Tile Roof Systems: Analysis And Inspection Techniques

Known throughout the world
as one of the most enduring
and classic roof systems, tile
has a global popularity and
history that is unlike any
other roofing material.
While some basic elements of tile roofing
have been a part of the world’s architectural
legacy for thousands
of years, our
more recent past
has seen significant
growth and change
within the industry
(Photo 1).
In the United
States, areas of
regional popularity
were established by
colonial settlers
where tile still dominates
today. However,
tile has traditionally
been less
common here than
in many other countries.
For example,
tile products comprise
86% of the
European residential
roofing market
compared to 6% of
the U.S. market.
In the comparatively
young American
roof tile industry,
the popularity of
the material within
the past two hundred
years has fluctuated.
The changing
popularity of
specific architectural styles, the development
of the slate roofing industry along the
east coast, and competition from new roofing
products that are lighter and less
expensive, all have adversely affected the
popularity of tile at times.
However, the U.S. tile market is again
changing as the use of tile increases with its
versatility. Technological improvements
have combined with tile roofing’s classic
aesthetics to create more versatile products
with some of the longest service lives in the
industry. For example, new underlayments
and cold roof construction technology now
make tile suitable for use in cold climates
with heavy snowfall. Tile’s excellent seismic
Photo 1 – Flat clay tile on a dome at the Pantheon, Rome, Italy. Photo by Robert L. Fulmer.
DE C E M B E R 2006 I N T E R FA C E • 5
performance characteristics make it useable
in earthquake-prone regions. Although
large urban conflagrations are not the
threat they were during the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries, tile’s lack of combustibility
makes it an ideal material in
areas susceptible to wildfires. A tile system’s
excellent wind resistance combined
with modern attachment methods make it
suitable for use in regions with hurricane
potential.
The increased versatility of the product
and technological progress have created
greater market growth potential than ever
before in the U.S. tile market. The result of
this growth is the creation of new materials,
testing procedures, codes, and standards.
For consultants and other industry professionals,
now more than ever it has become
essential to obtain the specialized education
and training to keep current with the
changes in tile roofing. But to understand
where we are now in the industry, it is necessary
to know the basic history and evolution
of tile roofing.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF TILE ROOFING
The origin of clay roofing tile is linked to
the development of pottery within two of the
world’s greatest early civilizations. The first
was in China during the Neolithic Age (the
last phase of the Stone Age) at about 10,000
BC, and the second was in the Middle East
by 6,000 BC. During these periods, humans
began to move from life in small groups to
large tribal clan communities. For the
buildings within these larger, more denselypopulated
communities, tile roofing played
a vital dual role that remains valid today.
First, it was an effective means to shed
water from buildings, and secondly, it
reduced the spread of fire.
From China and the Middle East, the
use of clay tile spread throughout Asia and
Europe. Although tile roofs were used by
the Assyrians, Egyptians, and Babylonians,
it was the Greek and Roman civilizations
that elevated roofing tiles (known as Tegula)
from crude, hand-made objects in clay to an
art form (Photo 2).
We tend to think of some attributes of
tile roofing, such as the ability to re-lay or
re-use the material from one roof to another
or the manufacture of tile in materials
other than clay as relatively modern developments.
In reality, the Greek Byzes of
Naxos first introduced tile made of Pentelic
marble in 620 BC for use on the great temples
such as the temple of Jupiter at
Olympia and the Parthenon at Athens. Even
more spectacular tile was created from solid
bronze and gilt for the construction of the
Pantheon in Rome. These tiles survived
until the seventeenth century before being
melted down by Pope Urban VIII to make
cannons. This was not the first, but certainly
one of the most poorly engineered
reuses of tile, as the quality of the precious
metals content turned out to be too high
(soft) for cannons.
The first documented (and semi-legitimate)
re-use of tile occurred in 231 when
the Roman censor Fulvius Flaccus removed
some marble roof tile from the Greek temple
of the Lacinian Juno for use on another
temple he was building in Rome. Hence, not
all of our “modern” techniques are new. The
Romans used tile roofing throughout their
empire. In Europe, the popularity of clay tile
grew due to an abundance of clay deposits
Photo 2 – Flat clay tile in the Piazza del Popolo, Rome, Italy. Photo courtesy of Robert L. Fulmer.
6 • IN T E R FA C E DE C E M B E R 2006
providing the raw materials and again offering
a level of protection against the spread
of fire.
