Polyglass is known for innovation; it has become an industry-recognized trademark over the company’s 30 years of growth and success in the United States. One of Polyglass’ commercial system specialists, David Edwards, sat down with Heidi Ellsworth of the Roofers Coffeeshop Podcast to discuss these innovations and explicitly focus on our line of Kool Roof Solutions™, including our highly reflective, white Polyfresko® modified bitumen cap sheets.

So, what sets apart Polyfresko and Polyglass’ other industry-leading roofing solutions? Let’s find out.

What are Polyfresko Granulated Cap Sheets?

Currently, the patented, one-of-a-kind Polyfresko cap sheet range is one of Polyglass’ most innovative cool-roofing solutions, incorporating the last decade and a half of research and development.

Its differentiator is the Polyfresko line’s unique use of CURE® thin film technology on top of Polyglass’ APP- and SBS-modified bitumen membranes. This technology substantially improves roofing durability, reflectiveness, and membrane emissivity–distinguishing features for cool roofing materials.

CURE thin film provides enhanced performance without affecting the installation process. The white-tinted CURE thin film is applied during manufacturing to lock in the granules and improve granule adhesion. The innovation is also solvent-free, reducing environmental impacts.

The applied technology:

• Enhances protection and waterproofing
• Ensures complete granule retention
• Stabilizes ultraviolet (U.V.) rays
• Maintains surface integrity and reflectivity via minimized:
  • Surface staining and discoloration
  • Scuffing and other impact marks
  • Torch scorching that can occur during installation

Let’s take a look at the top three benefits of the Polyfresko range.

Polyfresko Benefit 1: Ease of Installation

No innovation achieves widespread adoption—let alone topping its industry—without considering the ease of use. Regardless of how effective a roofing product is, the roofers who install it need to find the process as easy or easier than before. Easy installation is the case with all Polyglass products, as David learned when talking with the roofing contractors using Polyfresko.

“They know that whether they are installing it as a torch, APP, or SBS, it’s going to perform with the standards that they’re used to. And then they also love that Polyfresko comes in a self-adhered version as well.”

Self-Adhered Cool Roof Solutions

Polyfresko, with patented FASTLap® for end laps, can be installed with traditional heat welding and torch applications. However, the self-adhered (S.A.) versions feature one of Polyglass’ most groundbreaking innovations – ADESO® Self-Adhered Technology.

Self-adhering Polyfresko products feature a true APP or SBS top layer with the CURE thin film for maximum protection, while the aggressive, self-adhering ADESO formulation is applied beneath the reinforcement layer to streamline installation. No competitor has achieved comparable self-adhering white cap sheets. On the side laps, SA Polyfresko features Polyglass’s SEALLap® ULTRA to achieve an immediate, monolithic bond that has also tested stronger than all other installation methods.

Additional Benefits of Self-Adhered Technology

Eliminating heat welding and torch applications prevents the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), posing risks to roofers’ health and the environment. Plus, no pungent odor means that building occupants aren’t required to vacate the premise temporarily during restorations—which they and building owners certainly appreciate.

Across the board, SA Polyfresko offers improvements over comparable roofing materials while following a simple, three-step installation process:

1. Align the sheet
2. Peel off the release film
3. Roll the sheet to ensure firm adhesion

Polyfresko Benefit 2: Effectiveness and SRI

If Polyglass’ products only led the industry in ease of installation, contractors and building owners would eventually consider alternatives. But they aren’t because the performance of Polyfresko products is also unmatched.

As David framed it, “When it comes to Polyglass and Polyfresko, the numbers—the initial SRI and the three-year SRI—exceed every other modified bright white cap on the marketplace today. And that is just something we’re super proud to be able to offer to the marketplace.”

Information on roofing products’ solar reflective index (SRI) and other metrics is made publicly available by the Cool Roofs Rating Council (CRRC). The SRIs listed in the CRRC’s product directory have been assessed and validated by CRRC-1, their independent laboratory.

SRI Ratings and the CRRC

SRI ratings—particularly the “weathered” rating determined after three years—are the hallmark of a quality cool roof. Solar reflectivity is the amount of solar energy that a roof reflects, leading to reduced heat transfer inside the building and minimizing the amount of “heat islands,” particularly in urban areas. The better the SRI, the less energy is consumed for internal temperature regulation and the less solar energy retained within the local climate.

For both the initial and three-year ratings (96 and 83, respectively), Polyfresko products remain unsurpassed by any other product in the asphaltic membranes category—and more than half of all single-ply options.

