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Tag Archive: green roofing

  1. Celebrating Earth Day with a Green Roof and Knickerbocker

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    With Earth Day 2013 here, we thought it is the perfect time to dive deeper into climate change and the real value of green roofs. In case you are not aware, each April 22nd more than a billion people across the globe take part in Earth Day. It is an opportunity for everyone to acknowledge how special our planet is and how much we need to keep it happy and healthy.

    One way you can help start the healing process is with the installation of a green roof. A green roof is what it sounds like: a roof that is covered with living (usually green) flora and fauna. The greenery is planted over a waterproof membrane that protects the interior of the building. Beyond aesthetic beauty, green roofs also offer up a number of other benefits including:

    • Storm water management
    • Filtering of water into storm systems
    • Moderation of the urban heat island effect
    • Improved air quality
    • Fire retardation
    • Noise reduction

    As you might expect, installing and properly maintaining a proper green roof is a challenge. Because of the risk of water leakage, constant and thorough inspection is necessary. One way that Knickerbocker helps maintain your green roof is by installing EVFM or Electronic Field Vector Mapping. This added system can alert building owners about critical leaks in the membrane before they become a major issue, and a leak is located without digging up large areas of your greenery. By installing EVFM, Knickerbocker saves green roof owners time, money, and the frustration of trying to find a needle in a haystack. We also offer a full system warranty that includes the greenery along with the roofing materials and EVFM.

    This April 22nd, join Knickerbocker Roof and take some time out to salute Earth and make the effort to think of ways you can help make the world a better place for all of us to live and thrive—starting with your roof.

  2. Setting High Standards for Over 125 Years

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    1886 was certainly a busy year. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York. The Hall-Heroult process for refining aluminum was created. Germany’s Karl Benz received a patent for the first gasoline-powered automobile. Most importantly, in our eyes at least, Knickerbocker Roofing and Paving was established.

    As our name implies, we were built from the top down—more specifically, we placed our focus on roofing. Roofing was a simpler process than it is today. But as long-distance transportation and heavy industry began seriously cranking at the turn of the twentieth century, we also made a name for ourselves serving the railroad boom. Our main responsibility was to install roofing for train stations. Since then, we have seen industry and roofing grow and expand in application and complexity – and we have done much the same.

    At the present time, we are under our fifth generation of ownership – yes, the same family that started the business with the paving of Michigan Ave – and we have shifted our focus to five main areas: flat roofing, slate/tile steep roofing, green roofing, architectural sheet metal (which has been a part of our business for 40 years), and service/maintenance (our service department maintains, repairs, and upgrades most roofing systems). Although our focus is still on the installation and maintenance of roofing systems, we have adapted to the times and changes of the industry. Here’s to believing we’ll be masters in roofing in another 125 years.

    Don’t worry, though, you won’t have to wait 125 years for our next blog post! Check back on a monthly basis for more company and industry news. Until then, feel free to visit us at our website.