IFC Joins Forces With World Green Building Council to Scale Up Green Building In Emerging Markets

At ASAP ROOFING, a national roofing company with offices in Denver, Co, Atlanta, Ga., Dallas, TX, and Indianapolis, In., green is the way to go. Not only does this company search out innovative alternatives to improve energy efficiency for customers locally, but also looks for ways to expedite green growth nationally. This is why ASAP ROOFING is pleased to see that the United States Green Building Council just released a press statement that IFC, a member of World Bank Group, the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector, has teamed up with the World Green Building Council, (World GBC)athe largest international network of national green building councils in more than ninety countries, to rapidly enhance green building in emerging markets.

This collaboration marks an important step toward mitigating climate change as, according to the press release, ?The partnership will focus on rapidly urbanizing countries with surging population growth that need to build sustainably to avoid emissions growth, bolster energy security, and minimize resource depletion.?

Additionally, while the World GBC will lend it?s vast network of national green building councils to IFC, in return, IFC, which has a very broad based investment and advisory program will offer it?s new web application EDGE, designed to reveal early design stage solutions to reduce water, energy, and material consumption by 20%.

The partnership, announced at ?Transforming the Built Environment in Emerging Markets? on July 16 at IFC?s headquarters in Washington, is indeed very exciting news for ASAP ROOFING as the partnership between IFC and World GBC signifies international attention and recognition for the many green building alternatives available today.

According to Igor Kublitskiy, ASAP Co-Owner, ?To see a major international funder in IFC go green, is a real sign of the times, and of course, at ASAP, we?re happy to see this kind of attention being paid to the importance of finding sustainable alternatives to minimize environmental impact and make roofing more efficient.?

For more information about ASAP ROOFING, or green roofing alternatives for your home, just visit,awww.asaproofing.com.

Resources:

IFC website:awww.ifc.org

World Green Building Council Website:awww.worldgbc.org

U.S. Green Building Council website:awww.usgbc.org

Written by Nick Dorotik

nick@asaproofing.com

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Hailstorms

Oftentimes, we bring you information that is not necessarily related to roofing but will make your life and home more efficient, comfortable, and enjoyable. Because we have heard from so many of you that you are planning roofing projects in 2013, we want to talk about roofing. In particular, we want to discuss an enemy of roofing ? hail.

With the thousands of hail events that occur in the United States each year, our roofs regularly get hit by hail. The vast majority of these storms cause no problems to our roofs, even though they may cause other materials to crack and leak. However, what happens when a Classic Metal Roof gets hit by a severe storm that takes out everything in its path? We received a letter from a customer last week in that situation. Before giving you some interesting statistics on hail, we wanted to share this story that is the result of a whopper Louisiana hailstorm which destroyed virtually every roof in its path:

Hail can be very damaging. While it is unfortunate that this homeowner?s 11+ year-old aluminum roof was damaged by a devastating storm this spring, you can see from their comments that they are very pleased with their product choice. This spring, they saw every roof in their neighborhood replaced, including their own.

There are a few things to remember about Classic Metal Roofs and hail:

? Our warranty includes the paint finish to not be damaged by hail and the product to not leak due to hail damage. This is important because, after severe storms, you may wait weeks and even months for a contractor. Not having interior damages during that period is critical.

? Whereas other roofing materials soften or become brittle with age, making them more susceptible to hail damage, a Classic roof is just as hail-resistant in 10, 20, 30, and 40 years as it is when it is new. This is absolutely not the case with most other roofing materials.

? The deep texturing of most of our metal roof designs helps to mask minor indentations which may occur during hailstorms. This is far different from what occurs with less textured metal roofs. We also offer high density foam backers as an option behind our panels to enhance their hail resistance.

? Classic Metal Roofs have a UL Class IV Impact Resistance Rating. This is the highest rating available and may make you eligible for discounts on your insurance premiums. It?s important to note that accepting a discount may waive your right to an insurance claim for future hail damage that is cosmetic ? check with your insurance agent.

So, here are a few statistics on hail

? Every year has its fair share of severe hail storms. They tend to be concentrated in the eastern two-thirds of the United State. Hail Reporter provides interesting statistics, maps, and graphs of storm activity in recent years.

? The largest hail event ever recorded in southern California was a storm with 2.75? diameter hail stones that occurred in Riverside County in September 1960.

? The largest recorded hail stone in the US fell in Vivian, SD in July 2010. It measured nearly 8? in diameter ? about the size of a bowling ball. This individual stone weighed nearly two pounds.

? While we think of the worst storms as being in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, the costliest hailstorm in US history occurred in St. Louis, Missouri in April 2001 with claims totaling over $2 billion while the second costliest was in St. Louis in April 2012 with losses estimated at $1.6 billion.

? The most expensive damages caused by hail tend to be roofs, sidewalls, gutters, and vehicles. Severe storms, though, can even crack concrete sidewalks and driveways. Depending upon the timing of the storm, crop damage can also be extensive.

2013 has been a very active year for hail thus far. While March through June are historically the worst months for hail, devastating storms can occur throughout the year and are the result of layered ice particles being formed by unstable air masses with strong updrafts.

Aluminum Shakes Recognized

In the January 5, 2008 edition of the Chicago Daily Herald, someone posed a question to their Home and Gardens editor considering roofing options. This person wanted the look of wood shakes on their home but they were concerned about the ultimate durability of those products.

In answering their question, the editor went through a very comprehensive description of wood shakes, the various types of wood and respective attributes of each. But, after going through all of that, they ended their answer with the following:

For the longest lasting roof, consider installing an aluminum roof formed to simulate cedar shakes. From the ground, it looks authentic. The large panels make installation quicker than real shakes or shingles. The aluminum roof can keep your house cooler during the summer and it is fireproof so your insurance premiums may be lower. ? Chicago Daily Herald

Considering that Classic Metal Roofing Systems is the only manufacturer of aluminum shake products, we certainly appreciate their recognition of the durability and beauty of our products!

