Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure is a siding panel having a front face, a rear face, a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side, and a second side, the top edge being folded over to create two layers of material. The siding panel further includes a first locking mechanism disposed on the front face adjacent the top edge configured to interlock with a second locking mechanism of a second siding panel, the first locking mechanism having a generally S-shaped portion. The siding panel also includes a second locking mechanism disposed on the rear face of the siding panel having a generally U-shaped portion including a curved section, and the second locking mechanism being configured to interlock with a first locking mechanism of a third siding panel. The first locking mechanism and the second locking mechanism facilitate both locking and unlocking of the siding panel from the third siding panel.

Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure is a method of packaging a plurality siding panels. The method includes providing a plurality of siding panels, each siding panel having a front face, a rear face, top edge, a bottom edge, and a support member secured to the rear face, placing a first siding panel vertically within a box, the box having a first side, a second side, a top side, and a bottom side, and placing a second siding panel vertically within the box next to the first siding panel.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to evaluating the surfaces of a building. The present disclosure relates more particularly to a method of characterizing a surface texture of a building surface. The method includes illuminating a first area of the building surface from a single direction and capturing an image of the first area using a camera while the first area is illuminated. The first image includes a first group of digital pixel values. The method further includes calculating a first set of values that characterize a first surface texture of the first area based on a first group of digital pixel values of the image, and comparing the first set of values to a second set of values that characterize a second surface texture, so as to produce a comparator value.

Abstract: A photovoltaic module includes an encapsulated photovoltaic element and an infrared-transmissive decorative overlay simulating conventional roofing.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to an insulation-retaining sheet, e.g., for blown-in insulation, that includes an integral vapor-retarding membrane. In one aspect, the disclosure provides an insulation-retaining sheet including a sheet of mesh having an air permeability of at least 200 cfm per square foot; and one or more strips of vapor-retarding membrane, the one or more strips of vapor-retarding membrane being laminated to the sheet of mesh, the first side edge each of the strips of vapor-retarding membrane extending to the first side edge of the sheet of mesh, the second side edge each of the strips of vapor-retarding membrane extending to the second side edge of the sheet of mesh, wherein the insulation-retaining sheet has a plurality of open zones extending laterally from the first side edge of the sheet of mesh to the second side edge of the sheet of mesh in which no vapor-retarding membrane is laminated to the mesh.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are plaster boards that include first and second layers of hardened plaster material, a liner attached to the first layer of hardened plaster material, and a first material (e.g., a polymer material such as a viscoelastic polymer) adhered between the liner and the second layer of hardened plaster material. The liner includes one or more structurally weakened regions each extending substantially from a first edge to a second opposing edge of the plaster board. The structurally weakened regions of the liner may facilitate creation of a fissure that propagates substantially within a plane within the plaster board. Methods for making the plaster boards may involve drying wet plaster material while it is in contact with a liner having structurally weakened regions, processing a liner to form its structurally weakened regions while in contact with wet plaster material, or processing a liner to form its structurally weakened regions while in contact with hardened plaster material.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to insulated building structures. In one aspect of the disclosure, an insulated building structure includes a longitudinally-extending cavity bound by a first lateral surface, a second lateral surface, a back surface and a front surface, the cavity having a cross-sectional area in a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the cavity; one or more shelves extending into the cavity, each having an occluded area in the plane that is less than the cross-sectional area of the cavity; and loose-fill insulation disposed in the cavity, loose-fill insulation being positioned above and below each of the shelves.

Abstract: An example plasterboard includes a layer of hardened plaster having a first surface and an opposed second surface, a layer of polymer material having particles of one or more cementitiously-active substances mixed therein, and a liner between the first surface of the layer of hardened plaster and the layer of polymer material. Another example is a method of forming such a plasterboard. The method includes loading an extruder with the polymer material having the particles of one or more cementitiously active substances mixed therein, extruding the polymer material through a die to form the layer of polymer material on a surface of the liner, contacting with a layer of wet plaster material, the liner having the polymer material applied thereon such that the surface of the liner faces away from the wet plaster material, and drying the layer of wet plaster material to form the layer of hardened plaster.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to support members for ceiling systems, such as those that can be formed into an interconnected grid to be suspended from a ceiling and support ceiling tiles. One aspect of the disclosure is a linearly-extending support member for a ceiling tile.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to plaster wall panels, for example, suitable for covering interior wall frames. The present disclosure relates more particularly to a plaster wall panel including a first plaster layer, a second plaster layer, and a damping layer disposed between the first and second plaster layers. The first plaster layer has a first thickness and is composed of a first plaster material that has a first material property. The second plaster layer has a second thickness and is composed of a second plaster material that has a second material property. The first thickness is smaller than the second thickness, and the first and second material properties are different.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates particularly to photovoltaic roofing systems for use in photovoltaically generating electrical energy, specifically, the use of bottom flashings in such systems. Methods for installing such systems and replacing non-photovoltaic roofing elements in such systems are also described.

