roofingbc winter 2015

FEATURESNRC conducts wind studies......... 1Beware of misleading product labels................................ 8New technology for measuringroofs and buildings .................. 16

ASSOCIATIONPresident’s message ..................... 3CRCA on waterproofing................ 6RCABC names award winners,new executive ............................... 6Roof stars: RCABC honoursclaims-free members ..................10RoofStar Guarantee program; proof positive: study ...................10

INDUSTRY NEWSSoprema opens polyiso plant.... 12BC to lead economy ................... 12BC ski resorts expanding........... 12Civic fees raise building costs.... 13Condo construction forecast....... 14Major projects underway........... 14Rooftops eyed for housing ........ 15Airport construction on rise ........17Vancouver commercial real estate nears record sales.............18Marriott plans Vancouver hotel ..18Oil prices stabilize western Canada construction costs ..........18

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40014608

RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO:

Roofing Contractors Association of BC9734 201 StreetLangley, BC Canada V1M 3E8

THE VOICE OF PROFESSIONAL ROOFING CONTRACTORS WINTER 2015-2016

WINTER 2015-2016I N T H I S I S S U E :

Roof stars RCABC members honoured for beingRoofStar claims-free. See page 10

Beware of imitatorsThe importance of reading productlabels. See page 8

Soprema opens polyiso plantQuébec site of company’s first NorthAmerican plant. See page 12

Roof edgeblow offsNRC completed two yearsof wind study to keepthem onCourtesy of National Research Council

Insurance industries claim that roofcovering contributes to 90% ofclaims after major wind events. Aspart of the Roofing IndustryCommittee on Weather Issues(RICOWI) Wind InvestigationProgram (WIP), the North Americanroofing professionals completed a

major fact finding investigation forthe cause of commercial roofingfailures. WIP collected factual dataof roof failures immediatelyfollowing hurricanes Charley, Ike,Ivan and Katrina. Failure dataclearly supported that the majorityof the roof failures were due to thefailure of metal roof edges. These

findings suggest that currentbuilding codes in North America (i.e.NBCC and ASCE) do not accuratelyidentify wind design loads acting onroof edge metal systems.The Roof Edge Systems and

Technologies (REST) project is aconsortium of academia,government and roof industries

created to develop wind testingprotocols and design guidelines forroof edges. To study the wind loadsacting on metal roof edges, theREST project studied these loads onthe Canada Post Pacific ProcessingCentre, located on the north side ofthe Vancouver International Airport.

NRC continued page 4

Installation of sensors on the Canada Postbuilding by Marine Roofing and NRC

Canada Post Pacific Processing Centre in Vancouver

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From the President

LookingforwardOur mission is simple; we exist tobring together professionals,manufacturers and suppliers whofundamentally believe in the samecommon goal – to promote, protect,support, train and lead us into thefuture.My first year on the board was

in 2011 and it is an honour to sitas the 2016 president of theRCABC. In my short time I haveseen a changing of theguard, from let’s staythe course to whatmakes us better,stronger and moredesirable by ourcustomers. Eachmember of thisassociation brings tothe table a company’sspirit or culture; theyconvey optimismabout the future andthe company’s planfor staying the coursebetter than anyspreadsheet ever could.I couldn’t be more excited to

take on this new role and helpcontinue the trend towards positivechange.Business relationships within the

construction industry are one ofyour company’s most valuableassets. Consider the hundreds of

interactions needed between owner,general contractor, subs, andsuppliers to win and complete aproject. When communication is

strong and everyoneworks well as abuilding team, youseek one another outfor future projects,refer one another, andbenefit from mutualrespect. One of my

personal goals for theassociation is tostrengthen ourrelationships; theeasiest way to be onthe right side of thetide is to be proactive

– and personal – by listening tofeedback and responding in anauthentic way. It is with this strongfoundation that we can leverageone another, grow our marketshare and continue to add value toour association and its members.The future is brightRecent statistics show that

growth across BC is strong with theestimated capital cost of proposedconstruction projects throughout theprovince hitting $270 billion. With$82 billion of construction currently

underway in BC, the industry has abusy future ahead!John Silva,President, Roofing Contractors

Association of British Columbia ■

ROOFING BC WINTER 2015-2016 3

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John Silva

Since 2004, Roofing BC magazinehas been published quarterly onbehalf of the Roofing ContractorsAssociation of BC and theprofessional roofing industry byMarket Assist Communications Inc.

While informationcontained in thispublication hasbeen compiled fromsources deemed tobe reliable, neitherthe publisher northe RCABC will beheld liable forerrors or omissions. The opinions expressed in the editorialand advertisements are not necessarilythose of the publisher or RCABC.

Managing Editor and PublisherJ. Michael SiddallPhone: 604-740-8369E-mail: [email protected]

EditorFrank O’BrienPhone: 778-996-2411E-mail: [email protected]

Production/Art Director and Advertising AssociatePaddy TennantPhone: 604-507-2162E-mail: [email protected]

Contributing WritersJohn SilvaPaddy TennantJames GillettArthur KleinCirculationRCABCPhone: 604-882-9734E-mail: [email protected]

Chief Executive OfficerBryan L. [email protected]

Three edge configurations – theAnchor Clip Configuration (ACC),Continuous Cleat Configuration(CCC) and Discontinuous CleatConfiguration (DCC)– were installedon the building’s penthouse roof tostudy the measured wind-inducedpressures acting on the surfaces.The Canada Post Pacific

Processing Centre was identified asa suitable field monitoring site forthis study. Positioned at an airportlocation, the building can becategorized as having an openterrain exposure with thepredominant wind direction rangingfrom south-west to north-west. Inorder to be exposed to the criticalwind direction range,instrumentation was placed onPenthouse 6, located on the west

side of the building with a parapetfacing the incoming west wind.Building owner Michael Bryson

said “Canada Post has beeninvolved with the NRC for the past20 years, including participation ina major study to understand roofmembrane properties in the latenineties. When the NRC was insearch of a new building site, theCanada Post Pacific ProcessingCentre in Vancouver was an idealchoice for wind performance. Forbuilding owners like me, thisprovides a comfort zone to knowthat the measured wind uplift forcesare less than the designed values”.All installation and roofing work

was completed by RCABC memberMarine Roofing, with materialprovided by Carlisle SynTec

