Landmark Solaris shingles, now available through RSI Roofing, uses an innovative granule system that allows for the high solar reflectivity of white roofs with more color options, including those with darker tones.

Example of an Eagle Solar Roof installation — Tory’s Roofing recently became a certified installer of the product.
Courtesy of Eagle Roofing Products

The completed, rack-mounted photovoltaic system installed by Commercial Roofing atop the J. Walter Cameron Center

Available through Beachside Solar Technologies, this mission profile tile roofing system has integrated photovoltaic modules laminated to it.

Tory’s Roofing reroofed the University of Hawaii at Manoa physical education athletic complex with 18,000 square feet of the Hydro Stop roofing coating system.

To repair leaks at the King Kalakaua Building, main downtown post office, TecSeal applied 10,000 square feet of a reflective roof coating, which will extend the life of the roof by more than 20 years.

A crane hoists the 106-foot long standing seam metal panels manufactured
by Macsteel to the roof of UH’s Asia Pacific Center.

By Judith Shinsato
No one has been spared from this economic downturn, not even those at the top, literally. At one point in time, the roofing industry seemed to have been spared the worst of it, but this sector, too, has been sliding down an increasingly steep pitch.
But construction folks are a resilient bunch and roofing is no exception. Contractors, distributors and manufacturers continue to focus on essentials such as providing exemplary customer service and installing quality projects for Hawaii’s discerning clientele.
Also, though new roofs may be few, it just means there are more opportunities in roof maintenance and renovation.
And capitalizing on those opportunities are the key.

Green Grains

Besides world economics, the roofing industry also is not immune to the explosion in green building; and many of the latest trends, products and projects deal primarily with increasing energy efficiency within any building envelope.

An area which has seen a lot of development is the use of granules in shakes or shingles to increase their solar reflectivity, a key element to having a cool roof, and thereby a cool building.

RSI Roofing & Building Supply just introduced CertainTeed’s Landmark Solaris line of asphalt roofing shingles. “We’ve had it in stock for about a month,” says RSI’s Craig Blackwood, “and it’s really hit big. It can be used in nearly any application – residential, commercial or institutional.

“It’s not the same old shingle at all,” explains Blackwood. The shingles utilize an innovative granule system. “The granules (used for shingles) are pure bright white, highly reflective, with an opaque coating over them, so they actually do reflect back from the white of the granules even though they are available in natural brown and gray tones.”

While using cool roofing technology has been recognized as one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways of lowering energy consumption, it also traditionally limited aesthetic choices: going green meant going white. The Solaris technology allows for more color options while producing shingles with the ability to reduce a roof’s temperature by as much as 20 percent in the summer, according to product specifications.

“This shingle qualifies for the federal rebate under the ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act),” adds Blackwood. “It’s also an Energy Star product and helps a project qualify for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credits.”

Tropical Roofing and Raingutters has been named a registered installer for Malarkey Roofing Products’ Ecoasis line of solar reflective asphalt shingles, which also uses a granule system to increase the reflectively of the shingle to more than three times traditional roofing shingles.

The company has been installing Malarkey products for the past 15 years and began offering the Ecoasis line in January this year.

“Malarkey has always offered a superior asphalt shingle, and we expect this new line with its Energy Star rating to be very popular both for residential and commercial applications,” says Charlie Beeck, president of Tropical Roofing. “The company has provided us with the certification forms required to obtain applicable federal tax credits for the client. Warranties that include labor and materials are available through approved applicators. This is an important feature of Ecoasis; most companies offer only material replacement.”

The Ecoasis self-sealing asphalt-laminated shingle also is warrantied to resist winds of up to 110 miles an hour, according to the manufacturer. And in addition to its Class 4 impact resistance and Class A fire rating, which are the highest available, it also meets initial Energy Star cool roof requirements and conforms to reflectivity ratings that qualify it for tax rebates under ARRA.

Tropical Roofing has the product available in three colors: Agave, a gray, Mesquite, a tan tone, and Tumbleweed, which mimics weathered wood.

Beeck points out that Ecoasis and other Malarkey products feature the ScotchgardT algae resistant roofing system from 3M. “This feature has become particularly important in conforming to green standards,” Beeck says. “Roofing that is susceptible to algae will eventually begin to darken to the extent that it will lose its reflectivity. When this happens, both the roof and the interior of the structure will heat up and increase the need for air conditioning. What everyone is working toward these days is greater energy efficiency and it starts with the roof.”

