Category: <span>Roofing</span>

Category: Roofing

Emerging smart roof technologies can work to combat climate change

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By Karen L. Edwards, RT3.

Cool roofs are often specified to reduce the urban heat island effect and help keep building interiors cooler in warm climates. But what about in cities that have cold winters? Reflective roofs don’t absorb heat so this could lead to colder interiors, increases in heating costs, and higher electricity consumption – not very friendly to the environment.

Our planet is getting warmer. This graph by NASA illustrates the “change in global surface temperature relative to 1951-1980 average temperatures. Eighteen of the 19 warmest years all have occurred since 2001, with the exception of 1998.”

The challenge of managing extreme climate change isn’t going away anytime soon, if the recent heatwave that gripped most of the country is any indication. Anchorage, Alaska hit 90 degrees for the first time in recorded history. New York City experienced a power outage in the middle of the heatwave leaving 50,000 without the ability to run their air conditioners.

So, what role can the roof play in climate change? A lot more than you might think, according to a recent article in Architect Magazine that discusses new smart roof technology that can adapt and respond to conditions. New York-based United Environment and Energy has developed a “bio-based thermochromic material that can selectively reflect and absorb solar heat.” Funded through a Department of Energy grant, the principal investigator, Ben Wen, coated asphalt shingles with a waste cooking oil substance that features an ingredient that makes it change color when it’s hot.

Another new technology was developed by scientists in Zurich that allows the roof surface to sweat similarly to human skin in order to cool the surface down. Once the target temperature of 90-degrees F is reached, a thermo-responsive gel releases stored water between a polycarbonate membrane and PVC foil, cooling the roof. Rain ‘recharges’ the cooling system.

In Portugal, researchers are focusing on roofing tile, which typically retains between 85 and 95 percent of the solar energy they receive. They have created smart ceramic tiles that use a material similar to that found in smart windows, that allows infrared light to pass through, but blocks it once the temperature goes above 120-degrees F.

Engineers at the University of Boulder evaluated smart roof technologies and published their findings in Science Direct. They evaluated whether a “potential solution to preserving high cooling load savings without accruing a large heating load penalty is to implement a switchable roof reflectance technology; allowing a low reflectance roof during the heating season and a high reflectance roof during the cooling season.”

These examples are just the tip of the iceberg. New technologies are emerging every day that will improve the performance of each and every building and home around the world. Expect to see some of these technologies on the rooftop in the very near future.

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The best resources for women in roofing

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By Megan Brehm, AccuLynx.

Over the past several years, the roofing industry has seen an increased number of women getting involved in the trade. From field work to running their own roofing businesses, women are proving they can do it all in the exterior contracting world. While women only make up roughly nine percent of the construction industry, there are loads of resources out there to help support and promote growth.

Here are some of the best resources for women in the roofing industry.

National Women in Roofing

With over 1,200 members, the National Women in Roofing organization—or NWIR—was created to help support and advance careers for women in the roofing world. They provide everything from mentors to seminars to recruitment resources.

This is a great opportunity to help connect female roofers to other women who have created names for themselves in the industry. The NWIR empowers women with the right training and skills to help drive the drive diversity and professionalism in roofing.

National Association for Women in Construction

Founded in 1953, the National Association for Women in Construction (NAWIC) is a network for women in construction and exterior contracting industries.

With chapters all across the continental United States and over 4,500 members, the NAWIC gives women in construction and other exterior contracting trades, such as roofing, resources to get the job done and advance their careers. They provide professional opportunities such as mentoring, the latest industry news and community outreach projects. There are also educational resources including leadership development and career path plotting assistance.

Canadian Association for Women in Construction

Canada has its own organization for women roofers, as well. Similar to the NAWIC, the Canadian Association for Women in Construction is designed to provide considerable resources to women in a variety of exterior contracting trades—including roofing.

The CAWIC gives women in the Canadian construction industry access to professional and educational resources, much like the NAWIC. For everything from new ways to enhance their careers to learning what is new in their industry, the CAWIC has created a way to connect female roofers throughout Canada.

These resources are perfect for connecting female roofers to a larger community. AccuLynx is proud to be a part of that community! As a provider to some of the best roofing businesses, including women-owned roofing companies, we make it easy to manage everything needed on a daily basis.

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Source: AccuLynx. 

Roofing Technology Think Tank Announces 2019 – 2020 Board Members

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The board supports the RT3 mission working to successfully accomplish its objectives to educate and advance the adoption of technology within the roofing industry.