Systems. Larry Lemke of MarineRoofing said “We have installedseveral million square feet ofroofing in the Western region ofCanada, and found it interesting tobe a part of a new research studyof this kind, especially consideringthat Marine Roofing is the first inits field to be able to contribute toscientific research of this nature”.Field data consisting of wind

speed, direction and pressures wascollected continuously from October2013. The main focus of the studywas to compare and contrast theperformance of the common roofedge metal configurations used byNorth American industries (ACC vs.CCC vs. DCC). This was successfullyaccomplished by concluding thatthere is minimal difference in theinduced loads due to variation inthe configurations. At the highestrecorded wind speed of 60 mph (27m/s), the roofing assembly andedge metal systems performed wellwithout failure. Pedro Padron ofCarlisle SynTec Systems, a leadingcompany in commercial single-plyroofing systems, agreed that“having our product monitored forwind performance through such athorough and detailed study byworld class researchers at the NRCis an excellent way of knowing howour product performs in the fieldunder the most extreme ofconditions”.NRC’s analysis also showed the

presence of negative pressure(suction) acting on all three faces ofthe roof edges. These findings differfrom the current code specificationsfor parapets. As such, the design ofthe roof edge attachment shouldconsider pullout forces from theparapet.Rob Harris, former Technical

Manager at the Roofing ContractorsAssociation of British Columbia(RCABC) said “This is the firstcollaborative project which tookplace with all major players of theroofing community –manufacturers, installers, buildingowners and researchers. As aregulatory body for roofing in BC,we offer a RoofStar guarantee,where technical information of thisnature is vital for success of such aprogram.”The outcome of this study will

have a major impact on theCanadian roofing community,including the validation of existingwind provisions in the NationalBuilding Code of Canada (NBCC) for

commercial roofs and submitting acode change request to the NBCCfor the appropriate wind loaddesign of edge metals. In addition, this study will

contribute to the inclusion of theedge metal test protocol into theexisting CAN/CSA 123.21 standard.This impact is broadened beyondCanada by proposals to theANSI/SPRI ES-1 standard andASCE-7 wind load document. ■

Acknowledgements: The presented research isbeing carried out for a consortium, the SpecialInterest Group for Dynamic Evaluation ofRoofing Systems (SIGDERS) and SIGDERS-REST. This research and development work wascarried out under the auspices of the NSERC’sCollaborative Research Grant (CDR – 395869).Industrial partners: Firestone Building Products,JRS Engineering Group, Homeowner ProtectionOffice branch of BC Housing, Menzies MetalProducts, Metal-Era, Inc., Roofing ContractorsAssociation of BC and Soprema Inc., for thecontribution, including the supply of copingconfigurations. The authors also acknowledgethe assistance of NRC technical officers StevenKo, Amor Duric and David Van Reenen. Materialrequirements were coordinated by CarlisleSynTec Systems, and Larry Lemke of MarineRoofing assisted the team in sensor installationand removals, and roof repairs. Access to thebuilding was graciously given by Canada Postand we appreciate help of Michael Bryson, AlanShopland and Reyes Ronald of JLL forcoordinating the access. For additionalinformation, please contact Dr. Bas Baskaran,P.Eng at the National Research Council ofCanada; 613-990-3616 or [email protected].

4 WINTER 2015-2016 ROOFING BC4 WINTER 2015-2016 ROOFING BC

NRC continued from page 1

Typical roof edge forces and failures during high wind conditions: (A, above) wind-induced forces onroof edges: horizontal outward force F1, vertical uplift force F2 and oblique pull-off force F3; (B) complete failure; (C) partial failure; (D) cleat failure and (E) coping failure

A

B C

D

E

Pressure sensors at roof edge Wind towerInstrumented Penthouse 6of the Canada Post Building

Above: extraction of pressure sensors; below: repair and patching of insulation and membrane byMarine Roofing and Carlisle SynTec Systems; bottom: members involved with sensor removal–

NRC, Marine Roofing, JLL, RCABC and Carlisle SynTec Systems

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6 WINTER 2015-2016 ROOFING BC

The Roofing Contractors Association of BC honoured the followingdeserving members and apprentices during its annual general meeting andawards luncheon, held December 5, 2015 at the River Rock Casino Resort:Top Apprentices in BCArchitectural Sheet Metal – Pierre Boivin, Pocklington Building Systems,WhistlerRoofer, Damp & Waterproofer – Bryan Park, Kelowna Roofing, KelownaService AwardsStan Gregorowich Award – Chris Smith, Nelson RoofingKen Grant Memorial Award – Colin Rasmussen, Western RoofingDoug Kilpatrick Memorial Award – Alma Garnett, Convoy SupplyDouglas McLean Memorial Award – Jamie Mantle, SopremaHonorary Council – Eldon Donald, Coast HudsonRoofStar Top Supporter AwardsVancouver Island – Top Line RoofingInterior – Alpha Roofing & Sheet MetalNorthern – Mainline RoofingLower Mainland – Flynn CanadaTop RoofStar Supporters in BC3rd Place – Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal2nd Place – Marine Roofing1st Place – Flynn Canada

RCABC AGM nets new executiveThe RCABC has elected its new executive for 2016. John Silva of FlynnCanada replaces Alex Goldie as president. The new vice-president is Howard Schlamb of Chilliwack Roofing, while

Chris Smith of Nelson Roofing was named the new secretary/treasurer. ■

Bryan Park of Kelowna Roofing Ltd. received the award for the Top Roofing Apprentice for Roofer,Damp & Waterproofer in the Interior Region and the Top Roofing Apprentice in BC during the 2014-2015 school year.

Pierre-Yves Boivin of Pocklington Building Systems Ltd. received the award for Top Architectural SheetMetal Apprentice in BC during the 2014-2015 school year.