According to  David, building owners and roofing contractors have increasingly turned to single-ply products for reflectiveness over modified bitumen membrane’s durability. With Polyfresko, they can now achieve the best of both.

Polyglass Polyfresko membranes also meet or exceed industry code approvals; product-specific approvals for all our products can be viewed in our Product Data Sheets. 

LEED Credits for Sustainable Sites and California’s Title 24 Part 6

Polyfresko will help building owners earn applicable credits toward Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for sustainable sites, overseen by the U.S. Green Building Council. In addition, the cool roof standards that Polyfresko achieves should also qualify for government rebates, whole-building incentives, and loans, which can be located on the CRRC’s dedicated page.

Per LEED v4.1, the latest version, low-sloped roofing materials must receive an initial SRI of 82 and a three-year SRI of 64—well below Polyfresko’s ratings. Polyfresko’s SRI also surpasses California’s requirements stipulated in Title 24 Part 6, which are the nation’s most stringent.

David’s enthusiasm for Polyfresko’s performance was evident on the podcast. “[T]here are cities, like Los Angeles City, that consider us the preferred bright white cap sheet because of those numbers alone. So it’s exciting,” he shared.

Polyfresko Benefit 3: Energy Reductions and Savings

As noted above, optimal SRI ratings translate to less energy consumption and expenditure (as with a reduced need for air conditioning). So, regardless of building code requirements and financial incentives during construction or renovation, many owners are turning to Polyglass products like Polyfresko because of these ongoing merits.

“The demand is rising because people are starting to realize what the real effect is on the energy savings for the building itself. The owners are requesting this at this point, and the designers also understand the importance of designing the systems accordingly,” David summarized.

Although anecdotal, David has also seen the energy savings firsthand.

“I personally have witnessed a cool roof go onto a school building that had two chillers running prior to the cool roof going on. And after the cool roof was installed, they were able to shut down a chiller,” David added.

Determining precise energy savings requires accounting for numerous variables, but tools like the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Cool Roof Calculator will help forecast them.

Only Growth on Polyglass’ Horizon

As the 30th anniversary of Polyglass US and our first manufacturing plant opening in Nevada, 2022 has been an exceptional year, one of which the Polyglass team is very proud. Polyglass’ plans for business growth and development over the next 30 years include expanded capacity, new manufacturing plants, and new product lines, including innovative waterproofing solutions and systems for below-grade structures.

If your interest in Polyfresko and Polyglass’ other innovative roofing and building envelope solutions has been piqued, contact us today to learn more!

The building envelope helps protect occupants from external environmental forces and plays a critical role in improving a structure’s overall energy efficiency. Building envelope components like exterior walls and doors, roofs, ceilings, windows, and floors provide an initial thermal and air barrier between a building’s interior and exterior and determine how much energy is required to cool or heat a structure.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), buildings are responsible for roughly 40% of the world’s energy consumption and about one-third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A 2019 IEA review of the energy policies of the U.S. highlighted that space heating of residential buildings accounted for the most significant energy demand in the U.S. In addition, the review showed that in 2017, residential and commercial building sectors consumed 32% of the country’s total final energy consumption (TFC) in nearly equal shares.

Improving a building envelope’s design while utilizing the most energy-efficient materials and products is essential for tackling a building’s energy consumption. This article examines how to increase a building envelope’s energy performance, focusing on cool roofing systems, materials, and technologies.

An Energy-Performance Roadmap for the Building Envelope

The key to achieving an energy-efficient building is controlling airflow, moisture, and heat transfer through the building envelope. The heat transfer and thermal conductivity of a building’s roof, foundation, and walls significantly influence how much energy is needed to meet its interior heating and cooling demands.

The IEA’s Technology Road Map report identified the following measures for improving the building envelope’s energy performance.

• Proper air sealing with controlled ventilation for fresh air to reduce air leakage rates
• Adequate insulation in walls, roofs, and floors, to limit heat loss in cold weather and prevent excess heating in hot weather
• High-performance windows to balance thermal transmittance
• Highly-reflective technology used on roof surfaces to keep building interiors cool
• Appropriate moisture management at thermal bridges, such as the wall, floor, or roof junctions, to prevent structural damage.

How Energy-Efficient Roofs Help Cool Buildings

The more a roof can reflect ultraviolet (U.V.) radiation and re-emit the heat energy it absorbs, the less energy is needed to make a building’s interior comfortable for its occupants. As a result, highly-reflective roofs – or “cool roofs” – have increased in popularity as a passive cooling strategy to lower a building’s energy use and have proved effective in keeping a building’s interior cool in hot-weather climates. According to the CRRC, cool roofs facilitate average energy savings from 7% to 15% of total cooling costs.

