Avoiding the Landfill: The Recycling of Vinyl Roof Membranes May 15, 2008 With its European counterparts blazing the trail, the North American vinyl (PVC) roofing industry has entered a new phase in its commitment to environmental sustainability through recycling. Because thermoplastic single-ply vinyl membrane can be heated and re-formed repeatedly over its lifespan, it has long been an industry best practice to recover production trimmings and scrap […] Read More
Fasteners Corrosion in ACQ and Other “Next Generation” Treated Lumber A New Analysis May 15, 2008 PROBLEM DEFINITION Building materials, including roofing products, accessory attachments, and gutters, are often connected to pressure-treated lumber by metallic fasteners such as nails or screws. Like most metal-based components, these connectors and fasteners are susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion is a time- and environmentdependent process. Unfortunately, corrosion is also an extremely complex process. It is common […] Read More
Integrating Photovoltaics Onto Building Envelope Surfaces May 15, 2008 INTRODUCTION Over much of the past 30 years, the standard for solar technology installed on buildings has been rack-mounted, silicon crystalline-based solar panels. Today, a new type of technology called thin-film photovoltaics is ready to change the way solar collectors are installed on buildings. This paper gives a broad overview of both the old and […] Read More
Searching for Simplicity The Evolution of Wind Provisions in standards and Codes in the United States May 15, 2008 This article will provide an historical overview of the evolution of wind provisions in standards and codes in the United States. From the 1972 edition of the American National Standards Institute’s Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures (ANSI A58.1) — which later became the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Minimum Design Loads for […] Read More
Use of Rigid Foam Insulation in Masonry Sidewall Construction May 15, 2008 No one needs to tell product manufacturers and building professionals that they face challenges of greater complexity with virtually every passing day. Those challenges include the need to improve systems that meet their clients’ desire for cost efficiency and long-term performance. It also likely re – quires them to increase the energy efficiency of their […] Read More
Energy Efficiency: More Than a Simple Black and White Issue May 15, 2008 The days when heating and cooling costs were a relatively insignificant line item on a building owner’s budget are long gone. Oil prices, though blessedly lower at this writing, remain extremely unstable. Natural gas and coal prices are also on the rise. All of these increases and instability have led to higher heating and cooling […] Read More
Proof Positive: Measuring Air Barrier Performance With the ASTM E 2357 standards May 15, 2008 Today, no commercial building design is complete without a continuous air barrier. Pre vent – ing air leakage is a critical factor in creating energy-efficient and healthy structures. Indeed, preventing air leakage can generate energy savings of up to 39%, according to a recent study by the Na – tional Institute of Stan – dards […] Read More
