Roofing BC, Spring 2013

by Frank O’BrienWhen it came time to roof thelargest single-storey commercialbuilding in British Columbia – 12acres under one roof – it was littlesurprise that the call went toLangley-based Homan Roofing, anaward-winning RCABC member that

has proven itself for more than 40years.

Homan Roofing was started byJohn Homan and his father in 1972as a custom home builder andbecame a roofing industry stalwartin the late 1980s. His sons, Mikeand Duane, took over around seven

years ago, and both are committedto maintaining their father’s andgrandfather’s original vision andsimple ethic. “It has worked fordecades: do a great job at a fairprice and strong relationships willform and your business will grow,”Mike Homan explains.

Today, Homan Roofing operatesprimarily in the commercial sector.The team typically roofs institutionalstructures such as schools andhospitals, government buildings, bigbox warehouses, multi-tenant units,and high-density housing projects.

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Roofing Contractors Association of BC9734 201 StreetLangley, BC Canada V1M 3E8

THE VOICE OF PROFESSIONAL ROOFING CONTRACTORS Vol. 10, No. 1 • SPRING 2013

SPRING 2013I N T H I S I S S U E :

HOMAN continued page 6

FEATURES:Profile: Homan Roofing .............1New Soprema plant builds rooftop research site ................10EPDM passes hail tests .......... 12First of 3 hospitals complete. 14Residential roofing from ahomeowner’s perspective .......16Underlayment alternatives......22

ASSOCIATION:President’s message .................. 3RCABC makes history ............... 4RICABC donates to RCABC .... 23CRCA conference, AGM coming to Saskatoon .............. 23

INDUSTRY NEWS:Roofing expo attendance up ... 9RoofPoint wins support.......... 19Vancouver towers on rise........20Library plans roof reno............21RCI calls for abstracts ............. 21Firestone welcomes newtechnical rep...............................21BC workers mourned.............. 21Roof failure talk scheduled.... 21Soccer comes to rooftops....... 24Roof collapse investigated..... 24PG to get wood tower ............ 24Pro-Line expands in Alberta.. 24Building permits fall................ 25Soprema to build in PQ...........25Hefty safety fines levied......... 25Housing starts to rise ............. 25

COLUMNLegal Affairs: Employmentprobationary periods .............. 26

More than meets the eyeSurprises await residential roofers See page 16

Committed to quality

Mike and Duane Homan: industry experience,commitment to quality work and outstanding service.Photo by Richard Lam Roof designed with research

in mindSoprema tests its own productswith innovative move. See page 10

Homan Roofing has built its success on traditional values of hard work, honesty, and respect for customers.

ROOFING BC SPRING 2013 3

Roofing BC is published quarterly onbehalf of the Roofing ContractorsAssociation of BC and the professionalroofing industry by Market AssistCommunications Inc.

Roofing BC online at: www.rcabc.orgManaging Editor and PublisherJ. Michael SiddallPhone: 604-740-8369E-mail: [email protected]

EditorFrank O’BrienE-mail: [email protected]

Production/Art Director and Advertising AssociatePaddy TennantPhone: 604-507-2162E-mail: [email protected]

Contributing WritersBruce TaylorPaddy TennantCirculationBarbara PorthPhone: 604-882-9734E-mail: [email protected]

While information contained in thispublication has been compiled fromsources deemed to be reliable, neitherthe publisher nor the RCABC will be heldliable for errors or omissions. The opinions expressed in the editorialand advertisements are not necessarilythose of the publisher or RCABC.

Executive Vice PresidentIvan van Spronsen, [email protected]

Administrative Services ManagerBarbara Porth, [email protected]

Technical ManagerRob Harris, [email protected]

Safety & Risk Management SupervisorRoger Sové, I.P., PID, [email protected]

From the President

The promise of great things to comeAlthough it seems late, spring hasfinally arrived. In fact I was talkingto a friend in Ontario who wasfrustrated with winter outstaying itswelcome. He complained that theyhad just had their latest snowfall onApril 20th. I told him that MotherNature was confused by the fact theToronto Maple Leafs were stillplaying hockey.

All joking aside, spring is uponus. The blossoms are out andflowers are emerging from theirwinter slumber.

As with the changing seasons,the BC roofing industry is alsoundergoing adjustments. Thecompetitive roofing market isslowly improving. Our businessesare adjusting to the transition backto the GST and our province ispreparing for another election. Allthese elements place a degree ofuncertainty on where the BCroofing market is heading.

Despite these uncertainties,based on what we are seeing at theRCABC, things are looking good forthe BC roofing industry. The feestructure for the RoofStarguarantee program has beenmodified, resulting in a more userfriendly structure and lower ratesfor the 10 year guarantee.

Paralleling spring’s late arrival,

we are beginning to see a rise inRGC RoofStar guaranteeassignments. The delay in the risein assignments could be attributedto the transition back to the GST.Based on the spike in assignmentsin early April this could very wellbe the case. Hopefullythis trend will continueas we move into the re-roofing season.

Our technicaldepartment has seen alarge rise in inquiriesfor support. Theserequests seem to begeared towardsprojects at the earlydesign stages. The factthat people arecontacting the RCABC technicaldepartment at the design stage, asopposed to looking to solvesituational problems with roofingsystems, is proof that our outreachto spec writers, architects andengineers is paying off.

Like the different seasons, theRCABC is comprised of four distinctregions; Vancouver Island, theNorth, the Interior and the LowerMainland. Our organization hasrealized the importance ofgalvanizing the different regions.

This year, in order tohelp achieve this goal,the RCABC has movedaway from the annualregional events andopted for a SuperSummer Event that willbe held June 20 and21. The RCABC seesthis as a uniqueopportunity to bringtogether membersfrom all regions of the

province to build a betterawareness of the diversity of ourassociation.

The Super Summer Event 2013will include a Hawaiian themedboat cruise up the Indian Arm, theLower Mainland Golf Tournament at

Northview Golf & Country Club anda closing buffet dinner atNorthview. For the non-golfersactivities such as whale watching,kayaking or a Fort Langley winetour and live cooking class will beoffered.

So as we wait for the RCABCsummer fest to be upon us we haveroofing work and the NHL playoffsto keep us busy and occupied. Forthe first time in years there are fourCanadian teams in the playoffs.Who knows, maybe Lord Stanley’scup will return to Canada where itrightfully belongs.

In closing, speaking for theBoard of Directors I wish to thankall the RCABC staff for their hardwork and dedication. It is only theeffort and commitment of our staffand the RCABC membership atlarge that enables the advancementof this truly unique organization.

Bruce Taylor,President, Roofing Contractors

Association of British Columbia ■

Bruce Taylor

4 SPRING 2013 ROOFING BC

| Toll Free: 888 713 7663I

by Paddy Tennant

The RCABC marked anotherindustry milestone with its firstResidential Steep Roofing courseearlier this year. Believed to be theonly one of its kind in NorthAmerica, the six-week programwelcomed 13 registrants fromaround the province.

The course outline wasdeveloped by members of theConstruction Industry TrainingOrganization (CITO) GovernanceCommittee, the RCABC and theIndustry Training Authority (ITA).

The ITA works with employers,employees, industry, labour,training providers and governmentto issue credentials, manageapprenticeships, set programstandards, and increaseopportunities in the trades in BC.

CITO is the Industry TrainingOrganization responsible for theIndustrial, Commercial, andInstitutional (ICI) sector of theconstruction industry.

After lengthy discussionsbetween the three groups, thecourse development started inearnest in January 2012.

The first Residential SteepRoofer class ran from January 28through March 8, at the RCABC’straining facility in Langley.

The course focused solely on thesteep slope aspects of the roofingtrade. Topics included all areas ofsteep roof safety, asphalt shingles,cedar shake and shingle, concreteand composite tiles, standing seammetal roofing, blueprinting andestimating, steep roofing hoistingsystems, rigging, repairs andmaintenance, and EPDM built-ingutters.

The apprentices also took a fallprotection course, Health Canada'sWorkplace Hazardous MaterialsInformation System (WHMIS), level1 first aid, and the ConstructionSafety Training System (CSTS)computer based course.

The class was seen by many as apractical alternative to the regularRoof, Damp and Waterproofing(RDW) apprenticeship course, whichruns for 12 weeks spread overthree years. According to RCABC’sEducation and Training Manager

Shirley Caldwell, many studentscited cost factors and EI challengesas roadblocks to entering the RDWprogram.

Upon completion of the class,the participants were invited to givetheir opinions on everything fromcourse content to delivery. Theirfeedback will be invaluable to thetraining staff as they make the firstadjustments to the curriculum andexams.

A number of the apprenticescommented that the safetycomponent of the course had beenvery valuable. Caldwell hopes thateventually WorkSafeBC willlegislate that the course is arequirement for anyone working insteep slope roofing.

Instructor Dane Ogilvie receivedtop marks from the students, whowere favourably impressed by hisattitude, patience and extensiveknowledge of the trade. Ogilvie,who left school and started roofingat 16 years of age, holds an Inter-Provincial Red Seal ticket as well asthe new Residential Steep RoofingCertificate of Qualification.

Ogilvie acknowledges theteamwork that went into

developing the course outline andsubsequent materials. “The ITA,CITO and RCABC put together thecourse outline, which we thenexpanded into the Guide toResidential Steep Roofing, whichwas used as the textbook for thecourse. After coming from 17 yearsin the field, assembling a textbookproved to be quite a task, but withhelp from management and staffmembers at RCABC we got the jobdone.”

Making the transition fromroofer to instructor is not withoutits challenges, especially with theadded stress of being away fromhis wife Kristy, and daughters Abi(10) and Lexi (7) for extendedperiods. “I stayed in Abbotsfordwith friends while I was at RCABC,going home every second weekendor so, which was hard on the familylife,” he says, “but my family, beingvery supportive, helped me throughthe change into the world ofinstructing.”

The apprentices weren’t the onlyones getting an education. “The firstcourse proved to be a learningcurve for me as well”, Ogilvieadmits, “but with a lot of feedback

from my students I feel I will beable to tailor every course to theexperience level of the class athand.”

“This class was predominantlymade up of workers with a lot ofexperience in the trade, so was agood group for a first class,” notedCaldwell.