Later, as European settlers came to
America, they brought their roofing trades
with them. Clay tiles have been found in the
ruins of the 1585 settlement of Sir Walter
Raleigh on Roanoke Island, North Carolina.
This was England’s first settlement in the
“New World.” The Spanish used tile in their
early settlements at St. Augustine, Fla., and
New Orleans, La.
At first, Dutch settlers on the east coast
imported clay tiles from Holland. By 1650,
however, they had established a production
facility in the upper Hudson River valley,
shipping tile down the Hudson to “New
Amsterdam.” By the beginning of the
Revolutionary War, there were several tile
manufacturers in the New York City area
offering colored, glazed, and terra-cotta tile.
On the west coast, tile was being produced
by 1780 at Mission San Antonio de Padua
in California by Spanish missionaries.
In Colonial America, tile was popular for
the same reasons that were relevant during
the Neolithic period. The materials were
readily available and they were fire-proof.
The latter helped address a near hysteria
about fire in colonial American cities. After
devastating fires in London in 1666 and
Boston in 1679, the first building and fire
codes were established in New York and
Boston. These codes encouraged the use of
tile roofs and remained in effect for almost
two hundred years. By the 1830s, however,
clay tile was temporarily out of fashion.
Competition with slate along the east coast
and new metal products that looked like tile
became significant (Photo 3).
But the mid 19th century brought the
popular new architectural style of
“Italianate Villa,” and with it, new popularity
for clay tile. New production facilities
sprang up. Gladding, McBean and Co. in
California in 1875, the Celadon Roofing Tile
Co. in Alfred, New York in 1888, and Heinz
Co. in 1911 were a few of the larger, enduring
producers.
The Industrial Age brought a flurry of
new patents and industry changes. In 1870,
the first tile-making machines were patented,
along with the first of the interlocking
tiles by J.G. Hughes in 1871. Refinements
were being made in production of metal
“tile.”
But by far the most significant development
in the tile industry since the Greeks
and Romans occurred in 1848, when a
German farmer named Adolph Kroher
Photo 3 – Process of replacing original Ludowici Celadon clay Spanish tile (initially installed at the turn of the 20th century) with new tile
by the same manufacturer on an historic hotel in upstate New York (the original tile came from Celadon’s plant in Alfred, NY). Photo by
Robert L. Fulmer.
DE C E M B E R 2006 I N T E R FA C E • 7
introduced concrete tile. Commercial production
began in Bavaria shortly thereafter.
Concrete tiles were introduced to England,
Holland, and other European countries by
the early 1900s. Automated production
began, along with the practice of adding coloring
pigments to imitate clay tile. By the
late 1920s, concrete tile was a permanent
part of the American tile industry, competing
as a product that was lighter and less
expensive than clay.
Today, both concrete and clay constitute
the roof tile market. Our current technologies,
new products, codes, and standards
continue to be developed with both
products in mind.
These relatively recent developments
within the industry have created a changing
and increasingly complex environment,
developing new challenges for the consultants
and others who will be evaluating tile
roof systems.
THE ROLE OF THE ROOF CONSULTANT
Roof consultants may become involved
with tile systems in a number of ways. A
client may request an inspection to locate
current leakage or to evaluate remaining
service life of a tile system. Owners of larger
tile roofs may require maintenance planning
or project management. Problems that
occur in tile systems prior to the end of their
service life may be the result of installation
errors or extreme environmental occurrences.
In many cases involving construction
defects, the consultant may testify as
an expert witness in arbitration or litigation.
In all of these scenarios, the consultant
must fulfill two primary responsibilities.
First, he or she must understand the system
and product involved. Secondly, all of
the facts must be gathered correctly and
objectively. In conducting any tile roof
inspection, there are four essential questions
that, when answered, will provide the
basis for our observations and opinions:
1. What is the problem and how did it
happen (i.e., installation errors,
material defects, design flaws, lack
of maintenance, etc.).
2. When were the tiles installed? The
age of the building is a good but not
absolute indicator.
3. How was the roof installed? Which
method(s) and materials were utilized?
4. What are the applicable codes and
manufacturer’s installation instructions?
In finding the answers to these basic
questions, other relevant information is
often discovered that creates a complete
assessment. The result should be a thorough,
accurate,
well-documented
opinion or report.
Next we’ll discuss
some tile
basics for background
information
as well as identifying
sources for
specific and detailed
information.
