Phoenix, Arizona (3/6/2007) --- Re-roofing Phoenix Children’s Hospital presented a number of challenges for Progressive Roofing of Phoenix. In addition to managing the project’s complexity, the roofing contractor had to complete the job without disturbing patients or damaging expensive equipment.
There were a variety of conditions and different elevations on the 400,000-square-feet area of the roof being replaced. Numerous pieces of mechanical equipment, pipes and chill lines, with a clearance of less than 3 feet covered the two lower elevations.
Without disturbing patients or creating odor, Progressive Roofing’s crew removed the old built-up roof and kept it leak-free while they installed the new roof.
“Last year we tried a cold applied roof system application from another manufacturer that generated fumes,” said David Walker, director of support operations for the hospital. “This roof is above our post-operative care unit, so it was critical the installation was odor-free.”
The project’s roofing consultant, Neil Davison, principal of Davison & Associates of Phoenix, specified JMCleanBond®, a self-adhering, fire-resistant SBS modified bitumen membrane. One reason he selected the JM roofing system was because it provided the right specification for this job and because of the sound technical support JM provides.
“We needed a zero-odor product that would provide maximum protection for the expensive equipment below,” Davison said.
There was no slope on the existing roof areas, which caused water to pond. Mark Bagnoli, project and sales manager for Progressive Roofing, recommended installing an APP modified bitumen cap sheet as a temporary roof over the deck, which provided protection for the building while the rest of the system was installed. The crew then poured lightweight concrete to create a slope.
Over the lightweight concrete deck, the crew installed one layer of Ventsulation® Felt as a base sheet followed by one sheet of DeckPro™. DeckPro is a nailable felt base sheet with a non-woven polyester mat and an aluminum foil facer that provides superior adhesion for self-adhering bitumen sheets. A JMCleanBond® SBS Base Sheet was self-adhered followed by the installation of a JMCleanBond SBS Cap Sheet. The cap sheet’s ceramic-coated roofing granules provide durability along with superior resistance to damage from water and foot traffic.
“JMCleanBond is the only peel-and-stick membrane that is sticky on both sides of the base sheet,” said Louie Lugo, the superintendent for Progressive Roofing. “When you bond the base sheet to the cap sheet, the rollers compress it, providing a very nice bond. The way the base sheet is designed, you never have seam on seam.”
Another challenge was how to keep the extensive piping and roof penetrations leak-free. JM recently introduced PermaFlash™, an adhesive-based polyester reinforced flashing system made specifically for difficult roofing situations.
“PermaFlash is a one-phase application and the best I’ve ever seen,” Lugo said. “Without it, we would have had to use a pitch pan, filler, grout, shield and collar which would have required ongoing maintenance and a separate warranty. Because it adheres, PermaFlash turns into a rubberized flashing that doesn’t require maintenance and is covered under the JM warranty.”
Lugo explained that the JM technical representative came out and spent a day with the crew to show them how to install JMCleanBond and PermaFlash. He said the installation was easy and clean.
Hospital officials and the roofing contractor are pleased with the new roof. Crews found it easy to install, as heaters were not needed for adhesives and it was unnecessary to drag hoses across the roof. Most importantly, fumes were not emitted. Using the JM products resulted in a much cleaner installation.
“I really like this roof,” Walker said. “It looks very clean and professional. We are recommending the JM system for another large section of the hospital we will be roofing soon.”
Both Davison and Walker praised Progressive Roofing crews for their professionalism and flexibility. Davison said they were willing to make a lot of allowances to accommodate the hospital and the patients.
”Progressive Roofing was sensitive to our needs for noise reduction,” Walker said. “Crews were flexible with their hours and understood the need to prevent odor from coming into the building.”
Based in Buffalo, N.Y., Progressive Roofing was founded in the 1950s. It opened the Phoenix office in 1977 and currently has 40 locations in the United States. The family owned and operated company specializes in all types of commercial and industrial roof applications.
Davison & Associates has been in business 25 years. The firm served as a consultant to The Stein Cos Group, an architectural firm specializing in commercial and medical building design on the Phoenix Children’s Hospital project.
Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building and specialty products. The Denver-based company has sales in excess of $2.5 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves. Johns Manville employs about 8,500 people and operates 43 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China. Additional information can be found at www.jm.com.
