Layout & mounting
- 1, 2, 3, or 4 sided screens
- Any length × width to match field dimensions
- Unit-mounted or post-mounted assemblies
- Moveable door locations sized for service panels
Products
Custom Rooftop Screening Systems
Chillers · Cooling Towers · Condensers · Heat Pumps · Exhaust Fans · Specialty Equipment
Custom Rooftop Screening Built for Maintenance Access, Architectural Compliance, and Long-Term Durability
When screening shows up late
Mechanical screening that protects equipment without blocking service
Screening was not in the original specs. The building is weeks from certificate of occupancy when the AHJ or owner asks for equipment to disappear from the street. Off-the-shelf panels rarely match curb lines, withstand wind and the elements, or fit the access path your service contractor needs.
CME has fabricated custom rooftop screens for more than 20 years, from single package units to plant-level chillers and cooling towers. Every project gets a factory layout review: panel style, color, flashing, door locations, and mount type confirmed before fabrication, then cut and assembled at CME's Ponca City shop. Standard screens typically ship in 8 to 12 weeks; louvered systems run about 12 to 14 weeks.
Standard layout
Options on every rooftop screening job
Moveable door locations and side count are laid out around your equipment access plan, not added as a field afterthought.
Installation support
- Designed for general contractor or owner install
- CME field installation available on request
- Factory installation through CME when schedule requires it
- Removable doors so access panels open without extra service clearance
Engineering & performance
Wind-rated architectural screening at the sizes your project needs
Every CME rooftop screen is engineered for real wind exposure and configured to your equipment footprint — not pulled from a catalog module.
-
120 MPH standard wind rating
Standard screening systems are engineered to withstand wind speeds up to 120 mph.
-
Engineered attachment options for high-wind regions
Where project requirements exceed standard criteria, project-specific engineering is available based on the Engineer of Record's design requirements.
-
Custom sizing
Standard heights up to 120 inches, with taller heights available when supported by project-specific engineering. Configurable as one-, two-, three-, four-sided, or combination screening.
What we screen
Rooftop screening for mechanical equipment
If it sits on the roof and the owner does not want it visible from the ground, we have likely built rooftop screens for something similar.
-
Chillers
Large-footprint mechanical plant screening with panel lengths and widths built to your field dimensions, not a catalog module.
-
Cooling towers
Tall, open assemblies where airflow paths and service access cannot be compromised for aesthetics or code compliance.
-
Condensers
Low-profile and multi-unit layouts where coil access and rated airflow must stay clear through the screen frame.
-
Heat pumps
Enclosures sized to curb layout with removable panels where technicians actually work on the equipment.
-
Exhaust fans
Custom heights, louvered panels, and door placements when standard screening would choke ventilation or block maintenance.
-
Specialty equipment
Non-standard rooftop gear — package units, custom skids, and plant-level layouts that need project-specific shop drawings.
Factory layout review
Validated before fabrication — not after install
Every CME screening system starts with a layout review most competitors skip. Before anything is fabricated, we validate door swings, service access, and equipment clearances against the actual equipment and roof conditions — so the screen you receive doesn't get in the way of the equipment it's protecting.
- Door swing verification
- Service access confirmation
- Equipment clearance validation
- Project-specific shop drawings for every system
Built to order
Rooftop screening configuration options
Panel style, color tier, and mount type are selected with your CME representative before we release drawings for fabrication. At layout confirmation, your project manager walks curb lines, door swings, and panel counts against the architect elevation so clearance gaps show up before steel is cut. Post-mounted versus unit-mounted decisions get locked in that review, not during install on a crowded roof.
Finishes
Rooftop screening panel styles and colors
Panel styles
- PBR to Vertical to Standard Panel
- PBR to Horizontal (additional cost)
- Louver (additional cost)
- Agri-Rib (additional cost)
- Smooth and embossed finishes
- Ask your CME representative for the current panel list
Color options
- Standard colors
- Premium colors (additional cost)
- Metallic colors (additional cost)
- Custom color match to building finishes on request
- Ask your CME representative for current color choices
At a glance
What you get on every rooftop screening project
Factory layout before steel is cut
26-gauge steel siding and trim sized to your unit footprint, wind exposure, and elevation. No guessing at panel lengths on the roof.