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The Canadian Roofing ContractorsAssociation (CRCA) has issued atechnical bulletin to explain thedifference between waterproofingand roofing.“It is imperative that designers,

architects and contractorsunderstand the differences andsimilarities between roofing andwaterproofing to ensure that theproper system is installed, becausesome materials are designed tofunction under either condition,” thebulletin notes.To add to the complexity

between roofing and waterproofing,the National Building Code does notprovide a clear definition ofwaterproofing, CRCA adds.The bulletin continues: Roofing

and waterproofing membranes areused on decks as barriers tomoisture entry into the spacesbelow. Both share some similarfunctional requirements, but othersare quite different. For optimalperformance it is important tounderstand the different loads andstresses waterproofing systems areexposed to when compared toroofing systems.Waterproofing can be defined as

the treatment of a surface orstructure to prevent the passage ofwater under hydrostatic pressure.The non-exposed waterproofingmembrane is used to protect walls,floors and tunnels below gradefrom ground water and to protect

spaces below plaza decks that areon or below grade.The conditions of service for a

waterproofing membrane differfrom those of a roof. As a result,those physical properties that areimportant for a waterproofingapplication are not necessarily thesame as those properties requiredfor roofing. The followingsummarizes some of thesedifferences.1. The waterproofing is expected

to perform for the life of thebuilding. Unlike a roofingmembrane, waterproofingmembranes should be designedand built to provide maintenancefree service, often for the life ofthe building on which it isapplied. Roofs are typicallyeasier to access and repairshould problems occur.

2. The waterproofing needs toperform in a constantly wetenvironment. Depending on theamount and level of water in theground, the waterproofingmembrane can be in constantcontact with ground water andwet soil. Roof systems, ifproperly constructed withadequate slope to drains, areusually only exposed to waterfor a short time. In addition, thehydrostatic pressure that theyare subjected to is much lessthan that experienced bywaterproofing membranes. Even

a ponded and poorly drainedroof with 2 inches (50 mm) ofsurface water is only subjectedto a pressure of approximately0.07 psi (0.5 kPa).

3. The waterproofing barrierneeds to resist groundchemicals. The contaminants towhich waterproofing is exposeddiffer from those on a roof. Soiloften contains acids, alkalies,salts and a variety of othercontaminants that causedegradation of the waterproofingmaterials. The waterproofingsystem selected should be ableto resist exposure to thesechemicals over its expectedservice life. Although some roofsare exposed to contaminantsfrom effluence exhausted ontothe roof, their composition istypically known and preventivemeasures can be taken. Thecontaminants in soil often varyfrom location to location, andeven by depth of the excavation.

4. The waterproofing barrierneeds to resist constructionabuse. Unlike roofs,waterproofing membranestypically do not have to beprotected from foot traffic.However, they should beprotected until excavations canbe backfilled, or until thewearing course and overburdenis applied. Although roofs arealso prone to damage by otherconstruction, it is more criticalfor waterproofing because of itsinaccessibility.

5. The waterproofing also needsto be able to accommodatesome movement in thesubstrate to which it isattached. Concrete walls andfloors may experience settlementand shrinkage as it cures. Inaddition, decks may experiencethermal movement and loaddeflection. The waterproofingmembrane should be able tobridge small cracks and resistrupture from thermal expansionand contraction to some degree.

For the complete CRCA bulletin,“Roofing and waterproofingmembranes” visitwww.roofingcanada.com. ■

Laying a waterproofing roof membrane. Photo courtesy of RCABC

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Fraudulent labels canput roofing contractorsat risk By Frank O’Brien

Manufacturer’s labels on some roofventing, drains and flashingproducts are deceptive, according toan RCABC member and metalproduct manufacturer.“Some products claim to meet

CSA [CSA Group] standards or claimto be tested. People canwrongly believe theproduct is “listed”[certified] based on thatlabel information andthat is misleading,” saidHugh Smith, ProductCoordinator for MenziesMetal Products ofSurrey.Contractors using

products without theproper lab markings onthe labels are at risk ofhaving the productsrejected by buildingofficials, Smith warned.

“Although CSAGroup writes many ofthe standards related tothe roofing industry, itonly tests and certifiesroofing vents,” explained AllisonHawkins, CSA Group manager ofcorporate affairs. “We do notprovide the testing and certificationfor the majority of roofing products.Only roofing vents are tested byCSA and, if certified, could displaythe CSA mark.”“It isn’t just vent labels we are

concerned about meeting CSAstandards, but drains and flashingsas well,” Smith said. He added thatMenzies and other manufacturershave hired labs to test products toCSA standards. “It is the standardsthat are important here, not whattesting CSA’s lab has done,” he said.Smith notes that it is easy to

print a label claiming certification.What contractors have to look for isthe name of the approvedcertification body, which must also

be on the label. “If the product isproperly labeled with the approvedcertification body and theappropriate standard then youknow you are safe,” he explained. “CSA Group has adopted a zero

tolerance policy toward counterfeitsand the misuse of our certificationmarks. If someone informs us thatthe CSA marks are beinginappropriately applied, we wouldtake action,” Hawkins said.

Non-certified building productsnot only threaten installers and theend user, CSA noted, butresponsible manufacturers whomake the effort and investment toobtain CSA marks may lose theircompetitive advantage againstcompetitors who offer counterfeitproducts.“A lawsuit resulting from failure

of those products may put thecontractor or supplier at risk,” saidSmith. QAI Laboratories, an

independent third-party testing,inspection and certificationorganization, is one of a handful ofapproved testing facilities. Theagency was established in 1994and now has six offices in NorthAmerica, including British Columbia. The company provided the

following guidelines on buildingproduct labeling:• Products approved by buildingofficials in Canada must meetcode requirements – and thismeans meeting the applicableproduct standards.

• Meeting these Standardsrequires the product not only tobe tested by an approved testinglab but also listed and labeled bya Standards Council of Canada

approved certificationbody. • All accreditedcertification bodies inCanada and the U.S.adhere to ISO 17065,‘Conformity assessment– requirements forbodies certifyingproducts, processes andservices’. Testing by anyother labs or self-testingdoes not meet CSA, anddoes not qualify as“listed”. The ISO makesvery clear that suchclaims are illegitimate.• Of primaryimportance in thelabeling is the name orlogo identifying theapproved certification

body. The product label mustidentify the accreditedcertification body by referencingits registered certification logo.Properly approved certificationand testing labs include CSA,QAI, IAPMO, Intertek/WarnockHersey and a few others.

