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
IBHS Photovoltaic High Wind Research May 15, 2015 As the use of solar energy installations continues to grow rapidly around the country, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is examining the effects of wind on roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) solar panel arrays. This has been identified as an area of high priority, especially for commercial insurers and reinsurers. The focus of […] Read More
The Fundamentals of Design for Proper Energy Conservation May 15, 2015 PROPER ENERGY CONSERVATION DESIGN Energy consumption in buildings can be reduced by designing more energyefficient building components. Reducing a building’s energy usage lowers utility bills, benefits the environment, and also makes occupants more comfortable. Many of these energy-efficient building components interface with the building envelope, requiring understanding of building envelope design and energy-engineering best practices. […] Read More
Creating an Environmental Product Declaration for Single-Ply Roofing May 15, 2015 INTRODUCTION The environmental impact of a product can be modeled and measured using life cycle assessment (LCA). LCA is governed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14000 environmental management standards (specifically, ISO 14040 and ISO 14044), under which it is defined as “an objective process to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with a product, […] Read More
Achieving Building Enclosure Performance Through Energy Modeling and Commissioning May 15, 2015 Sustained emphasis on building energy performance has spurred industry professionals to widen the spectrum of building systems considered in planning for building performance. Various aspects of the building enclosure have been found to have significant effects on energy efficiency, which has led to a trend among building codes and other standards focused on improving performance. […] Read More
Overcoming Vapor Drive Issues in Cool Roofing May 15, 2015 ABSTRACT With an increase in the use of reflective coatings in North America, we are experiencing more and more installations of reflective roofing surfaces in cooler climates as well as warm climates. As a result, observations indicate that there are concerns with subsurface condensation where reflective surfaces are employed. This paper will explore the net […] Read More
Learning by Doing: Applying Vegetated Assemblies in Architecture Studios May 15, 2015 INTRODUCTION The process of understanding the building envelope is developed in the experiences we have as students and, later, as professionals. Everyone starts from a beginning and uses experience to create a foundation for design, which in turn helps us to form our decisions and ideas. We began as students of our disciplines—in this case, […] Read More
Development of a Standards Test Method to Determine the Wind Resistance of Vegetated Roof Assemblies May 15, 2015 Development of a Standard Test Method to Determine the Wind Resistance of Vegetated Roof Assemblies Sudhakar Molleti, PhD; Appupillai “Bas” Baskaran, PhD, PEng; and Fanella de Souza, PhD National Research Council 1200 Montreal Road, ottawa, on, Canada, K1a 0R6 e-mail: bas.baskaran@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca, sudhakar.molleti@nrc.ca, and fenella.desouza@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca 3 0 t h RC I I n t e R […] Read More
The Environmental Impact of Roofing Systems: Ten Life Cycle Indicators May 15, 2015 The Environmental Impact of Roofing Systems: Ten Life Cycle Indicators Duncan Rowe, Jonathan Dickson, Russell Richmond, and Matthew Bowick Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. 144 front street West, suite 500, Toronto, on M5J 2l7 Phone: 416-977-5335 • fax: 416-977-1427 • e-mail: jdickson@rjc.ca 3 0 t h RC I I n t e R n a t […] Read More
Wind Load Design Specs and Air Barrier Performance Levels May 15, 2015 Wind Load Design Specs and Air Barrier Performance Levels Benjamin Meyer, RA, LEED AP DuPont Building Innovations 5401 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Donnelly bldg., Rm. 134, Richmond, Va 23234 Phone: 804-836-35646 • e-mail: benjamin.meyer@dupont.com 3 0 t h RC I I n t e R n a t I o n a l C o n […] Read More