Built for wind, UV, and weather
Siliconized polyester finishes resist UV, rain, humidity, and abrasion. Color selection can be adjusted to meet local building requirements.
Doors where technicians actually work
Removable panels and door locations placed so dampers, filters, and access panels open without fighting the screen frame.
Project support
From quote through installation
CME provides project support from quote through installation — coordinating equipment data, shop drawing approval, fabrication, and delivery or installation so nothing falls through the cracks between departments.
By the numbers
Rooftop screening experience you can specify with confidence
Since 1999
Manufacturing custom rooftop equipment screening
Thousands
Of installations nationwide
Nationwide
Commercial, institutional, educational, healthcare, industrial, and government projects
For architects & engineers
Specifying Rooftop Screening?
CME's rooftop equipment screens are available as CSI Section 10 82 13 — Rooftop Equipment Screens, ready to drop into your project manual. Download our Basis of Design specification or full guide specification below.
Basis of Design Specification
Short-form spec for direct insertion into project manuals and bid documents.
Full Guide Specification
Complete 3-part CSI-formatted guide spec (General, Products, Execution) with specifier notes for editing to project conditions.
How it works
The quote process
-
Intake
Submit project information
-
Quote
Receive quote
-
Submittal
Once approved, submittal goes out for review
-
Layout
Confirm dimensions and access requirements
-
Approval
Approve drawings
-
Fabrication
Fabrication
-
Delivery
Delivery or installation
Why CME
Why contractors specify CME rooftop screening
CME can screen all equipment on a roof or just one side of a single unit. CME project managers stay on the job from layout confirmation through fabrication and install coordination, so the screen matches the equipment, the code path, and the architect's elevation. When screening lands weeks before certificate of occupancy, the factory layout gets locked before steel is cut so the enclosure ships while the GC still has crews on the roof. Screens are cut and assembled at CME's Ponca City shop by the same team that confirmed your field dimensions, then shipped to the job.
20+
Years fabricating rooftop screens
20+
Years fabricating rooftop screens
CME has screened single package units, plant-level chillers, cooling towers, and custom rooftop layouts across the continental U.S. That range covers late-add screening before certificate of occupancy, elevation matches for picky AHJs, and field-dimension jobs where catalog panels do not fit.
On this site
Related products and next steps
Explore other CME equipment built in the same Ponca City shop, or start a quote for your rooftop layout.
FAQ
Rooftop screening questions
Answers for contractors, specifying engineers, and building owners.
What equipment can CME screen?
Chillers, cooling towers, condensers, heat pumps, exhaust fans, rooftop package units, and other specialty mechanical equipment. Layouts are built to your field dimensions, not pulled from a standard catalog size.
What is the lead time for rooftop screening?
Standard screens typically take 8 to 12 weeks from approved layout. Louvered systems run about 12 to 14 weeks. Shorter timelines are sometimes possible depending on shop load; your CME representative confirms a project-specific range on the discovery call.
Unit-mounted vs. post-mounted: how do I choose?
Unit-mounted screens attach to the curb or equipment frame. Post-mounted screens stand independent of the unit when weight, vibration, or layout requires it. CME reviews your rooftop plan and recommends the mount that keeps service access intact.
Will screening block airflow or maintenance access?
No. That is the point of the factory layout review. Louver panels, open sections, and removable doors are positioned so rated airflow paths stay clear and technicians can reach service panels without dismantling the entire screen.
Who installs the screening?
Most projects are installed by the general contractor or mechanical contractor following CME drawings. CME also offers field installation or factory installation when your schedule requires a single responsible party on the roof.
How do panel style and color get selected?
Your CME representative provides current panel and color lists during layout. Standard, premium, and metallic color tiers are available, with custom color match when the owner needs an exact building finish.
Ready to talk about your project?
Tell us what you need or call (866) 687-9803. We respond within one business day.