All posts by Metal Construction Association

Hail and Metal Roofs: Debunking the Myths

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Hail On Residential Metal Roofs

By: John Ryan, Metal Construction Association

As the spring brings severe weather across the country (we’re busy bailing out here in Chicagoland after more than 4 inches of rain the past few days), building performance is top of mind for many building owners. Our friends at the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) recently reminded us about the performance of metal roofs in hailstorms. According to MRA, metal roofs perform so well in hailstorms that some insurance companies even provide a reduced rate for buildings with metal roofs.

That said, there are still some misconceptions about how metal roofs perform in hailstorms, so we thought we would take this opportunity to debunk a couple of those myths.

Myth #1: Metal roofs are more prone to damage from hail than other roofing systems.

FALSE. According to a recent article in Metal Roofing Magazine, which cites two hail studies performed by The Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues Inc. (RICOWI), “Metal roofing stands up to the forces of nature as well as or better than any type of roofing material.”

Myth #2: Metal roofs are louder than other types of roofing in a hail storm.

FALSE. As detailed in our Ask the Experts Forum, as well as on the Metal Roofing Alliance’s website, under Typical Installation Circumstances with a plywood deck, underlayment, insulation, etc.,  a metal roof is no noisier than any other type of roof.

We hope you stay safe and dry, and we look forward to some good weather.

CENTRIA Stadiums Featured in Final Four (and our unscientific prediction of who will win)

Design, Education, News, , , , , , , , , ,
KFC Yum! Center Metal Roof
KFC Yum! Center – University of Louisville

If you’re like us, the brackets you filled out for your NCAA Basketball tournament pool were over long ago. But the tournament continues this weekend with the Final Four, and we need to find a new team to root for. Rather than picking winners by mascots or favorite location (we tried that before and it didn’t work), we thought we’d take a different approach: picking a winner that plays its games in a metal-clad arena!

KFC Yum! Center Design
Formawall Dimension Series Panels

Based on this, our pick to be cutting down the nets Monday night is the University of Louisville, which plays its home games at the KFC Yum! Center. The stadium features high-performance building technology and stunning aesthetics, thanks to CENTRIA’s Formawall Dimension Series panels and a design that focuses on transparent facades and natural lighting. The winner of an AIA Kentucky Merit Award, the new arena was completed in 2010, and has since hosted its share of major college hoops action. Conveniently, the Louisville Cardinals are the only number one seed to make it to the 2013 Final Four, so we like our odds.

Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome Georgia Dome

Worth noting is that Atlanta’s legendary Georgia Dome is the host to this year’s Final Four. This enormous arena is a masterpiece of form and function, sporting over 200,000 square feet of CENTRIA’s Formawall Dimension Series insulated metal panels for the best in advanced thermal and moisture performance (ATMP®). The current home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and the former home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, the Georgia Dome is among the largest domed structures in the world and a staple in the landscape of global athletics—from the 1996 Olympic Games to the legendary Super Bowl XXXIV. Of course, it’s also the home of the 2013 NCAA Final Four!

Regardless of the winner, we’re sure there will be some exciting basketball. We’ll be tuning in to see how our prediction unfolds.

Kriner to Present at Energy Efficient Roofing Conference on April 8

Education, Energy Efficient, metal roofing, News, Retrofit, Solar, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Energy Roofing Conference LogoAttending the Energy Efficient Roofing Conference in Charlotte, NC, next week? Don’t miss Scott Kriner’s presentation on the integrated energy efficient metal roof retrofit system at Goodfellow Air Force Base, San Angelo, TX.

“This Department of Defense (DOD) demonstration project is a result of the $1 million Environmental Security Technology Certification Program grant, which was awarded to a team of industry professionals representing metal roofing, retrofitting, solar technologies, insulation, and the Metal Construction Association  (MCA),” said Kriner, MCA technical director. Results of the installation are expected later this year.

Kriner will be presenting on Monday, April 8, from 3:50–4:10 pm. At 4:30 pm he will serve as a panelist in a Q&A session.

The Transformative Power of Zinc

Design, Life Expectancy, Maintenance free, Metal Construction, metal walls, News, Performance, , , , , , , , , ,

Zinc Wall PanelsWith the help of zinc wall panels, you’d never guess that this retail building, located in Hyde Park on the south side of Chicago, was formerly a Borders bookstore. The black and patina-blue VMZinc flat lock panels are not only versatile and extremely durable, but they add visual interest, even an edginess, to the building design, say Jim Tuschall of Tuschall Engineering Company Inc., Burr Ridge, IL, and architect Wil Bruchmann of Antunovich Associates, Chicago.

