Burns & Scalo Roofing Company Inc.

Burns & Scalo Roofing Company Inc. (B&S) has been providing quality roofing solutions and maintenance options to customers throughout the Mid-Atlantic since 1956. These days, the company uses state-of-the-art products and specially developed technique to provide the most cost-effective, long-lasting and sustainable options to customers, options that go beyond simply analyzing the effectiveness of a roof as a singular solution to keep water out of a building.

For over 55 years, B&S has prided itself on keeping pace with roofing technology developments and today offers some of the most advanced moisture protection products on the market, as well as myriad other services that live up to the motto, “Nobody keeps the weather out and energy in like Burns & Scalo.”

John “Jack” Scalo, president of B&S, explains, “We’re becoming more than just a roofing contractor. In our six-sided approach we look at the roofing, of course, but we also look for ways to improve the energy and weatherproof capabilities for all six sides of the building, giving us single-source responsibility for improving the building’s envelope.”

The B&S six-sided building envelope services include the installation of sun shades, vegetative wall panels, air barriers, metal wall panels, skylights and waterproofing services. The main focus of these systems is to improve a building’s energy efficiency through better insulation, decreasing energy consumption through the use of natural sunlight, and reducing carbon footprint through the use of partially recycled materials.

The company currently operates out of a main headquarters in Pittsburgh, Penn., but also has locations in North Carolina and Ohio. According to Scalo, “The decision to expand into the Raleigh area in 1999 was mostly motivated by the fact that the business [there] could be fully operational all 12 months of the year, and not so seasonal like our Ohio and Pittsburgh locations.”

Though B&S began as a residential roofer, the firm now does most of its business for commercial and industrial clients, operating in only a small residential sector in the Pittsburgh area, providing the solutions that are more challenging for the average contractor. “We do the more complex residential projects in Pittsburgh,” says Scalo. “Things like difficult, steep, chopped up, slate, or cedar tile roofing.”

B&S looks for networking opportunities, continuing education possibilities, industry representation and safety reinforce through affiliations with the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), Roofing Contractors Association of Western Pennsylvania (RCAWP), Ohio Roofing Contractors Association, Carolina Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association, Better Business Bureau, Builders Exchange, Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA), GAF Master Elite Contractor, Green Building Alliance of Pittsburgh (GBA) and Green Roofs for Healthier Cities (GRP-certified). The firm is also a member of RoofConnect, a national network of preferred roofing contractors, and Scalo is an active RoofConnect board member. “We have been a member since 2003, and it has really become an extension of our sales force for national accounts,” states Scalo.

Stellar Solar Solutions

B&S has long had a reputation for providing excellence in traditional roofing, installing 2.5 million square feet of flat commercial roofing each year, and handling both new construction and retrofitting. This is done through comprehensive CAD drawing and estimating services. The company is one of only four Carlisle roof applicators nationwide that have over 1,500 “Perfect 10” roof installations, and has been recognized as a Firestone Master Contractor for over 12 years through its exceptional inspection ratings. B&S retains a staff of highly qualified and experienced estimators and sales personnel, and offers dedicated 24/7 emergency response service 365 days a year. The company is also known for its waterproofing/damp-proofing services for foundations, floors, terraces and plaza decks, as well as its metal wall panels to add to the aesthetics of a building’s envelope. The company’s activities have garnered it awards from numerous local, regional and national associations.

In recent years, however, B&S has grown its sustainable division significantly and now operates a solar energy division under the name Scalo Solar Solutions. The company offers both commercial solar solutions.

“With over 80 percent of solar installed on roofs, the leap into solar is a natural stride for us,” says Scalo. The roofing experience allows Burns & Scalo to safely and efficiently install roof-based solar technology, while ensuring roof integrity. “It is important to have a company experienced in roofing handle solar projects,” says Scalo. “Not having the correct roof system can cause leaks and void warranties.”

One of the firm’s first green roofing projects was actually not motivated by the desire to craft a more sustainable and energy-efficient building. In 2001 the H.J. Heinz Company relocated its corporate headquarters to the historic Gimbel’s Department Store building in downtown Pittsburgh. The vegetative roofing system was the first in the downtown Pittsburgh area, but was originally installed to improve the company’s views from the uppermost offices in the building. Since its installation, however, the 57 Heinz center green roof has become an example of the advantages of a vegetative roofing system in an urban setting, as it has provides usable space, improves storm water management, improves air quality, reduces heat islands, reduces interior noise, and can increase property value.

The most recent green project for B&S is being handled by Scalo Solar Solutions, which received state funding to develop an alternative energy demonstration center. The project, known as the Sunscape Demonstration Project, was approved by the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority and will involve the installation of several different energy systems for research.

The Sunscape project is “a Star Wars version of a sustainable roof,” laughs Scalo. Joking aside, the project combines three solar technologies and two vegetative roofs to measure the effectiveness of the different technologies. “The technologies will be closely monitored to determine whether or not solar technology is more efficient when combined with vegetative roofing systems,” explains Scalo. For this project, the firm will work closely with educational institutions and non-profit organizations, including the Green Building Alliance, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), Three Rivers Clean Energy, and the Center for Roofing Innovation..

