PHOENIX COATINGS

Affiliations

Performance Based Studies Research Group

Ira A. Fulton School of Engineers,
Del E. Web School of Construction

Every other year the PBSRG randomly selects 50 of our clients and inspects their roofs. Our performance line is displayed on the web at: http://pbsrg.com/research/alpha/plines.htm#

To be considered an "Alpha" Contractor, we must maintain a minimum of 98% customer satisfaction and 98% roofs that don't leak. Phoenix Coatings is one of only 14 polyurethane foam contractors in the United States to receive an ALPHA CONTRACTOR status from Arizona State University Del E. Webb School of Construction College of Engineering and Applied Sciences under the Alliance for Construction Excellence (ACE).

'Alpha Roofing System' Executive Summary

For the purposes of the Alpha Research Project, an "Alpha Roof System" is defined as any low slope roofing system whose documented performance meets or exceeds that of a conventional, "20 year", low slope, built-up roofing (BUR) assembly. These BUR assemblies (asphaltic & coal tar pitch) have the longest documented history of any low slope system in the roofing industry and have set the standard by which all other low slope roofing systems are measured. Some have lasted for 50+ years and, until the advent of single ply technology, held the dominant share of the roofing market. Although their market share has recently eroded due to increased pressure from competing systems, BUR continues to hold nearly 50% of the roofing market. Research was undertaken to determine if other roofing systems, including sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF) roofing, could match the performance of BUR. SPF roofing technology has been in use for approximately 30 years, having started in the late 1960's. It was assumed that if SPF could perform satisfactorily for 20 years, there would be evidence of such performance.

Analysis of Dr. Kashiwagi's research on sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF) roofing systems by the Performance Based Studies and Research Group (PBSRG) have drawn the following conclusions:
1. Properly engineered and installed SPF roofing systems have a documented life span of 20+ years.
2. There is a wide variation in product performance and contractor expertise.
3. There are very good SPF products and contractors available.
4. SPF systems are typically sold on the basis of price, not performance.
5. Only one source of performance information on SPF products/contractors is currently available.
6. The use of documented performance information can procure a 20+ year SPF system at a competitive price.

Since the purpose of the Alpha Research Program is to measure roof system performance relative to BUR, it is open to all roofing systems. Any manufacturer, product or group of contractors that can demonstrate, when randomly sampled by PBSRG every other year that;
1. 98% of their customers are satisfied with their roofs
2. 98% of their roofs don't leak
3. They are willing to have all newly installed roofs over 5,000 SF
     surveyed yearly
qualifies as an "Alpha".

CUSTOMER EVALUATION