By Kira Rogatnik, Business Development Manager, Metl-Span

LEWISVILLE, Texas, November 27, 2018 – Combining both utility and aesthetics, insulated metal roof panels are growing in popularity. Once used primarily for cold storage, this versatile building solution is ideal for numerous commercial and industrial projects. The IMP roof panels provide air, water and vapor barriers all in one product. Office buildings, schools, community buildings, athletic facilities, data centers, retail centers and industrial warehouses are ideal applications.

Roof Durability - IMP roof panels have a design life of 50 years or longer. In fact, IMPs can outperform traditional membrane roofs by many decades. Greater roof longevity helps reduce maintenance and repair expenses over the course of a building’s lifetime.

Streamlined Installation - Most field-assembled roof systems require numerous trades to install the components that serve as insulation and a moisture barrier. Such roof assemblies boost installation costs and allow more opportunities for errors or construction delays. IMP roofs streamline the installation process because they are a one-piece solution. Also, because the roof panels are light-weight, they are easy for a small team to install.

Most manufacturers cut roof panels to size and feature a simple clip and fastener system. This speeds up the installation process, reducing labor costs. It is also helpful to have an engineering department review the project to ensure the use of the roof panels fits the overall project design. For a successful installation, it is important to follow the panel installation guidelines.

Attractive Options - In addition to being practical, insulated metal roofs are also attractive and aesthetically versatile. IMPs come in a variety of designs and colors and are seamlessly integrated with insulated metal wall systems as well as other wall assemblies.

Energy Efficiency - Building codes have become more stringent and now require an R-value of 19. IMP roof panels rise to the challenge. The polyurethane core comes in thicknesses of 2 to 6 inches. IMP roof panels with 3 inches of continuous insulation meet the new building codes and offer a simple, comprehensive solution.

Continuous polyurethane insulation boosts energy performance of the project for the life of the roof and does not have issues with compressed insulation points. The polyurethane core prevents thermal bridging for exceptional thermal performance.

Many designers and builders are taking advantage of IMP roof panels for a variety of applications. The final product is both attractive and functional.

McElroy Metal Plant in Adelanto, CA, has added solar panels to its second manufacturing facility. Secure module attachment was done with S-5!® Clamps.

Colorado Springs, Colo., November 23, 2018 – Wanting to offset the plant’s electrical usage, and still show a return on investment, McElroy Metal chose a solar solution system for its plant. A solar addition is old hat for McElroy, as they previously re-roofed their Peachtree City, GA standing seam roof facility with 1,960 solar panels. The amount of energy generated through these panels is above what the plant consumes. In addition, McElroy expects to see a return on this solar investment within just three years.

Best Clamp for the Job - It doesn’t make much sense to install a solar array on something that will fail long before the solar plant does. So, a roof inspection was performed prior to installation to ensure it was corrosion-free and suitable to outlast the service life of the solar. Being in the desert (Adelanto is less than 100 miles from Los Angeles) certainly helped. It then became a matter of selecting the right structurally-sound attachment solution that would not only handle harsh sun elements but would also preserve a durable panel connection.

For McElroy, it was all about function. “Being a roofing manufacturer, we are obviously concerned about the overall roof performance for the long-term,” said Ken Gieseke, Vice President of Marketing at McElroy. And as a long-time convert to S-5! products, it was, “for us, the obvious, and frankly only, solar attachment solution to consider.”

In Adelanto, the project called for 646 solar modules to be added to McElroy Metal’s manufacturing facility. To ensure secure attachment, the aluminum RibBracket IV was selected. Compatible with most metal roofing materials, this economical bracket also fits a number of trapezoidal roof profiles too.

McElroy saved time on installation too. The slotted top hole on the bracket, which accommodates the S-5-PV Kit, simplifies alignment and maximizes flexibility in attaching ancillaries. The RibBracket IV also comes with a factory-applied EPDM rubber gasket seal on the base. And even though moisture might not be a concern, the heat, wind, and parched conditions wreak havoc on metal, sealants, and screws. To help combat this, the reservoir on the bracket conceals the EPDM from UV exposure, preventing drying and cracks.

