CASE STUDY 1

Texan 26 Student Housing, Austin, Texas
Protection with Drainable Housewrap

Photo courtesy of TamlynWrap

To protect the structure of a student-housing complex in Austin, Texas, from water intrusion and moisture-related problems, the contractors installed a system of a drainable weather-resistant barrier, high-performing tape, and self-adhering flashings.

A drainable weather-resistant barrier, high-performance tape and self-adhered flashings were used as a full water management system for Texan 26, a student housing project in Austin. Once the water management system was in place, fiber cement lap and panel siding were used to complete the project.

The architect for this was Mark Hart Architecture and the builder was Provenance Constructors, with Jon Standley as project manager at the time.

According to Standley, the drainable housewrap was chosen “for the effectiveness as a drainage plane under multiple siding products and for maintaining its gap once installed.”

CASE STUDY 2

New World Trade Center, NYC
Insulation and Fire Protection

The World Trade Center (WTC) site in New York City is arguably the most extraordinary construction site anywhere in the world. More than a decade after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, rebuilding the 16-acre WTC site in lower Manhattan represents a momentous undertaking.

From innovative architectural design and engineering precision to thoughtful product specification and world-class workmanship, every step of the reconstruction process reflects a commitment to excellence. The new WTC site is comprised of five new skyscrapers (One, 2, 3, 4 and 7 WTC), the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, a Performing Arts Center and 550,000 square feet of retail space. The insulation products used in One World Trade Center and the World Trade Center Transportation Hub include mineral wool and extruded polystyrene (XPS).

One World Trade Center

The construction of One World Trade Center has transformed New York City’s skyline. Soaring above Manhattan at 1,776 feet tall, One World Trade Center is now America’s tallest building—and a new, iconic New York landmark.

Built on the northwest corner of the site where the twin towers once stood, the 2.6-million-square-foot building will include office space, an observation deck, world-class restaurants, and broadcast and antennae facilities slated to open for business in 2014.

Under the leadership of architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, structural engineers WSP Group, Tishman Construction, and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the One World Trade Center construction and operation incorporates the latest technologies and sustainable solutions to maximize efficiency and conform to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold standard.

Mineral wool insulation was specified to help support fire protection, sound control and energy conservation in One World Trade Center. Also, the product selection contributes to the overall sustainable building goals as the mineral wool insulation products selected contain a minimum 70 percent recycled content that is noncombustible, inorganic, and mold resistant.

For the perimeter installation, a perimeter fire-barrier system was installed within the curtain wall spandrel opening and between the slab edge and the curtain wall leaving no voids. For penetrations, a fire-stopping system, comprising of both mineral wool insulation and smoke sealant material, was placed around the penetrant, again leaving no voids. For construction joints, the mineral wool insulation was compression fitted into the joint opening, with the goal of leaving no voids.

World Trade Center (WTC) Transportation Hub

At the $3.9 billion, 800,000-square-foot World Trade Center Transportation Hub, designed by renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, the contractors installed XPS insulation and Padilla Construction has installed more than 50,000 square feet of 2-inch-thick XPS insulation in a temporary waterproofing application under the Hub’s concrete deck due to the product’s resistance to both moisture and physical damage.

An additional 120,000 square feet of XPS was installed in a sandwich construction consisting of waterproofing membrane, drainage board, insulation and concrete.

The rigid foam insulation specified for the project is certified for recycled content and indoor air quality and contributes to the overall sustainability goals for the New World Trade Center site.

CASE STUDY 3

Kent State University, Ohio
Student Residence Halls

When two student residential halls built in 1949 and 1956 were closed at Kent State University, the reasoning was that they could not be refurbished to accommodate new technologies, nor accommodate larger rooms and private bathrooms. The structures were seen as fairly industrial and not friendly in nature, according to Michael Muse, AIA, architect/partner of The Collaborative Inc. in Toledo, the firm tasked with designing the replacement buildings.

The new buildings would have more common space and larger rooms and would have a warmer, more inviting feeling. But the footprint, siting, roof heights and rooflines of the original structures would be retained, as well as the original brick color and pattern.

While load-bearing masonry and precast concrete planks were considered for the structures, the solution of steel framing was decidedly modern. To help prevent both moisture and thermal issues, the exterior wall assembly consists of:

• The light-gauge studs
• Fiberglass batt insulation
• Gypsum sheathing
• Water-resistant barrier
• Extruded polystyrene insulation sheathing
• Brick cladding and EIFS

The XPS provides a continuous insulation layer over the steel studs, reducing the effect of thermal bridging, and resists wind-driven rain that penetrates the rainscreen brick veneer. The mid-range vapor permeance of XPS resists external vapor drive in the summer, while in the winter, it keeps the stud cavities warmer and discourages moisture vapor condensation. Thus, the system leads to energy savings over the life of the buildings as well as more durable structures.

CASE STUDY 4

Syracuse Plaza, Denver
Durable, Drainable Building Wrap Specified to Hold Up in High Winds

Syracuse Plaza is a high-rise property owned by the Denver Housing Authority that was built in 1979 and underwent a renovation and re-siding. A drainable building wrap and heavy-duty tape were specified to be used under the commercial fiber cement and reveal system. Gensler was the architect and Milender White Construction was the builder.

Part of the reason that the particular drainable building wrap was specified is because of the height on the building and the documented ability of the wrap and tape to withstand high wind loads.