“With the first class, mostparticipants had between four andeight years of experience inroofing,” says Ogilvie, adding “Asthe course continues I would expectthat level to drop slowly everyyear.”

Caldwell expressed overallsatisfaction with the outcome of thefirst class. “All the participantspassed the practical and theoryparts of the course”, she says “andout of the 12 students who wrotethe Certificate of Qualificationexam, only three failed.” They canrewrite the exam through ITA to gettheir certificate, she added.

The course graduates will receivea Certificate of Apprenticeship anda Residential Steep RoofingCertificate of Qualification (C of Q)from ITA after completing therequired 2400 hours on-the-job

experience. The C of Q will make iteasier to find and keep steady workin the roofing industry.

As for Ogilvie, he is currentlyworking on Vancouver Island, andplanning his future around theSteep Roofing position. “For thefirst few years I will be a part-timeinstructor while completing myProvincial Instructing Diploma (PID)and working,” he says. “During thattime I have the task of moving mywife and daughters over to Langleyfrom Courtenay and settling themin for my exciting new career!”

The next class will run fromFebruary 3 to March 14, 2014. Afew seats are still available, but asCaldwell points out, participantsmust be registered as apprenticeswith the ITA in order to take thecourse.

Those interested in sponsoringor becoming a Residential SteepRoofing apprentice can registerthrough the RCABC EducationalFoundation. E-mail Cindy Granthamat [email protected] or callShirley or Cindy at 604-882-9734.Additional information is availableat www.rcabc.org in the Educationsection. ■

Instructor Dane Ogilvie, far right, with thefirst Residential Steep Roofing apprentices

RCABCtrainingmakesindustryhistory

Dane Ogilvie with Clifford AaronMackenzie, named the ResidentialSteep Roofing ‘Top Apprentice’

Plywood replacement is an important partof steep roofing: Clifford Aaron Mackenziere-decks one of the mockup roofs


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12 acre roofIn 2011, Homan Roofing roofed

the largest single-storey building inBritish Columbia. The new 12-acreKruger Paper Products warehousecovers more than half a millionsquare feet. The massive structureis located in Queensborough andwas developed by the Burnaby-based Beedie Group. Homan roofedthe warehouse with Carlisle EPDMroof membrane with gravel ballast,all installed to RCABC guaranteestandards.

After winning the bid, thecompany had to contend withmultiple challenges posed by thescale of the operation and worksite.

“It was a large site, so there wasa lot going on,” Mike explains.Trucks loaded down with materialswere constantly coming in and out.There was an army of constructionpersonnel with which to contend.“Just having everything timedperfectly was the biggest challenge.”

Organization was crucial to thesuccess of the operation andHoman commends the BeedieGroup for running a well-orderedsite. “They are a great company towork for, so we try to bid moreaggressively on their jobs,” he adds.He also gives credit to his owncompany’s “excellent people” andcareful planning. “It went really

well; the customer was very happy.”The Beedie Group was so

impressed with the work on it itslargest ever project that it issuedthis rare ringing endorsement whenthe job was complete: “Whether asmall or large roofing job, ourcontractor of choice is Homan.Homan has the skilled people todeliver good quality products ontime and they do stand behind theirwork. The timely service andexceptional value is what separatesHoman from the rest. Trust, careand good judgment is why Homanranks higher in our list of preferredcontractors.”

A further mark of the standingthat Homan has earned in theroofing industry: Soprema, one ofthe main manufacturers of torch-onroofing membranes, hired Homanas the roofing contractor for itsplant expansion in Chilliwack.

Soprema writes: “We wereclosely involved with Homanthroughout the install and foundthem to be very flexible to ourneeds and were very competent intheir install techniques. We were inconstant contact with their foremanfor the coordination of the roofinstall and he was very open to ourchanges and implemented them tothe RCABC standards. This projectis part of a research project and assuch we had variousinstrumentation installed at various

levels in the roof assembly, whichinvolved coordination with a thirdparty. Homan did a great job inworking with the third party toensure that the instrumentation wasproperly placed. Overall, we werevery happy with the roofing workcompleted by Homan Roofing atour Sopraboard Expansion Project.”Service, service, service

The Homan team does installroof systems on custom homesoccasionally, but “we don’t everchase residential work,” MikeHoman said. Typically, residentialjobs come at the request of generalcontractors who are so impressedwith the team’s commercial workthat they want the company to rooftheir homes as well, he explained.

Homan Roofing has a dedicatedservice department that excels inleak detection and repair. Theyoffer roof evaluations andinspections as well as full roofmaintenance. Homan’s metalroofing and wall cladding divisionsinstall many types of exteriorfinishes including cement board andvarious metal panels.

Homan says that it is the team’sunderlying Christian principles thatultimately set the company apart.“We strive to be trustworthy andput value in being honest. Theteam’s value system is clearlyreflected in its overriding businessstrategy of providing high quality


HOMAN cont’d from page 1

ProfileAbove: Homan Roofing roofed the 504,000-square foot Kruger Paper warehouse in NewWestminster – the largest single-storey buildingin BC – with Carlisle EPDM.

Photos by Sheree Vanoene

Walmart Chilliwack BC; Carlisle Sure-WeldTPO installed to RCABC standards


The new BMW/Mini outlet in Langley wasroofed by Homan with Soprema two ply SBS,and a Detec leak detection system. It is alsocovered by a 5-year RoofStar guarantee.

Maple Leaf Self Storage, Vancouver;Carlisle EPDM, multicolour ballastand wall cladding installed toRCABC standards


work and excellent customer serviceat a reasonable price.”

Homan ensures the quality of hiscompany’s work through hands-onmanagement.

“I go on site myself.” Mikeexplains. “I try to visit as many sitesas possible to maintain qualitycontrol and satisfaction… to makesure that once we leave, everythingis in order and to our standards.”

Homan Roofing is also committedto providing outstanding customerservice. Mike believes that this isparticularly important when doingrepair work. “I know that whensomebody has a leak in theirbuilding it can be disheartening andhard to deal with. We really want tomake sure that we come in thereand we find the problem and repairit. [We want the customer to] feellike they have been treated well andreceived the service they deserveand paid for.”Award-winning

Homan Roofing’s commitment toservice and quality has beenrecognized through numerousawards, including the Carlisle 2010,2011 and 2012 Top Five PercentNorth America Awards. Homan washand picked from hundreds ofsingle-ply companies across Americaand Canada; in fact Homan was theonly company in western Canada to

receive this award. Homan is also amember of the prestigious“Excellence in Singe Ply” group foralmost 15 years, and was thelargest installer of Carlisle productsin BC for 2012.

The company has done over1200 roofs and installed over 23million square feet of material, notesMike.

The Homan Roofing team alsobelieves in treating its employeeswell. This support often extendsbeyond the workplace. The companyrecognizes that employees haveresponsibilities outside of their jobs,particularly when it comes to family.“It is really important to keep theirfamilies content and secure,” Mikesaid. “We are very family oriented.”Focusing on family comes naturallyfor Mike and Duane Homan – eachof the men is the proud father offive children. “Sometimes havingover 100 employees and five kids isreally busy,” Mike understates. “Ourwives are very supportive andunderstanding.”RCABC professional

The company’s reputation is suchthat all of their business comes fromword-of-mouth referrals, MikeHoman said.

“We haven’t really had anymarketing strategies. Yet we’vealways been busy,” he says. “A lot of

people have a sense of uncertaintywhen they have a roofing company,or any construction company forthat matter, perform work for them.Being a long-term member ofRCABC we have a major advantageas this takes the uncertainty away.They know that they have trainedprofessionals working on theirprojects.” Homan regularly sendstheir employees for training in many

of the courses that RCABC has tooffer.

“Customers know their roofs arecovered with RCABC approvedquality products installed by RCABC-trained professionals and backed bythe best in the business RoofStarGuarantee,” he explained. It hasproved a huge advantage in today’stougher economy.

“It’s pretty competitive out there

right now,” explains Homan. “Thereis not as much work to go around.”Homan Roofing, however, hasmanaged to ride out the globalfinancial crisis unscathed. “Wehaven’t been affected by that at all.”Homan cites RCABC membership,proactive management and wisefinancial planning as the secretsbehind the company’s continuedsuccess. ■

Inset: among many school projects by HomanRoofing, White Rock Elementary’s standing seammetal roof carries a 5-year RoofStar guarantee

Below: Ocean Fisheries, Richmond BC; Carlisle Sure-Weld TPO fully adhered systeminstalled to RCABC standards

Cedarbrook Chateau Mission; Carlisle EPDM ballasted and IKO shingles, installed to RCABC standards


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Since 1908, SOPREMA has specialized in the manufactureof waterproofing products for the constructionand civil engineering fields.

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RoofingExpo drew8,400delegatesSAN ANTONIO, TX – Totalattendance at the 2013 InternationalRoofing Expo (IRE) in San Antonio,Texas from February 5-7 increasedby 1.3 percent to 8,491 comparedwith the 2012 IRE in Orlando,Florida – and Canadian roofers wereamong the attendees.

“There was a noticeable energyon the show floor among theattendees and exhibitors,” says IREGroup Director Lindsay Roberts. TheIRE featured 987 booths and 410exhibiting companies; 72 were first-time exhibitors. It also included 44educational sessions with 3,995sessions sold.

“Our members were very pleasedwith all aspects of the show, as wellas the NRCA Annual Convention thattook place in conjunction with theIRE,” says NRCA Executive VicePresident Bill Good.

Attendees represented all 50states. The largest number ofinternational attendees came fromCanada, Australia, Belgium, Brazil,China, Germany, Japan and Mexico.

The 2014 IRE and NRCA’s 127thAnnual Convention will be heldFebruary 24-28 at the MandalayBay Convention Center in Las Vegas,Nevada. ■ The 2013 International Roofing Expo saw attendance increase from a year earlier. Photo: International Roofing Expo

Sopremabuilds onsuccessNew roof doubles as research siteby Paddy Tennant

Soprema has increased its westernCanadian presence with a new coverboard manufacturing facility, builtadjacent to its original plant inChilliwack, BC.

The project took a year and ahalf to complete, from pre-loadingbeginning in September 2011 to itsopening in February 2013.

