This award program celebrates excellence in roof coating projects nationwide.

The Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) is proud to announce the second annual Project of the Year Award program, which recognizes roofing contractors who demonstrate innovation, technical excellence and sustainability through outstanding roof coating projects.

Following a successful inaugural year, the Project of the Year Award program continues RCMA's commitment to recognizing contractors whose roof coating projects demonstrate excellence, innovation and measurable value for building owners.

Eligibility criteria:

• Geographical scope: Projects must be located within the 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., or Puerto Rico.
• Project timeline: Eligible projects must have been completed between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025.
• Submission limit: There is no limit to the number of projects a firm or individual can submit.
• Public sharing: All submissions may be publicly shared on the RCMA website, social media platforms or other marketing materials.
• Participation fee: The program is FREE to apply, encouraging multiple submissions to showcase outstanding projects and contributions to the roofing industry.

Judging criteria

An independent panel of roofing professionals will evaluate submissions based on the following criteria:

• Innovation: Assessing the uniqueness and creativity of the project.
• Technical excellence: Evaluating the quality, precision and adherence to industry standards.
• Project complexity: Considering challenges related to scale, structural intricacies and site conditions.
• Aesthetics/design: Reviewing the visual appeal and integration with the building's architecture.
• Sustainability: Demonstrating how the roof coating system extended the service life of the roof and reduced or eliminated the need for a tear-off.

Submission process:

Interested contractors are invited to submit their projects by July 15, 2026, using the RCMA Project of the Year Submission Application. Submissions should include:

1 - A completed Submission Application

2 - Signed Contractor Release Form and Building Owner Release Form.

3 - Up to five high-resolution photographs (minimum 300 dpi and at least 4" x 6") without text overlays, borders or framing.

Detailed submission guidelines and forms are available on the RCMA Project of the Year webpage: RoofCoatings.org/pty

Award Announcement:

Winners will be announced during RCMA's 2026 Fall Meeting on October 7, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. This event will provide a platform to celebrate the achievements of roofing contractors who have set new benchmarks in the industry.

About RCMA

The Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association is a non-profit trade association that serves as the unified voice of the roof coatings industry. RCMA advocates for its members and promotes the benefits of roof coatings in extending roof service life, improving energy efficiency and advancing sustainability goals.

For more information about the Project of the Year Award program, please visit https://www.roofcoatings.org/pty/ or contact RCMA at questions@roofcoatings.org

By Roof Hub.

Go from searching to anticipating with this tool. 

Construction has always run on shorthand. Ask ten contractors what a “turtle vent” is, and you’ll get different answers. The same goes for “dimensional,” “to match” or “white caulk.” Roofing isn’t built around perfect terminology…It’s built around speed, experience and getting the job done.

For years, that meant one thing: Contractors described what they needed, and the branch translated it. As ordering moved online, SRS recognized that the value of that translation layer was missing.

The shift

Roof Hub’s AI Smart Templates aren’t about better search — they eliminate the need to search altogether! Instead of digging through catalogs or memorizing SKUs, contractors simply define intent:

• Ordering branch
• Manufacturer preference
• Warranty level

From there, Roof Hub automatically builds an optimized material template aligned with inventory, geography and warranty requirements.

No searching.
No translating.
No second-guessing.

Simply a pure anticipation of needs.

Why it matters

Contractors don’t want more tools — they want fewer steps with an elevated experience

AI Smart Templates help teams:

• Move faster
• Reduce ordering errors
• Standardize workflows
• Focus on selling and building instead of admin work

The future is systems that already understand what you need — because you’re the pro.

Try AI Smart Templates in Roof Hub today.

In this CoatingsCoffeeShop® Coffee Conversations, sponsored by APOC, industry leaders take a deep look at where the roof restoration market is headed right now and what’s driving change. We start with introductions and move quickly into the biggest trends shaping the sector, from economic pressures and sustainability priorities to the growing impact of AI and technology on restoration practices. The panel explores why demand for restoration services is rising, how customers respond to sustainability as a selling point compared with tear-offs, and what larger market forces are influencing contractor decisions. Along the way, we dig into how the insurance environment intersects with these trends and whether we’re seeing similar patterns across the country. Finally, we point contractors to resources and strategies that can help them stay ahead in a fast-evolving restoration landscape.