Zinc Wall Panelling

The project serves as an anchor to a revitalized retail street corridor near the University of Chicago campus. Slated to open in June, the building houses a women’s clothing store and yoga studio in the front portion colored blue, and a high-end restaurant and music venue in the black- colored back.

“I was drawn to the patinaed zinc because itsWall Detail Close-Up WEB color changes slightly with the time of day, weather, and seasons. Every time you look at the building, it has a whole different color that can range from gray to aqua blue to anywhere in between,” says Bruchmann. “The panels are uniform height but random lengths. Adding detail to the wall also created a dynamic transition between the two colors, which mimic the differing uses within the building.”

Bruchmann also notes the long life of zinc. “It ages well over time and is very resilient,” he says. “There’s no question in mind that this was the best product for this particular project. There’s no other material out there that could create this sort of look and feel.”

Pre-Zinc Metal Panels On Chicago Building
Before
Metal Chicago Building Adds Zinc
After

Five of our Favorite Green Buildings for St. Patrick’s Day

Design, Energy Efficient, Environmental Footprint, Metal Construction, metal roofing, metal walls, News, Recyclability, Solar, Sustainability, , , , , , , ,
The Bullitt Center
The Bullitt Center, Seattle

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, the Metal Construction Association (MCA) has decided to celebrate our favorite metal green buildings; figuratively and literally. MCA—and its members—embrace the green construction movement, and support sustainable and energy-efficient products. Here is a list of some green projects we hope you will find interesting and inspiring.

The Bullitt Center, Seattle

Billed as the greenest, most energy efficient commercial building in the world, The Bullitt Center is a net zero energy building that is being constructed to meet the goals of the Living Building Challenge. Scheduled to open in 2013, the building features metal panels from Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation that have a long life span, are 100% recyclable and contain a high percentage of recycled material.

Pixel Building with Green Roofing Aesthetics
Pixel Building, Australia

Pixel Building, Melbourne, Australia

Coined “the office of the future”, the Pixel Building is the first carbon neutral office building in Australia, and has received the highest Green Star rating ever awarded by the Green Building Council of Australia. With striking, multi-colored metal MCM panels from Alpolic on the exterior, the building is sure to grab the attention of passersby.

after photo WEB
GoodFellow Air Force Base, Texas

Goodfellow Air Force Base, San Angelo, TX

No, this Department of Defense facility is not olive drab, but the project earned a place on this list because its recent metal-roof retrofit includes integrated renewable energy technologies that will maximize electricity generation. The roof also has a rainwater capture system that will be used for irrigation purposes on the base.

MRI Scanner Unit
MRI Scanner Unit, UK

MRI Scanner Unit, Norwich, United Kingdom

The MRA Scanner Unit project features Insulated Metal Panels (IMPs) from Kingspan Benchmark in various shades of green. It’s on this list because we love the colors for St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s not just an attractive project. In fact, IMPs provide consistent insulation and thermal efficiency, often leading to increased energy efficiency.

empiregreen
Empire State Building, New York

Empire State Building, New York City

A true American icon, the Empire State Building is bathed in green lights for St. Patrick’s Day. In 2012 the building was outfitted with a new, energy-efficient LED lighting system that will make this year’s St. Patrick’s celebration even more green. Find out when you can view tower’s lights with their schedule.

MCA wishes you a very happy St. Patrick’s Day!

By: John Ryan, Metal Construction Association

Just to close the loop on our recent glut of posts about solar power and metal roofs, we are pleased to share a Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) report released today that states that 2012 was a record year for solar installation, as reported by CNN.

In 2012 more than 3.3 gigawatts of solar power were installed, which is enough to power about 500,000 homes. That is a 76% increase from 2011, and the industry expects another record year for solar power installations in 2013.

“There were 16 million solar panels installed in the U.S. last year – more than 2 panels per second of the work day – and every one of these panels was bolted down by a member of the U.S. workforce,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA. “We’ve brought more new solar online in 2012 than in the three prior years combined.”

See below for some fun facts about the Top 10 Solar States, and visit SEIA for an executive summary of the full report.

