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Air Barriers: Controlling Air Movement

Hillary Dye - noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:00:00 GMT

By: Colin Szewaga, C.E.T., Technical Services Advisor, Air Barrier Association of America

The Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) is a US-based trade association based in Walpole, Massachusetts. ABAA’s goal is to promote and educate the public on the use, optimum design, installation practices and benefits of air barrier materials and continuous air barrier systems. ABAA is focused on leading the industry into the future in a progressive and professional manner.

ABAA’s membership consists of stakeholders in the building enclosure industry such as air barrier manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, architects, engineers, contractors, researchers, testing labs, inspection and audit agencies, consultants, building owners and managers.

State energy code requirements are becoming more and more stringent driven by factors such as green house gas reduction, an environmentally conscious public, increasing energy costs and the effects of moisture on a building’s durability and service life. ABAA’s role as the voice of the air barrier industry is becoming increasingly apparent.

ABAA’s GOALS

ABAA is the center of excellence in the air barrier industry. The association’s long term strategy revolves around three intertwining goals. First, the association seeks to raise the standard of proficiency in the industry through the ABAA On-Site Quality Assurance Program (QAP), based on the principles outlined in ISO 9000. Second, ABAA will continue to play a pivotal role in the education and outreach of the industry to government, the professional design community, building owners and managers, utilities and other industry stakeholders. Finally, ABAA is dedicated to providing continuing education to the industry. The association offers premier training to air barrier installers, auditors, as well as AIA accredited courses for design professionals.

WHAT IS AN AIR BARRIER SYSTEM?

In a nutshell, air barriers control the unintended movement of air into and out of a building enclosure. Air barrier systems are comprised of a number of materials which are assembled together to provide a continuous barrier to air leakage through the building enclosure. The building enclosure includes all six sides of the building and may also include interior separations. This system essentially “wraps” the building shell and ensures protection from the effects of air leakage, which can have detrimental effects on how a building functions and can potentially reduce its life span.

WHY USE AN AIR BARRIER?

A properly functioning air barrier system blocks both air leakage and the diffusion of air caused by wind, stack effect and mechanical equipment pressures.

For the occupants of a building to be comfortable, air is conditioned. In summer, the air is normally cooled and dehumidified to a lower temperature and humidity than the exterior environment. In winter, the opposite is done; the air is heated and humidified to a higher temperature and humidity than the exterior.

When conditioned air leaks out of a building and unconditioned air leaks into a building, additional energy must be used to condition the air. Air leakage can result in increased energy costs of up to 30-40% in heating climates and 10-15% in cooling ones.

Buildings which have a properly installed air barrier system can operate properly and more efficiently with a smaller HVAC system as the mechanical engineer does not have to oversize the equipment to compensate for a leaky building. In some cases, the reduction in mechanical equipment size can offset the cost of the air barrier system.

Air barrier systems also provide a barrier to pollutants entering either the building or its enclosure. Water vapor, suspended particulates, dust, insects, biological contaminants, smells, etc., are all pollutants which need to be keep out of either the building in general or the building enclosure. Water vapor that leaks into the building enclosure (from the inside in heating climates and from the outside in cooling climates) can condensate and form liquid. This water can eventually corrode metals in the building assembly, provide one of the ingredients needed for mold growth, and saturate building materials such as fibrous insulations, gypsum wall board and wood.

Some of the benefits of a properly design air barrier system include:

• Building occupants are more comfortable and protected from drafts, noise and pollutants.

• Mechanical systems can be properly sized and sometimes reduced because they do not have to compensate for air leakage, and the equipment will work more efficiently.

• Greatly reduced moisture transport by air leakage into the wall assembly. Air leakage has the ability to transport exponentially more moisture into and through the building enclosure than occurs through vapor diffusion alone.

BENEFITS OF AIR BARRIERS SYSTEMS FOR OWNERS

The benefits of an air barrier system are many to both the building owners and the occupants of the building. As a building owner, you are able to decrease building operating costs through reduced energy bills, and increase satisfaction of building occupants, which may enhance a building’s rental income potential. Additionally, the long-term durability of a building will increase with a properly designed and installed air barrier system, which will provide for a long life span of the building without major cladding and wall retrofits.

NEW AND RETROFIT CONSTRUCTION

Air barriers can be installed in all buildings, new and retrofit. In new construction, the design of the air barrier is straight forward. Once the design drawings are complete, one should be able to trace a line on the set of building plans to identify the plane of air tightness and air barrier on all six sides of the building without the pen being lifted. This test ensures continuity of the air barrier on the entire building.

If a building is being renovated, air barriers or air tightness strategies can also be designed into the building. This application is not that much different than new building construction. In this instance, the scope of work has to be analyzed to decide whether the air barrier will be installed on the inside of the wall or on the outside. If the cladding is not being removed, but the interior is being gutted, the air barrier can be placed on the inside wall.

AIR BARRIERS IN CODE

Currently, six states require air barriers in their energy code. These include Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and Rhode Island. ABAA’s website has links to each of these states. In addition, many U.S. states reference either ASHRAE 90.1 or the International Energy Conservation Code for their energy performance requirement. Recent updates to ASHRAE 90.1-2010, ASHRAE 189.1-2010, the 2012 International Residential Code and the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) all now have requirements for a continuous air barrier. Look for announcements from your state government and ABAA in the future on their adoption of these codes.

ABAA QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM

ABAA’s on-site quality assurance program (QAP) is the result of a variety of initiatives that provide a level of assurance that a specific product is installed correctly or a specific service is being provided to the highest possible standards. ABAA's QAP is modeled after the standards outlined in the ISO 9000 program and consists of nine components:

• Research and Development of Means and Methods
• Installation Standards and Specifications
• Manufacturer Accreditation
• Contractor Accreditation
• Individual Installer Training and Accreditation
• Project Documentation and Reporting
• Third-Party Audits
• Project Database Tracking
• Impartial Resource for Help

Why Specify the ABAA Quality Assurance Program?

There are many reasons to specify the ABAA QAP on a project. Often, the air barrier assembly is a non-maintainable component of the building enclosure. There is only one chance to ensure correct installation prior to the application of other components in the building enclosure. Repair costs can be up to 60 times more expensive than ensuring proper initial installation. As such, the ABAA QAP makes sure the job is done right, the first time.

Benefits Include:

• Decrease in liability for the design professional
• Assurance that the installation meets the specification requirements
• Providing the best for your client in an emerging industry
• Support from an impartial body
• Detailed records of each project from start to finish
• Assistance in project discrepancies
• Technical resources for architects

Any project that incorporates the ABAA QAP will receive the following:

• ABAA Accredited Contractors: Only contractors who have met ABAA's mandatory quality assurance and training requirements are awarded accredited contractor status. These contractors have completed air barrier training, are required to sign a licensing agreement to ensure professional conduct and are obligated to meet the requirements of the QAP on a continuous basis. (put accredited logo here)

• ABAA Certified Installers: Individual installers are required to complete leading-edge training programs designed to provide them with the skill sets required to perform air barrier installations to the highest degree of quality. Installers are also required to sign a licensing agreement to ensure professional conduct and are obligated to meet the requirements of the QAP on a continuous basis.

• On-Site Quality Control: Installers are required to undertake quality control measures on a daily basis. They have completed air barrier training and utilize equipment to inspect and test the quality of their work to ensure it conforms to the standards outlined in the QAP.

• Documentation and Reporting: The installers document the entire installation process on daily job site reports. These reports include information on the installer, substrates, substrate preparation, products used, ambient and substrate temperature, the location of the air barrier installation, the results of their quality control procedures and testing results. Every job site report is reviewed by the QAP managers and added to the project database.

