New Changes In The Roofing Industry

The roofing industry is always evolving. As changes take place, roofing professionals and customers must keep up with them in order to create durable and reliable roofing systems for commercial and residential properties.

New Changes In The Roofing Industry

Many of these changes develop in response to the changing needs of customers. As the emphasis on earth-friendly and sustainable materials and benefits increases, so do the ways in which the roofing industry implements new technologies.

The following new changes in the roofing industry help you understand the current trends, new regulation, and technologies being used to provide the best roofing systems for your buildings.

Roofing Regulations

Roofing regulations are reviewed periodically to ensure that they are current with needs of the industry and its customers.

The International Building Code (IBC) requires a review every three years and gives every region an opportunity to determine its adoption of new regulation codes. These codes apply to energy-efficiency and indoor air quality, among other factors.

Commercial buildings looking to optimize their use of energy for lower costs benefit from new requirements related to R-value, which is a measurement of a material’s ability to insulate energy. The increased use of air barriers improves the quality of indoor air for commercial buildings, which is important for outdoor contamination prevention in areas with a compromised building envelope.

The industry must also respond to market issues such as new technology and a more interconnected supply of labour.

The Green Evolution

Environmental and energy concerns have led to an increase in the use of green technologies. This is influencing how the roofing industry serves its customers and the building codes they use.

Although many green materials and technologies have a higher initial cost, the savings they provide to customers has made it a popular investment in both commercial and residential properties. This has led to an increase in the use of more earth-friendly materials. Metal, for example, is recognized for its energy-efficient properties and durability.

Still, the roofing industry must work hard to convince architects and contractors on the value of using more efficient roofing systems in the face of attempts to cut costs by using less optimal materials.

Roofing Industry Skills

Technological developments have made the roofing industry more complex. This requires a new level of knowledge and skills that roofing companies must have in order to provide the best systems for customers.

The industry must continue to invest in the development and training of its professionals in order to evolve alongside these changes.

Maintaining a level of safety is one of the biggest priorities for the roofing industry. Roofing professionals like Empire Roofing must understand how to ensure safety for workers and those who occupy the buildings they service.

These are just some of the new changes being seen in the roofing industry. It’s important to understand the evolving needs of both the industry and customers in order to ensure more energy-efficient and durable roofing systems. This will continue to improve the quality of commercial and residential buildings so that they can provide durability, safety, and cost-effectiveness.

What Are High Albedo Roofs?

Solar-powered technology is by no means new; while these developments were revolutionary and cutting edge at the turn of the millennium, within a short 15 years, the industry has grown at unprecedented rates. It is to the point now where nearly every commercial building features some type of naturally-powered, eco-friendly mechanism or device.

High Albedo Roofs

Keep your Commercial Building Cool with a “Cool Roof”

One of the more recent advancements in the field of green commercial construction are what are known as cool, or albedo, roofs. In contrast to conventional roofs, these kind are specifically designed to reduce internal building temperature by reflecting the sun’s UV rays.

As one would expect, albedo roofs are formulated with special, high eminence materials that keep project a high level of thermal energy back into the atmosphere. By preventing a majority of the heat from ever reaching the surface, these roofs work to greatly reduce HVAC cooling costs during the summer months. This can- and has- led to a considerable amount of seasonal savings for commercial building owners; the larger the structure, the greater the impact an albedo roof can thus have on a company’s bottom line.

Are Albedo Roofs the Way of the Future?

There is much more at stake than merely the financial advantages afforded to business owners. Given the historically high concentration of residents in urban areas (the population density in some major cities is staggering to say the least), the rise of the heat island effect has become an ever-increasing issue.

The energy demands of urban core and metro areas naturally lead to significantly hindered air quality. There exists a strong correlation between pollution levels and ozone layer depletion in major metropolitan regions, something albedo roof technology was engineered to counteract.

Researchers have found that if local municipalities were to adopt stricter measures concerning an increased number of cool roof installations, this would result in much cleaner air and a substantial decrease in commercial energy use. For a roof to meet albedo classifications, it must emit no less than 65% (measured as .65 on the solar reflectance value scale) of radiant heat energy back into the atmosphere.

Given the strong scientific backing for the installation of cool roofs on a large scale, many major cities such as Chicago, Salt Lake City and numerous municipalities in California have implemented mandatory programs like Title 24, which call for their requirement in local building codes. For all of these reasons, the prevalence of high albedo roofs is bound to increase in the coming years.

How Daylighting Can Be a Social Benefit To Your Office

The modern world as we know it would be much different in the absence of artificial light. The invention of the light bulb nearly 140 years ago revolutionized the way mankind lived and worked; contrary to our ancestors who relied exclusively on natural daylight hours, we can do more for longer, thanks in no small part to electricity.

Daylight Increases Employee Happiness

Like anything, however, the one major downside to artificial lighting, especially for large commercial buildings with high energy demands, are the resulting expenses. To reduce their annual operating costs, many business owners have turned once more to the power of the Sun.

Let There be Light

Whereas in years past, natural light was the primary mode of lighting warehouses, offices, and buildings, today this strategy is conveniently referred to as daylighting. The latter entails a heavy reliance on sunlight while subsequently minimizing the use of electrical lighting. Daylighting can be accomplished in a number of ways, some of which are more complex than others.

It is no surprise that the insertion and strategic placement of additional windows and skylights is a common practice among companies that incorporate daylighting into their building designs. Due to their practical design, structures outfitted with flat roofs benefit most from skylight installations, although many business owners still rely on the advice of professional consultants with regards to the positioning of these devices for maximum natural lighting.

Looking Beyond the Numbers: A Healthy Approach to Commercial Lighting

A more comprehensive look at the science behind daylighting demonstrates that energy-savings alone are hardly the sole reason why companies are investing in it.

Numerous studies have shown the positive impact that daylighting can have on employee and student performance and productivity.

People tend to be more alert, engaged, and happy in environments where more sunlight is present. That being said, daylighting truly is a win-win for business owners looking to boost their revenues while simultaneously cutting back on their annual energy expenditures.

The use of sunlight saves money while boosting staff morale, thereby promoting a happier, healthier workforce that can continually deliver results. Most roofing contractors have experience installing daylighting-inspired rooftops, as the strategy is becoming more and more widespread in the commercial and industrial sector at large. However if you want the best results from your daylighting, it’s essential you go with an established and reputable company to do the job correctly. Contact Empire Roofing today for more information on how daylighting can make a positive impact on your business.