By Jesse Sanchez. 

Rooftop recycling can help contractors reduce landfill waste, manage disposal costs and create additional value from materials removed during commercial roof replacements. 

Every commercial roof replacement generates waste, but not every material removed from a roof has to end up in a landfill. With support from Versico Roofing Systems and proper project planning, contractors can identify materials that may be recovered and recycled while potentially reducing disposal expenses and supporting building owners’ sustainability goals. 

Successful rooftop recycling starts before tear-off begins. Contractors can evaluate the existing roof system, identify potentially recyclable materials and determine how those materials will be separated and staged. Keeping eligible materials clean, dry and apart from general construction debris can help make loading and pickup more efficient while reducing contamination. 

Certain types of rigid insulation and roofing membranes may qualify for recycling depending on the project and program requirements. Contractors should confirm material eligibility before beginning tear-off, particularly because insulation condition, contamination and roofing system characteristics can affect whether materials are accepted. 

Versico works with Nationwide Foam Recycling to help contractors navigate that process. Contractors can receive guidance on project requirements, material preparation, logistics and potential rebate opportunities, while Nationwide Foam Recycling helps manage eligible materials after pickup. 

Recycling may also offer practical jobsite benefits. Reducing landfill-bound material can potentially lower disposal expenses and decrease the number of dumpster changes required during a project. When material separation is incorporated into the crew’s normal workflow, the process can also become easier to manage over time. 

Not every project will be an ideal candidate. Larger commercial tear-offs with significant quantities of recoverable insulation or eligible membrane may provide a strong starting point, particularly when contamination is limited and enough material is available for efficient pickup. 

Evaluating those factors early allows contractors to determine whether recycling fits the project and build the process into tear-off planning rather than treating it as an afterthought. 

Learn more about rooftop recycling resources from Versico Roofing Systems! 

By Emma Peterson. 

Beyond keeping materials out of landfills, roof recycling programs are helping contractors save money and streamline logistics. 

Recycling has long been a cornerstone of the sustainability movement, but did you know that the benefits of recycling extend beyond the environment? To learn more about how commercial roof recycling helps contractors improve project efficiency and their financial bottom line, Heidi J. Ellsworth brought Ashley Horner of Morristown Roofing, Chris Kann of Versico Roofing Systems and Richard Garrison of Nationwide Foam together for a RoofersCoffeeShop® Read Listen Watch (RLW)® webinar!  

During traditional commercial roof projects, debris and materials that are removed from the existing roof are thrown into a dumpster and eventually hauled to a landfill. What commercial roof recycling programs do, like the  Versico and Nationwide Foam program, is have contractors sort that material and debris so that not all of it goes to the landfill. Richard went into detail of how this alternative process works:  

It starts with a roofer contracting us and telling us project details, like the number of squares of the roof, what material is coming off, where the project is, what the start date is, etc. From there we send them a quote for our services and the information on how to sort and stack materials on pallets. Then, about two days before they need materials moved off site, they call us and we send out a 48-foot flatbed trailer to take everything away. And then we just keep doing that until the project is over. 

Through this process, Versico and Nationwide Foam have made material recycling accessible and easy to incorporate into operations. By incorporating it, contractors can get a wide variety of benefits to this program extending beyond the environmental benefits of diverting waste from landfills.  

For example, while this may sound like more work for your crews up front (as they have to sort materials) it saves contractors time in the long run! Ashley has experienced this firsthand, “Dealing with jobsite waste was a massive operational burden to take on. In this program, Nationwide Foam takes that burden and manages the program framework, the material guidance, even the actual collection, coordination, the pickup support.” He went on, “There's a minor learning curve as the guys have to get used to separating the materials on-site, but once they get past that we’ve found that the job not only stays incredibly neat, but we’re actually avoiding traditional delays related to dumpster swaps because Nationwide is so on top of it.” 

In addition to the time savings and environmental benefits, this recycling program has helped contractors with their bottom line! Ashley explained, “Getting a dumpster taken to the landfill is expensive, in some areas we were looking at fees upwards of $775. So, working with this program, we can actually save a lot of money by not paying for disposal.”  

In addition to these built-in savings, Versico has instigated rebate programs to offset labor costs related to the recycling program. Chris gave some insight into this program, sharing, “We provide a rebate incentive for the contractors based on the amount of membrane that they return. Why? We want to increase recycling, we know that finances are tight and so we think that a good way for us all to reach our goals is incentivizing recycling.” 

