2014 is now upon us and we have a lot to look forward to.

The economic predictions are like weather predictions — we will know what the conditions  are when we wake up in the morning and look outside. The only certainty is that, like the weather, there will be good days, bad days and a few storms throughout the year.

In the construction industry, the first quarter is often reserved for design and planning of projects that typically take place in the second and third quarters. It is the ideal time to catch up on new design trends, new materials and updated regulations.

The primary regulation change in the roofing and waterproofing industry is the update to the determination of the Long Term Thermal Resistance (LTTR) of insulation. The ASHRAE Energy Code requires specific minimum LTTR values based on region of the country. Our February issue will cover the topic in detail.

ARW provides technical articles for both roofing and waterproofing design. The ARW University provides monthly webinars that deal with all design related topics including material selection and codes. All articles and webinars are archived for review at any time.

This might be the perfect time to review these issues — it will help make 2014 a success.