The ENERGY STAR® Roofing Program will be phased out by June 1, 2022 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced they are sunsetting the ENERGY STAR reflective roof program effective June 1, 2022. Program Partners must cease production of printed or electronic marketing material using the ENERGY STAR mark by June 1, 2021. All references to ENERGY STAR must cease by June 1, 2022. As a leader in the commercial roofing industry and the largest manufacturer of reflective and non-reflective roofing materials, Carlisle Construction Materials supports this change, as it eliminates one source of confusion regarding energy efficient roof design. As a rule of thumb for energy efficiency, reflective roofs are best suited for cooling-dominated climates where buildings' air conditioning demands or costs exceed their heating demands – typically, southern markets in ASHRAE Zones 1, 2, and parts of 3. In heating-dominated climates, a non-reflective roof covering is ideal to reduce heating costs (and the burning of fossil fuels) as well to as mitigate the risk of condensation-related issues within the roofing assembly. Carlisle continues to advocate for careful selection of complete roofing systems based on required performance attributes and considering the building's design, intended use, location, and climatic conditions. Additional Resources For more information on roof condensation, reference the November 2012 Design Advisory on how to avoid condensation issues from occupancy- or construction-generated moisture. November 2012 Design Advisory For more information on the condensation risks of cool roofs, check out this short animation. Condensation Risks of Cool Roofs For further reading, visit the Carlisle SynTec website for a white paper on Mechanically Attached Roof Systems in Cold Climate Zones. White Paper Contact Craig Tyler at Craig.Tyler@CarlisleCCM.com with questions.

FM Global, a leading commercial building insurer, and its code-approved testing agency subsidiary, FM Approvals, have created a Very Severe Hail (VSH) impact resistance classification that could affect design professionals. FM Global Guidelines Traditionally, FM Global has recommended its insured building owners use moderate hail (MH) and severe hail (SH) classified roof systems for buildings located in areas FM Global considers to be susceptible to moderate or severe hail impacts. FM Loss Prevention Data Sheet 1-34 ("Hail Damage") provides a map identifying these regions. In recent years, the insurance industry in the United States has seen an uptick in losses from hail in terms of the number of claims experienced and costs of those claims. A majority of the hail damage occurs to roof systems and other rooftop components. In the latest version of FM 1-34 (April 2019), FM Global identified a new VSH region encompassing Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, most of Texas, and parts of Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.  Per FM Global, this area was classified as a VSH region based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service and National Center for Environmental Protection's Storm Prediction Center. This data shows a concentration of reports of hail greater than 2 inches in diameter in this geographical region. Until recently, FM Approvals did not have VSH-classified roof systems available to satisfy its recommendation in the VSH region. In the interim, FM 1-34 recommended using assemblies tested to a Class 4 rating using FM 4473 ("Specification Test Standard for Impact Resistance Testing of Rigid Roofing Materials by Impacting with Freezer Ice Balls"). FM 1-34 indicates aggregate- and paver-ballasted roof systems can be substituted for MH- and SH-classified roof systems in the MH and SH regions. However, FM Global restricts the use of aggregate-ballasted roof systems on buildings taller than 150 feet, or in areas where the design wind speed is 100 miles per hour or greater. FM has indicated only paver-surfaced roof systems can be substituted for a VSH-classified roof system. FM 1-34 also contains recommendations for skylights, rooftop HVAC equipment, and other critical outdoor equipment in the MH, SH, and VSH regions. Hail Classifications FM Approvals traditionally has tested and classified membrane roof systems for MH and SH impact resistances using FM 4470 ("Approval Standard for Single-Ply, Polymer-Modified Bitumen Sheet, Built-Up Roofs (BUR) and Liquid Applied Roof Assemblies for use in Class 1 and Noncombustible Roof Deck Construction). This is the same test method on which many FM Approvals roof system classifications are based. Using FM 4470's procedure, MH-classified roof systems withstand a 2-inch-diameter steel ball weighing 1.19 pounds dropped from a height of 81 inches in a section of tubing. This results in an impact energy of about 8 foot-pounds (ft-lbs.) on the surface of the roof system test specimen. SH-classified roof systems withstand the same 2-inch-diameter steel ball dropped from a height of 141.5 inches, resulting in an impact energy of about 14 ft-lbs. on the surface of the roof system test specimen. FM Approvals recently updated its impact-resistance test method to include testing for the VSH classification. The new testing involves propelling 2-inch-diameter preformed ice balls at roof system test specimens using an ice ball launcher. The ice balls are propelled at 152 to 160 feet per second, resulting in an impact energy of 53 to 58 ft-lbs. on the surface of the roof system test specimen. With these higher test standards, new materials and assemblies are being developed and tested to meet the new ratings. Carlisle has introduced a new coverboard, EcoStorm, that can achieve the VSH rating. Carlisle currently has 133 approved VSH approved assemblies. For more information on EcoStorm VSH Coverboard, click here. Contact Brian Emert at Brian.Emert@CarlisleCCM.com with further questions.

Wood nailers are often overlooked, but they are a very important component of a successful roof assembly. A horizontal wood nailer is used to provide an effective substrate for some installation details and for other roof accessories. In addition, it is used to provide solid protection for the edge of the membrane underlayment. At a minimum, wood nailers must be thick enough that the top of the nailer is flush with the top of the membrane underlayment. General Criteria: The width of the nailers must exceed the width of the metal flange of edgings, scuppers, etc. When treated lumber is specified, it is recommended that only lumber that has been pressure treated with salt preservatives be specified. Lumber treated with any of the wood preservatives such as, Creosote, Pentachlorophenol, Copper Naphthenate, and Copper 8-quinolinolate will adversely affect the membrane when in direct contact and are, therefore, unacceptable. If non-treated lumber is to be specified, it must be stored to protect from moisture sources. A seal should be provided between the non-treated lumber and a concrete or gypsum substrate. Methods used to fasten the nailer vary with building conditions; however, it is essential that secure attachment of durable stock be accomplished. Factory Mutual Loss Prevention Data Bulletin 1-49 (Perimeter Flashing) contains options for the spacing and sizing of fasteners based on the project wind zone. Wood nailers that are anchored to steel, wood, or masonry decking should not be less than 2" x 6" nominal (minimum 1-1/2" x 5-1/2"). Wood nailers should be Douglas Fir, Southern Yellow Pine, or of wood having similar decay-resistant properties. The American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) publishes the AWPA Book of Standards and is the industry standard for wood treatment. U1 is the specification for treated wood and outlines wood species, preservatives, and specifications for their Use Category System. This is a great resource when you have questions of when and where you should treat wood and what are the recommendations for various treatments. Carlisle SynTec publishes some topics in the Design References portion of our product binder, which can also be accessed on the Carlisle SynTec website. For more information on wood nailer attachment, including some drawings, click here. Contact Craig Tyler at Craig.Tyler@CarlisleCCM.com with further questions.