“It was a $7.5M investment intotal, including the building andmachinery,” says plant director PaulBoileau, “with 27,000 square feetinside for indoor warehousing andthe new production line, plus90,000 square feet for the pavedoutside storage area.”

The architects were CHPArchitects of Chilliwack; the generalcontractor was Teck Construction ofLangley, and the roofing contractorwas Homan Roofing, also ofLangley.

The roof, inspected by WellsKlein, now carries a 5-year RoofStarguarantee. Blair Bennett, Soprema’sBC Regional Manager, describes theassembly as a “conventional roof”consisting of steel deck, Sopravap’rvapour barrier, insulationassemblies adhered with Duotack intwo layers, Sopraboard, Sopraply520 base and three separate capsheets in different areas: SoprastarHD GR; Sopraply Traffic Cap 560Grey; and Sopraply Traffic Cap 560Black.Researching roof materials

The new roof is actually servinganother purpose – that of test sitefor Soprema’s own materials.

“We took this opportunity to usethe roof on the new plant as aresearch platform to answer somequestions that the roofing industryhas been asking for years,” saidBennett. “We partnered with Roxuland RDH Building Engineering toconduct a study looking into theperformance of different roofassemblies.

“We constructed three separateroof areas, 4,800 square feet each:• Roof type 1 – one layer of 2.0"

polyisocyanurate insulation and atop layer of 1.5"polyisocyanurate with aSopraboard;

• Roof type 2 – a base layer of2.0" polyisocyanurate insulationwith a top layer of 2.5"Soprarock DD Plus; and

• Roof type 3 – a base layer of2.5" and a top layer of 3.25"Soprarock DD Plus.“All roof areas were adhered with

Duotack, and all of the roofassemblies have an average R-valueof 21”, he notes.

Bennett says SMT Research fullyinstrumented the assemblies withsensors that will collect data ontemperature, heat flux, relativehumidity, performance of reflectivecap sheets in comparison to

standard cap sheets in atemperate climate zoneand movement within theassemblies from nineseparate data points.

“We will have our firstfull year of data inSeptember 2013,” hesays, “and we anticipatea published paper for thefirst quarter of 2014.

“We look forward toresearch papers on ourfindings being presentedat major industry eventsthroughout NorthAmerica,” he added.

Soprema and SMThave an agreement for atwo year study, saysBennett. “We have anoption to continue withthe study longer since the sensorscan have a service life of five yearsor more.”Serving customers closer to home

What does the new plant mean

for Soprema’s customers? Bennettpoints to “a BC made product withbetter inventory response times andno delay in shipments to ourWestern Canadian customers.”Boileau concurs, citing “improved

lead times and to reduce shippingcosts by replacing Quebec-madeproduct with cover boards made inwestern Canada.”

The new facility is dedicated tothe production of Sopraboard, a

semi-rigid protectionboard composed of amineral fortified asphalticcore formed between twosaturated fiberglasssheets.

Boileau saysSopraboard is designedto be used as a substratematerial in flat or low-slope roofing. “It can beinstalled over wood, rigidinsulation or as a recoversheet over an existingroof surface, which is tobe re-roofed.”

“Sopraboard iscompatible with modifiedbitumen and B.U.R.roofing systems. Modifiedbitumen roofing systemscan be torched,

mechanically fastened or adheredwith hot asphalt or cold adhesivedirectly to the board surface. It mayalso be used with self-adhesivemembranes,” he adds.


Above: Homan Roofing crew adhering the first layer of Roxul DD Plus to Sopravap’r with Duotack using a multi-bead applicator cart. Below: adhering the second layer of Roxul DD plus to the first layer.Each zone has sensors built in at every different layer, from the underside of the deck to the underside of the membrane. The sensors are all linked to a central computer for monitoring. Photos: Soprema

Grand Opening: Charles Bindschedler (son of owner Pierre-Etienne Bindschedler), Joelle Bindschedler (Charles’ mother in fromStrasbourg, France) and Paul Boileau (Director of Operations, Soprema Chilliwack) stand before plaque dedicating “Charlie’s Line”.

Charles completed three months of training at the Chilliwack facility and had the new production line named in his honour.


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and production of waterproofing products for the building and civilengineering sectors. Founded in 1908, it has its headquarters in Strasbourg,France and operates in 80 countries. ■

Grand Opening: Employees of Soprema Chilliwack pose with Charles Bindschedler and SopremaProject Engineer Guillaume Dufort (front, kneeling)

The finished roof, showingall three colours of cap sheet

Paul Boileau addresses the crowd of 160 assembled at the Grand Opening ceremony of Charlie’s Lineon Wednesday, April 10th. Five Chilliwack City Councillors, MLA Gwen O’Mahony, the BC Ministry ofJobs, Tourism and Skills Training and the French Consul-General were in attendance, along with manycustomers, contractors, suppliers and service providers.


NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMPREHENSIVE ROOF GUARANTEE

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EPDM?Hail, yesEven aging EPDM standsup to hailstones, studyshowsBy Dermot MackPhotos: Jim D. Koontz & Associates Inc.

Even aging, non-reinforced EPDMoffers “excellent resistance” to large“ice spheres” over a variety ofroofing substrates, says a studyconducted by U.S.-based Jim D.Koontz and Associates Inc. for theEPDM Roofing Association.

Of the 81 60 mil, non-reinforced

EPDM ‘targets’ installed overpolyiso, wood fiber, plywood andOSB, 76 EPDM roof assembliesretained their waterproofingintegrity when impacted by hail upto three inches in diameter, thestudy showed.The field-agedsamples werecollected from sixstates and rangedin age from fiveto 20 years.

The study used a “hail gun” tofire hailstones up to three inches indiameter, at four-foot by four-footEPDM targets that were fullyadhered to their substrates. Of noteto BC contractors, the test targets

were sprayed with water at 4˚C toreplicate cold rain.

The tests were conducted onsamples of 60-mil membrane,provided by manufacturers CarlisleSynTec and Firestone Building

Products.Tested

material includednew, heat agedand field agedEPDM. Field

aged EPDM was comprised ofEPDM roofing material that wasremoved from existing structures inthe field with years of actualweather exposure.

In the tests, only one of the‘new’ test targets was damaged by

three-inch hailstones. None of theaged targets failed the same test.

“In the course of this testing, weattempted to determine in a labsetting how an EPDM roof wouldwithstand some degree of hailimpact over a significant portion ofits expected service life,” said ScottLong, EPDM Product Manager forCarlisle SynTec Incorporated. “Webelieve that this test confirmsEPDM’s strong performance in hailtesting.”

For mechanically attachedsystems, the researchers ensuredthat the EPDM assemblies wereimpacted both in the field of theroof and directly over themechanical fasteners and plates.

Koontz found that damage didoccur over the fasteners and plateswith a combination of either one-and-a-half inch or two-inch icespheres for both new, heat agedand field aged EPDM.

Koontz defined failure in this testas a “visible split or cut in thesurface of the EPDM” membrane.Even though the mechanicallyattached membranes did not “fail”the test due to impacts on thefasteners and plates, damage didoccur to key elements of the roofingsystem.

For this reason, contractors andspecifiers looking to maximize hailresistance may want to consider afully adhered EPDM roof system

Of note to BC contractors,the test targets were

sprayed with water at 4˚Cto replicate cold rain.

Ice spheres as big as three inches were used to test EPDM material. The ‘hail gun’ fired hailstones into the EPDM test sample at the Koontz Associates lab to simulate a hard hail storm.


that eliminates fasteners and platesentirely.

Attaching the insulation or coverboard with a urethane adhesiveinstead of mechanical fastenerswould also take fastener damageout of the equation.

Hail storms are most common inmountainous areas of BritishColumbia, such as the Kootenays,and can cause significant damage.

Jim D. Koontz & Associates, Inc.provides laboratory testing of alltypes of roofing materials. Testing isperformed in accordance with ASTMand other federal and industrystandards.

“In addition to conducting thistest, we have extensive experience

examining numerous rooftops usingthe EPDM membrane that wereimpacted by severe hail, up tosoftball size,” Koontz said. “In thosecases, the non-reinforced EPDMover polyisocyanurate did not fail,and the test results we conductedvalidated that performance.”

To obtain a copy of the fullreport on Koontz’s research, visitthe EPDM Roofing Associationwebsite at www.epdmroofs.org oremail the ERA [email protected]. ■

The EPDM test targets were soaked in cold water to simulate cold weather, like on this asphalt strip.

Right: a selection of photos from EPDM hail ballimpact research showing damage andindentations to EPDM or substrate materialunder EPDM test decks.


First ofthreeFort St. John hospital is complete, with twomore ready to go innorthern BCBy Frank O’Brien

The $308 million Fort St. JohnHospital and Residential Careproject was completed last summer,but two other hospital projects arejust beginning in northern BritishColumbia.

Roofing contracts have yet to besigned for the $55 million LakesDistrict Hospital and Health Centreat Burns Lakes and the $50 millionQueen Charlotte/Haida GwaiiHospital replacement project in thetown of Queen Charlotte on theQueen Charlotte Islands.

“We will be looking to bid on theBurns Lake hospital,” said KirtisBergen of Flynn Canada Ltd. inKelowna, which handled the entireroofing contract for the Fort St.John Hospital complex thatrequired just over 1,600 squares ofSBS modified bitumen, supplied bySoprema.

The Fort St. John Hospital andResidential Care project was

constructed on a 40-acre parcel of land

donated by the City of Fort St. John.It includes a new 150,000 squarefoot acute care hospital and,directly adjacent, a new 75,000square foot Residential CareBuilding.

The project is a public privatepartnership (PPP) betweenNorthern Health and privatepartner ISL Health, who designedand built and will finance andmaintain the new facility for a fixedterm of 30 years.

The roofs of both buildings atFort St. John were covered in SBSwith the silver star finish, butBergen noted that a metal roof wasoriginally planned for at least partof the complex. Due to some designchanges and insurance purposes, itwas decided to go totally with SBS,he said.

