• GridMarX® installation guide marks on Gold Bond® gypsum board products show installers where to place fasteners, eliminating the need for repeated measuring.
• National Gypsum’s exclusive MaX 12® optimized fastener pattern combined with GridMarX can save users up to $70 per thousand square feet.
• PermaBASE® Cement Board can be installed on exteriors instead of the traditional metal lath and scratch method, saving crews time and money.

Any contractor knows installing substrates like drywall, sheathing, or cement board in either interior or exterior applications can be time-consuming and labor-intensive with all the measuring and marking, checking, and re-checking, scraping, and cleaning. But what if it didn’t have to be that way? With innovative products and systems from Gold Bond® Building Products and PermaBASE® Building Products, provided exclusively by National Gypsum Company, installation can be efficient and clean, saving crews time and money.

Headquartered in Charlotte, National Gypsum Company holds the products it sells to top quality, sustainability, and durability standards. The company is always working to serve its customers better with its technical guides and manuals to take the guesswork out of product application and installation. “The last thing we want is for a contractor or architect on a job site to not know how to properly use our products,” says Matt Gallagher, product manager of gypsum systems at National Gypsum. Gallagher sat down with gb&d to explain more about the company’s innovative time and material-saving systems and products.

How do your products help crews keep projects on schedule?

Photo courtesy of National Gypsum Company

We have many features that enhance productivity and efficiency on the job site. For example, our GridMarX guide marks, which are printed on most Gold Bond gypsum board products, allow installers to follow the fastening pattern without having to measure or mark, leading to faster and more accurate installation. The guide marks run vertically on the boards in four-inch increments and at 16, 24, and 32 inches horizontally so the installer always has a reference point.

We also have, MaX 12, the most comprehensive 12-inch optimized fastener pattern used on single layer UL fire-rated walls—a large part of commercial construction. Together, GridMarX and MaX 12 help reduce costs by limiting the number of fasteners and increasing the speed of installation.

Locating fastener placement is easy with the guide marks – a helpful tool for training. New installers can get fully up to speed quicker, while existing installers can become more efficient by increasing the speed and accuracy of their work. In addition, reducing the number of missed studs during installation saves time in fixing those mistakes while providing easier, higher quality finishing.

The foremost construction cost-estimating company, RS Means Data from Gordian, found that MaX 12 and GridMarX led to significant labor and materials cost savings, including up to:

• 17% reduction in labor hours
• 45% savings on fasteners
• $70 per thousand square feet savings in labor and material costs (estimated before the COVID-19 pandemic)

With the price of fasteners increasing significantly since 2020 and chronic labor shortages, these savings can be the difference needed to win a contract.

How can your products replace traditional time-consuming install methods?

Photo courtesy of National Gypsum Company

Another time- and labor-saving example is utilizing PermaBASE Cement Board versus the traditional metal lath and scratch method of installing exterior stone or thin brick veneer. The metal lath and scratch method can be very inefficient, requiring multiple labor-intensive trips around the building to install weather barriers, hang the metal lath, and apply multiple coats of mortar.

With PermaBASE Cement Board, the same person who hangs drywall can hang the cement board, or exterior crews can easily be trained to hang the board. The process requires only a single weather barrier be installed underneath the PermaBASE and a layer of modified mortar on the surface to adhere the veneer.

Our time/cost study with Home Innovation Research Labs, an independent subsidiary of the National Association of Homebuilders, revealed a 35% installation time savings with PermaBASE Cement Board over the metal lath and scratch installation for adhered stone veneer. This translates to an estimated savings of nine hours of installation time on a typical stone application on a single-family home—a full day’s work. There are also less call-backs as exterior veneers and stone are much more likely to stay adhered in a PermaBASE application as opposed to being attached to a traditional metal lath and scratch method.

Using PermaBASE Cement Board can also contribute to a cleaner job site because it arrives on a pallet for tidy storage and doesn’t require potable water, a mixer and application temperatures above freezing. With strict environmental regulations governing job site runoff, cement washout can be a big deal. Utilizing PermaBASE Cement Board means you don’t have to worry about piles of sand and cement staying put on site.

How are these products high-performance?

GridMarX guide marks allow installers to follow the fastening pattern without having to measure or mark. Photo courtesy of National Gypsum Company

Innovation in product performance, installation, and handling are top-of-mind for scientists and engineers at National Gypsum. Working closely with our customers, we strive to simplify installation processes while also providing products that are durable and prevent callbacks. Faster and more accurate installations make it easier for our contractor customers to secure more projects.

These products also help after installation. Code officials have a lot of work to do. GridMarX guide marks make for a cleaner assembly and help inspectors easily identify fastener patterns. The markings are lined up with the studs so you can feel confident their fastener placement is correct.

What should architects know about your products?

In addition to our product and system innovations, we offer construction guides, manuals, and literature to help architects save time during the design phase and contractors gain efficiencies during the installation phase. Our top resources include:

• The PURPLE Book® II: The industry’s leading resource for fire-rated assemblies in commercial construction.
• The SoundBook® 2.0: Provides technical details for acoustical assemblies and drawings of real-world sound-rated designs.
• The Wood Book: A manual for fire-rated assemblies in wood-frame construction.
• NGC Construction Guide: An all-inclusive guide of product information and systems overviews.

We strive to be a resource for all contractors and architects. In addition to this extensive list of technical resources, our Construction Services Team at 1-800-NATIONAL® is available to talk through questions and recommend solutions.

The post How National Gypsum Company Can Save Projects Time and Money appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Bold, contrasting colors and a mixture of textures and materials top the list of today’s home siding design innovations.
• Architects and designers prefer to work with suppliers who can offer an enormous breadth of style options.
• Westlake Royal Building Products features an entire family of siding brands that provide architects with a one-stop solution for design needs.

Drive through any residential development today and you’ll be struck by the boldness of the colors and the diversity of materials that clad the exterior of new homes. This range of design opportunities extends to remodels as well, with homeowners swapping out beige 3-inch lap siding for more contemporary concepts that seamlessly blend a unique variety of textures and hues.

“Cookie-cutter home design no longer works for the market today,” says Steve Booz, vice president of marketing at Westlake Royal Building Products. “Designers and homeowners want to stand out from the pack and make a statement with their aesthetic choices. And the siding industry has really evolved to meet these needs.”

Westlake—which recently reorganized its corporate structure after a series of acquisitions—continues to expand its already robust product line to appeal to today’s more discerning customers. The firm is also investing in new technology aimed at boosting the durability and the life cycle of its portfolio so that scarce resources are not wasted.

Nobody wants their siding to warp, crack, or fade after a couple of years, Booz says. “We approach this not only from a sustainability standpoint, but also from an understanding that customers don’t want to be bothered with regular upkeep.”

Booz sat down with gb&d to discuss the evolution of design trends in the siding market and the surprising sustainability of vinyl siding.

What are architects, designers, and homeowners looking for today when it comes to exterior design?

Really a lot of it comes down to the basics of beauty, performance, and durability. Beauty is all about curb appeal and authenticity. Curb appeal is everything. Customers want to know how they can set their house apart from their neighbors. And when we talk about authenticity in this day and age, we’re talking about mimicking the look and feel of wood. Any product that can successfully achieve that authentic wood grain aesthetic is going to be hugely popular.

And with performance, it’s all about low maintenance. People are busy doing other things and don’t want to spend their weekends on a home maintenance project. And this goes back to the authenticity of vinyl, aluminum, cellular composite, or poly-ash siding. People don’t want to maintain wood, so these low maintenance materials are critical for bridging that gap.

