Tag Archives: recyclability

Is RoofPoint Recognition Worth It?

Design, Energy Efficient, Environmental Footprint, Metal Construction, metal roofing, News, Recyclability, standing seam, , , , , , , ,
East Lake High School, Tarpon Springs, FL

By: Jane Martinsons, Metal Construction Association

Pose this question to Robert J. Whitcomb, AIA, RRC, of C. B. Goldsmith and Associates, Inc., who served as designer on the RoofPoint-recognized East Lake High School roof-replacement project in Tarpon Springs, FL, and he will answer with a resounding yes.

“Having a program to evaluate, approve, and certify our roofing work has value if just to show our clients that the design was peer-reviewed and found to be sustainable,” says Whitcomb, who, not surprisingly, plans to incorporate the same sustainable strategies used in this project on other future projects.

Like many metal manufacturers, Whitcomb learned about RoofPoint only recently, upon completing the 216,283-sq. ft. high school roof and exterior-renovation project in spring 2012. After familiarizing himself with RoofPoint’s roof rating system, he applied for and received a Roofpoint certificate of recognition for the project.

East Lake High 2 WEB

“Our first impression of RoofPoint was that it is similar to LEED, but for roofing,” Whitcomb says. “We thought it was great that there was a program now in place to recognize our efforts. The validation came when our application [for this project] was approved, and we received our certificate of recognition.”

Whitcomb says that from the start, the school roof project was focused on sustainability, and that aim influenced all decisions, from material selection to phasing and scheduling. The high school’s new roof features a Drexel DMC 175S 0.040‐in. aluminum standing seam (snap lock) metal roof system with custom flashings and details and solar reflective roof coatings over the existing modified roofs, among other features.

What is RoofPoint? RoofPoint is a voluntary, consensus-based green rating system that helps building owners and designers select nonresidential roof systems based on long-term energy and environmental benefits. It was developed by the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing (CEIR), Washington, DC, a not-for-profit organization focused on the development and use of environmentally responsible roofing systems and technologies.

Word of RoofPoint is spreading. According to CEIR’s James Hoff, DBA, vice-president of research, and Jim Kirby, AIA, vice-president of sustainability, more than 1,000 roof-project applications are expected by the end of this year, and that number is expected to grow 10-fold in just 5 years. They stress that RoofPoint is particularly applicable to metal roofing systems and that the program

• is suitable for both low-slope and steep slope roofs, including architectural metal systems.

• provides credit for thermal break clips used with many metal roofing systems.

• recognizes a wide variety of roof surface colors other than just white as an appropriate cool roof surface.

• contains credits that help recognize metal roofing’s unique durability and life cycle features.

• recognizes both recycled content and material reuse, which are both very easy with metal.

According to its website, RoofPoint provides a simple, transparent, and professional measure to ensure that new and replacement roof systems are designed, installed, and maintained in accordance with the best sustainable practices available today. For more information on the program, visit www.roofpoint.org.

School Strives for Exellence in Classroom, and in Sustainability

Design, Education, Energy Efficient, Environmental Footprint, metal roofing, metal walls, News, Recyclability, Solar, Sustainability, , , , , , , , ,
Redding School of the Arts
Photo Courtesy of Steve Whittaker

The list of design accolades for the Redding School of the Arts in Redding, CA, is impressive. It is the first new school campus in the world to receive Platinum certification under the LEED for Schools 2009 standards, and it also is expected to achieve Net-Zero. The school is designed to achieve the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) certification, a national movement to improve student performance and enhance the education experience by building the best possible schools.

Area View Of Redding School of the Arts
Photo Courtesy of Steve Whittaker

The design for the school was based on two essential ideas: First, the learning environment should create opportunities to show students, teachers and parents the importance of metal sustainability. Second, students should be inspired to learn in creative, colorful and fun surroundings. To help achieve these two ambitious functional and aesthetic goals, the design team turned to Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation.

“We were looking for metal panels with recycled content, durability and an energy-friendly SRI (Solar Reflective Index) value,” says James Theimer, Principle of Trilogy Architecture who served as architect for the project. “Redding School of the Arts has been designed to last for 100 years. With the metal wall and roof panels, I think we found a product that would live up to that challenge.”

Photo Courtesy of Steve Whittaker
Photo Courtesy of Steve Whittaker

All of the metal panel colors used on the school are listed with ENERGY STAR®, improving energy-efficiency and reducing the amount of energy needed for cooling. The panels also have a long life cycle that will endure the wide temperature variations of the Sacramento Valley, are 100% recyclable, and contain a high percentage of recycled material – contributing to LEED points.

The use of metal wall and roof panels helps give the facility a smart and modern look worthy of its high-profile, high performance mission.

Fact of the Day: Earth Day Edition

Energy Efficient, Environmental Footprint, News, Recyclability, Sustainability, , , , , , , , ,

By: John Ryan, Metal Construction Association 

It’s Earth Day today, and here is one fact that struck me, courtesy of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI):

More steel is recycled annually than paper, plastic, aluminum and glass combined.

I thought that was pretty remarkable. Approximately 90% of metal roofs and insulated metal panels are made out of steel, much of which is recycled content. That’s just one of the many green benefits found in metal roofs and walls.

View this video to learn more: Metal Roofing and Recyclability.

Building Design and Performance: The Stakes Are High

Design, Energy Efficient, Environmental Footprint, Life Expectancy, New Construction, Performance, Recyclability, Retrofit, Sustainability, , , , , , , , , ,

By: Todd Miller, Isaiah Industries, Inc.

Today, it doesn’t make any difference whether you’re planning to build or remodel a tall skyscraper in Manhattan or a rustic vacation getaway outside of Albuquerque, the stakes are high when it comes to product selection.

The first step to specifying products that will lead to a successful project is to determine your criteria. What are the key things you’d like to achieve? Once you determine your criteria, you have benchmarks to weigh competing products against and determine what it will take to create the building of your dreams.

In determining your criteria, there are several keys areas to consider. Let’s take a look at them.

Continue reading Building Design and Performance: The Stakes Are High →