Florida Roof Technology Classes Offered in December; Hotel Block Open November 13, 2017 The date has been set for Roof Technology & Sciences I and II on December 12-15, 2017. Both classes will be offered at the Hilton Orlando in Lake Buena Vista, FL. Roof Technology & Science I (RTS I) will take place on December 12 and 13, and attendees will be eligible for a possible 16 […] Read More
ASTM International Issues New Standard Guide on Vegetative Roofing Systems October 28, 2017 By Walt Rossiter, RCI Director of Technical Services This past spring, ASTM International Committee D08 on Roofing and Waterproofing issued a new standard, D8014, titled Guide for Selection of Membranes Used in Vegetative Roofing Systems. The standard is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee D08.24 on Sustainability. It is the third standard that the subcommittee has […] Read More
Foundation Supports Update of Wind Uplift on Low-Slope Roofs September 07, 2017 The RCI Foundation has approved a grant request by Roof Technical Services to revise the 2013 edition of the Wind Uplift on Low-Slope Roof monograph based upon the recently released ASCE 7-16, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures. The new ASCE 7-16 has some significant changes, including alterations in the wind maps. Coauthors […] Read More
RCI Interface Featured Article: Fire Resistance of Exterior Cladding Materials August 24, 2017 By Michael J. Rzeznik, PE and Douglas Stieve, RRC, AIA The Grenfell Tower fire (Figure 1) that occurred in London on June 14 is the most recent tragic example of a safety issue that has been plaguing the building industry for some time—specifically, the use of combustible materials with a high propensity for flame spread […] Read More
ASTM Call for Papers August 24, 2017 ASTM International is seeking paper submissions for two upcoming symposia. The Symposium on Whole Building Air Leakage: Testing and Building Performance Impacts will be held on April 8, 2018, in San Diego, CA. The Symposium on Building Science and the Physics of Building Enclosure Performance will be Oct. 21, 2018, in Washington, DC. The first […] Read More
Polyethylene-Core Panels Accused in Fatal London Fire July 25, 2017 Officials continue to point fingers in the June 14 fire in Grenfell Tower apartments in London, England, which killed approximately 80 people. But the loudest voices are blaming the use of polyethylene exterior cladding for allowing the rapid spread of the blaze. Such cladding is banned in the U.S. on buildings higher than 40 feet. […] Read More
Waiting to Inhale…the New Silica Rule July 24, 2017 By Kristen Ammerman Controversy concerning the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) impending new silica rule continues to raise dust over the construction industry, and the roofing sector in particular has aired a prime area of concern surrounding the regulation. Consultants who also spend time around construction products that commonly contain crystalline silica, such as […] Read More
New ASTM Test Method Quantifies Air Leakage in Roofs June 29, 2017 By Suda Molleti, PhD, and Bas Baskaran, PhDNational Research Council Canada Designing buildings in an energy-efficient manner has become of primary importance in order to meet energy code target levels. It has been clearly demonstrated that air leakage is a key influencing parameter in the energy efficiency of the building envelope. To mitigate air leakage […] Read More
RCI’s Technical Advisory Committee Releases Statement on Overflow Drainage April 27, 2017 The RCI Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) responds to industry issues, policy, and standards as they occur, and recommends association policy to the RCI Board of Directors on matters related to these items. They have just issued a statement regarding the 2015 IBC and IRC revisions which could potentially lead to unsafe conditions due to new […] Read More
ASHRAE Publishes 2016 Edition of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 February 24, 2017 By Wanda Edwards, PE, RCI Senior Director of Technical Services The 2016 edition of the energy-saving standard, ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, is now available for purchase. One of the most notable changes is a result of analyses of more recent weather data, which resulted in the creation of […] Read More