Listen to the podcast.

Watch the Coffee Conversations.

By Emma Peterson. 

Industry experts break down what roof restorations are and why they are growing popular now. 

Roof restoration has grown to be the go-to alternative for traditional tear-offs and replacements. To help people learn more about what defines a restoration project and the key standards that guide a successful restoration project, the Roof Coating Manufactures Association (RCMA) recently sponsored a Coffee Conversation® on the topic. In the episode, Megan Ellsworth sat down with an expert panel that included Josh Poole from Tremco, Cody Wilson of Uni Roofing and James Santiago from Benchmark. 

Josh opened the conversation by defining what a roof restoration is, explaining, “I would define it as the process of extending the service life of an existing roof. And generally, that's going to feature a roof coating or some type of a liquid-applied roofing product.” As for why the fluid-applied restoration market has taken a while to grow in popularity, it all has to do with a misunderstanding of what coatings are. Cody explained:  

A lot of people used to think restoration meant temporary repair. And it really isn’t; we’re not just painting your roof and calling it a day. When a contractor restores a roof, there’s a lot of prep work that goes into it, from assessment of the existing structure to repairs that need to be done beforehand to make sure that this roof is tight and ready to go. 

James shared a bit more about what these preparation tasks might look like, saying, “The first step is always determining if a roof is a good candidate for restoration. Here, good contractors will do things like perform infrared scans determine the attachment of the existing system.” And, as the industry has finally begun to realize, when these proper preparation steps are taken, coatings can be a powerful option for aging roofs. As Josh added: 

Restoration has really established itself as a viable solution that truly performs for the customer or the end user at the end of the day. It can typically be done at a fraction of the cost of replacement, it minimizes disruption to the building beneath it, requires minimal contractor labor/equipment and has a number of sustainability benefits including reduction in landfill material and greenhouse gases. 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the episode to learn more about liquid-applied roof restoration and its benefits.  

By Emma Peterson. 

As the Artemis Rocket took astronauts to new heights, this spray foam installation on Artemis Living took senior living to the next level.  

Located in the White Mountains, Littleton, New Hampshire is a quaint town known for producing author Eleanor H. Porter. With the motto of Be Glad, it’s easy to see why this might be the community you choose to retire in. And if you’re thinking of retiring in Littleton, there’s a new community that elevates senior living that’s perfect for you.  

Artemis Living is a senior living facility with a focus on holistic wellbeing set to open in 2026. The goal of the team behind Artemis Living was to integrate wellness practices, such as physical strength and personal care, into the daily life of their inhabitants. To do this, a high-performance building that balances structural safety and inhabitant comfort was a must. And to achieve that, they worked with Blue Lodge Insulation to install advanced Enverge Spray Foam products.  

The Blue Lodge Insulation team was able to ensure that the Artemis Living building would maintain stable temperatures, minimal drafts and healthy air quality by using Enverge products. They first installed two inches of Enverge One Pass closed-cell spray foam under the slabs of the structure. Then three inches of the same product were applied to exterior walls both as insulation and an air barrier. Last but not least, 14 inches of Enverge EasySeal open-cell spray foam was put on the underside of the roof deck, eliminating voids in roof cavities and achieving a high R-value.  

Benefits of this continuous system include high-energy efficiency, strong thermal resistance and air-tight seal performance. Not only do all these benefits align with the mission of wellness behind Artemis Living, but they also promise lower long-term operating costs by reducing HVAC loads. As an added bonus, the open-cell foam used on the roof reduces sound echoing, contributing to the tranquil environment that the Artemis Living team aims to cultivate.  

Learn more about this project.

By Cotney Consulting Group.