This brings us to durability. Customers want a product that is going to last a lifetime. That’s why our siding products at Westlake are engineered with advanced materials that offer a wood-like aesthetic without the moisture absorption or maintenance issues associated with real wood products. When moisture penetrates materials like wood and then dries out, it can lead to cracking, warping, and mold growth. And customers just don’t have time to deal with those issues.

What are the biggest trends in exterior home design right now?

The Celect line of cellular composite siding comes in 5-inch and 7-inch smooth lap siding as well as clapboard, shake, and board and batten. Photo courtesy of Westlake Royal Building Products

I think it’s definitely that bolder look and mixing styles, such as mixed textures with contrasting colors. We’re seeing a lot of white siding with black trim, so it’s really about stark contrasts, bold accents, and mixing textures such as lap siding with a stone knee wall or board and batten with shake. These unique combinations really allow a home to stand out.

The challenge with blending styles and textures can be finding a suite of products that provides this diversity on one platform so the overall look of the home is cohesive. We recognized this pain point and developed our Celect line of cellular composite siding, which comes in 5-inch and 7-inch smooth lap siding as well as clapboard, shake, and board and batten.

This facilitates an enormous range of design opportunities, so customers can do anything from a traditional farmhouse look to a more sleek, modern design, as well as Southern coastal and Victorian—all within a single product line.

How have the design capabilities of siding products evolved over the past 20 years?

The Portsmouth line of shake and shingles is made from a unique process of injection molding. Photo courtesy of Westlake Royal Building Products

Today’s siding capabilities are a world away from where the industry was at during the last housing boom of the early 2000s. The market has access to such a diversity of styles, textures, and colors today because of the incredible innovations driven by the siding industry.

The authentic alternatives to wood are a great example of this. Our Portsmouth line of shake and shingles is made from a unique process of injection molding, which gives us the ability to have almost perfect detail. All of the molds are made from actual cedar shakes, and this picks up all the nuances of that shake to provide a look that’s indistinguishable from real wood.

There’s been a great leap in color technology in our industry over the past 20 years as well. Back then you couldn’t go that dark with siding and trim because it would absorb too much heat, which would warp the siding and fade the color quickly.

That’s why we developed our Chromatix technology, which acts as a sort of sunblock for your siding. Our investment in research and development has really paid off, and now you’re able to add all of these bold dark colors, like blues, greens, and grays, which gives us far more design options than before. We also offer our TruExterior poly-ash siding, which can be painted any color, including dark hues.

What should architects and designers consider before making a purchasing decision?

Environmental factors are one of the first considerations, because you’ve got to make sure you can withstand the elements you’re in. At Westlake, we invest a great deal in our internal testing facilities to make sure our final products meet all of the most stringent codes. All of our siding is approved by the Florida Building Code, which are the country’s strictest wind standards. And most of our brands carry a Class 1A Fire Rating, which means the product is self-extinguishing.

But at the end of the day, it’s all about what the customer wants. The biggest concern for architects and designers is being able to bring the customer’s vision to life and ensure the exterior cladding looks great and performs even better without making too many compromises.

That’s why design professionals need to partner with a supplier that has the breadth and depth of products, styles, and color palettes available. They need to be able to come to customers with a comprehensive set of products, all on the same platform. And with the supply chain issues we’re seeing today, having the product in-stock is critical. That’s part of the benefit for Westlake of being such a big family of brands and operating coast-to-coast—our scale means we always have what the customer needs.

What are the most environmentally friendly exterior cladding solutions?

TruExterior poly-ash siding can be painted any color. Photo courtesy of Westlake Royal Building Products

It’s surprising to a lot of people, but vinyl siding is probably the most sustainable product from a complete life cycle perspective of any exterior cladding. The resources to manufacture it are lower, and certainly the longevity and the recyclability of the material make it one of the most full-circle sustainable solutions out there.

In addition, our TruExterior product line is made from 70% recycled content—specifically fly ash, which is a by-product recovered from coal combustion—combined with polymer for a high level of dimensional stability and durability.

This process keeps the material out of a landfill and on to somebody’s home. And because of its durability, it stays there for a long time; there’s no need to tear it off in 10 years and waste more resources. The longevity of the product is critical for reducing our reliance on virgin material.

Looking toward the future, where do you see the market moving in terms of design trends?

I think the desire for bold, rich colors will only continue to grow. With that you’re going to see a lot more contrasting colors than before, such as light siding with dark accents. And I think using mixed materials is here to stay. Customers love mixing siding with stone, or horizontal with vertical siding, adding shake accents–anything that breaks up the facade of the house and helps it stand out amongst the neighbors.

Resilience is probably the best word that wraps up everything you need from a weather or natural event standpoint. We seem to have more and more wildfires in the West, and more hailstorms in the South and Midwest, plus hurricanes along the gulf, so resilience is critical. Insurance companies are tired of replacing people’s products, and they’re starting to push for materials that will withstand these events that Mother Nature keeps throwing at us.

The post How Siding Industry Innovations Have Elevated Exterior Home Design appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• A 12-month exposure warranty on Gold Bond eXP Sheathing products is one way that National Gypsum Company provides contractors with durable and high-performing building products.
• Select Gold Bond products provided by National Gypsum Company are low-emitting, mold- and moisture-resistant, fire-resistant, and sound damping.
• National Gypsum Company provides select high-value products manufactured by its affiliate companies that are tested for abrasion, weathering, moisture, and, especially, fire resistance.

When commercial project timelines get pushed and exterior cladding installers are delayed, architects need not worry about their in-progress buildings wearing Gold Bond eXP Sheathing. That’s because the 12-month exposure warranty ensures the product can take rain, snow, hail, extreme temperatures, and sun for up to a year without being damaged. National Gypsum continues to provide contractors value through this exposure warranty as supply chains struggle.

The National Gypsum name through its Gold Bond, ProForm, and PermaBASE product lines has been synonymous with high-quality, innovative products and exceptional customer service for almost 100 years. Innovative products backed by robust warranties are just one way National Gypsum meets the high quality, sustainability, and durability standards expected by their customers. Each manufacturing company follows rigorous internal research, development, and testing procedures to ensure its products will last while keeping building occupants safe and healthy.

The manufacturing companies create new products and continually improve existing products and building systems to address sustainability and resiliency standards, fire resistance, mold and mildew resistance, sound mitigation, impact and abrasion resistance, and pretty much anything else their customers need to fulfill projects. National Gypsum Company’s Construction Services Department at 1-800-NATIONAL provides expert help on specifications, code regulations, installation, and more to architects, specifiers, contractors, code officials, and homeowners.

Matt Gallagher, gypsum systems product manager for National Gypsum, sat down with gb&d to share more about the resiliency and sustainability features of products, brands and systems provided by National Gypsum Company.

How do National Gypsum’s Gold Bond product families create resilient buildings?

Photo courtesy of National Gypsum

Our DEXcell and eXP products for roof coverboard and exterior sheathing applications are produced with a more robust fiberglass facer versus paper. Both carry the 12-month exposure warranty to bring customers peace of mind if they are unable to install the final roof covering or wall cladding right away. They provide a substrate that is mold-, mildew-, and moisture-resistant. They are also fire-resistant and have a dense gypsum core.