Tags: aluminum shakes, wood shakes

There are a lot of things that come to mind when you think about building an environmentally friendly home. Some homeowners might imagine solar panels on the roof, while others might picture Energy Star appliances inside. Some will focus on energy-efficient windows, and others will think about insulation that keeps the pleasant temperatures in, and the unpleasant ones out, with minimal energy loss. What a lot of homeowners overlook, though, is their siding. Which is really too bad, because James Hardie fiber cement siding is a great way to go green, and save some green, all at the same time.

What's So Great About James Hardie Siding?

James Hardie siding is made from fiber cement. What that means is that cellulose fibers (made from plant material) are mixed with cement. The mixture is then dyed, and pressed into boards, which are given a particular pattern. So, what you have is cladding that's made from cement, but which can be made to look like a slew of other materials.

But what is so great about fiber cement siding? Especially in comparison to more natural, wood siding, or aluminum or vinyl siding?

Well, the simple answers are "durability," "strength," and "ability to be recycled." You see, while genuine wood siding can bevery attractive, it doesn't stand up to the elements very well. It swells when it gets wet, dries out and cracks when exposed to the sun, and it's a prime target for insects like termites. Not only that, but wood siding will only last for a few years if it's untreated, and only for a few years longer than that if it is treated with harsh chemicals.

Vinyl siding is more durable than wood, but it comes with its own problems. Vinyl siding has been known to release toxic chemicals when it gets hot, and it can warp over time. Not only that, but vinyl siding cannot be easily recycled, when it can be recycled at all. Aluminum siding, by contrast, is very long-lived, but it shows wear easily. It fades, and everything from hail to the occasional harshly flung frisbee can leave dents in aluminum that will be there for the life of your home. It also needsto be repainted, which can grow extremely tiresome.

James Hardie siding combines the strengths of all these different forms of cladding, with none of their weaknesses. It brings the aesthetic appeal of wood siding, but it's impervious to vermin, and stands up in the face of the elements. Fiber cement siding has the flexibility of vinyl when it comes to color and style, but it is safe, natural, and completely recyclable. It also brings the longevity and strength of aluminum, but it stands up against impacts, and can weather wear and tear with far greater grace.

In addition to all of those benefits, though, James Hardie siding is environmentally friendly. The manufacturing process creates no hazardous waste, and the fiber cement boards can be recycled and remade over and over again. They're simply ground up, and then re-molded. They're also cheaper over the life of the cladding than other options, given how long they last while maintaining both their pattern and color.

The Long-Term Impact of Your Home

If you're serious about building a green home, you need to look at the lifetime of the structure. James Hardie siding is a long-term investment that starts green, and stays green, while keeping your home protected from everything nature can throw at it. For more information on this unique fiber cement siding, and how it can keep you and your loved ones safe, simply contact us today!

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Garden roofs or green roofs have been gaining in popularity as environmental awareness increases. At first thought, it may seem a radical idea when in reality, it can be a great way to utilize otherwise wasted space. The benefits of this kind of project are much more substantial than simply growing flowers and vegetation. With some effort, almost any roof can be turned into a beautiful skyline landscape to enjoy and help conserve energy.

When considering this kind of project, there are a number of important details that must be thought about before getting starting, the most essential one being the ability of the supporting structure to bear such weight. A typical, flat roof weighs about five to six pounds per square foot on its own, so it is imperative to know how much of a saturated load the structure can handle. Only then would it be safe to plan which type of green roof will be installed ? extensive or intensive.

• Extensive ? An extensive garden roof is lighter, smaller and requires less maintenance. Using between 2 to 6 inches of substrate, the saturated load is about fifteen to eighteen pounds per square foot, allowing for extensive plants to be grown even on metal. These gardens are usually planted with low growth plants having shallow roots, not requiring any kind of irrigation system as rain water is usually sufficient water especially if drought-resistant plants are used. Because of this, the extensive plan also provides the most runoff control since more water is absorbed with this than irrigated gardens.
• Intensive ? Intensive layouts are much heavier, consisting of deeper plant beds that require much more soil and substrate. While this allows for a wider variety of plants to be grown, it also makes irrigation a necessity as well as increases the load per square foot to upwards of 100 pounds. Add to that any other landscape or hardscape features and the load is even greater. These types of roof gardens are only suitable with structural concrete roofs and generally require a lot more maintenance.

Installation

Besides roof weight-bearing capabilities, other important factors are installation requirements to provide waterproof protection and other modifications to ensure stability. In some situations and especially with older buildings, the amount of required work outweighs any benefit, making the idea a lot less appealing. There are emergency drainage and wind updraft concerns that need to be addressed as well as fireproofing and testing of the roof waterproofing membrane before any garden plan is ready to go.

Benefits

Although this may seem like a fun and interesting project, installing a garden roof is a lot of hard work and initial expense. Once plants have been put in and are well-established, benefits will begin to be noticed. Lower cooling and heating bills and in some cases home-grown food can be the result. Environmentally, reducing storm water runoff has been known to help prevent sewer flooding and soil erosion while aiding in the prevention of elevated urban heat and poor air quality.

A garden at the top of any building can be an environmentally friendly way of reducing the cost of energy while adding a perfect touch of nature that looks great and provides a calming environment to escape the rigors of city life!

Call Schulte Roofing To Be Your Expert Houston Roof Builders!

Are you interested in finding a Houston roof firm to help make decisions about installing a garden roof? Contact the experts at Schulte Roofing at 800-367-7663 for professional advice for all Houston area customers about such a project!