“They decided to go with onewarranty to make it clean andclear,” Bergen said. The project iscovered under the RCABC’sRoofStar warranty.Haida Gwaii

The contract for site preparationwork for the Queen Charlotte/HaidaGwaii Hospital Replacement projecthas been awarded to NaikoonContracting Limited. Naikoon wasscheduled to begin the sitepreparation work on April 1, 2013,and finish this summer.

North Vancouver-based Naikoonis also constructing thenew Masset airportterminal building.

“I am very pleased and lookforward to seeing activity beginningon the site of the new QueenCharlotte/Haida Gwaii Hospital,”said Carol Kulesha, Village ofQueen Charlotte mayor and NorthWest Regional Hospital Districtvice-chair. “This is anotherimportant step forward to completethe project in 2015.”

Site preparation work willinclude protection for the existinghospital and health centre, settingup site accesses for constructioncrews, and preparing the site forthe new facility. The temporaryhealth clinic renovation project isproceeding as a separatecomponent.

“Completing site preparationwork will ensure the design-buildteam selected to deliver the projectwill be able to get to work on-siteshortly after the contract is awardedthis summer,” said Shelia Gordon-Payne, Northern Health northwesthealth service administrator.

As site preparation is inprogress, the competitive selectionprocess continues to choose thesuccessful design-build team for thehospital project. The request forproposals was issued to the threeshortlisted teams in December2012 and the selection of apreferred proponent and contractaward is anticipated late spring2013. Construction is scheduled tobegin this summer and becompleted in fall 2015. The total

capital cost of the project isestimated at $50 million.Burns Lake

PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc.and design partner CEI Architecturehave won the design/build contractfor the Lakes District Hospital andHealth Centre at Burns Lake, whichis now under construction.

The hospital is scheduled tocomplete by fall 2015, and isexpected to generate approximately200 direct jobs during theconstruction period. The newhospital and health centre willhouse 16 beds, provide acute-careand emergency services, diagnosticimaging, a laboratory andpharmacy.

“With the short constructionseason in the Lakes District region,

Crews from Flynn Canada’s Kelowna office – who mostly stayed in Fort St. John during the 12-monthcontract – lay down Soprema SBS on the hospital and residential care facility. Photos: Flynn Canada

Northern Health staff celebrates the news that the $50 million new Queen Charlotte/Haida Gwaii Hospital replacement project will go ahead. Photo: BC Government


it is important to maximize the timeavailable for PCL ConstructorsWestcoast Inc. to work on the project,”said Michael McMillan, NorthernHealth’s chief operating officer.Selecting the partners in this projectbefore the start of spring meant theywere able “to get shovels in theground once it thawed,” he said.

The new building will be energyefficient, built to Leadership in Energyand Environmental Design (LEED)Gold certification standards andoptimize the use of wood consistentwith the Wood First Act. The totalvalue of the replacement hospital isestimated to be up to $55 million, andwill be refined once all contracts havebeen awarded. Funding is cost-sharedby the province and Stuart NechakoRegional Hospital District. ■

The $55 million Lake District Hospital and Health Centre at Burns Lake willbe complete by 2015. PCL is the general contractor. Photo: BC Government

It took more than 1,600 squares of 2-ply SBS to cover the new Fort St. John Hospital and Residential Care project.


Hittingclose tohomeResidential roofingfrom a noviceconsumer’s perspectiveby Paddy Tennant

March 1 had been much like anyother Friday, except that it hadcapped a week of one problem afteranother. The full moon a few nightsbefore was being blamed for aseries of trials that, althoughinconvenient, were insignificant incomparison to what I facedcoming into the house thatnight – it was raining in mykitchen.

The first image that came tomind was the RCABC’sRoofStar ad that mentions ‘thestubborn determination of asingle raindrop to go where itdoesn’t belong’ – a conceptthat was now being illustratedwith alarming accuracy.

I optimistically speculatedthat the problem might beeasily managed – perhapssimply a damaged roof ventwhich would be a quick fix.That hope was dashed whenmy husband took a flashlightup on the roof – against mybetter judgement on a wet andwindy night – to report thatthe asphalt tiles in the suspectarea “had lost their granulesand were all soft and mushy”.

A look inside the atticrevealed a ship-lap deck with

only a small amount of plywoodover the addition.

When I bought this house adozen years ago, I was aware thatparts of it were very old, and manyrenovations had been done by thehome owners rather than byqualified tradesmen. The time hadclearly come to replace the roof, andI was not prepared. I put downcontainers to catch the drops thathad dampened both the kitchen andmy spirits, then emailedRob Harris and Ivan vanSpronsen at the RCABC.

Never having hired acontractor of any kind, I didn’t knowwhat to expect – the length of timeinvolved; the protocols; what Iwould have to do as ahomeowner – this would all be new

territory. My onlycomforts were a goodworking relationshipwith the RCABC andthe confidence that anyof their memberswould be reliable.

Rob and Ivan gaveme the names of threelocal members who doresidential work. Ivancorrectly predicted that I

would getdifferentapproaches and reportsfrom each of the three,

and Rob agreed to walk me throughtheir estimates so I could make aneducated decision.

The first company out was TotemRoofing. Les Roberts, Supervisor of

Operations, arrived inthe morning of March6 with clipboard andgraph paper in hand.He described theprocess involved inmanufacturing asphalttiles, and explainedwhy, in the last 20years, the products fromsome manufacturers hadperformed poorly. Thatwas my first lesson –understanding the

‘nature of the beast’. Les spentapproximately an hour on the roof,taking numerous photos and carefulmeasurements, including the pitchof each field. As it turned out, hewas actually creating an accurateplan drawing of the entire roof

while he was up there.“The devil’s in the details,” he

said with a grin, explaining that hedidn’t want to have to rely onmemory with any aspect of theproject. This attention to detail wasboth impressive and reassuring.

Next up was Graham Wilford ofHarvard Industries – an engaging,gregarious man who exudedconfidence. Graham’s time on theroof was comparatively brief, but hedemonstrated strong powers ofobservation and quickly spotted thelocation of a hidden drainage pipe.He then took the time to educate meabout colour choices for thereplacement tiles, andrecommended new 6-inch gutters toreplace the existing 4-inch ones.Graham added that he would be

“The devil’sin the details”

The Roofmart crane truck team preparing to offload materials

Before: the union of valleys over an aluminum sunroom After re-roofing: ready for new gutters and a lifetime of service


happy to refer me to a trustedinstaller.

Last but not least was ErikBlundell of Hunter Roofing. I didn’thave the opportunity to meet Erik,but welcomed his phone call todiscuss a few details before hesubmitted a quote.

Not surprisingly, all threeestimates were very similar in theirprice ranges, and each of theproposals named familiar brandsmanufactured by RCABC AssociateMembers like IKO, GAF, Firestoneand Menzies.

It was interesting to see howeach of the three firms presentedtheir proposals; the amount ofdetail, descriptions of the productsand procedures; even the projectedcosts were itemized differently.

True to his word, Rob Harrisgave me a generous amount oftime, going over the unfamiliarterminology and explaining therationale behind the various

procedures outlined in theestimates.

My final decision was to go withTotem. The proposal from ownerJeff Reddeman was very thorough,well thought out, and detailedbeyond my expectations.

Jeff had also sent me the photostaken by Les, and referred to themby number to clearly describe eachpart of the roof and the requiredaccessories. His quote presented anoutline of the project at its mostbasic, followed by recommendedadd-ons and possible repairs thatwere estimated separately. It clearlyidentified the unknown factors thatcould only be determined once theroof deck was exposed and the atticexamined.

It would be two weeks beforeTotem could start the work, so Lescame over to secure a tarp over thesuspect parts of the leaky roof. I feltwell taken care of before the workeven began.

The month of March hadpresented its share of challenges,but I was feeling confident – theroofers had been hired, Iunderstood what was ahead, andeverything was under control (or soI thought). As we would discover,my roof was anything butstraightforward.Expect the unexpected

Right on schedule (Friday April

12), the Roofmart crane truckdelivered the materials, includingIKO’s Cambridge AR (AlgaeResistant) asphalt tiles, GAF Deck-Armor underlayment, Firestone 45mil EPDM and Duraflo vents.

On Monday morning the Totemcrew arrived shortly before 8:00 tobegin the tear-off. After that, verylittle went according to plan.

The first glitch came mid-

morning, when a BC Hydro teamshowed up unexpectedly to workon some nearby power lines. Theytold us that the electricity would beshut off shortly, and would stay offfor about three hours. Les and myhusband scrambled to get ourgenerator out of the shed. Totem’screw was without electricity formost of an hour by the time theygot it running.

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The chimney before re-roofing: flashings deteriorated and rusty After re-roofing: new exhaust vents, stem vent for duct work and custom-made chimney skirt

...in with the new... attic chutes......out with the old... ...and properly installed ducts!

The next hiccup was thediscovery that the original ship-laproof deck had been covered withOSB. That meant the plywood thathad been shipped for this purposewould not be needed after all, sowould have to be returned toRoofmart. The presence of thisunexpected layer of deck alsoprecluded the option of accessingthe attic through the roof. Theinterior attic opening was in anawkward location, so we had beenrelieved when Les had first said hecould check the attic vents by goingthrough a roof opening. Cuttingthrough two layers of deck wouldhave been impractical, so accessfrom the inside was the only viablealternative.

Les then decided to installMenzies fully soldered metal goose-neck vents instead of the plasticones noted in the estimate. Whilethe crew continued the process ofremoving old asphalt tiles, he madea run to Roofmart for the higher-quality replacement vents.

The tear-off of old tiles went atan impressive rate – in very shortorder they were removed, and theunderlayment was being applied.But mid-afternoon, shortly after theelectricity was restored, the rainscame, putting an end to work forthe day.

On Tuesday the crew was back

early, in hopes of finishing the jobunder sunny skies and with nointerruption to the power. The newtiles went on quickly but as itturned out, the men used morethree-tab shingles than anticipatedon the low slope areas, whichmeant Les had to make another runto Roofmart.

The first anomaly was discoveredwhen Les investigated the smallsloped roof over the front porch. Itsdrainage system had been hiddenby debris, disguising the home-made set-up that had been riggedby the previous owners. Now that it

was exposed, he found that theopening to the drain didn’t matchany standard fittings. The EPDMspecified for the area would have tobe applied down into the drainopening to act as a funnel.

