Lessons from lifetime roofers

By Emma Peterson. 

What Pat Hiltman and Joe Sorrentino have seen the industry learn over the years. 

While at the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC) 2026 show, Heidi J. Ellsworth had the opportunity to host two industry veterans on our sound stage – Pat Hiltman and Joe Sorrentino. Pat, who is the southeast regional manager of USG Securock Roof Boards, and Joe, who is the owner of JoeSorrentino LLC, both started in the roofing industry in the 1970s. In the decades between that beginning and today, they have not only established themselves as industry leaders and experts, but also watched the industry grow exponentially. In the conversation, they highlighted a couple of the major changes they have witnessed.  

Energy efficient design advancements 

One of the changes that Pat and Joe have both seen in the industry is how we build energy-efficient structures. Joe explained:  

When we started in the industry, I remember there was a lot of research on how making homes tight would save on energy...And this research was being driven by all these presentations where they would predict that energy costs were going to be more than your mortgage. Well, we know that hasn't happened, but what has happened is finally within the last, say, 20 years, we're now learning we need to build commercial buildings tight as well. 

And the tightening of that envelope is only one half of the story in how we have made buildings more energy efficient over the course of Joe and Pat’s careers. The other key part of the story is ventilation. Pat explained, “If you look at how the industry has trended, we went from having kind of open commercial buildings to tightening them up. But then we went too far and had sick building syndrome. Today, the big thing we’re all working on is using ventilation to find the right balance.” 

A growing relationship between consultants and contractors  

Another area that has seen a lot of change over the years is the relationship dynamic between consultants and contractors. Even just 30 years ago, building consultants and contractors did not often get along, however in light of more complex projects, like the energy efficiency challenges mentioned earlier, that is beginning to change. As Joe put it, “Collaboration is critical to success and also pushing our entire industry forward...It’s long been uncomfortable for consultants and contractors to work together, but the more you are uncomfortable and get through it, the stronger you become.” 

Want to hear more about how the roofing industry has changed over the decades? Check out the whole soundstage interview with Joe and Pat!