By The Coffee Shops™. 

Understanding the essential components of a roof and their role in overall performance. 

A roof is far more than just the outermost layer of what can be seen with the naked eye; it is a complex system carefully engineered to provide protection, ensure energy efficiency and, in some cases, support additional structures like solar arrays or green roofs. For roofing professionals, understanding the components of a roof assembly is essential to designing, installing and maintaining a system that performs effectively over time. In a recent article, “Back to the Basics (Part 2): What is a Roof Assembly?,” the Single Ply Roofing Industry (SPRI) dove into this topic.  

Defining a roof assembly 

The article opened by establishing the basics – what exactly is a roof assembly? It referenced the 2024 International Building Code (IBC), which defined a roof assembly as a system designed to offer weather protection and resistance to design loads. It went into further detail to note that a roof assembly includes a roof covering and roof deck or a single component serving as both the roof covering and the roof deck, with the option of also having underlayment, insulation and vapor retarders. Each of these layers plays its own role: 

• The deck: All of these different layers, both required and optional, are built upon the roof deck. In this way, the roof deck is the foundation of a roof. These decks are often made from materials such as steel, concrete or plywood, with the choice depending on the building type and the specific load requirements. 
• Insulation: The insulation layer is another critical component, responsible for regulating thermal performance and reducing heat transfer. Proper insulation helps maintain a consistent indoor temperature and lowers energy costs, making it a vital part of energy-efficient roof systems.  
• Waterproofing: Installed on top of the insulation, a weatherproofing layer, usually composed of waterproof membranes, safeguards the building from moisture infiltration, protecting the interior from water damage. This outer layer, which can include materials such as modified bitumen, PVC, EPDM or TPO, also enhances durability and shields the roof from external elements like wind, UV radiation and harsh weather conditions. 

Modern advancements in assemblies 

The article then went into the recent evolutions of roof assemblies as technologies and materials designed to meet modern performance standards and environmental regulations have been developed. For example, vapor and air barriers are now frequently added to manage moisture migration and improve the overall functionality of the building envelope. These innovations not only prevent condensation, which can lead to material degradation, but also contribute to the long-term durability of the roof system.  

Additionally, green roofing systems — complete with vegetation layers — have gained popularity, offering natural insulation and aiding in stormwater management. Photovoltaic (solar) systems are also increasingly integrated into roof designs, allowing buildings to harness renewable energy and reduce their environmental impact. 

Want to learn more about advancements in high-performance building assemblies? Read the entire SPRI article!

By Emma Peterson. 

Roofing professionals share insight into the importance of mental health awareness and care in the industry.  

If you didn’t know, May was mental health awareness month in the United States! Mental health is a key issue in our industry, with construction having the second-highest suicide rate of all major industries in the U.S. To talk about how the industry is working on addressing this issue, Lynsey Hull of Tyelus, McKay Daniels of National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and Joel Stanley of Anchor Products came by for an episode of Roofing Road Trips®. 

The mental health movement in the roofing industry has been steadily growing over the years as people get more informed about the severity of the issue. A huge moment in that timeline came in 2024 when NRCA launched a microsite about connecting professionals to resources. McKay spoke about the page, sharing, “Knowing a place to start is half the battle, so we made BeToughEnough.org with the goal of providing some basic level resources, a place for both employers and employees to learn how to talk about mental health. And it has the NRCA logo on it, but it’s not about NRCA, it’s bigger than just one organization.” 

And in the years since that page launched, the movement has truly grown far beyond just the actions of one organization. For example, in 2026 the Single Ply Roofing Industry (SPRI) association announced a mental health task force, partially inspired by NRCA’s work. Joel shared the story:  

A couple of years ago, McKay  was speaking and he talked about how our industry focuses so much on physical safety. Which makes sense, we suffer from about 400 or so fall deaths a year... But he also pointed out that we’re forgetting the mental side of things. And those numbers are so much bigger; I think he said we suffer from over 6,000 deaths a year from suicide. And it really hit me, I have a family member who has struggled with mental health and it got me thinking.  

What was Joel thinking about? He realized that organizations like NRCA are great for general awareness, but they don’t have the personnel to be on jobsites all over the country, seeing people day-in and day-out and being able to notice when someone is struggling. Who has that presence? Roofing manufacturers. He explained, “Manufacturers have people on job sites every day that are inspecting and advising. Those people see contractors periodically throughout the year and I realized when you see people frequently, but not every day, it allows you to see and recognize changes in them. If we can equip those people with skills and resources, it could a do a lot of good.” 

Armed with this realization, Joel reached out to both McKay at the NRCA and the SPRI board to see if they could build a collaboration that could take his idea and put it into action. The result was the creation of the SPRI mental health task force.  