He couldn’t replace the drainassembly without taking apart thepillar through which the drain piperan, so opted for a stripping ply ofEPDM folded into the drainopening, and then applied a fullyadhered EPDM gutter systemcompleted with custom-made capflashing.

Later, after filling me in on the

importance of good ventilation, Lesventured into the attic to check thatthe venting ducts were correctlyinstalled – a requirement of the IKOwarranty.

What he discovered was as muchdismaying as it was puzzling. Thedryer duct was completely rustedout and not even connected to theroof vent opening. The stove fanhad never been installed properly –for years it had apparently beenventing into the attic instead of outthrough the roof.

He also found that the insulationwas packed in to capacity, with noallowance for ventilation, and therewere no soffit vents – only lath andplaster where the vents should havebeen. The vinyl soffit covers musthave been installed only to give theoutward appearance of correctventing.

These venting issues wouldnormally have resulted in a myriadof moisture problems. Instead, theattic was inexplicably dry with nosigns of mould. Les said it was amystery – he had never seen thelikes of it, and “couldn’t figure outwhy the attic looked so good.” I wasjust grateful for one less challenge,until I realized it meant moreunexpected work for Les.

Dry or not, the attic needed to beventilated properly. While theroofing crew completed theapplication of the asphalt tiles, Lesheaded off once again for supplies.

The next day he installed attic

ventilation chutes and formed metalducts to connect the dryer hose andstove fan exhaust to the appropriateroof vents.

By that time he had dedicatedseveral hours of unplanned work tothe attic and roof vents, not tomention the extra supplies that hadnot been built into the estimate. Tohis credit, he maintained goodhumour throughout it all, andpatiently answered all myquestions.

Other customers were waiting forhim, so he took care of the mostpressing matters and left theremaining details to the followingweek.

Les and a colleague spent thenext Monday installing the finalcomponents: air intake vents,custom-made chimney flashings andthe cap flashings on the front porchroof.

In all, the Totem crews installedfive intake vents, five exhaust vents,two gooseneck vents, and 62bundles (20.3 squares) of shingles.Jeff also recommended new guttersreferred me to an installer.

The completed roof providesmuch-needed peace of mind as wellas a new-found pride in my home.From my perspective, the wholeexperience has been positive,educational and enlightening. Weare grateful to Les and Jeff for theirexpertise and attention to customerservice – both ensuring oursatisfaction with a job well done. ■


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It’s always good practice to leavecustomers happy and ready torefer friends and neighbours toyou – word of mouth can be yourmost powerful sales tool.

There are a few basics thatevery customer should expect froman RCABC contractor member:1. A clear, understandable quote

with any variables itemized,followed by an equally clearcontract and subsequentinvoice;

2. Respect the customer’s propertyand security as you would yourown – close gates behind you;refrain from smoking; clean upas you go along and whenyou’re done.

3. Safety is paramount foreveryone on the property.– Estimators, workers, roofers

and suppliers must be incompliance with WorkSafeBCregulations – including PPE

and fall protection systems –no exceptions;

– Ensure that ladders arecorrectly anchored, set up onstable flat surfaces, and thatall ladder safety rules arefollowed;

– Advise the customers thatdebris will be falling orthrown off the roof, and totake precautions whenoutside the building.

4. Everyone’s time is valuable. Ifyou can’t make it, or are goingto be late, phone.

5. Keep the customers informed atall times. Never assume that thehomeowners know what toexpect.– What should they do before

work begins – create accessspace for delivery vehicles orwaste removal bins? removeobstacles from the buildingperimeter? have an arborist

cut back tree branches?;– Tell them in advance about

any changes to the originalplan, and explain why theseare necessary – this isespecially important whenunforeseen factors will affectthe project completion dateor the amount of theestimate.

6. Be willing to educate. Peopleappreciate having anunderstanding of what’shappening and why.– The extra few minutes

required to explainunfamiliar principles is aninvestment in good customerrelations. It acknowledgestheir innate intelligence andshows that you care aboutyour work.

– Ensure they are wellequipped to make informeddecisions when necessary. ■

6 things customers should expect from a professional roofing contractor

Front porch roof; above, drainage obscured; below, clean and functionalNew inside and out: intake vents, plumbing stack flashings and exhaust vents


More than 200 projectsshow sustainable roofingprogram is gainingconvertsBy Frank O’Brien

Officially launched just last year, theRoofPoint program – think a LEEDprogram for roofing– has nowregistered 200 roofing projectsacross North America, according tothe U.S.-based Center forEnvironmental Roofing.

A Canadian project by FirestoneBuilding Products has captured thefirst RoofPoint Global LeadershipAward of Excellence from the Center.

RoofPoint is a voluntary greenrating system to provide a meansfor roofing contractors, buildingowners and designers to select roofsystems based on long-term energyand environmental benefits.

“Reaching 200 registered projectsis a testament to the importance ofthe roof in sustainable construction.I firmly believe support for theprogram will continue to grow,” saidCraig Silvertooth, a RoofPointspokesman.

RoofPoint evaluates roof systemsin five categories: energymanagement, materialsmanagement, water management,durability/life cycle management,and innovation.

Dr. Jim Hoff, director of research

for the Center, explains thatRoofPoint serves four functions:• It’s a guideline for the selection

of roofing systems thatmaximizes energy efficiency andminimizes environmental impact;

• It’s a checklist to evaluate themany ways roofing systemsprovide economic andenvironmental benefits;

• It’s an assessment system tocompare alternative sustainableroofing strategies; and

• It’s a recognition program toreward environmental innovationin roofing.

Firestone awardFirestone Building Products

Company, LLC, a leadingmanufacturer and supplier ofroofing products, was awarded the2012 RoofPoint Excellence in DesignAward in two categories: GlobalLeadership and AdvancingSustainable Roofing.

The Global Leadership Award isfor a project that has demonstratedthe best application of RoofPointbeyond the borders of the UnitedStates. Firestone took the award forthe roof on the new Lowes store inToronto.

The building features 80 milFirestone UltraPly TPO Platinummembrane and V-Force vapourbarrier membrane. UltraPly TPOwalkway pads were added to help

reduce wear caused byrooftop foot traffic and theweight of solar self-ballastedpanels. The building featuresthe Platinum PV Program,helping to transform therooftop into a solar powersystem and allowing thefacility to capitalize on theenvironmental and financialbenefits of renewable energy.

According to Firestone, thebuilding has an exceptionalR-Value of 32.5, with twolayers of ISO 95+ polyisoinsulation, and a top layer ofadhered Isogard HD CoverBoard to minimize heat lossand resist extreme weatherconditions. ■

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Firestone products used on a new Lowe’s store in Torontocaptured a Global Leadership Award from RoofPoint. The building features Firestone’s Platinum PV Program, helping to transform therooftop into a solar power system. Photos: Firestone Building Products

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VANCOUVER – The City ofVancouver is entering a new wave ofoffice construction, the biggest inmore than two decades, asdevelopers plan 20 new office towersin the city in the next few years.

Many of the buildings, such as 735Thurlow Street, will feature some formof green roofing, architects note.

The downtown Vancouver officevacancy is around 3.4 percent and thevacancy in the city’s top towers hasdropped to 1.1 percent, according torecent surveys.

The Blue Chip Building Index, preparedby Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL), tracked ascore of premier Vancouver office towersthis year: it found that eight are 100percent leased and the remainder areclose to full.

Gavin Reynolds, JLL’s senior vice-president in Vancouver, said Vancouver’stop office buildings have the second lowestvacancy rate in Canada. He said themarket was prime for the LEED standardbuildings now being planned.

Maury Dubuque, Colliers Internationalsenior vice-president of office leasing,agreed.

“We track eight Class AAA buildings inVancouver, and they will be, on average,24 years old when the new downtownbuildings hit the market,” he said. “The olddesign of perimeter offices and supportstaff in the interior without access tonatural light – those days are all longgone.”

There were office building booms inVancouver during the 1980s and 1990s,and Dubuque said the city is embarkingon another one right now.

However, some insiders have wonderedif all of the 20 new office buildings willproceed, noting that some of the newbuildings have yet to attract anchor tenants. ■

Roofing looks up, way up

BC Investment Management Corp. willinclude a green roof atop its 23-storey officetower at 745 Thurlow Street, Vancouver.

Inset: Green plantings are evident on theroof plans for the 30-storey Credit Suisseoffice tower, under construction in the 800block of West Pender Street, Vancouver.

Photos: Building Owners and ManagersAssociation/BC


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WorkSafeBC hostsDay of MourningWorkSafeBC reports that last year, 149 workers inBritish Columbia died as a result of a workplace injuryor illness. On Friday April 26 and Sunday, April 28,workers, employers, families, and others gathered atDay of Mourning ceremonies around BC to pay tributeto workers injured or killed on the job.

WorkSafeBC hosted a memorial event on April 26 atat Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver. Guest speakersincluded George Morfitt, WorkSafeBC Chair; JimSinclair, BC Federation of Labour; Greg D’Avignon,Business Council of British Columbia; Nick Perry,injured young worker; and Lynn Rozenboom, wife offatally injured worker Dirk Rozenboom.

“One workplace death is one too many. The Day ofMourning is an opportunity to reflect on these lost livesand seriously injured workers whose lives are foreverchanged. Today we recommit to ensuring workplacesacross BC are safe and healthy,” said Al Johnson, vice-president, Prevention Services, WorkSafeBC. ■

Roof failuresubject of talkThe BC Building Envelope Council has announced thatits luncheon seminar for May will include apresentation entitled “Anatomy of a Roof Failure”, or“Things Ain’t Always What They Seem to Be”. The talkwill be given by John Wells, RRO, of Wells KleinConsulting Group Inc.

Wells served as Technical Manager of RCABC from1985 to 1992. He is now a Registered Roof Observeraccredited by RCI and is an RCABC acceptedindependent roofing inspector.

Wells’ presentation is based on the premature failureof a new single ply roof system on a high end high risebuilding that was less than six months old.

The luncheon seminar will be held on Wednesday,May 22, from 12:00 noon to 1:30pm at HarbourTowers, 345 Quebec Street in Victoria.

