Evaluating Water Leakage in Mass Masonry Walls February 05, 2016 INTRODUCTION Prior to the 1950s, many buildings were constructed using multi-wythe mass masonry walls. Such walls typically did not include air barriers, weather-resistive barriers, vapor retarders, or thermal barriers, as do modern wall assemblies. Buildings consisting of mass masonry are highly dependent on the thickness of their walls and the quality of masonry units and […] Read More
Commercial Glazing and NAFS in Canada February 05, 2016 Applying the North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS) in the commercial world of custom fabrication and site-glazed products is going to be tricky in Canada. Product labeling will not be an option in most situations. While the National Building Code is clear that testing and labelling fenestration products to NAFS and the Canadian Supplement is mandatory […] Read More
Takeaways From ASTM’s Symposium on Roofing Research and Standards Development February 05, 2016 4 8 • I n t e r f a c e F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 6 On December 6, 2015, ASTM Technical Committee D08 on Roofing and Waterproofing hosted the eighth symposium in the series, “Roofing Research and Standards Development.” I was honored to have cochaired the […] Read More
Pushing the Limits of TPO Testing February 05, 2016 INTRODUCTION Thermoplastic polyolefin roofing (TPO) is now the largest segment of the commercial roofing market. Its introduction in the early 1990s coincided with the increasing requirement for white reflective roofing. Also, as big-box architecture has become dominant in the retail markets, single-ply roofing in general has seen large growth. TPO continues to be the newest […] Read More
Reflective Technologies in the Thermal Envelope February 05, 2016 There are three categories of refl ective products that are used in the thermal envelope of residential and commercial buildings. These include radiant barriers, refl ective insulations, and interior radiation control coating systems (IRCCSs). The common physical thermal characteristics that these building materials share are high refl ectance and low emittance. Emittance (or emissivity) refers […] Read More
Not All Insulation Facers are Equal January 05, 2016 Many decades ago, we had a choice between two roofs: coal tar or asphalt. Fastforward to today’s roofing market. We have an overwhelming choice of membranes, fastening methods, and insulation types. However, if we focus on market shares for insulation, we see a clear domination by polyisocyanurate. This segment is vastly dominated by ASTM C1289 […] Read More
President’s Message: RCI, Our Challenges and Opportunities January 05, 2016 Jean-Guy Levaque, RRC, RRO President PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE The passing of another year in RCI’s history presents an opportunity to reflect as president on the issues in which I believe the members should be engaged. Our challenge to address procurement issues received my attention about 30 seconds into my presidency. Since then, procurement issues have increased. […] Read More
Asphalt Shingles: Proven Performance, Broad Array of Choices January 05, 2016 shingles and architectural laminate shingles. Most shingle companies offered each of these profi les in a variety of colors—primarily made up of different shades of a single color such as brown, gray, or black. Today, a signifi cantly more diverse product offering is available for homeowners and contractors. Some of the most popular designs remain […] Read More
New Innovations for Concrete and Clay Tile Roof Assemblies January 05, 2016 Traditional concrete and clay roofing tiles have been used for centuries in most parts of the world for steep-slope installations on both residential and commercial buildings. Over the past five years, the advancements and demands for higher overall roof assembly performance have driven new innovation in roof designs. The Tile Roofing Institute (TRI) continues to […] Read More
Nightmare on Cedar Street January 05, 2016 1 0 • I n t e r f a c e J a n u a r y 2 0 1 6 Photo 2 – Product lifting caused by moisture being trapped in roof by deck covered with nonpermeable membrane. INTRODUCTION Cue the spooky music. You know, the heavy instrumental where your heart thumps […] Read More