Crews take their cues from the top. If you bring structure, clarity and expectations, they bring performance.

You can tell a high-performing roofing crew within the first thirty minutes of arriving on a job. It’s not about who moves the fastest or who makes the most noise. It’s the order. The pace. The tone. The way they step onto the deck with purpose instead of wandering around waiting for direction. After 45 years in this industry — from laborer to operations manager to consultant — I’ve watched thousands of crews work, in every system, every climate and every level of complexity. And the best crews, regardless of the job or the market, share the same habits. 

High-performing crews don’t start the day guessing what they’re doing. They start with a plan. That plan begins long before the truck leaves the yard. A good foreman studies the drawings, walks the job, evaluates access, looks at the weather and reviews safety considerations before the crew ever climbs a ladder. By the time the truck rolls in, the crew already knows the order of work, where materials will be staged, how debris will be managed and what the first hour of production should accomplish. That clarity alone puts them miles ahead of the average crew. 

Most roofing delays aren’t caused by big problems — they’re caused by the first hour of confusion. High-performing crews eliminate that chaos. They unload in a specific sequence. They stage with intention, not convenience. They know that five minutes saved at the start of the day becomes an extra square or two by lunch, and those small gains compound across the entire project. 

Communication is another major difference. On a well-run crew, everyone knows their role and everyone lines up behind the foreman’s direction. You won’t hear shouting matches or long debates. You hear fast, clear direction. You see heads nod, not heads shake. Foremen on high-performing crews don’t bark orders — they establish expectations and keep the team aligned. They review the next steps before the crew finishes the current ones. They stay ahead of the work instead of reacting to it. That steadiness builds trust, and trust builds production. 

Consistency is the habit I see most often in successful crews. They don’t reinvent their process on each job. They set up the same way every morning. They keep walk paths clear. They maintain their tools and keep materials tight to the work area. Nothing is scattered. Nothing is improvised. When you watch them operate, you can see the discipline in every movement. They aren’t rushing, but they aren’t wasting a single step. Roofing is about repetition, and the crews that master their routine produce better, safer and with fewer mistakes. 

Leadership is the invisible engine behind all of it. A high-performing crew is never a coincidence — it’s the reflection of a strong foreman. The foreman sets the pace, the expectations and the culture. They hold the line on quality. They don’t tolerate shortcuts. They correct the small errors before they become big ones. They maintain a calm, steady presence when conditions change. And they care about the people on their crew — not just the work they produce. When a foreman leads well, the crew works well. It’s that simple. 

One of the clearest separators between good crews and great ones is how they handle problems. Every job throws surprises at you: bad decking, missing substrate, incompatible details, equipment failure, weather shifts, overlapping trades or unclear specs. Average crews stop everything and look around for someone else to solve it. High-performing crews don’t panic or freeze. They stabilize the situation, communicate quickly and work through what they can while escalating what requires leadership. That ability to stay productive under pressure is one of the main reasons high-level crews outperform others on jobs with similar labor counts and equipment. 

Another trait you’ll notice is crew chemistry. The best crews have a rhythm. They move like a unit. They don’t step on each other’s tasks. They stay aware of each other’s positions and pace. You can tell when a crew has worked together long enough to anticipate each other’s moves. They look out for each other’s safety, help newer members and share responsibility for the quality of the final product. That chemistry builds loyalty, and loyalty keeps turnover low. When a crew stays together year after year, their performance compounds. 

Training is also a major factor. High-performing crews didn’t get that way by accident — they were invested in, corrected and developed. Contractors who commit to training see the payoff daily: cleaner installations, fewer callbacks, stronger production numbers and safer operations. Crews can’t be expected to perform well if they’ve never been shown the right way. Training isn’t a cost. It’s an accelerant. 

Something else the best crews do differently: they think ahead. They don’t just focus on the square in front of them. They anticipate transitions, foresee conflicts and prepare materials before they’re needed. They don’t wait until the tear-off is complete to think about insulation layout. They don’t wait until the end of the day to organize tools. They operate with tomorrow in mind, not just today. That forward-thinking mindset keeps production smooth and minimizes downtime. 