Ultimately, Scalo hopes to grow the company into a leader in the solar industry. “I would like to see the company really become a solar developer; to show our clients how to make financing work. Maybe one day we will become a solar energy provider, as a solar power plant,” asserts Scalo. With large-scale solar projects in the works, and a host of traditional services as its base, Burns & Scalo Roofing Company Inc. has developed a watertight vehicle for continues success.
Burns & Scalo Roofing Company Inc. (B&S) has been providing quality roofing solutions and maintenance options to customers throughout the Mid-Atlantic since 1956. These days, the company uses state-of-the-art products and specially developed technique to provide the most cost-effective, long-lasting and sustainable options to customers, options that go beyond simply analyzing the effectiveness of a roof as a singular solution to keep water out of a building.

For over 55 years, B&S has prided itself on keeping pace with roofing technology developments and today offers some of the most advanced moisture protection products on the market, as well as myriad other services that live up to the motto, “Nobody keeps the weather out and energy in like Burns & Scalo.”

John “Jack” Scalo, president of B&S, explains, “We’re becoming more than just a roofing contractor. In our six-sided approach we look at the roofing, of course, but we also look for ways to improve the energy and weatherproof capabilities for all six sides of the building, giving us single-source responsibility for improving the building’s envelope.”

The B&S six-sided building envelope services include the installation of sun shades, vegetative wall panels, air barriers, metal wall panels, skylights and waterproofing services. The main focus of these systems is to improve a building’s energy efficiency through better insulation, decreasing energy consumption through the use of natural sunlight, and reducing carbon footprint through the use of partially recycled materials.

The company currently operates out of a main headquarters in Pittsburgh, Penn., but also has locations in North Carolina and Ohio. According to Scalo, “The decision to expand into the Raleigh area in 1999 was mostly motivated by the fact that the business [there] could be fully operational all 12 months of the year, and not so seasonal like our Ohio and Pittsburgh locations.”

Though B&S began as a residential roofer, the firm now does most of its business for commercial and industrial clients, operating in only a small residential sector in the Pittsburgh area, providing the solutions that are more challenging for the average contractor. “We do the more complex residential projects in Pittsburgh,” says Scalo. “Things like difficult, steep, chopped up, slate, or cedar tile roofing.”

B&S looks for networking opportunities, continuing education possibilities, industry representation and safety reinforce through affiliations with the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), Roofing Contractors Association of Western Pennsylvania (RCAWP), Ohio Roofing Contractors Association, Carolina Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association, Better Business Bureau, Builders Exchange, Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA), GAF Master Elite Contractor, Green Building Alliance of Pittsburgh (GBA) and Green Roofs for Healthier Cities (GRP-certified). The firm is also a member of RoofConnect, a national network of preferred roofing contractors, and Scalo is an active RoofConnect board member. “We have been a member since 2003, and it has really become an extension of our sales force for national accounts,” states Scalo.

Stellar Solar Solutions

B&S has long had a reputation for providing excellence in traditional roofing, installing 2.5 million square feet of flat commercial roofing each year, and handling both new construction and retrofitting. This is done through comprehensive CAD drawing and estimating services. The company is one of only four Carlisle roof applicators nationwide that have over 1,500 “Perfect 10” roof installations, and has been recognized as a Firestone Master Contractor for over 12 years through its exceptional inspection ratings. B&S retains a staff of highly qualified and experienced estimators and sales personnel, and offers dedicated 24/7 emergency response service 365 days a year. The company is also known for its waterproofing/damp-proofing services for foundations, floors, terraces and plaza decks, as well as its metal wall panels to add to the aesthetics of a building’s envelope. The company’s activities have garnered it awards from numerous local, regional and national associations.

In recent years, however, B&S has grown its sustainable division significantly and now operates a solar energy division under the name Scalo Solar Solutions. The company offers both commercial solar solutions.

“With over 80 percent of solar installed on roofs, the leap into solar is a natural stride for us,” says Scalo. The roofing experience allows Burns & Scalo to safely and efficiently install roof-based solar technology, while ensuring roof integrity. “It is important to have a company experienced in roofing handle solar projects,” says Scalo. “Not having the correct roof system can cause leaks and void warranties.”

One of the firm’s first green roofing projects was actually not motivated by the desire to craft a more sustainable and energy-efficient building. In 2001 the H.J. Heinz Company relocated its corporate headquarters to the historic Gimbel’s Department Store building in downtown Pittsburgh. The vegetative roofing system was the first in the downtown Pittsburgh area, but was originally installed to improve the company’s views from the uppermost offices in the building. Since its installation, however, the 57 Heinz center green roof has become an example of the advantages of a vegetative roofing system in an urban setting, as it has provides usable space, improves storm water management, improves air quality, reduces heat islands, reduces interior noise, and can increase property value.

The most recent green project for B&S is being handled by Scalo Solar Solutions, which received state funding to develop an alternative energy demonstration center. The project, known as the Sunscape Demonstration Project, was approved by the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority and will involve the installation of several different energy systems for research.

The Sunscape project is “a Star Wars version of a sustainable roof,” laughs Scalo. Joking aside, the project combines three solar technologies and two vegetative roofs to measure the effectiveness of the different technologies. “The technologies will be closely monitored to determine whether or not solar technology is more efficient when combined with vegetative roofing systems,” explains Scalo. For this project, the firm will work closely with educational institutions and non-profit organizations, including the Green Building Alliance, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), Three Rivers Clean Energy, and the Center for Roofing Innovation..

Ultimately, Scalo hopes to grow the company into a leader in the solar industry. “I would like to see the company really become a solar developer; to show our clients how to make financing work. Maybe one day we will become a solar energy provider, as a solar power plant,” asserts Scalo. With large-scale solar projects in the works, and a host of traditional services as its base, Burns & Scalo Roofing Company Inc. has developed a watertight vehicle for continues success.