• Third-Party Audits: Audits take place on every project that specifies the ABAA Quality Assurance Program. Independent third-party auditors review adherence to the QAP, installation instructions, manufacturers' recommendations and the overall quality of the installation of the air barrier. A report is then provided to the design professional and the building owner. The minimum number of audits ABAA will conduct is based on the total square footage of the air barrier material that is being installed. Additional audits may also be conducted, and the design professional may specify as many audits as they wish over and above the ABAA minimum.

WHERE TO START

All managerial, technical and administrative aspects of the ABAA QAP are handled by third-party organizations. Everything from accreditation, audits, conflict resolution, paperwork review and the assessment of demerit points are handled through this impartial organization. All members must demonstrate and maintain a high quality of workmanship to be associated with the program. To find an accredited ABAA contractor, manufacturer, distributor, design professional or building envelope consultant in your area, visit www.airbarrier.org. The ABAA website also provides a plethora of information including CAD details, technical information, master specifications and other design information for the design professional.

Colin Szewaga, C.E.T., is the Technical Services Advisor with the Air Barrier Association of America. Colin assists industry members such as architects, engineers, contractors, air barrier installers and building officials on the proper design, installation and further requirements of air barrier materials and systems. Colin is a supporter of local air barrier and building science learning opportunities by assisting in the development and planning of educational events and conferences. He can be reached at 1-866-956-5888 or cszewaga@buildingprofessionals.com.

3-May-12 11:00 AM

RoofPoint: A New Sustainable Rating Tool for Facility Managers

Hillary Dye - noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:00:00 GMT

By Dr. Jim Hoff, Research Director,

Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing

When the U. S. Green Building Council initiated the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building program in 2001, one of its primary objectives was to "transform the built environment."

Now, 10 years on from the introduction of LEED, the evidence for this transformation have become obvious. Ten thousand LEED buildings have been certified and over 100,000 LEED-Accredited Professionals participate in the program. As a result, it is rare to find a professional facility manager who hasn't been involved with a LEED project or with LEED-influenced construction practices.

Today, 10 years after the introduction of LEED, a similar transformation is occurring in the roofing industry. At the beginning of 2011, the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing (CEIR) launched a sustainable guideline for roofing systems that seeks to transform roofing – both in practice and in public perception. This new guideline, called RoofPoint, is similar in function and structure to green building rating systems such as LEED, but it embraces important differences offering unique value to building owners and the green building community.

Similar to green building rating systems, RoofPoint functions as a criterion-based assessment system for sustainable roofs, featuring broad categories of environmental impact with specific strategies to reduce environmental impact within each category. These credits are assessed against specific measurable goals, and the summation of this assessment is expressed as a total point score. Roofing projects meeting a minimum score overall as well in each major category are then recognized to embody the key principles of sustainable roofing.

Although the basic structure of RoofPoint is similar to existing whole-building green rating systems, there are several important differences. Obviously the most important distinction is that RoofPoint focuses exclusively on roofing systems. This approach goes a long way to address roofing industry concerns about potential shortcomings of whole-building rating systems when applied to roofing projects. As an example, the current LEED program specifically addresses roofing in regard to only two characteristics: cool roof surfaces and rooftop vegetation. Although many other roofing-related characteristics are embedded within many LEED credits, they may be difficult to winnow out and apply to a roofing project. As an example, LEED contains exhaustive criteria regarding overall energy efficiency, but because these criteria depend primarily on the use of whole-building energy modeling, the criteria may be difficult and costly to apply to a typical roofing project. RoofPoint addresses this challenge by providing a series of prescriptive energy standards, including recommended minimum R-values, elimination of thermal discontinuities and installation of roof air barriers that allow roofing practitioners to effectively meet the intent of whole-building approaches without requiring complicated and expensive energy modeling.

A second and perhaps more important difference in the RoofPoint program is its emphasis on roof system performance, both initial durability and long-term life cycle management. In addition to reducing environmental impacts, truly sustainable buildings and roofs need to provide superior service life so that the full benefit of reduced environmental impact is achieved. Perhaps nothing could be worse than a sustainably-designed building to end up with a leaky roof that shortens the working life of the entire building and compromises key environmental goals. Examples of durability concepts within RoofPoint include protecting the roof from traffic, assuring positive drainage, adding critical detail enhancements and installing a vapor retarder when needed. In addition, RoofPoint credits focus on key construction processes including on-site moisture protection, project quality assurance and long-term roof maintenance.

For building owners and facility managers, the most important feature is that RoofPoint targets an important construction segment effectively ignored by whole-building green rating systems - the over 2.5 billion square feet of annual nonresidential reroofing activity. Not only are complex whole-building rating systems difficult to apply to reroofing, but the costs of certification are far too expensive to apply to the average reroofing project. As a result, many building owners are increasingly interested in the RoofPoint program.

Behind this interest in RoofPoint for reroofing projects lies another important feature. Almost every facility manager I have talked with recently confirms that before any reroofing contract is awarded, the facility manager is asked by upper management, "Are we doing the right thing?" in regard to sustainable construction. That's why roofing professionals across North America are constantly being asked by facility managers, "Is this a sustainable roof?" With the RoofPoint program, facility managers can now answer this question with a program that provides tangible evidence that the roofing system meets well-defined sustainability criteria - and this achievement can be documented and recognized in much the same way that LEED and similar programs address this need for entire buildings.

In addition to targeting reroofing and validating sustainable roofing practice, RoofPoint delivers several other benefits to building owners. Because RoofPoint embraces every major type of nonresidential roofing in a non-proprietary manner, the program supports building owner demand for choice in selecting roofing systems. And compared to whole-building rating systems such as LEED, RoofPoint is a simple and affordable program that can be easily integrated into almost any roofing project with minimal expense. Finally, large building owners whose organizations have embraced Total Quality Management systems such as ISO 9000 will appreciate RoofPoint's process-based approach to roof system sustainability.

To better understand the value this program can bring to your roofing inventory, please go to the RoofPoint website (www.RoofPoint.org) and visit the Project Profiles page. There you will see a wide variety of roofing projects. I think you’ll also see that, while some of these installations are more complex than the average project, the great majority of these roofs are no different than what you demand for your own facilities– roofs that save energy, conserve resources and provide long-lasting value. And as you see how your roofing assets can easily fit into the RoofPoint database, I encourage you to join the RoofPoint team and help build the professionalism of your organization and the entire industry. All it takes to get started is to download the evaluation form and see how it works for outstanding roofing projects you have specified and managed in the past year. And if you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact CEIR.

Dr. Jim Hoff (jhoff@roofingcenter.org) is Research Director for the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing and president of TEGNOS Research, Inc., a research organization dedicated to advancing understanding of the building envelope. Dr. Hoff also serves as a board member of the Roof Consultants Institute Foundation and the Cool Roof Rating Council.

2-Feb-12 3:00 PM

Restoring a Piece of Texas History

Hillary Dye - noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:00:00 GMT

The Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse has seen many ups and downs in its lifetime. It was built in the mid 1930s as part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Federal Public Works program during The Great Depression as a means to relieve widespread unemployment by generating jobs through its construction. In addition to creating job opportunities, the building housed local federal agencies and helped to streamline San Antonio’s growing postal needs.

The historic building is six stories tall with a traditional grand entrance that makes it a skillful example of the French Beaux-Arts style architecture. Constructed of steel and concrete clad in Texas’ finest pink granite and cream limestone, this polygonal-shaped building highlights a recessed porch behind a screen of six monumental Ionic columns rising to support an entablature that continues around the entire building. Located in the Alamo Plaza Historic District, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as the United States District Court for the Southern District. In 2004, the building was renamed in honor of Hipolito Frank Garcia, a San Antonio native who served on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas from 1980 until his death in 2002.

