Multifamily Performance and Value

Innovative technologies and products reshape new wave of lifestyles and living units
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Sponsored by Bison Innovative Products, ClimateMaster, Cosella-Dörken Products Inc., EFCO, a Pella Company, NanaWall Systems, Pella Commercial Solutions, reThink Wood, Simonton Windows®, and TOTO USA
C.C. Sullivan

Indoor-outdoor design statements are another way to mitigate the enclosed and sometimes claustrophobic feel of more efficient housing layouts, leading to more use of terrace doors, balconies, and sliding glass doors. Architects are also working with larger window openings with fewer mullions and cross members to boost that open feel. In many cases, renters also expect that unit doors or windows will open to exterior zones including balconies and rooftops. “Even for entire façades or selective renovations of existing residences, project teams are using large openings as not just a selling point but also as a lifestyle feature,” notes Matt Thomas, marketing director with NanaWall Systems, which makes operable glass walls.

Many new multifamily projects include larger window openings, including operable walls, for access to balconies and rooftops.

Photo courtesy of NanaWall Systems

These trends are shaking up enclosure design for the entire multifamily market, a bellwether business for many architects, contractors, and suppliers. “Fenestration in multifamily typologies is evolving to include more walls with operable windows and sliders or terraces doors. Utilizing insulated slab covers, window wall systems provide versatility and aesthetic options when compared to a conventional all-glass curtain wall,” says Dave Hewitt, vice president of sales and marketing with the window producer EFCO, a Pella Company. “The market is robust in several key metropolitan areas, including for tall buildings. Right now, for example, we're supplying three new high-rise projects in Minneapolis with high-performance window walls and terrace doors.”

Multifamily Housing Trends, Shaped by Feeble Single-Family Picture

According to mortgage aggregator Freddie Mac, recent declines in single-family homeownership have helped propel growth in multifamily housing. The slow economic recovery is still pushing down homeownership rates, so the prospects for certain offerings—especially rental homes and apartments will continue to blossom.

“Multifamily market demand is expected to be strong through 2015 primarily due to demographic trends and shift in homeownership preference,” Freddie Mac announced in a recent national forecast.

Given current economic assumptions, the group anticipates about 1.7 million new renter households between late 2012 and 2015. This would include home rentals: Freddie Mac also observed that single-family rentals have expanded 16 percent, or about 3 million units, since 2007.

www.freddiemac.com/multifamily/pdf/market_demand_forecast_2012-2015.pdf

 

Across the country, growth tends to be concentrated in mid-rise multi-housing projects, from college campuses to retirement locations. Wood-framed projects dominate construction in projects up to five or six stories, for condominiums, townhouses, and supportive housing types, such as assisted-living facilities (ALFs). Yet traditional building approaches are rapidly giving way to prefabricated, panelized timber assemblies and meticulously detailed enclosures with air barriers, continuous insulation (CI), and techniques for draining and blocking moisture.

“Investors are more interested in life-cycle cost and overall profitability, and many buyers say they value durability and sustainability, so that makes multifamily a target for better protection against moisture and air infiltration,” says Peter Barrett, product manager for Cosella-Dörken, which makes building enclosure materials including water-resistive barriers (WRBs) and drainage sheets. “Air tightness is critical to energy management, and moisture is acknowledged as the leading cause of building degradation.”

Improvements to the enclosure extend to fenestration as well, with novel windows that have triple glazing and gas fill or blinds or shades between the glass lites. High-performance vinyl windows are increasingly specified for multifamily projects, too. “These newer products also improve energy efficiency by controlling heat while helping to bring more daylight into the apartment interiors,” says Terry Zeimetz, AIA, CSI, CCPR, commercial marketing manager with manufacturer Pella Commercial Solutions. “The between-glass blinds also mitigate the issue of allergens that can get trapped in room-side blinds.”

Recent projects use windows with triple glazing or gas fill, or both, as well as blinds or shades between the glass lites.

Photo courtesy of Pella Commercial Solutions

 

For structural systems, modular and prefabricated timber systems are adding new options alongside traditional, stick-built framing that dominates one- to three-family, detached dwellings. “Modular, prefabricated walls and floor systems are the most important innovation in the wood multifamily and residential market in years,” says Lisa Podesto, MS, P.E., a structural engineer and senior technical director in Building Systems for WoodWorks, an education and technical resource provider. “Assembled offsite, these systems are efficient and fast to build, with components like studs, plates, and openings already included. For large repetitive structure, these help work out lots of issues in the field and save money.”

