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When solar radiation hits a roof surface, a part of solar energy is reflected and part is absorbed. The absorbed part of solar energy results in an increase of the surface temperature of the roof. Cool reflective (white) roofs use bright surfaces to reflect the incident short-wave solar radiation, which lowers the surface temperature compared to conventional (black) roofs with bituminous membrane. As such, white roofs help reduce the urban heat island effect during the summer., The 2011 International Roofing Symposium, September 6-9 2011, Washington, D.C., US

only, Waterproof Membranes 2009 Conference: 19 October 2009, Dusseldorf, Germany

Une conception appropriée des toitures peut être significative en matière d'efficacité énergétique et de durabilité des constructions. Cette présentation permettra de passer en revue et de clarifier les malentendus sur les toits durables, verts, réfléchissants et haute performance, de présenter les dernières recherches sur la performance de ces toitures, d'aborder des problèmes liés à l'environnement, la durabilité et le cycle de vie, et enfin de parler de conception et construction et d'encourager l'utilisation des nouvelles technologies., Also available in English: Roofing and energy conservation, Regard sur la science du bâtiment 2009/10 : Efficacité énergétique dans les bâtiments

Aussi disponible en français: Les Toitures et la conservation de l'énergie, Building Science Insight 2009/10: Energy Efficiency in Buildings: New Tools and Technologies

Bien qu'encore virtuellement inconnus au Canada, les panneaux d'isolation sous vide (PIV) ont des valeurs de résistance thermique jusqu'à dix fois plus élevées que les matériaux isolants conventionnels. Cette présentation soulignera les études de l'IRC-CNRC sur la performance et la construction des PIV, expliquera comment ils fonctionnent et présentera les défis et les avantages que constitue leur utilisation dans la construction de bâtiments., Also available in English: High-performance thermal insulation in building envelopes, Regard sur la science du bâtiment 2009/10 : Efficacité énergétique dans les bâtiments

Although still virtually unknown in Canada, vacuum insulation panels (VIP's) have thermal resistance values up to 10 times those of conventional insulation materials. This presentation will outline NRC-IRC studies on the performance and construction of VIPs, explain how they work, and demonstrate the challenges and advantages of using them in building construction., Aussi disponible en français: Isolant thermique à haute performance dans les enveloppes de bâtiments, Building Science Insight 2009/10: Energy Efficiency in Buildings: New Tools and Technologies

This article briefly describes three types of sustainable roof systems and clarifies some of the terminology and misconceptions surrounding their use., Aussi disponible en français: Les Toits verts, les toits plancs et les toits haute performance: distinguer les faits de la fiction

Building envelopes are designed to separate the controlled indoor environment from the outdoor environment. The building envelope consists of roofs, walls, windows and basement. A roof is an integral assembly of a building envelope and the 2005 North American roofing market was more than $25 billion Canadian.The North American roofing community has also made significant advancement in the dynamic wind evaluation of commercial roofs through a North American roofing consortium, Special Interest Group for the Dynamic Evaluation of Roofing Systems (SIGDERS). SIGDERS was established to develop a North American wind uplift test standard for roofing systems under dynamic conditions in 1994. This paper also presents results from the SIGDERS ongoing research effort, including an overview of a new publication, 'A Guide for the Wind Design of Mechanically Attached Flexible Membrane Roofs'., International Conference on Building Envelope Systems and Technology: 29 March 2007, Bath, United Kingdom

This paper presents the types and performance characteristics of membranes and insulation materialsused for low-slope roofs, Aussi disponible en français: Caractéristiques des membranes d'étanchéité et des matériaux isolants utilisés dans les toitures à faible pente

Cool Roofing - Cutting Through the Glare, May 12, 2005, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

10DBMC International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components, April 17, 2005, Lyon, France

10DBMC International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components, April 17, 2005, Lyon, France

20th International RCI Convention, March 31, 2005, Miami, Florida, USA

In 1999, a major manufacturer of thermoplastic membranes set out to 'quantify and qualify' how their oldest roofs in the United States and Canada were performing. This information was critical for their Life Cycle Cost Data. The process was as follows: This manufacturer reviewed their internal project data base and project files to determine the oldest project in each of their regions. The regions attempted to contact each owner of the building. Approximately 70% of the owners were contacted because some of the buildings were vacant or torn down. A survey was sent to the building owners of 70 of their oldest projects in the U.S and Canada (range 17-22 years old). Some surveys were filled out over the telephone. The response rate was 63%. All surveys were collected and statistics created. In 2001, the manufacturer sampled 25 of these projects in all regions and climates and invited roof consultants and architects to participate in field investigations and roof sampling. The specific roofs sampled in these different regions and climates were selected solely as a matter of convenience. That is, the roofs were samples when owners provided the manufacturer permission to do so and when the costs of accessing the selected roofs were reasonable.Samples were packaged and sent to the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC). The NRCC tested samples according to ASTM D4434 [1] (where appropriate) for thickness, tensile strength, elongation, linear dimensional change, low temperature flexibility and seam strength. It should be noted that D4434 [1] was established in 1985 and was the first ASTM standard for any single ply roof membrane in the U.S. Most of the roofs sampled were installed before the standard even existed. All of the roofs investigated and sampled were found to be in good shape. No immediate maintenance or repairs were needed. After sampling all of the existing roof membranes could be easily patched by hot air welding., CIB World Building Congress 2004: 01 May 2004, Toronto, ON