Fast forward to 2011 when, during another economical downturn, the Federal Building is making an impact again on the economy, but this time with its complete renovation and goal to attain LEED Gold certification when the project is complete in mid-March. Chamberlin was awarded the roofing scope of work from general contractor The Beck Group. The 25-year-old roof system was leaking in several places and began to cause

major problems for the building and its occupants.

Chamberlin’s scope of work consisted of refurbishing the existing clay tile mansard roof, installing an internal gutter system and replacing the existing flat roof system to prepare it for a Photovoltaic solar array on level six and a vegetative system on level two all while court is in session.

A Nationally Registered Historic Landmark

“Restoring a nationally registered historic building comes with unique challenges,” said Chamberlin Superintendent Jack Vaughn, “and it was very important to perform our work in accordance to their historic preservation standards without disturbing the building occupants’ daily business.”

Chamberlin was ready to tackle the challenging project with Vaughn and Project Manager, Patrick Beasley, at the helm organizing Chamberlin’s action plan. The first priority was to stop the ongoing leaks by installing a temporary roof over the existing one to keep the building dry while it was being restored. The building was occupied during the day, so Chamberlin had to work around the court’s schedule in order to keep the disruptions at a minimum. Anytime Chamberlin needed to mobilize material, to the roof areas, it had to be done on the weekend when the building was closed, which made it extremely important to plan ahead and follow a detailed production schedule. In order to safely mobilize material, Alamo Street was shut down and off-duty police officers helped to keep the area safe while tourists strolled near the work site.

Part of Chamberlin’s scope was to remove 20,000 sq. ft. of mansard clay tiles, replace all underlayment and install new stringers. Each tile was removed, power washed and re-installed to retain the original look as closely as possible. Chamberlin commissioned custom tiles to replace the pieces that were broken in the process and each one was color blended to match the original, historic tiles. With the clay tile roof being six stories high, extra care had to be taken that no tile fell from the roof are during the replacement process. This was one of the major safety challenges Chamberlin faced. To prevent injury, safety nets were installed in the areas where the roofing team was working to keep pedestrians and tenants safe from possible falling debris.

As is sometimes typical of older structures, asbestos was found in portions of the wall flashings and roofing

materials, so an abatement company was brought in to safely remove the affected areas.

Roof Recycling for LEED Points

Roof levels two and six of the building had an existing black EPDM ballasted roof membrane installed directly over a built-up roof system. In order to remove the rock ballast from the roof, Chamberlin employed the use of a vacuum truck and every load of ballast was weighed and recycled to obtain points for LEED certification. In order to remove all ballast in the allotted time of two weekends, a set of mobile truck scales were utilized to track the amount of rock that was removed. Like the ballast rock, Chamberlin recycled the roof membrane and flashings as well. Additionally, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified lumber was used where needed to further enhance the building’s sustainability.

A major logistical challenge was delivering the materials to a roof area constructed on level two, which is an interior recessed roof with the building walls surrounding it on all sides like a bowl. The material could not be mobilized to the interior roof through the building; therefore, a crane was used to lift the material over the building walls.

Chamberlin removed all 42,000 sq. ft. of flat roofing down to the concrete deck and adhered poly ISO insulation. Installed over the insulation are a one-half inch cover board and a fully adhered 60 mil TPO single-ply reflective roof membrane. Chamberlin will then install protective slip sheets atop the level two roof to accommodate the vegetative roof system that is being prepared for installation.

The vegetative system, or green roof, will consist of small grasses and shrubs native to the central Texas region and will create an insulating layer that helps reduce building heat, therefore decreasing strain on HVAC systems. Also, rather than shedding rain water to drains, the green roof’s soil will absorb the water to feed plants. Additionally, the green roof will help lower the noise level transmitted through the building and will make great scenery for offices facing the roof area.

A Photovoltaic Team Effort

Chamberlin teamed with Texas Solar Power Company, to install a Photovoltaic (PV) System atop the new roof on level six. The team provided engineering to determine structural attachment requirements for the PV system for wind resistance and weight loading. The building was not originally designed to accommodate a solar panel array, so Chamberlin removed the roof system to expose underlying structural elements to allow for the connection of attachment devices. The solar panels will be rack mounted and tilted to maximize the amount of solar power the building will collect.

Once the PV system is connected into the power grid, the owner will obtain the benefit of offset power usage. The 50 kilowatt PV solar panel system can provide enough electricity to power 15 average family homes. Not only will it reduce current utility bills and the building’s carbon footprint, but it can add value to the property.

“This project required a team effort from each trade, so every person involved was a key player,” said Project Manager Patrick Beasley. “When a challenge came up, our field operations team quickly found a way to overcome it.” Together with Beck, Chamberlin rose to the occasion and worked hard to limit business interruptions during the roof replacement phase while successfully improving sustainability and contributing LEED points to the historic Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building.

2-Feb-12 2:00 PM

Employee Profile

Hillary Dye - noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:00:00 GMT

Bill Lawson

Operations Manager –

Roofing & Sheet Metal

Houston, TX

Bill is one of our favorite Yankees, and we are not talking about the baseball team because he is a diehard Mets fan. Bill began his career in the roofing business in New York straight out of high school and has been “living the roofer’s dream” ever since he joined Chamberlin 14 years ago. On the field and off, Bill is a go-to guy who has a lot of knowledge to share from the school of hard knocks.

Experience:

Bill started out in the roofing industry working alongside his brother as a laborer. He has come a long way since his first job tearing off cold tar pitch roofs and cleaning up the work site. After 10 years of roofing in New York, Bill moved to Houston where he applied at Chamberlin and was hired as a Foreman. With his competitive nature and desire to get results, Bill steadily worked his way through the ranks to his current position of Roofing Operations Manager for the Houston office. Bill has managed roofing teams on many notable projects including L’Auberge du Lac Hotel and Casino, U.T. M.D. Anderson’s Administrative Support Building, Hess Tower, Texas Children’s Hospital West Tower and the large roof replacements atop George H. W. Bush Intercontinental Airport’s Terminal A and D.

A Day in the Life:

Bill is a proactive problem solver and does whatever it takes to get the job done properly with a spirit of cooperation between all parties. That is why you will find him working with Chamberlin superintendents, project managers and estimators to set the course for each project. You will also see him meeting with general contractors and property owners to ensure his team is meeting and exceeding their expectations.

Outlook:

“Project management is an integral part of customer service,” said Bill, “there is no better way to demonstrate our commitment to deliver more than to perform well on the project from start to finish.”

Bill’s goal is to always listen, effectively communicate, be proactive and follow through on all commitments to clients and colleagues. That is a tall order, but Bill knows it is the only way to manage projects and earn future business. He takes pride in his profession and encourages his team to do the same.

Likewise, Bill is a natural teacher. “He is one of the most knowledgeable roofers in our industry,” said Executive Vice President Art Canales, “and I have learned an awful lot from him over the years. Bill has a curious mind along with a focused attention to detail.”

Outside the Office:

Bill likes to spend time with his wife and daughter and participates in their many activities. He takes out the golf clubs for a few swings when he is not at a swim meet or soccer match. One of his favorite pastimes is making homemade pizza. Those in the Chamberlin Houston office are sometimes the lucky recipients of Bill’s creations made with fresh vegetables from his father-in-law’s backyard garden. He will let you have a slice as long as you stick around for a good razzing about that week’s fantasy football results.

We asked Bill to choose his favorites from this random list of things as a way to get to know him a little better:

Online or Offline

St. Patrick or St. Valentine (It’s my anniversary)

NFL or MLB – If I had to choose just one.

Pork or Beans – Both

Led Zeppelin or The Beatles

2-Nov-11 10:00 AM

When Roofs Become Much More Than Simple Roofs

Hillary Dye - noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:00:00 GMT

By: Ken Ollinger RRC, RRO, CCCA, Austech Roof Consultants, Inc.