Lynsey was there when Joel presented his idea and immediately jumped on board to help co-chair the task force with Joel. He recalled:  

The response was really overwhelming. Our first meeting as a task force was standing room only. I've had people reach out who don't even attend SPRI and say, ‘Hey, our representative told me about this. I really want to be involved. I have some background in this or I'd like to contribute or we had this idea. What do you guys think about that?’”  

The first thing the task force worked on was collaborating with NRCA to raise awareness of the resources available on BeToughEnough.org. Lynsey explained why this was their first move, sharing, “What we're really trying to avoid is having multiple messages out there and splitting the focus. So we started by just finding ways to raise awareness and point people to NRCA’s existing resource library.”  

From there they started to collect and share stories of how people can speak up or reach out and make a difference on their job sites. Stories like the one Lynsey shared:  

Speaking up or reaching out doesn’t have to be big. I wear t-shirts from a brand that has different messages on the back. And I remember one day I was just walking my dog and a guy came up to me and grabbed my shoulder and just said, ‘I needed that today, I just wanted to say thank you,’ in reference to my shirt. And he left. When I got home I looked at the shirt and it read ‘I'd rather hear about your battles than learn you lost the war.’ And that just struck me, how just something so simple for me, wearing that shirt, meant so much. 

And at the end of the day, it’s interactions like the one in Lysney’s story that will help change mental health in our industry for the better. As McKay put it, “This effort is beyond any one organization and working together to divide the rocks that are in this pack so that we all carry a little bit is critical and key. Because while what we each do might seem like only a little on its own, if we’re all doing it we will move that ball downfield, bit by bit.”  

Want to learn more about mental health and roofing? Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording of the podcast. 

By Jenny Yu. 

Industry experts discuss how increased awareness and tight labor markets are driving a shift toward coating restoration systems. 

Roof coating restoration is gaining momentum as building owners and specifiers look for cost-effective, less disruptive ways to extend roof life. In a recent episode of CoatingsCast™, industry experts from KARNAK and Clarity Roof Consulting discussed how accessibility to information and evolving project expectations are driving this trend. 

According to Chris Huettig of KARNAK, demand for coating systems is increasingly influenced by more informed building owners. “It’s driven from the top down,” he said. “Building owners are more educated and have questions that they’re bringing to specifiers.” That shift is leading many to consider restoration over replacement, particularly when evaluating cost, speed and business disruption. Coating systems can often be installed faster and with smaller crews, making them an attractive option in a tight labor market. 

Dan King of Clarity Roof Consulting agreed, acknowledging a broader change in how roofs are viewed. “There's more information percolating,” he said. “There’s been a change in looking at your roof as just a cost item to seeing it as an asset.” That mindset encourages more strategic decision-making, where restoration can offer long-term value when aligned with building performance goals. 

From the specifier side, Dan emphasized the importance of being a trusted partner for property owners to achieve a successful joint outcome. “In our role, we have really been able to open conversations based on trust with our clients,” Dan stated. “We work transparently, we build that trust and we breed success. Then, you can start to look at the value of different solutions. If you don't have that shared knowledge, you end up being more risk averse.” 

The panelists also highlighted the importance of collaboration and access to reliable information when navigating codes, regulations and system selection. “There's subject matter expertise held in manufacturing,” Dan said. “We go to fire marshals, we go to code officials, SPRI, RCMA, NRCA, RoofersCoffeeShop®. I find the ICC codes library really helpful.” Establishing relationships with these industry staples and leveraging the available resources help contractors and specifiers stay informed and deliver quality, compliant projects.  

As labor constraints persist and owners seek greater return on investment, coating restoration is positioned as a practical solution that balances performance, efficiency and cost. 

Read the first article in this series, Listen to the full podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about how to meet evolving project demands with coating restorations. 

This standard provides methodology for the structural testing of Gutters used with low-slope roofing.

SPRI, the association representing sheet membrane and component suppliers to the commercial roofing industry, announced that ANSI SPRI GT-1 R2022 Test Standard for External Gutter Systems is being revised and will be re-canvassed for approval as an American National Standard.

This standard provides methodology for the structural testing of Gutters used with low-slope roofing. This standard specifies structural testing for external Gutters used with low-slope (2 in 12 or less) roofing. This standard does not address water removal or the water-carrying capability of the Gutter as other building codes already address this issue. This Standard does not consider downspouts or leaders.

The GT-1 Standard was first approved as an ANSI standard in 2015. This standard is now undergoing its regular review as required by SPRI’s ANSI procedures. 

Those wishing to participate in the canvass process may contact SPRI at info@spri.org.

This standard is now undergoing its regular review as required by SPRI’s ANSI procedures.

SPRI, the association representing sheet membrane and component suppliers to the commercial roofing industry, announced that BSR/SPRI/FM 4435/ES-1 “Test Standard for Edge Systems Used with Low Slope Roofing Systems”  is being revised and will be re-canvassed for approval as an American National Standard.

