Metal Retrofit Roofing for the U.S. Military
by Jonathan McGaha | 5 June 2016 12:00 am
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) probably has more metal roofs than any one other entity in the world. Several years ago, a team of professionals working on behalf of the Metal Construction Association (MCA) embarked on a rather difficult task.
The team included metal industry consultants Scott Kriner, president of Green Metal Consulting and technical director of MCA; Robert Scichili, president of Robert Scichili Associates and me. We solicited the DoD to support a research program that would be solely funded by the U.S. government. In the DoD’s effort to identify new energy saving technologies being utilized in the private sector, funding was possible because of a special program made available once a year. The trick was you had to make your case substantially attractive from an energy savings point of view. The result of the solicitation was successful and MCA was awarded almost $1 million for the construction of a fully integrated solar energy metalover- metal retrofit roof at Goodfellow Air Force Base
(AFB) in San Angelo, Texas. The research project lasted two years.
During the solicitation process, we had to determine what the ultimate benefit to the DoD would be if the program succeeded. If it did, DoD would transfer the technology throughout all of its military branches and operational facilities. This research yielded some startling information. Based on a 2007 DoD Base Structure Report, its combined domestic facilities represent more 2.4 billion square feet. In addition to this report, we discovered that approximately 55 percent of these facilities have metal roofs. That adds up to 1.32 billion square feet of metal roofs. Put in perspective, that’s more than 30,000 acres of metal roofing. Needless to say, the DoD must find metal roofing a very wise choice.
Roof Hugger Inc., Lutz, Fla., has long known how instrumental the DoD is to the expansion and acceptance of metal-over-metal retrofit roofing. For more than 25 years, Roof Hugger has been providing structural sub-framing systems to this market. It is the only factory-notched sub-purlin manufacturer that can confidently claim to have its products installed on more than 70 million square feet of existing metal roofs. Its systems are the most tested for wind uplift, both in the real world and in laboratory testing.
Because of the experience gained from Roof Hugger’s participation in the DoD solicitation and furnishing products on the Goodfellow AFB installation, it recently embarked on some research of its own. Digging into its records we found that since 1996, which was just five years after it first opened its doors, Roof Hugger had shipped its products to more than 70 military bases in the U.S. That represents more than 30 states and every branch of the armed services. The total square footage installed adds up to more than 3 million new metal roofs that have been installed over Roof Hugger sub-purlin systems.
The remaining 1.32 billion square feet of existing roofs represent a huge market opportunity for anyone interested in the metal-over-metal retrofit business. So, if you are interested in chasing the great opportunity found in metal-over-metal retrofit roofing in the military or civilian markets, contact Roof Hugger and let them provide you with the knowledge and tools you need.
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Mark James has been active in the metal roofing industry for more than 20 years, and in 2016 received the Patrick R. Bush Service Award from the Metal Construction Association.
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