By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how Woodchuck AI is helping contractors turn construction waste, like lumber products, into savings and renewable energy. 

In a new episode of Contractor Outlook™ sponsored by SRS Distribution Inc., Heidi J. Ellsworth talks with Todd Thomas about how his company, Woodchuck AI, is helping contractors manage job site waste more efficiently. This is now the third year that Woodchuck has been operating. Their story starts back in Michigan with North Star Clean Energy, the state public utility renewable energy branch. Todd recalled, “North Star Clean Energy does solar farms, wind farms and bioenergy (burning biomass to generate electricity) facilities in the state of Michigan. And their goal is to get the state off petroleum products, which requires finding a large source of energy.” 

Looking at this issue, Todd and his team turned their gaze to what’s going to waste in our landfills and if there was a solution there. What they found was that in a single year, “the United States sent forty-two million tons of wood waste from construction sites to the landfill.” Not only is this a waste of a biomaterial that could be used to fuel our energy needs, it’s also expensive. Todd explained, “When we send things to landfills, we’re usually paying two dollars to bury one dollar's worth of material. That adds up. Across the entire United States we spent two billion dollars to bury one billion dollars worth of materials in landfills just last year.”  

And from there Woodchuck AI was born. Todd described how they fit into this story, sharing, “Woodchuck works with construction and manufacturing companies to divert their waste from landfills and instead convert it into biomass that can be used to generate renewable energy.” 

What does this look like on the job site? It looks like unique containers for each material, one for wood, one for plastic, one for cardboard and one for metal. From there, as a construction crew works in the field, they simply take a few extra moments to sort their debris as they go. Helping them is an AI-powered camera in each container, which alerts them when material is mixed up and put in the wrong place.  

Once the containers are filled, the Woodchuck team is able to take them to places, like North Star Clean Energy, that can use the materials to create more energy. The best part? Taking the time to sort doesn’t just help contractors feel better about their environmental impact, it also helps their bottom line. Todd explained:  

When you have all your debris and materials mixed together, it costs you money to have someone haul it away. But by sorting it and having us take it, you avoid those costs entirely... In general, our clients save 30%-40% by working with us! 

With this type of monetary savings, combined with the knowledge that you are helping build a more renewable, sustainable future, working with Woodchuck becomes a no brainer. 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more!  

As a METALCON partner, MetalCoffeeShop is giving away 10 free Total Experience passes to the show! The Total Experience registration package is the premium pass to everything happening on the show floor. This includes access to 250+ exhibitors, demos, keynotes, networking events and 35+ FREE accredited education sessions. METALCON brings the metal construction industry's very best brands and thought leaders under one roof for three days of unprecedented access, efficiency and education.

Winners receive one Total Experience Pass for entry to the show. Travel and hotel are not included. 

Complete this form for your chance to win a pass and join us in Orlando October 7 - 9, 2026!

By Emma Peterson. 

From major industry announcements and scholarship awards to emerging market trends and wildfire preparedness, these were the RCS articles that got the most clicks this August.  

August was a month of announcements here at The Coffee Shops®! For our team, we launched a new microsite (www.RoofersCoffeeShop.ca) designed specifically for the Canadian market. Similar to our U.K. microsite (www.RoofersCoffeeShop.uk), this site will not only bring together contractors in its dedicated region but also strengthen the global roofing community.  

In addition to our big announcement, our site saw a lot of announcements and quite a few of them made our August 2026 top article list. For example, one of our R-Club members, Excel Roofing and Siding, sent out an announcement of a name change to Excel Slate and Copper. This change was designed to “better reflect the company’s long-standing expertise in slate roofing, copper craftsmanship and historic home restoration.”  

Another example was the Roofing Alliance’s announcement about the 2026-2027 Melvin Kruger Scholarship. “A total of $59,000 was awarded for new scholarships with an additional $55,000 for 12 renewal scholarships.” 

And coming in first and second on our August 2026 top 10 article list were two announcements, both from industry associations. In second place was an article about the Colorado Roofing Association’s new advisory about wildlife code requirements. As for first place, that went to the he Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) and the Metal Construction Association (MCA)’s announcement of the results of metal roofing market study conducted by FMI Consulting. 

The top 10 August articles 

10 - Excel Roofing and Siding becomes Excel Slate and Copper

9 - Why the most successful roofing contractors plan further ahead by John Kenney. 

8 - TPO or metal retrofit? Understanding the tradeoffs by The Coffee Shops® 

7 - When the economic signals don’t agree by John Kenney. 

6 - Becoming a ROOFEREE by Emma Peterson. 

5 - The secret to managing commercial roofing projects by Emma Peterson. 