Our DEXcell FA VSH Glass Mat Roof Board offers enhanced hail, puncture, and wind resistance. Like our other DEXcell roof products, it protects from wind uplift and enhances fire and moisture resistance while providing dimensional stability to the roof system. The DEXcell FA VSH roof board can withstand a 2-inch ice ball traveling 106 miles per hour. From a natural disaster perspective, our products ensure the safety of occupants and protects the building contents as well.

Combined with National Gypsum’s PURPLE moisture and mold-resistant XP® paper-faced gypsum board for interior applications, you can have a comfortable, safe, low-emission, moisture, and mold-resistant environment throughout the building. Photo courtesy of National Gypsum

Our eXP Sheathing is used on outside walls or soffit framing as a substrate for exterior cladding. Its gypsum core offers a dimensionally stable base to build high-performance exterior walls, and its PURPLE fiberglass mat encases the face, back, and sides to reinforce and protect the core, providing superior weather resistance.

Combined with our PURPLE moisture and mold-resistant XP® paper-faced gypsum board for interior applications, you can have a comfortable, safe, low-emission, moisture, and mold-resistant environment throughout the building. We are a one-stop-shop.

How do these create healthier indoor environments?

Photo courtesy of National Gypsum

We are all about providing products to the marketplace that contribute to a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. Our various products are low-emitting, mold- and moisture-resistant, fire-resistant, and sound dampening. The fiberglass facing on our eXP products resists mold growth. There is no food for mold to grow on. Our XP gypsum board has less than 5% water absorption and features SPORGARD® technology with extra mold-inhibiting properties. Those are all very tangible features and provide confidence to the designer specifying our products and systems.

Our SoundBreak XP wall and ceiling products contribute to high STC-rated assemblies to create a comfortable space for occupants. These features contribute to and support higher indoor environmental acoustic quality.

How do National Gypsum products contribute to LEED and other green building goals?

Photo courtesy of National Gypsum

Green certifications are constantly evolving, and we are on that journey. We are always adding declarations and transparency information to help with LEED goals, WELL building requirements, and Living Building Challenge credits. Pretty much every interior product we have is third-party certified as a low-emitting product. We have a very broad portfolio of UL GREENGUARD Gold certified products. The paper facers on our Gold Bond gypsum board products are 100% post-consumer recycled content, which contributes to credit compliance in most green rating systems.

We have put a lot of effort into educating architects, developers, contractors, and consumers. We want our customers to be successful. We provide the technical resources and consultation, and we even have a dedicated staff person to help fill out the forms for green rating systems. Our customers don’t have to spend hours researching. We already have that information available for them.

What kind of testing is done on these products?

Our Technology Innovation Center (TIC), less than a mile from our headquarters in Charlotte, is staffed with scientists who keep us focused on product innovation, optimization, and performance and are dedicated to making our products better every day. We are always trying to upgrade our products and are constantly testing them to ensure all standards are exceeded—abuse, impact, mold resistance, fire, etc. Our TIC is an incubator for all our product development efforts.

Our plants consistently send samples from their production to the TIC for quality testing. Every product is tested and formulated to meet industry and sustainability standards. Whenever we vet new ingredients or new chemistry, we test them internally and do multiple qualifying trials before introducing them to the marketplace.

Product fire resistance properties and achieving the respective fire system ratings are very important to National Gypsum because this ensures life safety for building occupants. We are constantly testing and re-testing within an Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approved testing facility to demonstrate how our products can be used in fire-rated assemblies.

How long do these products typically last before repair or replacement is necessary?

They are designed to be installed, intact, and usable pretty much for the life of the building. From a life-safety standpoint, there is no degradation of the material as long as the building is intact. Once installed, it does not need to be replaced unless occupant requirement dictates or there is a need for renovation. If something does damage the gypsum board, it can be easily repaired.

The post Building Resilient and Sustainable Spaces with Gypsum appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Westlake Royal Building Products has pioneered new technology that allows for a far greater variety of siding colors.
• Traditional siding solutions now mimic the texture of wood without the maintenance and upkeep.
• Vinyl siding is among the most sustainable cladding materials on the market today.

As the housing industry has roared back to life over the past year and new housing starts rise to levels not seen since the early 2000s, builders and architects are reexamining the design themes and material choices that will adorn the next generation of new homes.

Construction industry suppliers, meanwhile, see an opportunity to respond to new market trends with sustainable solutions and a diversity of aesthetic opportunities that reflect on the shortcomings of the previous boom years.

“During the ’90s and early 2000s what we saw was a lot of different colors of beige siding on all of those new homes. And that’s starting to change significantly,” says Steve Booz, vice president of marketing for Westlake Royal Building Products.

Home facade featuring Winterhaven Pro-Fit Alpine Ledgestone from Cultured Stone. Photo courtesy of Westlake Royal Building Products

Westlake Royal offers an enormous array of siding solutions, ranging from traditional vinyl to engineered stone panel systems. The company has invested significantly in the research and development of new materials, textures, and styles, helping to make traditional siding the top choice for builders—whether they prioritize quality or cost.

Booz sat down with gb&d to discuss the trends in the siding market, the surprising benefits of vinyl siding, and the industry’s commitment to sustainability.

Developers, contractors, and architects have plenty of choices when it comes to exterior cladding materials. What are the major benefits of siding?

Two single-family units featuring Silver Lining Stacked Stone from Eldorado Stone. Photo courtesy of Heiser Media

When a developer or builder is looking at the various forms of exterior cladding, siding is a great choice, and part of that comes back to the variety we can provide. There’s an incredible array of design possibilities with siding—whether it’s vinyl, aluminum, cellular composite, or a combination of materials.

Overall people are looking for curb appeal. They don’t want the cookie-cutter, out-of-the-box aesthetic—they’re looking for something that makes their home truly stand out.

On this front, vinyl siding has come a long way from the traditional 1990s-era, 3-inch lap siding everyone was doing and that looked pretty busy on homes. The chemistry behind vinyl has evolved, increasing the durability and the textures and styles available, and it’s not uncommon now to see vinyl siding on million-dollar homes.

Ultimately homeowners want beauty, performance, and durability—and traditional siding is really the only solution that addresses each of these concerns. Everyone loves the look and texture of wood, but it isn’t very durable—it rots and weathers easily—and the maintenance and upkeep required of wood siding quickly becomes a hassle for homeowners.

What are the best options for builders when it comes to siding? What are the most popular materials and styles available today?

Portsmouth seen in rustic gray. Photo courtesy of Westlake Royal Building Products

Vinyl siding, as we discussed, really presents the best of both worlds in terms of aesthetics and durability—as well as sustainability—and is still the most popular solution today. And because of its versatility, vinyl siding is available in countless different styles.

For example, our Portsmouth Shake and Shingles line offers five profile options with a realistic natural cedar texture that blends seamlessly with other siding materials and styles. This is a great example of the direction the industry is going.

Or, for builders who love the look of fiber cement siding but want a more durable, maintenance-free option, cellular composite siding provides even better curb appeal without the laborious installation process. Westlake Royal’s Celect brand of cellular composite siding features interlocking joints, so there’s no need for special equipment or caulking the gaps between panels.

Poly-ash siding is a proprietary option exclusive to our TruExterior Siding line. Made with a blend of fly ash and polymers, it combines the authenticity of wood with a high level of dimensional stability and durability for resistance to warping, cracking, and splitting.