• Some manufacturers self-testtheir products and label them astested to claim a “listing”. Inreality, the product is not “listed”.Without the certification bodyname or logo, the product is notcompliant with the code andmay not be recognized byinspectors or code officials ashaving been tested and certified.

Actual “listed” products are alsocontinually monitored by thecertification body for qualityconsistency, QAI noted. ■

An example of an incorrect label with a self-certification claim

A correct label showing the approved certification body and the appropriate standard

“Product labels can be misleading”


Five companies honouredby RCABC RoofStarGuarantee program By Frank O’Brien

Henry Huber, president of ArconaRoofing, has a simple explanationwhen asked how his company hasmaintained an excellent claims-freerecord under the RCABC RoofStarGuarantee for a quarter century. Theanswer is in its motto: “Treat thecustomer’s building as if it wereyour own.”A small but experienced team –

Arcona has five or six staff in thefield – also means hands-onmanagement that allows Huber tokeep a close eye on all work, whichhas included contracts for newschool construction and otherdemanding projects.Arcona, 46-year old, family-run

firm, also holds the Certificate ofRecognition (COR) from the BCConstruction Safety Alliance. COR,developed by WorkSafeBC, is anincentive program that encouragescompanies to develop and maintainhealth and safety managementsystems that exceed regulatoryrequirements.“We always try to make sure

every step is done just right,” saidHuber, whose company has been anRCABC member for more than 30years. Arcona was one of five member

companies awarded for beingclaims-free under the RoofStarGuarantee program at the RCABCannual general meeting inDecember.

The other claims-free companiesare sheet metal award winner LaingRoofing of Kelowna; Alpha Roofing& Sheet Metal of Kamloops;Heritage Roofing of Nelson; D.M.Henderson of Dawson Creek; andContinental Roofing of Delta, whichis also the first Climate Smartregistered commercial roofingcontractor in BC.Laing Roofing, which has

remained claims-free for 25 years,has been entrusted with some ofthe largest commercial roofingcontracts in the central interior –including the landmark SparklingHills Resort near Vernon and

roofing of the Surgical Centre atKelowna General Hospital.“We are doing a lot more

architectural sheet metal panels,”said Laing vice-president DarranLight; work that won top honourslast year in the Metal ArchitecturalDesign Awards.Like the other RoofStar

Guarantee claims-free companies,Laing puts the customer first. “Wealways stand behind ourworkmanship,” Light said. “If thereis anything that needs to be fixed orif a client is not satisfied with anyaspect of the job, we will make itright, guaranteed.” ■

Positiveimpact“The RCABC RoofStarGuarantee programreduced warrantableroofing issues by up to 42 percent”With thanks to RDH Building Science

A detailed and extensive analysis ofthe Roofing Contractors Associationof BC’s RoofStar Guarantee hasshown that it enjoys strongacceptance by the industry and hashad a positive and significantimpact on building performance,according to RDH Building ScienceInc. of Vancouver.“The RCABC RoofStar Guarantee

program reduced the warrantableroofing issues by up to 42 percent.The analysis demonstrates that theRoofStar Guarantee programappears to have reduced thenumber of roofing issues andlikelihood of claims on flat roofs inthe Lower Mainland of BC, ascompared to roofs built without theguarantee,” concluded RDHprincipal Graham Finch and

managing principal Brian Hubbs.The RCABC Guarantee Corp.

requested the RDH study toascertain the impact of RoofStar onroofing issues and potentialwarranty claims for flat roofs inBC’s Lower Mainland. The analysiscompared data fromRDH’s Building AssetManagement Services(BAMS) database withmatching buildingsfrom RCABC’sextensive guaranteeprogram, which hasbeen in existencesince 1960.The BAMS database, a testament

to RDH’s innovation and uniqueapproach to building science,played a key part in the success ofthe study by allowing theevaluation of individual buildings atthe building component level. Bycentrally storing and organizingbuilding information, BAMSprovides RDH with the ability to diginto a wealth of data and effectivelyevaluate industry trends.In the RDH analysis of a random

population of 267 flat roofs thatwere under 10 years of age, 52percent of these roofs were covered

under the RCABC RoofStarGuarantee, which highlights thegreat uptake of the program.An in-depth comparison of

physical reviews and observationsperformed by RDH found that 37percent of the non-RCABC roofs had

at least one observedwarrantable roofingissue, as compared toonly 21 percent of theRCABC roofs.The study, the first

of its kind, wasexhaustive. The totalof 2,074 buildings

with an RCABC RoofStar Guaranteewithin RCABCs database werematched with a population of 267buildings with flat roofs that wereless than 10 years old within RDH’sBAMS database. RDH focused onflat roofs (low-slope of less than2:12) with predominantly 2-ply SBSmembranes, but also some withliquid-applied and single-ply (i.e.PVC, TPO, and EPDM) roofmembranes.Reviews were performed by

RDH staff or RCABC acceptedinspectors at various times over thelife of the roofs, typically beforemilestone warranty expiry dates or

during other reviews such ascondition assessments, warrantyreviews or depreciation reportassessments.It was determined that 139 of

these 267 flat roofs (52 percent)had an RCABC RoofStar Guaranteein place and 128 (48 percent) didnot. This alone is a useful statisticthat demonstrated the prevalence ofthe RoofStar program within theLower Mainland flat roofmarketplace, RDH noted.To determine if the roofs within

these two databases had observedissues or potential claims, RDHthen analyzed the observation dataentered into the database by RDHstaff, sorting the recorded issuesinto those that are potentiallywarrantable and those that arenon-warrantable.When roofing observations were

entered into the database acondition criticality was alsoassessed for each observation,ranging from normal maintenancetasks like drain cleaning and minorflashing repairs to more criticalitems such as roof leaks/staining,failed or damaged membranes, orsevere ponding. Only critical items were then

flagged as “warrantable issues”while non-critical roofingmaintenance or repairs wereconsidered as “maintenance issues”and not counted in the analysis.The observations for each

building were then counted and thenumber of buildings with roofingissues was totaled for each dataset.The results confirmed that thepresence of an RCABC RoofStarGuarantee reduces the chance ofwarrantable roofing issues byapproximately 42 percent.To confirm that the available

sample of roof informationprovides a statistically significantresult, RDH conducted a chi-squared test (a statistical testapplied to sets of categorical datato evaluate how likely it is that anyobserved difference between thesets arose by chance). This testdetermined at a 95 percentconfidence interval that thepresence of an RCABC RoofStarGuarantee reduces the frequency ofroofing issues, RDH discovered.The RCABC Guarantee Corp.

