet of EPDM membrane have been recycled since its recycling program's inception. According to ERA, the total is the largest recorded figure for a recycled commercial roofing product in North America.

ERA reports about 1.25 million pounds of reclaimed EPDM membrane have been diverted from landfills during the past three years. The recycling program's pilot phase was initiated during 2006 and 2007, and the program was expanded during 2008 and 2009. It is active in 48 states and several provinces in southern Canada and available for low-slope ballasted and mechanically attached nonreinforced EPDM membrane tear-offs.

"We have seen significant progress in the recycling program in the past 18 months," says Mike DuCharme, director of product marketing for Carlisle SynTec Inc., Carlisle, Pa., and chairman of ERA's board of directors. "EPDM is now well-positioned in a changing marketplace that has high expectations for sustainable performance and a life cycle that extends into recycling. That means when you remove an EPDM roof to recycle it, the best choice to replace is more EPDM."

Underwriters Laboratories expands testing capabilities

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Inc., Northbrook, Ill., has announced that UL International (UL UK) Ltd. has signed an agreement with SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden (SP). The agreement with SP allows UL UK and UL's family of companies to expand its European testing capabilities and bolster its marketing services and global market access.

UL UK will use SP's test facilities for testing a variety of standards in the areas of fire resistance and fire alarm and detection covered within UL UK's scope of services.

"We are excited with the additional opportunities for advancing public safety that are available to us as a result of our alliance with SP," says Chris Hasbrook, UL's vice president of building materials and systems/life safety and security. "SP, another well-respected name in fire safety, provides the UL team with expanded testing and fire research services in Europe and enables us to provide better service and more options for our customers and for citizens in Europe."

ANSI accepts fire design guidelines

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has accepted Green Roofs for Health Cities' (GHRC's) and SPRI Inc.'s VF-1 Fire Design Standard for Vegetative Roofs as an American National Standard. The document was created to provide a design and installation reference for roofing professionals to help eliminate the risk of fire on vegetative roof systems.

"The VF-1 Fire Design Guide establishes clear criteria for minimizing the risk of fire on green roofs through prudent design and a mandatory maintenance regiment," says Kelly Luckett, president of Green Blocks, St. Louis, and chair of GRHC's Technical Committee. "This milestone in the North American green roof movement facilitates future growth by securing a place in mainstream construction under the International Building Code. This is a great day for the green roof industry and the environment."

The ANSI/SPRI VF-1 Fire Design Standard for Vegetative Roofs can be downloaded for free at www.greenroofs.org or www.spri.org/publications/policy.htm. A code change proposal has been submitted to the International Code Council to include the standard in the International Building Code's 2012 edition.

In addition, ANSI has reapproved the roof drain retrofit standard SPRI developed in 2004. The revised standard was reapproved as required by ANSI's policy that all standards be re-evaluated every five years. The standard is designated ANSI/SPRI RD-1, 2004, "Standard for Retrofit Roof Drains."

"Retrofit drains that meet this standard have proved to perform at the high level demanded by designers and building owners," says Stan Choiniere, task force chairman of SPRI's Retrofit Roof Drain Standard Task Force. "SPRI continues to maintain its current standards following the ANSI process and also has several new standards in development."

ARMA elects leadership

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) has elected its 2010-11 officers and Executive Committee members.

ARMA's current president, Sheree L. Bargabos, president of roofing and asphalt for Owens Corning, Toledo, Ohio, was re-elected for a second term. Bargabos also serves on ARMA's Executive Committee and board of directors.

"It's a privilege to serve as president of ARMA for a second term of office," says Bargabos. "During my first term, ARMA saw the decline of the economy and housing market, which greatly impacted the building community nationwide. Now is the time for ARMA and its membership to remain steadfast in maintaining the value proposition of asphalt roofing for building owners."

Bargabos and other elected officers and Executive Committee members will serve a two-year period from Jan. 1, 2010, to Dec. 31, 2011. Steve Ratcliff, president and chief executive officer of Tarco, Little Rock, Ark., was elected vice president, and Fred Stephan, vice president and general manager of Denver-based Johns Manville's roofing systems group, was elected secretary/treasurer.

