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10 Facts About CU's Iconic Roof Tiles

Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØRoof tile close up

CU's clay roof tiles are a staple of the campus architecture. Here's 10 things you might not have known about them:

  1. The 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: Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØonly 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: Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder's Roof Tiles Are a Campus Staple.

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