Project Name: The Kensington, Boston
Architect: TAT
Glazing contractor: Cheviot Corporation
Products supplied: SuperLite II-XL 60 insulated with Solarban 70XL in SAFTIfire CW Framing
The majority of fire rated glazing applications occur inside the building in order to allow occupants to exit the building safely or provide an area of refuge during a fire. But what happens when the threat of fire comes from the outside?
This was the case for The Kensington, a mixed-use residential building in Boston. The west-facing elevation was in close proximity to the property line, prompting the building official to require part of the curtain wall to meet ASTM E-119/NFPA 251/UL263 for 60 minutes. In addition, the fire rated curtain wall had to match the rest of the non-rated systems seamlessly, as well as pass the rigorous dynamic testing prescribed by CDC (Curtain Wall Design and Consulting), the firm hired by the architect to ensure that the building was air and water tight.
To meet these requirements, SAFTI FIRST supplied SuperLite II-XL 60 insulated with Solarban 70XL in SAFTIfire CW Framing in a continuous span from the seventh to the tenth floor, with a segmented portion at the center, per the architect’s design. The aluminum covers used in the SAFTIfire CW Framing System had a champagne metallic finish and mimicked the appearance of an aluminum pressure wall, easily matching the non-rated exterior glazing systems. The ability to incorporate Solarban 70XL also contributed to meeting an average U-value no more than 0.40 and a solar heat gain coefficient no greater than 0.25 as required in the specifications. Since the SAFTIfire CW Framing system is thermally broken, it is a natural selection for exterior fire resistive applications in places that experience extreme weather like the Northeast.
In addition, the system was subjected to dynamic curtain wall testing designed to replicate real world conditions. An independent test lab was hired to perform the following tests, which SAFTI FIRST’s CW Framing System successfully passed:
- Air Infiltration, ASTM E 283-04, Rate of Air Leakage Through Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls and Doors.
- Static Pressure Water Resistance, ASTM E 331-00, Standard Test Method for Metal Curtain Walls and Doors by Uniform Static Air Pressure Difference.
- Dynamic Water Pressure Resistance, AAMA 501.1-05, Standard Test Method for Metal Curtain Walls and Doors by Uniform Dynamic Pressure.
- Structural Performance, ASTM E 330-2, Structural Performance of Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, and Doors by Uniform Static Air Pressure Difference.
- Seismic Movement, AAMA 501.4-09, Recommended Static Test Method for Evaluating Curtain Wall and Storefront Systems Subjects to Seismic and Wind Induced Interstory Drifts.
- Thermal Cycling and Condensation Evaluation.
- Interstory Vertical Displacement Tests.
The SAFTIfire CW Framing System’s documented performance ensures that architects have a proven option for clear, unobstructed views when faced with property line requirements or other scenarios where the threat of fire comes from the outside.
Related Stories
| Apr 20, 2012
Shawmut completes Yard House Restaurant in Boston
12,000-sf restaurant marks new addition to Boston’s Fenway neighborhood.
| Apr 17, 2012
Princeton Review releases “Guide to 322 Green Colleges”
The guide profiles 322 institutions of higher education in the U.S. and Canada that demonstrate notable commitments to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation.
| Apr 16, 2012
University of Michigan study seeks to create efficient building design
The result, the researchers say, could be technologies capable of cutting the carbon footprint created by the huge power demands buildings place on the nation’s electrical grid.
| Apr 6, 2012
Batson-Cook breaks ground on hotel adjacent to Infantry Museum & Fort Benning
The four-story, 65,000-ft property will feature 102 hotel rooms, including 14 studio suites.
| Apr 3, 2012
Product Solutions
Two new PV systems; a lighter shelf; and fire alarm/emergency communication system.
| Mar 28, 2012
Meridian Design Build Begins work on 38 acre redevelopment project
The project includes construction of a new 150,585-sf cross dock facility that will include full service truck maintenance and repair bays, a truck wash, and approximately 20,000-sf of corporate office space.
| Mar 16, 2012
Marvin Windows and Doors accepting entries for fourth-annual myMarvin Architect’s Challenge
Architects in U.S. and abroad offered the chance to showcase their very best work.
| Mar 13, 2012
Commercial glazer Harmon expanding into Texas
Company expanding into the Texas market with a new office in Dallas and a satellite facility in Austin.
| Mar 1, 2012
AIA: A clear difference, new developments in load-bearing glass
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.
| Feb 6, 2012
Siemens gifts Worcester Polytechnic Institute $100,000 for fire protection lab renovation
Siemens support is earmarked for the school’s Fire Protection Engineering Lab, a facility that has been forwarding engineering and other advanced degrees, graduating fire protection engineers since 1979.
