RCMA e-Newsletter, May 2014

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May 2014

President's Update

It is my honor and pleasure to report to you in this column of the Roof Coating Manufacturers Association's E-Newsletter as your President for the 2014-2015 term. RCMA has a rich history of bringing together folks intricately involved in the roof coatings business to work on issues where we can find common ground.

Under the leadership of past presidents, your Board of Directors, and an amazing RCMA staff, our organization has accomplished much and is a valuable resource for all of our member companies. A recital of the tools available to us is a reflection of a tremendous amount of work on the part of a relatively small group of people who worked hard, didn�t care about credit, and had the vision to see an idea through to a tangible reality. A couple of examples of these tools are the interactive VOC maps and the reflective roof rebates database.

We�ve already kicked off 2014 with a great RCMA Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, led by Jeff Blank and John Ferraro and wonderfully supported by Kelly Franklin. The turnout for this meeting was over 90 attendees and the programming was simply outstanding, updating and educating across a broad array of topics. Looking forward, we have some great initiatives underway, including our 2^nd RCMA International Roof Coatings Conference this July 14-17 in Baltimore, Maryland. The speakers and their topics represent a broad segment of the science and technology of roof coatings and the attendees are bound to benefit from their expertise. Attendees will have the opportunity to delve into discussions both during and after each session. If you have not already done so, I urge you to register for the RCMA International Roof Coatings Conference and encourage others in your organization to attend.

I am excited about what�s ahead for RCMA � our membership is growing and we have a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm for what�s to come. Please feel free to reach out to me, John, or Kelly to let us know what we can do to further the goals of RCMA.

Warmest Regards,
Helene Hardy Pierce
President, Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association

RCMA Updates

Government Affairs Committee Update

VOC Updates

South Coast Rule 1168 � Adhesives and Sealants

The RCMA VOC Task Force has been closely monitoring the SCAQMD Rule 1168 amendment process since June 2013. The formal public review portion of the rule development process began in late December 2013, and RCMA provided testimony and submitted comments on the proposed rule. As of April 2014, the following are the proposed VOC content limits for roofing products, which includes an exemption as a VOC for dimethyl carbonate (DMC).

The following is a breakout of several of the key areas where RCMA submitted comments, and the status of those areas in the most recent draft of Rule 1168.

RCMA continues to work with SCAQMD staff to develop a rule that satisfies the District�s air quality goals and ensures that effective products can remain on the market. On April 18, RCMA members and staff traveled to California to attend the SCAQMD staff�s report to the Stationary Source Committee. The Committee has requested that SCAQMD staff do further work on the rule before taking it to the SCAQMD Board. The rule is projected to be finalized in the July to September timeframe.

To stay updated on the Rule 1168 amendment process, please contact Kelly Franklin at [email protected] to be added to the RCMA VOC Task Force.

For more information on the rule, please read more here:
- SCAQMD Draft Amended Rule 1168 � April 16, 2014
- CEQA Environmental Assessment Presentation � April 17, 2014
South Coast Rule 1113 Reopening
Pursuant to the SCAQMD 2012 Air Quality Management Plan, SCAQMD will be reopening Rule 1113 for Architectural and Industrial Maintenance (AIM) Coatings in 2014, beginning with a kickoff meeting on June 5. The primary areas that will likely be addressed in the upcoming rulemaking:
- Lower the limit for flats/nonflats and some primers, sealers and undercoaters to 25 g/L
- Modify the small container exemption to eliminate certain categories, set VOC limits, and/or increase fees
- Include spray equipment requirements to increase transfer efficiency and reduce paint usage
Should an exemption of DMC or of TBAC as a VOC be included in the final Rule 1168, RCMA might consider working with the District to seek a similar exemption(s) in Rule 1113.

The kickoff meeting will be at 12:00pm ET / 9:00am PT on Thursday, June 5. Conference call-in options will be available. Click here to review the full text of Rule 1113, last updated in June 2011.
Expansion of Ozone Transport Region
On December 9, 2013, eight Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) states filed a petition with the EPA to expand the Ozone Transport Region (OTR) to include 9 “upwind” states:
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
If the petition is successful, these nine states will become subject to the same requirements as other OTR states and become part of the OTC. EPA is required to respond to the petition within 18 months (i.e. June 2015).