To register online, visit http://bcbec.com. For moreinformation e-mail the BC Building Envelope Council [email protected] or phone 604-294-0037. ■

Firestone welcomes newtechnical repFirestone Building Products Canada is pleased to announce that Chris Deeshas accepted the new position of Field Technical Representative for WesternCanada, replacing Peter Cox who retired on December 31, 2012.

Chris will be responsible for British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan andManitoba. Chris has been involved in the roofing industry for over 12 years.In 2006, Chris successfully completed the RCABC’s Apprenticeship RoofingProgram, and went on to work for RCABC members Flynn Canada (Langley,Abbotsford and Kelowna) and Raven Roofing, based in Surrey. He hasworked as a journeyman roofer, a lead hand and a foreman, installingdifferent roofing systems throughout British Columbia, including green roofs.

Chris will be working from his home office in the Lower Mainland ofBritish Columbia, where he lives with his wife Suzette, who works in the fieldof Special Education, and their five children. He can be reached at 604-787-2019 or [email protected] ■

The green roof atop the Vancouver Public Library is undergoing renovation to make it accessible to thepublic. Photo: City of Vancouver

Library’s green roof to be renovatedVANCOUVER – The green roof atop the Vancouver Public Library indowntown Vancouver, one of the first large-scale green roofs in BC, is setfor a renovation that will make about half the roof open for public access.

Original architect Moshe Safdie and landscape architect CorneliaOberlander will work on the transformation of the eighth and ninth floors.The project will include two outdoor terraces and an outdoor garden,according to Library staff.

The 28,000-square-foot roof is planted with fescue grass and wasinstalled during construction of the library in 1995. It is expected that theroof renovations will complete by 2015. ■

RCI calls for abstractsRCI Inc. has issued a call for abstracts for its 29th InternationalConvention and Trade Show to be held at the Hilton AnaheimHotel & Anaheim Convention Center, March 20-25, 2014. RCIcalls it “the premier event for roofing, waterproofing, and

exterior wall consultants and related professionals”. RCI invites abstracts for presentation in such areas as materials

performance, forensic investigation, research, business management, casestudies or environmental effects. Parties interested in presenting a paperdetailing original research or innovative technology, an exploration ofprofessional concepts or issues, or an instructive session on issues affectingthe construction industry, can contact contact RCI at (800) 828-1902 or e-mail [email protected] for a copy of the Abstract Submittal Form and RCIGuidelines for Presentations, with complete directions on formatting.

Abstracts (200 words) may be sent to Karen McElroy, Director ofConventions & Meetings, at [email protected] or mailed to RCI at1500 Sunday Drive, Suite 204, Raleigh, NC 27607. Submissions are due byMay 24, 2013 for peer review. Authors of accepted abstracts will benotified by July 8. If accepted, papers are due by September 6. ■


Alternativesto feltunderlaySynthetic sheets becomea competing product forsteep-slope roofsCourtesy: Jason P. Wilen

Synthetic products may be poisedto take a run at asphalt-saturatedand asphalt-impregnated feltunderlayments, the most commonsteep-slope roof underlayments.Asphalt types of underlayments areappealing because of their ease ofinstallation, ability to performintended functions and relativelylow cost, notes Jason P Wilen,technical director of the U.S.-basedNational Roofing ContractorsAssociation, in a recent article inProfessional Roofing magazine.

A steep-slope roof systemunderlayment performs severalfunctions, such as:• Weather protection for a limited

time until a roof covering isinstalled;

• A secondary weatherproofingbarrier if moisture infiltrates theroof covering; and

• Offering separation between aroof covering and substrate.Manufacturers often tout new

synthetic and composite products asbeing stronger, lighter or betterweathering alternatives. Thefollowing will examine currentrequirements for underlaymentsused with steep-slope roof systems.

Asphalt-saturated and asphalt-impregnated felt, commonly called“asphalt felt” or “felt paper,” use an

organic reinforcing mat, inorganicreinforcing mat or combinationorganic mat reinforced with

inorganic fiber. Underlayments arereinforced with mats designed tosupport the asphalt. Reinforcing

mats of different thicknesses areused to produce underlayments ofdifferent weights.

Some types of asphalt feltunderlayments can wrinkle andbuckle if allowed to become wetbefore roof covering installation.Also, asphalt felts cannot toleratelong-term exposure and generallyshould be covered as soon aspossible after installation.

Synthetic sheet underlaymentsare produced with polyolefin-basedresins, such as polyethylene andpolypropylene, recycled rubberand/or similar components that donot fit into the organic or inorganicfelt underlayment classifications.Synthetic underlayments generallyare characterized as beinglightweight and having high-tensilestrength, long-term ultravioletresistance, low or no moistureabsorption, and low shrinkage andwrinkling. Thickness, tensilestrength and abrasion resistance forsynthetic sheet underlayments vary.

Some synthetic sheetunderlayments have a relativelylow permeance rating – lower thanthose for organic and inorganicasphalt felt underlayments – andtherefore may function as vapourretarders.

Drew Gagnier, marketingmanager at Vancouver-basedInterWrap Inc. notes that itssynthetic underlay material,Titanium UDL25Plus and UDL30,now offer warranties of 30 yearsand 40 years respectively. Thewarranty is void, however, if theunderlay is left uncovered for morethan 180 days before the roof isinstalled. ■

Some types of asphalt feltcan wrinkle and buckle ifallowed to become wet.

RCABC acceptedunderlaymentsThis excerpt from the RCABCRoofing Practices Manual outlinesthe accepted materials for useunder asphalt shingles:3.15.0 GeneralEave protection is used to protectthe eave and valley areas of steepsloped roofs from ice dam damage.An ice dam usually forms when theinterior heat of the building warmsthe snow on the roof, causing it tomelt and run down to the eaves.Normally, the eaves areoverhanging the building and notheated from the inside. This allowsthe water to freeze and form an icedam. As the ice dam grows bigger,it forms a barrier, which preventswater from draining. The waterbacks up behind the dam andgradually forces its way under theshingles (or shakes, tiles, etc.),through the roof deck, and into thestructure. The results can rangefrom minor staining to severewater damage to the structuralmembers.

Eave protection is designed toprevent the water from reachingthe deck and leaking into thestructure. Recently a number ofcompanies have developed self-adhesive, rubberized asphaltcomposite sheet materials. Properly

formulated and installed, thesesheets have the potential to providea longer life and betterperformance. Only Self-Adheredmaterials qualify as eave protectionmembranes for the RoofStarGuarantee Program.

Underlayment is used in the fieldareas (where eave protection is notrequired) of the roof to provide asecondary protection beneath theshingles during weather events thatforce water back up the slopeunderneath the shingles. Nailapplied materials qualify only asunderlayment on roof slopes ofmore than 1:3 (4/12)

3.15.1 Accepted Materials3.15.1.1 GAF• Shingle-Mate Fiberglass

Reinforced Organic Felt –Nail Applied

• Stormguard FiberglassReinforced Organic Felt –Nail Applied

• Weather Watch FiberglassReinforced Organic Felt –Nail Applied

• Deck ArmorPolypropylene Synthetic –Nail Applied

3.15.1.2 HENRY COMPANYCANADA• Blueskin PE 200 HT

SBS Modified Bituminous

Self-Adhered Membrane• Blueskin RF 100

SBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• Blueskin RF 200SBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• EaveguardSBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• Perma-Seal PGSBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

3.15.1.3 SOPREMA INC.• Lastoflex

SBS Modified BituminousMembrane – Nailed Applied

• Lastobond 195SBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• Lastobond 240SBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• Lastobond Shield HTSBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• Lastobond ShieldSBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• Sopraseal Stick 1100SBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

3.15.1.4 IKO INDUSTRIES LTD.• Armourgard Ice & WaterProtectorSBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• Roofgard SB UnderlaymentSpun Bonded PolypropyleneSynthetic – Nail Applied

• SBS Deck Base 44SBS Modified BituminousMembrane – Nail Applied

• Roofgard Cool GreySBS Modified BituminousMembrane – Nail Applied

3.15.1.5 BUILDING PRODUCTSOF CANADA CORP.• Gripgard


• ProgardSBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• S-GardSBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

3.15.1.6 MALARKEY ROOFING CO• Arctic Seal Ice & Water Guard


• Malarkey #501 UDL BaseSBS Modified BituminousMembrane Nail Applied

3.15.1.7 CERTAINTEEDCORPORATION• WinterGuard Sand


• WinterGuard HT (High Tack, High Temp.)SBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• WinterGuard GranularSBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

3.15.1.8 INTERWRAP INC.• Titanium UDL 25 Plus, UDL 30 and UDL 50Polypropylene Synthetic –Nail Applied

• Titanium PSU 30SBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

3.15.1.9 GRACE CONSTRUCTIONPRODUCTS• Grace Ice & Water Shield


• Grace Ice & Water Shield HTSBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• Grace UltraSBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• Grace Tri-FlexPolyolefin Synthetic – Nail Applied

• Grace Tri-Flex XTremePolyolefin Synthetic – Nail Applied

3.15.1.10 PROTECTO WRAP• Jiffy Seal Ice and Water Guard HT;SBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

• Jiffy Seal Butyl Ice and Water Guard HT;SBS Modified Bituminous Self-Adhered Membrane

Titanium underlays from Vancouver-based InterWrap are among thechallengers to traditional asphalt-saturated felt. Photo: InterWrap


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ADVERTISE IN ROOFING BC!604-507-2162 • [email protected]

The Roofing Inspectors & Consultants Association of BC(RICABC) has made its fifth annual donation towardstraining roofers in BC, with a recent gift of $1500 toREF, the RCABC-affiliated Roofing EducationalFoundation.

The Foundation is extremely grateful for the supportshown by RICABC, and will be allocating the proceedstowards various educational initiatives at the RoofingInstitute in Langley, home to REF.

RICABC was founded in 1987, with membership

limited specifically to roofing inspectors andconsultants. It currently has 14 members, all of whomare also RCABC Accepted Inspectors. The associationhas no affiliation with RCI (formerly Roof ConsultantsInstitute).

RICABC meetings are held two or three times peryear, generally the night before the RCABC’s TechnicalCommittee meetings.

