2015%11%30'

Low$slope)Roofs)
Presented'by:'Dr'John'Straube,'P.Eng.'
University'of'Waterloo'
Dept'of'Civil'Engineering'&'School'of'Architecture'
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Building'Science'Labs.com'
BuildingScience.com'
buildingscienceconsultinginc
buildingsciencelabs !

High'Performance'
•  What'are'high'performance'roof'
enclosures?'
–  They'don’t'leak'
–  Enable'buildings'with'low'operaQonal'energy''
–  Provide'comfort'&'safety'
–  Ensure'good'Indoor'Air'Quality'
–  Last'a'long'Qme'

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How'to'achieve'
•  Don’t'leak'
–  No'holes.'''
•  InsulaQon'
–  Easy.''ASHRAE'90.1'+,'say'R30'
•  AirQghtness'
–  Provide'an'air'barrier!.'
•  Durability'
–  Material'selecQon'and'system'design'

Roof$Enclosures$…$
They$put$up$with$a$lot.$

Building'Science'2008' '
' 'Joseph'LsQburek'–'Roofs'4'

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The'classic'“Perfect”'Enclosure'

1.'
2.'
3.'
4.'

Building'Science.com' 5'

Building'Science'2008' '
' 'Joseph'LsQburek'–'Roofs'6'

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The)“Perfect”)Roof?:)
Protected)Membrane)Roof)

Some)owners)insist)on)it.))Eg.)US)Federal)
Government)(GSA))

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Building'Science'
''''Enclosures''''No.'7'/'

Building'ScienceLabs'.com' '
' 'Roofs'8'

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Inverted'Roof'
•  Pros:'
–  Preferred'approach'
–  Exterior'insulaQon'
eliminates'thermal'
bridges'
–  Protects'membrane'
•  Cons:'
–  Added'weight'of'ballast'
is'major'limitaQon'
–  Can'only'use'XPS'

'
Building'Science'Labs'
''''Enclosures''''No.'9'/''

Exposed'membranes'
•  Most'common'soluQon'
•  Pros:'
–  Lightest'weight'
–  Wide'variety'of'
insulaQon'and'
membranes'
•  Cons:'
–  Exposed'membrane!'
–  Need'separate'air'and'
vapor'barrier'
membranes' Air'&''

'
Building'Science'Labs'
''''Enclosures''''No.'10'/''

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It’s)a)roof,)not)a)pool)

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Building'Science'
–'Roofs'11'

“Money)spent)on)roof)slope)is)one)of)the)best)
bargains)in)the)construcMon)business”)
Wayne)Tobiasson,)US)Army)CRRL))

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Building'Science'
–'Roofs'12'

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It’s)a)roof,)not)a)ice)rink)

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Building'Science'
–'Roofs'13'

Slope' ''
•  2%'is'a'good'design'value'for'slope'
•  Laps'sQll'resist'drainage'a'bit'
•  Account'for'roof'sags:'long'span'steel'ofen'
sags'more'than'slope'
•  Be'careful'of'roof'drains'at'columns'

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–'Roofs'14'

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Vapor)Control:)
What)is)the)permeance)of)the)
insulaMon?)
ConstrucMon)Moisture?)

From:'Straube,'J.F.'High(Performance0
Enclosures,'Building'Science'Press'2012.'

Vapor'Control'
•  Vapor'barriers'do'not'need'to'be'supported'
against'wind'or'be'perfectly'conQnuous'
•  Polyiso'insulaQon'usually'has'low'enough'
permeance'to'manage'vapor'diffusion'
•  Stonewool'insulaQon'usually'needs'
addiQonal'vapor'control'

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Exposed'Membrane'SelecQon'
•  Single%ply'vs'MulQ%ply?'
•  Factory'made'or'site'made?'
•  Polymer'durability'limited'by'high,'low'
temperature'and'UV'exposure'
–  Protect'if'you'can'
•  Fully%adhered'strongly'recommended'
–  Avoid'loose'laid,'ballasted,'fastened'

Typical'membrane'material'
•  Two%ply'SBS'modified'bitumen'
–  Best%in%class'
•  PVC'
•  EPDM'
•  TPO'
•  4'ply'Built'Up'Roof'(BUR)'
–  Common'in'the'past,'not'much'anymore'

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Best'UV'ProtecQon:'rocks'
•  But,'you'need'to'hold'down'to'resist'wind'

A)“tradiMonal”)roof)

and'Building'Science'.com'
'

Super$durable$membrane$kept$UV$protected$
by$rocks$and$cool$by$white$….$

Building'Science'2008' '
' 'Joseph'LsQburek'–'Roofs'20'

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Building'Science.com' '
' '–'Roofs'21'

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White'roofs'
•  Lower'heat'gain:'great!'(unQl'winter)'
•  Reduce'stress'on'exposed'roof'membranes'
•  But:'Reduces'drying'out'of'roof'
•  Thus:'Require'beoer'moisture'control!'
–  Air'barrier'
–  ConstrucQon'moisture'