This standard provides the basic requirements only for resistance testing for roof edge systems under simulated wind load conditions. This standard is intended for use by those that design, specify, manufacture and test roofing materials and roof edge systems used in the roofing industry. This standard applies to low slope roof systems, with low slope defined here as roofs having a slope ≤ 9.5 degrees (2:12). The test methods found in this document address copings and roof edge systems

The ES-1 Standard was first approved as an ANSI standard in 2017. This standard is now undergoing its regular review as required by SPRI’s ANSI procedures. 

Those wishing to participate in the canvass process may contact SPRI at info@spri.org.

SPRI, the association representing sheet membrane and component suppliers to the commercial roofing industry, announced that SPRI RP-4 2022 “Wind Design Standard for Ballasted Single-Ply Roofing Systems” is being revised and will be re-canvassed for approval as an American National Standard.

This standard provides a method of designing wind uplift resistance of ballasted single-ply roofing systems. It is intended as a design and installation reference for those individuals who design, specify and install ballasted single-ply roofing systems. It shall be used in conjunction with the installation specifications and requirements of the manufacturer of the specific products used in the ballasted single-ply roofing system.

The RP-4 Standard was first approved as an ANSI standard in 2019. This standard is now undergoing its regular review as required by SPRI’s ANSI procedures.

Those wishing to participate in the canvass process may contact SPRI at info@spri.org.

SPRI, the association representing sheet membrane and component suppliers to the commercial roofing industry, announced that SPRI NT-1 “Detection and Location of Latent Moisture in Building Roofing Systems by Nuclear Radioisotopic Thermalization” is being revised and will be re-canvassed for approval as an American National Standard.

This standard provides a minimum set of procedures for conducting surveys of moisture in membrane roofing systems and for the analysis of the data obtained in such surveys. Included are operating, verification and reporting procedures, as well as operator qualification criteria.

The NT-1 Standard was first approved as an ANSI standard in 2012. This standard is now undergoing its regular review as required by SPRI’s ANSI procedures.

Those wishing to participate in the canvass process may contact SPRI at info@spri.org.

A coalition of industry trade associations representing contractors, consultants and manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada has completed its Quarterly Market Index Survey for Reroofing for the third quarter of 2025.

The survey is an industrywide effort spearheaded by a coalition of trade assocations, including the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, Canadian Roofing Contractors Association, Chemical Fabrics & Film Association Inc., EPDM Roofing Association, International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants, Metal Construction Association, Metal Roofing Alliance, National Roofing Contractors Association, National Women in Roofing, Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association, Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association and Single Ply Roofing Industry.

Seventy percent of survey responses came from roofing contractors, and 30% of responses came from roof consultants. Forty-eight percent of respondents indicated they primarily work on low-slope roof systems; 39% indicated they primarily work on a blend of low-slope and steep-slope roof systems; and 13% indicated they primarily work on steep-slope roof systems.

Participants who identify as roofing contractors were asked to report the number of squares of reroofing material installed by their companies during the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same quarter in 2025. Thirty-two percent of respondents reported the volume of reroofing materials installed increased, 32% reported no change and 36% reported a decrease in materials installed year-over-year.

Thirty-six percent of all survey respondents indicated their customer inquiries increased. Forty-three percent of respondents reported no change in activity, and 21% indicated a decrease. Project contracts increased for 33% of respondents, 40% reported no change in activity and 27% indicated a decrease in project contracts.

Additionally, two indices offer insight regarding customer inquiries and project contracts across market segments. The indices are based on a 0 to 100 scale. A score of 50 or higher suggests expansion or optimism; a score below 50 indicates contraction or pessimism.

• The customer inquiries index score for the total industry increased to 57.1 compared with 39.0 for the fourth quarter of 2025. The score for the steep-slope reroofing market is 50, the score for the low-slope reroofing market is 59.1, and the score for the blended low- and steep-slope reroofing market is 57.1.
• The project contracts index score for the total industry increased to 52.9 compared with 45.2 for the fourth quarter of 2025. The score for the steep-slope reroofing market is 50.0, the score for the low-slope reroofing market is 56.1, and the score for the blended low- and steep-slope reroofing market is 50.0.

As of April 2026, 26% of respondents reported no project backlogs, 40% indicated project backlogs of one to two months and 21% indicated backlogs of three to four months. Thirteen percent of respondents reported project backlogs of five or more months.

The complete results of the Quarterly Market Index Survey for Reroofing are available to those who participate in the survey via an online dashboard that enables users to filter results by region and other metrics. Any contractor or consultant who wants to participate in the next quarter’s survey can sign up for a notification at http://bit.ly/37ank7D.

