Columns/Blogs

By now I’m sure you’ve heard about PCRs, LCAs, and EPDs. Simply put, a PCR is a set of product category rules; an LCA is a life cycle analysis; and an EPD is an environmental product disclosure. But what do they mean and what’s the purpose of it all?

As an architect, you’re required to design a building’s wall to meet the code-required R-value (or U-factor) in the International Energy Conservation Code. So you design the wall and add up the manufacturer-stated R-values of the components. Done, right? That method only makes sense if walls have no joints, seams, windows, or doors! Let’s think about this.

My “Sustainability Begets Resilience” posting ended with a nod to rooftop energy production. So, how will you respond when, not if, a building owner asks you about rooftop solar energy? An appropriate and accurate answer is, “The combination of a metal roof and solar energy is a recipe for a long-term, high-performance roof system,” or something like that. The fact is a metal panel roof is an ideal substrate for a solar energy system.

Sustainability is the buzzword started by USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) that is pushing us to design and build environmentally friendly buildings. And that’s a good thing. However, from a practical - and roofing - standpoint, what we can most readily do with roofs is design them to be resilient. Roof system resiliency is the tangible aspect of sustainability that the “regular” population can get their heads around. Resiliency - the ability to bounce back - is understandable.