Metal building, residential and roofing contractors, architects, engineers, developers, facility managers, fabricators and building owners from the US and abroad. Attend because it’s the only show of its kind in the world!
http://www.metaconstruction.org/metalcon
METALCON: OCTOBER 14-16, 2015 | TAMPA CONVENTION CENTER 
By: John Ryan, Metal Construction Association
The cost of replacing a roof can be one of the most significant maintenance expenses in the life of a building. USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building rating program (version 4) assumes a building service life of 60 years. With most types of roofing, building owners can expect to replace the roof once or twice in that amount of time, incurring significant expense to do so.
Many buildings are The Metal Construction Association (MCA) is proud to announce a new study that verifies that coated steel roofs can last as long as the buildings they cover. The research study concluded that the expected service life of an unpainted 55% Al-Zn coated steel standing seam roof constructed today in a wide range of environments using best practices can be expected to be in excess of 60 years.
Learn more about the study here, and access the full study and executive report in MCA’s Technical Resources library.
By: John Ryan, Metal Construction Association
Using the right tools is key to getting any job done correctly. Contractors and installers who work with metal roofs know how important it is to have the right seamer or a quality screw gun. And architects and specifiers know how important it is to have a good architectural scale and the most current reference manuals.
If you work with metal roofing, MCA has another essential tool for your toolkit: the new Metal Roof Installation Manual. Now available at MetalConstruction.com in the Technical Resources section, this new manual offers 20 chapters of best practices, tips and training for installing metal roofs. The manual covers a full range of useful information about installing metal roofs, including:
Download your copy of the MCA Metal Roof Installation Manual today, and keep the document handy as a reference as you come across questions with your metal roof project. It’ll soon become an essential tool in your toolbox.
And the best part about this tool? It’s free!
By: John Ryan, Metal Construction Association
This week the Metal Construction Association (MCA) is hosting its 2014 Summer Meeting at the Westin O’Hare in Rosemont, IL. Representatives from metal roof and wall manufacturers, as well as suppliers, consultants, fabricators and more, will be participating in meetings to expand the use of metal roofs and wall panels. Meetings kick off Monday with the lunchtime General Session featuring a panel discussion of metal construction industry leaders. Committee and council meetings will be conducted Monday through Wednesday.
Many of our MCA members will be extending their stay in Chicago to attend the 2014 AIA National Convention from Thursday, June 26 through Saturday, June 28 at McCormick Place. Be sure to stop by and see MCA members exhibiting this year, including:
| Exhibitor Name | Booth Number |
| 3A Composites | 1906 |
| Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc. | 4042 |
| Alcoa Architectural Products | 1407 |
| Alucobond | 1215 |
| Alucoil North America | 2022 |
| ATAS International, Inc. | 3642 |
| Bayer MaterialScience | 1654 |
| Centria | 1425 |
| Dow Building Solutions | 4712 |
| Englert, Inc. | 3637 |
| Fabral | 606 |
| Firestone Building Products | 2113 |
| MBCI | 3845 |
| Metal Architecture Magazine | 4645 |
| Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation | 1245 |
| Metl-Span | 4204 |
| Mitsubishi Plastics Composites America, Inc. | 3624 |
| NorthClad | 1815 |
| Petersen Aluminum Corp. | 4245 |
| PPG Industries, Inc. | 4617 |
| Reynobond/Reynolux | 1407 |
| RHEINZINK America, Inc. | 3209 |
| Solvay | 3608 |
| Valspar | 3618 |
We hope you enjoy your stay in Chicago!
By: John Ryan, Metal Construction Association
I’m getting ready to head to Las Vegas next week for the International Roofing Expo. I have to admit, I’m excited. Believe it or not (and most do not), I’ve never been to Las Vegas.
There’s no doubt that most of my time will be spent within the concrete walls of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center manning the Metal Construction Association (MCA) booth (booth #2143–stop by to say hello!), but I am looking forward to exploring the sights and sounds of Las Vegas.
One thing I always try to do before I travel to a new city for business is scope out some architectural highlights to visit. And since I work for MCA, I admit that I am always looking for real-life examples of metal construction.
