Summer 2016 News

Last fall, Penetron marked the milestone of having poured more than four million cubic yards of concrete using its proprietary “green tracer” admixture.

The company is well known for its crystalline waterproofing admixtures.  A few years ago, they began adding a dye than adds a visible green tint to the bleed water when mixed into a batch of fresh concrete. This tracer gives the construction and design teams an increased level of comfort that the waterproofing chemical is in the mix.

“The idea of using a tracer in the concrete mix came up in discussions with many engineers who wanted to have a reliable identification control tool for their projects,” explains Christopher Chen, Director of The Penetron Group. “We started testing the tracer four years ago, and we’ve had seamless results.”

Because conventional color tints for concrete are easily duplicated, the company used a unique chemical that is visible to the naked eye in daylight, but also  phosphoresces when mixed with water and placed under UV light. The color dissipates as the concrete cures and is invisible within a few days.  It has no effect on the properties of the concrete and is NSF61-certified as being completely non-toxic with zero environmental impact.

The Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) recently made its Reflective Roof Rebates Database, originally created exclusively for use by RCMA members, available to the general public.

The database includes a comprehensive list of rebates, loans, grants, and tax credits pertaining to reflective roof coatings applied to low slope and steep slope roofs.  The database is updated monthly for California, Florida and Texas. All other states are updated quarterly.

The database covers all of the United States, and includes state, local, and utility company rebate programs. The search tool also offers filtered results by energy rebates, reflective roof rebates, or all available rebates within a specific state or ZIP code.

The database can be accessed via the online version of this magazine, or directly at www.roofcoatings.org/reflective-roof-rebates-database.

In November, the National Coatings Corporation (NCC) announced that its line of  AcryShield roof coatings exceeded windstorm  and hail resistance standards.

These new ratings were prepared and tested by FM Approvals as a system, using various AcryShield base and top coats. The report concluded the AcryShield roofing system could withstand a Class 1-990 wind uplift test and had the ability to resist severe hail damage according to Class 1-SH testing when applied over structural concrete decks.

For contractors and architects who design for extreme wind, such as in coastal communities, high rises, and lakefront properties, as well as areas that experience damaging hailstorms, these new approvals should give them peace of mind.

Shawn J. Collins, president of NCC, says, “The long-term performance capabilities and superior protection the coatings provide the rooftop during severe wind or hail, allow the roof to last longer and perform greater than traditional roofing options.”

Built on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the new $70 million Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations in Marseille, France faces challenging and aggressive coastal conditions. The museum sits on reclaimed land at the entrance to Marseille’s historical harbor—between a 17th-Century fort and former cruise terminal.

Due to its coastal proximity, structural engineers SICA and Lamoureux & Riciotti required a comprehensive waterproofing system which would protect the slab from water ingress, provide protection from salt and sulphates in the ground and preserve the lifespan of the structure. They chose PrePrufe, a self-adhered membrane from Grace, to seal 50,000 sq. ft. of concrete against salt water exposure, high water tables and fluctuating temperatures.

The product can be applied to wet concrete and can be walked on immediately after installation, which kept the build on schedule.

A roof ventilation calculator is available as an app for handheld digital devices. Developed by Certain-Teed, the free tool gives building professionals a fast and accurate way to determine how much ventilation is needed in an attic space, and which CertainTeed products will provide that.

Available for both iOS and Android devices, users simply enter the length and width of the attic space, or select the overall square footage of the space, and the app outputs a list of the amount of products needed to ventilate the space based upon the NFA 1/300 rule. The software includes the complete line of CertainTeed roofing ventilation products—ridge vents, rolled ridge vents, intake vents and static exhaust vents.

“Simplicity was the key in designing this tool,” said Dale Walton, manager of residential product marketing with CertainTeed Roofing. “We understand contractors’ needs, and they want something that is fast, reliable and easy to use, and that is exactly what they get with our Ventilation Calculator.”

MFM Building Products, a waterproofing manufacturer, is celebrating the company’s 55th Anniversary.

Founded in 1961 by Robert E. Simpson, the company initially manufactured products used for protecting underwater pipes from contamination.  Later, MFM expanded this technology and today manufactures a wide array of weather barrier products that include low-slope roofing membranes, roofing underlayments, window and door flashing tapes, multi-purpose waterproofing membranes, specialized waterproofing tapes, and HVAC duct and pipe wrap.

Registration is now open for the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) 2016 International Roof Coatings Conference (IRCC), which will take place at the Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia, July 18-21, 2016.

Offered in partnership with 11 industry organizations, the conference will offer education and industry updates to a variety of professionals involved in roofing and building sciences.

Held every two years, the  2014 IRCC was attended by over 120 industry representatives. This year, RCMA has partnered with 11 organizations to bring you the 2016 IRCC:

For a list of speakers or registration information, visit www.roofcoatings.org.

Garland recently introduced a new brochure to help customers identify eco-friendly waterproofing.  The Sustainable Solutions brochure highlights the importance of longevity and energy efficiency in increasing the overall life-cycle value of the building envelope. An interactive version is available online as well.

The brochure compares various roof systems for LEED points, energy savings and recycled content.  The digital version  includes additional content such as comprehensive product descriptions, application videos and project profiles.

Brian Lambert, Garland’s director of products and systems, says “Sustainable design is deeply rooted in performance, life-cycle value, energy savings and overall environmental impact. This new literature helps clarify the options available to achieve sustainable design.”

Firestone Building Products has released its third annual sustainability report, intended to demonstrates the company’s commitment to green products and practices.

The company has set goals to adhere to sustainable manufacturing processes that benefit employees and residents of neighboring communities, develop environmentally friendly products for commercial construction, and inspire employees to be “green” at work and in their communities.

“Sustainability is top of mind at Firestone Building Products,” said Tim Dunn, president of Firestone Building Products. “This annual report demonstrates our company-wide pledge to being more environmentally friendly, and holds us accountable to our goals.”

The report is available for download at: http://firestonebpco.com/about-us/

The Canon Americas Headquarters in Melville, New York, has achieved LEED Gold certification,  thanks in part to the waterproofing.   Hycrete was used to seal the concrete used in reflecting pools,  elevator pits, and electrical utility rooms.

Scapa Group, a manufacturer of polyethylene tape, has upgraded their facility in Ontario, Canada. As a result of this upgrade project, the company has improved its production capacity, including in-house polyethylene extrusion,  adhesive coating and packaging expertise.