TILE TYPES AND
SYSTEMS
Knowing the
type, the manufacturer,
and the
age of the tile are among the most critical
pieces of information one can obtain from
an inspection. Determining the type and
manufacturer can be as simple as reading
the inscription on the underside of the tile
or it can be as frustrating as trying to identify
a small regional manufacturer that went
out of business 75 years ago.
Predominantly, there are two types of
roofing tiles – overlapping and interlocking.
Interlocking tiles are designed to be
installed in pairs with an extrusion on one
tile that is designed to “lock” over the other
tile, securing both. Overlapping tiles don’t
have a locking side and are generally nailed
in place. There are a number of tile shapes
and profiles, but most fall into two categories
– pantiles and flat tiles. Pantiles consist
of two half cylinders, where one is
attached to the roof deck or battens and the
second is inverted and overlaps the
upturned edge of the first. These comprise
the most common profiles associated with
tile roofing – i.e., Spanish, mission, or barrel
tile. Flat tile can be either completely flat
(no extrusion or lock), or it can be interlocking
on the top and one side (Photo 4).
These standard shapes may be known
by different names in a different part of the
country or the world.
Over the past 100 years, roof tiles have
been made from a variety of materials,
including clay, concrete, sheet metal, fiber
cement, and composites. Of these, clay and
concrete are the most popular and predominantly
used materials.
All this information about tile types,
shapes, materials, and manufacturers can
be confusing. Remember that there are few
individuals who can correctly identify all tile
manufacturers at a glance. The important
concept here is to use all these individual
tile characteristics in our forensic investigation
to correctly
identify tile type,
condition, and
manufacture r.
While the significance
of type and
condition are obvious,
why is identifying
the manufacturer
important?
Almost every
manufacturer has
historically published
installation
instructions for its
products. In cases
of problematic tile
systems where installation errors are suspected,
these guides provide documentation
of recommended or published procedures.
In addition, tile manufacturers can help
determine the approximate age of a particular
tile, based on their production records.
Manufacturers also provide a key piece of
information for maintenance planning when
they publish the service life for their products.
Knowing the service life of the tile is
critical for maintenance cost projections
and determining repair or replace options.
When identifying tile and tile manufacturers,
look at the obvious first. Is this a
familiar looking tile? Are there other tile
roofs in the area that look the same and
may be well documented? In the case of
newer concrete and clay tile, construction
records may be available. If not, consider
the geographic location. Tiles are heavy and
expensive to ship; consider the manufacturers
and distributors closest to the building.
Most tile manufacturers will evaluate a
sample tile or identify with close-up photos.
In the case of older or historic tile, one of
the best references available is the book,
Historic and Obsolete Roofing Tile by
Vincent Hobson and Melvin Mann. [Editor’s
Note: This book is available from RCI’s publications
list.] The book contains histories of
all the early major tile manufacturers in the
U.S. as well as hundreds of scaled, color
photographs of individual tile.
By determining tile type, condition, and
manufacturer, we should have sufficient
information to answer three of the essential
inspection questions. The remaining question
is, “what are the applicable codes and
manufacturer’s installation instructions?”
Photo 4 – Clay overlapping (flat shingle) tile
exhibiting signs of water absorption. Photo by
Robert L. Fulmer.
8 • IN T E R FA C E DE C E M B E R 2006
INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND INSTALLATION
METHODS
Industry standards and installation
guidelines are the tools consultants use to
evaluate the integrity, quality, and code
compliance of a tile roof installation. The
purpose of these guidelines is to provide a
level of quality and standardization for the
manufacture, testing, and installation of
tile. They are also critical elements in construction
litigation, often validating the consultant’s
position and observations. Roofing
tile has more than its share of acronyms for
the myriad codes, standards, and organizations
representing the industry. While
addressing all of the standards organizations
that include tile roofing would be overwhelming,
a chronology of some of the more
relevant organizations is as follows.
ASTM International (American Society
for Testing and Materials) is one of the oldest
and largest voluntary standard development
organizations in the world. Founded
in 1898, over the years, ASTM developed
ASTM C-1167 standards for clay tile roofing
and ASTM C-1492 for concrete tile. The
written standards for both include standard
specification for materials and manufacture,
tests for wind uplift, and standards for
terminology. In addition, a grading system
is established for “resistance to frost.”
