Business View Magazine | January 2021

98 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JANUARY 2021 the world and the efforts that they’re taking.” The roofing industry isn’t known for being environmentally friendly. One of the most long lasting and sustainable roofing systems is thatch. The problem is thatch roofs are not fire rated. They also aren’t designed to support commercial grade HVAC units. “So it’s kind of interesting and a bit regrettable that, as other things have typically gone greener and greener, our industry has yet to really come back on that,” says Jackson. “But there are certain materials we use that I think are more environmentally friendly than others. Certainly, the rubber systems, due to the fact they can be recycled, or maintained for such a long amount of time that they wind up being much more sustainable than other systems.” The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a mixed bag of pros and cons for National Roofing. Public health guidance that calls for people to stay home and avoid travel has hit the hospitality industry hard. But closures have simplified some re-roofing operations. For instance, National Roofing is working on 23 buildings for a private school in Albuquerque. Before the pandemic began, a substantial amount of planning and resources went into diverting people from areas of danger. That was suddenly unnecessary when students and teachers were sent home. One surprising effect of the pandemic was its impact on National Roofing’s service department. Normally during economic slowdowns, businesses go into maintenance mode and the service department gets busy. That didn’t happen during the pandemic-induced recession because, with so many people working from home, no one was in the office to notice leaks and other signs that repairs were needed. Looking ahead, Jackson wants National Roofing to continue growing. He’s already in the process of merging three strategic partners – Midtown Metal, Building Envelope Services, and Colibri Media House – with National Roofing. This will help create efficiencies and put the company