Stone siding is also becoming increasingly popular as builders seek to add a natural touch and a diversity of materials to the exterior of their homes. Our Cultured Stone, Eldorado Stone, and Versetta Stone products are all made from a concrete mixture cast in flexible molds and hand-colored with iron oxide pigments to perfectly resemble natural stone, hand-formed brick, and other materials. Each brand offers lightweight panelized profiles for rapid installation, and Versetta Stone in particular can be screwed into place without the need for mortar.

And while vinyl siding has maintained its position on the top of the pack, aluminum siding is making a comeback. We developed our Cedar Renditions aluminum siding line with a variegated wood-grain design that offers a modern, streamlined look on 6-inch panels. This makes for a perfect accent to brick or stone cladding.

How have siding systems evolved over the past decade? What has changed the most?

TruExterior vertical-shiplap and channel bevel pictured here on a home in Massachusetts. Photo courtesy of Westlake Royal Building Products

The desire for and availability of new colors has been one of the biggest changes I’ve seen over the past five to 10 years. We’re no longer seeing hundreds of new homes lined up together, all clad in monotonous horizontal siding with similar earth-tone shades, and part of that change has been advances in technology.

The problem was that darker colors not only absorb more heat that distorts the siding, but the color also faded much quicker—requiring more frequent upkeep. In response to these challenges we developed our Chromatix technology, which acts as a sort of sunblock for your siding.

On one side of the light spectrum, it protects your siding from the ultraviolet rays that gradually fade the color pigment of darker siding. On the other end of the spectrum is infrared energy that builds up heat and warps the siding. Chromatix reflects this energy so your siding stays cool and lasts longer.

TruExterior Siding also provides an option. Its high-performance attributes allow it to be painted any color, including dark hues.

Diversifying the spectrum of color that’s available for siding and trim has really opened up a whole new world of design opportunities. At the same time, architectural tastes have evolved in other ways. We’ve seen more mixing and matching of siding materials and styles, including shake and stone.

Trim systems have also evolved with siding and design trends. Our PVC trim and mouldings are designed to complement every type of siding and exterior cladding material—making it easy to work with.

And, of course, environmental sustainability has become a huge priority over the past decade.

How is the siding industry addressing sustainability?

Westlake Royal’s Celect brand of cellular composite siding features interlocking joints. Photo courtesy of Westlake Royal Building Products

The industry is taking sustainability very seriously, from our manufacturing processes to our material choices.

From an industry-wide perspective, we’re collaborating with the Vinyl Siding Institute to implement a remodeling recycle program, so if a contractor tears vinyl siding off a home, they bring that back to a central location nearby. That material is recycled back to one of the member manufacturers, so it’s a cradle-to-cradle operation.

Material choice is also critical. It’s long been thought that vinyl siding was not the sustainable choice because it’s made from plastic, which is an understandable point of view when you think of all the harm that single-use plastic does.

But when you really start looking at everything in the life cycle analysis, from manufacturing process and the ingredients that go into vinyl to the durability and the lifespan of the product, it really comes out on top. Vinyl siding is so durable it’ll be on your house for 50-plus years, which is the most resource-efficient way to go.

Vinyl has 79% less impact on climate change than fiber cement and 85% less impact than brick and mortar cladding. You’re far more likely to find recycled materials in vinyl than in other products.

We’ve also found other creative ways to recycle material. The fly ash used for our TruExterior Siding & Trim, for example, is a byproduct recovered from coal combustion.

Looking ahead, what are some of the top trends in the industry, and where do you see the market moving?

The Cedar Renditions aluminum siding line was developed with a variegated wood-grain design that offers a modern, streamlined look on 6-inch panels. Rendering courtesy of Westlake Royal Building Products

Low-maintenance siding options have always been popular, but we expect to see this become even more of a priority for builders and homeowners. Think about it. Baby boomers are aging and don’t want to worry about maintenance; at the same time, millennials are coming into the marketplace late, and one of the main reasons for that is they don’t want to spend their weekends repainting or re-siding their homes.

This also ties into another concern in the industry, which is around future trends in skilled labor. We were talking about labor shortages before the pandemic, but it’s only gotten worse. More skilled trades workers are retiring, and there are fewer young people going into the construction trades, which is raising costs and build-out times for developers.

That’s one of the reasons Westlake Royal Building Products has focused more on systems that are easier to install and maintain, so it opens the door for more people to be able to work with these products without the highly specialized training we saw in the past.

And from a design perspective, we are only seeing an acceleration of the trend of using a mixture of different materials on the exterior of homes. This has allowed for a far greater variety of design variation even within the same subdivision.

You’re seeing vertical siding mixed with stone knee walls, shake accents under the roof gables that complement 7-inch vinyl siding—all of these creative combinations that are moving the industry in an exciting new aesthetic direction.

The post How the Siding Industry has Evolved Since the Last Housing Boom appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Building facades made with aluminum have a sustainable advantage.
• Kawneer’s aluminum curtain wall, window, and framing systems have thermal break technologies and other components that achieve maximum building energy efficiencies and performance.

As building certification programs become more complex and demanding, building material suppliers have a choice. They can passively provide what’s asked for, or, like Kawneer, they can go further to make buildings more sustainable than ever.

Kim Ferro—vice president of global marketing, product and technology for Arconic Building & Construction Systems (the parent company to Atlanta-based Kawneer)—shares how this is no small feat. Kawneer’s Product Innovation Team takes on the complex task of designing systems that meet all sustainable criteria, encompassing both manufacturing and enhanced energy performance once installed.

Kawneer is building some of the most sustainable facade systems today while simultaneously focusing on occupant comfort and the ecological demands of tomorrow.

How sustainable is aluminum?

Photo courtesy of Kawneer

Aluminum is lightweight, strong, and infinitely recyclable. Few materials offer the same flexibility; almost 75% of aluminum produced in North America is still in use today and can be fully recycled over and over again in a true closed loop.

Nearly 40% of the North American aluminum supply is now created following this process. With a 50-year life expectancy, aluminum allows Kawneer’s high-performing products to last twice as long compared to alternative materials, with no ongoing maintenance.

What are Kawneer’s integrated, whole-building design practices?

We provide a tremendous amount of transparency, not just on what goes into our products, but how those products are manufactured. We constantly work with the building team to help them understand what combination of products will effectively deliver the best solution on specific projects. Tactically, that comes down to several things:

• Disclosing the environmental impact of our products. We provide EPDs that show the carbon footprint on the processing of our framing systems.
• Establishing guidelines for sustainable procurement practices. New product and product enhancement design starts with having no Red List materials (containing chemicals that can be harmful to human and environmental health).
• Reporting the material and ingredient content of our systems. Our internal support team provides the end user with the necessary documentation to support sustainability design initiatives.
• Demonstrating the social responsibility of our company. We follow the Arconic Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) objectives, which are cascaded down through the organization.
• Driving internal and external sustainable design principles. We participate in industry associations that support sustainable design for a better built environment.
• Advising and promoting sustainable manufacturing practices. Our wastewater management reduction in landfill waste aligns with reducing our carbon footprint, which allows Kawneer to participate in programs that reward sustainable design practices.

How do your systems enable a sustainable building?

Occupant comfort was critical as part of the Shorb Tower at Methodist University Hospital project. Photo courtesy of Kawneer

There are many complex design considerations in buildings today. Kawneer engages at the very earliest stages to advise on product selection for optimal results. In sustainable design we must think about how the building can become part of the surrounding environment and best serve the people who use it.