Abstract: A method of forming an asphalt mixture includes mixing a polyol with a bio-source material to form a bio-asphalt. The method can further include mixing the bio-asphalt with a bitumen source different from the bio-asphalt to form an asphalt mixture. The bio-source material can include an oil, such as a vegetable oil, an animal fat, or any combination thereof. The bitumen source can include a petroleum-based asphalt. The method can further include adding a modifier, such as a fatty acid, a polycarboxylic acid, a polyacrylic acid, a polyacrylate comprising a copolymer, or any combination thereof. Moreover, a roofing grade asphalt mixture includes a bio-asphalt. The bio-asphalt includes an alkyd, wherein the alkyd is a reaction product of a polyol and a bio-source material. The roofing grade asphalt mixture further includes a bitumen source material and particles.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to roofing granules, such as colored solar-reflective roofing granules, and to methods for making and their use in roofing products. One aspect of the disclosure provides a collection of colored solar-reflective roofing granules, wherein substantially each roofing granule includes an inner layer of a porous ceramic material, the pore size and material of the inner layer being selected such that the inner layer is substantially reflective of infrared radiation; and disposed about and substantially surrounding the inner layer, an outer layer of a substantially colored ceramic material, the outer layer of substantially colored ceramic material being substantially transmissive to infrared radiation, the collection of colored solar-reflective roofing granules having a L* of no more than 60 and a solar reflectivity of at least 30%.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for determining the density of insulation. For example, one aspect of the disclosure is a device that includes a first unit that includes a sound generator and a second unit that includes a sound sensor and a probe. The probe is configured to be inserted into insulation such that the sound sensor is outside of the insulation and is configured to detect sound that is generated by the sound generator outside of the insulation and transmitted through the insulation and the probe to the sound sensor. The device also includes a control system configured to cause the sound generator to generate the sound and to use the sound detected by the sound sensor to generate output that represents the density of the insulation.

Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure is a siding system including a first panel having a first end and a second end, where the second end of the first panel includes a locking clip, and where the second end of the first panel forms a first portion of a channel. The siding system also includes a second panel having a first end and a second end, where the first end of the second panel includes a locking leg sized to engage the locking clip of the first panel, and where the first end of the second panel forms a second portion of the channel when the first panel and the second panel are engaged. The system also includes a batten sized to be removably engaged within the channel.

Abstract: A roofing shingle including a lower layer including a headlap and a plurality of tabs extending from the headlap, and an upper layer including one or more fingers, wherein the one or more fingers are disconnected from one another, and wherein each of the one or more fingers is disposed on one tab of the plurality of tabs, wherein a number of the plurality of tabs is different than a number of the one or more fingers. In an embodiment, the lower layer is a lowermost layer of the roofing shingle. In another embodiment, the roofing shingle further includes an alignment feature disposed in an exposure zone of the roofing shingle, wherein the alignment features is adapted to permit alignment of adjacent roofing shingles during installation on a roof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a building board construction that provides enhanced acoustical properties. In one possible embodiment, the board is a gypsum board with opposing facing sheets and an intermediate set gypsum core. An opened celled polymeric sheet is formed within the gypsum core and gives the resulting board enhanced sound absorption. In an alternative embodiment, individual pieces of polymeric foam are used in stead of the polymeric sheet. Also disclosed are various manufacturing methods whereby boards with enhanced acoustical properties can be formed in an continuous process. The various components of the present disclosure, and the manner in which they interrelate, are described in greater detail hereinafter.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to lighting elements, for example, suitable for use illuminating a ceiling. The present disclosure relates more particularly to an illuminated acoustic ceiling element including an acoustic substrate having an upper face and a lower face, an air permeable layer disposed under the lower face of the acoustic substrate and spaced from the acoustic substrate, and a light source supported by the acoustic substrate and configured to emit light through the air permeable layer.