Related Posts:

Top 10 Solar States

Solar Roofs Revisited: Economic Benefits as well as Green Benefits

Education, Energy Efficient, metal roofing, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Metal Roofing and Solar PanelsBy: John Ryan, Metal Construction Association

The connection (pun intended) between metal roofing and solar (photovoltaic) systems has been a common theme for the Metal Construction Association’s The Metal Initiative these past few months. See some of the latest blog entries from February and December. We also recently hosted a webinar for architects on the metal roofing and solar topic. If you missed us, sign up for our next “Metal Roofing: The Perfect Platform for Solar Technologies” webinar.

And our friends at DesignandBuildwithMetal.com have been covering the story, publishing two stories on the topic recently. Ken Buchinger from MBCI recently wrote an article that shared his perspective about why standing seam metal roofs make the perfect platform for photovoltaic (PV) systems because the roofs have a service life that is likely to outlive the PV system, and because the systems can be mounted to metal roofs without penetrating the roof. Bob Zabcik of NCI Group, Inc. also penned an article that confronts common misconceptions about solar roofing.

We’re used to hearing about the well-established green and sustainable benefits of solar roofing, but Bob and Ken both take the stance that there are significant economical benefits in solar roofing, as well. PV systems can be expensive, but over time these systems can generate significant returns on the initial investment. And to protect that investment, metal roofing is the ideal platform for PV systems.

Solar roofsJoin us for our next “Metal Roofing: The Perfect Platform for Solar Technologies” webinar and earn AIA CES credits, or feel free to visit our event calendar for other events and webinars that may be of interest.

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Metal Construction Blogs Provide Valuable Perspective

Design, Education, Metal Construction, metal roofing, News, Retrofit, Sustainability, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By Cathy Szmurlo, Metal Construction Association

Several members of the Metal Construction Association, which consists of manufacturers and suppliers of metal roof and wall components, have jumped on the blogging band wagon. By adding their input on products, projects, industry issues and current events to the blogosphere, these companies are providing a valuable resource to architects and building owners. We hope you’ll check out these members’ blogs for additional insights, and add them to your reading list:

  • Alpolic Mitsubishi Plastics Composites America – Descriptions of company case studies, news and projects as well as views on compelling metal architecture, design and sustainability projects.
  • American Iron and Steel Institute – Institute news and viewpoints on national and international issues affecting the steel industry.
  • Classic Metal Roofing Systems – Issues and benefits regarding metal roofing for residential building projects.
  • Copper Development Association – News and views regarding the use of copper in specific industry categories, including building construction.
  • Drexel Metals — Photos and videos along with viewpoints on company metal roofing products and projects.
  • Englert  – Metal roof and wall panel project commentary and insight on industry issues.
  • Kingspan – News and winning entries for Generation Kingspan™ Student Architectural Competition – a competition for students of architecture.
  • MBCI – Insights on metal roofing and wall issues such as the green movement, LEED, solar roofing and PV.
  • Metal Construction News – Industry news and views from publication staff.
  • Metalforming USA – Company and industry news from architectural machinery manufacturer.
  • Metalmag – Metal construction industry viewpoints from online magazine.
  • Miller Clapperton – Company, project and business opinion from this MCM fabricator.
  • Petersen Aluminum – Descriptive project articles and photos on a variety of company metal roofing projects.
  • Rigid Global Buildings – Company news and events from this metal building, roof and wall panel manufacturer.

Grupo ARKHOSBy: John Ryan, Metal Construction Association

I was excited to see the Chihuahua Businessmen Foundation, (FECHAC) featured in Architect Magazine‘s project gallery today. The project—MCA’s 2012 Chairman’s Award Winner for Overall Excellence—is an outstanding example of ingenuity and resourcefullness, and an innovative application of Reynobond Composite Aluminum MCM panels. Grupo ARKHOS, the architect for the project, is well deserving of the many accolades it has received for the project.

Read more about the project–and more than 60 others–in the case study library.

Metal Construction Industry Experts Eye Growth in 2013

Education, Metal Construction, metal roofing, News, , , , , , , ,

By: John Ryan, Metal Construction Association

According to a “State of the Metal Construction Industry” report published by Metal Construction News recently, modest growth is expected for the industry in 2013. Viewpoints from several industry experts were included in the report, and most agreed that residential construction would be a key growth driver for the industry in the near-term, with additional highlights including manufacturing facilities and the energy sector.

Though the panel of experts is optimistic, there are some threats to the growth and profitability of the industry. The two biggest threats come as no surprise: continued economic uncertainty and a challenging political environment.

Other highlights from the state of the industry report include insights on building green, how technology is changing the industry, and outlooks on how the industry will evolve over the next 10 years.

For the full “State of the Metal Construction Industry” report, visit Metal Construction News.