And it has worked. In Ashley’s words, “There’s a lot of contractors like my team who want to keep thousands of pounds of material out of our local landfills but must balance that with running a successful business. And what was great about this program was that it allows us to do both by providing operational and logistical wins in addition to the environmental ones.” 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more about commercial recycling and its wide variety of benefits. 

By The Coffee Shops™. 

From installation logistics to building performance, ImpactR-7™ delivers benefits across the roofing value chain. 

As energy efficiency becomes an increasingly relevant topic across all aspects of the building envelope, many manufacturers are investing in R&D geared towards improving their products’ performance. In one episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Aparna Jaggi, revolutionary innovation manager at Versico Roofing Systems, explained how ImpactR-7™ was developed to address growing insulation demands while reducing roof profile thickness. But the product's potential extends beyond improving R-value per inch. 

As adoption begins, contractors, architects and building owners are examining how the new polyiso insulation board can affect project efficiency, building performance and long-term operating costs. But according to Aparna, many of the advantages start even before installation. Because ImpactR-7 delivers higher thermal performance in a thinner profile, projects may require fewer deliveries and less material staging. 

“If you're looking at a 250,000 square footage roof, you could be having anywhere between 100 to 120 trucks of insulation just being delivered to that site,” Aparna explained. Moving from traditional polyiso performance levels to R-7 per inch can result in a nearly 20% reduction in trucks. 

The smaller product has implications beyond transportation. Contractors may be able to shorten installation schedules and minimize adjustments to rooftop conditions. Aparna noted that thinner assemblies can reduce the need to raise curbs or parapet walls while also shortening fastener lengths in mechanically attached systems. “It’s cutting the profile, not the performance,” she said. 

The benefits can apply to both reroofing and new construction projects. Because the product installs similarly to conventional polyiso insulation, contractors do not need to learn a new installation process. “For anyone that would like to save time and money on their project, this is the product to be applied,” Aparna said. 

For architects and owners evaluating roofing systems, Aparna encouraged looking beyond material costs alone and considering broader project impacts. Labor savings, shorter timelines and reduced complexity can all influence overall project value. 

As roofing assemblies continue evolving to meet stricter energy requirements, products like ImpactR-7 demonstrate how innovation can affect more than a single performance metric shifting the conversation from insulation thickness to overall system efficiency. 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the full recording to learn more about ImpactR-7 and roofing system efficiency. 

By Jesse Sanchez. 

An upcoming RLW will help contractors make the right call when deciding whether to re-roof or recover an existing commercial roofing system. 

In an upcoming RLW, Making the Right Roofing Decision, September 23, 2026, at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET, Heidi J. Ellsworth meets with Jesse Sutton from Versico Roofing Systems and additional contractor guests to explore how contractors can determine whether re-covering an existing commercial roof or completing a full tear-off and re-roof is the best approach for a project.  

As more commercial roofs reach the end of their service lives, building owners are looking for solutions that balance cost, performance and disruption. The right answer is not always a complete tear-off. Contractors must evaluate the condition of the existing roof, moisture concerns, insulation and thermal requirements, local building codes and the owner’s long-term plans before recommending a solution. Understanding those factors can help contractors provide better options while setting realistic expectations for building owners. 

Versico Roofing Systems brings valuable system and product knowledge to this conversation. Jesse will discuss how solutions including FlexDASH®, VersiFleece® and RapidLock can support different project conditions. Attendees will learn what questions to ask during the roof evaluation process, including whether the existing roof is dry and suitable for recovery, whether the insulation meets thermal code requirements and whether local codes permit a recover installation. Jesse will also discuss how contractors can factor building ownership and maintenance goals into the decision and how they can clearly communicate the differences between re-roofing and recovering without focusing only on upfront cost. 

Contractors will leave with practical ways to apply these lessons to upcoming projects. From improving inspection and proposal processes to educating crews, project managers and customers, the discussion will help roofing professionals better identify opportunities for both recover and re-roof approaches.  

If you want to make more informed commercial roofing recommendations and better explain those options to your customers, this is an RLW you will not want to miss. 

Register for this RLW and learn how to evaluate re-roof and recover opportunities with greater confidence! 

By Emma Peterson. 

Behind the scenes of developing Versico’s innovative Temperature Sensing Gun. 

A couple months ago, Versico released a new product – their Temperature Sensing Gun (TSG). To learn more about this product and how it was developed, we interviewed Brian Calaman, Versico’s associate product manager. 