Here are a few examples of metal roofs and walls that I plan to see while in Las Vegas. Feel free to let us know what your favorites are!
McCarran International Airport
I won’t have to wait long to see an example of metal construction after touching down in Las Vegas–the McCarran International Airport recently completed an expansion project that featured Alucobond Plus metal composite material (MCM) panels from 3A Composites.
The Terminal 3 parking garage also features metal wall panels: Reynobond aluminum MCM panels from Alcoa. I’m sure the airport won’t be the most exciting part of my stay in Las Vegas, but the metal cladding will at least give me reason for pause at the airport.
The D Casino
After a long day on the convention center floor manning the MCA booth, I can usually be found enjoying a quiet meal and catching up on e-mails back in my hotel room. But Las Vegas is all about the casinos, so I am sure I will venture into a casino or two at some point during the week. Why not try my luck with the one-armed bandits at The D Casino in downtown Las Vegas, which sports a new, metal-clad entrance from Petersen Aluminum? I’m looking forward to walking the strip–and I understand it is a long walk– to see the impressive architecture of the casinos. The over-the-top extravagance and grandiose resorts should serve as a not-so-subtle reminder that the odds are not in my favor for a big payday!
Downtown Container Park
Las Vegas isn’t all casinos, glitz and glamor–there is plenty for families to do and enjoy. Even though my family won’t be traveling with me, I plan to check out the Downtown Container Park for some shopping and dining. It’s located away from the main strip on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. It’s just what it sounds like–a park and shopping center crafted from shipping containers. Architects and designers are finding new ways to utilize old shipping containers as structures, and this project reminds me of one of MCA’s 2012 Chairman’s Award Winners that also features shipping containers.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
And if I feel the need for speed, perhaps I will make my way over to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Even though the speedway’s NASCAR weekend events won’t be until the first week of March, it may be worth a quick visit to check out the exterior since it is clad in Centria’s Formawall insulated metal panels.
Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health
Designed by esteemed architect Frank Gehry, the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health (pictured at the top of this blog post) is a national resource for research and treatment of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s Diseases, Multiple Sclerosis and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). While the design of the building has been a lightning rod for both praise and criticism, the important work being done within the stainless-steel clad walls is what’s most important.
Let us know if you have any other recommendations for Las Vegas architectural highlights. And if you are at the IRE show, we hope you will stop by the MCA booth–as well as our member’s booths–to say hello and learn about the many benefits of metal roofing.
We’re excited to be heading to Las Vegas next week for the International Roofing Expo (IRE). If you’re at the show, we hope you’ll stop by and visit us in booth #2341. We’ll be at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas from Wednesday, February 26 through Friday, February 28. We’d enjoy meeting you, and look forward to answering any questions you might have about metal roofing.
Many MCA members will also be exhibiting at IRE next week, as well. Stop by their booths to see the exciting products and services that they offer.
Exhibitor Name Member Category Booth Number
ABC Supply Co., Inc. Distributor 1423
Arkema, Inc. Manufacturer 562
ATAS International, Inc. Manufacturer 2242
BASF Corporation Insulation Mfr 925
Drexel Metals Distributor 2437
Englert, Inc. Manufacturer 1037
Fabral Manufacturer 2135
Firestone Building Products Manufacturer 1813
GSSI Sealants, Inc. Accessories 2154
MBCI Manufacturer 2121
McElroy Metal Manufacturer 2349
Metal Construction News Publication 2336
Metal Roofing Magazine Publication 2141
Metal Sales Manufacturing Manufacturer 2127
Metalforming, Inc. Equipment Mfr 1436
Petersen Aluminum Corp. Manufacturer 842
RHEINZINK America, Inc. Distributor 1722
Roof Hugger Accessories 742
SFS intec, Inc. Accessories 1727
Sheffield Metals International Distributor 2259
TAMKO Building Products, Inc. Manufacturer 525
Triangle Fastener Corporation Accessories 2131
We hope to see you in Las Vegas!
By: Jane Martinsons, Metal Construction Association
We may know the start of 2014 down to the exact second, but the lines between old and new metal design and building materials will continue to blur well into the New Year and beyond. Here are two examples of how metal manufacturers are helping to redefine the true age of metal roofs in a green world.