GHS / HazCom
Do you have questions on how the new requirements included in the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) have affected the transportation of raw materials and coating products? If so, please join us for the RCMA Member portion of the International Roof Coatings Conference where we will be joined by Boyd Stephenson, Director of Hazmat Policy at the American Trucking Association, who will be sharing updates on the transport of hazardous materials and taking questions from RCMA members about transportation issues affecting their businesses.

Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit (IRS Section 25C)
In early April, the United States Senate Finance Committee approved its tax extenders bill which renews the Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit (IRC Section 25C) through 2015. The Expiring Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency (EXPIRE) Act includes language “allowing energy efficient roofing products to qualify” by striking the product-specific roofing criteria and replacing it with product-neutral criteria. Therefore, the bill expands qualifying products to include all roof products that meet Energy Star program guidelines to correct the previous version of the rule which unintentionally excluded some of these products.

The new product-neutral language is consistent with the language suggested by the members of RCMA at the RCMA Government Affairs Lobby Day on July 24, 2013 and in the Hill meetings the RCMA Federal Government Affairs team has been having with US Senate offices in 2014. Although the revised language still needs to make it through the legislative process, it remains on the table.

RCMA and our coalition partners will continue providing helpful information to the committee staff and the individual Member of Congress offices in hopes of arming them with what they need to see this legislation through the Senate and over to the House of Representatives.

Technical Committee Update

Codes & Standards

The International Green Construction Code

The International Green Construction Code (IgCC) Committee Hearings will take place April 27th through May 3rd in Memphis, Tennessee. Mike Fischer and the RCMA Codes & Standards Task Force have reviewed code proposals to determine items of interest to the roof coating industry. Among the topics that will be considered during the hearings: roofing reflectance, reroofing and roof recovering requirements, and the application of whole building life cycle assessments (including product attributes). After completion of the hearings, the International Code Council (ICC) will begin the public comment process in preparation for the next round of hearings next fall; RCMA will review the proposal recommendations and will likely submit public comments to support industry positions.

ICC will publish the library of 2015 codes this summer � including building, energy, plumbing, existing buildings and fire codes. The 2015 IgCC, an overlay to these base construction codes, will follow early in 2015.

ASTM

Mike attended the ASTM E60 committee meetings in April. The Green Roof Standard will likely be published shortly; maintenance of the document will be transferred to D20 sustainable roofing subcommittee for meetings in June. Keep an eye out for ballots to be released soon, as ASTM members look to polish the standard and coordinate it with other roofing requirements. ASTM roofing meetings in Toronto are scheduled for late June. The RCMA Board is considering whether to implement direct staff monitoring of the ASTM roof coating standards activities.

California Energy Commission

The California Energy Commission (CEC) is starting the process to update the next version of the Title 24 Energy Code, as part of the California Building Standards Commission construction codes process. Significant changes to the roof reflectance requirements are not likely; RCMA staff will continue to monitor closely.

ASHRAE

The ASHRAE Annual Conference is set to be held in late June in Seattle. Mike Fischer will be in attendance and closely monitoring proposals for 90.1 and 189.1. ASHRAE, ICC and NAHB have announced collaboration on ICC 700, the standard for green residential construction which will be maintained in accordance with ANSI procedures. This agreement is a departure from existing standards activities at ASHRAE, and may affect future decisions about the maintenance of ASHRAE standards for residential construction.

For more information on RCMA and the code and regulatory activities, please contact Mike Fischer at [email protected]

Solar Reflective Coatings Council (SRCC) Activities

Reflective Roof Rebates Database Last month, RCMA launched an enhanced Reflective Roof Rebates Database with increased functionality for searching available reflective roof incentives across the country. Available only through the Members Only section of the RCMA website, this tool now allows users to filter results to show comprehensive energy rebates, reflective roof rebates, or all available rebates. Additional improvements to the database include the addition of more detailed information on each of the available incentive programs including eligibility, links to supporting documents, key program contacts, and online applications to apply for rebates. A newly-added print view allows RCMA Members to more easily review the available information in a ready-to-share format. The database searches by state or zip code to find available financial incentives and has proven an essential tool for members� sales teams to use when speaking with prospective customers.

