The Metal Construction Association and the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have agreed on a multi-year research project aimed at evaluating the future needs of advanced metal roof and wall assemblies.

Knowing that building energy codes and standards will continue to become more stringent, the MCA recognized the need to generate data on dynamic metal roof and wall systems that can meet the anticipated requirements for energy efficiency. An important component of the research will be the evaluation of next-generation building-integrated photovoltaic technologies.

The project will involve ORNL’s Building Technology Research Center and will be aimed at evaluating the thermal performance of assemblies using alternative interface details. ORNL will utilize full-scale steady-state and dynamic testing of walls and roof assemblies using hot box conditions and climatic chambers, field testing and computer modeling.

The study will specifically document thermal performance levels of systems to demonstrate compliance with the Council of American Building Officials Model Energy Code, ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1 and ASHRAE 90.2.

According to MCA technical director Scott Kriner, “The timely research is intended to provide data to show metal’s role in improving building envelope performance.”

MCA installs new president
At the Metal Construction Association’s annual meeting members installed Jeff Irwin of Kingspan/ Benchmark as the association’s new president and elected Karl Hielscher of Metl-Span and Roger Sieja of PPG to the 2009 board of directors.
Irwin joined the MCA board in 1993 and has been a key player in many areas, including the wall panel council, membership, METALCON International and commercial market development. He takes over the reins from Dick Bus of ATAS International who held the post since 2005 and remains on the board as past president.

In honoring Bus’ achievements, Irwin noted how Bus moved the association forward in many areas, particularly market development, code and technical areas, certification and membership expansion.

MCA 2009-2010 council and committee chairs and vice chairs:

Councils:  Roofing — Jim Bush, ATAS International; Wall Panel — Doug Pickens, Metl-Span; James Tuschall, Tuschall Engineering, Burr Ridge, Ill.; MCM Fabricators — Ted Miller, Miller-Clapperton, Austell, Ga.; Vlad Sobot, Sobotec Ltd, Hamilton, Ont., Metal Forming Equipment Kelly Gillmore, ASC Machine Tools, Spokane, Wash.; Mark Wendelburg, Ultra Seam Association, Clay, Ky.; Natural Metals — Norbert Schneider, Umicore Building Products USA, Raleigh, N.C.; Rob Haddock, Metal Roof Advisory Group, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Sustainability — Brian Partyka, Drexel Metals, Ivyland, Pa.; Christina Koch, metalmag, Chicago

Committees: Awards — Pete Croft, Metro Roof Products, Oceanside, Calif.; Government Relations — Todd Miller, Classic Metal Roofing Systems, Piqua, Ohio; Codes and Standards — Joe Wilson, Metro Roof Products; Governance — Dick Bus, ATAS International; Market Development — Sid Peterson, Alcoa Architectural Products, Norcross, Ga.; Carrie Miller, Whirlwind Steel Buildings Inc., Houston; Membership — Kate Gawlik, Modern Trade Communications, Skokie, Ill.; METALCON — Dale Nelson, Roof Hugger Inc, Odessa, Fla.; Program — Renee Ramey, Steelscape, Kalama, Wash., Jerry Hatley, Jr., Roll Coater Inc., Indianapolis; Statistics — Robert Anderson, Firestone Building Products, Indianapolis; Technical — Dave Fulton, Whirlwind Steel Buildings Inc., Bill Croucher, Fabral, Lancaster, Pa.

One of the key areas in which the MCA has been successful is advocacy — monitoring codes and taking action as needed to allow metal to be specified in more areas.

At its annual meeting, the MCA presented John Miller with a Special Service Award to acknowledge his service and dedication to MCA’s code agenda during his term as chair of the MCA Codes and Standards Committee. Miller is now with MCPU Polymer Engineering in Corona, Calif. He had been involved in code work since he relocated from New Zealand to the United States in 1989 and was well known for his comprehensive knowledge of codes. 

NRCA installs McNamara as president at convention
Robert McNamara, president of F.J.A. Christensen Roofing Co. Inc., Milwaukee, a Tecta America company, was elected 2009-10 president of the National Roofing Contractors Association during NRCA’s 122nd annual convention in February.

On June 1, McNamara will begin his one-year term as the highest-ranking officer of one of the U.S.’s oldest construction trade associations.