Photos courtesy of Custom-Bilt Metals, Chino, Calif. The Bungalows at Beach House, Port Hueneme, Calif.

The Bungalows at Beach House is a new community of 64 second homes in Port Hueneme, Calif., a town settled between Malibu and Santa Barbara on California's Gold Coast. When John Laing Homes, Van Nuys, Calif., the homebuilder for the community, found buyers wanted low-maintenance, energy-efficient second homes, it decided to choose cool roof systems.

SC Sheet Metal Inc., Newbury Park, Calif., had worked with John Laing Homes on previous projects and was asked to install standing-seam metal roof systems with reflective coatings on The Bungalows at Beach House.

Energy efficiency

SC Sheet Metal installed Custom-Bilt Metals' 24-guage Titan® CB-150 Mechanical Seam panels with Titan Cool Roof reflective coatings on the 2,700-square-foot homes. The cool roof systems, which were gray, are said to reflect up to 40 percent of the sun's energy and result in about a 20 percent decrease in energy bills (or upwards of $450 each year).

Additionally, the company installed flashings, louver vents and ducts for bath, dryer, and range vents.

SC Sheet Metal used a variety of safety precautions.

"We used hard hats, eye protection, harnesses, retractable lanyards and other standard safety equipment compliant with Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards," says Craig Reibenspies, president of SC Sheet Metal.

SC Sheet Metal Inc., Newbury Park, Calif., installed Custom-Bilt Metals' 24-guage Titan® CB-150 Mechanical Seam panels with Titan Cool Roof reflective coatings.

Metal roof systems were used in part to differentiate the homes from others in the area.

"The City of Port Hueneme now mandates metal roof systems by ordinance to give its entire community a distinctive look while providing a durable, energy-efficient and low-maintenance alternative to conventional roofing materials," says Tony Chiovare, president of Custom-Bilt Metals, Chino, Calif. "The cool roof technology helps homeowners use up to 40 percent less energy for cooling than buildings with darker roofs and different materials-an important consideration as energy costs rise and one that contributes to the project's success in a struggling national housing market."

Reibenspies says the use of metal roof systems was unusual.

"It is rare to see metal roof systems on production, or tract, homes because of the cost of metal roof systems compared with composition or tile roofing products," he says. "Ultimately, the builder saw the aesthetic, energy and long-term benefits of metal roof systems."

During the project, SC Sheet Metal was faced with the challenge of a tight schedule because the homes were selling so quickly at the time.

"We were required to complete two houses per day," Reibenspies says. "We split our crews into job-specific groups for efficiency-one group did underlayment, one prep, one panels, one trim; this allowed us to keep up with the pace of production."

Quality results

Metal roof systems were chosen to offer a distinctive look.

Some of the homes in The Bungalows at Beach House are not yet completed. SC Sheet Metal completed 26 houses between September 2007 and December 2007 and will be installing roof systems on six more houses next month.

The completed work has been satisfying for SC Sheet Metal.

"Finishing a quality installation on time and the tremendous feedback we received from John Laing Homes were the most rewarding parts of the project," Reibenspies says.

Krista Reisdorf is Professional Roofing's director of online communications.

Project name: The Bungalows at Beach House
Project location: Port Hueneme, Calif.
Project duration: September 2007-December 2007
Roof system type: Metal
Roofing contractor: SC Sheet Metal Inc., Newbury Park, Calif.
Roofing manufacturer: Custom-Bilt Metals, Chino, Calif.