4 - The Roofing Alliance announces 2026-2027 Melvin Kruger Scholarship recipients.

3 - Heavy-duty adhesives for every jobsite by The Coffee Shops®. 

2 - New advisory helps Colorado roofers prepare for wildfire code requirements by Alex Tolle. 

1 - New market survey forecasts strong growth, significant potential for residential metal roofing in U.S. 

The two registered marks strengthen the company’s brand identity across construction industries. 

The Coffee Shops®, the award-winning websites where the industries meet for technology, information and everyday business, announce that “The Coffee Shops” name and The Coffee Shops “Where the Industries Meet” logo have each received registered trademarks from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). 

The registrations protect two distinct marks: the company name, “The Coffee Shops,” and the logo featuring the words “The Coffee Shops Where the Industries Meet.” Together, the marks support the company’s business information, online trade directory, buyer-and-seller connection, educational webinar, podcast and digital publishing services.  

“These registered trademarks represent the growth of The Coffee Shops and our commitment to creating trusted places where professionals can connect, learn and grow,” said The Coffee Shops CEO and President Heidi J. Ellsworth. “Our name and Where the Industries Meet logo reflect our mission to bring people together through meaningful information, education and community.” 

The two registered trademarks further distinguish The Coffee Shops brand as the company continues expanding its reach and developing resources for the construction industries. 

About The Coffee Shops 

Award-winning websites and online communities make up The Coffee Shops. Starting with RoofersCoffeeShop, which launched in 2002, the growth of the sites has been explosive for the construction trades of roofing, metal, coatings and their customers. Currently featuring four sites, RoofersCoffeeShop, MetalCoffeeShop™, CoatingsCoffeeShop™, OutdoorCoffeeshop™ and AskARoofer™, all the sites are committed to advocating for the construction trades by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all contractors, while promoting positive growth, education and success of construction industries overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and overall construction information and education. The Coffee Shops are “Where the Industries Meet!” For more information, visit www.thecoffeeshops.online. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Explore the articles that generated the most interest this month. 

In the last month, over 250 articles have been published on RoofersCoffeeShop.com. That’s a lot of reading to keep up with, especially for busy contractors who are going between the office and the field. To make it easier to keep up, we’ve looked at those hundreds of articles and picked out the most popular ones to showcase.  

In this list, there are a couple of articles authored by Heidi J. Ellsworth, the president of The Coffee Shops™. In one article she highlights how the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) is expanding mental health support through suicide prevention training, made possible through a collaboration with LivingWorks. The other article dove into the importance of awards and recognition during the current artificial intelligence boom.  

Our friends over at Cotney Consulting Group also contributed a few articles on our top 10 list, including one about crystalline silica exposure and another about creating an operational preparedness plan to navigate the current global political environment.  

Our number one article of the month showcased FMI Corporation’s 2026 Q2 North America Construction and Engineering Outlook Report and was written by Emma Peterson, senior content developer for The Coffee Shops™. This was not the only article of Emma’s that made the list, as her articles about turning data into business strategies, taking on leadership roles and the development of the metal roof retrofit industry were also featured. 

July 2026’s top articles 

10 - Eagleview warns emergency managers: A below average hurricane season is not a safe season by Eagleview. 

9 - NRCA expands mental health support with free suicide prevention training by Heidi J. Ellsworth. 

8 - NRCA Gold Circle Awards: Why recognition matters more than ever in the age of AI by Heidi J. Ellsworth. 

7 - When global events reach the rooftop by John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group. 

6 - Building the metal roof retrofit industry by Emma Peterson. 

5 - Finding opportunity in every position by Emma Peterson. 

4 - ARCA’s Lotería Night brings fun and connection to the roofing community by Alex Tolle. 

3 - Connecting the dots between data and strategy by Emma Peterson. 

2 - The silica citation nobody sees coming by Cotney Consulting Group. 

1 - Construction growth expected in the next year by Emma Peterson. 

By Emma Peterson. 

The 2026 Trends Survey continues a decade-long tradition of gathering contractor insights to better understand the state of the industry. 

2026 marks 10 years since our first industry trends survey and we are still going strong! This survey seeks to collect contractor perspectives on the way business is performing in order to highlight the industry’s biggest challenges, identify key business priorities and provide an overview of the sector’s overall health. 

When asked about the importance of the survey, RoofersCoffeeShop®’s president and CEO, Heidi J. Ellsworth, shared these thoughts:  

We are committed to understanding the realities contractors face, the changes shaping the market and the resources that can help them succeed. This survey is one way we can capture the challenges, opportunities and trends shaping the market in real time. When contractors share what they are seeing every day, it gives the entire industry a clearer picture of their challenges, helping us identify where support is needed and how we can better serve the industry moving forward. 