The Shorb Tower at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis is a great example. As part of the recent expansion and renovation project, occupant comfort was of the utmost importance to the hospital to aid in both healing and productivity.

The ultimate design used seven Kawneer products on the facade, with each one demonstrating how sustainable design has evolved to focus on the people who use the building every day.

A unitized curtain wall reduced waste and construction time, minimizing hospital disruption. It also has high-performing thermal products for energy efficiency and sunshades to maximize natural light while minimizing solar heat gain. Finally, operable windows allow for air circulation, creating a healthier environment for occupants.

The design team used what we call the “Integrated Project Delivery” method, in which each member worked together with the hospital leadership and facility end users, from the beginning through to completion, forming the foundation of a sustainable success.

How do Kawneer’s sunshades work?

Our Versoleil® SunShade is a bladed solar protection device hung outside over windows—somewhat an advanced version of an awning. A light shelf is a horizontal shelf that attaches onto the interior of the framing system, such as our curtain wall or storefront systems. It bounces solar light to the interior ceiling, further inside from the windows to improve occupant comfort.

Is it possible to look at a new-build structure and identify Kawneer’s physical sustainable components?

SunShade OutRigger system. Photo courtesy of Kawneer

Sustainable building design requires complex engineering with a lot of moving parts and pieces. While there are some components like sunshades, electrochromic glass, or solar panels that work visibly to the favor of the building’s efficiency, there are just as many invisible components, including thermal breaks and enhanced structural performance technology.

In the next 20 years, where might Kawneer contribute to even greener buildings?

Kawneer is focused on sustainable innovation. We are deploying new thermal break technologies, evaluating innovations in finish technology, and entering into partnerships that deliver even more value to a sustainable building proposition. We currently have a number of tools that help architects design for sustainable buildings, like our Solector® Sun Shading Estimator that allows architects to estimate and compare thermal performance of glazing and framing systems with various types of Kawneer solar protection devices.

It’s product innovation like this that is helping us to lead the way with sustainable design. Modular systems reduce energy consumption and improve occupant comfort. Multi-functional buildings facilitate a healthier work-life balance, integrate with the environment, and contribute to a greater sense of community.

The post How Architectural Glazing Systems Make for Better Sustainable Buildings appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Melink’s building health monitor PositiV identified several areas of HVAC deficiency and prescribed solutions to correct the problems.
• Changes made in response to the data collected from PositiV led to the overall lowering of heating and cooling costs and a healthier indoor environment for employees and customers.
• The building’s overall health rating improved from a D to a C.

When engineering managers of a popular national quick-service burger chain were looking for a way to monitor and protect the health of its new or renovated facilities, they turned to PositiV. What they found in one location was a major cause for concern.

Melink Corporation’s building health monitoring system PositiV measures key building health metrics—temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide, and building pressure. The system then grades the building based on the data. If it senses any metrics are out of the set parameters, it prescribes solutions to combat potential issues. The standalone, solar-powered digital system uses two wireless monitors to track and remotely monitor a building’s overall health. One monitor is installed on the interior and one on the exterior for the most accurate data collection.

The data seen here is an example of the kind of data you may receive. Image courtesy of Melink

The system has the expertise of highly trained HVAC specialists to back it up. Melink, which started as an HVAC test and balance company in 1987, has spent 30-plus years keeping HVAC systems running as efficiently and safely as possible. Alex Falck, product manager at Melink, sat down with gb&d to explain what PositiV uncovered about this particular restaurant location and how it helped solve the problems.

Why was PositiV used in this project?

In 2019 this popular national quick-service burger chain’s 5,000-square-foot Norfolk, Virginia location was renovated. Part of this renovation included replacing and redesigning the HVAC system. It was a complete overhaul focused on getting the building up-to-date.

Shortly after renovations were complete they began having several HVAC-related issues—high energy spend, high cooling load, and occupant complaints about heat in the kitchen. They were not entirely sure of the root cause of these issues, so they reached out to us. They purchased and installed PositiV to obtain critical building performance and design data. They were looking to identify and correct potential problems and also verify HVAC performance in their newly-designed building.

What did PositiV find?

Data from this pressure chart is from the restaurant case study. Image courtesy of Melink

Even in this newly remodeled facility that had gone through many steps to receive its certificate of occupancy at the hands of several contractors, there were significant deficiencies. Data collected by PositiV showed that 88.6% of the time it was operating outside of parameters for pressure; 46% of the time it was outside parameters for temperature; and, 33.5% of the time it was outside parameters for humidity. To clarify, these were parameters set by the franchise’s building engineers as goals they wanted to meet.

Using the data collected by PositiV, we found they were unnecessarily conditioning the buildings’ air during unoccupied times (8 to 12 hours a day). This was causing the high HVAC spend. The data showed the equipment was not maintaining consistent positive building pressure and was inducing large swings dependent on building occupancy and cooking operations. We also found that the system was not supplying a sufficient amount of make-up air during operating hours, causing a negative pressure situation. This was inducing temperature fluctuations, leading to drafts, hot and cold spots, and general occupant discomfort.

To sum the findings up, they were undersupplying fresh air needed in the building during operating hours and cooling/heating the facility when people weren’t there. PositiV issued a site grade of D to the facility. It was too low for what they were trying to achieve for the building.

How did PositiV help solve the challenge?

PositiV helped to give facility managers a better understanding of where operational and design deficiencies were occurring. In addition to the significant time spent outside of parameters, two major HVAC deficiencies were identified. The oversupplying of air during unoccupied times and undersupplying of air during occupied times.

The PositiV system prescribed a solution to facility managers to adjust and balance the HVAC system to ensure proper pressure and fresh air is maintained across occupancy schedules. To improve the situation, PositiV suggested a slight positive pressure be created. It is how building engineers could eliminate the relative humidity, reduce unnecessary cooling overnight, and overall HVAC spend.

We also found the negative pressure condition was causing indoor humidity trends to follow outdoor humidity trends, thus creating a high dew point for the space. This can present a dangerous situation for a space—condensation buildup and mold growth during hot, humid summer months. It can also lead to wood warping.

How has the building changed since PositiV was installed?

The site grade for the building has been increased to a C, indicating better overall health and performance. Data collected in October 2021 by PositiV shows the facility is operating outside of parameters for pressure 58% of the time, compared to 88% in 2019. It is outside of parameters for temperature 19% of the time, compared to 46% in 2019. And, it is operating outside of parameters for humidity 16% of the time, compared to 33% in 2019.

The dew point inside the facility has decreased significantly. It is no longer trending with the outdoor humidity levels due to the reduced effects of negative pressure. Additional supplied-air also means the system is better able to dehumidify the air. Healthier indoor air and less humidity mean fewer potential health issues for occupants and less risk for mold growth. Proper adjustment and balance of the system have caused a reduction in HVAC spending, as the facility is no longer over conditioning the air during unoccupied times to the same degree.

Without the data, building engineers would not have known how or to what level to tweak their HVAC equipment. PositiV provides the data and information to direct the corrective actions and adjustments needed to reach that healthier building environment.

The post How Building Monitor PositiV Improved the Health of a National Restaurant appeared first on gb&d magazine.

Almost all of the Duwamish River Valley in South Seattle is zoned industrial; five miles of the Lower Duwamish River itself is now (2021) a multimillion-dollar Superfund site whose resident fish are too toxic to consume. The slim rectangle of family homes in the Georgetown neighborhood are flanked by industrial facilities and freight-train tracks; diesel trucks regularly cough out all sorts of fumes and particulates.

