In this episode of Building with Metal, McElroy Metal sits down with Jeff Henry, Executive Director of the Metal Construction Association (MCA), to explore why metal is leading the future of sustainable construction. From recyclability and energy efficiency to long-term durability and design versatility, Jeff shares how metal’s life-cycle advantages are driving the next era of building innovation — and why sustainability and strength go hand in hand.
Notable Quotes
- Jeff Henry: "Metal roofing has a minimum lifespan of sixty years. And we used it in the room because those are the oldest roofs we could find at the time. We're confident it's going to last much longer than that."
- Jeff Henry: "You spend thirty thousand dollars on a metal roof today, where you may spend twenty thousand on a shingled roof — but in fifteen years you have to replace that. In thirty years, your total investment on shingles is about a hundred and forty thousand dollars, compared to if you'd just spent the extra money up front."
- Jeff Henry: "We view metal as the only appropriate substrate for use underneath solar, because the panels themselves will outlast the solar panels."
What You'll Learn
- Why metal construction is growing across every building sector, from residential to institutional
- How lifecycle cost math makes metal far more economical than asphalt shingles over time
- Why the lack of qualified installers is one of the biggest obstacles facing the metal industry today
- What MCA is doing to develop online installer training for standing seam roofing systems, shingles, wall panels, and IMPs
- Which common myths about metal roofing — noise, hail damage, limited aesthetics — are no longer accurate
- How new print and coating technology has transformed what metal panels look and perform like
- Why metal is the only roofing substrate that makes sense under a solar array
- How sustainability and resiliency factors — recyclability, long life cycle, energy performance — score well for metal
- What code and regulatory changes the industry is monitoring right now
- How AI and advanced fabrication machinery are shaping the next generation of metal construction
Key Timestamps
[0:00] Introduction — Host Kathi Miller introduces the episode and guest Jeff Henry of the Metal Construction Association.
[2:00] Jeff's background and MCA's mission — representing manufacturers of architectural metal roofing and wall products, with a focus on education and promoting metal in the building envelope.
[6:00] How MCA educates the industry — social media, Arc Records CEU courses, trade shows, and hands-on installer demonstrations.
[9:00] The installer skills gap — MCA's major 2025 initiative to develop an online interactive best-practices training curriculum covering standing seam, shingles, wall panels, MCM, and IMP products.
[13:00] Defining metal construction — Jeff explains why metal panels are a lifetime product with a minimum proven lifespan of sixty years, and how performance holds up over that entire cycle.
[17:00] Why metal adoption took time — perception issues tied to older agricultural applications, initial cost comparisons, and how advances in finishes and print technology have changed the story.
[23:00] Lifecycle cost breakdown — Jeff walks through the real numbers comparing a metal roof versus repeated asphalt shingle replacements over thirty to forty years.
[28:00] Sustainability and solar — metal's recyclability, long life cycle, and role as the ideal substrate for solar applications.
[33:00] Myths, aesthetics, and design flexibility — addressing the noise and hail myths, and how architects are now using metal as an intentional design element in high-end projects.
[40:00] What's next — code monitoring, AI in manufacturing and training, new finishes, and MCA resources including nearly 100 white papers available at metalconstruction.org.
Mentioned Resources
- Metal Construction Association (MCA)
- McElroy Metal Website
- Connect with the host Kathi Miller on LinkedIn
Episode Deep Dive
- Metal roofing has a proven minimum lifespan of 60 years — far outlasting asphalt shingles
- Lifecycle math shows metal can save building owners over $100,000 compared to repeated shingle replacements
- The industry's biggest hurdle right now isn't demand — it's a shortage of qualified installers
When Jeff Henry talks about metal construction, he's not reading from a script. As executive director of the Metal Construction Association, he's watched the industry transform from the inside, and he's convinced the best days are still ahead. "Metal panels are a lifetime product," Jeff told host Kathi Miller on a recent episode of Building With Metal. "Properly installed, a building owner should have no need to replace that assembly over the next fifty, sixty, seventy years."
That kind of durability is no longer just a talking point. MCA's own research backs it up.
How Long Does Metal Roofing Actually Last?
MCA research has established a minimum lifespan of sixty years for metal roofing — and Jeff is quick to point out that's just the floor.
