SA Roofing Jan-Feb 2019 // Issue 107 | Page 22

FEATURES Ahead of the curve SA Roofing kicks off the new year by looking at the latest trends projected to reshape the roofing and construction industries. By Candace Sofianos King The award winning Cheré Botha School in the Western Cape makes use of a unique building design element in the form of exposed timber roof trusses – a rising trend in roofing. A midst a rocky global economic and political landscape – which has affected the overall construction industry – the roofing sector has turned towards trend and innovation for answers and a positive outlook for 2019 and beyond. While we advocate for change, built industry professionals must keep an eye on remaining relevant and offering valuable services in an evolving world, says Larry 20 JAN - FEB 2019 CLADDING // CONCRETE // INSULATION // STEEL // THATCH // TIMBER // TRANSLUCENT // WATERPROOFING // COMPONENTS Feinberg, executive director of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS). Feinberg points out that the built industry has witnessed product, process and role changes in recent months. “Self-healing concrete, air-cleaning materials, transparent wood and graphene are just some of the innovative products that are rapidly moving from being labelled alternative building materials to more mainstream. While South Africa has not yet adopted many of these materials, construction professionals should not wait for someone else to be the first to learn how to work with these materials,” Feinberg urges. “Similarly, new techniques in the construction process like additive manufacturing – for example the 3D printing of buildings – also need to be www.saroofing.co.za