Member Services Committee Update

RCMA Membership Program
Thanks to the efforts of our current members, as well as the success of recent RCMA events such as February�s RCMA Annual Meeting, the RCMA Membership Program is off to a strong start in 2014. So far this year, we have welcomed two new associate members and three new regular members to the association:

New Associate Members
Tietex International (Returning)
Sun Chemical
New Regular Members
838 Coatings, LLC
KM Coatings Mfg., Inc. (Returning)
Lexis Coatings

The RCMA Membership Program plans to continue improving and promoting the association. Informational RCMA membership pamphlets were circulated to prospective new members at the International Builders Show (IBS), International Roofing Expo (IRE), and the RCI International Convention and Tradeshow. The upcoming July RCMA International Roof Coatings Conference will be another opportunity to introduce potential members to the great programs and work that the RCMA is doing.

Please encourage companies associated with the roof coatings industry to attend the IRCC and continue to spread the word to the industry to help boost membership growth in 2014. Think you know someone who might be interested in reading this newsletter? Please click on the link below to share it!

RCMA Industry Communications Program
RCMA�s comprehensive Industry Communications Program, initiated in 2013, continues to focus on increasing media coverage to promote the benefits of roof coatings for extending roof life and providing energy savings. Last month, an “Introduction to VOC Regulations” was included in the March 2014 issue of CoatingsPro Magazine. The RCMA is currently partnering with several industry trade publications to draft upcoming articles on the benefits and uses of roof coatings.

So far this year, the RCMA has distributed four press releases to industry media outlets to promote RCMA meetings and other key industry topics. These RCMA-authored press releases were picked up by publications such as Coatings World, Roofing Magazine, and Durability + Design on the following topics:

We want you to help author articles and provide editorial feedback in 2014! Please contact RCMA Staff Associate Laura Dwulet at [email protected] to learn more about joining the RCMA Communications Task Force.

At the upcoming IRCC this July, the Communications Task Force will provide the membership with an update on its recent activities and initiatives to promote the use of roof coatings.

In the News

EPA Releases Draft Policy Assessment for the National Ozone Standard
The EPA released its draft policy assessment on the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for Ozone, indicating that it is considering lowering the existing 75ppb standard to a range between 60ppb � 70ppb. Even at the high end of this range, this has the potential to be the costliest environmental regulation ever administered on manufacturers and could result in widespread new VOC regulations across the country.

For more information on the potential effects of the rule, please click here.
OSHA issues 2014 inspection plan to reduce injuries and illnesses at high-hazard workplaces
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued its annual inspection plan under the Site-Specific Targeting 2014 program to direct enforcement resources to workplaces where the highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur.

The SST program is one of OSHA's main programmed inspection plans for high-hazard, non-construction workplaces that have 20 or more workers. The SST plan is based on data collected from a survey of 80,000 establishments in high-hazard industries. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
2014�s Top 10 U.S. States for Hotel Construction Projects
As of March 2014, California leads the country in hotel construction projects with 246 hotel projects across the state. According to Reed Construction Data, the state is far and away the leader in hotel construction with New York as its closest rival with 175 projects in the works and Florida following close behind with 111 projects. One of the largest upcoming projects in the golden state is the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel Redevelopment and Mixed Use by Woodridge Capital LLC in Los Angeles, estimated at $1.5 billion. One of the largest projects in Florida � the Resorts World Miami Mixed Use � is estimated at $3 billion.

The source of the data � Reed Insight � determined the top ten states for hotel construction by the number of hotel projects: California (246), New York (175), Florida (111), Texas (93), Massachusetts (53), Pennsylvania (53), Ohio (51), Arizona (48), Maryland (47) and New Jersey (45).

