2015 Vancouver Roofing industry, contractors, suppliers and manufacturers congregate for learning and relationship-building Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer ROOFTech 2015, the Canadian Roofing Exposition, held May 5 and 6 this year at the Vancouver Convention Centre (East building), provided a special opportunity for roofing contractors, suppliers and manufacturers to congregate, learn, do business and build relation- ships. This year’s event also offered increased opportunities for con- tinuing education credits. Canadian Roofing Contractors’ Association (CRCA) executive director Bob Brunet says the show, held every two years, rotates be- tween Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. This year, for the first time, each day’s seminars and all six of the two-day demonstrations, counted towards continuing education for attendees. “All eight ses- sions count towards AIBC (Architectural Institute of British Colum- bia) and RCI credit,” he said. One seminar, called Wind Uplift – The Next Big Lift, was pre- sented by Josh Jensen, associate and head of the roofing division at JRS Engineering, and focused on “designing roofing to properly withstand the forces of wind that acts upon the building” including NBC (National Building Code of Canada) design requirements and how they relate to the CSA A123.21 testing standard. The second seminar, presented by Patrick Roppel, manager of the Building Performance Analysis Department within the Building Science Division at Morrison Hershfield, focused on controlling mold growth in ventilated wood-frame attics in cool marine cli- mates. Registration for the show was strong, Brunet said, with all of the seminars sold out in advance and all of the booth space sold. “We haven’t been in Vancouver since 1999 so there has been a lot of buzz.” Recognizing the local interest, Brunet says the show’s steering committee included a number of local members who were able to advise on provincially-related issues and topics. “A lot of the demon- strations were geared to B.C.,” Brunet said. “Liquid applied water- proofing for instance was one demonstration with a local focus.” One special demonstration Brunet says went on throughout the show at booth 300, where attendees could observe architectural sheet metal installation. Other demonstrations included thermo-plastic, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene terpolymer), steep slope and modified bitumen roof- ing systems, along with a green roofing demonstration. Brunet says ROOFTech has always been a big industry relation- ship-building draw. “Where else can you meet and shake the hand of just about every supplier to the roofing industry?” Away from the show, Brunet says a long winter has resulted in a slow start for much of the industry, in particular in Eastern Canada. Industry wide, concerns about labour issues and prompt payment are still at the forefront for many. ROOFTech will return to Toronto in 2017. For more information, visit www.rooftech.ca. The Canadian Design and Construction Report — April-May 2015 – 45