Florida Construction Law

Recent business developments in the solar industry are signaling high value to investors. "One (rooftop solar company) priced in the middle of its range and another sold for $2.2 billion. Things are very good in residential solar," said Shayle Kann, an analyst at GTM Research. Kann said there are about 16 million homes that could use solar and are owned by people with high credit scores. So far, about 700,000 systems have been installed. From NRCA Trenton H. Cotney Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer Trent Cotney, P.A. 407 N. Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33606 www.trentcotney.com

The Rankin School District in Illinois is replacing a 60-year-old metal roof with red colonial-colored steel and is also replacing two flat roofs. The flat roofs will get 1-inch-thick Styrofoam insulation before a rubber membrane is applied. From NRCA Trenton H. Cotney Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer Trent Cotney, P.A. 407 N. Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33606 www.trentcotney.com

William Cahill, a master thatcher, has found a niche offering U.K.-style thatched roofs for residential and commercial clients in the U.S. Cahill has done work at the St. Francis of Assisi Chapel at Kinstone in Fountain City, Wis., and the Chicago Botanic Garden. From NRCA Trenton H. Cotney Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer Trent Cotney, P.A. 407 N. Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33606 www.trentcotney.com

Redwood Valley High School in Minnesota is getting a new roof for $3.7 million. The roof will have layers of rubber and insulation that range from 4 inches to roughly a foot. The gymnasium will require an additional layer consisting of thin sheets of fireproofing. From NRCA Trenton H. Cotney Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer Trent Cotney, P.A. 407 N. Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33606 www.trentcotney.com

An oculus mock-up roof was installed on New Atlanta Stadium, being built in Atlanta, to test the exterior roofing and glazing. "It includes metal framing, the support metal panels themselves, a section of glass and will also include a section of the ETFE, (which stands for) the exterior material," according to a report from the stadium. "This allows the many different parties on site to have a chance to see not only the visual component, but also how everything connects." From NRCA Trenton H. Cotney Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer Trent Cotney, P.A. 407 N. Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33606 www.trentcotney.com

Nonresidential construction could reach $360 billion this year, an increase of 8.9% year-over-year, according to the Consensus Construction Forecast from the American Institute of Architects. The group predicts that could rise further -- to nearly $390 billion in 2016. Manufacturing, hotel and office building are contributing significantly to the increase. From NRCA Trenton H. Cotney Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer Trent Cotney, P.A. 407 N. Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33606 www.trentcotney.com

Japan has decided against a retractable roof for its National Stadium because of rising cost estimates. The government is expected to opt for a fixed roof instead. From NRCA Trenton H. Cotney Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer Trent Cotney, P.A. 407 N. Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33606 www.trentcotney.com

Hirsch Memorial Coliseum in Shreveport, La., is getting a new roof after years of use. Construction crews have begun working, but the expected completion date is not yet known. From NRCA Trenton H. Cotney Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer Trent Cotney, P.A. 407 N. Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33606 www.trentcotney.com

Excess heat and humidity can speed the aging of roofing materials, but this can be offset with the installation of a power vent in the attic. The use of aluminized roof coatings can help reflect the sun while renewing oils and sealing cracks. It can also be a good idea to replace asphalt rolled roofing with membrane roofing, which is more weather resistant. From NRCA Trenton H. Cotney Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer Trent Cotney, P.A. 407 N. Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33606 www.trentcotney.com

NRCA has made available NRCA Guidelines for Rooftop-mounted Photovoltaic Systems, 2015 edition , which contains NRCA's latest best practices for rooftop-mounted photovoltaic (PV) systems, including applicable code requirements. It also includes figures graphically depicting building code requirements and illustrating proper PV system installation. From NRCA Trenton H. Cotney Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer Trent Cotney, P.A. 407 N. Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33606 www.trentcotney.com

NRCA programs to advance rooftop solar include certifications, technical programs and best practices for installation. Meanwhile, solar equipment manufacturers are making improvements to simplify installation. This piece offers several considerations for rooftop solar installations, such as minimal roof-surface contact. From NRCA Trenton H. Cotney Florida Bar Certified Construction Lawyer Trent Cotney, P.A. 407 N. Howard Avenue Suite 100 Tampa, FL 33606 www.trentcotney.com