This year’s survey, which is sponsored by QXO, includes questions from previous surveys about the state of business operations, allowing us to compare year-over-year data in our Trends Reports, along with new questions tailored to the issues contractors are facing today. These range from questions about continuing education and immigration challenges to AI adoption and employee retention.  

Once the survey closes (in September 2026), our crew will review the answers to find patterns across years and gain a better understanding of what contractors’ current priorities and challenges are. This information will then be shared in our Trends Report, as well as a Coffee Conversation, and used to help us plan our content for the upcoming year.  

At the end of the day, participating in this survey not only helps us better serve you, but also helps our industry grow and improve.  

Take the 2026 Trends Survey today!

The 2026 Trends Survey, sponsored by QXO, captures insight into the pressures roofing contractors are navigating and the goals guiding their businesses. 

RoofersCoffeeShop®, the award-winning place where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business, announces the opening of its latest Roofing Industry Trends Survey, sponsored by QXO. Now in its tenth year, the Trends Survey seeks contractor perspectives on the factors influencing business performance, including workforce training, AI adoption, technology gaps, hiring efforts, immigration challenges and keeping skilled employees. 

“We are committed to understanding the realities contractors face, the changes shaping the market and the resources that can help them succeed,” said Heidi J. Ellsworth, president/CEO of RoofersCoffeeShop. “This survey is one way we can capture the challenges, opportunities and trends shaping the market in real time. When contractors share what they are seeing every day, it gives the entire industry a clearer picture of their challenges, helping us identify where support is needed and how we can better serve the industry moving forward.”  

The 2026 Trends Survey is designed to discover the key business challenges contractors are facing, from operational issues to workforce demands, while also examining the digital tools and platforms they are leveraging to improve efficiency. The survey covers a variety of contractor needs, including training, software and marketing tactics, and offers an in-depth look at how strategies for lead generation, recruitment and retention are influencing business success. 

Since 2016, RCS has been surveying contractors and has created seven Trends Reports, each focusing on the industry's biggest challenges, identifying key business priorities and providing an overview of the sector's overall health. 

Contractors are urged to take the 2026 Trends Survey today!

About RoofersCoffeeShop 

As an award-winning website and online community, RoofersCoffeeShop is committed to being a roofing professional advocate by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all roofing professionals, and especially contractors, while promoting the positive growth, education and success of the roofing industry overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and the overall roofing trade. From the rooftop to the board room, RoofersCoffeeShop.com is “Where the Industry Meets!” For more information, visit www.rooferscoffeeshop.com. 

About QXO 

QXO is the largest publicly traded distributor of roofing, waterproofing, and complementary building products in the United States. The company plans to become the tech-enabled leader in the $800 billion building products distribution industry and generate outsized value for shareholders. QXO is targeting $50 billion in annual revenues within the next decade through accretive acquisitions and organic growth. Visit www.qxo.com for more information. 

Revyn is a next-generation American steel window and door company developing beautifully designed, high-performance fenestration systems for wildfire-prone regions. The company has appointed Vincent "Vinny" Curran as Chief Executive Officer to lead its next stage of growth, advance its fire-rated product line and make advanced wildfire protection far more accessible to architects, builders and homeowners.

Revyn, a next-generation steel fenestration company specializing in fire-rated window and door systems, today announced the appointment of Vincent "Vinny" Curran as chief executive officer.

Curran brings deep experience in steel fenestration, direct-to-consumer window sales, high-end residential projects and wildfire-resilient building strategies. As CEO, he will lead Revyn's next stage of growth as the company advances its mission to make beautifully designed, high-performance, fire-ready steel windows more accessible to architects, builders, homeowners, insurers and communities building in wildfire-prone areas.

"Fire country has changed what we have to ask of a window," said Curran. "For years, architects and homeowners have hardened roofs, vents, siding and decks but the window has remained one of the least understood parts of the building envelope. Revyn was created to solve that problem from the inside of the frame out."

Curran's appointment comes as demand accelerates for better building solutions in California, Colorado and other wildfire-risk regions across the American West. As homeowners rebuild and architects design for a new era of fire exposure, Revyn is focused on addressing one of the most persistent vulnerabilities in residential construction: the fenestration system.

"Vinny understands both the urgency of the wildfire problem and the practical realities of bringing a better window system to market," said Pete Hopkins, co-founder and strategic investor at Revyn. "His leadership is grounded in extensive product knowledge, market insights and a strong belief that advanced fire protection should be widely accessible to all and not reserved for the elite few who can afford such solutions."