coverage is only available throughmembers of the RoofingContractors’ Association of BC,noted Judy Slutsky of RCABC. ■

Above and below: claims-free roofs by Arcona Roofing. Photos: Arcona Roofing

The metal-clad Painted Rock Winery in Penticton is among the projects that resulted in Laing Roofing(Kelowna) winning top honours for its sheet metal work in the Metal Architectural Design Awards.Laing is also recognized as being claims-free under the RoofStar Guarantee. Photo: Laing Roofing

Roof stars

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Will Foulkes, left, andBrad Eward, partners inContinental Roofing of

Richmond: honoured forbeing 26 years claims-free under the RCABCRoofStar Guarantee.Photo: Richard Lam


Drummondville, Québec – Sopremahas announced the opening of thecompany’s first polyisocyanurateinsulation manufacturing plant inNorth America. The openingceremonies drew provincial andmunicipal officials as well as Pierre-Étienne Bindschedler, President ofSoprema and Richard Voyer,Executive Vice-President and CEO ofSoprema North America.“This new plant is a turning point

for Soprema Canada, because itallows us to expand our presence inthe construction market,” said Voyer.“We now offer our customerscomplete solutions for roofs, for

which we manage all the productionphases. Once again, we are provingour leadership and we arestrengthening our vanguardposition in this sector.”The groundbreaking was held in

May of 2014 and the first CNfreight trains arrived on site inNovember 2015.Summer 2015 was also a test

and trial period for the productionof polyisocyanurate panels. InOctober, the company gained thecapacity to serve customers within aradius of 800 kilometres aroundDrummondville, which includes theToronto area, the northeastern

United States, Montréal and themaritime provinces.Plant wins Real EstateExcellence awardThe new plant, designed and

created by the consortium of ABCPArchitecture and Dominique BlaisArchitecte, was built by the generalcontractor, Ronam Constructions,supported by a large number ofsubcontractors. The project won areal estate Excellence Award fromthe Urban Development Institute ofQuébec. This award, which honoursinnovation and contribution to thecommunity, rewards those whohave participated to the success of

real estate projects in Québec.Winners are determined based onthe quality of their real estateassets.Soprema seeks LEED GoldcertificationIn terms of sustainable

development, the Soprema projectteam put a lot of effort intoadopting eco-friendly construction

and development practices for thenew manufacturing plant. Theyincluded solar walls, LED lighting,white roofing, charge ports forelectric cars, rainwatermanagement, an improvedventilation system, energy efficiency,use of local materials, andreplacement of paving asphalt withlight-coloured roller-compactedconcrete to reduce heat islands.Soprema hopes to obtain a LEEDGold certification for the plant.Polyisocyanurate is an insulation

material (hydrophobic closed-cellfoam) manufactured in flat, rigidpanels coated on both sides. Thisproduct, with high thermalresistance, is used for manypurposes, including roof insulation.“Indeed, polyisocyanurate is

currently the best product on themarket to meet climaticrequirements of commercial,institutional and industrialbuildings,” said a companyspokesperson.Soprema is an international

manufacturer specializing in theproduction of waterproofing andinsulation products, as well asvegetative and soundproofingsolutions, for the building and civilengineering sectors. The companyoperates in more than 90 countriesworldwide. ■

Soprema opens new polyiso plant



Phone: 604-572-0373Toll Free: 1-888-850-6264

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BC to lead Canadianeconomy in 2016VANCOUVER – A series of economic forecasts agree that BritishColumbia will lead the country in terms of economic growth in 2016,taking over from Alberta, which is expected to see its economycontract and return to only slow growth in 2017.

The BC economy will grow by 2.8 percent in 2016, according to aCIBC World Markets report released November 23, with Ontario insecond place at 2.4 percent. These rates of growth are well abovethe anticipated 1.9 percent growth nationwide.

“Solid growth is in store for the central Canadian and moremanufacturing intensive economies of Ontario and Quebec,” saidCIBC World Markets chief economist Avery Shenfeld.“But the top spot is reserved for BC, which has been benefiting

the most from overseas investment and from bordering some ofthe fastest-growing areas of the U.S. economy.”

Reports from the Bank of Montreal, the Conference Boardof Canada and Central 1 Credit Union have also ranked BCas the top performing provincial economy in 2016. ■

Richard Voyer, Executive Vice-President and CEOof Soprema North America at the opening ofSoprema’s polyiso plant on December 7, 2015

Ski hill expansion OK’dA flurry of takeovers, permit approvals and planned expansions couldtranslate into roofing contracts at BC ski resorts over the next few years.Here is why: The BC government has approved a master plan for a $1.5billion ski resort expansion at Hemlock Resort in the Fraser Valley.Langley’s Berezan Group intends to build the all-season project, north of

Chilliwack, in five phases. There would be an estimated $500 million capitalinvestment in Phase 1, creating 1,153 full-time jobs. A further estimated $1billion is expected to be pumped into the project through its full build-out,which would take decades. Since buying the resort in 2006, Berezan hasinvested $10 million into upgrading the existing infrastructure.In related news, a large U.S.-based ski resort developer has bought

Mount Washington Alpine Resort, the only alpine ski resort on VancouverIsland. Pacific Group Resorts of Park City, Utah, have said they plan to“take Mount Washington to the next level.”The Garibaldi at Squamish Ski Resort, a proposal from Vancouver’s

Aquilini Developments, could get a go-ahead under an environmentalreview early in 2016. If provincial ministers give the green light to theproject, the proponents will embark on further public consultation. Ifapproved, it would see the development of 22,000 bed units on BrohmRidge, including thousands of homes and a number of new hotels. ■