For information or membership inquiries fax RICABCat 250-595-4032. ■

OTTAWA – The Canadian RoofingContractors Association will hold itsannual general meeting andconference June 1-3 in Saskatoon,Saskatchewan featuring a non-stopwhirl of business sessions, speakersand social events.

To be held at the SheratonCavalier Hotel, the conference willwelcome delegates with a ‘Taste ofSaskatchewan’ reception featuringhalf a dozen stations of the finestlocal foods and backed byentertainers including a native hoopdancer.

The first business session seesCRCA Technical Director PeterKalinger updating the technicalissues that all roofers need to know.Special sessions include tips onbalancing work and families, withan emphasis on lifestyle skills.

The keynote luncheon speaker is

former Saskatchewan Rough Riderand current TSN broadcaster GlenSuitor, who will be followed by theCRCA annual award presentations.

There will be plenty ofopportunities for networking andjust plain fun. A golf tournamentwill be held at the Willows Golf andCountry Club, while non-duffers canjoin in a riverboat cruise. A tour ofthe giant Synchrotron and a localbrewery are also pencilled in.

Evening entertainment rangesfrom top-flight dance bands tocomedians and a pub crawl. ThePresident’s Gala Evening caps offwith dinner and dancing to KennyShields and Streetheart.

There are preferred membershiproom rates at the Sheraton Cavalier,but attendees are advised to bookearly by phoning 1-800-235-3535and requesting the SaskatchewanRoofing Contractors Associationblock rate.

For details and registration, seewww.roofingcanada.com. ■

RICABC donates to roofing education

CRCA conference willroll into Saskatoon

Keynote speaker is TSN broadcaster and formerRough Rider, Glen Suitor. Photo: TSN

ADVERTISE IN ROOFING BC!604-507-2162 • [email protected]




specifiers throughoutBritish Columbia


[email protected]

ELLIOT LAKE, ON – Salt, leaks andshoddy construction could have allplayed a role in the roof collapse ofthe near-30-year old Algo CentreMall in Elliot Lake, Ontario thatkilled two people and injured morethan 20.

Doug Harman with CoreslabStructures, the company thatsupplied the roof decking years ago,admitted that salts are damaging toconcrete but argued thatwaterproofing the material was

strictly out of his firm’s hands.Harman made the statement in

March during the public inquiry intolast June’s collapse of the mall’srooftop garage. He saidwaterproofing was up to the projectarchitect or engineering team.

Coreslab made the precasthollow concrete slabs used on thebuilding three decades ago.Investigators believe water and saltpenetration rusted out a criticalweld on the underlying support

structure, causing the roof to fall.The structural engineer who

oversaw the original building said itwas the worst construction work hehas seen in his career — yet he stillgave the project his seal ofapproval.

The engineer said he sawevidence of shoddy workmanshipfrom the time the mall was built in1978 and noted the mall was builtusing crooked columns and rustedsteel beams. ■

Soccer pitches claim rooftopsNASHVILLE, TN – Soccer pitches arebeginning to appear on rooftopsfrom Asia to the United States andthe United Kingdom with schoolsand inner-city high-rise roofs beingconverted into sports fields.

In Nashville, Tennessee, theMontgomery Bell Academy, aprivate school, erected a soccer fieldon the roof of a new parkinggarage.

Conventional fill material wouldput too much axial load on theparking structure, so architectsopted for 2,460 sheets of 6" x 4' x

8' Type EPS 20 Geofoam to lightenthe load and allow for the soccerfield to be built. The soccer fieldconsists of an EPS Geofoam base,drainage and cushioning layer and asynthetic field turf. The projectrequired 39,000 cubic feet of Foam-Control EPS Geofoam from U.S.-based ACH Foam Technologies.

As well, the artificial turf coveringthe complex helps collect rainwaterinto a 10,000-gallon cistern in theparking garage. The water is usedto irrigate landscaping around theschool buildings. More than

470,000 gallons of rainwater will becaptured annually, architects believe.

In New York City’s Harlemneighbourhood, the Manchester Cityfootball club installed a $1.2 milliondollar Astro-turf soccer field on theroof of an elementary school.

Meanwhile, the Tokyudepartment store in Tokyo installedan all-weather soccer pitch on itsroof in the heart of one of the mostcrowded cities on Earth. Rooftopsoccer fields are also being spottedin Shanghai, China and London,England. ■

Soccer field installed on Tokyo department store isone of several around the world. Photo: Wikimedia

Wooden tower to risein Prince GeorgePRINCE GEORGE – PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc. (PCL) has been selectedto design and build the Wood Innovation and Design Centre (WIDC) indowntown Prince George, a 90-foot tower that will be built from wood.�

According to the BC government, it “launches British Columbia into therace to build the world’s first wood skyscraper.”

The six-storey structure will be the tallest contemporary wood buildingin North America, and will rival the tallest examples anywhere in the world.

The winning proposal was selected by an evaluation team comprised ofleading experts in wood building design and construction, environment,engineering and other technical areas.

The WIDC will be built on a site selected and donated by the City ofPrince George. Construction is expected to start this spring and finish by fallof 2014.

Programming provided in the WIDC will advance the province’s WoodFirst agenda and bring together professionals such as builders, architects,designers and engineers to advance the commercialization of value-addedwood building and design products. The WIDC will house wood-relatedresearch facilities and classes as well as office space for industry andprovincial use.

The government also reaffirmed its commitment to the establishment ofa Tall Wood Building Construction committee at the WIDC – it will beworking to establish an endowment of $2.25 million to support research indevelopment, marketing and commercialization of innovative woodproducts. ■

Pro-Line grows in AlbertaPro-Line Construction Materials, based in Surrey, BC, has announced itsseventh location, at 14445 Yellowhead Trail in Edmonton Alberta.�Companyco-owner Don MacAulay notes that the Calgary branch has been “extremelybusy”, and that their Alberta customers had requested the additional outlet.

The new location will be overseen by Operations Manager Eric Schilling,who had been running the company’s Maple Ridge (BC) branch. Pro-Linealso has stores in Chilliwack, Penticton and Kelowna, BC. ■

90-foot wooden tower being built in downtown Prince George, largest in North America. Photo: Government of BC

Salt, shoddy work fingered in Ontario roof collapse


BC housing starts will increaseVICTORIA – Housing starts in Metro Vancouver were tracking at an annualpace of 16,875 units in March, according to Canada Mortgage and HousingCorporation (CMHC), and are forecast to reach 19,3000 starts this year. Thiswould be down slightly from the 19,100 homes that started in 2012.

British Columbia’s overall housing starts are expected to rise from28,500 in 2012 to 29,100 this year.

CMHC expects that most of the home starts will come in the form ofmultiple-family homes such as townhouses and apartment buildings.

“Home builders are expected to maintain a steady level of residentialconstruction, particularly multiple-family projects, in response to stableeconomic conditions and favourable construction costs,” said CMHC seniormarket analyst Robyn Adamache.

CMHC forecasts that conditions in Vancouver’s resale market shouldreturn to “balanced territory” this year as resales pick up.

CMHC analysts predict that sales of existing homes, at 28,500 in 2012,will rise to 30,000 this year. Townhouses and condo buildings are alsoexpected to gain market share over bungalows “based on their relativeprice.”

The average Multiple Listing Service (MLS) price is pegged at $730,000in 2013 – down from $733,000 a year earlier – for the Greater Vancouverarea, which includes the Tri-Cities, Burnaby, Richmond, Maple Ridge, SouthDelta, Squamish and the Sunshine Coast. A similar trend is expected forFraser Valley real estate.

On a national basis, housing starts are expected to reach 190,300homes this year, following a level of 214,827 units in 2012. In 2014,housing starts are expected to be around 194,100 units, CMHC forecasts. ■

WorkSafeBC levies $2.9M in penaltiesRICHMOND – In 2012, WorkSafeBC imposed 260 penalties, totaling $2.9 million against employers for violationsof the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and the Workers Compensation Act.

In recent years WorkSafeBC has increased its enforcement capacity, directing a more intensive focus to theindustries that present the highest risk to workers and to employers where compliance is known to be an issue —such as steep slope roofing and asbestos abatement.

“Penalties are imposed to motivate employers to comply with health and safety laws,” says Al Johnson, VicePresident Prevention Services. “While WorkSafeBC works with employers to ensure they understand their legalresponsibilities to provide safe andhealthy workplaces, our officers willimpose a penalty or pursue courtprocesses against employers whorepeatedly fail to comply with thelaw.”

According to WorkSafeBC,employers from the constructionsector accounted for almost 85percent of penalties. Most of thesepenalties were related toinadequate use of fall protection(59 percent) and exposing workersto asbestos (14 percent).

WorkSafeBC statistics show atotal of 104,710 claims for 2012:45,145 short-term disability, 7,893long-term disability, 51,523 healthcare only, and 149 fatalities.Workplace injury and illnessresulted in 2,889,324 lost days ofwork for the year. Almost 2,800claims are reported each week.

The maximum penalty amountpermissible under the WorkersCompensation Act is adjusted yearly— in 2012 it was $596,435.35. ■

Soprema to build new polyiso plantSoprema has announced theconstruction of a newpolyisocyanurate manufacturingfacility in Drummondville, Québec.

According to CEO Pierre-ÉtienneBindschedler, the polyiso facility willfeature the latest in manufacturingtechnology, housed in a newly-constructed 250,000 square footbuilding.

The $43 million project (32.7M inproperty assets) will be carried outover the next two years, with theplant scheduled to begin operationsin 2015. It will create 56 direct jobsand generate more than 100 otherswithin the local transportationindustry, the company projects.

Polyisocyanurate is a high-performance insulation product(closed-cell hydrophobic foam) with

multiple applications including roofinsulation. Currently manufacturedin Europe, the company believes ithas a promising future in NorthAmerica as it rounds out Soprema’sline of roofing sealants.

The market for polyiso isexpanding in North America,particularly in Canada, wherebuilding standards are increasinglymore stringent. Polyisocyanurate isone of the leading products on themarket in terms of meeting theinsulation requirements ofcommercial buildings, the companysays.