Identifying the need 

As is the first part of developing any new product, the Versico team began by identifying a need in the market. Brian gave some background on the issue that inspired them to create the TSG:  

Material temperature has always been an ongoing conversation with us and contractors, especially since the new regulations went into effect. A common issue we heard was that it takes a long time for material to heat (about 1 degree per hour), but it cools down very rapidly (up to 20 degrees in half an hour). 

Designing the Temperature Sensing Gun 

Once the issue was identified, it was time to start the design process, which brought a few unique challenges to the Versico team. One of them was the nature of urethane adhesives. Brian explained:  

Urethane adhesives have a moisture sensitive component that acts as a great hardener glue and sticks to everything. The issue was trying to design something that would keep those components moving in all the environments that our roofing contractors work in, from very cold environments to hot and humid ones. 

The design and engineering teams took this challenge and others in stride. Brian recalled, “We started at a spot of, ‘What’s possible?’ And from there our team came up with lots of options. Not all succeeded but the team kept narrowing things down and eventually found a way to push the envelope and build something that will really help contractors in the field.” 

Testing and prototyping 

The next step of the development process was to test and refine prototypes in order to create the best possible product. In this phase, Brian said the priorities were making sure the gun was as valuable to contractors as possible. He explained, “Most people look at a standard dispensing gun and it's a plastic, one use item. We were building this completely different version of that with electronics and lights and all these complicated components. And we wanted to make sure it added as much value to contractors as possible, so that it was durable and robust and performed without making it expensive.” 

So, how did Versico make sure their new product met all these goals? They put prototypes in the hands of the people who would know best – the contractors. Brian spoke about that part of development:  

We had contractors involved from the beginning. Our development period spanned multiple years with hundreds of different contractors getting out there and giving their feedback on different prototypes. We tested a couple thousand versions of the guns. And it was great to see what worked and what didn't. Some of our final tests were just handing the product to people and just watching how they use it, where they had trouble and so forth. 

The final product 

The result of all this work is an advanced, industrial grade two-component dispensing tool that “incorporates real time temperature sensing, actively measuring the adhesive temperature as it passes through the gun.” Not only does the TSG help contractors avoid waste by alerting them to adhesive temperature, it is 75% less trigger force compared to other two-component guns, reducing operator fatigue, and has a longer nozzle extension (three inches more than standard) that enables more accurate bead applications.  

Learn more about Versico’s Temperature Sensing Gun.

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Versico’s Advanced R vacuum-insulated panels help contractors achieve required R-values when rooftop conditions limit insulation thickness. 

As older commercial buildings approach the next reroofing cycle, contractors can face a difficult challenge: finding ways to meet current insulation requirements on rooftops that were not designed to accommodate additional thickness. In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Karen Edwards spoke with Tom Swope of Versico about how vacuum-insulated panels (VIPs) can provide high thermal performance in a thin profile. 

Tom explained that the panels feature a glass wool core wrapped in foil. Air is then removed from the foil enclosure to create a vacuum before it is sealed, helping the panels achieve significant thermal performance in a thin profile. Tom shared, “These panels are able to achieve pretty impressive numbers, anywhere from R40 all the way up to R66 per inch.” By comparison, Tom noted that standard polyisocyanurate insulation provides about R5.7 per inch. 

That difference can be especially important when reroofing buildings designed for lower insulation requirements. Tom explained that contractors may need to bring an older building up to current code even when the rooftop cannot easily accommodate additional insulation. Tom noted, “There's a lot of scenarios, especially in metropolitan areas, where there might be penthouse doors, windows, through-wall scuppers or through-wall penetrations.” Modifying those conditions can be costly, time-consuming or impractical. 

While VIPs can help address space limitations, they require careful handling during installation. Tom cautioned, “If it's pierced, either with a knife while cutting or nicked with a fastener, you lose about 80% of the R-value.” 

To protect the panel, Versico recommends sandwiching it between high-density polyisocyanurate coverboards. Tom explained, “What that does is protect the panel from shifts and movement as buildings expand and contract.” Because the panels cannot be cut, contractors must use standard insulation as infill around penetrations, curbs and roof edges. 

Careful planning is essential to maintaining the required overall R-value. Versico’s technical team creates project-specific drawings that show where panels and infill should be placed. Tom stated, “They lay it out like a puzzle.” The team may also recommend different panel sizes to minimize infill while helping the system meet the building’s insulation requirements. 