The ICC (International Code Council)
was established in 1994 as a non-profit
organization that develops comprehensive
natural model construction codes. It was
founded by BOCA (Building Officials and
Code Administrators International), the
ICBO (International Conference of Building
Officials), and SBCCI (Southern Building
Code Congress International). These three
organizations had been operating independently
since the early part of the last century,
developing regional codes. The formation
of the ICC combined their expertise into one
source. Consultants and other industry
professionals benefit by working with one
set of codes (ICC) as opposed to three different
sets of standards prior to 1994. One of
the most relevant ICC services is its evaluation
report (ICC-ES). The ES reports objectively
evaluate code-compliant materials
and installation methods and are available
on the ICC Web site.
In 1987, the Roof Tile Committee of
FRSA (the Florida Roofing, Sheet Metal and
Air Conditioning Contractors Association)
and the NTRMA (National Tile Roofing
Manufacturers Association) co-wrote consensus
standards for the installation of concrete
and clay roof tiles. This effort, over the
course of ten years, produced the Concrete
and Clay Roof Tile Installation Manual, one
of the most comprehensive sets of tile standards.
Prior to 2001, individual manufacturers
wrote their own installation standards.
At that time there were 58 separate
standards. The NTRMA manuals consolidate
them into one source. The NTRMA also
produced the manuals, Concrete and Clay
Tile Roof Design Criteria Manual for Cold
and Snow Regions in conjunction with the
Western States Roofing Contractors
Association (WSRCA) and also the Moderate
Climate Installation Guide.
In addition, NTRMA teamed up with the
University of Southern California to conduct
studies and tests of the seismic performance
of concrete and clay roofing tile. In
the only study of its kind, earthquake conditions
were reproduced on four of the most
commonly used tile systems. The results
revealed that when installed in accordance
with current code, these systems cannot
only meet UBC (Uniform Building Code)
standards for seismic load requirements of
tile, but they are capable of withstanding a
quake almost double the intensity of the
1994 Northridge quake, which measure 6.7
on the Richter Scale.
The NTRMA has recently changed its
name to the Roof Tile Institute (RTI) and it
continues to be one of the best sources for
tile information and technical support. No
discussion of tile standards would be complete
without mentioning the SBC
(Standard Building Code) and the FBC
(Florida Building Code). The SBC has been
the fundamental basis for tile installation
for quite some time, and because of the hurricane
exposure, the FBC has some of the
most stringent “wind uplift” requirements in
the nation.
The number and quality of standards
and code organizations provide an excellent
benchmark for materials, manufacture, and
installation, and are valuable technical and
documentation resources for the consultant.
THE INSPECTION PROCESS
Tile systems are unique, and as a
result, their inspection presents challenges
and characteristics unlike any other roof.
All roofing tiles are not created equally, nor
do they fail equally. One of the most critical
challenges before the tile expert is the accurate
determination of the reasons behind a
tile system’s failure. In other words, “what
DE C E M B E R 2006 I N T E R FA C E • 9
is the problem and how did it happen?”
As with most forensic roof investigations,
the inspection begins by accessing
the roof in order to evaluate its components.
Again we need to answer the questions,
what type of tile is it? What point has the
system reached within its service life? Are
there problems, and if so, are they normally
occurring, the result of environmental
factors, or premature failure.
One of the more common misunderstandings
about tile is how various systems
age. For the most part, this is a direct result
of the hardness of the tile. Both concrete
and clay tile are porous in varying degrees.
It is porosity and the resulting water
absorption that weaken the tile over time.
Water saturation in concrete tile increases
over the life of the tile, accelerated by erosion
of the cement and exposure of the mix
aggregate. Toward the end of the concrete
tile’s service life, efflorescence can form on
the underside of the tile prior to complete
saturation. After saturation, water then
drips off of the underside of the tile. In the
latter portion of this process, most concrete
tiles are too soft to walk on. Clay tiles exhibit
different characteristics toward the end of
their service lives.
Clay tiles also absorb water; however,
porosity is a function of the density of the
clay used and the vitrification process.
Vitrification is the process that turns clay to
glass by applying heat (firing). Clay tiles
that are not thoroughly vitrified are softer
and consequently possess a shorter service
life. Freeze/thaw cycles in colder climates
cause spalling when moisture expands as it
freezes. Spalling and flaking are the result
of normal water absorption and wear
process. Flaking begins on the surface of
the tile and continues throughout the life of
the tile until the flaking wears completely
through. The presence of these elements is
sometimes incorrectly diagnosed as tile failure.
During examination of a representative
number of tiles, the flaking should be dislodged.