A decade ago the desire of most knowledgeable owners, designers, and contractors was to “keep it off the roof.” Finding that eliminating unnecessary foot traffic and equipment such as satellite dishes, antennas, piping, etc., was the first step in extending the roof’s useful service life, great efforts were made to limit these things on, as well as penetrations through, the roof. In recent history these simple roofs have evolved and the question now is this: “How can we use the roof surface effectively for other non-roof related functions?”

Roofs are now being used as the location for many functions that need to be designed and integrated into the roof system. Solar arrays, wind turbines, satellite antennas, commercial communication equipment and many other systems are now being installed on the roof. Roofs are also being designed and built to support various amenities such as garden or vegetated roofs, observation, recreation, and meeting areas. Restaurants use roof areas as additional outdoor dining areas, and the list of similar purposes goes on.

Other influences have been affecting roof design as well such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program, the EPA’s ENERGY STAR program, energy codes, along with environmental regulations and ongoing code changes. While these issues and requirements are beneficial, they can create a confusing list of requirements that contractors, designers and owners must be aware of and incorporate in new or replacement roof systems. These influences and requirements are contributing to the need for a greater degree of coordination between the team members to result in a successful project.

Project Planning

The first step of a successful project is planning. Each roofing project undertaken is unique and will have special issues that must be addressed, but there is a plethora of typical items that must go into the planning and design phase to result in a successful project. The considerations can include understanding the code requirements, insurance, uplift resistance, drainage, roof function, deck type, insulation, foot traffic, desired service life, annual maintenance, warranties, etc. While each one of these items can be regarded as a typical heading, each will have several subheadings and can be affected by the additional functions required of the roof.

When it is determined that the roof is being asked to be the platform for non-roof equipment or will be required to support some of the special functions described above, it is beneficial to begin a design checklist or matrix of those functions. The design considerations for each item can then be tracked. I suggest taking into account the design, typical construction, potential damage to the roof and maintenance of each non-roof item and then coordinate that information with the roof design as a whole.

One of the most important items of any successful project is constructability. At the end of the day the owner must have a project that can be built within the anticipated budget, support the non-roof functions, meet all of the requirements and remain watertight for the anticipated service life of the roof. Constructability for each project typically means coordination of all the design requirements for the roof and roof top functions to determine that each works and does not create a harmful effect on the other.

A Team Effort

Construction of today’s roofs must be a team effort. Contractors, owners, manufacturers and designers must maintain an open relationship to construct today’s complicated roof systems incorporating the desired non-roof functions. Manufacturers of the roof mounted equipment are often a good source of information regarding the requirements for their particular systems. They also must be made aware of the end requirements necessary to make the roof perform as desired for its anticipated service life while supporting their equipment. Roof membrane manufacturers are typically an excellent resource for warranty requirements, roof protection, code compliance and general roof installation information. Qualified and knowledgeable contractors are also a key element in successful projects. In today’s market, contractors must be versed in a multitude of roof systems and also be knowledgeable about the non-roof systems that are to be incorporated. In addition, the roof system must be integrated with the entire building envelope, so contractors must be versed in the nuances of coordinating the roof and building envelope. It is beneficial to open the dialogue with qualified contractors early to discuss systems, constructability, requirements, maintenance and probable costs.

The entire team must understand the construction sequencing. Roofs are typically constructed to resist foot traffic and other abuse after construction, but when the roof is going to be used for other functions, the need for roof protection may be immediate to prevent damage during installation of other equipment and penetrations. The team must determine what the protection requirements are and who will provide the work.

A knowledgeable and cooperative team is also a great benefit during construction. While designers make every effort to provide a good set of complete details and construction documents, they cannot anticipate all of the sequencing and field modifications that may become necessary; therefore, the team approach is essential to make field decisions and provide modification documents in a timely manner as the need arises. Successful projects also benefit greatly from qualified construction observation. Qualified field observers commissioned by contractors, architects, engineers, owners and consultants become an integral part of the construction team.

Commissioning

In the current construction process, commissioning has become a key element for many projects. While commissioning is typically accomplished for the entire project, for this discussion the concentration is on the roof. While accomplishing the punch-list review, the roof system designer should consider the entire roof assembly including non-roof functions. When considering the roof as a platform, all of the items that affect the roof’s performance should be noted even though correction of some of those items will likely not be accomplished by the roof installer. Noting items that need to be completed by trades other than the roof installer on the roof punch-list report will indicate the importance of coordination and how each function will affect the others.

The primary function of the roof is to keep the facility watertight. Failure of owners, designers and contractors to keep that basic function in mind while achieving the larger goals will result in long-term problems, expensive repairs and a potentially reduced service life for the roof. The days of the “keep it off the roof” approach are rapidly fading into the sunset. Today, the roof is a valuable contributor to the building’s overall appearance as well as its environmental and energy performance. The team must “stay on top of the game” taking an all-encompassing approach to the roof design, construction, and management to result in watertight, long-term performance while supporting the other non-roof functions desired.

REFERENCES

Thomas W. Hutchinson, AIA, CSI, FRCI, RRC presentation at RCI Convention “Roof as a Platform”

Biasell, Natasha “Innovative Roofing Inspires Solar Energy Collaboration.” RCI Interface July 2009

Ken is a Senior Consultant with Austech Roof Consultants, Inc. in Austin, Texas. Austech was established in 1984 and has offices in both Austin and San Antonio, Texas. Austech specializes in roofing, waterproofing and building envelope technology. Austech provides Construction Documents, Reports, Moisture Surveys, Quality Control Monitoring, Design Reviews, and Expert Testimony on both new and retrofit projects. Ken can be reached at 512-443-7255 or ken@austechrci.com.

1-Nov-11 11:00 AM

Houston Food Bank: Ready to Serve Even More

Hillary Dye - noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:00:00 GMT

The Houston Food Bank has been serving Harris and 17 other southeast Texas counties since 1982. At In their first year they delivered about one million pounds of food to community distribution programs. In 2010 the Food Bank dispersed 70 million pounds of food and fed 137,000 individuals each week through its charitable network of food pantries, shelters and nutrition programs. With an admirable goal of increasing its output to 120 million pounds of food annually by 2018, the Food Bank needed larger digs to help them reach their full potential.

The Food Bank purchased a warehouse facility from Sysco Foods, Inc. on the east side of Houston that fit the bill; it is four times larger than their previous location, and it has a warehouse area to prep and house dry goods as well as a massive refrigerator and freezer to store perishable items. The nonprofit organization made one of the biggest leaps in its history when they decided to buy this facility, and each dollar spent in its renovation is being maximized to its fullest. They chose a “guaranteed maximum price” project delivery method so that all cost savings could be given back to the organization’s cause.

General Contractor, Tellepsen Builders, selected Chamberlin as the roofing subcontractor for the 308,000 sq. ft. facility. “It was a no-brainer to hire Chamberlin for this project,” said Tellepsen Quality Coordinator Bob Dulovics. “Not only were they the low bidder, but they have the expertise and infrastructure to meet the demands of this challenging project.”

The integrity of the entire building envelope is a vital part of this food processing facility because of its large refrigerated areas and low tolerance for moisture intrusion. The existing roof systems atop the facility were a hodgepodge of EPDM, BUR and Modified Bitumen. Chamberlin’s task was to remove the roofs and replace them with reliable, energy efficient systems.

The 70,000 sq. ft. freezer and cooler spaces came with their own set of challenges. The potential for moisture formation around a cold storage unit in Houston’s hot, humid climate created a critical need to get the design right from the beginning to ensure airtight integrity. Chamberlin worked with the construction team to come up with design details to solve problems associated with the different internal temperatures of the large refrigerated coolers while considering moisture protection, energy efficiency and cost control.

