Summer 2015 News

Greenroofs.com is hosting an online education seminar during the months of April and May.  The Greenroofs & Walls of the World Virtual Summit 2015 went live online in early April, with more than 20 insightful video presentations from green roof experts and opinion makers.  April 10-12 included a live question-and-answer session with the presenters via video and text. The video seminars will qualify presenters for up to 10 green roof professional continuing education units (GRP CEU).

The virtual summit is available online through May 31, 2015.

In March, MFM Building Products announced three of their window flashing tapes met new stringent qualifications.  MFM is a manufacturer of waterproofing and weather barrier products for the building industry.

The flashing tapes comply with AAMA 711-07, a voluntary specification outlined by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association.  This compliance is important because it signifies that the tapes meet the performance requirements for self-adhering flashing products in the International Commercial Code (ICC-ES AC38 02-11).

The certification was done by an independent, third-party testing, and the products include WindowWrap PSX-20, WindowWrap PowerBond and WindowWrap White.

Ron Greenbaum, a.k.a. the Basement Doctor, now offers a free educational webinar for basement, foundation and crawlspace contractors who are frustrated with constantly coming in second place to the competition.  The webinar features Greenbaum’s “Five Critical Steps to Compete,” taking the knowledge of how he grew his companies and presenting that information in an organized way.

“I’ve always been a supporter of the underdog, and this is my opportunity to give some knowledge back to the industry,” says Greenbaum.  “We’ve spent over 25 years perfecting this system, and we’re hoping we can provide a fast track to success based on what we’ve learned and developed.”

Originally based in Columbus, Ohio, The Basement Doctor now serves the entire state, as well as parts of Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Maryland.  Greenbaum has been voted a Marketing Superstar by Columbus CEO Magazine and was recognized in Smart CEO’s top 100 Best Run Companies in 2012.

To find out more or to view the webinar,  visit www.takethecompetition.com.

In April, Liberty Pumps announced a major expansion of their headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Bergen, New York. The company, which celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year, manufactures sump, sewage and wastewater pumps.

The construction project will add over 123,000 sq. ft., effectively doubling the size of the current facility in three phases over the coming months.  Phase one, already nearing completion, is 81,600 sq. ft. of additional manufacturing area.  Phase two includes a 14,200 sq. ft. research and engineering lab and a 20,000 gallon test pit to support Liberty’s expanding product line. The last phase involves a 23,000 sq. ft. sales/marketing wing and product training center for hands-on product training and demonstrations, as well as offices, a historical product display and visitors lounge.

Work on all phases is expected to be completed by mid August 2015.

Bridgestone is building a new factory in South Carolina to produce the huge off-road tires used by large exploration and transport vehicles. Not surprisingly, the facility and its waterproofing requirements are also oversized. The facility is about a half-mile long and provides one million square feet of production space.

For waterproofing, designers chose a crystalline admixture from Penetron.  Their Admix SB was used to treat the 35,000 cubic yards of concrete used below-grade, including the 6-foot thick base slab and 4-foot thick foundation walls. The admixture includes a unique tracer, which leaves a green tint in the concrete bleed-water, providing proof that the mixture has been added to the concrete. The project was so large that it required the full production capacity of two ready mix plants.

“We provided the client with a remarkably cost-effective solution for the project,” explains Christopher Chen, director of the Penetron Group.

The project was certified LEED-Silver.

In April, Raven Industries completed the renovation of their Sioux Falls headquarters with a living, planted roof.  “The facility has been operational over fifty years, and we want to honor the building’s legacy by making sustainable design and product choices which reduce operating costs and stand the test of time,” said Brian Meyer, Raven’s Chief Information Officer.

“The green roof system provides a beautiful environment for our team members where they can enjoy the outdoors, and it enables overall building efficiency in dissipating heat and conserving rainfall,” he continues.

The LiveRoof modular green roof system was delivered fully grown by Bachman’s, Inc., the regional grower for the LiveRoof system.

In December, Parex USA announced the opening of a new distribution facility in San Diego, California.

The 8,400 sq. ft. warehouse will primarily be utilized to distribute LaHabra products through will-call orders for customers based in the San Diego area. The new facility also houses a color sample lab for quick and accurate stucco color sample matches.

“LaHabra Products have always been present in the San Diego market and we are thankful for our loyal distribution partners who have supported the LaHabra Stucco Brand in this area over the years,” says Rich Stamsek, Western Regional Sales Manager.  “We believe that opening a new distribution center will make it easier for both residential and commercial contractors to have quicker and easier access to our products.”