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Part 2: An Overview of the New Asphalt Roofing PCRs

Repercussions on the Roofing Industry

In the first part of this blog series, we discussed the background, goals and scope of ARMA and ASTM International’s new asphalt roofing PCRs. Today, we’ll examine their possible repercussions on the North American roofing industry.

As the new PCRs are meant to provide a guide for measuring and reporting the environmental impact of asphalt roofing products, it’s a given that they will have a significant impact on the North American roofing industry. Some of the things the asphalt roofing PCRs are bound to bring to the table are:

Better EPD awareness.

Not all stakeholders are aware of the importance of EPDs and the need for better compliance, but last year’s release of the PCR document has already started dialogues within the asphalt roofing community. But awareness is only the beginning. One major hurdle industry insiders need to overcome is the fact that EPD development is expensive. Reports show that manufacturers may need to spend between $25,000 and $100,000 on EPD development for a single product.

Clear and unambiguous representation of products.

This is a development that serves to benefit everyone from manufacturer to consumer. EPDs created under the asphalt roofing PCRs must provide a narrative description that covers the product’s:

  • brand name
  • material type
  • simple visual representation
  • appropriate and latest product specifications (ASTM, ANSI, ICC-ES, UL, CSA, etc.)
  • physical properties
  • technical information (e.g. compliance with fire resistance standards)
  • reinforcement type, thickness and color
  • main unit processes by life-cycle stage

Greater transparency in reporting environmental impact data.

Having unified PCRs for asphalt shingle products manufactured within North America comes with an implicit demand for all stakeholders to commit to honest reporting. Environmental impact categories often covered in construction-product-related EPDs include:

  • potential for:

o    global warming
o    acidification
o    eutrophication
o    smog creation
o    ozone depletion

  • total primary energy consumption

o    nonrenewable (fossil, nuclear)
o    renewable (solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass)

  • material resources consumption

o    nonrenewable
o    renewable
o    fresh water

  • waste

o    nonhazardous
o    hazardous

Given the impact of the new PCRs on the asphalt roofing industry, it’s a fair bet that property owners and the general public will feel the effects as well. That’s what we’ll cover in the third and final installment of this blog series. Stay tuned!