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Civic fees add to building costsVANCOUVER – The work yards and buildings of Metro Vancouver roofingcontractors – and other industrial operators – represent a rapidly-appreciating asset that could cost millions of dollars to replace, according toa study by the the Vancouver-based Commercial Real Estate andDevelopment Association (known as NAIOP).For a roofing material manufacturer moving into Metro Vancouver, the

civic fees alone could convince them to look at smaller BC cities.An NAIOP cost study revealed that, while the construction costs of an

industrial building have not increased dramatically in the Metro region,land values and municipal fees have soared.NAIOP used the following scenario to ascertain costs: rezoning a 5.5-

acre site to industrial use and building a 100,000-square-foot warehousespace with a small office area. The study found that the construction costsfor such a building would be $79.50 per square foot, or about $79,500. Theland would cost at least $6 million, however, and, depending on themunicipality, total civic fees would add an average of nearly $500,000.Richmond has the most expensive total fees and charges for the sample

building, at an estimated $1 million. Vancouver was the second mostexpensive at nearly $695,000, and the District of North Vancouver, wheretotal municipal fees increased 96 percent in 2015 from a year earlier,would require $687,698 in total fees, the NAIOP study found.Municipalities with the lowest total fees are Burnaby, at $194,000 and

Maple Ridge, where civic costs came to $160,126. ■

2016: $72 billionin projectsareunderway$25 billion in proposalsare now ‘on hold’By Dermot Mack

The most current BC MajorProjects Inventory lists 21 newproposed projects over $15million, with available capital costestimates totalingapproximately $18.8 billion inpotential new capitalinvestment, if all the projectsproceed.However, of the $350 billion

in proposed projects, about$25 billion worth have beenput on hold, mostly due topending decisions on liquefiednatural gas and pipelineexpansion, or mining projects.Twenty-one major projects

started construction in 2015,with an estimated value of$975 million. The largest projectsstarted are the Granville BridgeNeighbourhood CommercialCentre in Vancouver at $400million, and the Port of StewartExpansion – Phase 3 at a cost of$60 million.The Granville Bridge

commercial centre will include a52-storey residential tower and a

series of six-storey buildings withretail and office space that willtower over and tuck beneath theGranville Street Bridge.

Twenty-four projects completedconstruction in 2015, with anestimated capital cost ofapproximately $10.2 billion. Thelargest project is the $4.8 billionSmelter Modernization Project inKitimat, followed by the $3.3billion Port Mann Bridgeexpansion.All capital costs are estimates,

and therefore subject to changes,especially in the early stages of aproject proposal. Some capitalcosts are not included because

they were not available atpress time or thedeveloper/owner requestedthat no capital cost be shown.The capital cost of all

major projects currently underconstruction in BC is estimatedat $72.3 billion, down fromthe $81.7 billion reported inthe first quarter of 2015.Many major project

proposals listed are in verypreliminary stages and arenot approved for construction,

therefore capital cost estimatesshould be viewed with caution.The available capital cost ofproposed projects is estimated atapproximately $350.1 billion, upfrom $296.3 billion in theprevious quarter. Approximately $25 billion of

projects are judged to be “onhold” for the time being. ■


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Summary of major projects in BC(Projects valued at $15 million or more)

Region Proposed Started On HoldVan. Island / Coast 71 57 16Lower Mainland 219 206 18Thompson / Okanagan 48 56 1OKootenay 8 16 6Cariboo 20 3 6North Coast 46 7 11Nechako 11 3 4Northeast 33 14 9BC Total 456 364 80

Source: BC Stats

A $400 million residential and commercial development above and below Vancouver’s GranvilleBridge is the largest construction project underway in BC. Photo: Westbank

Two-thirds of BC housing starts are multi-family units. Photo: Western Investor

27,000 new condo unitsto be built by 2018VANCOUVER – At least 27,000 new high-rise concrete condominiums willbe built in Metro Vancouver in scores of new projects by 2018, according toa study by Urban Analytics Inc.And they will all be built, the consultancy firm said, because 87% of the

condos have already been pre-sold.Much of the new construction will take place in Burnaby’s Metrotown

and Brentwood areas, in Surrey Central and in the city of Vancouver.Across BC it is forecast that 30,800 new homes will start construction in

2016, similar to the pace of 2015. Most of the construction will be multi-family units, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC).“Demand for new homes in the province will be supported by

employment, population growth and low mortgage interest rates,” saidCarol Frketich, CMHC’s regional economist. “Multiple-family homes willaccount for about two-thirds of housing starts.” ■

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Roofs eyed for housingFlat roofs could be claimed for housing, according to a Dutch architectural firm that has developed a lightweightmodular system for use in cities around the world.Designed by architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars of Universe Architecture of Amsterdam, the houses are made with a

steel modular structure and Meccano-like façade. Called the Tretis House, the components snap together and can be licensed to developers, the company

explained. Universe can ship the plans and components anywhere in the world. Ruijssenaars said the Tretris system allows builders to link three modular steel structures to create one complete

home that, with all exteriors transparent, offers wide sweeping views of its surroundings. Each standard housemeasures 1,883 square feet, and balconies and shutters can be added on. ■

Tetris house: lightweight house designed to be placed on urban rooftops. Photo: Universe Architecture


MeasuringUpThe measurement ofroofs and buildings isnow light years beyond a tape measure andcameraBy James Gillett

Through a combination of offsiteand onsite technologies, roofconsultants, contractors, andadjusters can get a completemeasurement of a roof or building.Existing and emerging technologiesallow the digital recording of roofand building elements and themanipulation of the information toassemble exactly the needed report.Let’s look at where we are andwhere we’re going.OffsiteThe past five years have seen the

widespread acceptance of aerialimagery reports for both residentialand commercial roofing (Figure 1).The technology has been provenreliable and is in widespread use byboth large and small businesses.The main source of data used for

aerial imagery reports has beenphotographs taken from either anairplane or a satellite with themetadata being used to build theroof model. While this method isvery accurate, it also requires ahigh degree of human interactionand is highly dependent on thequality of the photograph. Theamount of foliage on the trees, thestrength of the shadows, and thetime of year of the photograph alsoaffect quality.But there is a newer and

potentially more accurate methodof aerial measurement that will beused soon: lidar.Lidar, a combination of

light and radar, uses alaser mounted in aspecially outfittedairplane to map roofs andcan build a 3-D model ofa roof almost instantly(Figure 2). The laser isable to scan through thefoliage and, in fact, canmap the tree locationalso, which can be usefulin solar reports to showpotential light blockagesfrom trees. Lidar doesrequire sophisticatedsoftware to construct theroof model.As is often the case

with newer technology, itstill requires a person tocheck the model, but theamount of labour isgreatly reduced. And although lidarhas been around since the 1960s (itwas used to map the lunar surfaceduring the Apollo 15 mission), it isonly now that the accuracy, costand computing power have alignedto make it a feasible, effectivetechnology for aerial imageryreports. However, since thetechnology requires the use ofairplanes and pilots, it will still be awhile before the imagery catalogcan be updated with lidar imagery.