Contractors installing the system for the first time can coordinate with a Versico representative or local field service representative for job-site support. Tom advised, “It's a great idea to have them on the job site, especially if it's your crew's first time installing them.” He also confirmed that the Advanced R panel is included in the Versico system warranty. 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the conversation to learn more about Versico’s Advanced R vacuum-insulated panels, installation resources and contractor support! 

By Emma Peterson. 

Insights on the market trends, construction activity and opportunities driving today's commercial roofing landscape. 

In a new RoofersCoffeeShop® Coffee Conversations®, Megan Ellsworth sat down with a panel of experts from across the commercial roofing industry to discuss the current market state. 

Chad Burhrman, the VP of commercial roofing at SRS Distribution, opened the conversation with some of his current observations about the commercial roofing market, sharing, “To distill it down, I would say it’s healthy, but selective. And what I mean by that is some sectors are really strong, like re-roofing, but others are struggling more, like new construction.” 

This assessment, of an overall healthy market with some challenges facing it, was echoed by Vince Ellison, the president of the roof and paving consulting company Benchmark. In his own words, “I think there's reason for a lot of optimism, but there's also a little bit of tension as well... A lot of things seem to be on hold right now. We’ve followed up with a lot of clients, and they’ll tell us they’re waiting for something and are close but not quite there.”  

This concept of projects being on hold and the tension it is causing is something Dean Jagusch, owner and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Wagner Roofing Company has experienced firsthand. He described it, saying:  

The first quarter for us was really hard. We had a real winter out here in the mid-Atlantic and everything slowed down and was put on hold. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t work... On the reroofing side we’ve seen continued activity and resilience, especially around critical infrastructure like senior living, higher education, etc. 

Chad Schreppel, the national director of sales at Versico Roofing Systems, closed out the conversation with some thoughts about the industry's struggles over the past few years, adding some additional context. “The way I would describe the commercial roofing space, in 2026 and beyond, is resilient... The last ‘normal’ year in roofing was probably in 2019 before COVID,” he explained. “It can feel really overwhelming looking at things like the inflation rising due to the conflict in the Middle East and the transportation challenges we’re facing, but I always remind people, we’re resilient. Our market is resilient.”  

Listen to the whole Coffee Conversation or Watch the recording of it on YouTube to hear more from this expert panel!  

By The Coffee Shops™.  

Contractors can improve long-term roof performance by focusing on the entire roofing assembly rather than any single component. 

In a recent episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Megan Ellsworth sat down with David French of Versico to discuss what makes a roofing system truly durable. While membranes often receive the most attention, David emphasized that long-term performance depends on a much broader perspective. 

According to David, contractors and designers should begin by understanding what matters most to the building owner or stakeholder. “It's just really important to understand, whoever the decision maker is, what's important to them. Is it wind resistance, energy efficiency, puncture resistance, long-term durability or sustainability?” David said. Because every project has different priorities, product selection should be guided by those objectives rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. 

That system includes insulation, cover boards, fasteners, adhesives, air and vapor barriers, edge metals and installation methods. Each element contributes to how the roof performs throughout its service life. 

One area that deserves particular attention is the metal edge. David noted, “I think the number is somewhere around 70% of all roofing failures or wind generated failures on a roofing system start at the metal edge.” He later clarified that catastrophic failures are especially likely to originate there, making edge performance a critical design consideration. 

Because of that reality, David highlighted the importance of ensuring edge systems are incorporated into the overall protection strategy. He explained that warranty coverage should extend to those components, not just the membrane and insulation, because edge failure can have significant consequences during severe weather events. 

Ultimately, selecting a high-performing roof system means looking at every component of the roof and understanding how they work together. From the membrane to the perimeter, thoughtful design decisions help create assemblies that can better withstand decades of service. 

As contractors evaluate product options and performance requirements, the conversation naturally extends beyond design considerations to the role installation quality and innovation play in achieving those long-term goals. 

Listen to the full podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about high-performing roofing system design. 

By Jenny Yu.  

Learn how new approaches to tapered insulation and membrane technology are helping contractors work more efficiently. 

Building owners and roofing contractors face a variety of challenges when it comes to long-term roof performance and effective water management. During a recent conversation with The Coffee Shops™, Austin Kulp, senior product manager of membranes, and Tim Rood, tapered department manager for Versico Roofing Systems discussed how product innovation, education and labor-saving technologies are helping address some of the industry's biggest challenges. 

