A hand tool for placing a single insulation plate at one time atop an insulation board or a vapor barrier or membrane on a flat or low slope roof. The hand tool has a flexible member that carries a releasable connector having a grip strength that releasably retains one insulation plate. The flexible member flexes between a neutral first position and a flexed second position. When the flexible member is flexed towards the second position, the releasable connector releases the insulation plate to place the insulation plate in a desired location atop the insulation board or vapor barrier on the flat or low slope roof.

A horizontal roof deck assembly has a ribbed steel roof deck sufficiently strong to withstand specified gravity, uplift, and shear loads. Rigid substrate boards are positioned adjacent one another above the deck, defining end and side joints. End joints are parallel to and above a corresponding upper rib of the roof deck and are secured to the upper rib by compression disk fasteners spaced along the end joint. The side joints can be tongue and groove joints. Additional fasteners attach the substrate boards to the roof deck along the side joints, for wind uplift resistance, and for thermal movement resistance.

A roof edging system that includes a base anchor, a fascia cover, and a compression system that is used to provide compression thereby, allowing the fascia cover to snap into place on the base anchor.

A polyisocyanurate foam insulation product is produced from an isocyanate component and a polyol-containing component including a blowing agent. The polyol-containing component comprises one or more polyols, a fire retardant, and a hydroxyl-containing low-molecular-weight additive effective to increase the R-value per inch of the insulation product as measured at 40 F., as compared with an otherwise-identical formulation lacking the hydroxyl-containing low-molecular-weight additive. The polyisocyanurate foam insulation product may have an R-value per inch of at least 6.0 when measured at 40 F. and may have an R-value per inch of at least 5.5 when measured at 25 F. Suitable hydroxyl-containing low-molecular-weight additives may include triethanolamine, trimethylolpropane, N-methyldiethanolamine, 1,4 butanediol, or another suitable multi-functional alcohol or combination of multi-functional alcohols.

A polyisocyanurate foam insulation product is produced from an isocyanate component, a polyol-containing component, and a blowing agent. The polyol-containing component includes a first polyol and a second polyol, a fire retardant, and one or more surfactants, wherein the first polyol and the second polyol have different hydroxyl numbers, or have different functionalities, or differ in both hydroxyl number and functionality. In some formulations, the polylol-containing component may include a fire retardant, a metallo-organinc compound, or combinations thereof. The cell size of the foam may be less than 120 microns. The polyol-containing component may include a mixture of polyols having different functionalities.

A polyisocyanurate foam insulation product includes polyisocyanurate foam produced from reacting an isocyanate and a polyol blend having a functionality of at least 2.2. The isocyanate and the polyol blend are reacted so that the polyisocyanurate foam has an isocyanate index equivalent with or greater than 300. The polyisocyanurate foam includes a fire retardant and includes between 0.02 and 0.45 weight percent of a zinc salt compound. The foam insulation board exhibits a flame spread of no greater than 25 and a smoke index of no greater than 50 when exposed to flame conditions in accordance with an ASTM E-84 test.

A polyisocyanurate foam insulation product includes polyisocyanurate foam produced from reacting an isocyanate and a polyol blend having a functionality of at least 2.2. The isocyanate and the polyol blend are reacted so that the polyisocyanurate foam has an isocyanate index equivalent with or greater than 300. The polyisocyanurate foam includes a fire retardant and includes between 0.02 and 0.45 weight percent of a zinc salt compound. The foam insulation board exhibits a flame spread of no greater than 25 and a smoke index of no greater than 50 when exposed to flame conditions in accordance with an ASTM E-84 test.

Construction panels and other materials, methods for their manufacture, and systems and methods for monitoring environmental conditions with such panels are provided herein. The panels include a core having a first surface and an opposed second surface, and an environmental sensor assembly associated with the panel and configured to detect an environmental condition of the panel and wirelessly communicate data on the environmental condition to a reader.

Gypsum panels, methods for their manufacture, and systems and methods for monitoring environmental conditions with such panels are provided herein. The panels include a gypsum core having a first surface and an opposed second surface, a first facer material associated with the first surface of the gypsum core, and an environmental sensor assembly associated with the gypsum panel and configured to detect an environmental condition of the gypsum panel and wirelessly communicate data on the environmental condition to a reader.

A polyisocyanurate foam insulation product is produced from an isocyanate component, a polyol-containing component, and a blowing agent. The polyol-containing component comprises one or more polyols, a fire retardant, and one or more surfactants, and the polyisocyanurate foam insulation product has an R-value per inch of at least 5.7 when measured at 40 F. In some formulations, the polylol-containing component may include a fire retardant, a metallo-organic compound, or combinations thereof. The cell size of the foam may be less than 120 microns. The polyol-containing component may include a mixture of polyols having different functionalities.