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NRCA announces winner of Excellence in Design Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT: AMBIKA BAILEY
MARCH 2005	(847) 299-9070, Ext. 7555
	abailey@nrca.net
NRCA ANNOUNCES WINNER OF EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AWARD Orlando, Fla.—During NRCA's 118th Annual Convention in Orlando, Feb. 14-18, NRCA announced the winner of its second Excellence in Design Award, Prairie Technologies for the ERSystems and Prairie Technologies Corporate Headquarters, Rockford, Minn. The company's 50,000-square-foot (4645-m²) manufacturing and office facility in Rockford, Minn., is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program. The roof system is featured as an integrated building asset and exhibits the following technology: About 25 percent of the rainwater from the roof is captured and reused for irrigation. More than 50 percent of the roof system is a white PVC membrane. In the center of the PVC section is a 5,000-square-foot (464.5-m²) prairie garden. The remainder of the roof system is an EPDM membrane coated with a reflective white acrylic coating. Between the two roof systems is a 5-kW solar array. The solar panels are fixed to racking that is held in place with ballast. The power produced by the panels travels down an exterior wall to provide a nonpenetrating installation. A weather station and Web camera are located at the roof system's south end, viewable at www.prairie-tech.com. The program honors energy-efficient and environmentally friendly roof systems designed according to accepted industry practices and expected to last for a long period of time. Architects, specifiers, roof consultants and roofing contractors responsible for the design of a nominated roof system were eligible for the competition. A panel of roofing industry experts selected by NRCA served as judges. For more information about the awards, visit www.nrca.net, or contact Ambika Bailey, NRCA's director of communications, at (800) 323-9545 or (847) 299-9070, Ext. 7555; fax (847) 299-1183; or e-mail abailey@nrca.net. ###