Solar Now and Beyond - Now that “we have…added solar panels to two of our own manufacturing facilities, and S-5! was utilized on both,” McElroy plans to explore more solar mounting opportunities for its other facilities. It was a grand undertaking to invest in and complete such a massive solar panel installation strictly for one’s own company. McElroy hopes such a project can “serve as a showcase for those interested in the use of solar panels with metal roofing.”

Vectorworks Architect and training also recognized at annual ceremony

Columbia, MD (November 28, 2018)—Global design and BIM software solutions provider Vectorworks, Inc. was named the winner of the “One to Watch Company” category at the Construction Computing Awards. In addition, Vectorworks Architect was runner up for the “Architectural Design Software of 2018” award, while Jonathan Reeves, director of Jonathan Reeves Architects (JRA), was runner up for “Training Software/Provider of the Year” for Vectorworks training.

“We are honored to have received these awards from Construction Computing,” said Jeremy Powell, vice president of marketing at Vectorworks. “It is gratifying to see that the industry has taken notice of the commitments we have made to developing innovative new tools and to building superior architectural design and BIM software.”

Reeves has spent the last 25 years at the forefront of digital architecture and related fields since graduating from Sheffield University with three degrees, including a Master’s in Architecture and Computing. After establishing JRA in 2000, Reeves has divided his time between architectural practice and providing high-quality CAD training as well as reselling services to architects and designers all over the UK.

“I am proud of the Training Software/Provider of the Year recognition in this year’s Construction Computing Awards,” said Reeves. “It’s a huge acknowledgement of the contribution we have made to the Vectorworks-based design profession in the U.K. over the last 18 years and means we can reach out to even more practices who can benefit from our unique services."

Now in its thirteenth year and known as “The Hammers,” the awards program showcases and rewards the technology, tools and solutions for the effective design, construction, maintenance and modification of commercial buildings, residential and social housing and civil engineering projects of all sizes.

The winners were announced at the annual gala event at the Radisson Blu Portman in Marylebone, London on November 15. Over 250 guests gathered to see the result of the readers’ online voting and judging panel’s deliberations. A full list of the award winners can be found here. Winners will appear in the November/December ’18 issues of CAD User and Construction Computing Magazine.

LEWISVILLE, Texas – The latest addition to the Blount Fine Foods manufacturing and processing chain employs an insulated metal panel building envelope by Metl-Span with a unique, textured aesthetic that simulates the look and feel of precast concrete without sacrificing performance.

Blount Fine Foods is one of the nation’s leading providers of prepared gourmet soups, entrees, sides and sauces for retail grocers and restaurant chains. The family-owned business is dedicated to product quality and manufacturing excellence with state-of-the-art production processes in each of its three plants.

The recent transition and expansion of a McKinney, Texas, manufacturing facility, acquired in 2016, required a high-performance building envelope that could maintain an internal temperature of 35 degrees Fahrenheit, while meeting the city’s unique aesthetic demands.

“The city of McKinney wanted to use tilt-wall from the beginning,” says Andrew Bowser, P.E., principal and design architect with Team Group, Ltd., a design-build firm specializing in food processing and distribution facilities.

Typical tilt-wall construction entails pouring the structure walls directly at the jobsite in large slabs of concrete, before lifting the walls with the use of a crane and bracing them safely into place. Concrete tilt-wall “is the most ubiquitous construction method in northern Texas,” according to Bowser. However, the product and installation process have some notable disadvantages when compared to insulated metal panels.

“Imagine the cost of using the cranes to lift the tilt-wall up,” Bowser said. “Insulated metal panels are a much more lightweight product; overall it’s a much more cost-efficient and speedier construction process.”