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Roofs'24'

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White)roofs:)the)coming)storm)

Where$is$the$air$barrier?$

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Building'Science'
–'Roofs'25'

•  ''

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Vancouver'Field'Study'
•  ''

Courtesy:'RDH'Building'Engineering'

ORNL:'Rocks+White'save'Energy!'
•  ''

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From:'Straube,'J.F.'High(Performance0
Enclosures,'Building'Science'Press'2012.' '
–'Roofs'29'

Low%level'air'barriers'
•  Roof'membranes'can'be'air'barriers'
•  In'pracQse,'a'deck'level'air'barrier'is'more'
reliable,'easier'to'control'
–  Other'benefits'include'secondary'roof'during'
construcQon'and're%roofing'

30'

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Problems)
'''No'deck'Air'Barrier'''
+'No'fully%adhered'membrane'
+'White'Roof'
='accumulaQon'of'moisture'&'failure'

From:'Straube,'J.F.'High(Performance0
Building'Science' '
Enclosures,'Building'Science'Press'2012.'
' –'Roofs'31'

Even'fully%adhered'can'fail'

InsulaQon'

Building'Science'
'
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''''Enclosures''''No.'32'/''
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Low%level'air'barriers'
•  Roof'membranes'can'be'air'barriers'
•  In'pracQse,'a'deck'level'air'barrier'is'more'
reliable,'easier'to'control'
–  Other'benefits'include'secondary'roof'during'
construcQon'and're%roofing'

Building'Science'.com'
Roofs'33'
'

High%performance,'air'and'vapor'barrier''

Photo'courtesy'of'Garland'Industries'

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Deck'Cover'Board'
•  Seal'the'joints,'or'cover'the'whole'surface'
to'form'an'air'barrier'
•  Note:'Gypsum'board'is'vapor'permeable'

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Hybrid'Roof'

Air'barrier'tape'/'masQc' Rockwool'

Polyiso'

Building'Science'
'
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''''Enclosures''''No.'37'/''
'

Deck%level'Air'Barriers'
•  Stonewool'hybrid'roofs'
•  Low%cost:'Seal'joints'of'rigid'polyiso,'
mechanically'aoached,'to'form'an'air'
barrier'
•  Use'the'deck%level'polyiso'
as'vapor'control''

Drawing'courtesy'Roxul'Inc.'

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Empire'State'Building'

Hybrid)Roof:)Stonewool)over)polyiso)

Cheap)Air)Barrier:)Sandwich)taped/sealed)membrane)between)two)polyiso)layers)

Photo'courtesy:'Andy'Shapiro'

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Special'ApplicaQons'
•  Swimming'pools'
–  Esp'in'cold'climates'
•  Freezer'buildings'
–  Esp.'in'hot'humid'climates'
•  Badly'(normally)'operated'hospitals'
•  MUST)have)a)deck)level)air+vapor)barrier)
–  Sealed'at'all'edges,'penetraQons!'

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–'Roofs'41'

Details'
•  PenetraQons'
'and'edge''
of'roof'
•  Con6nuous'
air'
barrier'

AIR'

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Air'sealing'details'

May'need'
plasQc'pipe'
secQon'to'
reduce'
thermal'bridge'

Building'Science'.com' '
' –'Roofs'43'

Parapets'

From:'Straube,'J.F.'High(Performance0Enclosures,'
Building'Science'Press.'2012.'
'
'Roofs'44'

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Parapets'
•  Common''
failure'locaQon'
•  Usually'wrap''
roof'membrane''
over'

'
Building'Science'
–'Roofs'45'

•  ''

Vapor'Control?'

From:'Straube,'J.F.'High(Performance0 '
Enclosures,'Building'Science'Press'2012.' Roofs'46'

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•  ''

Usually'vapor'barrier'

From:'Straube,'J.F.'High(Performance0
Enclosures,'Building'Science'Press'2012.'

Risk$for$coldBweather$tall$parapets$

CondensaAon$can$sAll$
occur.$

Building'Science'2008' '
' From:'Straube,'J.F.'High(Performance0 'Joseph'LsQburek'–'Roofs'48'
Enclosures,'Building'Science'Press'2012.'

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More$exterior$insulaAon$

Vapor'permeable'peel%sQck'

Drying'cold'parapets' diffusion'ofen'most'pracQcal''

•  ''

From:'Straube,'J.F.'High(Performance0
Enclosures,'Building'Science'Press'2012.'

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•  ''

From:'Straube,'J.F.'High(Performance0
Enclosures,'Building'Science'Press'2012.'

Conclusions'/'Summary'
•  Good'slope'is'criQcal'
•  All'low%slope'roof'membranes'benefit'from'
lower'temperatures'and'UV'protecQon'
•  Cool'roofs'are'cooler...'so'condensaQon'
risks'increase'
•  Now'need'a'deck%level'air'barriers'
•  Fully%adhered'membranes'
•  Vapor'Control,'not'Vapor'Barriers'
www.BuildingScienceLabs.com/presentaMons)

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