“Chamberlin’s attention to detail, making sure edges were properly sealed to keep water and air out, was very important,” said Dulovics, “a lot of thought went into making a building envelope that looks and performs well.”

The freezer had an EPDM black membrane system that was removed down to the metal deck, which was found to be rusting. The Chamberlin team painted and primed the deck with rust inhibitor and sealed all penetrations and perimeters with a vapor barrier to ensure its airtightness. Ten inches of insulation was adhered to the deck to the meet the required R-55 thermal resistance for the freezer and refrigerator. A white, reflective Carlisle TPO single-ply membrane capped off the system to reduce heat transference for further energy efficiency.

A large portion of the existing roof over the 200,000 sq. ft. dry good warehouse and truck facility had a Loadmaster-type deck, which can be tricky to work on during replacement. With a deck of this type, heavy materials or equipment on the roof could easily overload its capacity. So, Chamberlin was mindful to stage material and coordinate manpower to prevent any damage to the deck or injury to workers. The new roof system over the warehouse has a thermal resistance value of R-30 with five inches of roofing insulation. This is unusual because, by code, the Food Bank could have gone with an assembly as low as R-17, but chose to upgrade for the comfort of their volunteers who work in the warehouse each day.

Part of the warehouse roof was a good candidate for a TPO overlay with new insulation rather than a full removal and replacement, saving the Food Bank as much as $100,000 in additional expenses. Chamberlin also installed approximately 100 skylights and curbs over the warehouse and enclosed offices providing access to daylight and reducing the need for artificial lighting.

Though there were significant safety concerns on the roof with a large number of existing skylights to be removed and the Loadmaster carrying capacity, Chamberlin was experienced and detail oriented in preparing the safety plan.

“Safety challenges were easily overcome by Chamberlin due to their safety-minded culture,” said Dulovics, “we didn’t have to worry about them because they are very professional about what they do.”

Fall protection hazards at the building perimeter and around skylights were identified and discussed in Chamberlin’s morning team meetings and regular site visits were performed by in-house safety inspectors.

The Houston Food Bank opened the doors of their new facility to donors and the community on September 23, 2011. On that day the warehouse was filled with over one million pounds of food donations.

"In its first quarter-century, Houston Food Bank has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals - men, women and children from all walks of life and income levels," says Brian Greene, president/CEO of Houston Food Bank, "but, sadly, we must continue to work harder. As the economy fluctuates and people find themselves without work or are unable to make ends meet, they are turning to organizations such as the Houston Food Bank for help, many for the first time ever. This incredible new facility lessens our restrictions so our reach can extend further to help those in need."

1-Nov-11 8:00 AM

Are Employee Badges a Big Deal?

Hillary Dye - noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:00:00 GMT

We think so. Chamberlin has been using an employee badging system for many years as a means to provide proper and obvious identification of our team members on high security projects and in clients’ occupied buildings. Our badges also display the types of craft and safety training the employee has completed ranging from OSHA 10-Hour certification to scaffolds and more.

Each badge includes a photo of the employee, their title and craft. These features provide an extra level of security for you, your tenants and coworkers because you will be able to clearly identify the Chamberlin technician and know they belong there. You will also know at a glance that the worker is fully and properly trained to carry out their duties as their certifications are stamped right on their badge.

All training is performed in-house through our Chamberlin University program by OSHA Outreach Trainers who have certifications from various third party groups such as powder-actuated tool manufacturers and the National Roofing Contractor’s Association. Additionally, new training courses are added to the instructional library and training certification card as required time to time by clients.

The next time you see one of Chamberlin’s 650+ team members take a look at their employee badge. The ID and training badge system, along with our in-house safety inspectors, ensures we are staffing our jobs with skilled workers who are prepared to perform their work safely and productively.

1-Aug-11 3:00 PM

Employee Profile

Hillary Dye - noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:00:00 GMT

Bryan Payne

Estimating Manager –

Waterproofing & Caulking

Dallas, TX

Over the last 12 years, Bryan Payne has worked his way up from a project coordinator to estimating manager and has become one of the most award winning project team members to boot. Matter of fact, he has helped Chamberlin rack up five national project awards for outstanding workmanship and innovation. Here is a bit more about the award winning golden boy.

Experience:

For Bryan, his career at Chamberlin fell into place on its own like a happy accident. He began working for Chamberlin in Dallas one year after graduating from University of Texas upon a suggestion from his former college roommate. Bryan began as a project coordinator in the waterproofing and caulking department.

“Bryan has been a vital part of the success of the waterproofing division in the Dallas/Fort Worth office,” said Chamberlin Vice President David Neal. In 2005, Bryan served as project manager on the North Lake College renovation in Irving, Texas which earned Chamberlin their first Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) National Excellence in Construction Award. In 2007, Bryan’s team also won the McGraw Hill Excellence in Construction award for their work on the J. Erik Johnson Library. His achievements continue to multiply with the 2009 and 2010 ABC Excellence in Construction awards for the Dallas County District Office and the Perry Gate/Fair Park Esplanade Renovation.

Outlook:

Bryan is consistent with his work and knows what it takes to meet clients’ needs. “To me, customer service, safety, quality installation and productivity are the guiding principles for what makes our company great,” Bryan says, “Without these principles Chamberlin is no different from the next low bidder.”

Bryan brings a lot to the table and makes sure all clients are satisfied no matter what. “The best thing about working at Chamberlin is the company’s reputation,” Bryan explains, “In general, Chamberlin’s clients know when we are hired they will get quality work from our company that is executed safely.”

Outside the Office:

Bryan enjoys being active. When he is not winning awards, he is out training for his first marathon. He also enjoys fly fishing in Colorado at his family’s cabin every summer. A little known secret is that if Bryan was not at Chamberlin today he would have followed in the footsteps of his father who is an investigative commander for the Dallas Police Department.

Sponge Bob or Family Guy

4 Door or Coupe

Tweet or Twit

Ribs or Brisket

~~Hardback~~ or ~~Paperback~~ iPad

1-Aug-11 3:00 PM

Are You Prepared for Hurricane Season?

Hillary Dye - noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:00:00 GMT

Hi there. Chamberlin Man here. If you live in the southern states, you know now is the time to get your emergency plan in place for a potentially active hurricane season. One thing to check off your list is setting up emergency response services with a responsible roofing contractor – like the Chamberlin team!

You know better than I that a serious storm can do heavy damage to the roof and exterior walls of your building. And, the folks at Chamberlin are equipped to help you prepare for – and recover from – the full gamut of potential storm damage to your building envelope or parking garage.

The National Hurricane Center predicts we could have 12 to 18 named storms and six to 10 hurricanes, three to six of which could be at least Category 3.

Who knows where those storms will fall, but I guarantee it only takes one hitting the gulf coast to ruin your weekend plans. We’ve seen ‘em in our neck of the woods, and we’ll probably see ‘em again.

So, after you contact the fine folks at Chamberlin to create an emergency plan and secure priority service for your urgent roofing and waterproofing needs, here are some simple tips to help you weather any potential storms:

Remove debris from your roof. Airborne objects can be worse than D-Day during a hurricane.
Don’t let water stand on your roof! Severe ponding can lead to a total roof collapse, so check and clean all drains and scuppers. The same goes for gutters and downspouts. You talk about easy and important!
In high winds, perimeter sheet metal is the first to go if it is not properly secured, so double check it.
Check your HVAC equipment, too. Doors, panels and loose parts will skip like river stones across your roof creating some serious damage if they are not secured.
Trash cans, benches, urns and the like can blow through a building like a freight train, so secure them or store them away before a hurricane or high wind event.

As they say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” I say be educated and prepared so you can be cool-headed if Mother Nature strikes.

Until next time, I’ll be seeing you around.