If algae or lichen are present under
the flaking, the process is a slow, natural
one. If bright, clean clay is exposed, the
process is accelerated and newer. This
could be the result of environmental factors
(i.e., hail damage, excessive hot and cold
temperature variation), or it could indicate
premature tile failure.
Another common “normal” failure peculiar
to clay tile is cracking in older tiles.
Occasionally, the clay may not have been
properly worked prior to firing. During firing,
the clay will then shrink, causing small
cracks – some barely visible. As these tiles
age, the cracks can become pronounced,
providing sources of increased water
absorption and possibly breakage.
A key point of misunderstanding in
diagnosing a clay or concrete tile system is
that any of the potential reasons of failure
discussed thus far do not necessarily represent
a system failure. Too often, an inspector
will encounter one or more of these conditions
in a single test area or small section
of the roof. The erroneous assumption is
made that the entire system has failed,
when in fact the problems may be isolated.
Examples of isolated failures could be the
result of improper aggregate/mortar mixes
in a single batch of concrete tile, improper
vitrification in a single batch of clay tile, or
repairs to a roof section using older salvaged
tile. This underscores the importance
of testing multiple areas of the roof system
upon discovery of these problems to verify
whether they are systemic or isolated
issues. This could mean the difference
between recommendations of spot repairs
versus an entire roof replacement, a particularly
important consideration on historically
significant buildings.
Tile systems overall have excellent resistance
to environmental effects. However,
severe environments can affect tile in varying
degrees. For example, small hail doesn’t
affect most tiles. However, large hail has different
effects on various types of tile. Both
concrete and clay tile in the latter portions
of their service life are softer and large hail
can pass entirely through or knock out
large sections of the tile. Hard clay tile are
normally completely shattered or cracked;
hail will seldom pass through them. Newer
concrete tile may exhibit chipped edges or
broken corners from medium to large hail.
Wind damage to a tile roof is fairly evident.
Tile that have shifted out of place or
have blown completely off are an indication.
The consultant should verify proper exposure
of the tile courses in the case of wind
uplift damage, as excessive exposure
increases the “overturning” moment of the
tile. Proper fastening methods in compliance
with RTI and applicable regional standards
should also be verified.
Certain environmental factors that
adversely affect other roof systems have
only aesthetic effects on tile. For example,
algae or moss growth can be pressurewashed
off the tile. Efflorescence of soluble
salts is fairly common on concrete tile. It is
the result of lime and water reactions in the
material that release calcium hydroxide.
The reaction with carbon dioxide and rain
eventually washes it away.
Other significant components included
in an inspection are the methods of tile
attachment, type of underlayments, and
flashing details. The focus should again be
on obvious indications of age and condition,
viewing these components through multiple
test areas. Although there are regional variations
of installation methods and types of
materials for these components, they
should be compliant with RTI or the manufacturer’s
specific installation guidelines as
well as any applicable regional codes or
standards.
Having discussed potential problems
and proper diagnosis of tile roof systems,
how should the roof be physically accessed
to perform the forensic testing? As mentioned
earlier, some tile roofs can be walked
on and some can’t. But as in any roof
inspection, personal safety is the first priority.
People inspecting any steep slope system
should utilize a body harness and a
properly secured lifeline. Once on the tile,
however, proper weight distribution is key
to minimizing damage. Walk as little as possible
on the tiles themselves. When walking
on tile becomes necessary, step only on the
butts or lower three inches of the tile. This
is the “headlap” area with the most supporting
material. To access the roof system
for test areas, some sort of scaffold or work
area is often required. On lower roof pitches,
sandbags supporting secured plywood
can provide a stable work area. On steeper
pitches, roof brackets designed for slate
roofing work well, providing a continuous
1×10 or 1×12 is placed under the metal
brackets to distribute the weight.
Again, the key premise to any roof
inspection is personal safety as the first priority.
HURRICANE CHARLEY
As discussed, tile roof systems have one
of the best performance records in the
industry. This is also one consultant’s opinion
after an extensive inspection of tile systems
following an extreme weather event.
On Friday, August 13, 2004, at 3:45
p.m., Hurricane Charley made landfall at
Cayo Costa, Florida (just west of Cape
Coral) as a category 4 storm. Its winds were
estimated at 145 mph and measured at 111
mph before an equipment failure at Punta
Gorda airport. Charley continued its northeast
track across De Soto, Hardee, Polk,
and Osceola counties. The storm emerged
off the Volusia County coast and back into
10 • I N T E R FA C E DE C E M B E R 2006
DE C E M B E R 2006 I N T E R FA C E • 1 1
the Atlantic on Saturday, August 14. Taking
just nine hours to traverse the Florida
peninsula, it was the strongest hurricane to
make landfall in the state since Hurricane
Andrew in 1992.
