Two continuing education courses offered by Sika Sarnafil have been approved by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and are now certified to fulfill the AIA’s new Sustainable Design continuing education requirements.

Englert Inc., a producer of rainware and metal roofing products and accessories, and Dawn Solar Systems Inc., a developer and manufacturer of solar thermal systems for residential, commercial, institutional and industrial structures, announced that Englert has become a stocking authorized distributor of Dawn Solar’s systems with installation and service being provided by a network of authorized Englert solar thermal installers.

Sika Sarnafil announced winners of the second annual Sika Sarnafil Roof Consultant Project of the Year competition.

DECRA Roofing Systems, Inc., the leading manufacturer of stone coated steel roofing panels, announced that the company recently achieved a quality milestone by earning ISO 9001:2008 certifications. ISO 9001:2008, published on Nov. 14, 2008 is the latest edition of the International Standard. DECRA Roofing Systems’ quality systems have been continuously maintained and reviewed since 1993 when the company’s Corona facility was first certified to ISO 9001:1997; in 2003 DECRA certified to ISO 9001:2000.

All but 12 community’s nationwide saw declines in construction employment between September 2008 and September 2009, according to a new analysis of metropolitan area employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released by the Associated General Contractors of America. The analysis found more construction jobs were lost in Phoenix, Ariz. (35,100) than in any other city in America.

Hilti is expanding its production network with a new facility in Matamoros, Mexico, that manufacturers fastening products for the North and Latin American markets. During a grand opening event at the site, Hilti and local community officials toured the plant scheduled to begin production in November.

Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC has once again raised the standard of excellence in the building products industry, as two of its premier Dens interior gypsum panel products have passed the industry’s most stringent mold resistance test.

Discussing strategies and solutions for recovering from a tough economy, the 2010 International Roofing Expo will present a Power Panel on Monday, Feb. 22, 2010, featuring the industry’s leading roofing contractors of all sizes and specialties. The Power Panel will be held at 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. in the La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom at the Morial Convention Center immediately prior to the opening of the show.

Tecta America Corp., announced Chuck Chapman as President of Central Roofing, a Tecta America company, based in Minneapolis, Minn.

The “white roof” solution to roofing replacement and energy conservation has been around for decades. But it’s making headlines on the heels of endorsements for the technique by Steven Chu, the Nobel prize-winning physicist appointed by President Obama as Energy Secretary.