Double Duty

Another fast-growing offshoot of green roofing is photovoltaics, especially those that are integrated into the roofing system, serving both as shelter and energy producer.
“We have recently become certified to install the Eagle Solar Roof, which is (one of) the most advanced building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solutions available,” says Mike Tory, vice president of Tory’s Roofing & Waterproofing, Inc. “This roofing product provides the aesthetic of a roofing tile but can harvest energy from the sun as a photovoltaic system. This is a huge breakthrough in energy efficient roofing.
“Right now everyone wants to minimize cost, or at least try to consolidate bills,” adds Tory. “The roofing industry is being greatly affected by this, and new roofing technology is allowing for customers to do just that. For example, if someone needed to reroof their house and at the same time install a photovoltaic system, that would (usually) require two different contractors, two different contracts and two different bills. The Eagle Solar Roofing system has consolidated that process into one contractor, one contract and one bill. You get a new roofing system and, at the same time, are harvesting energy from the sun. (In addition) the overall style and design of the roof looks much more fashion forward.”

Available through Beachside Solar Technologies for installation in Hawaii by the second quarter is a mission profile roofing tile with an integrated photovoltaic module laminate bonded to it. “The Sole Power Tile roofing system is very aesthetically pleasing and delivers clean, renewable energy to help offset the cost of electricity purchased from the utility,” says Tim Murph, vice president and general manager of Beachside Solar Technologies, a division of Beachside Roofing LLC. “The advantages of this BIPV include very low weight at 2.4 pounds per square foot, high performance polymer construction that provides long life in Hawaii’s environment, and the incorporation of an amorphous thin-film photovoltaic laminate that gives superior power production in high temperature and low-light environments.”

The company has several projects designed and contracted with the Sole Power Tile system, including a sizeable commercial project on Kauai and large upscale home in Kona, says Murph. These projects will not start until after the roofing system is available later this summer.

Custom-Bilt Metals also has begun offering solar products, both FusionSolar, a thin-film PV integrated with its standing seam panels, and roof-mounted solar modules. “With electricity rates in Hawaii that are nearly four times the national average, a solar electric system can go a long way toward reducing or eliminating monthly electricity bills altogether,” says Alan Zalopany, the company’s sales manager. “While there is an initial investment, going solar is like buying future electricity at a locked-in price, at rates less than Hawaii electric utilities. It really makes sense, and there are many incentives and tax credits available for homeowners and businesses in Hawaii.”

Besides building-integrated PV, applied photovoltaics (rack mounted) also are gaining in popularity. While rack-mounted PV systems are not considered part of the roofing assembly, they do impact the system.

Guy Akasaki, president of Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing, Inc., explains an important consideration of applied photovoltaics. “A solar company installs a photovoltaic array on the roof, usually because this is the only open area, not realizing that the owner had his $350,000 roof installed three years ago with a full system materials and labor warranty for 20 years. Unfortunately, all the penetrations from the PV installation are considered nonconforming and after the fact, effectively and unknowingly invalidating the warranty. Being trained and crafted in the details of the manufacturer’s requirements for applied or BIPV arrays and understanding the overall integration process — from structural, electrical, grounding and bonding — into and onto the roofing assemblies are vital for successful installation and performance period of both the photovoltaic array and roof assembly and warranty.”
Commercial Roofing recently completed a number of both applied and BIPV installations in the past year, including: a BIPV system for the Building Industry Association of Hawaii’s new Construction Training Center of the Pacific, and applied systems for the J. Walter Cameron Center on Maui and Hawaii National Bank.

“For nearly two years, HPM Custom Metal Roofing has offered electric PV using the unique flexible laminate from Uni-Solar,” says Lloyd Toriano, general manager of the Campbell branch of HPM Custom Metal Roofing. “This peel-and-stick technology allows solar electric PV to be attached directly to metal roofing. The benefit of this type of solar PV is that you don’t have to have big, unsightly racks to hold up glass panels. Also there are no additional fasteners or holes through the roof, resulting in fewer potential future leak points.”

