Page 29 - CooperatorNews Chicagoland EXPO 2021

CHICAGO.COOPERATORNEWS.COM COOPERATORNEWS CHICAGOLAND — EXPO 2021 29 FULL SERVICE PLUMBING  Boiler repair and replacement  Sewer repair and installation  New construction and remodeling  Riser repair and replacement  Pump repair and installation  RPZ testing, repair and installation  Video camera inspections  Gas line repair and installation  Leak detection and repair  Building systems maintenance  Commercial design and build  Grease / triple basin cleaning  Sand basin cleaning  Kitchen / garage cleaning FULL SERVICE HVAC  Commercial HVAC installation and replacement  Building systems maintenance  Heating boiler repair and installation  Rooftop unit repair and installation  Make-up Air system repair and installation  Ventilation and exhaust system repair and installation  Humidification and dehumidification system repair and installation  Commercial design and build GENERAL CONSTRUCTION  Framing  Drywall repair and installation  Flooring installation  Painting  Cabinetry installation  Countertop installation  Design and build services  Tile installation WHO: We are a woman-owned general construction business serving Chicagoland since 2007. WHAT: We are premier professionals in the fields of plumbing, HVAC, and general construction. WHERE: We serve Chicago and surrounding suburbs. WHEN: We offer 24/7/365 Emergency Service to our clients! HOW: We hire, train, and retain only the most skilled and loyal technicians. Our work is guaranteed and bonded to meet your satisfaction. 10119 West Roosevelt Road Westchester, IL 60154 312.985.9400 office@bernaco.com www.bernaco.com GREEN MACHINE TOWING IS READY WHEN YOU NEED US! The Professional Choice since 1962 COMMITTED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE Your satisfaction is our primary concern and we go beyond the call to exceed it each time! 630-305-0533 Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year greenmachinetowing.com • Flatbed Towing • Jump Starts • Lockout Service • Tire Changes • Roadside Assistance • Rollback Service • Wheel Lift Service • Motorcycle Towing • Bobcat Towing • Forklift Towing • Storage Facilities • Long Distance Towing • Relocation Services • We Buy Junk Cars American Hydrotech, Inc., headquar- tered in Chicago, is a leading supplier of or down the line. Alimonti recommends materials for all types of green and other starting the process of evaluating the fea- efficient roofing systems, including those sibility and design of any roof project by on residential buildings in and around hiring a professional architect, who will the city, as well as in other metros like bring in structural, mechanical, electrical, New York and Boston. Garden Roof & plumbing, or other engineers, as well as a Blue Roof Department Manager Rich- ard Hayden tells CooperatorNews that the of the design to obtain tax credits or incen- benefits of these types of installations are tives. many and varied. “First of all,” he says, “the insulating materials keep the building tural elements are determined, green roof dry. That’s the most important thing. From plans can be expanded to include solar there, you have everything from stormwa- ter runoff management to habitat forma- tion to urban farming to increased build- ing value. These are amenities that people “This electricity can then be used by the like to have.” Installations can be scaled for all differ- ent types and locations of properties, says for consumption by others. Solar panels Hayden, depending on what a building or are a great way for a building to create its community wants from its green roof. “The own electricity and help reduce the electri- technologies and applications continue to cal loads.” evolve,” he says. “You can have just a layer of low-soil plantings, or an entire rooftop bine green and solar technologies. Green park, with pavement and decking and fur- niture.” With costs for such projects also ing with cities nationwide, has created widely ranging, a board might also want to consider how much return on investment the project will produce. In the United States, green roof costs—including everything from waterproofing to plants—tend to range from $18 to $25 per square foot, peal, health benefits through greenery, a depending on how intensive the system sustainable food source, solar power, com- is. The initial capital and ongoing main- tenance costs of a green roof are typically modity. Energy collected through the solar offset by long-term cost savings that come panels can be used in the building or sold from reduced roof maintenance and re- placement needs and lower utility bills. the greenhouse can also be distributed or Other benefits like property value and res- ident quality of life are harder to quantify community. but equally significant. What about Solar? Adding photovoltaic panels to any green which the climate crisis must be addressed roof project is a way to enhance the ROI and the impact that buildings specifically and a building’s efficiency. With lighter, have on the disaster, elevating a conven- more efficient, and less expensive modules tional roof to one that is green—by any hitting the market (see “New Green Tech of the foregoing definitions—can be a for the Multifamily Sector” also in this is- sue), bringing solar to an urban high-rise any community—one that also provides is no longer cost-prohibitive. And in some benefits to residents and the surrounding cities, like New York, all new buildings and neighborhood. Any other roof is just … a any undergoing extensive roof renovation roof. or replacement must include some kind of green component or solar array or both, per Local Laws 92 and 94. In any roof project, determining the load tolerance is the first step to deciding what is possible on a particular surface. If a roof is 15 years old or more, say ex- perts, it might be time to replace the roof anyway, allowing for more options when it comes time to “green”—whether that’s in conjunction with the roof replacement code consultant to determine applicability Once the load capacity and other struc- energy production. “Solar panels are de- signed to absorb the sun’s rays and trans- form them into electricity,” says Alimonti. building, stored in batteries for later use, and/or it can be sent to the electrical grid There are even applications that com- Rain Solar, based in Nevada and partner- next-generation so- lar greenhouses, designed and devel- oped by architect Anthony Morali for use on urban roof- tops. Using custom- ized red greenhouse glass and seamless solar panels, says the company, these rooftop additions provide aesthetic ap- munity space, and perhaps even a com- to a utility provider; vegetation grown in sold within the building or to the broader Raise the Roof Given the scale and immediacy with cost-effective and practical solution for n Darcey Gerstein is Associate Editor and Staff Writer for CooperatorNews. “In areas with more cooling degree days, a cool roof is a no- brainer.” —American Home Contractors See us at Booth 222 See us at Booth 813