About NRCA

Since 1886, the National Roofing Contractors Association has been the home for generations of entrepreneurial craftsmen and enterprises who shelter and protect America’s families and businesses and each other. Our vision is the recognition of our members as professionals and to unite the industry to that purpose. NRCA is one of the construction industry’s most respected trade associations and the voice of roofing professionals and leading authority in the roofing industry for information, education, technology and advocacy. It represents all segments of the roofing industry, including contractors; manufacturers; distributors; architects; consultants; engineers; building owners; and city, state and government agencies. For information about NRCA and its services and offerings, visit nrca.net.

By Emma Peterson. 

How SPRI and DORA help the roofing industry prepare for increasingly extreme weather events. 

As each year passes, we see the intensity and frequency of storms, fires and other weather events continue to increase. In fact, NASA data released in 2025 found that “Extreme events are becoming more frequent, longer-lasting and more severe, with [2024’s] figures reaching twice that of the 2003-2020 average.” What can we do in the face of the increasing storms? Build stronger.  

To learn more about the role of tested, code-compliant roofing products and assemblies in combatting rising weather concerns, Heidi J. Ellsworth hosted Chadwick Collins, the technical director of the Single Ply Roofing Industry (SPRI), for an episode of Roofing Road Trips®. 

Addressing weather concerns is not a new initiative at SPRI. Chadwick explained, “The first standards we worked on were around roof edge design to avoid wind uplift. That was in the 1990s. So, we've always been supportive of investigating the problems and providing the best solutions out there to help people address those issues and we continue to do that to this day.” 

One of the results of this dedication is DORA, also known as the Directory of Roof Assemblies. DORA provides contractors, designers and other construction professionals with a comprehensive, third-party list of roof assembly and product performance in the face of extreme winds and other weather concerns. Chadwick added some context, saying, “The original mission when DORA was created was to create a database to help anyone that wanted to identify a roof system to meet Chapter 15 of the International Building Code. We started with wind resistance requirements. We have since added impact data to those requirements in Chapter 15 and are working to incorporate fire classification information in the future.”  

Interested in using DORA for an upcoming project? It’s both free and easy to use! Chadwick gave a brief explanation:  

When you go to the SPRI website, there's a big button that says DORA on it. Once you click that, you’ll be on DORA’s page. The home page has instructions and then there’s a search button on the top left. By clicking that, you’ll see a bunch of different boxes with different categories of dropdown menus.  

From there, you can use those menus to search the database from a number of different perspectives. Maybe you prefer a certain manufacturer and want to find a high-performance product from them, or maybe you have a specific wind uplift number to reach – you can search based on both or either of those criteria in DORA.  

At the end of the day, as Chadwick put it, “The only limitation to finding a result in DORA is that if a manufacturer has put the information in the database and made it available.” 

Listen to the whole podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about SPRI and DORA.

The survey is an industrywide effort to collect information about the reroofing market spearheaded by a coalition of trade associations.

The National Roofing Contractors Association encourages roofing professionals to join industry trade associations representing contractors, consultants and manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada in taking part in the latest Quarterly Market Index Survey for Reroofing to evaluate business conditions during the first quarter of 2026.

For more than two years, the survey has taken the pulse of the reroofing industry and continues to serve as a regular barometer of the industry’s business conditions. By asking a handful of business questions and measuring responses across several demographics, the survey helps indicate the reroofing market’s strength and trajectory. Your response provides valuable insight.

The results of the Quarterly Market Index Survey for Reroofing are made available to all survey participants via an online dashboard that enables users to filter results by region and other metrics.

For the previous survey that measured business activity during the fourth quarter of 2025, 75% of responses came from roofing contractors and 25% came from roof consultants.

The survey is an industrywide effort to collect information about the reroofing market spearheaded by a coalition of trade associations, including the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, Canadian Roofing Contractors Association, Chemical Fabrics & Film Association Inc., EPDM Roofing Association, International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants, Metal Construction Association, Metal Roofing Alliance, National Roofing Contractors Association, National Women in Roofing, Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association, Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association and Single Ply Roofing Industry.

The Quarterly Market Index Survey for Reroofing is available at bit.ly/RoofingSurvey. Survey responses may be submitted through April 20.

About National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)

Since 1886, the National Roofing Contractors Association has been the home for generations of entrepreneurial craftsmen and enterprises who shelter and protect America’s families and businesses and each other. Our vision is the recognition of our members as professionals and to unite the industry to that purpose. NRCA is one of the construction industry’s most respected trade associations and the voice of roofing professionals and leading authority in the roofing industry for information, education, technology and advocacy. It represents all segments of the roofing industry, including contractors; manufacturers; distributors; architects; consultants; engineers; building owners; and city, state and government agencies. For information about NRCA and its services and offerings, visit www.nrca.net.