Designing resilience

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how Johns Manville is creating roofing systems that protect both people and the environment. 

Over the last two decades, there has been a significant rise in the number of extreme weather events. Yale Environment 360 reports that “major floods have more than doubled, the number of severe storms has risen 40 percent and there have been major increases in droughts, wildfires and heatwaves.” By the numbers, there were 4,212 major natural disasters reported globally between 1980 and 1999. Between 200 and 2019, that number jumped to 7,348.  

With this dramatic increase, it has become more important than ever to design structures and communities that can withstand whatever Mother Nature throws at us next. And a lot of the design starts at the roof. Zeb Sukle, the technical director of roofing systems at Johns Manville, explained, “The roof is the most important aspect of a building, it keeps the building watertight.” In response to this need, the Johns Manville team has engineered resilient, durable roofing systems that give building owners the confidence that their roof can outlast the storms.  

Beyond providing better security, Johns Manville’s durable roof products are also incredibly sustainable. In general, durable, long-lasting products mean fewer tear-offs, less wasted material going to landfills and fewer trucks transporting replacement products. This makes Johns Manville products better for building owner’s wallets in the long run and crucially for the environment. As Zeb puts it, “Making more resilient systems to handle these types of extreme conditions is a huge sustainability push for the future.” 

At the end of the day, Johns Manville goal is simple: design products that safeguard buildings and communities today, while helping to protect the planet for tomorrow.  

Watch our latest video to see how Johns Manville is Weathering Extreme Conditions.