Sika Sarnafil has won the Plastics Recycling Technologies and Applications Award from the Society of Plastics Engineers. Sika's PVC recycling program is designed to recover and recycle vinyl-roofing membrane back into new roofing membrane at the end of its useful life.
The award was presented at the society’s Global Plastics Environmental Conference (GPEC 2011) in Atlanta, and distinguishes the program that was recognized by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs in 2009. Sika Sarnafil is the only single ply roofing manufacturer with a program to recycle old roofs back into roofing membrane at the end of its useful life and the only company to have its recycling claims verified by UL Environment. Since 2004, Sika Sarnafil has recycled 27.4 million pounds of post-industrial vinyl and 852,000 pounds of post-consumer, old roofs since 2005.
“Sika Sarnafil continues to address energy conservation issues with this ground breaking resource recovery program,” said Brian Whelan, Senior Vice President, Sika Sarnafil. “We divert more than 98% of our vinyl raw materials from the waste stream by recycling them into roofing and waterproofing membranes. And, we make it easy for customers to achieve their sustainability goals, with energy-efficient solutions that minimize waste and environmental impact.”
Sika Sarnafil’s major roof recycling projects include:
- Canadian Tire in Toronto – This project demonstrated Canadian Tire’s green policy and implemented the three “R’s of Green” – reduce, reuse, recycle
- General Motors – In a real-world demonstration of “closed loop” recycling, Sika Sarnafil completed the largest vinyl roof recycling project in North America at a General Motors Customer Care & Aftersales building in Lansing, Mich.
- Target – Numerous stores, including a retail center in Silver Spring, Md., have worked with Sika Sarnafil. This roof recycling project contributed to the goal of helping Target to become a “zero waste” company
- The Burlington Coat Factory – A 120,000 sf roof portion of the Briggsmore Shopping Center in Modesto, Calif. was replaced with a new Sika Sarnafil system while the old roof will live on and be recycled into other Sika Sarnafil products.
- University of Iowa, Hawkeye Arena – Always looking for opportunities to recycle materials that would otherwise end up in the landfill, the university was very excited about recycling its old roofing membranes
- The Marriott Long Wharf Hotel on Boston Harbor – Sika Sarnafil’s first major roofing recycling project in North America in 2005, this project kicked off Sika Sarnafil’s roof recycling program.
The program is streamlined and simple, making it easy for contractors and building owners to participate. Sika ships containers and pallets to contractors free of charge. The recycled materials are simply loaded and turned over to Sika for processing. Contractor labor costs related to recycling are minimal, if any, and are often offset by savings in municipal disposal fees. BD+C
Related Stories
Transit Facilities | Mar 25, 2015
Kengo Kuma selected to design new Paris Metro station
The new station will serve as a hub to connect Paris' northern suburbs with the core.
Green | Mar 25, 2015
WELL Building Standard introduced in China
The WELL Building Standard is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying and monitoring features that impact human health and wellbeing, through air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind.
High-rise Construction | Mar 24, 2015
Timber high-rise residential complex will tower over Stockholm waterfront
The four towers, 20 stories each, will be made entirely out of Swedish pine, from frame to façade.
Higher Education | Mar 23, 2015
Hong Kong university building will feature bioclimatic façade
The project's twin-tower design opens the campus up to the neighboring public green space, while maximizing the use of summer winds for natural ventilation.
Religious Facilities | Mar 23, 2015
Is nothing sacred? Seattle church to become a restaurant and ballroom
A Seattle-based real estate developer plans to convert a historic downtown building, which for more than a century has served as a church sanctuary, into a restaurant with ballroom space.
Government Buildings | Mar 23, 2015
SOM leads planning for Egypt’s new $45 billion capital city
To alleviate overcrowding and congestion in Cairo, the Egyptian government is building a new capital from scratch.
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 23, 2015
Skanska hosts three-week 'hackathon' to find architect for Seattle tower development
Searching for a nimble, collaborative design firm for its 2&U tower project in Seattle, the construction giant ditches the traditional RFQ/RFP process for a hackathon-inspired competition.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 23, 2015
Can advanced elevator technology take vertical hospitals to the next level?
VOA's Douglas King recalls the Odyssey project and ponders vertical transportation in high-rise healthcare design.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 22, 2015
New Joplin, Mo., hospital built to tornado-resistant standards
The new hospital features a window and frame system that can protect patients from winds of up to 250 mph.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 19, 2015
Populous design wins competition for UK's most sustainable arena
The live-concert venue will seat an audience of 12,000, which the firm says will be masked by “the atmosphere and intimacy of a 4,000-seat amphitheatre.”