1-Aug-11 2:00 PM

The Impact of Building Envelope Commissioning

Hillary Dye - noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:15:00 GMT

By: Bill Coltzer, Jr., AIA

President, Zero/Six Consulting, LLC

If you’ve participated in the construction of high performance buildings, you’re probably familiar with the term “commissioning,” although the term has an ever growing range of meanings. In short, commissioning verifies building systems actually perform as they are designed and engineered. Historically, commissioning has focused on mechanical, electrical and IT systems; however, it’s becoming more common to also include the exterior building envelope particularly in the healthcare and research arenas. Unfortunately, no one really knows how to scope the work for the envelope portion of the commissioning process. The envelope is often added as a single line item to a lengthy commissioning specification. One can imagine the variety of responses “commission the exterior envelope” garners from proposers. As an industry, we have the opportunity to influence the development of envelope commissioning protocol.

Multiple reasons exist for the increased popularity of envelope commissioning, but two factors stand out above all others. First is the vast amount of litigation related to water infiltration. This immense market is comprised largely of new buildings less than five years old. In fact, projects that have yet to achieve final completion and are suffering moisture infiltration comprise a large portion of the work at Zero/Six. Second, the demands on mechanical systems for efficiency and air quality control continue to rise. The building envelope is the ultimate building plenum (duct). The ability of sub systems within the envelope to perform is closely related to the tightness of the building envelope.

Develop the Intent

Commissioning is as much a design verification process as a quality assurance process. In traditional MEP/IT commissioning, the commissioning agent is placed on the project team very early to provide input during design. This is to ensure that if a facility is constructed as shown in the construction documents, it will perform as specified. It is equally important that the envelope commissioning begins early along with MEP/IT. Think about it. If a pump, switch or air handler does not perform, it can be replaced; however, if a flashing is left out, portions of the cladding may have to be removed to install it. Then consider the same flashing might have been left out at every window of an occupied high rise structure and now you have a remedial project that will require significant time and funding. One of the goals of envelope commissioning in the design phase is to address details before they become issues.

Because building architecture varies from project to project, mock ups of the project specific conditions are invaluable. Although cladding systems may be repeated among various projects, the relationship to adjacent systems is always changing. In these interfaces lie unlimited new scenarios needing to be fully considered and addressed. With the evolution of Building Information Modeling (BIM), many of these mock ups can be generated inexpensively on a virtual platform, although for testing purposes, there is no substitute for a full size working mock up.

Inspect the Product

Once construction documents convey intent, the next step is a quality control (QC) program executed by persons who understand how the various systems will interface. The success of the QC program is largely dependent on the ability of the inspector to safely access hard to reach areas regularly. As part of the QC program, deficient work is logged as it is observed and tracked to resolution. In other words, no punch list surprises at the substantial completion date.

Test the Collaborative Effort

Because testing verifies design as well as construction, it should be done as early in the process as practical so repetitive deficiencies can be corrected prior to a full blown remediation effort. In other words, if a window is being improperly installed, catch it with testing at 10 percent completion, not 100 percent. Testing commonly included in envelope commissioning includes:

Flood testing of below-grade areas and waterproofed terraces
Pull testing of sealant joints
Water infiltration testing of windows per ASTM E1105
Roof Uplift Testing per ASTM E907
Thermal imaging envelopecomponents

Count the Cost

While commissioning the exterior building envelope is an additional line item in the project estimate, it rarely adds to the bottom line of the total project cost. More often, it safeguards project budgets and deadlines. Projects that do not address envelope issues up front often end up addressing them near substantial completion due to failed testing. The cost associated with recovery programs are almost always more than the cost associated with an envelope commissioning program, sometimes substantially more. Unfortunately, the following case study is not unique:

A high rise project had over 1600 high performance, prefabricated punched windows in pre-cast concrete openings. In an effort to provide better quality control of the window units, the contractor elected to fabricate these units off site in a shop environment. The project team included a premier architect, a first class construction team, a first class product and the world’s easiest window installation detail. No problem, right? Wrong! Somewhere between the shop and the project site, the units were ever so slightly damaged resulting in water infiltration during rain events. We suspect the damage was related to shipping and crating due to the consistent nature of the defect, but it really does not matter. (Mind you, the units were laboratory tested in the city where manufactured.) A commissioning program would have tested these installed windows early and established a recovery plan which would have prevented the post mortem removal of 1600 windows delaying occupancy for three months. The process of testing would have been pennies compared to the removal of installed windows.

In closing, the “whole building” commissioning process – including the envelope -- is an invaluable tool for the entire project team. Potential performance issues can be identified and addressed during design thus defusing construction defect claims where mediation finds everyone writing checks. Additionally, commissioning provides well documented building performance at building delivery preventing maintenance issues from becoming design or construction claims. Commissioning is a vehicle that allows you to simultaneously protect your firm while increasing client satisfaction.

Develop the Intent + Inspect the Product + Test the Collaborative Effort

With a background in both construction and architecture, Bill formed Zero/Six Consulting in 2003 with the goal of improving technical quality from all disciplines regarding exterior envelope. The firm provides peer reviews, forensic investigations, quality control inspections and expert testimony. In 2010, the firm’s existing testing department formed Z6 Commissioning, LLC – a certified HUB entity. Bill can be reached at 409-740-0090 or info@z6consulting.com.

1-Aug-11 10:15 AM

Chamberlin Celebrates 115 Years of Service

noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:12:52 GMT

2012 marks Chamberlin's 115th anniversary. It all started with John Chamberlin and his 1890 patent on one of the nation's first metal weather stripping products. After many years of work, the Chamberlin Metal Weather Strip Company was incorporated in 1897 and business began. As we celebrate this milestone we will embrace our history and the hard-won experience we've gained over the years. We also, and perhaps more importantly, look to the future and work to ensure that we continue to enjoy long-term, trusting relationships with our clients: general contractors, property managers, building owners, facility managers and consultants. Over the last 100-plus years, there have been many changes in our industry: new products, new designs, new competitors and more. Certainly the world has changed dramatically since the 1890's and Chamberlin has changed with it. One thing, though, that has not changed is our commitment to provide a high quality product at a competitive price...

Excellence In Construction Awards

noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:00:00 GMT

Chamberlin was recognized at the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC) Greater Houston Chapter Excellence in Construction (EIC) Awards for their exemplary work on two projects. The awards ceremony was held at the Wortham Theater on Thursday, October 20, 2011. Chamberlin's work on the George Bush Intercontinental Airport Terminal A Roof Replacement project won a Merit award in the Other Specialty Construction category. As a result of life-cycle degradation and subsequent damage caused by Hurricane Ike, Chamberlin was called on by General Contractor Axiom Construction Company, Inc. to remove and replace the existing roof system, which is approximately the size of two and a half football fields. Chamberlin installed a new Energy Star rated single-ply system while following strict TSA protocols with zero business interruptions. Chamberlin walked away with another Merit award in the Specialty Contractor Finish Exterior category for their work on the...

National Project and Safety Award

noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Mon, 02 May 2011 13:00:00 GMT

Chamberlin is proud to again be the recipient of national honors for its first class safety program and project execution teams. Chamberlin was recognized as a winner of the 2010 Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) National Safety Merit Award and National Eagle Award during the 21^st annual Excellence in Construction Awards banquet at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Orlando, Florida.

The ABC National Safety Excellence Awards honor companies whose safety performance and programs are judged to be exemplary and exhibit a measurable commitment to jobsite hazard analysis and training. In fact, Chamberlin invested over 11,800 man-hours in safety training and education in 2010.

The National Eagle award was received in recognition of the historical restoration of Fair Park Esplanade in Dallas, Texas in the “Exteriors – All Other Exterior Finishes” category. Chamberlin’s innovation and commitment to superior craftsmanship are some of the key elements that helped the team earn the award. As a single source contractor on the project, Chamberlin performed both the roofing and waterproofing work on the fountain, main entrance and ticket booths at the Texas State Fair Park.

