CU's clay roof tiles are a staple of the campus architecture. Here's 10 things you might not have known about them:
- The tiles were introduced by Charles Klauder, a Philidelphia-based architect.
- In 1921, Hellems Arts & Sciences became the first campus building with a clay tile roof.
- There are 160 tiles in a 100-square-foot-area, putting the total on campus in the millions.
- Each tile weighs three pounds.
- The tiles come with a 75-year warranty.
- They are durable: CU only replaces about 50 to 75 tiles a year.
- When they are replaced, it can take up to an hour to change a single tile.
- Each building has a unique color palette that fits within CU's architectural guidlines.
- Their curvature helps mitigate hail damage by distributing the force of impact.
- 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