Roof coatings already are contributing to the bottom line of many organizations by producing a return on investment in a few years, rather than several decades.
Installers can apply roof coatings without delay and do not need to tear off the existing roof. Coatings can extend the roof’s life, and they are suitable for most buildings.
The age of the building does not matter, nor does the amount of insulation in place. Even on a well-insulated roofing system, a coating can extend the roof’s performance life and provide additional energy savings. A roof coating is complementary to insulation, lowers roof temperatures and can extend the life of an insulated roof.
Managers should move carefully in selecting a coating and training the maintenance staff on its proper application. A basic knowledge of roofing practice and attention to quality control are crucial to the success of a coating. Managers can use in-house maintenance crews to install coatings on smaller areas and to make repairs, but they might want to contract out larger projects.
A roof coating can extend a roof’s performance life indefinitely, so its importance to sustainability is obvious. Yet general discussions of green buildings too often underemphasize coatings’ importance.
Now is the time for managers to look at roof coatings in a new light. They can create immediate savings organizations are searching for, and they can contribute to a more energy-efficient, sustainable nation and future economic prosperity.
Reed Hitchcock is executive director of the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association, www.roofcoatings.org.
Spotlight: RCMAThe Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) formed the Roofing Coatings Industry Committee on Sustainability in 2008 to focus on the environmental benefits of roof coatings. The goals of the committee include: identifying and developing sustainability criteria for roof coatings; performing life-cycle-cost analyses; creating tools to evaluate options; and disseminating findings for the benefit and education of roofing, specifying and regulatory professionals. The purpose of the committee is to advance and promote roof-maintenance coatings through research and education. The committee will present results of coatings research to the building and construction industry, raising awareness of the sustainability of roof coatings, compared to alternative products. For more information on RCMA and the Roof Coatings Industry Committee on Sustainability, contact Reed Hitchcock at (202) 207-1110, or visit www.roofcoatings.org. |
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