On the operational side of the multifamily business are a number of techniques to reduce energy costs, maintenance needs, and also simplify building systems. Among the most rapidly growing are proven renewable energy systems such as geothermal heating and cooling.

“The energy extracted from the earth provides an immediate and free efficiency boost, and water-source geothermal systems can serve diverse needs, such as moving heat from the south-facing units and moving it to other units that need heat,” says Tony Landers, director of marketing with ClimateMaster, a geothermal system provider. “Other than energy needed to pump the loop, that is free conditioning by moving heat from one point to the next.”.

 

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Originally published in Architectural Record
Originally published in April 2013

Notice

Academies
Multifamily Performance and Value
Buyer's Guide
Wood—A Renewable and Responsible Choice
Wood typically costs less—economically and environmentally—while delivering more in terms of its beauty, versatility, and performance. It meets code requirements in mid-rise and multifamily buildings, and can be used as a low-carbon alternative to steel, masonry, and concrete in many applications. Wood is more than a building material; it's a renewable and responsible choice.
(Pictured: Marselle Condominium, Seattle, WA. PB Architects. Photo by Matt Todd Photography, courtesy of WoodWorks.)
reThink Wood
www.rethinkwood.com
The Beauty of Wood Meets the Convenience of Vinyl
When architects want the aesthetic qualities of wood, but the energy efficiency and convenience of vinyl, they specify Simonton ProFinish® Brickmould 600 windows and patio doors. The multi-tiered frame design and broad flat casing surround suggest the classic look of wood windows, while simulated divided lites provide the appearance of separate panes of glass. In the project pictured, five Simonton ProFinish® Brickmould 600 Double Hung windows with interior woodgrain and simulated divided lites provide the rich look of wood.
Simonton Windows®
www.Simonton.com
Ultra High-Efficiency Toilet
Featuring TOTO's superior Double Cyclone® technology, the Drake II 1G™ uses a responsible gallon of water to provide an effective flush. Its uncomplicated design pairs well with any aesthetic, while remaining planet-friendly and respecting water.
TOTO USA
www.totousa.com
Rooftop Deck Solutions
Bison Innovative Products include: Bison Deck Supports, which are made in the USA with 20 percent post-consumer recycled materials; Modular Bison Cubes with recycled content, custom colors, finishes, and sizes; and Commercial-Grade Modular Bison Wood Tiles with Class A fire ratings. Standard and FSC-certified species and custom sizes are available.
Bison Innovative Products
www.BisonIP.com
Water-Resistive Barriers and Ventilated Rainscreens
DELTA®-VENT SA (pictured here) is a vapor permeable, self-adhering water-resistive barrier and air barrier with a unique front side adhesive edge. DELTA®-DRY is a ventilated rainscreen for absorptive claddings now available in a "Stucco & Stone" version.
Cosella-Dörken Products Inc.
www.cosella-dorken.com
Water-Source Heat Pump Systems
ClimateMaster's Tranquility® 22 Two-Stage Compact (TY) Series offers the following features and benefits:
  • Used in geothermal and water-source heat pump applications
  • Exceeds ASHRAE 90.1 efficiencies with twostage operation
  • Uses EarthPure® (HFC-410A) zero-ozonedepletion refrigerant, making it an extremely environmentally friendly option
  • Its multiple cabinet configurations and small footprint make it suitable for tight installations and for replacement/retrofit markets
  • Features iGate technology, the next generation in intelligent control by using two-way communication to provide a gateway to the system.
ClimateMaster
www.climatemaster.com
Unitized Curtain Wall
The 8750XD Unitized Curtain Wall is the newest member of EFCO's XTherm® family of products. Thanks to its strut design, with patented Duracast® fiberglass composite, it can offer a best-in-class U-factor. With optional 875X Wall Vent, it is sure to meet your design needs.
EFCO, a Pella Company
www.efcocorp.com
Operable Glass Walls
NanaWall operable glass walls are recognized as the brand symbolizing quality, performance, and durability. Every NanaWall system is a single-source product with components produced as a complete system. With over 20 custom systems backed by 25 years of design experience, NanaWall Systems offers a solution for almost any space.
NanaWall Systems
www.NanaWall.com