The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Building Technology (CBT) and the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) have joined in sponsoring Conferences on Roofing Technology on a biennial basis since 1969. In 1977, NIST and NRCA co-sponsored the First International Symposium on Roofing Technology, and in 1985, they were joined by RILEM' in co-sponsoring the ...

Development in sensitive watersheds continues to pose environmental problems for receiving waters. One contributor to the long-term pollution of sensitive waterways is building and construction materials. However, the long-term effect of many building materials on the environment has not been quantified. Prior testing of these materials in the laboratory has indicated that the potential for rel...

The Building Envelope Life Cycle Asset Management (BELCAM) project, lead by the National Research Council Canada (NRCC) and Public Works and Government Service Canada (PWGSC), is a “proof of concept” project aimed at helping asset managers to predict the remaining service life of building envelope components and to maximize the return on their maintenance expenditure. The BELCAM project focuses...

A stochastic modeling of the performance of roofing components and systems is proposed using a discrete Markov chain that predicts the incremental deterioration of roofing components. The capability to predict the performance of roofing-components and systems throughout their service lives is essential and constitutes the first step towards the development of a comprehensive building envelope l...

Rainwater harvesting systems are one way to address the worldwide increase in water demand. If the harvested rainwater is for indoor use, residential users often disinfect it. If it is disinfected with chlorine, the presence of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) can lead to the formation of harmful disinfection by-products such as trihalomethanes (THMs). Although the quality of harvested rainwater ...