IIBEC Attends Roofing Coalition Meeting at FM

Emily Lorenz, PE, F-ACI, IIBEC senior director of technical services, joined other roofing industry allies at a meeting hosted by FM Global and FM Approvals near its Norwood, Massachusetts, headquarters on August 30, 2022. The group of approximately 40 professionals received updates on FM products and discussed current industry trends. FM Approvals expects to begin beta testing of the new RoofNav NEXT later this year. Updates to the popular product search engine include improved search capabilities and the ability to export results to a spreadsheet.

In addition, the following FM Approvals Standards related to roofing will be or have been published in 2022:

• Updated FM 4430, Heat and Smoke Vents
• Updated FM 4431, Skylights
• Reaffirmed ANSI/FM 4476, Flexible Photovoltaic Modules
• Updated ANSI/FM 4478, Roof-Mounted Rigid Photovoltaic Module Systems
• To be published, New FM 4479, Photovoltaic Shingles
• New FM 4481, Anchors for Roof Mounted Equipment
• New FM 4652, Debris Barriers
• To be updated FM 4435, Edge Systems Used with Low Slope Roofing Systems

Also in 2022, the following roofing-related FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets have been updated:

• DS 1-28, Wind Design (updated some pressures to ASCE 7-16; there is currently no plan to update to ASTM 7-22)
• DS 1-29, Roof Deck Securement and Above-Deck Roof Components
• DS 1-31, Panel Roof Systems
• DS 1-34, Hail Damage