The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) awarded Tremco Inc. LEED Gold certification for the reconstruction of the company's 40-year-old headquarters.
Changes were so extensive that the certification is for new construction and not for renovation; officially, the building is LEED-NC. The building received 72 points from the USGBC, far surpassing the minimum number required for LEED Gold.
“We are extremely proud to have achieved LEED Gold status,” said Tremco President Randy Korach. “We felt that to lead by example in the construction industry, it was our responsibility to convert our headquarters into a high-performance, energy efficient building that required less water, embraced renewable energy sources and reduced operating costs substantially from prior levels. We accomplished all of this in an expedited construction process that took only about six months.”
Many of the sustainable features included in the renovation that were responsible for LEED Gold points came from organizations that are part of RPM International Inc., Tremco’s parent company. These included:
- Four types of sustainable roofing systems from Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance – a vegetated roof; photovoltaic array; white, reflective built-up roof; and white reflective membrane.
- A Dryvit Systems Outsulation Plus MD exterior wall system that provided an energy efficient, insulated façade.
- Sealants, gaskets, and Proglaze ETA (Engineered Transition Assembly) from Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing to ensure an airtight transition from walls to the new high-performance, double-pane, tinted windows.
- New sidewalks, with decorative concrete from Increte Systems, part of The Euclid Chemical Company.
Additional features included:
- A wind turbine and, on the new carport, an additional photovoltaic array to help generate electricity; the carport is also meant to encourage the use of electric vehicles.
- A 15,000 gallon water capture and reuse system in the parking lot to reduce the amount of water entering the city’s sewers; captured water will be used to irrigate the building’s landscaping and vegetated roof.
- Numerous interior upgrades such as an ADA-compliant elevator and restrooms.
- Mechanical/electrical/plumbing upgrades including a high efficiency HVAC system and new plumbing fixtures that save potable water.
Throughout the entire renovation, Tremco sent nothing to a landfill. The company recycled, reused or burned for energy more than two million pounds of construction debris.
“The renovation of our 46,000-square-foot headquarters, which was outdated, uncomfortable and wasted energy, set the foundation for our vision of Global Sustainable Growth,” added Korach. “Achieving LEED Gold certification is not only an honor, but it is also a testament to our commitment to this vision, which focuses on the impact each business decision has on people, planet and prosperity.” BD+C
Related Stories
| May 21, 2014
Architecture Billings Index in the negative for second consecutive month
The March ABI score was 49.6, up slightly from a mark of 48.8 in March, but still below the growth threshold of 50.
| May 20, 2014
Kinetic Architecture: New book explores innovations in active façades
The book, co-authored by Arup's Russell Fortmeyer, illustrates the various ways architects, consultants, and engineers approach energy and comfort by manipulating air, water, and light through the layers of passive and active building envelope systems.
| May 20, 2014
Gensler envisions 'law firm of the future' with pop-up office project
Called "The Legal Office of the Future," the pop-up demonstration project made its debut this week at the annual conference for the Association of Legal Administrators in Toronto.
| May 20, 2014
Using fire-rated glass in exterior applications
Fire-rated glazing and framing assemblies are just as beneficial on building exteriors as they are on the inside. But knowing how to select the correct fire-rated glass for exterior applications can be confusing. SPONSORED CONTENT
| May 20, 2014
World's best new skyscrapers: Renzo Piano's The Shard, China's 'doughnut hotel' voted to Emporis list
Eight other high-rise projects were named Emporis Skyscraper Award winners, including DC Tower 1 by Dominique Perrault Architecture and Tour Carpe Diem by Robert A.M. Stern.
| May 19, 2014
What can architects learn from nature’s 3.8 billion years of experience?
In a new report, HOK and Biomimicry 3.8 partnered to study how lessons from the temperate broadleaf forest biome, which houses many of the world’s largest population centers, can inform the design of the built environment.
| May 19, 2014
Why e-commerce won't kill 'bricks and mortar' retail sector
Despite emerging structural challenges and newly-announced store closings, such as those of Radio Shack and Office Depot, the U.S. retail sector has continued on its solid recovery.
| May 16, 2014
BoA, USGBC to offer $25,000 grants for green affordable housing projects
The Affordable Green Neighborhoods Grant Program will offer 14 grants to developers of affordable housing in North America who are committed to building sustainable communities through the LEED for Neighborhood Development program.
| May 16, 2014
HED expands leadership in San Diego
Neville Willsmore, Thomas Christian join leadership team for Harley Ellis Devereaux.
| May 16, 2014
Toyo Ito leads petition to scrap Zaha Hadid's 2020 Olympic Stadium project
Ito and other Japanese architects cite excessive costs, massive size, and the project's potentially negative impact on surrounding public spaces as reasons for nixing Hadid's plan.
