Canadian Roofing Contractor &  Design April/May  2008
(click here for full magazine in Adobe pdf format)

ON THE COVER:  Bye Bye Birdie
Protecting Your Building and Employees from Pest Birds
Birds are a beautiful gift of Mother Nature. Throughout history they have been revered as signs of strength, good luck, beauty and wisdom. Nature enhances the environment, however, it is important to find workable ways of living together in a healthy environment.   Read more...

Peak Season For Green Roofing
By Jared Markham
The green roofing industry is gearing up for its busiest time of year. April through the end of October has become the “Green roof installation season.” This coincides with warmer weather in most of North America and the peak growing season for green roof vegetation.   Read more...

Usefulness and Qualifications of Roofing Granules
The following is a technical bulletin from the Canadian Asphalt Shingle Manufacturers’ Association.

Roofing granules are in essence what gives asphalt shingles their aesthetic appeal. The blend of colours, depth and richness of appearance are nothing short of an individual manufacturer’s artistic creation and imagination. Although appreciated mostly for their appearance, roofing granules serve an even more important role than aesthetics.   Read more...

RCI Announces 2008 Document Competition Winners
RCI Inc. announced the winners of its 2008 Document Competition at an awards luncheon held during the 23rd RCI International Convention and Trade Show held in Phoenix, Ariz., in March.   Read more...

Beacon President Retires
Jean-Guy Plante, president of Beacon Canada, has announced his retirement. Effective immediately, Plante has graciously agreed to remain active with Beacon to ensure a smooth transition with staff, vendor partners and customers. He also agreed to consult with the company’s corporate office on specialty projects that will benefit the entire company.   Read more...

Judith Steward Provides New Voice For STANMECH Head Office
The addition of Judith Steward as customer service representative to STANMECH Technologies Inc., in Burlington, Ont., means that customers can now be served in the official language of their choice. The retirement of an inside sales person in Quebec led to STANMECH hiring Judith in October 2007.   Read more...

Mirza Hodzic New Marketing & Communications Co-ordinator
Firestone Building Products is pleased to announce that Mirza Hodzic has joined the Mississauga office as our Marketing and Communications Coordinator.   Read more...

Shortage of Labour Worsens In Ontario:  Government Needs To Fix Training Rules Says CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business is renewing its call for Ontario to overhaul its apprenticeship programs in light of new research showing record levels of concern over the shortage of qualified labour.   Read more...

Construction CEO’s Bullish For Business Growth
Construction industry CEOs from around the world are more confident about the future of their companies than their peers in other industries, according to Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PWC) 11th Annual Global CEO survey. A striking 94 per cent said they are confident of achieving revenue growth over the next 12 months and 56 per cent of these are even more bullish, saying they are very confident about growth.   Read more...

RICOWI Meets In Arizona
RICOWI held elections for its Board of Directors at the Feb. 29, 2008 meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. Re-elected for the 2008 – 2010 term are: Chairman, Rick Olson (Tile Roofing Institute); Vice-Chairman, Bas Baskaran (National Research Council of Canada and Treasurer); André Desjarlais (Oak Ridge National Laboratory). Additionally, Dan Walker (Metal Building Manufacturers Association) was elected as the Board member representative to the Executive Committee. Dave Hunt (Revere Copper Products) was re-appointed as the Affiliate Member representative to the Board of Directors.   Read more...

Future Building Event Introduces Exceptional Career Paths For Tomorrow’s Builders
Over 7000 youth from across the province stepped into an arena filled with possibilities as they entered the Future Building Event at the Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre.

Future Building 2008 is presented by The Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS) through the financial support of the Government of Canada, Employment Ontario and a grant from the Ministry of Training and Colleges and Universities of Ontario.   Read more...

Roofmaster CEO Makes 40 Years
James D. Yundt, president and CEO of Roofmaster Products Company in Monterey Park, CA, celebrated 40-years of service with the company.

Yundt  began work as a summer-job college student cleaning Roofmaster asphalt kettles in the Service Department.  He has worked in virtually every department at Roofmaster, performing most functions required in those departments.   Read more...

EPDM Remains Leader In NRCA Market Survey
EPDM roofing membrane remained the leader in the industry market share, according to the results of the National Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA) 2006-2007 Annual Market Survey. The association’s survey found that EPDM claimed 27 per cent of new construction, and 25 per cent of re-roofing work, in terms of 2006 low-slope roofing sales. The survey also found that projected 2007 sales also found EPDM in first place, with 26.9 per cent of new construction and 24.3 per cent of re-roofing work.   Read more...

 FLIR Systems Names ABC Supply Co. Inc. As Primary Distributor And Strategic Partner
FLIR Systems Inc., a leader in infrared cameras, has announced that ABC Supply Co. Inc., one of the largest wholesale distributors of roofing, siding and windows, will become the primary distributor of FLIR infrared (IR) cameras to the professional roofing industry in the U.S.   Read more...