York, Pennsylvania, June 24, 2019 –- Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry, announced the 2019 – 2020 Board of Directors following the June 4 Virtual Meetup.

After completing their initial one-year term, Tom Whitaker, President of Harness Software, was elected to serve a full three-year term and Trent Cotney will leave the board but continue to serve as general counsel to the organization on a pro bono basis. Anna Anderson, CEO of Art Unlimited was elected to fill the vacancy and serve a full three-year term.

Heidi J. Ellsworth, Partner, RoofersCoffeeShop.com and Karen Inman, Chief Operating Officer, Antis Roofing and Waterproofing, continue as board members with two years of service remaining. Steve Little, Head Coach at KPOST Roofing and Ken Kelly, President of Kelly Roofing each have one year left in their terms.

RT3’s purpose statement is: RT3 thought leaders improve lives by discovering and leveraging technology accelerators to make our industry and roofscapes stronger. “RT3 is supported by a strong board of industry leaders,” stated Karen Edwards, RT3 Director of Communications and Member Engagement. “They are truly passionate about the advancement of the roofing industry through the adoption of technology.”

The think tank meets six times a year, four virtual and two live with a focus on learning about new and emerging technologies. Past live meetings have been held at innovative locations that help educate the group on progressive technologies that can make a difference in the roofing industry, including OMG Roofing Products, Vanderbilt Wond’ry, Microsoft Innovation Lab, Georgia Tech, BuiltWorlds and the U.S. Capitol. The next live meetup is planned for the 3M Innovation Center and Roofing Granule Lab.

Stay up to date with RT3 news and events by signing up for the RT3 SmartBrief Newsletter at www.rt3thinktank.com.

About Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3)
Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) strives to find innovative technology solutions to be used within the roofing industry. RT3 provides insights from progressive thought leaders both inside and outside the roofing industry along with practical resources for implementing potential solutions successfully. The organization will encourage and enable contractors to embrace technology as they seek to grow their businesses. With a commitment to disseminate technology advancement information, RT3 will help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry. Learn more at www.rt3thinktank.com.

Robots might one day be driving your trucks

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By Karen L. Edwards.

There is a new robot in development that can turn any vehicle into a driverless one. IVObility, an Israeli startup is developing a robot that sits in the driver’s seat and literally drives the vehicle. It’s coming in the not-too-distant future with a 2020 launch planned for government and off-road commercial applications, with a consumer-market version in consideration.

This means that potentially in a few years, robots will become our drivers. The IVObility robot will work in any vehicle, it doesn’t have to be equipped with sensors or other self-driving technology. The company successfully develop an autonomous underwater vehicle that drives itself called the HydroCamel and is now turning its development efforts to cars and trucks that drive on land.

Whereas most autonomous vehicles remove the operations from the driver’s seat, this robot sits in it and ‘sees’ what a driver would see. It looks somewhat human, with a head containing sensors and arm and leg-like limbs to work the pedals and the steering wheel. By having the robot sitting in the seat driving, the vehicle doesn’t need to have LiDar, radar or other sensors mounted around the vehicle.

CEO Tzvika Goldner told Car and Driver that “IVObility aims to launch its driving robot by the middle of next year and intends to offer three versions: most will be fully autonomous, but some will offer more cost-effective semi-autonomous capability or remote-controlled operation.”

The company is initially focusing on off-road applications such as mining, agriculture, border patrol and security with a pilot being launch at an airport in Europe later this year. This plug-and-play style model might be the answer for cost effectively retrofitting existing vehicles into self-driving ones.

Some things to consider are if and when a consumer version is ready to hit the streets, how could that affect who we have driving trucks to jobsites and what impact would that have on insurance costs? While there is no mention of what a robot chauffeur would cost, there is potential for insurance or liability cost savings to offset or even pay for the robot.

Photo credit: IVObility

Solar installations in the U.S. hit 2 million mark

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By Karen L. Edwards, RCS Editor.

Solar in the U.S. is on the rise with installations expected to double again by 2023. A new report shows that there are now two million solar installations in the U.S. The two million number was reached only three years after the installations first reached 1 million, a number that took 40 years to reach.

The report and numbers were release by Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables and the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA). The number of installations in the U.S. is expected to double to four million in just four years, reaching that number by 2023. “We believe that the 2020s will be the decade that solar becomes the dominant new form of energy generation,” SEIA CEO Abigail Ross-Hopper said in the statement.

According to Reuters, solar has grown in popularity due to falling prices on the technology, state mandates that require energy companies to source larger amounts of renewable energy and federal tax credits that can be worth up to 30 percent of the cost of the system.