Today’s cool roof technology includes light- to white-colored modified bitumen membranes with reflective granules and liquid-applied roof coatings. Light-colored roofs are better as solar reflectors and absorb less heat than their darker counterparts. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), light-colored roofs absorb less than 50% of incoming solar energy, while dark roofs absorb 90% or more. The cooler a roof’s temperature is, the less heat flows into the building’s interior, reducing the need for air conditioning.

How a Roof’s “Coolness” is Measured

The Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) calculates a roofing product’s ability to reject solar heat. A product’s total SRI value is determined using its solar reflectance and thermal emittance values. SRI values range from 0 to 100. Products with a high SRI value have lower surface temperatures and are more energy efficient. Conversely, products with lower scores are less solar-reflective and not as effective in helping to cool a building’s interior.

Because roofing materials can soil and weather over time, a roofing product’s initial SRI is measured and recorded as well as its value at three-year weathered (or aged), to determine its performance over time. Polyglass’ Polyfresko® G, for example, is a plastomeric granulated cap sheet used in low-slope roofing with an initial SRI of 96 and 83 (3-year weathered).

As the U.S. Department of Energy (UDOE) highlighted in its cool roof guidelines, different programs and state-based regulatory bodies use different SRI values to classify cool roofing products. In addition, roofing materials for low-slope roofs are measured differently from steep-slope roofing products. The examples provided include the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, which defines a cool roof as one with a minimum SRI value of 78 (if low-sloped) and 29 (if steep-sloped).

The ENERGY STAR® program’s definition of a “cool roof” is a low-slope roof with a minimum solar reflectance of 65 (initial) and 50 (aged); steep-sloped roofs that qualify as “cool” by ENERGY STAR® standards need an initial S.R. value of 25 and 15 (aged).

Understanding local building codes and laws is essential for compliance and identifying any incentive plans (such as tax credits, utility rebates, or loan programs) to encourage the adoption of cool roof technology. The Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) provides an updated list of financial incentive programs and rebates by each state, as does the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency.

How to Improve Your Roof’s Energy Performance With Polyglass

Polyglass’ Kool Roof Solutions™ range comprises highly-reflective, white modified bitumen membranes and white elastomeric roof coatings to help reduce U.V. deterioration and increase the reflectivity of a commercial or residential building roof system.

Our Polyfresko Atactic Polypropylene (APP) and Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) modified bitumen membranes meet or exceed most standards for cool roofing. The Polyfresko range utilizes our patented thin-film CURE Technology®, which provides a minimal surface finishing for vastly improved surface reflectivity and membrane emissivity. In addition, Polyfresko membranes resist asphaltic bleed and color staining to retain their reflectivity and color integrity.

Polyglass’ P.G. and POLYBRITE® white elastomeric coatings provide industry-leading reflectivity and U.V. protection, helping to keep building temperatures cool.

The ICU Medical Project

Our highly-reflective Polybrite products were chosen for an 80,000-square-foot roof restoration project for one of ICU Medical’s climate-controlled warehousing and distribution centers in Santa Fe Springs, CA. Polybrite cures to a highly durable and flexible membrane and has superior U.V. resistance and “cool roof” properties.

California has some of the strictest Green Building Standards Codes in the U.S., and roofing products chosen needed to meet cool roof requirements stipulated by Title 24, Part 6, of the (then) 2016 California Building Energy Efficiency Standards. Polyglass’ line of white Kool Roof Solutions products was designed to comply with these standards.

Roofing contractors C.I. Services Inc. chose our Polyglass Polybrite silicone system for the repairs, starting with our water-based Polybrite 98 Primer followed by our premium liquid applied Polybrite 90.1 Silicone Coating.

Watch the YouTube video below for more before and after footage of the roof restoration for the ICU Medical warehouse.

Energy-efficient building envelope materials like help reduce a building’s energy consumption and carbon emissions and help lower a facility’s operational costs.

Get in touch with our team of experts today to discuss the best Kool Roof Solutions for your next commercial or residential roofing project.

Seasonal weather conditions pose several challenges to low-slope roof installations and repair work. The daily stress of the natural elements also causes constant wear and tear to existing roofing systems. How can you best keep your low-slope commercial or residential roof as damage-free as possible during the cold winter months?

This blog explores the Polyglass low-slope roof membranes and products uniquely designed for colder-weather climates and applications.

All In A (Cold) Day’s Work—Top Roofing Challenges

The weather plays a vital role in the success or failure of a roofing installation or repair project. Local climate temperatures on either side of the spectrum (whether too hot or too cold) can adversely affect a roofing system due to the high probability of condensation in extreme conditions.