Twelve roofing membranes were exposed to oven heat, ultra-violet and condensing humidity cabinet, and two-year outdoor exposure at United States Department of Defense (DOD) sites at Phoenix, Arizona (hot dry climate): Key West, Florida (hot and moist climate); and Champaign, Illinois (moderate mid-continent climate). Selected mechanical properties were measured before and after exposure. Each membrane was rated before and after exposure and the membranes ranked as to relative performance., CIB World Building Congress 2004: 02 May 2004, Toronto, ON

Also published in Polish in book titled "Poradnik Technologa Gumy. Article title: Guma w budownictwie. pp. 481-498, 2003.

International Conference on Building Envelope Systems and Technologies (ICBEST) 2001: 26 June 2001, Ottawa, Ontario

ACS Symposium Series 779 "Historic Textiles, Papers, and Polymers in Museums"

Les vides qui se créent dans les membranes de couverture en bitume appliquées à chaud, lors de la pose, deviennent des boursouflures. Ils peuvent être dus entre autres à des défauts d'application du bitume, à l'humidité emprisonnée ou aux irrégularités du support. Par exemple, la vapeur d'eau présente dans un vide peut se contracter ou se dilater, augmentant dans ce dernier cas le volume de la boursouflure. Une bonne façon d'empêcher la formation de boursouflures est de bien poser la membrane en choisissant la température appropriée dans le cas du bitume de collage, en étendant bien la membrane, et en appliquant le bitume de collage de manière uniforme et en couche mince.

In hot-applied bituminous roof membranes, voids built into the roof during installation become blisters. These voids can result from skips in bitumen mopping, entrapped moisture, uneven substrates, and several other causes. Entrapped moisture, for example, expands and contracts, growing into an ever larger blister. The best safeguard against blistering often lies in good membrane installation: this includes maintaining the requisite temperature for the mopping asphalt, applying it uniformly and thinly, flattening the membrane before rolling it out, and heeding several other forethoughts.

One of the components of a typical low-slope roofing system is the roofing membrane, the sheet that has reinforcing fibres sandwiched between sheets of flexible matrix. Its function is to waterproof the roof. The flexible matrix can be a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO). TPO roofing membranes have numerous advantages: their seams can be heat-welded, they are resistant to heat, UV and chemicals, and they have good cold-temperature flexibility. The breaking strength of the membrane depends heavily on the number of reinforcing fibre bundles across the width of the membrane.

Roofing Research and Standards Development : 4th Volume: 06 December 1998, Nashville, TN., U.S.A.

North American Conference on Roofing Technology: 16 September 1999, Toronto, Ontario

As part of a five-year investigation, mechanic (strength and elongation) and chemical (thermogravimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis) methods of evaluation are used in this paper to characterize in-service thermoplastic olefin (TPO) roof membranes. AIF the nun-reinforced membranes meet the minimum thickness and tensile strength requirement as specified in the proposed ASTM standard. The poIyester scrim reinforced membranes were superior in tensile strength and elongation as compared to those reinforced with random mat of short glass fibers. The standard should consider defining the breaking strength in terms of "stress" instead of load, This would allow for a fairer and easier comparison of strength between reinforced and zlnreinforced TPOs. Also, the term TPO is confusing and very vague. The standard should consider differentiating the different types of TPOs. Based on themogravimetry, at least four different types ofTPOs are currently in service. Also, the standard should consider using the glass transition temperature to monitor agingweatbering of membranes.

IWA Proceedings of the Xth Congress "Waterproofing in Architecture": 10 June 1998, Copenhagen

only, 3rd Chemical Congress of North America: 1988-06, Toronto, Ontario

First International Conference on Durability of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Composites for Construction: 05 August 1998, Sherbrooke, Quebec

4th International Symposium on Roofing Technology: Challenges of the 21st Century: 17 September 1997, Gaithersburg, MD., U.S.A.

4th International Symposium on Roofing Technology: 17 September 1997, Gaithersburg, MD., U.S.A.