The company has been chosen as the supplier for a U.S. Army demonstration project at the Kilauea Military Camp. “Initially, HPM will supply the metal roofing and solar PV system for one of the buildings at the camp,” adds Toriano. “The project’s objectives are to demonstrate the advantages of the peel-and-stick PV solar laminate system and to offset electrical power needs at the camp. The Army recognizes the unique and harsh environment that exists next to the most active volcano in the world and realizes that a successful demonstration will validate the usability of the system for Army installations worldwide.”

Photovoltaics also have been keeping TecSeal busy. “We do not do many new roofs,” explains TecSeal’s Rick Todd. “All of our business has been restorations, much of it related to the influx of new solar incentives. One of the requirements is to have a solid roof with no leaks for 20 years. We are able to provide a 20-year warranty with Gacopro, a 100 percent silicone roof coating. Silicone is 100 percent waterproof and Hawaii’s high UV count does not phase it. As long as the substrate is dry and stable, silicone adheres to anything; but nothing really adheres to silicone but silicone.”

Todd adds, “TecSeal is a small company and we have always tried to keep our overhead down but our service to the highest standards. Our clients know we will be there if they need us long after the job is complete.”

Metal Proves Its Mettle

Metal roofing manufacturers have focused on improving its existing products and processes.

For example, says Toriano, HPM Custom Metal Roofing recently converted the coating system for all of its metal roofing to DuraCoat Durapon 70 with Teflon®, an Energy Star paint system that offers improved cleanability, scratch resistance and a 35-year limited warranty.

The firm also continues to refine its delivery processes to reduce damage during shipping and assure on-time arrival of materials. “Our new, larger facility in Campbell Industrial Park on Oahu will allow faster turnaround times for Oahu orders as well as for jobs on Maui and Kauai,” explains Toriano. “We’ll also be adding new equipment at the new HPM Campbell site, allowing us to perform on-island sheet metal work including manufacturing of valleys, ridge caps, edge trim and more. (Currently, HPM ships these items from the Big Island.)

HPM Custom Metal Roofing is the material supplier for the roofing, metal siding and soffits for the Keaukaha Military Reservation Joint Military Center on the Big Island, a project that encompasses five buildings and over 200,000 square feet of facility space. Roofing panels will exceed 90 feet in length and will be manufactured on the jobsite and transferred directly to the roof to ease installation.

Zalopany says, “Retrofitting standing seam roofing is a new process we’re offering at Custom-Bilt Metals ... in a partnership with Roof Hugger. This technology enables us to cover an existing roof with standing seam metal roofing to create an economical and highly energy-efficient reroofing solution. Retrofits eliminate tear-off labor costs and dumping fees. There is no business operation disruption because the work is performed without removing the old roof. The new roof also can be designed to carry more weight and resist higher wind-lift values.”

“Macsteel constantly evaluates new products for incorporation into our product offering,” says Mark Silva, vice president, roofing sales, Macsteel Service Centers USA. “Recent additions are two high performance underlayments: one a high temperature, self adhering underlayment and the other a lightweight woven fabric underlayment. Both are specifically designed to work with our roofing systems. Their high strength and durability allow the contractor to dry-in a roof quickly without the concern of high winds blowing the underlayment off the roof before the new roof is installed.”

Macsteel also operates on-site rollformers capable of producing one of the longest, flattest roof panels available, says Silva. “The system imparts the least amount of stress to the panels during forming and enables us to manufacture panels more than 100 feet in length,” Silva explains. “The big advantage to long panels is the elimination of panel splice joints or what we call end-laps, which are potential water intrusion areas. We successfully produced standing seam roof panels of more than 100 feet in length for projects on Wheeler Army Airfield and at the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies.” An upcoming reroofing project at Les Murakami Stadium for the University of Hawaii at Manoa will require long length standing seam panels.”

In other news, Silva adds that, after having gone through an exhaustive evaluation process, Macsteel’s ULTRA-Cool® Kynar 500® roofing colors are now listed by the Cool Roofing Ratings Council and are Energy Star compliant. “This is important to the consumer because it shows that our roof systems have been verified independently to save money by keeping their homes and buildings cooler, thereby reducing air-conditioning energy costs,” says Silva.

Further Enhancements

When it comes to green roofing systems, Mike Tory of Tory’s Roofing says, “For low-sloped roofs, coatings and single-ply roofing systems are the most ecofriendly and sustainable. Single-ply membrane systems can last for 20 to 30 years and coatings do not emit any pollutants into the environment. Today there are so many breakthroughs in roofing technology, trying to promote more ecofriendly lifestyles.”
The company recently applied the Hydro Stop roof coating system to reroof the University of Hawaii at Manoa physical education athletic complex. The project was completed in September.

