Top building products for September 2024

According to The Metal Construction Assocition, a metal roof will not make lightning more likely to strike, but it may make a lightning strike less dangerous if it occurs. That’s right, less dangerous, not more.

Metal roofing material is known for its durability, but it also offers two other sustainable attributes that are sometimes overlooked: enhanced energy-efficiency and high recyclability.

A fascinating client story by Fluor SVP Robert Prieto reminds us that sometimes it’s the simplest details that can bring about real results today—and we shouldn’t overlook them, even as we push to change the future state of project facilitation. 

From a crowd-funded smart shovel to a why-didn’t-someone-do-this-sooner scheme for managing traffic in public restrooms, these ideas are noteworthy for creative problem-solving. Here are some of the most intriguing innovations the BD+C community has brought to our attention this year.

This AIA/CES-approved presentation provides information regarding proper design to prevent possible infiltration from the roof system into the building. It also works as a guide when designing a roof to allow for proper water runoff.

NRCA's EnergyWise Roof Calculator Online has been updated to include information from the 2012 version of the International Code Council's International Energy Conservation Code and the 2012 version of the International Green Construction Code .

A dramatic interior green wall at Drexel University and a massive, 4.4-acre vegetated roof at the Kauffman Performing Arts Center in Kansas City are among the projects honored in the 2013 Green Roof and Wall Awards of Excellence. 

US demand for roofing is projected to rise 3.5 percent annually to 268 million squares in 2017, valued at $27.2 billion.  This will be a rebound from the declines seen between 2007 and 2012 when roofing demand fell as a result of a steep drop in building construction.