Another new technology isdrones or unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs). UAVs (Figures 3 and 4)would seem to be a perfect fit forthe production of aerial imageryreports. Since they do not have tocarry a human being, they can besmaller, lighter, and fly fartherusing less fuel. They can also fly atlower altitudes and, potentially, tomore remote areas. The technologyis evolving rapidly, but federalaviation regulations concerningdrones are moving much moreslowly. After regulations areestablished, there should be amultitude of uses within theindustry, both on- and off-site,without having to get on a ladder.Future of onsite measuringThere are additional onsite

technologies that can be used nowto aid in the measurement of roofsand buildings. One of the maintools that you probably have inyour pocket—the smartphone—willbe used in many new and creativeways to help you measure andidentify roof and buildingconditions.One of the simplest uses for a

smartphone is to determine theroof pitch. There are numerousapps that use the gyroscopepresent in every smartphone todetermine the pitch—either from theground or resting directly on theroof. Additionally, there are a hostof “smart tools” such as distancemeasurement, levels, protractor,vibrometer, and even metaldetector that use the existingsensors in your smartphone toprovide a more complete analysisof a building.One of the most useful onsite

technologies to come along isadvanced vision capability. Thistechnology uses a multitude of

sensors and cameras to enableusers to walk through a space andbuild a 3-D model as they walk.Imagine being able to walk across aroof and have an instantaneousmodel of all the roof penetrations,HVAC units, curbs, and parapetheights. Everything located exactlywithout using a tape measure—andno drawing time required!Similarly, advanced vision

capability in concert with elementrecognition technology could make

it possible to identify themanufacturer and model or type ofwindows, siding, shingles, etc. Asthe sensors scan the walls or roofof the building and assemble the 3-D model, the element-recognitionsoftware could compare the size,shape, and texture of a buildingelement against a manufacturers’database and determine the type orexact model number. Over time,manufacturers could even design inan unobtrusive “marker” that only

the software couldidentify, making it morelikely an exact matchwould be identified.Additionally, colour

spectrum analysis of thesiding or other elementsshould make it possibleto identify the paintcolours used and offerthe closest matches froma variety ofmanufacturers – withouthaving to remove asample of the materialfor colour matching.Eventually, the sensors

needed for many of thesetechnologies will beincorporated into thesmartphone and make itpossible to performcomplete roof andbuilding analyses with

just one device.Another upside to all of this

technology is that the data collectedcan be stored in a database as arecord of the building and retrievedquickly and easily. The buildingowner can maintain the digital datafor the property as well as keep acopy with facilities managers andbuilding consultants, which cangreatly reduce administrative timein finding specific information in theevent of a catastrophe or for

general maintenance. It also makesit possible to keep video records ofspecific fixes or problem areas incase of personnel turnover.With the combination of offsite

technologies such as aerial imageryreports and onsite technologiessuch as advanced visioncapabilities, roof consultants,adjusters and contractors canalready gather a more completeand accurate assessment of anybuilding in less time at lower cost.And it should only get better fromhere. ■

Future in your pocket: Advances in advanced vision capability and element recognition technology could someday be part of anenhanced smartphone allowing a contractor to walk across a roof and have an instantaneous 3-D model of all the roofpenetrations, HVAC units, curbs, and parapet heights, along with information on where all the pieces were manufactured.

Figure 1: Airplane or satellite imagery can be translated into rooftop measurements, as in this sample readout from SkyMeasure by CorLogic.

Figure 2: What’s coming: Lidar usesa combination of light and radar tobuild a super accurate 3-D model ofa roof almost instantly.

James Gillett is the client services manager forSkyMeasure by CoreLogic. Gillett has 20 yearsexperience in the architecture industry and fiveyears experience in the aerial imagery industry.This column first appeared in the RCI journalInterface, October 2015.

Series of constructionprojects linked to BC air terminals By Dermot Mack

The construction of a large mall onVictoria airport land is just one ofthe airport-lined constructionprojects that may keep RCABCmembers busy over the next fewyears.Vancouver-based Omicron has

signed an agreement with theVictoria Airport Authority (VAA) tobe the exclusive developer of a100,000-square-foot shoppingcentre on Victoria airport land inSidney.The announcement came just

days after the McArthur Glen Groupopened an outlet mall next toVancouver International Airport.The Victoria project would

include a 62-year lease on the land,

which is owned by the federalgovernment and leased to theairport.Ideally, construction would start

this year and finish about 14months later, said Peter Laughlin,Omicron’s director for VancouverIsland.The project’s value would be

about $35 million, he said.