Serving as the general contractor for the reroof of the Kahuku Public and School Library, Tory’s Roofing worked with subcontractors Bendco, Honolulu Plumbing, S and S Taylan, JBL Hawaii Ltd., Taketa Sheet Metal and Skylights of Hawaii. Tory’s scope of work included fully adhering a Carlisle 60-mil TPO (single-ply membrane roofing system) using Sure-Weld Bonding adhesive, explains Tory.

The company also is launching a new division, ARMPRO, which stands for All Roof Maintenance Program. “With more than 39 years of roofing installation experience, we will be offering maintenance programs to our clients, allowing them to receive the maximum lifetime out of their roof,” explains Tory.

Commercial Roofing’s Guy Akasaki adds, “With the emphasis on reducing energy consumption, the industry has been moving toward energy-efficient roof assemblies such as single-ply thermoplastic membrane roof systems. Thermoplastics such as TPO or PVC (polyvinylchloride) are generally plastic in basis and used in hot zones due to their low emissivity, which does not allow the sun’s radiation to penetrate as much into the membrane before sending radiation back up to the sky, and high solar reflectance. At noon on a sunny day, a roof membrane can get as high as 150 degrees. A thermoplastic roof at noon feels cool. Besides keeping down the ambient internal temperature, this also eliminates the condensation or moisture buildup in ceiling spaces as well.”

Akasaki says another cool roof alternative is acrylic elastomeric coatings, which are similar to thermoplastics in their low emissivity and high solar reflectance. He adds one warning about acrylics: Ensure that the product is made up of at least 60 to 70 percent higher quality acrylic polymer with reliable fillers such as a mildewcide or titanium dioxide. Some manufacturers will use a lower quality polymer and fillers such as ash, explains Akasaki, “which results in a coating that will not stand against the rigorous weathering of Hawaii’s climate.”

A relatively new product available at RSI Roofing is Serpentine Cedar, Ltd.’s line of cedar shakes. “Serpentine takes all lumber for their shakes from fallen logs that are already down; they don’t cut any trees,” says Craig Blackwood. With four types of cedar shakes available, the line qualifies as a green product in that it is produced from a renewable source, its manufacture leaves a low carbon footprint (it uses little energy and emits little pollution), and it provides high insulation resistance value. “The wood itself is one of the coolest roofs,” adds Blackwood. “It will keep your house cooler. The shakes can be used in any application and they have a traditional Hawaiian plantation aesthetic to it.”

An Uphill Climb?

New developments and products notwithstanding, does the roofing industry see any glimmer of sunshine or silver lining in Hawaii’s economic outlook?

“There are jobs still available to bid, however, it is a lot more competitive than in previous years,” says Tory. “We are hoping for a turnaround in the economy, but we are anticipating another few years before seeing it going back up.”

TecSeal’s Rick Todd says, “The light at the end of the tunnel is there, but when people are scared to spend, they won’t, and the press has made this worse by instilling fear. I see people are not buying new structures, but they do still need to maintain what they have. That, I believe, is why we are still fairy busy.”

“The sense is that we have hit the bottom with the exception of commercial paper which will hit a certain small sector of the banking industry,” forecasts Commercial Roofing’s Akasaki. “Being broad based and diversified, we do have a sense of bullish optimism. When things were hunky dory, we prepared for the times of famine, and in these times of famine, we are positioning ourselves for the upturn.”
“Sustainable building product demand is on an increase, so by offering green products like Cool Roof and FusionSolar, our sales have been buoyed during this downturn,” says Zalopany of Custom-Bilt Metals. “The good news economically is that we’re seeing a recovery of the U.S. economy as a whole. Recent jumps in GDP (gross domestic product) have indicated that consumer demand is beginning to increase, which is the first step toward generating employment and giving new construction a boost.”

Overall, there is a sense of cautious optimism amongst those interviewed, and all would agree with the comment from Macsteel’s Silva: “We believe that by providing great customer service, excellent project support (and) superior products with exceptional value, … we will weather this downturn. We remain optimistic about Hawaii’s long-term future.”