According to Austin, building owners are placing greater emphasis on roofing system quality and long-term asset protection. "One of the things we hear the most is: quality matters,” Austin said. “They want to ensure that the roofing system that they're putting down is going to perform to the expectations and protect their assets at the end of the day.” 

To meet these performance expectations, Versico developed tapered polyiso extended panels, an innovation designed to reduce the number of insulation layers required in traditional tapered systems. In a conventional 1/4-inch-per-foot tapered layout, contractors often install multiple layers of fill insulation beneath tapered panels as roof elevations increase. Extended panels increase the amount of taper built directly into the panel, allowing installers to use fewer fill layers while maintaining proper drainage design. 

"We created what's called an extended panel system, which offers more tapered and less fill," Tim explained. "If it's going down in adhesive, that's huge. Adhesive can be expensive, so if we can reduce the number of layers of glue, the amount of squares applied, you're going to win bids, and it's going to be a lot quicker to put down as well." 

Beyond insulation design, Versico is also focused on reducing risk and improving installation quality through membrane innovations, including 16-foot TPO with SeamShield, a factory-laminated protective film designed to keep TPO seam areas clean until contractors are ready to weld them. By combining wider 16-foot TPO sheets with SeamShield’s seam protection, the system helps reduce the number of seams while protecting them from jobsite contaminants such as dirt, oil transfer and adhesive overspray, improving weld consistency and reducing the potential for installation errors.  

"By going to a 16-foot-wide sheet, you can reduce your seams by up to 60% versus a 10-foot sheet. Less seams and less risk from water penetration,” Austin stated. “SeamShield gives peace of mind that that seam is properly addressed, because it's factory-cleaned prior to welding.” 

Both experts believe the future of roofing system design will continue to focus on labor savings, risk reduction and installation efficiency. "A lot of our innovations are aimed at minimizing the time it takes to install the entire roofing system," Austin said. "It's also directly tied into risk mitigation." 

For Tim, education is central to achieving those goals: "The more the contractor, the more the rep, the more the architect knows, the easier everyone's job is.” 

Learn more about the latest roofing innovations from Verisco Roofing Products!

By Emma Peterson. 

How commercial roof recycling programs benefit both contractors and the environment. 

In a new Read Listen Watch® (RLW) webinar, Heidi J. Ellsworth hosted Ashley Horner, Chris Kann and Richard Garrison for a conversation about the process of recycling commercial roofing materials. Richardis the vice president of operations at Nationwide Foam Recycling, a company focused on “finding recycling pathways for materials that are commonly not recycled.” He opened the webinar by explaining how they developed a recycling program for the roofing industry, sharing, “The Boston Globe called us up one day because we recycled Styrofoam cups, and they said, ‘We have all this Styrofoam insulation coming off our roof, can you recycle it?’ And we, of course, said yes and one thing led to the next and suddenly roofers were contacting us from all over the country. Today, we do jobs in all 50 states.” 

Part of what helped them grow their roofer-user base was partnerships with manufacturers like Versico Roofing Systems. Chris, a product manager at Versico for specialty systems and sustainability talked about this, saying, “We provide roofing systems for all over the U.S., and we were always looking for a partner that could help us with recycling. Keeping things out of landfills the right thing to do, but it also helps us reach our company's sustainability goals. And so, when we found Nationwide Foam Recycling, it was a natural partnership.” 

Today, Chris’ team at Versico not only connects contractors to Nationwide Foam Recycling, but they also offer rebate programs that encourage the use of the recycling program. The result? Contractors like Ashley, Morrison Roofing Company’s vice president, have incorporated recycling into their day-to-day operations. Ashley shared a bit about the experience of working with this program: 

It's been great. During the pre-construction phase, we send an initiate service form to Nationwide Foam Recycling. Then, as we start tearing off the old roof, our crews identify the recyclable polyiso insulation and the single-ply membrane right as it's being removed from the deck. We separate it cleanly on-site, load it straight into some designated pallets or rolls and then Nationwide Foam’s team comes and takes it away for us.  

By using this recycling program, Ashley’s team is able to feel good about diverting thousands of square feet of commercial roofing material from landfills, and they also are left with far less dumpster management. As Ashley put it, “Instead of having material hanging out of a dumpster, you have things neatly stacked so your jobsite stays cleaner. When it comes time for hauling debris away, you’re also paying less in landfill fees because you’re sending less.”  

A sense of pride in your work and removing waste from the landfill are just the beginning of the benefits for contractors participating in commercial roof recycling programs.  

To learn about more of the benefits, Listen to the whole podcast or Watch the recording!