The Excellence in Construction awards program is one of the industry’s leading competitions in the construction industry.Winning projects are judged on degree of difficulty, innovation, scheduling, safety

and workmanship.

Cisco Data Center Named a Project of the Year

noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Mon, 02 May 2011 13:00:00 GMT

Chamberlin was a finalist in Sika Sarnafil’s 2010 Project of the Year competition in the low-slope category for roofing system installation at Cisco Data Center in Allen, Texas.

Sika Sarnafil is a leading manufacturer in thermal plastic roofing and waterproofing systems. For the 12^th annual awards competition, entries were judged on project complexity, design uniqueness, project importance, quality craftsmanship and creative problem solving.

Chamberlin was responsible for both the roofing and waterproofing systems installed at the Cisco Data Center. The 160,000 sq. ft., single story building houses offices and data equipment that is operational 24 hours a day.

A complex installation of multiple roofs made this project unique. Two types of integral roofing systems were installed, which are designed to keep the building watertight and protect critical data processing hardware. Additionally, the fully adhered, 80 mil G410 Sarnafil membrane roof system was designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 120 miles per hour.

Chamberlin accepted the award during the 2011 International Roofing Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Setting the Standard for Business Excellence

noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:00:00 GMT

Chamberlin was recognized with the 2010 Business Excellence Award of Merit from the Houston chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) in the Mega Commercial Specialty Contractor category. The ABC Business Excellence Awards program was created to recognize and honor ABC member companies based on their business and managerial practices. Chamberlin is especially honored to receive this award, because we, of course, believe our team and business practices set the standard in our industry.

Submissions were evaluated on human resource practices, business management philosophies, training and continuing education offered to employees, ABC involvement, community service, company safety, environmentally friendly practices and other assessment methods.

Among the criteria featured in the Chamberlin award entry were our achievements related to Chamberlin University, our in-house craft training, safety and mentoring program. Chamberlin University has not only raised the level of education and professionalism in our team, but it has also bolstered an individual sense of pride and accomplishment.

The award submission stated in conclusion, “Chamberlin is a growing company with an established reputation for excellence in the industry. There is no one thing that makes Chamberlin excellent; rather, it is a combination of executive integrity that trickles down to each employee, an effective business model, values that cultivate good communication and team building, and a unique niche of expertise in the marketplace. Ultimately, it is all about the team of people at Chamberlin who make the difference. We believe our team is as good as it gets.”

Setting The Standard for Business Excellence

noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 21:30:00 GMT

In photo from left to right: Wayne Navarro, ABC Houston chairperson; Joe Cotten, Chamberlin senior project manager; Monica Keels, Chamberlin marketing manager; and award presenter, Jim “Mattress Mac” McIngvale of Gallery Furniture.

Safety is a Way of Life at Chamberlin

noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:00:00 GMT

For companies that claim safety is a priority, Associated Builders & Contractors’ (ABC) Safety Training & Evaluation Process (STEP) can help them prove it; and that is exactly what Chamberlin did again this year. Chamberlin applied for the 2010 Platinum STEP Award this past spring and was recently presented with another year of Platinum status at this year’s awards ceremony in Dallas, Texas. This is Chamberlin’s fourth consecutive year to receive Platinum status.

To achieve ABC’s STEP Platinum award, a company must have a total recordable incident rate of at least 25 percent below specific industry averages for the previous data year, maintain an Experience Modification Rate of 0.800 or below, submit their official U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration Forms 300 and 300A on work-related injuries and illnesses for review and attain a particular STEP self-evaluation score.The self-evaluation scores are determined by general company information, safety performance data, a detailed safety assessment and company management involvement.

STEP was established in 1989 by the ABC National Environment, Health & Safety Committee. The benefit of the program is for both large and small contractors to analyze their safety program each year and develop new ways to improve upon it.

It’s safe to say that at Chamberlin we are truly dedicated to providing effective training and a safe workplace on every job we undertake – it’s a way of life.

Accolades for Fair Park Esplanade Project

noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:00:00 GMT

Chamberlin completed the Fair Park Esplanade project in October 2009, and since that time the team has been recognized for their work by various organizations including TEXO The Construction Association's 2010 Building Awards competition and Texas Construction Magazine's Best Of Awards. TEXO Award The 2010 TEXO awards program was the first for the Building Awards competition. The Building Awards was designed to be a consolidation of the North Texas chapters of Associated Builders and Contractors' (ABC) Excellence in Construction and QUOIN's Summit Awards programs. The new TEXO Building Awards consists of 30 categories for both general contractors and specialty contractors in which projects may be submitted. The projects were scored on criterion ranging from unusual design or construction techniques, special obstacles, personnel management, scheduling, quality control and safety, as well as the contractor's overall performance and presentation of the project. ...

Discovery Green Project Earns APEX Award

noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:00:00 GMT

Chamberlin was an APEX award winner at the Associated General Contractors’ Houston chapter gala for their waterproofing work performed on Discovery Green, Houston’s downtown interactive park. The APEX awards recognize firms for their excellence in construction, valuable contributions to the community and their demonstrated commitment to quality workmanship and safety.

Chamberlin was honored in the specialty contractor category of “Thermal/Moisture Protection” for Discovery Green. As a subcontractor to Miner-Dederick Construction, Chamberlin had an active role in almost every phase of the project because of the large amount of waterproofing throughout the park. Chamberlin’s multiple waterproofing systems were installed below the Kinder Lake and model boat basin, the Fondren Foundation Performance Amphitheater, Gateway interactive fountain, and at The Grove Restaurant and park buildings.

Chamberlin also contributed value engineering ideas on the below-grade parking garage’s garden roof system at the amphitheater to help bring the project within budget. Chamberlin proposed an alternate method of waterproofing the garden roof while still providing the specified warranty, which resulted in a substantial savings to the owner.

In the end, the Discovery Green project turned an underused green space and brownfield into a gorgeous facility for the citizens of Houston and received gold level LEED certification by the US Green Building Council in the process.

Firestone Honors Chamberlin

noemail@chamberlinltd.com — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:00:00 GMT

Chamberlin Roofing and Waterproofing, Ltd. has been named as a recipient of the 2004 Firestone Master Contractor Award. This is the 10^th consecutive year Chamberlin has received this prestigious accolade. Chamberlin is one of 100 roofing firms in the U.S. and Canada to achieve this award for ten years or more.

Since 1988, Firestone Building Products Company of Carmel, Ind., has acknowledged exceptional firms like Chamberlin for achieving Firestone’s highest standards for roof installation quality and long-term roofing system performances. “Master Contractor is a level of distinction attained by contractors who have demonstrated high levels of professionalism and teamwork during the past year, “ said David Grass, President of Firestone. “We are proud to present the Master Contractor Award to Chamberlin in recognition of their ongoing commitment to quality craftsmanship in the roofing industry.”

Master Contractor status is earned annually based on Quality Points accumulated for achieving exceptional inspection ratings on Firestone Red Shield warranted RubberGuardÒ EPDM, UltraPlyÒ Thermoplastic or Asphalt-based roofing system installations.

Planning & Budgeting for Roof Maintenance and Waterproofing

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:56:30 GMT

Summer marks the beginning of the budgeting process for many of our clients. We know that this can be a very trying and time-consuming period for many property managers and owners. Additionally, the expense forecasting process along with determining realistic capital expenditures for the upcoming year can be especially challenging without accurate resource information. Certainly no asset manager likes to be surprised with unexpected or unplanned expenses. Although we don't claim to have a crystal ball, Chamberlin's years of repairing various roofing and waterproofing systems has provided us with some valuable experience. This experience enables us to evaluate the current condition of your roof system, exterior wall systems and parking garages and provide several suggestions for both short- and long-term planning. When examining a structure, we first ask, What is the existing condition of your property, and is there anything happening to it that may require repair in...

