RICOWI Celebrates 25 Years in Research and Education

The Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues, Inc. (RICOWI) announced it will commemorate its 25th Anniversary at the fall meeting October 9 – 10, 2014 in Norman OK. Past and present colleagues are invited to join RICOWI members in celebrating this occasion. A dinner will be held to celebrate the growth and success RICOWI has experienced during the last 25 years.

Improvement of weather related roofing issues through better industry communication was identified as a major need at the "Roof Wind Uplift Testing Workshop" held in 1989. RICOWI was formed to address this issue as a result of the workshop. Oak Ridge National Laboratory served as the original Banner Organization for RICOWI providing knowledge and support to the new organization. RICOWI is now a unique collaboration of the major roofing associations and members of academia, educational and testing facilities and others involved in the science of roofing. RICOWI's mandate is to identify and address important technical roofing issues related to energy, durability, hail and wind.

During the last twenty-five years, RICOWI developed two powerful programs: the Wind Investigation Program (WIP) and the Hail Investigation Program (HIP). Through these programs, RICOWI deploys teams of industry volunteers to research major hailstorms and hurricanes. WIP teams were deployed to investigate the damage left in the wakes of Hurricanes Charley, Ivan, Katrina and Ike. HIP teams investigated major hailstorm damage in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Oklahoma City areas. The RICOWI teams obtained the best observational data available on the destructive force of hail and winds on roofs and how products resist those forces. Reports on these unbiased investigations are available at no charge on www.ricowi.com. In addition to the Hail and Wind Investigation Committees, RICOWI has grown to include active committees involved in addressing the following roofing issues: Building Codes, Underlayment, Moisture Control/Green and Best Practices.

RICOWI's annual fall education seminar will precede the celebration dinner on Thursday October 9, 2014 at the Embassy Suites in Norman, OK. A tour of the National Weather Bureau is included on the seminar agenda. Attendees of the seminar will receive 5.0 CEHs from RCI, Inc. for successful completion of the seminar. Committee Meetings and a General Membership Meeting are scheduled for Friday October 10, 2014 at the Embassy Suites.

Information on membership, seminar, meetings and the 25th Anniversary Dinner is available online at www.ricowi.com or contact Executive Director Joan Cook at: jcook@ricowi.com.

Photo reprinted from Oak Ridge National Laboratory Library copy.

Download PDF