Close-up

Five decades ago, an energy crisis affected all sectors of the U.S. economy. In the roofing industry, the high price and scarcity of oil had a tremendous effect on the cost of roofing components on which contractors relied.

During the mid-1970s, the roofing industry challenged manufacturers to produce new materials that no longer depended on asphalt and oil. A major result of this technological challenge was the development of single-ply roof membranes.

Designed by architect Eero Saarinen, the Ingalls Hockey Arena on the Yale University campus in New Haven, Conn., was the first building to receive a single-ply roof system. Saarinen would continue to play a key role in the development of single-ply roofing materials.

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