The Secret Problem

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:30:42 GMT

By: Gordon Shepperd, PE, LEED AP Principal Consultant, Apollo BBC It's no secret: All buildings leak. You probably already know that many factors can lead to leaks. Design error, improper construction, building modifications, lack of maintenance, exposure to ultraviolet light, age of materials and thermal movements are just a few of the common problems that can all wreak havoc with a building's enclosure allowing water easy access to the interior. Finding the solution to water infiltration is often made difficult when several of these common factors are working together to cause the problem. Some leaks may not be rain. A major culprit to water-related issues lies within your air-conditioning system. We have all seen stained ceiling tiles next to air conditioning supply registers and associated them with some sort of condensation problem. Though frequently overlooked, this condensation problem can occur at...

Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing Multifamily / Condo Projects

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:22:12 GMT

New Construction: Westminster Manor Expansion - Austin, TX New Construction Waterproofing Contract Amount: $700,000 (approx.) Owner: Westminster Manor Architect: Perkins + Will Consultant: Wiss, Janney, Elstner & Associates, Inc. General Contractor: White Construction Company Scope of Work: Below-grade sheet waterproofing, air & vapor barrier, sheet metal flashing, joint sealants, site sealants, hot-applied waterproofing, cold fluid-applied waterproofing, traffic coating and expansion joints Project Description: Retirement and assisted living community Montereau Phase 2- Tulsa, OK New Construction Waterproofing Contract Amount: $100,000 (approx.) Owner: Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. Architect: D2 Architecture, LLC General Contractor: Flintco, Inc. Scope of Work: Deck Coating, flashing and joint sealants Project Description: Addition to resort style retirement...

Awards & Honors

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:29:11 GMT

Chamberlin is proud to be the recipient of numerous awards and honors for outstanding achievements in the construction industry. Each year the company and its employees receive recognition from industry associations for excellence in service, safety and performance. Here are a few of our most recent awards. 2011 Associated Builders & Contractors - Excellence in Construction Merit Award 2011 Distinguished Building Awards by TEXO Associated Builders & Contractors - National Excellence in Construction Award Category: Exteriors - All Other Exterior Finishes - Fair Park Esplanade Associated Builders & Contractors - National Safety Merit Award Sika Sarnafil Project of the Year - Cisco Data Center 2010 Associated Builders & Contractors - Houston Chapter Business Excellence Award of Merit Category: Mega Commercial Specialty Construction Associated General Contractors - Houston Chapter APEX Award Category: Thermal/Moisture...

Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing Sports & Entertainment Projects

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:42:40 GMT

New Construction: Houston Dynamo Stadium - Houston, TX New Construction Waterproofing Contract Amount: $300,000 (approx.) Owner: AEG, Brener International Group, Golden Boy Productions Architect: Populous General Contractor: Manhattan Construction Scope of Work: Urethane, floor coating, joint sealants, floor sealers, below-grade waterproofing, fire proofing Project Description: BBVA Compass Soccer Stadium TCU Amon Carter Stadium - Fort Worth, TX New Construction Roofing Contract Amount: $500,000 (approx.) Owner: Texas Christian University Architect: HKS, Inc. General Contractor: Austin Commercial Scope of Work: PVC roofing system, sheet metal and flashing Project Description: Football stadium redevelopment Ford Center Phase C - Oklahoma City, OK New Construction Waterproofing Contract Amount: $150,000 (approx.) Owner: The City of Oklahoma...

Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing Government Projects

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:38:15 GMT

New Construction: North Richland Hills Recreation Center - North Richland Hills, TX New Construction Roofing Contract Amount: $500,000 (approx.) Owner: City of North Richland Hills Architect: Brinkley Sargent Architects General Contractor: Byrne Construction Services Scope of Work: TPO roofing system, flashing and sheet metal Project Description: Community recreation center Woodall Rodgers Park - Dallas, TX New Construction Waterproofing Contract Amount: $1,600,000 (approx.) Owner: Texas Department of Transportation Architect: Jacobs Architects General Contractor: Archer Western Scope of Work: Joint sealants, hot-applied waterproofing, composite drainage board, metal flashing, expansion joints and flashing fabrication Project Description: 5.2 acre park constructed over Woodall Rodgers Freeway Lackland Air Force Base...

Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing Higher Education Projects

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:37:37 GMT

New Construction: Vol Walker Hall Addition & Renovation - Fayetteville, AR New Construction Waterproofing Contract Amount: $150,000 (approx.) Owner: The Board of Trustees of The University of Arkansas Architect: Marlon Blackwell Architects General Contractor: Baldwin & Shell Construction Company Scope of Work: Water repellent, anti-graffiti coating, below-grade waterproofing, cold fluid-applied waterproofing, bentonite waterproofing, exterior joint sealants and expansion joints Project Description: Residence Hall UTD Utility Infrastructure Improvements - Dallas, TX New Construction Waterproofing Contract Amount: $120,000 (approx.) Owner: The University of Texas System ...

Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing Healthcare Projects

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:37:05 GMT

New Construction: Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital - Oklahoma City, OK New Construction Waterproofing Contract Amount: $100,000 (approx.) Owner: The Sanders Trust Architect: Earl Swensson Associates, Inc. General Contractor: JE Dunn Construction Scope of work: Below-grade waterproofing, retaining wall dampproofing, air barrier, exterior joint sealants and water repellent Project Description: Inpatient rehabilitation facility Methodist West Houston Hospital - Houston, TX New Construction Roofing & Waterproofing Contract Amount: $3,000,000(approx.) Owner: The Methodist Hospital Architect: PageSoutherlandPage Consultant: Wiss, Janney Elstner Associates, Inc. & PSG Consultants General Contractor: Austin Commercial, LP Scope of Work: Modified Bitumen roofing system, reflective roof coating, sheet metal...

Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing Office / Commercial Projects

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:35:46 GMT

New Construction: Four Partners Place - The University of Oklahoma - Norman, OK New Construction Waterproofing Contract Amount: $150,000 (approx.) Owner: The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma Architect: The McKinney Partnership General Contractor: J.E. Dunn Construction Company Scope of Work: Bentonite waterproofing, joint sealants and site sealants Project Description: Office facility and data center Maxim Office - Farmers Branch, TX New Construction Roofing Contract Amount: $550,000 (approx.) Owner: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. Architect: Corgan Associates General Contractor: Turner Construction Scope of Work: TPO roofing system and sheet metal Project Description: 140,000 sq. ft. office building Devon World Headquarters - Oklahoma City, OK New Construction Roofing & Waterproofing Contract Amount: $7,000,000 (approx.) Owner: Devon...

Roofing & Waterproofing Projects

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:21:41 GMT

The following represents selected completed projects from Chamberlin's roofing, waterproofing and restoration portfolio. For more specific details or information on additional projects, feel free to call us at 1-800-749-1432. AVIATION CULTURAL / NON-PROFIT GOVERNMENT HEALTHCARE HIGHER EDUCATION HISTORIC RENOVATION HOSPITALITY INDUSTRIAL / WAREHOUSE K-12 EDUCATION LEED CERTIFIED PROJECTS MULTIFAMILY / CONDO OFFICE / COMMERCIAL PARKING GARAGES RELIGIOUS RETAIL SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT CURRENT PROJECTS IN PROGRESS PROJECTS FEATURED IN THE NEWS OTHER PROJECTS

Modified Bitumen Roofing

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:55:34 GMT

Chamberlin team rolling out Modified Bitumen roofing cap sheet. www.chamberlinltd.com

Below-grade waterproofing

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:55:34 GMT

Below-grade waterproofing installation at 2727 Kirby high rise condos in Houston, TX. www.chamberlinltd.com