Solar installations in the U.S. can now produce enough electricity to power more than 12 million homes according to the SEIA statement. California was responsible for 51 percent of the first million installations and 43 percent of the second million. Other states that helped to drive the growth include Texas, Rhode Island, Florida, Utah and Maryland, which combined have grown from around 50,000 installations to more than 200,000.

The statement reports that “Looking ahead, Illinois will see cumulative installations increase from 4,000 today to nearly 100,000 by 2024. While California will continue to lead the nation in installations, the remaining top 10 state markets will see faster growth. Nearly 750,000 installations are expected in those markets over the next 5 years, compared to 500,000 installations over the last 5 years.”

“According to our latest forecasts, by 2024 there will be, on average, one solar installation per minute,” said Michelle Davis, senior solar analyst at Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables, in a May 9 statement. “That’s up from one installation every 10 minutes in 2010.”

Stay up-to-date with the latest roofing technology news when you sign up for the RT3 SmartBrief newsletter.

Photo credit: SEIA.

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop.

Coolers to Dollars: Korellis Roofing takes up employee suggestions to save thousands

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By Curtis Hankins, NW Indiana Life.

Note: RT3 Member Tony Brummel of Korellis Roofing was featured in NW Indiana Life for improving processes leading to nearly $500,000 in savings for the company.

Tony Brummel is used to skepticism. He promises to cut a businesses’ costs without losing jobs, while creating more work, and making things more convenient for employees. It sounds far-fetched, but he has done just that at Korellis Roofing as their Business Process Manager – helping to save the local roofing company more than $500,000 since he joined last December.

Brummel’s job centers on identifying the different processes in play at Korellis and mapping ways of improving them. He adopts the continual process improvement principle called DMAIC. DIMA is a LEAN Six-Sigma methodology, which in basic terms, provides a way to problem-solve. It breaks down the process into five steps – define, measure, analyze, improve and control.

“Our President Pete Korellis is really forward thinking,” Brummel said. “The idea is to stay ahead of the competition and set ourselves apart. This methodology allows us to be more efficient and effective.”

Brummel can talk for hours about the strategies, data, and complex methodology behind his work, but in many ways, it is quite simple. He starts out by doing a one-on-one interview with almost everyone on staff. They explain their job, how they do it, and any common problems or inconveniences they have. Then, he sets to work finding solutions to those struggles and creating ways to get everyone communicating effectively.

“I ask, what and where’s your biggest headache? Or, if you could do something to make your job better what would it be,” Brummel explained. “No idea is discounted, no idea is bad.”

Sometimes, huge savings are found in the simplest places. After Brummel had been around for a while, one roofer joked that getting more efficient coolers for their ice could be the next big change.

“I just said. ‘let’s talk about that, tell me why,’” he said. “He explained that their ice melts too fast and he has to run to the gas station to refill the cooler. I pointed out that’s half an hour or so of downtime each day. We got them new coolers and it will save that one crew $3,000 annually,” Brummel said.

In fact, Brummel encourages these kinds of suggestions on a regular basis, folding continuous process improvement into the fabric of everyone’s workday. At the Korellis safety meeting in February, team members were recognized for their brainstorming sessions that resulted in new techniques and innovations that saved nearly 10,000 labor hours annually.

Business process managers like Brummel are still fairly rare in the construction industry, despite being ripe with opportunities for improvements. That puts Korellis on the cutting edge, making things more convenient for their employees.

“I think that uniqueness comes from a lack of exposure to this kind of thinking,” Brummel said. “But Pete and his core team are always looking forward.”

Source: NW Indiana Life

Asphalt an innovative technology? You’d be surprised.

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By Karen L. Edwards.

Despite being around for years, the asphalt roofing industry is constantly innovating and developing new technologies. This conversation with Reed Hitchcock, EVP of the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association talk about the innovation and where asphalt is headed.

ARMA is the North American trade association representing the producers of asphalt roofing materials, such as asphalt shingles, built-up-roofing (BUR) and modified bitumen roofing, as well as the industry’s suppliers of raw materials. According to Reed Hitchcock, ARMA EVP, the association represents about 80 percent of the producers of low-slope asphalt roofing materials and 99 percent of the asphalt shingles manufacturers. If anyone has their finger on the pulse of the asphalt roofing industry, it’s Reed. Reed’s been involved with ARMA since 2003 and became the executive vice president in 2007.