First, let’s look to Europe where 100-year-old zinc roofs are commonplace, and in particular, at the recently renovated 120-year-old zinc roof on St. Catherine’s Church in Reutlingen, Germany. This roof restoration called for dismantling and removing all the zinc tiles from the roof in order to inspect, clean, and salvage as many as possible. Tiles that were too damaged for reuse were recycled, but inspectors found the tiles that were not exposed to the main west-facing wind and weather were nearly all reusable. The remaining roof was re-clad with RHEINZINK 0.7mm square tiles, using 1,500 PrePATINA blue-grey 330mm x 330mm tiles.
Located at the old cemetery, the Gothic Revival-style church is now preserved to its original state, circa 1890. RHEINZINK says that with the service life of zinc products expected to last 80–100 years for roofs and 200–300 years for walls, the roof tiles will be around for New Year celebrations for generations.
Stateside, a new LEED Platinum home in Glencoe, IL, features an unusual look for a LEED home—traditional rather than modernist design, allowing the home to complement its neighborhood. The standing seam metal roof was a key element of the sustainable design. About 600 sq ft of 24-gauge PAC-CLAD material from Petersen Aluminum, Elk Grove Village, IL was used. The Silver Metallic Kynar 500 coating offers high reflectivity and SRI (solar reflectance index) ratings and is Energy Star approved.
The roof provides many green features. Its shape is asymmetrically arranged to collect as much storm water as possible. It is also sloped at two different angles—a summer and a winter angle. The steeper, south facing roof supports solar thermal panels, which are optimal for the low winter sun. The shallower south facing section of the roof includes solar PV panels, which maximize electrical production during hot summer days.
“When our client said ‘give me a roof that I will never have to replace,’ we thought metal immediately,” said Nathan Kipnis, AIA, principal of Kipnis Architecture and Planning, Evanston, IL. Meanwhile, general contractor, Scott Simpson, president of Scott Simpson Builders in Northbrook, IL, says that, beyond this project, he recently used an old metal barn roof on the interior walls of a renovated—and much beloved—bakery in Evanston.
By: John Ryan, Metal Construction Association
METALCON kicks off on Tuesday, October 1st. Be sure to stop by Metal Construction Association‘s (MCA) booth (#1553) to see a roofing assembly that illustrates a variety of sustainable technologies, and get the latest technical developments and case studies available. On display will also be MCA’s new website: www.metalconstruction.org.
And be sure to visit one of the 44 MCA member companies that are exhibiting at METALCON for the latest product developments in the metal construction industry.
Company Name Booth #
ABC Supply 1730
Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc. 621
Alcoa Architectural Products 1232
Aluminum Association 512
Arkema, Inc. 1436
ATAS International, Inc 1615
Atlas Bolt & Screw 1439
The Bradbury Company 1121
Central States Manufacturing Inc. 901
CENTRIA 1030
Classic Metal Roofing Systems 1131
(Isaiah Industries)
DesignandBuildwithMetal.com 528
Drexel Metals 1807
Dura Coat Products, Inc. 635
Englert, Inc. 921
Everlast Metals 1835
Fabral 1637
Firestone Building Products 1015
FLEXOSPAN Inc. 1341
GSSI Sealants Inc. 1933
ITW Buildex 1731
MBCI 1221
McElroy Metal, Inc. 827
Metal Construction News 702
Metal Roofing Magazine 2246
Metal Sales Manufacturing Corp. 1332
METALFORMING, Inc. 1421
Metl-Span 1138
Petersen Aluminum Corp. 1033
PPG Industries Inc. 1321
Precoat Metals 1725
RHEINZINK America Inc. 943
Roof Hugger, Inc. 1143
SFS Intec, Inc. 1132
Sheffield Metals 1609
Solvay 904
Steel Dynamics 647
Steelscape 721
TAMKO Building Products Inc. 833
Triangle Fastener Corp. 747
U.S. Steel Corp. 1830
Umicore Building Products USA, Inc. 1054
Valspar Corporation 1001
Vicwest 821
We hope to see you at METALCON!