Community Goals

A community group gathers to discuss needs in the Duwamish Valley. Photo courtesy of greenscreen

Air, water, soil, and food contamination were not new to the Georgetown community. Studies led by JHA and Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition (DRCC) showed that the Duwamish Valley is disproportionately impacted by environmental contamination and has less resources than the rest of Seattle. The CHIA (Cumulative Health Impact Analysis) showed Duwamish Valley residents have a 13-year shorter life expectancy relative to that of residents in wealthier and adjacent neighborhoods, and childhood asthma hospitalization rates were, at the time, the highest in the city.

Client Response and Resolution

In 2015, after residents’ complaints and the city’s response, one particular toxic-dust culprit—a construction-debris-recycling facility called CDL Recycle—temporarily closed its Georgetown location. The community recognized their environmental justice concerns, and that their issues would only be addressed by successfully navigating the EPA’s requirements to identify sources of environmental pollution and its effects.

By a majority vote and after months of research and data collection, the community, led by JHA and the DRCC, the project’s titular developer and client, chose to install a freestanding greenscreen system to perform environmental services and be aesthetically pleasing.

Environmental Goals for a Green Facade Solution

The Duwamish Valley greenscreen green facade is, in the words of the community, “a green wall without a building,” and was voted the top “most effective option for mitigating air pollution.”

The environmental services and performance values chosen by the Georgetown community (the client) are for a solution that:

• Mitigates air pollution
• Can be installed anywhere
• Creates a “wall of green”
• Can be installed where trees cannot
• Doesn’t require a building for support
• Can be aesthetically pleasing
• Will be successful with minimal maintenance
• Thrives using locally viable vines
• Offers opportunities for learning basic construction and maintenance skills
• Is an example of support for a variety of plants and habitat for birds and insects.

The installation was completed in fall 2016 by 13 project partners/groups of volunteers. Recent photos of the project show a mature and thriving green facade that fulfills most of the client’s expectations. For example:

• Mitigates air pollution from common urban sources.
  Spectrographic and simulation testing of mature vegetated infrastructure in urban environments of various designs, where dust, airborne particles from automobiles and industry circulate, show how leaf surfaces trap pollution. The polluting particles are sequestered when leaves fall and become mulch.
• Cools the local environment.
  Elementary physics explains and validates the capacity of mature vegetation to cool proximal air temperatures by as much as 25 degrees Fahrenheit by evapotranspiration on the hottest days.
• Is simple to install using common building skills.
  The greenscreen system can be installed in most locations and soil conditions. The supporting structure must be engineered and footings designed according to expected wind loads and soil conditions.

Lessons Learned

Build a smaller green wall for the experience first.

Make sure to work closely with the engineer to discuss design changes and find creative solutions.

Don’t order materials until design and permit are approved.

Make sure the footing design is appropriate for a tall structure.

“Appreciation by the community and the environmental benefits makes the project worth doing despite any and all challenges,” says Linn Gould, director of Just Health Action.

Project Details

Project: Duwamish Valley Green Facade

Client: Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition & Just Health Action

Location: Seattle

Size: 1,638 square feet

Completion: Fall 2016

Cost: $57 per square foot, including plants and irrigation system (excludes support posts)

Developer: The Community of the Duwamish Valley

Consultants: Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition & Just Health Action

The post How a Green Facade Solution Brought Life to the Duwamish Valley appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Thermory has fine-tuned the thermal modification process using steam to have more control.
• Thermory’s thermally modified ash is rot-resistant for a minimum of 25 years.
• Modified wood mimics the qualities of tropical species without deforestation or the use of plastics or chemicals.

Imagine taking beautiful real wood with all its natural qualities and using steam heat—no chemicals—to enhance every fiber, making it rot- and moisture-resistant. Combine that process with careful sourcing, and you have a product that is “as close to perfect as it gets for our planet,” says Kevin DeMars, part-owner of Thermory USA.

DeMars and co-owner Mark Challinor brought Thermory’s, an international company based out of Estonia, thermal modification methods and practices to the US a decade ago. The decision was obvious for DeMars, who had been purchasing wood products in his previous position for years. Several random occurrences kept him questioning, “What is up with this ‘cooked wood?’”

You could say it was meant to be. “I thought, ‘Here is a product that works and works well in Europe, but no one knows about it in North America.’ People were dabbling, but it had been terribly unsuccessful. I saw this as a unique opportunity to introduce this product in the right way. We could create it correctly and teach people how to use it correctly,” he says. The rest is history. “We now have our own category in the building industry.”

Photo by Ryoma Tominga

Thermory’s founders—Marko and Meelis Kajandu—fine-tuned the thermal modification process. They were unhappy with the standard methods and chambers of the time, so they went deep into the science. The result is a process that involves both heat—altering the wood to enhance its longevity and make it both rot and moisture resistant—and steam—allowing for complete control over the process. It all takes place in 20,000-square-foot chambers for consistency and perfection with every board.

Thermory engineers and scientists are just beginning. They are constantly evolving processes and equipment to make thermally modified wood better. DeMars shared with gb&d some of the many ways thermally modified wood enhances designs while keeping sustainability front and center.

How does the thermal modification process work?

Think of a maple tree. It is full of carbohydrates and sugar that are a food source for mold and fungus. What we do is eliminate the sugar in the wood, basically removing that food source. There is nothing for mold and fungus to latch to, making the wood rot-resistant.

The heat also alters the cellular structure—composed mostly of carbohydrate chains—in a way that causes it to lose the vacuum effect that pulls water through the wood. That is what makes the wood moisture-resistant.

The whole process takes just a couple of days. There are lots of parts that make up the wood. We know exactly at what temperature one cellular component is altered versus another. We can change a specific part of the wood without altering another, allowing it to maintain its structural integrity. It is what sets us apart from other domestic producers of thermally modified wood.

How is thermally modified wood a sustainable choice?

There are no chemicals or plastics used in the process, just heat and steam. It takes minimal energy as the process only takes a couple of days, versus kiln-drying that can take several weeks. And it is biodegradable in its life cycle. It is still wood. It is as close to perfect as it gets for the planet.

At Thermory, we are careful with how we source our wood. We have taken great care to understand how different forests and environments renew. We source from several locations around the world and make sure to leave all forests healthy and thriving. We never source from rainforests. Since our process makes the wood rot-resistant and stable we can source wood from the Northern Hemisphere. It mimics the qualities of tropical wood without deforestation or the use of plastics or chemicals like in pressure-treated or composite lumber.

Our product is thoroughly inspected before leaving our factories, ensuring each board is straight, smooth, and beautiful—reducing waste. Sustainable practices are very important to us at Thermory. That is why we always consider transportation. We use ocean freight and rail whenever we can. It is highly efficient. We burn factory waste and recycle.

How does thermally modified wood bring design visions to life?

Designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. Photo by Ryoma Tominga

With the growing popularity of biophilic design, our product gives people better choices. It is ecological, beautiful, soft, and supple to the touch. The Gathering Place in Tulsa is the ultimate example of how our product can connect people in a sustainable and welcoming way.

Our Benchmark ash is used on benches, decking, and parts of playgrounds. The architects had a unique approach to their landscape architecture. They worked within the confines of the landscape itself and didn’t try to change it drastically. Our product is used to intermix lifestyle and landscape naturally.