ARMA advocates and advances the interests of the asphalt roofing industry by leveraging the collective expertise of its members, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the industry. “What’s unique about ARMA is that unlike other trade associations, our Executive Committee is populated by the CEOs and owners of the companies that we represent,” he explained. “This allows us to be nimble and strategic as an organization.”

The labor challenges.

“Across the roofing and construction industries, labor is a huge challenge, both on and off the roof,” said Reed. “There are shortages of truck drivers to move materials, shortages of workers to install roofing systems, and shortages of workers in the manufacturing plants.”

One way of addressing this is immigration reform that meets workforce needs, which is an issue that ARMA and the NRCA recently supported in Washington, D.C. on Roofing Day. The day was spent encouraging legislators to support the Workforce for an Expanding Economy Act (H.R. 1740) and the Dream and Promise Act (H.R.6), which would tackle chronic workforce shortages and establish a market-driven visa system, enabling employers to grow their business and fill currently empty roles nationwide.

“We need smart immigration now because across the industry, employers are struggling to fill good paying jobs, which is a sign the workforce is not large enough,” Reed said. “Our industry as a whole does a poor job promoting the good living somebody can make and clearly explaining the career paths available. Employment can begin on the roof as a laborer and evolve into other roles like a foreman, supervisor or sales person. Those same opportunities for growth exist in our manufacturing plants, as well.”

As the existing workforce is aging and retiring, effort needs to go into bringing the younger generation into the industry. Reed says they are seeing this happen in their association, as well. “We see the same thing in a microcosmic level. The experts in our committees and task forces are aging and the younger members are already in their late 40s. A major initiative for ARMA is to engage the up-and-comers from our member companies in the association.”

The future of asphalt roofing.

“One of the things that we wrestle with all the time is the perception that asphalt is old technology, but the industry is constantly producing new, innovative technologies,” explained Reed. “One of the most recent examples is the advancement in granule technologies, such as granules that can reduce smog and that can reflect the sun’s rays.”

Reed said that he thinks we will start seeing more polymer modified asphalt used for shingles. It’s a proven, seasoned technology, and industry developments in the quality of the available asphalt may provide an opportunity for expansion. “Modified bitumen membranes have used polymer modified asphalt for years, but it’s not a technology that we’ve traditionally seen in mainstream shingles.”

“The other thing we see is the explosion of innovation on the floor of industry trade shows, where companies are presenting inventive and creative technologies in aesthetics, engineering, durability, and even installation,” Reed observed. “Asphalt really is a versatile material, from making a shingle with the aesthetic of slate, shake or tile, or creating an energy-saving membrane. We see this in our Excellence in Asphalt Roofing awards program too, where incredible projects from across North America demonstrate asphalt roofing’s aesthetic appeal, performance and durability for homes and buildings.”

Health and safety are a focus.

ARMA is heavily involved in health, safety and environmental issues, as well. “Since chemical use is involved, it’s important to ensure that our manufacturing plants are safe environments; our manufacturers always want to make sure workers are safe. The industry’s put a lot of time and effort into just ensuring work safety and quality,” explained Reed.

ARMA also provides comments and education on regulatory matters such as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) activities related to manufacturing. “We engage on EPA activities for the benefit of our members’ manufacturing facilities. It keeps our members informed and makes sure we respectfully educate the regulators; we want to make sure that they understand our industry.”

Regulators do not always understand how the products work and how people interact with them, so ARMA focuses on being the educator to ensure that the regulations that are enacted are fair and meet the goal to protect people and property.

Source: RoofersCoffeeShop.

10 best technology tools for a successful roofing contractor

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By Anna Anderson, Art Unlimited.

Recently, I met with some of our tech-savvy roofing contractors from across the United States.
Using technology allows each of these businesses to have a strong, seamless integration with clients and team members. So what are the top tech tools these guys use to help further their success?

The contractors I sat down with include Ken Kelly (owner of Kelly Roofing in Naples, FL), Juan Reyes (owner of Pro Roofing & Siding in Marietta, GA), Brad Mosakowski (operations manager at Straight Line Construction & Roofing in Placerville, CA), and Taylor Yarbrough (owner of Quality Roofing in Austin, TX).

The common thread I found between these companies was they use technology as a tool to enable their staff to work smarter! They use technology to streamline business processes, empower staff with a strong backbone of technology at their fingertips, and also to engage with clients remotely. If you are looking at increasing technology usage in your roofing company, check out these options!

1. RoofSnap

RoofSnap is the top pick for Ken from Kelly Roofing when it comes to requesting detailed measurements for a roofing estimate. Reports can be automatically created to easily measure and estimate right on location. It works with Ken’s CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) and is optimized for use on mobile or big screens. RoofSnap allows for fast reports which in turn enables proposals to be created automatically. His sales reps simply review and customize proposals before sending them to clients.

