DEFINING IMPS

Photo courtesy of Kingspan Insulated Panels

IMP selection at the CODE Building in Charlottesville, Va., helped the project meet AIA’s 2030 challenge for efficiency and thermal performance. The IMP serves as the high performing air and vapor barrier for the entire building by providing continuous insulation in an all-in-one product.

Project: The CODE Building
Completion Date: 2022
Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Architect: Wolf Ackerman, EskewDumezRipple
General Contractor: Hourigan Group
Installer: Glass and Metals, Inc.
Square Feet: 215,000

Sustainable Highlights

• The building seamlessly blends with its surrounding environment, while incorporating high thermal efficiency, rooftop terraces, courtyards, and water-conservation features.l
• The building envelope is designed to meet AIA’s 2030 challenge for efficiency and thermal.
• With the use of IMPs, the building’s rainscreen achieves a high R-value and reduces energy consumption toward a goal of LEED certification.l

The CODE Building was designed to serve as a destination for entrepreneurs in Charlottesville, Va., home of the University of Virginia. As a centerpiece of the city, it is critical for the building to support emerging and established businesses, while emphasizing sustainability and wellness to support the greater community at large. The developer challenged architects to create a building that prioritized air quality, while providing an energy efficient design.

The building was constructed on a triangular site that connects a historic main street to a pedestrian walkway. Architects had to connect both, while construction crews were forced to operate in a tight space.

Over the course of a five-year process, architects from Wolf Ackerman and EskewDumezRipple combined forces to create a building that prioritized sustainability as much as the building’s overall aesthetic. When examining facade choices, architects realized that utilizing IMPs to create a universal barrier wall met several needs for the building, especially allowing them the freedom to attach a specific facade without compromise.

The IMP selection also helped meet AIA’s 2030 challenge for efficiency and thermal performance. The IMP serves as the high performing air and vapor barrier for the entire building by providing continuous insulation in an all-in-one product. Selected IMP panels have clear-field R-value of up to 8 per inch at 40°F when equipped with special closed-cell insulation core. Energy efficiency is so important for the CODE Building that there is a telemetry system that reports energy usage, providing monthly reports and even comparisons to other buildings. The cavity between the facade and the IMP provides the duct for a necessary feature of the building: the direct outside air system (DOAS). The system pulls in fresh air from the outside, while only ventilating enough for heating or cooling. Continuous insulation from the IMP shell also puts less strain on DOAS, leading to greater energy efficiency. Operable windows, a rare feature for an office building, further increase the CODE Building’s airflow. The ease of installation for the IMP system allowed installers from Glass and Metals, Inc. to streamline construction in tight quarters. The all-in-one insulated metal panels eliminated the work of several subcontractors, speeding up construction and allowing other crews more space to work.

One of the keys to integrating the building into downtown Charlottesville was ensuring the facade meshed well with its historic surroundings, while meeting the developer’s special request for brickwork that reminded him of his childhood farm. After reviewing more than 50 thin brick options, architects found one that resonated with the developer and fit in with the historical context of the downtown area. The IMP system, which includes a unique built-in rail, allowed architects the flexibility to fasten the cladding back to the structure without worrying about the airtightness of the building envelope. The continuous insulation also helps to provide the soundproofing for a ground level auditorium.

To help achieve potential LEED certification, the CODE Building includes LED lighting, low flow fixtures, and a rainwater and condensation capture system, used to irrigate green roofs on six floors, all planted with native plants. EV charging stations, bike racks and even showers for those who bike to work, help to further increase the building’s sustainability goals beyond its walls. A courtyard that includes a fountain and food stalls connects the pedestrian walkway to the main street, allowing the community to pass through. In creating a new center for collaboration, architects looked both to the past as well as to the future to create a building that would inspire the community for years to come.

IMP panels played a pivotal role in helping the CODE Building meet LEED qualifications while retaining an architecturally advanced design. “The IMP system not dictating what we had to do was a big factor for us. Maintaining the flexibility to achieve what we wanted and to not be hamstrung with our hands tied behind our back…was one of the big benefits for us,” said Fred Wolf, partner at Wolf Ackerman Design.