We offer several different species of wood, sizes, and colors. We have textures that are brushed, rough, and smooth. Through our Ignite line, we offer a charred/cracked effect. Anything you want or need for a project, we likely have something cool. For the most part, our products are used on exteriors but there is no reason you can’t bring them inside. They have been used on ceilings or accent walls indoors.

How durable is modified wood and how is it maintained?

Without adding any extra oils or doing any special maintenance, our ash species is guaranteed to be rot-resistant for 25 years or more. It is a very durable wood, holding up to all types of weather and environments. It is strong, often used to make baseball bats and tool handles. It can definitely take some abuse.

Once it is correctly installed, you can keep it looking good by cleaning it off with a broom and oiling it once a year. Think about maintenance like taking care of your skin, just like sunscreen on your face. It is not the end of the world if you don’t put it on your skin, but it will look a lot older, a lot quicker. Keep it clean and oil it once a year, and it will perform exceptionally well.

What should architects consider when specifying a modified wood project?

The Gathering Place, Tulsa, OK. Photo by Ryoma Tominga

There are lots of great things you can do with our products, but it is still wood. It performs extraordinarily well, but it is not perfect and is not a solution for challenging installations. If used as decking, there must be some ventilation. Occasionally we will see an architect who chooses to keep a deck frame close to the ground, and there is no underdeck ventilation. If they choose to build close to the ground, there are some precautions they need to take. There needs to be proper ventilation and draining to increase the lifetime and performance of the deck.

It is important to design around the products you want to use rather than fitting the product into the design. A lot of times we have architects who specify boards that are 16-foot lengths. We are using a northern species, and with hardwoods you typically don’t get the lengths you get with other species.

We try to be careful about the attributes we communicate. For example, the modified boards are moisture-resistant, but some people hear “waterproof” and think they can install them at the bottom of a pool. We recommend that architects learn about our product and design around those specifications.

What are some common misconceptions about thermally modified wood products?

They are all created equal. You might have a bad experience at a restaurant, but that doesn’t mean all restaurants are terrible. It depends on where you get it and who makes it. Modified wood in the US is still in its infancy, and proper modification is difficult and tedious. Our equipment is highly advanced, and the scientists who run it are widely intelligent in the field of wood science.

A common remark we get is that thermally modified wood is brittle. In comparison to other woods, yes, but extreme brittleness is not indicative of the science in general—it has a lot to do with who is modifying the wood. Extreme brittleness usually means it has been cooked too hot and not modified correctly.

The post How Thermally Modified Wood is a Planet Perfect Solution appeared first on gb&d magazine.

What is a building product evaluation report, and why is it helpful?

The evaluation process exists for a reason: to support the safe installation and use of building products. There is a minimum criteria set forth in the building codes: For those products that meet or exceed these requirements, an evaluation report showing proof of compliance may be issued.

The product evaluation process starts with an independent, rigorous review of industry standards, product test data, and specifications. Qualifying inspections of product manufacturing quality control are also conducted, and an evaluation report is then issued to the building product manufacturer. The evaluation report authorizes the manufacturer to apply the service provider’s mark of conformity to their product as proof of code compliance.

Building Sustainability and Code Compliance into Design

How the ICC Supports a Holistic Approach to Sustainability and Resilience

Throughout the life of an evaluation report, quality control inspections are continuously conducted to ensure that no unauthorized changes have occurred in the manufacturing process and that the product has not varied from what was originally evaluated.

International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) evaluation reports also help manufacturers bring their innovative technologies to market with independent proof that their products meet the latest building code requirements and standards. Acceptance Criteria (AC) is developed when a code or standard is not recognized for an innovative product. This helps level the playing field for code compliance.

Selection and approval of alternative building products is difficult as is; however, evaluation reports can help streamline critical decision-making.

Does the evaluation involve a site visit to the plants where products are manufactured?

Manufacturing site inspections are part of a successful continuous compliance program. Photo courtesy of ICC-ES, Getty Images

Yes. After the evaluation report is submitted and published, there is a one- or two-year evaluation report renewal. Part of a successful renewal includes a visit to the manufacturing plants to survey the products. This is necessary to make sure that the product continues to comply with the requirements of the standards.

There are two parts to product evaluation. One is testing and the review of the test report, and the other is the evaluation of the manufacturing plant. Those two parts are parallel while the project moves forward, and then they come together towards the end when the inspection is conducted and also when the product evaluation is completed. The inspector consults with the engineer who has reviewed the product and the test reports and submitted the information, and through that consultation and the peer review, an evaluation report is generated.

What’s the biggest advantage that a product with an evaluation report provides?

A growing number of evaluation reports for repurposed shipping containers reflect engagement in a dynamic building material segment. Photo courtesy of ICC-ES, Getty Images

The greatest benefit of an evaluation report from a trusted source is proof of compliance of the product to the set code and normative documents. Specifiers and architects, and code officials and inspectors, can sleep well at night knowing that the products evaluated by ICC-ES have been evaluated rigorously by an experienced engineer or by an organization that has a proven track record to evaluate products to show it has met the applicable codes and standards. What we do, in my view, save lives. Code officials and inspectors approve products for installation after they see one of our evaluation service reports. That tells me that they have confidence in us, they have confidence in our rigorous process, and they have confidence in the experience of our engineers.

For manufacturers, the accomplishment of product assessment adds a level of quality and customer assurance in one’s capabilities and products. For authorities having jurisdiction, evaluations completed by independent technical assessment bodies are the best tool available to clear products for installation/use with ease of mind.

What’s the relationship between the Evaluation Service and the International Code Council?

The ICC-ES is by itself incorporated. It has its own board of managers, and it runs separately from the Code Council. But it is a part of the parent company, which is the International Code Council. Now the definition of independence and third party comes from the ISO/IEC 1700. We have four different accreditations in North America, and all four of them are to the requirements of ISO 17065, which is the international standard for conformity assessment bodies.

We have an impartiality committee composed of manufacturers, government members, and staff. That impartiality committee goes through all the changes to our procedures, some of the evaluation reports that have been published and so on. Then there are internal audits conducted on an annual basis, and on the top of that, we are accredited by four accreditation agencies and they do external audits. All of these activities have a segment within them that goes through the impartiality of what we do and that is just to make sure that we are an independent, third-party organization.

What are some exciting building products that have been evaluated by ICC-ES?

New and innovative approaches to construction include 3D concrete printing, which can be evaluated using ICC-ES AC509. Photo courtesy of Black Buffalo

So many different types of products and assemblies come our way. The ones that have caught my attention fall into the category of off-site construction. These are products that are built up to a point in a factory and then are assembled on-site, and it makes things a little faster and potentially less expensive. There’s a 3D printing robot we’ve seen that actually prints a wall in a matter of one day using concrete, and they can put reinforcements in the middle of it. So that’s very interesting.

The modular building industry has grown dramatically in the US and abroad. Many contractors are now using some form of off-site construction methods, including pods, booths, and private spaces within buildings. ICC-ES AC519 for Enclosed Booths for Installation Inside New and Existing Buildings addresses local variants of the building code. Similarly ICC-ES AC462 for Structural Building Materials from Intermodal Shipping Containers was developed to support this innovative building material segment. Shipping containers are currently being repurposed and converted into a variety of residential, commercial, and industrial facilities including office buildings, storage units, pop-up restaurants, and even temporary hospital or medical facilities.

Are there geographic areas or product categories where testing is more important than others?