With the highest insulating value per square inch of any metal wall insulation solution, insulated metal panels are ideal for cold storage projects. The panels combine durable steel exterior and interior faces with Metl-Span’s unmatched polyurethane insulating foam core. Insulated metal panels also provide a complete air and vapor barrier in a single component.

Precast concrete construction often requires separate insulation components to meet energy-efficiency requirements, leading to a more complex installation process that impacts everything from interior trade coordination to the bottom line.

“Tilt-wall doesn’t have the inherent insulation value, and nothing offers lower permeance than a steel panel skin,” Bowser noted. “Insulated metal panels are a simplified means of construction with improved R-value for the building envelope.”

Metl-Span products also met the call for a textured aesthetic to complement the surrounding industrial architecture in McKinney. Team Group, Ltd. specified nearly 30,000 square feet of CF42 Tuff-Cast insulated metal wall panels in a 4-inch thickness and Textured White color. The product’s textured exterior finish is an aggregated, fiber-reinforced polymer coating that accurately simulates the appearance of finished precast concrete.

Bowser did not hesitate to recommend the Tuff-Cast insulated metal panel system to meet Blount Fine Foods’ aesthetic and performance requirements.

The project also incorporates another 2,000 square feet of Metl-Span CF42 Mesa insulated metal panels, offering a lightly corrugated aesthetic for even sightlines and symmetry from one façade to the next. Both insulated metal panel systems deliver an exceptional R-value of nearly 33 to encase the facility’s hydro-chiller system and food packing lines.

A licensed professional engineer, Bowser brings more than 25 years of experience in food facility design and construction to the Blount Fine Foods expansion. He said insulated metal panels are the go-to solution for cold storage projects.

“Metl-Span is the best option for cold storage and has been forever,” Bowser reported. “It’s a great product and the stucco finish just makes it that much more attractive.”

Construction was completed on Blount Fine Foods in McKinney, Texas in December 2017. The facility spans more than 123,000 total square feet.

BOW, NH – Structures Unlimited, Inc. is introducing decorative rolled tubes as a new feature that will add a refreshing architectural element into a wide array of building projects.

Decorative rolled tubes compliment any system designed by the premier single-source manufacturer of structural skylights, Skyroofs®, pool enclosures, canopies, walkways and entire pre-engineered structures.

“We wanted to offer a more ornamental appearance to our designs and the decorative rolled tubes accomplish that,” says Mark McNichol, Director of Sales for Structures Unlimited, Inc. “We spent a considerable amount of time making sure we produced just the right look and we couldn’t be happier with the finished product.”

The rolled tubes add radius elements to connect with other elements on the site and soften the lines of the units.

Structures Unlimited Inc. is featured in projects across a spectrum of industries that include education, healthcare, transportation, athletic and recreational facilities. Structures Unlimited projects all feature Kalwall® translucent sandwich panels to create the most energy-efficient, diffuse-light-transmitting structures.

Among the more high-profile projects that feature the work of Structures Unlimited Inc. are the Grand Hall at Yankee Stadium, the aquarium at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Mich., and the University of Virginia Aquatic and Fitness Center.

Engineering News-Record (ENR) has again ranked Hayward Baker as #1 on their 2018 Top 20 Firms in Excavation and Foundation list. This marks the 17th straight year that Hayward Baker has earned the top position in this category.

ENR, a construction-industry based publication, performs annual surveys and ranks companies engaged in general contracting, specialty contracting, engineering, architecture, planning, and studies. Rankings are based on annual revenue at home and abroad.

The Keller companies are well represented on this list with Keller in Canada ranking #15, Case Foundation #17, McKinney Drilling #18, and HJ Foundation #20.

In addition, the following Keller companies made the 2018 Top 600 Specialty Contractors list: Hayward Baker #23 (an improvement from last year’s #30), Suncoast Post-Tension #98, Case Foundation #249, Keller in Canada #225, McKinney Drilling #254, HJ Foundation #289, and Bencor #396.