2. Asana

Asana is a cloud-based project management solution which helps companies organize their tasks. It can also connect with countless applications through its robust API connection! Pro Roofing & Siding harnesses the Asana tool to help organize meetings and internal project management. Using the power of Asana, Juan is able to keep on top of internal business goals from anywhere!

3. Contractors Cloud

Contractors Cloud is a full CRM solution used by both Pro Roofing & Siding and Quality Roofing for their clients’ scope creation and project management. It enables team members to connect with client files, manage jobs and automate systems. Working with Contractor Cloud is a great solution for Roofing Contractors who are larger than 3 million in sales.

4. Skitch from Evernote

Skitch is a sweet tool which allows the team to highlight elements within photos that clients need to be aware of. Text and graphic elements are easily added to photos. In the past, Juan’s team at Pro Roofing & Siding would have to write out descriptions of problems. Now, by using Skitch, their clients immediately see what they are talking about through images! Tyler and the Quality Roofing team, like Juan’s team, use the Skitch platform when presenting clients with roof failures. The ease of use is astounding.

5. Dynamic BPM

Brad at Straight Line Construction & Roofing has worked countless hours refining their Business Process Management system with Dynamic BPM. They have custom workflows and automated systems propelling the team members through jobs much faster. Customers also receive the white glove pampering which owner, Jack Borba, knows is a vital reason why their company is growing by leaps and bounds.

6. OneDrive

Having a photo bucket system which integrates with the office, estimators, and project managers is critical. The Kelly Roofing team turns to OneDrive to store all of their job images, which are then connected to the clients’ profiles within the CRM.

7. GoldMine CRM

Every business needs a powerful CRM such as GoldMine CRM to manage hundreds of thousands of customer data. The entire StraightLine team uses the GoldMine platform within their day to day activities. All of the vital business data is in one place, enabling the team quick access to countless files.

8. SketchUp

SketchUp is a 3D modeling tool allows the Quality Roofing team to model a roofing job for clients and general contractors. It’s a must-have tool for the office staff!

9. Excel

Brad and the StraightLine team are not alone in using Excel. This is a common business tool referenced by multiple contractors when speaking about managing a thriving business. Excel is used to run countless jobs and business metrics.

10. Surface by Microsoft

Being able to connect to your files is critical so many teams turn to the Surface by Microsoft to power their business. The Surface is a lightweight, high powered computer that can be used on the job site or in the office. It’s a must-have tool for many of the Roofing Contractors our Art Unlimited team works with.

I hope you had fun reading about the available technology for roofing contractors which have ignited a portion of the success these 4 companies have earned.

If you have questions or are looking at using additional technology within your roofing business I’m sure you will find a new tool or two off of this list!

Source: Art Unlimited

Most contractors believe technology can help with risk management

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By NRCA.

A new report from Dodge Data & Analytics in partnership with Triax Technologies and the International Risk Management Institute shows about three-quarters of contractors believe technologies such as wearables and sensors can help them prevent occupational risks, including construction defects, general liability and property damage, according to www.constructiondive.com.

Among the 135 contractors surveyed, 80 were general contractors, construction managers or design-builders and 55 were specialty trade contractors.

The Using Technology to Improve Risk Management in Construction study found wearables—which include movement sensors, biometric monitoring devices and augmented reality headsets—were one of the top two emerging technology types that can add value regarding risk management.

One respondent said: “Going forward, it is going to be standard operating procedure that when you show up to work, you get issued your wearable, and go along as you’ve always done, but there’s data being collected that will be used to mitigate those risks.”

The second emerging technology was visual auditing, which involves pairing job-site photos or videos with artificial intelligence to detect deviations or risk sources—sometimes in real time—that a human worker may not notice.

Although nearly 60% of respondents are “highly engaged” with technology to conduct employee training, other areas of risk management lack wider technology adoption; technology use ranges from 44% to 47% for safety documentation, job hazard analysis and worker certifications.

Nearly all respondents said they want to be able to digitally collect and analyze safety and risk data, but more than one-third still do not. Resources appear to be the main barrier, and only 19% of respondents include data analytics as part of their budget.

The report found 90% of contractors do not specifically budget for innovation, which can lead to inconsistency in the way companies handle new technology expenses. Regarding technology, firms are most attracted to ease of use (79%), costs (73%) and the training or support that accompanies the product (51%).

Source: NRCA