Pictured: Left to right -Tyler Allwood, Wade Shepherd, Craig Brightup, Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), John Campbell, T.J. Curtis

​Last week, our TRI Alliance Government Relations Committee traveled to Washington, DC, to help support NRCA’s 2023 Roofing Day in DC.  While there, Craig Brightup, our TRI Alliance DC Lobbyist, set meetings for the TRI Alliance team to meet with key House and Senate members to help voice the concerns of TRIA members and the overall roofing industry.
Our gatherings on April 18 began with a breakfast for Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV), who’s on the Appropriations Committee, to discuss OSHA regulations challenging our industry and where the new Congress might intervene.  
After that was a meeting with Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) and her staff to discuss her efforts on the Workforce Protections Subcommittee which oversees OSHA.  The meeting touched on OSHA’s Heat Illness standard, which might be final this fall and would impact our roofing community.
The TRIA team then had lunch with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), the Ranking Member on the Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.  Sen. Cassidy asked for input from TRI Alliance members on HELP-related issues.  This was followed by a joint meeting with former OSHA head Loren Sweatt (now HELP staff), where our TRIA team was joined by NRCA’s Cheryl Ambrose to  discuss OSHA’s Heat Illness standard and other pertinent OSHA items.  
The final meeting on April 18 was with staff for Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), who’s also on the HELP Committee, to explain industry concerns on various topics from Julie Su’s nomination to be Secretary of Labor to OSHA oversight.
As with every visit to DC, we concluded our TRI Alliance meetings with our industry partners at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).   As part of the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC), we work with NAHB’s Brad Mannion, Director of Labor, Health and Safety, and Felicia Watson, Sr. Counsel, to share the mutual concerns of our two associations.
For more information on the TRI Alliance and our Government Relations efforts please visit our website at www.tileroofing.org.

By: Rick Olson, TRI President


International Energy Conservation Code
The start of 2023 saw a significant number of proposed code revisions for the 2024 code cycles. The IECC code committees for steep slope applications focused on a significant increase of the 3-year Solar Reflectance (SRI) for roofing materials to help reduce energy consumption. The proposed changes would have reduced the overall available colors in the steep slope markets towards a threshold of white roofs only over the next 2 code cycles.  The TRI Alliance in collaboration with the Asphalt Roofing Manufactures Association (ARMA) provided ongoing comments to help stop this action without further discussions and justifications for costs and energy benefits. While we prevailed in our efforts to stop the code revision, we will be monitoring the topic for future revisions.

Florida Insurance Industry in Freefall for Policy Holders
The State of Florida through Governor Gov. Ron DeSantis is trying to address the insurance freefall that is occurring. As the TRI Alliance we are working to understand the changes for coverage, assignment of benefits and insurance fraud issues that are challenging the residential markets in Florida. In collaboration with our partner the Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Contractors Association Inc. (FRSA) we are identifying ways to help reduce potential claim costs through improved installation techniques, repair options and long-term maintenance programs.

TRI Alliance Installation Guide Update
This summer the TRI Alliance will be releasing our new 2023 version of our industry based main installation guide “Concrete and Clay Roof Tile Installation Manual” designed for all areas outside of Florida. This manual carries a formal IAPMO code issued evaluation report. The new manual will offer improved color drawings and language to reflect the ASCE 7-22 wind code provisions. This will replace our current 2015 version.

TRI Alliance issues new Technical Bulletins for Contractors
In response to our contractors feedback for additional storm damage options, the TRI Alliance developed a new technical bulletin – Post Storm Event – Considerations For Repairing Damaged Concrete and Clay Roofing Tiles – Tech Bulletin 2022-01 . The goal is to help contractors after roof inspections, to identify repair options beyond a full roof replacement. As we continue to work with our members and the insurance industry, we hope to create additional bulletins to help improve roof installation and repair techniques. Our full list of bulletins can be found at https://tileroofing.org/industry/technical-briefs/

For more information, or to become involved on out TRI Alliance Government Committee please visit our website at www.tileroofing.org

By: Rick Olson, TRI President


Energy Efficiencies of Concrete and Clay Roof Tiles
For years, the energy ratings for roof assemblies have focused on roof color and radiant barriers. Our concrete and clay roof tiles bring the additional benefits of thermal mass, high emissivity, and Above Sheathing Ventilation (ASV). These benefits were identified in studies conducted by the D.O.E at their Oakridge National Research Laboratory (ORNL), but are not incorporated into the current building modeling software.

Energy Calculator Developed
Over the last two years the TRI has been working with a 3rd party software developer to create an energy calculator to help identify and quantify the energy benefits of various roofing tile configurations. This proprietary calculator will allow for the variables for type of tile, installation techniques and colors. The consumer will be able to identify potential energy savings over time through use of the calculator that allows either default energy costs by state or input of actual energy rates by locality.  

Thermal Heat Study
To help revise the various building computer models for roof performance, the TRI Alliance is launching a 3-year field research study to compare the actual temperature and energy performance of concrete and clay roof tiles to a default asphalt shingle used in the current modeling programs. The study will include monitoring stations in the 5 code identified climate regions over a three-year period. We will be working with the DOE on a final report when the study concludes.  

For more information, or to become involved on out TRI Alliance Government Committee, please visit our website at www.tileroofing.org

By Craig Brightup, TRI Alliance Lobbyist
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Congressional Review Act Resolutions
March saw a flurry of CRA resolutions.  The CRA allows Congress to repeal regulations by simple majorities with resolutions passed to repeal: DC’s Revised Criminal Code (signed by President); DOL allowing retirement plan fiduciaries to use ESG for investment decisions (vetoed); the pandemic emergency declaration (will sign); EPA’s expanded “Waters of the U.S.” per the Clean Water Act (will veto).  Coming is a resolution to overturn President Biden’s 2-year moratorium on tariffs for solar panels ostensibly made in Vietnam, etc., but the Commerce Dept. says are made in China.

Julie Su Nomination for Labor Secretary   
When Labor Sec. Marty Walsh left for the NHL Players Union, President Biden nominated Deputy Sec. Julie Su for the job.  But Su’s push for CA Assembly Bill 5, which is hurting independent contractors, and other actions while CA Labor Sec. overseeing $30 billion in unemployment insurance fraud has her nomination in doubt.  Republicans complained to the White House about her “incompetence” and business groups have launched the “Stand Against Su” coalition.   
   
Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act
Over 200 House Democrats reintroduced the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (now the Richard L. Trumka PRO Act).  It would shift organizing power to the unions but won’t pass in a Republican House.  However, Biden’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and its General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo are trying to implement the PRO Act through Board decisions, regulations, and high-profile targets.  As such, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) sent the attached letter to NLRB Chair Lauren McFerran and GC Abruzzo concerning their weaponization of the agency’s enforcement power. 

OSHA and Union Reps
OSHA has a number of consequential rulemakings in the pipeline, and one concerns worker walkaround representation during inspections.  The proposed rule “Worker Walkaround Representation Designation Process” is a redux of a 2013 OSHA Letter of Interpretation to boost union involvement.  Specifically, the LOI said a union representative could join an inspector during an inspection whether the workplace was unionized or not.  The LOI was withdrawn in 2017 but this proposed rule appears written to implement the same policy. 
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For more information, or to become involved on out TRI Alliance Government Committee please visit our website at www.tileroofing.org
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