Construction costsalone would run toabout $20 million.In Prince George,

the airportauthority hassigned an anchortenant for a newcargo handlingfacility at theairport, part of anexpansion of itscargo handlingfacilities.Rosenau

Transport is the anchor tenant onfor the first 25,000 square-footbuilding at the north end of themain runway.Meanwhile, the Northern Rockies

Regional Airport (NRRA) in FortNelson is undergoing a $4.3 millionmakeover. Backed with federal government

funding, the airport will upgrade asit prepares to handle increasedtraffic into the northeast gas fields.Eric Desnoyes, the airport’s

business manager, said Fort Nelsonis the major airport for gas fieldworkers. “The expansion will allowus to handle larger planes andmore of them,” Desnoyes said,noting a terminal upgrade is alsoplanned. “Our thinking is ‘let’s doall the work we can do now so wewill be ready when they pull thetrigger’”.Kelowna International Airport

has unveiled an ambitious plan of

investing approximately $55.6million in various constructionprojects. The master plan isexpected to be complete inNovember 2016. The airport, whichis handling more than 1.65 millionpassengers annually, has alreadyexpanded its airstrip.Construction of an airport plaza

will be carried out in partnershipwith PatAIRa Holdings and willfeature a gas station andconvenience store. The secondphase construction of a new carwash and detailing bay will beginin 2016. ■


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Victoria airport: $35 million shopping mall planned on 10 acres ofairport lands. Photo: Victoria Airport Authority

Northern Rockies Regional Airport in Fort Nelson is undergoing a $4.3 million makeover. Photo: Northern Rockies Regional Airport

Roofing contracts will land at airports

MarriottplansVancouverhotelFresh off announcing a new luxuryhotel for downtown Edmonton,Marriott International hasannounced plans to build a newVancouver hotel at Parq Vancouverto open in 2017, Marriott Hotels ofCanada president Don Cleary told aVancouver Board of Trade meetingin January.Cleary and Marriott International

CEO Arne Sorenson toured the site,which is connected to BC Placestadium and announced the projectis estimated to cost about $600million. It is being built by ParqHoldings, which is a joint venturebetween Paragon Development Ltd.,Dundee Corp. and PBC VUR LP.The project will include a new

Edgewater Casino, as well as fourrestaurants and a sky bar. Sorenson

said that the complex will be amagnet for Vancouver’sentertainment district andtransform the area. The project willbe the first LEED (Leadership inEnergy and Environmental Design)gold certified hotel project inCanada.Parq is slated to have a total of

517 hotel rooms. ■


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Vancouver could see its first billion-dollar real estate sale in 2016 asthe purchase of trophy propertiespush sales volume to a historicpeak.The expected sale of the Bentall

Centre office portfolio and theRoyal Centre office and retail towerthis year “will push overall dollarvolume to previously unseen levels,”according to Avison Young. “Bothassets will very likely set newbenchmarks and may produce thefirst billion-dollar-plus commercialreal estate transactions inVancouver’s history,” Avison Youngnoted in a recent 2016 forecast.The current record price for a

Canadian office tower is the $1.27billion paid for the 68-storey Bankof Nova Scotia tower in Toronto, in2012.The Bentall Centre is made up of

four office towers in downtownVancouver. Its majority owner,Montreal-based Ivanhoé CambridgeInc., put it up for sale last year. Thefour buildings range from 21 to 35storeys and together contain 1.5million square feet of office spaceand 53,000 square feet of retail.The offering is expected to

attract local and “global institutionalinvestors” according to a statementfrom Arthur Lloyd, IvanhoéCambridge Executive Vice-President,Office, North America.Michael Gill, principal in the

Avison Young capital marketsdivision said he would not besurprised if Asian-based offshoreinvestors were among thoseattracted to the Bentall Centreoffering.The Bentall 5 building was sold

in 2012 for $400 million, or $686per square foot, to a group ofCanadian pension funds. At thatper-square-foot price, BentallCentre would be worth north of $1billion, though most analystsbelieve it will sell for more. Bids closed in December for

Royal Centre at the corner ofBurrard and West Georgia Streets,but no sale information has beenreleased. Brookfield OfficeProperties’ sole asset in Vancouvercovers 589,000 square feet,including a 37-storey office towerand 91,000 square feet of retailspace. The property is assessed at$287.5 million but was alsoexpected to have fetched a higherprice. Word on the street is theproperty is under contract with asuccessful bidder.Total commercial real estate

sales through the first nine monthsof 2015 across the Lower Mainlandreached a five-year high of $5.5billion, up from $4.2 billion in thesame period a year earlier,according to the Real Estate Boardof Greater Vancouver’s commercialdivision. ■



Phone: 604-572-0373Toll Free: 1-888-850-6264

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Rendering shows new Parq Vancouver Hotel

Bentall office portfolio expected to sell for more than $1 billion.Photo: Ivanhoé Cambridge

The plunge in oil prices and the subsequent loss of anestimated 10,000 jobs in the Alberta resource sector ispaying a dividend in the western Canadian constructionindustry: stable prices for labour and material.The cost of construction in BC, despite a high level of

development, has remained virtually unchanged overthe past year. Constructioncosts have fallen in Alberta,according to the annual AltusGroup construction costssurvey. For instance, Altus found

construction costs todayaverage from $245 to $290per square foot to build aClass A Vancouver office tower today, compared to anaverage of $235 to $320 a year ago. A typical industrialwarehouse can run from $80 to $100 per square foot inMetro Vancouver, unchanged from 2015.A 12-storey concrete condominium tower would cost

from $190 to $240 square feet today in MetroVancouver, compared to construction costs of from $205

to $250 a year ago, Altus Group found.In the speculative single-family detached market, the

price of building in Calgary has fallen from a peak of$185 per square foot in Calgary in 2015 to $140 persquare foot today. In Edmonton, the peak price fordetached house construction is now $145 per square

foot, down from $200 in 2015,Altus found. In MetroVancouver it now costs fromup to $165 per square foot tobuild a basic spec house,unchanged from a year ago.(Vancouver area land costs,however, can add $100 ormore to the cost per buildable

square foot for residential).The public sector is apparently also benefitting from

the oil dividend. This year in Metro Vancouver it costsan average of from $180 to $205 per square foot tobuild an elementary school and from $205 to $255 persquare foot to build a high school, both unchanged from2015, Altus reports. ■

Metro Vancouver: Construction costs per square foot (average price range)Property 2015 201612-storey condo tower $205 - $250 $190 - $24030-storey ‘A’ office tower $235 - $320 $245 - $290Industrial warehouse $85 - $115 $80 - $100Elementary school $180 - $205 $180 - $205

Source: Altus Group Construction Costs survey

Commercial real estatesales eye peak

Oil dividend keepsconstruction costs stable

Arne Sorenson, CEO of MarriottInternational: $600 million hotelcomplex set for Vancouver

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