1) Over the past 35 years, the commercial roofing industry has seen significant changes, with single-ply, modified bitumen, and fluid-applied membrane systems becoming more widely used and now comprising around half the market, compared to just 5% in the 1970s. 2) Warranties from manufacturers became more common in the 1980s and 1990s, driving further changes including more highly insulated and energy efficient roofing systems. 3) Today, factors like sustainability, energy efficiency, and costs are important considerations in roof selection, with fluid-applied systems offering advantages in these areas though not all roofs are suitable candidates. Proper evaluation is needed to determine eligibility for these systems.

1. by Joseph O. Sorrentino
30 Mar 2012 Facilities!"#$%

2. T
he last 35 years
have brought sig-
nificant change
to roofing options
available to building owners,
property managers, and speci-
fiers (architects/consultants/
engineers). In the 1970s, approx-
imately 95 percent of the new
construction or reroofing
options available to solve roof-
ing problems were asphalt/coal
tar pitch built up roofing (BUR)
with gravel, smooth, or mineral
surface cap sheet systems. There
were no workmanship warran-
ties from the manufacturer.
They were called Roof Bonds
prior to the 1980s. Less than
5 percent of the commercial
roofing industry consisted of or extruded/expanded polystyrene widely accepted today. The roofing
single ply, modified bitumen deck structure also shifted from concrete and wood to metal.
or fluid-applied membrane As the U.S. economy entered the 1980s, the roofing industry was
roof systems. Building roof positioned for more significant changes in system design and warranty
structures and roofing systems
were significantly different in
design and construction prac-
tice before the oil embargo
of 1973. Energy consumption
became a heightened cost factor
to deal with in the U.S. economy
after the oil embargo. With this
change came a significant devel-
opment in roofing system design
and purpose. The addition of
roofing insulation products
became a new growth area of
manufacturing and inclusion
in roofing specifications. The
early generic types—wood
fiber, perlite, and fiberglass—
were less effective and have
given way to the foam prod-
ucts such as polyisocyanurate
Facilities!"#$% Mar 2012 31

3. coverage. The commercial building market would explode into a performance of any roofing
decade-long new construction boom unprecedented in U.S. history. The system selected and/or war-
1990s didn’t show much downturn for new construction and reroofing ranted. The construction legal
industry projects. With the strong resistance by contractors to the new world will tell you that the
concept of single ply systems, several manufacturers introduced some- warranty is a way for manu-
thing that everyone specifying and purchasing low slope commercial facturers to limit their own lia-
roofing systems was asking for—a warranty that covers the applicators bility. It still, however, keeps
workmanship by the roofing manufacturer was introduced to the the roofing expenditure under
building owner. This move quickly prompted asphalt built up roofing the terms and conditions of the
manufacturers to include their roofing system and liability. warranty issued since it is held
All of these factors combined with many others led to a significant by the manufacturer. The em-
change in system selection over the next 30 years. Highly insulated, phasis of the building owner for
a preventive maintenance plan
creates a solid path to a sustain-
able, low-cost roofing system.
Many cool roofing alterna-
tives today offer sustainable,
highly energy efficient, and cost
effective solutions. Selecting
quality products, developing
specific project specifications,
and utilizing experienced/
trained applicators assures the
building owner, property man-
ager, and specifier of a project
being done right the first time
with attention to detail. Again,
a critical area of selection is a
sustainable roofing warranty
system. There are a select few
single ply, modified bitumen roofing systems, along with labor and manufacturers of fluid-applied
material warranty coverage, became a significant market segment in roofing systems that have proven
the low slope commercial roofing industry. The market today is divided performance and decades of
almost equally between the three major choices—single ply, modified experience. This segment of
bitumen, and asphalt built up roofing. Fluid-applied roofing systems the roofing industry is expected
(FAR) still do not have a strong market share. They do have strong to grow due to the ease of in-
advantages in the area of sustainability, energy efficiency (high reflec- stallation, maintenance, and cost.
tivity and emissivity), and cost. For these reasons, many leading manu- In addition, the fluid-applied
facturers of single ply, modified bitumen, and asphalt roofing systems systems offer the highest solar
have added this type of selection for building owners, property managers, reflectance index (SRI). The EPA
and specifiers. During a recent conference for the National Roofing Con- and Heat Island Effect Studies
tractors Association, a poll of its members indicated a 50 percent in- illustrate the key advantages to
crease in their purchases of coatings and fluid-applied roofing systems. fluid-applied roofing systems
Today’s building owner, property manager, and specifier now face for our carbon footprint reduc-
added pressure to make the right choice for a roofing renovation proj- tion. Energy Star publishes a
ect. New issues, such as LEED points, Energy Star ratings, and green list of manufacturers for local
initiatives, play a critical part of the process. We have now shifted from energy providers rebate pro-
the old roof bond to the labor and material warranty being an issue grams. Federal and state rebate
again. History has truly repeated itself. Roofing warranties are criticized programs can be found by
but accepted by building owners, property managers, and specifiers, searching the location state
just as the old roofing bonds were in the mid 1900s. Roof consultants site at www.dsireusa.org. The
will tell you that you should not select a roofing system by the length Department of Energy has pro-
of the warranty. A preventive maintenance plan is critical to long-term vided an updated roof savings
32 Mar 2012 Facilities!"#$%

4. calculator for use by owners Many existing roofing systems are still in overall sound condition
to input their costs for energy with specific areas to mitigate and repair. Many roofs have numerous
and HVAC efficiencies to flashing conditions, which increase the overall cost of several roofing
determine an estimate for system options. When two roofs are in place, total removal of the
savings at www.roofcalc.org. roofing systems is normal practice, while many could qualify for a
An understanding of the fluid-applied system due to the application process. With the proper
differences between paint, pro- evaluations and scope of work, the total roof cost can be minimized
tective maintenance coatings while applying a fully-adhered, fluid-applied system to the generic
systems, and fluid-applied roofing assembly already in place. Downtime and interruptions are
roofing systems is very impor- kept to a minimum. Selecting the right process along with an experi-
tant. Does my roof qualify for enced manufacturer and contractor team is the key to success. Quality
a fluid-applied roofing system? products, quality specifications (scope of work), and quality applica-
This is an important question tors are part of the proven in place performance of these applications.
to ask. There are significant cost The important questions today are on sustainability, energy savings,
savings for fluid-applied roof- and, as always, cost. The continued pressure on rising costs for roofing
ing systems. This would allow systems makes the decision of system selection a critical step in the over-
many overall roofing projects all renovation process. Make sure you ask the right questions of all of
to be considered for budgeting those involved in this critical area of your building assets. After all, with-
and completion. The sooner out a sound roofing system, your facility’s building environment, pro-
an existing roof is preserved tection from the elements, profitability, and real value are compromised.
or restored with a sustainable Remember, ALL roofs do not qualify for fluid-applied roofing systems.
fluid-applied roofing system, Joe Sorrentino is the General Manager of the Southern U.S. Divison of
the less the initial, maintenance, Insultaing Coatings Corporation - ASTEC. He has served the commerical
and renewable cost of this sus- roofing industry since 1977. For more information, you may contact him at
tainable roofing alternative. jsorrentino@icc-astec.com. &!
Facilities!"#$% Mar 2012 33