Carlisle Residential Offers Complete Protection With EZ Roof®
Carlisle Residential, a manufacturer of roofing and waterproofing materials, is now offering the tried and true EZ Roof in brilliant new colours. EZ Roof is a high-performance waterproofing system designed to provide premium protection for low-slope roofing projects.   Read more....

Faster Installation, Even Smaller Crews With GAF’s Self-Adhering Roofing Sytems
Until now, self-adhering roofing systems were perceived as easy to install, but lacking in the durability expected of tough commercial applications. GAF is pleased to announce the availability of a complete line of durable, self-adhering commercial grade, low-slope roofing systems, based on its field-proven self adhering technology.   Read more...

Firestone Introduces New Rubbergard Ecowhite EPDM Membrane
Firestone Building Products Company has introduced RubberGard™ EcoWhite™ EPDM membrane to its expanding green product line.
The membrane provides a timely solution for challenges of the 21st century by enhancing energy savings with its outstanding reflectivity.    Read more...

Non-Corrosive, Stainless Steel Fasteners Standard With All Edge Metal Systems
W.P. Hickman Company has announced that stainless steel fasteners are being provided as a standard component with all of its perimeter edge metal systems at no additional charge to customers. Hickman has shipped fasteners with its products for year, in contrast with many edge manufacturers, and Hickman manufactures its edge products with holes pre-punched for use with the fasteners. Stainless steel fasteners are effective in resisting the corrosive nature of Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ), a wood preservative increasingly being used throughout the construction industry as the result of the EPA ban on the traditional Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) preservative.   Read more...

Soprema Introduces XPRESS ISO
With Soprema’s new XPRESS ISO, roof installation is reduced to a three-step process: vapour barrier, XPRESS ISO and cap sheet membrane, reducing material handling and labour costs. The XPRESS ISO composite board consists of a SBS modified bitumen base sheet membrane factory-laminated to mineral wood and polyisocyanurate insulation. The XPRESS ISO boards are folded in three- by eight-foot segments, which open into three- by 16-foot sections  covering 48 sq. feet for fast, clean installation with mechanical fasteners – eliminating hot asphalt odors. Soprema’s XPRESS ISO is available in R-values of R-10, R-15 and R-12. It is also available with sanded or thermofusible plastic film surface, with self-adhesive DUO SELVEDGE Technology for heat welding.   Read more...

Expanded Timberline® Shingle Offering From GAF-ELK Helps Contractors Build Their Business
Professional installers have long preferred the rugged, dependable performance that a Timberline roof can offer. Now, GAF-Elk is pleased to offer the industry’s number one-selling architectural shingles in two distinctive looks: Timberline Natural Shadow™ and Timberline Prestique® High Definition®. Research shows a clear demand by property owners for both looks – now contractors have more selling options that will help increase their customer base and maximize sales opportunities.   Read more...

New UNA-CLAD UC-14 Roofing System
Firestone Building Products Company recently introduced the new UNA-CLAD™ UC-14 Roofing System. The system’s continuous interlocking design includes an easy-snap-together seam that reduces installation time as it requires no mechanical seaming or separate battens.   Read more...

Birdair Offers Fabric Membrane Cool Roof Opportunities
Achieving cool roof status is becoming more desirable in the roofing industry; it has been a trend for the last five years and is even required in numerous states in order to comply with energy codes. Until lately, however, it has been feasible for only those offering more traditional roofing options, such as metal and single-ply, to builders, architects and owners. Now, fabric membrane roofing with cool roof status is available for longspan structures through Birdair Inc.   Read more...

Toronto Makes Number One On Top 10 List Of Canadian Green Roof Cities For 2007
With more than 83,000 sq. feet of new green roofs installed, Toronto leads the Third Annual Top Ten List of Green Roof Cities followed by Calgary and Quebec City.

With nearly 83,000 new sq. feet of green roofs installed in 2007, Toronto has hit the No. 1 spot in this year’s Top 10 List of Canadian Green Roof Cities in Green roofs for Healthy Cities Third Annual Green Roof Market Industry Survey of its corporate members.   Read more...

“Green” Expectations High For Construction And Engineering Grads
According to a George Brown College survey released in March at the seventh annual Technology in the City, four in five employers in the construction and engineering sectors put priority on recruiting staff with training and knowledge in environmentally sound practices, while nine in 10 students feel a company’s environmental practices and policies will play a significant role in their decision to work for them.   Read more...

U.S. Green Building Council Doubles Local Leed For Homes Network
Dramatically expanding local access to green homebuilding expertise, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has doubled its network of LEED for Homes Providers across the United States.   Read more...

Firestone Enters Green Roofing Market
Firestone Building Products Company recently announced alliances with two leaders in eco-friendly commercial roofing solutions – LiveRoof® LLC, and SunPower Corporation, a Silicon-Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems.   Read more...