Through this major project,Soprema believes it will become theonly company in Canada able tooffer its clients a complete solutionto their roof sealant needs, thereby

consolidating its leadership positionin the field.

“We chose Québec for thisinvestment because of its manystrengths, the vitality of our NorthAmerican headquarters inDrummondville, and the generoussupport of governments,” saidBindschedler.

The Québec government isproviding a $7.5 million loan and anon-refundable $1 millioncontribution through InvestissementQuébec for the project.

“Soprema fully intends tocontinue its growth in NorthAmerica over the coming years, andthis is a major part of thatdevelopment strategy,” saidSoprema’s North America VP andGeneral Manager, Richard Voyer. ■

Permits down moderately in Lower MainlandVANCOUVER – Total buildingpermits in the Lower Mainlandregion were down 2 percent inFebruary compared to a year earlierand off 4 percent from January,according to the Vancouver RegionalConstruction Association (VRCA) andStatistics Canada.

“We saw a drop in permits in theregion in Februaryin line withseasonal trends,”said Jan Robinson,interim president ofthe VRCA. “However the rebound incommercial permits worked tooffset the drop in total permitvalues.”

Total permit values in February

2013 slipped to $504.1 millioncompared to a revised $525.6million in January 2013.

Non-residential permits climbed21 percent from $132.1 million inJanuary to $159.7 million inFebruary. Commercial permitsjumped 89 percent to $110.9million from $58.7 million, while

institutional-governmentpermits dropped 41percent to $31.1 million,and industrial permits fell15 percent to $17.6

million in February 2013.Residential permit values declined12 percent to $344.4 million from$393.5 million during the sameperiod.

“The outlook for regionalcommercial and industrialinvestment is modestly favourable,”says Robinson. “Some improvementin market conditions is likely sincethe regional economy andpopulation base will continue togrow.”

Total building permit values weredown to $504.1 million in February2013 from $516.2 million inFebruary 2012.

VRCA’s outlook for 2013 ismodestly positive, but not withoutsome risks. The residential sector,for instance, will likely continue todecline since housing sales andprices are easing, Robinsonsuggests. ■

BC expected to see 29,100 housing starts this year.Photo: Maisonette Homes



specifiers throughoutBritish Columbia


[email protected]

Former Olympic wrestlerDean DeHamel is turninghis young company into anindustry contenderBy Frank O’BrienPort Coquitlam roofer DeanDeHamel came within a match ofrepresenting Canada at the BeijingOlympics in 2010, and the youngnationally ranked wrestler now hasa solid grip on the local roofingindustry.

As founder and president ofaptly named Olympic Roofing Ltd.,and one of the latest members ofthe Roofing Contractors Associationof BC, DeHamel believes he knowswhat it takes to build a winningcompany: hard work, talentedcrews and the experience and gutsto take on any contract.DeHamel, 34, started OlympicRoofing in 2001, shortly aftercompleting his RCABC

apprenticeship training with

Western Roofing Ltd. of Kamloops.“It all started as a summer job,”he recalls, with his first roofing jobthe expansion of Thompson RiverUniversity, where he worked onboth flat roofs and metal sheets.Recalls DeHamel: “I rememberwalking to school one morning inKamloops with my nice cleanclothes and I saw Western Roofingworking on a warehouse with thetar kettle smoking and the workerson the roof with dust all over them.

I thought to myself, ‘man I wouldnever want to do that job – it’s hotand dusty, glad I’m going to schooltoday’, but only a couple of yearslater that’s right where I ended up,now I look back and just laugh.”DeHamel started Olympic withan old Ford pickup and Skidootrailer he borrowed from his dad.His first contract was installingshingles for Sears residential andhe then moved onto commercial

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40014608RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO:Roofing Contractors Association of BC9734 201 StreetLangley, BC Canada V1M 3E8

THE VOICE OF PROFESSIONAL ROOFING CONTRACTORS Vol. 8, No. 3 • FALL 2011

FALL 2011I N T H I S I S S U E :

OLYMPIC continued on page 4Fall protection 101First in a series. See page 16

Award-winning ASMNelson Roofing takes ASM work tonew heights. See page 12

Dean DeHamel of Olympic RoofingMember profile: Olympic Roofing Ltd.

FEATURES:Member profile: Olympic Roofing ..........................1LEED the new normal ............... 8Nelson Roofing wins ASM awards ...............................12Fall protection hierarchies .......16

ASSOCIATION:President’s message .................. 3Steep roofing partnershipbetween RCABC, CITO............... 6Admiral saves boathouse....... 20

INDUSTRY NEWS:New roof walkway system....... 6Roofing Expo booking .............. 6BC’s Commercial outlookbrightens...................................... 9Largest solar roof complete....10Hurricane-proof nail................ 11Steep slope better in high winds..................................11New wood building guide.......11BC Building Code delayed.......11Firestone’s SA TPO andweatherproof vapour barrier membrane.....................14Metro building permits up......15WorkSafeBC gets creative ...... 18Roofing BC coming online .....18BC Housing aids buildingscience programs ......................19China’s Ghost Cities empty .... 21RCI waterproofing seminar ... 21CSC presents free fair ............. 21

COLUMNLegal Affairs: Post-employment restrictions ....... 22

LEGAL AFFAIRS

ProbationaryperiodsEmployers must becertain employee fits the jobby Robert Smithson

I sometimes refer to the probationperiod as the Rodney Dangerfield ofemployment law (for those of younot old enough toknow, that means itgets no respect). Butfew legalmechanisms can bemore effective ingetting employersout of employment relationshipswhich seemingly have no future.

I’ve written previously that theprobation period can be viewed asone long audition for a job,revealing an individual’s true skills,attitude, and ability to fit in. In myview, there simply is no substitutefor viewing an individual on the jobin real work situations.

But probation periods don’t justhappen by magic. Theemployer must takecertain steps toensure it has gainedthe benefit of aprobation period.

The employer andemployee shouldagree, in writing,prior to thecommencement of theemployment, on theterms of a bindingprobationary period.There are numerous preferredcomponents of an enforceableprobation clause.Three steps

First, the parties should definethe standard of review – often thestandard adopted will be“suitability” for ongoingemployment. That’s a bit of afancied-up way of saying theemployee must be a good fit for thejob.

Second, because suitability is a

somewhat hazy standard, theparties should then go a stepfurther and set out the primarycriteria by which the employee willbe measured. These might include,for instance; attitude; compatibilitywith co-workers and clients; abilityto follow directions; demonstratedprogress in acquiring the necessaryskills of the job; good attendance;overall efficiency and output;adherence to company policies; etc.

Third, the length of the probationperiod should be clearly stated. Theperiod is sometimes defined in

terms of timeworked rather thanjust the passage ofcalendar time(because time on thejob is what’srequired to assess

the individual’s suitability forcontinued employment).

I prefer to define the probationperiod using the words found in theBC Employment Standards Act,being the first “three consecutivemonths of employment”. It is criticalto ensure that the contractual terms,including the probation period, arecompliant with the applicableemployment standards legislation.

Fourth,documentation shouldbe kept, during theprobation period, ofthe employee’sprogress in relation tothe agreed-uponcriteria. A good ruleof thumb is that thereshould be at least oneinterim review of theemployee’sperformance andconduct before the

final decision on suitability is made.During the probation period, the

employer should be pro-active incounseling the employee on his orher shortcomings. This eliminatessurprises for the employee when thefinal review is performed. Specificinstructions should be provided tothe employee on achieving thedesired standard. All of this should,of course, be documented.

Finally, the employer shouldconduct a final review, making a

reasonable decision aboutsuitability, prior to the expiry of theprobation period. Court decisionsindicate employers should, towhatever degree is possible, applyobjective criteria in performing agood faithassessment of theprobationaryemployee.Court ruling

A recent BCSupreme Courtdecisiondemonstrates that a probationperiod doesn’t give the employer acarte blanche entitlement to ditchthe employee at the firstopportunity.

Geller was hired on probationary

status by Sable Resources Ltd. in2010 after completing a pre-apprenticeship program in heavymechanics. While Sable was awarethat Geller did not yet have hisheavy-duty mechanic’s journeyman

ticket, it seemedto think he wasfarther along inthat process thanhe actually was.

Sable’s hiringletter for Gellerstated, “Your first

three months of employment isconsidered probationary. Permanentemployment will be determinedbased on mutual satisfaction andjob performance.”

A situation soon arose in which

Sable needed Geller to work inunsupervised circumstances. Thiswould have been contrary toindustry requirements that anapprentice receive training andpractical experience under thedirection of a qualified, certifiedtradesperson.

Geller informed Sable that hewas willing to continue to work in asituation in which there was aqualified heavy-duty mechanicavailable to give him the “agreedapprentice training and practicalexperience.” Sable terminatedGeller’s probationary employmentand, in turn, Geller sued forwrongful dismissal.

The BC Supreme Court statedthat “a probationary employee mustbe given an opportunity todemonstrate his ability to meet thestandard the employer set out” atthe time of hiring. It found thatSable and Geller did not have acommon understanding of theirrespective “roles relative to theapprenticeship or the degree ofsupervision available or required.”

The Court went on to state that itwas incumbent upon Sable to “makeits expectations clearer to [Geller]than it did”. Geller, it found, did not“have a reasonable opportunity todemonstrate his suitability for thejob”. His claim of wrongful dismissalwas upheld and damages wereawarded.

The point the Geller and SableResources Ltd. case drives home isthat the employer can’t make anarbitrary decision to terminate aprobationary employmentrelationship. It must apply rationalthought to the decision and make areasonable decision, in all thecircumstances, about the employee’sfuture.

Utilized properly, the probationperiod is a powerful legalmechanism in the employer’sfavour. Applied poorly, it’s a basisfor a claim for damages by a jiltedformer employee. ■

Robert Smithson is a labour and employmentlawyer, and operates Smithson Employment Lawin Kelowna. For more information, visitwww.smithsonlaw.ca. This subject matter isprovided for general informational purposes onlyand is not intended as legal advice.

Robert Smithson

“...there simply is nosubstitute for viewingan individual on thejob in real work

situations.”

“...a probationaryemployee must be

given an opportunity todemonstrate his abilityto meet the standardthe employer set out.”


Roofing BC, Spring 2013

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