Another consistent trait: pride. You can see it in the way they seal laps, the way they clean up, the way they handle details and the way they leave the job at the end of the day. High-performing crews take ownership of the roof. They want it to reflect well on them. They know their work is their signature, and they carry themselves accordingly. 

As contractors head into the busy season, it’s worth taking a hard look at your crews. The difference between an average crew and a high-performing one isn’t luck — it’s leadership, training, discipline, communication and culture. These are things you can influence. These are things you can strengthen. 

When a company commits to building high-performing crews, everything improves: production, quality, morale, safety, profitability and customer satisfaction. Crews take their cues from the top. If you bring structure, clarity and expectations, they bring performance. That’s how strong seasons are built. And that’s how strong companies stay strong. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Angi’s co-founder stops by for a conversation about how contractors can build trust and generate leads in a digital world.  

Before the advent of the Internet, word of mouth was one of the best ways to find new business as hearing another person’s positive experience is key to building trust in a new client. And just because we have the Internet doesn’t mean that word of mouth and trust-building are no longer powerful, they just look a little different. To learn about how word of mouth operates in a digital era, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with Angie Hicks, co-founder of Angi, for an episode of Contractor Outlook™. 

Angi, formerly Angie’s List, was founded 30 years ago, prior to the advent of the Internet. At that point, it was a call-in service and newsletter. Angie explained, “You would call in and ask me something like, ‘Hey, do you have any plumber for me?’ And I would get their info and then call around the area and say, ‘I have someone who needs a plumber. Do you have a plumber that I can add to our list and we give them a review.’”  

This method helped a lot of contractors and homeowners, but the huge jump for Angi was when the Internet came around. Angie shared:  

It didn't change the purpose of our business, which was always about helping homeowners feel confident in the experts they are bringing into their home and trusting with their money, but it did change how we achieved that. Instead of relying on traditional word of mouth, where you might find a contractor because one person has hired them, Angi was able to become a resource for people where they can hire based on 20 people’s experiences that are available to read about online.  

This shift in Angi’s business operations showcases a larger change happening in the world of contractor marketing – the way word of mouth and trust-building happen are no longer in one-on-one conversations or interactions. Angie explained, “In the pre-Angi days, contractor lead generation was basically just putting an ad in the yellow pages and making sure your business started with an ‘A’ so it showed up first in phone books... Today, it’s grown beyond that. We have a whole new generation of homeowners coming up that grew up in a digital world and their expectations from an experience standpoint are different.”  

How is it different? People expect immediacy; they want to be able to go onto a site like Angi to see 20 reviews in one place, rather than asking individuals around town, or they want an instant estimate from a contractor and will look somewhere else if there is a three-day wait time. Trying to deliver on this can feel overwhelming for contractors, but just as technology has changed how homeowners operate, it has also changed how contractors can operate. Angie elaborated on this:  

We’ve grown Angi to include some tools that can help make your process more efficient and speedy. For example, we have messaging tools that allow you to set up a custom message to send if you are in the middle of a job and can’t respond to inquiries immediately. This is a great place to show who you are as a company, to tell the customer about your business’s story and really build trust by letting people get to know you. 

Because even though the way we go about it has changed, building that trust through word of mouth has always been and will always be at the heart of a successful contracting business. 

Listen to the newscast or Watch the recording to learn more!

By The Coffee Shops™. 

Experts discuss RCMA’s role in the industry and the value of contractor participation. 

In the field, contractors consistently navigate evolving codes, technical standards, product innovation and legislative changes. Staying competitive requires access to reliable education, industry advocacy and collaboration with peers across the market. For Chris Huettig and Cody Wilson, both active members of the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA), staying involved with associations is essential for maintaining a network of support. In a recent episode of CoatingsCast™, they discussed why RCMA expanded membership opportunities to contractors and how the organization is helping strengthen the coatings industry. 

