Project report
Since its inception in 1996, The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress has provided
funds to conduct research and fund various educational projects that support high-quality
programs for roofing contractors; ensure timely and forward-thinking industry responses
to major economic and technological issues; and enhance the long-term viability
and attractiveness of the industry to roofing workers. Following is a list of completed
and ongoing projects funded by the Alliance.
Completed Projects:
Gallup study on worker satisfaction in the Roofing Industry (1997—$92,912).
The Gallup study on worker satisfaction in the Roofing Industry was a seminal study
documenting workers’ motivation for entering, remaining in and leaving the industry.
The publication
Employee Satisfaction in the Roofing Industry: Quantitative Results
was produced.
Roof Application Training Programs (1997—$750,000). This series of modules
includes video, instructors guides, workbooks and learning guides. The series addresses
low- and steep-slope roof systems, various system applications, and safety and equipment.
Media/image communications campaign (1998—$357,733). This campaign produced
and placed individual radio and television ads; published a first-ever color career
brochure; created a career hot line; produced a recruiting guide:
Recruiting and
Retaining Workers in the New Millennium; created the annual Most Valuable Player
(MVP) Awards program; and produced a pilot Job Corps program.
National Roofing Training Institute (1998—$118,000). The National Roofing
Training Institute (a training facility for potential roofing workers) in the McAllen-Mission
area of Texas was established. A 12-week program was offered to include a combination
of vocational skills with roofing skills defined as “pre-apprentice.”
Specialty Construction Academic Consortium (1998—$20,000 for a three-year period).
Funding enabled the Alliance to participate in an academic consortium designed to
ensure that specialty construction is incorporated into the construction curricula
offered by leading educational institutions.
Enter Here career video (2000—$51,091). This roofing industry career
video was distributed to vocational, educational and governmental institutions.
It depicted employees working at and talking about jobs.
NRCA and Roofing Industry Educational Institute (RIEI) grants (2001—$50,000).
$25,000 went to NRCA for educational survey work; $25,000 went to update RIEI course
materials.
Best employment practices for the roofing industry study (2002—$30,568).
This study documented effective and efficient methods for recruiting, training and
retaining qualified workers. The publication
Best Employment Practices Manual was
produced.
Roof longevity and replacement activity (2003—$75,000). This study was
done to determine whether existing depreciation rules for nonresidential roofs were
realistic and whether they created obstacles for the timely replacement of those
roofs. The focus of the study was on the nonresidential building owner community.
NRCA introduced legislation reducing the depreciation period for roof systems on
"nonresidential real property" from 39 years to 20 years.
Future trends study (2005—$75,000). This study identified advances in
information, materials and communication technology that will fundamentally change
the roofing construction industry during the next 20 years. The study results are
recorded in the publication
The Roofing Industry in 2025, which provides tools to
use to think more strategically and proactively about the future.
Contractor liability insurance cost and coverage study (2005—$25,000).
This study provides fact-based, actionable recommendations to overcome the excessive
cost and poor availability of insurance for contracting firms. It demonstrates the
corresponding negative economic impact on the public.
Rebuilding Together Kickoff program February 2007 (2006—$10,000). For
more than 10 years, NRCA has been a national sponsor of Rebuilding Together, an
organization that rehabilitates single-family homes for the elderly and needy. Each
year, Rebuilding Together hosts Kickoff to Rebuild, an event held the Friday before
the Super Bowl in the Super Bowl host city. In 2007, the Super Bowl was held in
Miami. NRCA member Advanced Roofing, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was the title sponsor
for the event. The Alliance joined with NRCA; the Florida Roofing, Sheet Metal and
Air Conditioning Contractors Association; and Bradco Supply Corp.
Ergonomics study—industry benchmarks (2003—$60,000). This study was
done to identify and document best practices to prevent repetitive-stress and strain
injuries in the industry. The focus is on worker education, redesign of work, and
improved design of tools and equipment. I
dentification and Management of Musculoskeletal
Disorders in the Roofing Industry was published.
Projects in Progress:
SpecRight (2004—$110,000). The SpecRight program is an NRCA initiative
that was launched in 2006. The SpecRight program provides information about conserving
energy and protecting the environment through quality roof system design, installation,
materials and maintenance. The program includes the NRCA’s EnergyWise energy calculator
software program that is a Web-based application that allows roofing professionals
to construct virtual roof assemblies to evaluate thermal efficiency and estimate
energy costs via comparison of other roof assemblies (at ground level) absent other
building envelope components.
Roof reflectivity study (2005—$30,000). NRCA's Technical Operations
Committee is working with representatives from the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association
to take solar reflectivity measurements on a minimum of 30 roof systems in the metropolitan
Chicago area for a minimum of five years. Once data has been collected, an annual
report of each year’s findings will be available.
Partnership in Get Rewarded for Education and Advancement Training (GREAT) Program
(2006—$25,000). The GREAT program is a partnership of business, government
and community organizations spearheaded by the Business Roundtable. The program
has a goal of training 20,000 new construction workers in the gulf area by 2009.
Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing (CEIR) (2007—$100,000 approved).
The Alliance approved funding to CEIR for research projects identified and as they
are agreed to by CEIR.
Penn State University (2007—$100,000 approved). The Alliance has partnered
with Penn State University for the purposes of conducting a series of projects that
contribute to the advancement of the roofing industry in areas of high- performance
roof systems and related work force development issues. There are three initial
objectives: Pursue the Department of Energy Solar Decathlon competition as a vehicle
to explore and promote the effects of building- integrated photovoltaic systems
on the roofing industry and promote the role of the roofing industry in the deployment
of solar energy systems in a manner that expands the visibility of the roofing industry
among college graduates; contribute to the advancement of vegetative roof system
research specifically in the area of energy performance through the sponsorship
in state-of-the-art research and the development of educational materials that promote
awareness of vegetative roof systems; and investigate the potential effects and
respective market strategies for the roofing industry in response to the growing
interest in building-integrated photovoltaic (solar electric) technologies.
Helping our Own (2007—$100,000 approved). The Alliance recently expanded
its funding initiatives to
helping our own, which includes reaching out to the roofing
community and its members and helping fund projects dedicated to good works and
charitable giving. The funding mission expansion will serve to balance the programs
supported by the Alliance to enable it to affect more lives in the roofing industry.
Through a nomination process, the Alliance can recognize and identify the challenges
associated with life-changing events and provide assistance to create sustainable
solutions for individuals or families in need.
Wall of Wind (2007—$100,000 approved). The funding is for the development
of a full-scale destructive testing facility—the Wall of Wind—by the International
Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) of Florida International University, which will
help revolutionize the construction industry and help make communities safer. This
first-of-its- kind testing facility will rigorously subject residential housing,
low-rise commercial buildings and building components to hurricane-force winds and
rain. Such testing will lead to the development of more effective building codes,
new construction technologies, innovative designs and advanced building products.
Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship Program (2007—$650,000 [$400,000 scholarship
funds collected since the Alliance's inception plus $250,000 designated for the
next five years.]) By unanimous consent, Alliance members agreed to establish
what will now be known as the Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship Program, recognizing
not only a great industry leader but a person who has devoted much of his life to
the cause of education. The goal is to create a permanent scholarship fund of at
least $2 million so that a minimum of $100,000 in scholarships can be awarded annually.
The plan is to award annual scholarship awards of $5,000 to post-secondary students
from NRCA contractor or supplier firms.