Under Curran's leadership, Revyn will focus on three priorities: advancing its fire-rated steel fenestration system, supporting architects, homeowners and builders with better education on window failure in wildfire conditions and creating a more efficient path to market that reduces unnecessary cost and complexity in the traditional fenestration supply chain.

"Windows aren't just about light, views and beauty," Curran added. "In fire country, they have to become advanced protection systems and as the last unprotected opening in the building envelope, it's our job to help the industry understand their importance and build accordingly. Our newest fire-rated steel product line has outperformed every independently rated fire-rated test we've put it through and our windows come with a lifetime structural warranty. This is an exciting time for the industry."

About Revyn

Revyn is a next-generation, made in America steel fenestration company that specializes in high-performance steel window and door systems for fire-country. Built around the belief that windows should be beautiful, lasting, thermally efficient and engineered to protect against wildfire exposure, Revyn's mission is to make fireproof windows and doors readily accessible to all. Revyn will be demonstrating its newest fire-rated steel fenestration series at the Bond Event Oct 22-24, 2026 in Palm Springs, California. Register your interest at www.Revyn.com

By Emma Peterson. 

How the Farnsworth Group combines research and consulting to help industry professionals navigate change and stay competitive. 

For over 35 years, the Farnsworth Group has collected market research and intelligence for manufacturers, suppliers and business owners in the construction industry. Not only does the Farnsworth team go far beyond just providing market data, but they also have the deep industry knowledge needed to translate that data into risks, opportunities and more. To learn about how the Farnsworth team turns data into business strategies, we hosted Eric Voyer, Farnsworth’s director and senior consultant, onto an episode of Contractor Outlook. 

Eric started by explaining what the Farnsworth team does for their clients, sharing, “We help people connect the pieces. We are both a consultant and a market researcher. So we’re able to say, ‘Look here’s what’s happening. Here’s what causing it,’ and then explain how you stay successful through it.” 

So, how does this work in practice? Eric used the current market trend of artificial intelligence (AI) as an example, first sharing what their market researchers are seeing, saying, “Our research shows that 15-20% of contractors are using AI... And what we see is that this fits into a larger shift in the industry – a shift towards technology as the next generation, the digital natives who are used to using technology and phones, comes into adulthood... 

He then explained how this research informs their client consultations:  

We’re talking to manufacturers about making more marketing on platforms like TikTok and YouTube shorts. Some we’re even talking about content creator partnerships. Really just how you change the way you are getting your message out there as we shift toward technology... For contractors, we’re talking about incorporating digital tools to make more instant experiences for people who are used to quick returns thanks to cell phones and AI.  

Overall, by conducting both the market research and translating it into actionable insights, Eric and the Farnsworth team have become an invaluable resource to professionals in the construction and roofing industries.  

To learn more about how Farnsworth Group supports contractors, Listen to the whole episode or Watch the newscast. 

By Emma Peterson. 

77% of homeowners believe green homes hold more value. What does this mean for contractors?  

Recently, we had the chance to sit down with Allison Hadley, spokesperson of American Home Shield (AHS), for an episode of Contractor Outlook™ about a study conducted for AHS about homeowner interests. She opened the conversation by sharing what the survey found:  

I surveyed about a thousand homeowners nationwide, and I asked them a variety of questions having to do with environmentalism, sustainability, what they wanted out of their homes and what they were prioritizing if they were making green home improvements. And what I found is that green home improvements are popular because people are looking for ways to save as much money as possible on utilities. 

More specifically, the study found that “77% of homeowners believe green homes will hold their value better than traditional homes, particularly as climate change continues to affect how we live in this country, and 82% think that the U.S. government should encourage green home construction.” These numbers are interesting on their own but become powerful business tools when you apply them to real-world operations.  

How can contractors use Allison’s data effectively in their businesses? They can change the way they talk to homeowners. Allison explained:  

If there's one thing we can take away from this is that the key to selling energy efficiency is to stress how much it will save the consumer. Yes, it's good for the environment. Yes, it'll maybe mitigate the effects of climate change, but what will really motivate people is how it's going to drive down the utility bills... And contractors should also pay attention to that 77% who believe green homes are a better investment. When people buy homes, they want something to live in, but also something they might be able to sell someday. Communicating the value and investment potential in sustainability is huge. 

How huge? About $74,000 huge. Allison elaborated, “In the survey, 13% of respondents were planning to buy a home, so I polled those people about their buying habits and found that 44% are trying to buy a green home and 61% are willing to pay up to $73,827 more for a green home.” This willingness to invest not only shows where homeowner priorities are, it also shows where contractors should be focusing their energies to better serve their customers.  

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more.