From technical resources and regulatory guidance to networking and peer collaboration, here’s what you need to know about the value of joining RCMA.  

Q: Why did RCMA decide to open membership to roofing contractors? 

Chris Huettig, vice president of technical services and client relations at KARNAK, gave some context to this decision:  

We have a lot of knowledge within ourselves and we wanted to make sure that knowledge was being shared with coating applicators...And [to be the best resource] we need to have the voice of those in the field who are applying it every day, who are applying for the bids, who are putting the coating down and having to meet the certain building codes and expectations of that particular region, state, whatever it may be in our organization.  

Q: How does RCMA help contractors stay ahead of code changes and legislation affecting roof coatings? 

Chris elaborated:  

We have a couple of committees within RCMA [to keep our members up to date]. The first one is the Government Affairs Committee, and we have the Technical Affairs Committee. Government Affairs really deals with relevant information about government bodies, codes and regulatory impacts throughout the country that happen...We have a great technical director, Dr. Paroli, who is very involved in ASTM International.  

The Technical Affairs Committee provides technical application information, information for building owners and contractors. They deal a lot with changes or things in testing, fire codes, best practices, technical bulletin, etc. 

By bringing the industry together through RCMA, contractors gain access to centralized resources and up-to-date technical information that can help elevate application practices and strengthen coatings’ position as a trusted low-slope roofing solution. 

Q: Why is collaboration between contractors, manufacturers and suppliers so important in the coatings market right now? 

This collaboration is key to the future of the market as consumer interest in coatings continues to grow exponentially. Chris explained:  

We need a unified voice so we can all work together to promote and grow the coatings market... It's such a big, expanding field and it's blowing up. With more going on, we need more collaboration. 

Cody Wilson, president of Unicoat Industrial Roofing, added some thoughts from a contractor’s perspective: 

We wanted to have that voice like Chris mentioned as far as what's going on in the industry with manufacturers and the code changes and also the opportunity to meet with other contractors in a group setting where everybody can talk about what's going on...RCMA was the obvious choice for us as they have been up on the front lines trying to make sure that they're protecting our industry. 

As coatings continue to expand, manufacturers, suppliers and contractors need a shared forum where technical knowledge, field experience, regulatory concerns and peer insights can come together to strengthen the industry’s collective voice. 

Q: How can contractors benefit from joining an industry association like RCMA? 

According to Cody, joining RCMA was a no-brainer decision:  

As a licensed roofing contractor in the state of Florida, RCMA has always helped us over the years with things like navigating legislation change. So, as soon as we heard it was opening up to contractors, we wanted to be a part of it because it really gives us a voice with what's going on in the industry. 

He also emphasized how being a part of RCMA gives his team a unique collaboration opportunity:  

It also gives us the opportunity to meet with other contractors in a group setting...You learn a lot from your peers in this industry — not just the new products that are coming out, but different techniques, different markets and what's going on that way. 

RCMA offers contractors a seat at the table, keeping them informed, helping them strengthen industry relationships and shaping the future of roof coatings. As regulations evolve and the coatings market continues to expand, associations like RCMA play an important role in connecting professionals with the education and support they need to succeed. 

Listen to the full episode to learn more about RCMA membership and the future of the roof coatings industry.

By Jenny Yu. 

Industry experts discuss how increased awareness and tight labor markets are driving a shift toward coating restoration systems. 

Roof coating restoration is gaining momentum as building owners and specifiers look for cost-effective, less disruptive ways to extend roof life. In a recent episode of CoatingsCast™, industry experts from KARNAK and Clarity Roof Consulting discussed how accessibility to information and evolving project expectations are driving this trend. 

According to Chris Huettig of KARNAK, demand for coating systems is increasingly influenced by more informed building owners. “It’s driven from the top down,” he said. “Building owners are more educated and have questions that they’re bringing to specifiers.” That shift is leading many to consider restoration over replacement, particularly when evaluating cost, speed and business disruption. Coating systems can often be installed faster and with smaller crews, making them an attractive option in a tight labor market. 

