When I first got involved in the roofing industry in the 1980s, one of the most important events for researchers like myself was a series of technical conferences co-sponsored by the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Every other year from the early 1970s through the late 1990s, NRCA and NIST successfully hosted both national and international versions of these conferences, bringing together the best researchers to discuss critical technical issues, which helped advance and improve the entire industry.
Now, the Roof Coating Manufacturers Association (RCMA) is doing the same to advance roofing research.