Site-Specific Hailstorm Assessment May 15, 2008 Introduction Hurricanes and tornadoes often grab the headlines, but year in and year out, hail causes billions of dollars in losses to U.S. residential and commercial property. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina was the largest weather-related event of the year. However, the largest 2006 weather-related event was the April 14 hailstorm that struck Indianapolis, Indiana, causing […] Read More
Are Ballasted Roof Systems Cool? May 15, 2008 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A combined experimental and analytical study was initiated to quantify the energy savings of ballasted roofing systems and to compare their thermal performance to that of cool roof membranes. The experimental design was structured to evaluate how a mass of three different stone ballast weights and one paver ballast affected heat flux into […] Read More
The Day After: Documentation of Damage to Roofs from a Hailstorm and the Subsequent Restoration Efforts May 15, 2008 PM On May 4, 2006, a hail-producing thunderstorm passed through the northwest portion of Harris County in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. The storm was relatively small in size–approximately five square miles–and was concentrated over an area predominantly populated by single- and multi-family residential dwellings, primary education facilities, and a few retail buildings. The first […] Read More
Asphalt BUR Survives a Tornado in North Carolina May 15, 2008 Spring 2008 will be remembered for its relentless onslaught of severe weather. Strong storms pounded Midwestern states with hail, heavy rains, flooding, and tornados. Four teenagers were killed and 40 people were injured by a tornado at an Iowa Boy Scout camp. On June 27, 50-plus-mile-per-hour winds ripped through Omaha, Nebraska, on the eve of […] Read More
Developing Cultural Intelligence October 08, 2007 In the summer of 2005, the number of tower cranes piercing the bright blue sky in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), was astounding. At 110°F and 90 percent humidity, construction cranked along at a breakneck pace. In only one of several such developments, there were more than 80 condominiums under construction around the newly dredged […] Read More
A Practical Guide To White Coatings: How To Talk To Building Owners About Cool Roofs May 15, 2007 White coatings offer big benefits. As legislators and architects embrace the idea that building design has a huge impact on energy consumption and sustainability, white coatings are now in the spotlight. However, building owners do not often appreciate the immediate benefits of white coatings and convincing them of their value may still be challenging. The […] Read More