Au cours des deux dernières décennies, la formation de boursouflures a été le problème le plus courant dans les couvertures multicouches. C'est lors des jours ensoleillés et chauds que ce phénomène se manifeste le plus. Il n'est pas possible, même dans les conditions idéales, de réaliser une couverture parfaite et exempte de vides, mais il existe des moyens de réduire la formation de boursouflures. L'un d'eux consiste à utiliser des matériaux secs dans des conditions sèches. Et aussi dans des conditions chaudes, car des vides sont plus susceptibles de se produire dans l'asphalte lorsque celui-ci refroidit rapidement. En ce qui a trait aux matériaux, c'est une bonne idée de poser des doublures fibreuses sur tous les isolants en plastique cellulaire pour permettre aux gaz qui se sont formés lors des travaux de s'échapper.

Over the past two decades, blistering has been the most common problem with built-up roofs. The problem is most noticeable on hot, sunny days. Given that a perfect, void-free roof cannot be laid even under ideal conditions, there are nevertheless ways to reduce blisteriing. To address some of them: dry materials should be used in dry conditions. Not just dry conditions, but warm conditions as well, because voids in asphalt tend to occur more readily when asphalt cools quickly. With regard to materials, it's a good idea to use fibrous coverboards over all cellular plastic insulation so that gases formed during application can escape.

5th International Conference on Building Envelope Systems and Technology: 15 April 1997, Bath, U.K.

At IRC, the stage remains set for further research into the effects of dynamic wind loads on roofs. The research aims to generate knowledge sorely needed by building professionals so that they can design roofing systems that can withstand induced stresses - wind among them., Aussi disponible en français: Investigation des toits soumis à des surcharges de vent dynamiques

Roofs used to be simple. The structure had to be sufficiently sloped to allow water to run off. The material couId have included asphalt but it generally contained natural fibres which had some binder mixed in to hold it all together. There were few materials and mixtures. Putting a roof together was labour intensive but labour was inexpensive. Today, millions of square meters of residential and non-residential roofs are covered with water shedding or weatherproofing assemblies. The 1495 North American roofing marketwas approximately $22 billion Canadian ($18 billion in the US [I] and $4 billion in Canada). A roof assembly contains a roof system over a roof deck. The roof system is defined as having the elements which cover, protect and insulate the roof surface of a structure against the external environment. Roof systems vary from the traditional types (e.g., shingles for sloping roofs and built-up roofing (BUR) for flat roofs) to the nontraditional roofing materials (e.g., polymer-based single-pl y or modified bitumen). Theyalso vary in the method by which the covering has been put down. The conventional method is to have the covering (e.g., membrane) above the insulation and exposed to the environment. Alternatively, in a protected system, the covering is directly above the deck and be covered with the insulation., Reprinted in: Building Better Roofs: IRC Technical Seminar (NRCC-40627)

Sustainale Low-Slope Roofing Workshop, October 9, 1996, Oak Ridge, TN., U.S.A.

This paper reports on the problem of EPDM membrane shrinkage. Evaluations included NRCA's Project Pinpoint, shrinkage survey data and field research. Also, to further understand the phenomenon, which typically is not catastrophic, three sets of membrane samples were obtained and analyzed: control samples of new EPDM sheets, samples from roofs that exhibited moderate to severe shrinkage problems, and samples from roofs that had no noticeable problems. Evaluation included measuring the glass-transition temperature (as measured by dynamic mechanical analysis), changes in chemical composition (using thermogravimetry), tensile strength and elongation tests, as well as thermally-induced load tests. Generally, the membrane composition and properties were found to not change sufficiently to cause excessive shrinkage. The paper presents conclusions and recommendations for existing roofs, reroofing and new construction., Aussi disponible en français: Retrait des membranes de couverture en EPDM: phénomène, causes, mesures préventives ou correctives, Building Better Roofs : IRC Technical Seminar: 01 September 1996, 11 cities across Canada

Provides an overview of roofing problems, and current research efforts at IRC.

Preprints of Papers Presented at the 211th ACS National Meeting: 24 March 1996, New Orleans, LA., U.S.A.

Aussi disponible en français: Rétrécissement des membranes de couverture en EPDM

The influence of FT-IR sampling techniques on the characterization of cement system", was investigated. Three FT-IR techniques were used to study tricalcium silicate (C3S), hydrated C3S, calcium hydroxide, and calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H). They include transmission spectroscopy (TS), photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS), and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). The TS technique (using KBr pellets) was the most labor-intensive but was found to give the simplest spectra with well defined bands. The PAS technique was found to be the simplest technique but yielded bands at lower wave number than TS.DRIFTS was determined to be a good alternative for cement powders since it provided spectra similar to those for the TS technique. DRIFTS required more sample preparation than PAS but less sample preparation than the KBr pellet technique