The Metal Construction Association held its Summer Meeting in Chicago from June 13-15, 2016. The agenda was packed, and the various councils and committees met and worked to advance the use of metal in construction. Approximately one in four participants were attending an MCA meeting for the first time, both members of MCA and non-members, which represented an all-time high for the association. The engagement and energy in the meetings was evident, and all attendees collaborated to help grow the industry.
Did you attend the 2016 MCA Summer Meeting? If not, here’s a brief summary of what you missed:
Wall Panel Council: A cool wall research project has started under the direction of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and several California universities. Metal wall products are included in the program and MCA is represented on the advisory panel. Meeting attendees heard a presentation on perforated metal capabilities, and made plans for future meetings to explore some of the design impacts of perforated panels.
MCM Council: Enhancements to the MCA Premium Fabricator Program were discussed, as were new website content and marketing efforts to promote MCM panels and the work of the council. Two new technical documents created by the council were recently approved and published:
- Technical Bulletin: “Metal Composite Materials- Fire Performance Testing in the United States and Canada”
- White Paper: “MCM and MCM Systems for Building Cladding in North America”
IMP Council: A new microsite, www.insulated metalpanels.org, has been launched, and is being promoted by a campaign to promote the benefits of IMPs via public relations, advertising and social media. The council is continuing research in long-term insulation values, and recruiting new members to get involved with council initiatives.
Retrofit Council: Work continues on a new retrofit design manual, “MCA Retrofit Roofing and Wall Panel Systems Design.” The council is also developing white papers on the repurposing of buildings with metal wall and roof panels. A potential demonstration metal roof and wall retrofit project in Boston is also being considered, and council members are reviewing a proposal for this project.
MFEC/Roll Formers Council: Work continues on several fronts, including development of technical documents, including:
- Material tolerance and impact of material variation
- Single-source guide for metal profiles
- Best practices for folding equipment
Roofing Council: Work continues to promote the new “Metal Roof Installation Manual” with courses being conducted regionally and at METALCON in Baltimore in 2016. A number of technical and research projects were discussed, including:
- Wind performance of metal roofing has been tested at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) Wind Tunnel and the University of Florida. Further wind uplift testing is being completed at the University of Western Ontario for correlation with wind tunnel performance.
- Review of proposed research on the impact of roof slope and roof size on energy efficiency of metal roof systems with above-sheathing ventilation.
- Participation in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Cool Roof Savings Calculator.
- Discussion of a new rainwater runoff research project in Washington state to assess contaminants in roof runoff.
- Update on MCA’s involvement in task group that is attempting to create an exception in the International Building Code and International Residential Code for testing of listed PV modules on non-combustible roofs, such as metal roofing.
- Discussion of Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues’
(RICOWI) Hail Investigation program that is investigating and compiling a report on damage caused to roofs by a severe hail storm in Texas. - Testing of edge metal details using MCA’s new draft test method. Results are being collected and plans are being made for a second phase of testing later this year.
Codes and Standards: Reviewed International Code proposals and discussed proposed changes to the National Fire Protection (NFPA) 285 standard and its impact on members. Upcoming required changes in energy performance were discussed to better understand potential impact on construction.
MCA’s various committees also made progress on their own initiatives. The Market Development Committee provided an overview of upcoming campaigns and website enhancements that will promote the products and services that MCA members offer. The METALCON Committee planned initiatives to increase attendance and energy at the show, including exciting new programs like MCA’s Triumph Awards. The Program Committee discussed ways to improve the format of the association’s Summer and Winter Meetings, and the Membership Committee reported on initiatives to grow membership and increase engagement in the association.
Do some of these projects and initiatives impact your business? Make sure your voice is heard and attend the MCA Winter Meeting at the Bonaventure Resort & Spa in Weston, Fla., Jan. 23-25, 2017. Membership in MCA is required, but nonmembers can attend one meeting at a discounted “First-Time Attendee” rate to get a better understanding of the full scope of MCA activities. Visit www.metalconstruction.org for more information about MCA meetings and membership.
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Dale Nelson is chairman of the Metal Construction Association. Nelson is president of Roof Hugger Inc., Odessa, Fla., and has more than 25 years experience in the metal construction industry.
