Letters

Professional Roofing welcomes letters to the editor. Views expressed in "Letters" are not necessarily those of NRCA. Letters must be signed and include a return address and telephone number. Professional Roofing reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. Send letters to Ambika Puniani, Editor, Professional Roofing, 10255 W. Higgins Road, Suite 600, Rosemont, IL 60018-5607; fax (847) 299-1183; or e-mail apuniani@nrca.net.

Former FM engineer reacts to Baxter

Dick Baxter, president of CRS Inc., Monroe, N.C., highlights some legitimate concerns regarding FM Global's introduction of RoofNav and offers FM Global an excellent perspective regarding such matters. However, with all due respect, Baxter's expression of these concerns seems extreme in "Where is FM Global headed?" May issue, page 20.

I no longer am an FM Global engineer and do not speak officially for FM Global; however, I do not think FM Global is headed where the article implies. I think RoofNav is an attempt to solve a problem many people have … interpreting Factory Mutual (FM) Research's Approval Guide.

As I understand the RoofNav program, it simply is a tool for FM Global and others to better search for FM Research-approved roof assemblies. FM Research's Approval Guide and Data Sheets still will be available (I hope). These documents may be less than perfect as Baxter implies, but the International Building Code; ASCE-7; The NRCA Roofing and Waterproofing Manual, Fifth Edition; and most every other roof system design standard the industry employs fall short of perfection—often with little guidance available from authors.

RoofNav cannot possibly offer a "quick pick" solution for all the complex design requirements out there. If there were simple roof systems, roofing would be simple. Unfortunately, it seems to me that roofing is much more complicated than almost everyone realizes.

Fortunately, folks such as Baxter take the time to understand all roof system design and application requirements. FM Global is not perfect; its approvals and standards cannot address all roofing scenarios; and often, FM Global relies on roofing professionals to help it solve problems that don't fit an approved "quick pick" solution. As for the poor unfortunates who are not part of the FM Global family, roofing professionals will have to guide building owners through the maze of requirements using all resources available.

I imagine Baxter, like myself, will continue to take the "long road" to roof system design by actually reading and understanding FM Research's Approval Guide, Data Sheets and Approval Reports (when provided by a roofing materials manufacturer). I don't see roof system design ever being a simple "point and click" process as long as the buildings in the real world stand.

Darren R. Perry, PE
Roof Engineering Inc.
Greenville, N.C.

Following is Baxter's response to the letter:

"Thanks for your perspective. My problem is I thought I understood where RoofNav was going until NRCA's convention program. Now, I am not sure. Any clarification would be welcome not only by me but a great many others."

"Tom Hall, an FM Global engineer, has volunteered to co-author an article with me, which may provide insight for roofing contractors who work within the current FM Global structure. The article will be forthcoming in Professional Roofing."