Atlas® Material Testing Technology joins alliance

Chicago-based Atlas Material Testing Technology has entered a strategic alliance with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Inc., Northbrook, Ill. The alliance is intended to provide increased global testing capacity and expertise in accelerated aging performance and enable both companies to provide faster testing and certification turnaround times for manufacturers specializing in solar energy products.

According to Atlas Material Testing Technology, collaboration between the companies already has led to shorter cycle times for some customers seeking UL listings for solar modules and power systems accessory equipment.

"Atlas is highly regarded within the industry for accelerated aging test instruments and associated outdoor and laboratory testing services, and we are happy to collaborate with them," says Jeff Smidt, vice president and general manager of UL's global energy business. "One of the great benefits that are available through this alliance is the geographical diversity of existing and new testing sites that allows us to minimize project delays that otherwise might occur due to natural weather conditions."

RCI establishes strategic alliance

RCI Inc. has established a strategic alliance with the Sealant Waterproofing and Restoration (SWR) Institute to further the organizations' goal of promoting standards for those involved with sealants, waterproofing, building exteriors and restoration.

RCI and SWR Institute have begun developing educational documents and programs for sealant, waterproofing, building exterior and restoration practitioners. A co-sponsored webinar regarding air barriers currently is in production and will be released later this year. Future joint projects will include various webinars, seminars and position papers.

"The alliance strengthens the voice of both RCI and the SWR Institute," says David R. Hawn, RCI's president. "It expands professional development opportunities for construction, consulting and contracting professionals, and it will present a united message regarding methods, techniques and products used in the industry."

BuildSite introduces submittal package

BuildSite LLC has introduced online submittal templates connected to BuildSite Green Data, a database of product-specific LEED® attribute information that enables product information to be incorporated directly into LEED submittal templates.

Submittals generated in BuildSite can be attached to design objects in building information models and incorporated into project management software.

"LEED submittals can be challenging for contractors and for the architects and consultants who receive them," says Ned Trainor, BuildSite's president. "We want to make LEED approachable to every member of the project team. Our submittals have all the fields a subcontractor or architect needs—you don't have to be a LEED AP to complete LEED submittals through BuildSite."

The industry online

The Metal Initiative recently redesigned the Case Study Gallery on www.themetalinitiative.com to improve navigation through the section. The section allows users to search for metal construction building case studies using filtering criteria such as market, metal type, product type, project type, key benefits and location.

The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute has launched www.greenguard.org/index.aspx, which offers information about safeguarding against interior moisture and mold growth while minimizing mold damage's financial risk. The Web site features an enhanced GREENGUARD Product Guide,™ which helps builders find low-emitting building products and materials that can earn them sustainable credits, and a list of GREENGUARD Building ConstructionSM Certified buildings.

Roofers 411 has redesigned www.roofers411.com to include a flat-cost pricing structure and new discount brick pricing structure for customers preferring to pre-purchase large quantities of roof reports. In addition, the company has introduced an iPhone application that allows users to place orders, receive order-related information and check order status.

The EPDM Roofing Association has updated www.epdmroofs.org to include sections devoted to EPDM's role in recycling, green roofing and cool roofing.

Up the ladder

CentiMark Corp. has named William F. Hale, RRC, RRO, national account manager for its Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., markets.

Becky Henry has been named national sales and marketing coordinator and Jeff Spingler has been named southeast territory sales representative for GenFlex Roofing Systems LLC.

Velcheck & Finger Roof Consulting & Service has named Thomas J. Halat project manager.

Micah Smith has been named technical sales representative for National Coatings Corp.

Josh Kelly has been named vice president of marketing for OMG Roofing Products.

Rmax has named Peter Kesser senior vice president—operations.

Polyglass® USA Inc. has named Jim Arnold technical services manager.

Andy Jasani has been named technical representative for Englert Inc., and Kenneth Krawcheck has been named chief executive officer. Joe Panella has been named a sales representative for the company.

Columbia Roofing & Sheet Metal has named Jim Davis Washington-area project manager; Jim Ash has been named a project manager.

Ray Lopez has been named Tarco's field technical service manager.

ABC Supply Co. Inc. has named Jeff Farrell controller of manufacturing operations.

ATAS International Inc. has named Rob Szatkowski territory manager for Las Vegas and Arizona; Kristee Day has been named customer service representative for southern California, southern Nevada and Arizona.

Triangle Fastener Corp. has named Dave Fulton director of engineering services.