I believe every category of product we review that’s part of the construction of a building is important. But having said that, there are certain products that need to go through seismic evaluation, for instance, so that obviously requires some rigorous evaluation. There’s fire safety evaluation to certain ASTM standards like E-84 or E-119. Those are important. Wind load is important. The Florida Building Code has something called high-velocity hurricane zone, and there’s a specific test for that, and that’s specific to that particular region of the country. So those are very important areas of evaluation. Roofing, doors and windows should be evaluated in accordance with the high-velocity zone requirements.

Conformity assessment is critical to safety for residents around the world. Consumers have long been demanding safer building products globally. They require characteristics such as quality, safety, economy, reliability, compatibility, efficiency, and effectiveness to be examined through conformity assessment

Why should all building products be evaluated for code compliance?

Product evaluation for construction matters because at the end of the day, human lives are at stake. I say this and I mean it. It may sound as though I’m making it up, but what we do here at ICC-ES saves lives, and I’m passionate about it. Every time I look at an evaluation report, and I see how rigorous the evaluation has been, I realize that this evaluation can save somebody’s life because the structure is not going to collapse. So that’s very important to me. That’s really what motivates me every day.

The post What Does It Mean When a Product Has an Evaluation Report? appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Educational structures must perform aesthetically, sustainably, and financially.
• Windows, doors, and curtain walls have taken on additional functions and serve more needs than separating outdoors from indoors.
• Marquee examples show how smart building envelopes, innovative curtain walls, and resilient points of ingress and regress made from aluminum systems enhance education.

Aluminum and aluminum alloys have long been used as building construction materials. Strongly associated with the Art Deco movement due to the sleek appearance and malleability—consider the striking details of New York’s Empire State and Chrysler buildings—aluminum was found to be resilient to harsh climatic conditions with a high weight-to-strength ratio, enabling it to frame large spans of glass used in commercial and other large-scale construction.

It’s not surprising then, that aluminum plays a central role in the range of products made today by Kawneer—an American manufacturer of architectural systems. It adeptly meets the considerable needs of educational buildings, from community elementary schools up through the modern and historically renovated halls of learning at major universities.

The requirements of educational structures, however, differ from those of skyscrapers and retail developments. A high degree of inflow-outflow of elementary students can be rough on doors, for example. Additionally, the need to conserve energy in educational environments factors into how aluminum systems are designed and built, and the basic requirement to provide safe and productive learning environments takes the role of aluminum-based systems far beyond its shiny surfaces.

Considering how educational structures are the pride of many communities and campuses, the appearance of curtain wall systems means aluminum continues to be prized as an attractive building feature. Kawneer’s product manager at the company’s North American headquarters in Norcross, Georgia, Christopher Giovannielli, is the product manager for windows and the sustainability lead. Giovannielli shares how Kawneer systems are supporting sustainable educational environments.

Explain how a Kawneer system works with elementary and secondary schools.

In terms of elementary and secondary schools, property tax payers are keenly aware of the cost of school buildings and consequently scrutinize them on a number of factors: design, safety, and increasingly that the structure has a light environmental footprint. The architects who design schools are themselves very focused on this.

Whether it’s a new school building or a renovation/retrofit, Kawneer framing systems and facades have a big impact on operating expenses. Older structures have single-pane glass on windows and doors, so big improvements come with modern windows and doors that increase energy efficiency. With new buildings, strong energy performance is a requirement.

Can you give us an example of this in action?

Sure. The Lady Bird Johnson Middle School in Irving, Texas, is an architecturally interesting structure that is very large with a monumental curtain wall that allows in lots of light. It’s certified LEED Gold—and with large windows—very Texas! In addition to heavy wall entrances, it has the InLighten Interior Light Shelf to bring more natural light to interior spaces.

How does the light shelf work?

A light shelf is a way to reduce dependence on artificial lighting in interior spaces. Photo courtesy of Kawneer

A light shelf is a way to reduce dependence on artificial lighting in interior spaces. It’s a horizontal shelf on the interior of the framing system—up to 30 inches in depth, appended to one of our curtain wall or storefront systems. It bounces solar light to the interior ceiling, further inside from the windows to improve occupant comfort. Natural light is less fatiguing for students and teachers, it also provides savings from less usage of artificial lighting and our Solector® Sun Shading Estimator can provide you with this information.

In some climates solar gain is to be kept out. How do you engineer that?

Kawneer’s Versoleil® SunShade is a bladed solar protection device hung outside over windows. Photo courtesy of Kawneer

We have the Solector® Sun Shading Estimator, which provides estimated savings for schools that use the light shelf and/or our Versoleil® SunShade, a bladed solar protection device hung outside over windows—somewhat an advanced version of an awning.

The tool calculates an estimate of the annual cooling effects of the sunshade based on location. It factors hourly average weather data for the specific location of the building throughout the course of a year, along with the thermal properties of the glazing, framing, and spandrel sections of the window framing system. The calculation tells building owners and architects how products designed into the structure will perform thermally.

Thermal performance is a big challenge. How does Kawneer stay ahead?

As a global company, we in North America build upon our European strengths around thermal performance. Europe has very stringent performance requirements when it comes to thermal testing; learning from our colleagues across the pond we continue to develop our facades to meet and exceed the American requirements.

What assures schools they are doing the greenest thing possible?

Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, and nearly 75% of aluminum products produced in North America are still in use today, either because it holds up or because it is recycled. Our recycled content is a minimum of 50 to 55% range. Most architects and school systems like to know they are using recycled content.

In addition to the data we can provide from the solar selector tool, we benefit from achieving a number of green certifications. They include Environmental Product Declarations, the MTS (Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability) certification, the Declare certification (supporting the Living Building Challenge), and we are Cradle to Cradle–certified.

Important to the LEED certification point system, we have five manufacturing and 14 service facilities in the US and Canada, bringing manufacturing closer to the customer and job site.

What about systems for historic structure renovations?

The Montgomery Ward Building on the Northwestern University campus uses Kawneer’s high-performance thermal windows, model TR-9460, to stand up to Chicago’s extreme winter. Photo courtesy of Kawneer

The Montgomery Ward Building on the Northwestern University campus in Chicago is a good illustration. They needed to replace the steel and wood windows in the 14-story structure, built in 1927. Kawneer’s high-performance thermal windows, model TR-9460, are resilient to the city’s extreme winter weather and were selected in part because they could retain the appearance of the building’s original Gothic features, while providing ample air and light to the medical and dental learning facilities inside.

The project architect, Anthony Cinnamon, with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates said, “The TR-9460 matched well with the existing design,” which was reportedly considered exceptional in the size and number of its windows when the structure was first completed almost 100 years ago.”

What can Kawneer do to address climate catastrophes?

The physical threats to buildings vary by region. All Florida installations, and for the most part up and down the East Coast, comply with the hurricane-driven Florida Product Approval Number code. New York City and Chicago, for example, are required to have high thermal resistance features, while curtain wall and storefront systems we build for the West Coast are designed to withstand seismic activities. We manufacture a wide range of systems to meet requirements in all regions.

As an example, our single-source hurricane resistant solution (350/500 IR Entrances) is designed for schools and other institutions of learning to protect against windborne debris, a characteristic of hurricanes. The entrance door comes with a market leading Water Performance Option, comprised of a pile weathering top seal on the frame, meeting stile covers on the door stiles, and a unique threshold dam that can be installed ahead of heavy rains, hurricanes, or storms.

The post Designing Sustainable K-12 Buildings Using Aluminum appeared first on gb&d magazine.