SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 29 April 2022
STP163520210018

Low-Slope Roofing Installations and Third-Party Observations: A Critical Review of Noncompliance Management

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Quality-assurance observations (QAOs) are an integral part of the building enclosure commissioning process. Specifically, ASTM E2947, Standard Guide for Building Enclosure Commissioning, includes site visits as part of the construction administration phase activities to observe the installations and compare them with the approved project documents. These observations are then reported to the project team, including photos, sketches, and noncompliances, with a method for tracking and resolving open items. For more than 10 years, more than 10,000 field observation reports have been compiled across more than 4,000 projects, resulting in more than 6,000 documented and tracked noncompliances in construction projects in more than 30 U.S. states. This large dataset will be mined to generate a collection of representative projects, focusing on new low-slope roof-system installations. Data derived from any single construction project cannot be reliably used to improve construction practices across the industry. By utilizing standard construction observation reporting procedures, such as those provided in ASTM D7186, Standard Practice for Quality Assurance Observation of Roof Construction and Repair, and systematic data aggregation across a multitude of projects, this paper draws out actionable conclusions that utilize standardized QAO data collection and aggregation across projects, qualify categories of common roof-system installation noncompliance, identify trends in newly installed roof-system noncompliances and resolutions, and demonstrate the value of third-party on-site QAOs in identifying and resolving noncompliances. The research and outcomes of this paper are focused on newly installed low-slope roof-system noncompliances during construction, including their nature, prevalence, causes, and resolutions. The research and approach have not previously been published, and the results of the analysis will benefit designers, construction managers, installers, risk-management professionals, and roofing manufacturers.

Author Information

Meyer, Benjamin
GAF, Mosely, VA, US
Nelson, Keith
ECS Mid-Atlantic, LLC, Richmond, VA, US
Westover, Kristin
GAF, Parsippany, NJ, US
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Pages: 195–217
DOI: 10.1520/STP163520210018
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-7717-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-7716-1