Breakthrough
installed separately, blocking the air in cold exterior conditions, Although the insulated
in Fabric
natural sunlight. Today, this is no meeting increasingly demand- membrane roof system is a
longer the case. ing energy and building codes new technology, the installa-
Roofi ng // In the past,
Radford University adminis- related to structural-envelope tion process is similar to that
insulating tensioned membrane
trators and their project team thermal values. In fact, according of other fabric membrane
structures only could be achieved
chose a composite membrane to recently completed aerial ther- roof systems. As with all
through the installation of
roof system, consisting of a light mal-imaging tests, the Dedmon tensile-roofi ng applications,
fabric membrane without any
insulation layer sandwiched Center’s new roof system has partnering with a specialty
insulative value. Then traditional
between two layers of fabric demonstrated thermal perfor- contractor throughout the
insulative materials would be
membrane. The insulative mance beyond that of the con- design-build process is key to
layer provides an R-value of 12 ventional roof systems already a successful installation. For
to the roof and consists of 95 in existence in the structure. example, Radford University
percent air; one 3 mm granule (See thermal image on page 51.) chose to partner with specialty
of insulation––a size equivalent contractor Birdair, Buffalo, N.Y.,
to the head of a pin––contains
Ease of
to ensure the installation was
more than 10 billion microscopic done by an experienced and
holes and more than 1,000 tril- Installation // knowledgeable design and
lion pores, enough to cover an Unlike the previous air-support- engineering team.
entire NFL football fi eld. ed roof, the Dedmon Center’s Retrofi t roofi ng construc-
The layer of insulation reduces new composite membrane tion on the Dedmon Center
solar heat gain in warm exterior roof system is supported by began in April 2008 and was
conditions and retains warmer a tri-chord steel truss system. completed in January. 

FACTS ABOUT BIRDAIR FABRIC ROOFING
 Can contribute to U.S. Green Building Council LEED certifi cation, garnering credits in categories including insulation,
green materials, innovation and daylighting (www.usgbc.org)
  Nanogel aerogel, the lightweight insulation, is Cradle to Cradle Certifi ed (www.cabot-corp.com/aerogel) (www.c2ccertifi ed.com)
  Outer PTFE SHEERFILL layer is Cool Roof Rating Council certifi ed (www.crrc.org) and Energy Star qualifi ed (www.energystar.gov)
RETROFIT MAGAZINE // FALL 2009 49
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