The #MeToo Movement – How #YouToo Can Mitigate Your Risk May 15, 2018 Beginning in October 2017, when dozens of women in the entertainment industry came forward with allegations that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein had sexually harassed or assaulted them, the #MeToo Movement was launched, and soon a tidal wave of similar allegations flooded in against a long list of other prominent, high-powered men in Hollywood, the media, […] Read More
Resilience: An Investment in the Roofing System of the Future April 10, 2018 Just eight days into the new year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a report that confirmed what millions of Americans had experienced first-hand: 2017 had seen an unprecedented number of natural disasters, which set new records for “billion-dollar” destructive events in the United States. During 2017, 16 “weather and climate disaster events” […] Read More
Prefabrication and Induction Welding: Combatting Labor Shortages with Dual Roof Membrane Technologies March 10, 2018 Ma rc h 2 0 1 8 RC I I n t e r f a c e • 3 3 Labor shortages have had a harsh impact on the roofing industry. The recession of 2008-09 hit hard, forcing experienced roofers to leave the industry. As the economy has recovered and gained momentum, roofing contractors […] Read More
Project Profile: Water Intrusion Mitigation at Historic Center for Puppetry Arts Facility February 10, 2018 OVERVIEW The Center for Puppetry Arts (CFPA) facility is a threestory building located at 1404 Spring Street, NW in Atlanta, Georgia (Figures 1 and 2). This historic structure has been home to many organizations since it was built in 1918. Originally designed for and occupied by the Spring Street Elementary School, the building is currently […] Read More
HVAC Interaction with The Building Enclosure in Natatoriums February 10, 2018 1 0 • RC I I n t e r f a c e F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 8 Natatoriums and similar buildings with a body of water set within an interior space have requirements that differ from most buildings as they pertain to the control of HVAC […] Read More
A Case Study: “Value-Engineered” Waterproofing Errors February 10, 2018 INTRODUCTION In theory, “value engineering” should embody a multidisciplinary application of technical knowledge, specialized expertise, and common sense directed at identifying and eliminating unnecessary construction costs while still maintaining (or improving) the value, quality, and functionality originally intended by the designer. In practice, strong desires to reduce construction costs can pit contractors and owners against […] Read More
The Case for Catenary Roofs February 10, 2018 The Swiss civil engineer and contractor Heinz Isler (1926- 2009) is regarded as one of the pioneers of shell structures. He gained renown for his experimental, physical methods of form-finding and the resulting expressive shell structures produced in thin-walled concrete,1 and first triggered his lifelong fascination and professional work with such structures by draping a […] Read More
Harvey, Irma, and RICOWI: An Update January 10, 2018 J a n u a r y 2 0 1 8 RC I I n t e r f a c e • 2 5 In the aftermath of two Category 4 storms (Figure 1) affecting millions of people and causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage, many in the roofing industry want to […] Read More
Misconceptions of Wind Damage to Asphalt Composition Shingles January 10, 2018 The topic of wind-lifted shingles remains a controversial subject in the roofing industry. There are many misconceptions and a number of issues with asphalt shingles that are commonly incorrectly attributed to wind effects. Some of the current and most hotly debated issues relate to the assertions by some that: 1. “Wind-lifted” or “wind-damaged” shingles are […] Read More