While low humidity and high heat create an optimum environment for adhesive curing, high humidity levels at any stage of the installation process cause condensation on adhesive membrane surfaces, extending the time needed for adhesives to dry.

Condensation leads to the inadequate bonding of surfaces needing to bind together and impacts material seam welds and the roofing substrate. As a result, the system performance and lifespan of a low-slope roof are also affected.

Low Temperatures Pose Other Problems as Well

Any rain, dew, ice, frost, or snow on the roof can delay or even prevent repairs or new installations. When temperatures are below the ambient temperature range (40°F–45°F/ 4°C–7°C), materials also need to be stored appropriately to stay warm. Too-cold temperatures or wind chill cause products to stiffen, making the application process difficult. Cold weather conditions can also cause stress cracking of materials as they are unrolled.

Common Shortcuts Create More Issues Than They Solve

While it may be tempting for contractors or installers to look for workarounds to get a job done regardless of the weather, shortcuts can work against the roof’s performance in the long run.

• Overheating asphalt to stay hot enough for adequate bonding can cause the oils to evaporate and the material to become brittle and hard. Exposing the asphalt to high heat over a prolonged period expedites the effect, giving way to cracking and an inability to seal.
• Asphalt fumes are also dangerous, putting those who work with it at risk of headaches, fatigue, sensitization, throat and eye irritation, reduced appetite, and coughing.
• Using economy-grade products is another way contractors take shortcuts. Though they may appear to do the same job as premium ice and water shields, they may not offer as much protection from extreme elements.
• Because of its organic components, felt roofing membranes like tar paper are less sun- and wind-resistant than other underlayment systems. This is because of how the material dries out in the heat.
• Felt also weighs more, and when exposed to humidity and heat, it deteriorates at a faster rate. 

The solution is using roofing materials that are designed for cold-weather applications.

Polyglass’ SBS Modified Bitumen Membranes for Cold Weather Use

Cold climates are no match when you have the right product on your side. Polyglass’ Elasoflex SA V Polar Base® membranes and Elastoflex SA Polar Cap Sheets® help roofing contractors and installers face cold-weather roofing challenges head-on.

Both the Elastoflex SA V Polar Base membrane and Elastoflex SA P Polar Cap sheet are designed for use at below ambient temperatures (between 25°F–60°F/-4°C–16°C) as an effective defense against harsh elements and humidity. The Elastoflex SA V Polar Base membrane is manufactured using patented ADESO® Technology. It features a strong woven polyester mat with high-performance fiberglass reinforcement to create a stable and insulated roofing system. This mat enhances tear strength and puncture resistance, creating a robust solution against natural forces on the rooftop. Polyglass’ self-adhered (SA) technology removes the need for torches, hot asphalt, or bonding adhesives on the job site.

Elastoflex SA P Polar Cap is a granule surface that is also self-adhered, using SBS dual-compound SA technology, and an ideal solution for low-slope roofing. The reinforced polyester mat is excellent in preventing tears and punctures from forming.

Watch our short video below on the top advantages of our Polar Base membranes and Polar cap sheets.

When the Elastoflex SA P Polar or other approved Polyglass self-adhered cap sheets are used with the Elastoflex SA V Base, the benefits increase, which include:

• Impeccable adhesion and stability
• Cleaner application,
• Shorter installation times
• UV-stabilized and long-lasting

Cold Weather Roofing Projects Using Elastoflex Polar Membranes

MARTHA’S VINEYARD STORAGE FACILITY: When a new construction storage facility on the Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard needed a new roof that could withstand the occasional hurricanes and Nor’Easters that affected the area, Polyglass’ Elastoflex roofing system was the product of choice. Read more about the project here.

TRITON’S TRUMPET CONDOMINIUMS: The Elastoflex roofing product line was also used to repair significant roof damage to two buildings at the Triton’s Trumpet Condominiums in Oceans City, Maryland, after Tropical Storm Isaias hit in 2020. Find out why here.

Enjoy Increased Efficiency During Cold-Weather Installations and Repairs

Cold weather roofing membranes can provide excellent resistance against severe weather conditions. To stay one step ahead and prevent unnecessary costs for repairs, it’s worth investing in premium products and solutions.

Polyglass’ expansive product line provides first-rate coverage for any challenge you may have with your roofing application. Our Elastoflex Polar base and cap sheets are specially formulated for cold-weather installations.

For technical questions regarding which systems are best for your project, reach out to our team of experts.