Shortly after the storm, RCI member
Warren French, PE, of French Engineering
retraced the path of the storm to study tile
performance during the hurricane. As part
of the RICOWI (Roof Industry Committee on
Weather Issues) team, Warren began his
assessments in the Port Charlotte/Punta
Gorda areas and provided the following
information. The most destruction to buildings
from Charley occurred within a narrow
band following the storm track from Punta
Gorda northeasterly across the state to
Daytona Beach. One to two miles from the
center of the storm track, most damage
went from heavy to moderate. Virtually all of
the tile encountered was concrete with only
one clay tile roof examined. Of particular
interest was how the various attachment
methods of the tile performed in such a
severe wind event. Because Punta Gorda is
an older community, most tile roofs were
older, mortar-set concrete tile. Overall, system
performance of the older, mortar-set
tiles was the poorest. Mortar deterioration
and subsequent loss of adhesion resulted in
either substantial numbers of tile blown
from the roof deck, or completely missing
rakes and ridges (Photo 5).
Mechanically fastened tile systems fared
better than the older mortar set. They performed
well, up to 110 mph. However, above
those wind speeds, wind uplift failure
occurred, with the resulting impact damage
(damage caused by airborne tile and tile
debris impacting the roof). On one fourstory
building inspected, the tile lost to
wind uplift blew over the ridge and broke
tile on the opposite side of the roof. As the
hurricane passed and the wind direction
changed, the debris was blown back over
the ridge, further damaging the tile on the
roof elevation from which they originated.
Overall, new “foam-set” tile systems performed
well. Most properly installed systems
only received impact damage from
other flying debris. Exceptions in this system’s
performance occurred for two reasons:
1. Failure of the ridge tile occurred on
roofs that did not use a ridge nailer
board, but relied on mortar without
fasteners.
2. The second failure source was an
installation error occurring when
the two-part foam mix was improperly
mixed, resulting in the foam
being either “part A rich” or “part B
rich” (Photo 6).
For the most part, on the roofs inspected,
installation problems were minimal. In
addition to the problems described above,
the other significant installation error
occurred when exposure of the tile courses
was stretched. This resulted in an excessive
overturning moment with the resulting
uplift loss.
Photo 5 – Example of a ridge tile failure in a concrete tile roof system. Photo courtesy of Warren French.
Observations of the surviving tile were
made in comparison with ASCE (American
Society of Civil Engineers) standard 7-02.
The wind load provision within this standard
addresses “corner conditions” damage
to tile as well as wind force and uplift moment
effects on ridges, rakes, and eaves.
Overall, while tile systems did sustain
damage, they outperformed most other
roofs within the path of one of the fiercest
hurricanes in Florida’s recent weather history.
Extreme weather events like Hurricane
Charley highlight some of the best characteristics
of tile roofing. Excellent performance
and versatility combined with classic
aesthetics separates tile as a truly unique
roof system.
The inspection and reporting process for
tile roof systems can be challenging and
interesting. A working knowledge of the
product and its qualities, as well as the
effects of age, weather, and other factors,
will allow professionals to accurately diagnose
the issues involved in tile roof system
failures.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally
published as part of the Proceedings of the
RCI 20th International Convention & Trade
Show from March 31- April 5, 2005, in Miami
Beach, Florida.
Robert Fulmer is the owner of RL Fulmer Roof Consultants,
LLC of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He is recognized for his
unique expertise in tile, slate, and copper roof systems. His
firm provides a complete range of roof consultant services to
both national and international clients. Mr. Fulmer can be
contacted by e-mail at robert@rlfulmer.com.
Robert Fulmer
The $252-million, 46-story Hearst Building was recently opened on
time and within budget. The Manhattan high-rise was designed by
Norman Foster and is the first occupied office building in New York
City to achieve a “gold” rating under the U.S. Green Building Council’s
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program that
certifies sustainable buildings.
Photo 6 – Upper
concrete tile roof
exhibiting partial failure
of the “foam-set”
system, possibly due to
an improper foam mix.
Lower roof exhibiting
damage from flying
debris. Photo courtesy
of Warren French.
12 • I N T E R FA C E DE C E M B E R 2006
HHEEAARRSSTT BBUUIILLDDIINNGG GGEETTSS GGOOLLDD