The tables on this page display a collection of test data and downloadable reports offered for the purpose of designing and constructing a roof capable of resisting negative wind pressures, commonly referred to as "wind uplift". The data and reports are offered without endorsement by the RCABC; they are provided as a courtesy by the RoofStar Guarantee Program to assist the Design Authority with the task of designing a roof that satisfies Code requirements, that meets the designer's specific and numerous design preferences, and that will qualify for a RoofStar Guarantee.
The British Columbia Building Code (or the Code having jurisdiction) requires a roof to be capable of resisting Specified Wind Loads (see the British Columbia Building Code, Part 4 (4.1.7 Wind Loads) and Part 5 (5.2.2.2 Determination of Wind Load), inclusive of the notes in the appendices). For a more expansive treatment of the subject of wind resistance and roof design, refer in this Manual to the membrane standard applicable to the roof you are designing or constructing, Part 3 SECURING the ROOF ASSEMBLY. The reader will note that there are optional pathways by which a roof design can comply with the Code. One pathway is the use of a "Tested Assembly" - a roof assembly tested in controlled laboratory conditions to resist simulated wind pressures and gusts. The test must be conducted in strict conformity to CSA-A123.21 Standard test method for the dynamic wind uplift resistance of membrane roofing systems (CSA-A123.21). The results of the test are published in a report signed off by the accredited testing agency. Each report details the materials and securement methods of the assembly. Every detail in a Tested Assembly report is critical for the performance of a roof designed on the basis of the tested assembly.
CSA-A123.21 requires that the published test limits for a roof system be adjusted with a safety factor of 1.5; this factor reduces the actual test results in order to account for variabilities that a laboratory cannot test for, such as strong wind gusts. The Dynamic Uplift Resistance (DUR) values in the following tables conform to this requirement, and can be validated by reviewing the downloadable test reports.
It is imperative that the user of these reports become familiar with the structure and content typical in a Tested Assembly report. While you will see that each accredited testing agency publishes test results in their own preferred format, there is general consistency among the report styles in the type of data each report provides: the DUR, a list of tested and alternate materials, how each material was secured, and the size of fasteners or the types of adhesive used. All of these variables, and more, affect the performance of the roof assembly. Care must therefore be taken to collect and analyze all this information in relation to the limitations of the building and the roof, and all these details (for example, the specific name of the adhesive and how it was applied) must be included in the design specifications that will ultimately guide the construction of the roof.
Drop-down lists provide a quick summary of the tested and optional materials available for the roof membrane, insulation overlay, insulation panels and the deck overlay. Occasionally, some of these were not included in the test. When that is the case, the drop-down menu will indicate their absence with "N/A". The reader will also find a quick summary of the roof assembly, to show in very basic terms how the assembly is secured. This feature of the tables will be especially helpful when searching for a suitable PARS assembly. Note, however, that the summaries do not list specific adhesives or fasteners sizes and types; these details must be garnered from a detailed reading of the Tested Assembly report.
2 Tested Assemblies and RoofStar Guarantee Standards
Tested Assembly reports must always be read in conjunction with the RoofStar Guarantee Standards for the membrane system that is specified. For example, a roof assembly might be tested with a particular material or in a particular way that does not conform to the Standards. To conform, some modifications to the Tested Assembly may be required, which may then preclude its use - for example, adding an insulation overlay panel where none was tested, because the assembly design requires one in order to conform to the RoofStar Guarantee Standards.
To avoid such conflicts, the Design Authority may look to the various alternative materials that many Tested Assembly reports list - this includes alternative membranes, insulation overlays, insulation panels and roof deck overlays (commonly listed as "thermal layers"). We have listed these alternatives in the drop-down menus of the tables on this page (see the "View options" buttons). These drop-down displays provide a quick overview of the various material options available for each Tested Assembly. If in doubt about how to use the Tested Assembly reports together with the RoofStar Guarantee Standards, contact the RoofStar Guarantee Program via email, or by calling (604) 882-9734.
3 Accepted Materials and Material Substitutions
We have selected Tested Assembly reports based on the membranes that will qualify for a RoofStar Guarantee Program, but there are tested assemblies that include one or more Secondary Materials, as for example insulation, that are not Accepted by the RoofStar Guarantee Program. Drop-down lists clearly show this by indicating when a materials is "not accepted". To ensure that the entire roof system complies with the Accepted Material requirements of the 'RoofStar Guarantee Program, follow the requirements in 3.2.1 Material Substitutions in Tested Assemblies: "When a manufacturer's Tested Assembly incorporates materials (and listed alternates) that are not part of the RoofStar Guarantee Program, the Design Authority must identify appropriate substitutions for those materials from the list of RoofStar-accepted Materials and consult the manufacturer concerning compatibility with the Tested Assembly. and direct the user to consult the membrane manufacturer in order to determine which Accepted materials will qualify as alternates."