"We used sixty years in the study because those were the oldest roofs we could find at the time," he said. "We're confident it's going to last much longer than that."
Beyond longevity, metal outperforms competing materials in wind load capacity, fire resistance, and impact resistance — areas that matter more and more as extreme weather events become routine.
What Does Metal Roofing Cost Over Its Lifetime Compared to Asphalt?
One of the most compelling parts of the conversation was Jeff walking through the real numbers on lifecycle cost. The example he laid out is worth understanding clearly.
A metal roof might cost $30,000 today, compared to $20,000 for an asphalt shingle roof. On day one, that looks like a $10,000 premium. But shingle roofs typically need to be replaced every fifteen years. Over thirty to forty years, the cost structure looks very different:
- Shingle roof year 0: $20,000
- Shingle roof year 15 (cost doubles): $40,000
- Shingle roof year 30 (cost again): $70,000–$80,000
- Total shingle investment: approximately $140,000
And that's before accounting for tear-off and disposal costs, which add real money every replacement cycle.
"If you just spent the extra money up front, you would have saved a hundred grand over that timeframe," Jeff said.
For anyone who plans to stay in a building or home for more than fifteen to twenty years — or pass it along to the next generation — the math isn't close.
There's also the resale angle. Metal roofs increase property value, and Jeff noted that insurers are increasingly offering premium discounts for metal-roofed buildings. In some markets, insurers are even requiring roof replacements before they'll write a policy at all.
Why Is There a Shortage of Qualified Metal Roof Installers?
Growing demand is one thing. Meeting it is another. Jeff identified the shortage of qualified metal installers as one of the top obstacles the industry faces right now.
"Bad installation — be it metal or any other material — hurts us all," he said. "People see a metal roof that didn't perform, but often it wasn't a systems problem. It was that somebody didn't follow the best practices or the manufacturer's installation guidelines."
To address this, MCA is developing a full online interactive training curriculum in 2025. The program will cover:
- Standing seam roofing systems and metal shingles
- Wall panel products, including single-skin and MCM systems
- IMP panels for both wall and roofing applications
The goal is to make MCA the go-to resource for metal installation best practices — and to close the gap between rising demand and the trained workforce needed to serve it.
For contractors looking to diversify or grow, this moment is worth paying attention to. The interest is there, the margin opportunity is real, and the training infrastructure is being built.
What Are the Most Common Metal Roofing Myths?
Jeff acknowledged that some old perceptions still linger, even as the products have advanced well past them.
Metal is noisier than other roofing materials? Not with proper installation and insulation.
Metal is more vulnerable to hail damage? The opposite is true — impact resistance exceeds most alternative cladding materials.
Metal doesn't offer much design flexibility? That one may be the furthest from reality today. Advanced print technology now allows manufacturers to produce panels that convincingly replicate wood grain, stone, and other textures. Architects are specifying metal not just for its performance but as a deliberate design choice.
"The people designing these buildings are using the products themselves for their own homes," Jeff noted. "Architects, designers — they're putting metal on their personal projects. That reinforces the message better than anything we could say."
Is Metal Roofing the Best Substrate for Solar Panels?
Metal's sustainability story is strong across multiple dimensions — efficient manufacturing processes, high recyclability, and a life cycle that eliminates the need for repeated replacements. That long-life advantage is especially significant in the context of solar on metal roofing.
"We view metal as the only appropriate substrate for use underneath solar, because the panels themselves will outlast the solar panels," Jeff said. "With some alternative roofing materials, you put a solar array on top and the roof needs to be replaced before the solar panels do. That's a big, expensive problem."
Looking ahead, Jeff pointed to AI as a growing influence in both manufacturing and training. New machinery is enabling increasingly complex panel profiles and shapes. New coatings and finishes are in development that will push performance further still.
Where Can Contractors and Building Owners Learn More About Metal Construction?
MCA maintains nearly 100 white papers and technical documents available at no cost at metalconstruction.org. If you can't find what you're looking for, Jeff invites direct contact — by email at info@metalconstruction.org or by phone at 847-375-6402.
The interest in metal is growing. The products are better than they've ever been. And the training infrastructure to support the next wave of installers is being built right now. For contractors, architects, and building owners, this is a good time to understand what metal construction can do.
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