Dan King of Clarity Roof Consulting agreed, acknowledging a broader change in how roofs are viewed. “There's more information percolating,” he said. “There’s been a change in looking at your roof as just a cost item to seeing it as an asset.” That mindset encourages more strategic decision-making, where restoration can offer long-term value when aligned with building performance goals. 

From the specifier side, Dan emphasized the importance of being a trusted partner for property owners to achieve a successful joint outcome. “In our role, we have really been able to open conversations based on trust with our clients,” Dan stated. “We work transparently, we build that trust and we breed success. Then, you can start to look at the value of different solutions. If you don't have that shared knowledge, you end up being more risk averse.” 

The panelists also highlighted the importance of collaboration and access to reliable information when navigating codes, regulations and system selection. “There's subject matter expertise held in manufacturing,” Dan said. “We go to fire marshals, we go to code officials, SPRI, RCMA, NRCA, RoofersCoffeeShop®. I find the ICC codes library really helpful.” Establishing relationships with these industry staples and leveraging the available resources help contractors and specifiers stay informed and deliver quality, compliant projects.  

As labor constraints persist and owners seek greater return on investment, coating restoration is positioned as a practical solution that balances performance, efficiency and cost. 

Read the first article in this series, Listen to the full podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about how to meet evolving project demands with coating restorations. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Tremco’s cold fluid‑applied solutions for new construction and restoration. 

In a new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Karen Edwards sat down with Jay Anderson, a business development specialist of fluid-applied roofing for Tremco, to talk about their newest product – the VULKEM® Roofing System. The goal of this release was to reach the construction market in a new way. Jay explained: 

Our applications for new construction were really focused on direct to concrete applications. And when we think about that particular market strategy, it's typically gone to hot rubberized asphalt roofing systems. And one of the challenges of those systems is the safety aspect of working with hot rubberized asphalt. So, what we did with VULKEM was create a cold fluid-applied product that fills that role performance-wise without the safety concerns. 

Within the VULKEM line there are four main product options – MCW, X4, AT and 4083. Jay shared a bit about each of these:  

1. VULKEM MCW – The MCW, or moisture cure waterproofing, product was developed from Tremco’s high-performance below-grade waterproofing products. Jay explained, “MCW is designed for direct to concrete and plywood decks. It is ideal for high build systems because it goes down at 120 wet mils in application with an additional coarse layer of protection on top of that. The result is 180 mils of product installed that is going to give you long-term performance.” 
2. VULKEM X4 – As for X4, this is the VULKEM line’s low-odor, reinforced membrane perfect for light-traffic applications (such as maintenance). In Jay’s words, VULKEM X4 is “a multi-component modified polyurethane methacrylate membrane that cures in as little as 45 minutes, no matter the temperature.” 
3. VULKEM AT – And while VULKEM was created with new construction in mind, they have not forgotten the role of fluid-applied roofing in the restoration market. In fact, that’s what VULKEM AT is designed for. Jay shared, “AT is a single-component urethane product designed for roofing and waterproofing restorations...It is a fully reinforced system and goes down in two coats over everything from a smooth BUR system, a granulated modified bitumen roof system and a single-ply system.”   
4. VULKEM 4083 – Last but not least is the VULKEM 4083, which is an elastomeric acrylic coating designed to protect existing metal roofing. Jay explained what this means, sharing, “It's not intended to be a waterproofing; it's really intended to be a protective coating. Think about these low-slope roofs that are beginning to rust, this is a great opportunity for VULKEM 4083 to come in and provide a protective coating that's going to help sustain that existing metal asset.” 

Overall, if you are looking for a high-performance fluid-applied restoration or new construction roofing system, the VULKEM line stands out. Jay explained, “VULKEM stands out because we developed it by taking what we’ve learned from the industry over the past several decades with our existing products to re-engineer our products into the more competitively priced VULKEM series.” 

Listen to the whole episode to learn more about Tremco’s new VULKEM line of products.