Associates Corner

BASF Brilliance^TM introduced to roof coatings manufacturers: new and innovative roof coating program launches

The BASF Brilliance program is part of BASF Dispersions & Pigments� Construction and Fiber Bonding group�s new and innovative roof coating program that brings to the roofing market a holistic approach to acrylics used in roof coatings. Brilliance also brings BASF�s broad portfolio of formulation additives to roof coating manufacturers to meet market demands.

During 2014, Brilliance will launch eight new and innovative products including Acronal^� 4333 X Quick-Trigger^TM which allows the roof coating manufacturers enhanced early rain resistance following application, the ability to apply two coats in a single day and extension of their roofing season through a wider range of temperatures where the coating can be applied.

“We are very excited about launching the Brilliance campaign where we will showcase �the brightest roofs under the sun� given our goal to bring innovation and sustainable solutions to the flexible roof coating market,” said Michael Guibault, Industry Manager, Construction & Fiber Bonding. “Our roofing products are engineered based on industry input, focused on customer needs and provide value added solutions. These products allow our customers a competitive edge, and therefore, help our customers be more successful,” he continued.

Surface Chemists of Florida Announces Newly Upgraded Website

Surface Chemists of Florida, Inc. (SCF) is pleased to announce the launch of a new upgraded website, www.surfacechemists.com. The website is designed to create a better search experience and provide the user with technical information and access to all the products and services offered by SCF.

SCF is a specialty chemical manufacturer and R&D company that uses extensive resources, expertise, and sound science to provide innovative, practical and sustainable solutions to challenges faced by our customers. SCF has a well-equipped applications and testing laboratory for evaluating chemical and physical properties of industrial and consumer products, including roofing chemicals and materials, and also has microbiological testing facilities.

In the roof coatings industry, SCF manufactures and markets the roofing surfactants Surtech^� AS 309M, Surtech^� AS 109M, and Surtech^� SE-129 used with attapulgite clay to improve viscosity, sag resistance, and wet adhesion properties to asphalt roof cement products. SCF also sells specialty chemicals for a range of other industrial applications under the SURTECH^� trade name, such as controlled-release polymeric coating systems, dispersants, cleaners, corrosion inhibitors, and sealants.

Providing consulting and testing services for chemical manufacturing, research & development, quality control, and general chemical application, SCF is adept at solving real-world industrial chemical problems in a practical and actionable manner. For more details, please refer to the new SCF website at www.surfacechemists.com.

SWT Group Offering Asphalt Cutbacks Using Dimethyl Carbonate

In addition to the exempt solvent Low-VOC asphalt cutbacks already in production, SWT Group is now able to produce asphalt cutbacks using Dimethyl Carbonate (DMC).

DMC and other low VOC cutbacks offer similar physical characteristics and field performance of traditional roof coating cutbacks, and in some cases improve or enhance the performance of the finished product. SWT Low VOC asphalt cutbacks incorporating DMC can be made batch specific to RCMA member requirements using a wide variety of asphalt bases including PG, penetration and oxidized. SWT Low VOC cutback blends are produced at our Pittsburgh, PA regional facility, and are available in drum and bulk tank truck quantities.

Events

2014 International Roof Coatings Conference

July 14-17, 2014
Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Hotel
Baltimore, MD

2014 International Roof Coatings Conference Partners:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)
National Research Council Canada (NRC)
Canadian Paint and Coatings Association (CPCA)
Liquid Roofing and Waterproofing Association (LRWA)
Global Cool Cities Alliance (GCCA)
European Cool Roofs Council (ECRC)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE)
Alliance to Save Energy (ASE)

RCMA 2014 Fall Meeting
October 14-16, 2014
Hilton Tampa Downtown Hotel
Tampa, Florida

Sponsor Spotlight

RCMA relies on our meeting sponsors to help offset the costs of bringing you great programming at our events throughout the year. We would like to take a moment to thank our generous sponsors who helped make our Annual Meeting possible!

2014 Annual Meeting Sponsors