Published: May 11, 2020

Norlin Quad, featuring Norlin Library and Eaton HumanitiesCU's clay roof tiles are a staple of the campus architecture. Here's 10 things you might not have known about them:

  1. CU Roof tile close upThe tiles were introduced by Charles Klauder, a Philidelphia-based architect.
  2. In 1921, Hellems Arts & Sciences became the first campus building with a clay tile roof.
  3. There are 160 tiles in a 100-square-foot-area, putting the total on campus in the millions.
  4. Each tile weighs three pounds.
  5. The tiles come with a 75-year warranty.
  6. They are durable: CU only replaces about 50 to 75 tiles a year.
  7. When they are replaced, it can take up to an hour to change a single tile.
  8. Each building has a unique color palette that fits within CU's architectural guidlines. 
  9. Their curvature helps mitigate hail damage by distributing the force of impact.
  10. Today the tiles come from the Ludowici Roof Tile Company, based out of Ohio.

To learn more, read the full story: CU Boulder's Roof Tiles Are a Campus Staple.

Photo by Patrick Campbell (top), Photo by Glenn Asakawa