Striving to serve as the new benchmark for green buildings, the 222,000-square-foot facility features nearly 600 high-performance window units manufactured by Wausau Window and Wall Systems. Wausau worked closely with glazing contractor J.R. Butler, Inc., Haselden Construction, RNL’s Denver area architects and NREL’s entire design/build team to incorporate innovative approaches to optimize visible light and views, to control the natural ventilation and unwanted heat gain, and to manage the abundant, natural light.

The building’s orientation and geometry is integral to the glazing systems’ effectiveness. The H-shaped configuration established by RNL and Haselden Construction unites two, 60-foot-wide, multi-story office wings with a central corridor and courtyards. Located in NREL’s South Table Mountain Campus near Golden, Colo., this workplace of the future accommodates 800 employees who previously were occupying leased space in the nearby Denver West Office Park.

Unlike typical office buildings, NREL is a net-zero energy building, which means it is designed to produce as much power as it consumes. Maximizing its energy conservation, the facility’s annual operations were specified as limited to 35,000 BTU per square foot. Estimates indicate that a typical office building built in past 30 years consumes approximately three times more energy. NREL also sought to exceed new construction guidelines for energy efficiency, seeking to perform 50% better than ASHRAE 90.1 2004 standard requirements.

These ambitious energy-efficiency requirements and LEED level aspirations were detailed within the design/build contract. The Research Support Facility’s total project cost $64 million, including all design and contractor fees, interior construction, IT and data cabling, security systems and furnishings.

“Meeting these criteria was tough enough, but the gravity of having it detailed in 500-page contract with the federal government is crucial to understanding the nature of this project,” says Haselden’s design/build project manager Philip Macey, AIA. “Fifty percent of the design/build team’s fee was at risk if we did not satisfy the contract terms. As a team, we pained over each decision with incredible tenacity and detail orientation to meet these commitments.”

“As a design/build partner, we worked very closely with the architect and contractor from the earliest stages of the project’s development,” says Marc Butler, president of J.R. Butler, Inc. “For three years, we were hand-in-hand with all the project’s partners throughout construction. Much of the work was completed on computers and paper, well before fabrication and installation.” In fact, Butler says the glazing team was on-site for nine months, with many of these being the coldest months of the year.

“Not everybody can do this work,” Butler cautions. “The timelines, expectations for functional and aesthetic perfection, and contractual obligations were some of the most challenging that I’ve ever encountered on a building. At times it seemed for every problem we solved, two more were generated. In the end, we met all of the requirements, including staying on schedule and on budget.” As a result, the team already is working on an accelerated schedule for phase two in the Research Support Facility’s construction.

“One of the most powerful drivers in the project is daylight. Daylight and solar energy are at the core of the building and the windows are the vehicle that gets the daylight into the building,” emphasizes Macey. “Free lighting is the most important thing a designer and contractor can give a building owner. It’s also our single biggest challenge. The relationship with Wausau and Viracon was pivotal for us. We spent an enormous amount of time and energy together as a team.”

Butler agrees, “The building’s skin was the most critical and important part of this project. Wausau and Viracon played invaluable roles as the project incorporates lots of natural light. During an average day (at the Research Support Facility), you should never have to turn on the lights.” Every workstation has 100% daylighting and no workstation is more than 30-feet from an operable window.

At night, the building’s climate sensors automatically open the clerestory windows to purge unwanted heat from the building, naturally cooling it for the next business day. In the colder months, a “labyrinth” thermal storage system stores and returns heat into the building to maintain a comfortable, indoor temperature. Butler adds, “It’s a smart alterative to having the air conditioning or heating kicking on. Instead, the window system helps react and adjust to the building’s needs throughout the day and throughout the seasons.”

To ensure that the amount and types of glass used on the building did not interfere with the thermal performance, Haselden, J.R. Butler, Wausau and Viracon were in regular contact with the project’s engineering firm, Stantec, Inc. “Stantec provided an exquisitely detailed energy model based on the initial design,” Macey recalls. “Did we get the recipe right the first time? No. We were way over the energy goals and had a serious problem to solve. To cost-effectively bring us into the energy performance requirements took commitment and finesse.”

Butler explains, “We conducted intensive and extensive thermal modeling. We looked at every framing member. Anytime that a modification was made, Stantec would input the data into a whole computer bank that was dedicated to our calculations.”

As a result of this complex modeling, Butler says, “At least, eight different types of glass were specified. It’s a game of subtleties to determine the exact balance. For example, triple-pane insulated glass increases the insulation and thermal performance, but it can reduce the visible light transmittance, which is needed for office work.”

To push light more deeply into the building’s interior, some of the window units feature between-glass “light louvers.” Macey describes their application: “These use mirrored material and an upward-turned, parabolic shape to reflect the light. Bright-toned paints on the interior walls, low-walled workstations and 13-foot-high ceilings help to maximize the sunlight’s penetration from the average of 20 feet to 30 feet inside the office.”

On the exterior, “the bonnets” are among another of NREL’s window systems’ many innovative approaches to finding the right balance of thermal and visual comfort. “Wausau created these custom, sun shade assemblies to box the windows. From the exterior, it looks clean and from the interior, it cuts the severe sun angles,” notes Butler.

The windows’ “bonnets” help reduce uncomfortable glare, such as on computer monitors. Electronically tintable glass also provides glare control, which has been attributed to enhancing occupants’ comfort and increasing productivity. Wausau incorporated electrochromic SageGlass® products into its SuperWall system. To facilitate installation, J.R. Butler developed a flexible conduit for the wiring that controls the innovative, electronically tintable glass along the central corridor.

To implement these cutting-edge achievements for the new Research Support Facility, Butler says that the traditional boundaries of responsibility often were blurred. “This collaborative, design-build model is one that we seeing coming more and more. For NREL, it went beyond the architect, the owner and the general contractor. It meant that we were teaming with the pre-caster to build the window systems’ embeds so the caulk joints looked perfect. We were working with the mechanical contractor to ensure we had the correct balance of heating and cooling loads. We were side-by-side with the electrical contractor on the wiring to ensure the proper activation for the window systems’ auto-operators. All in all, there were some great lessons learned, and Wausau and Viracon played valuable roles.”

In addition to high-performance glass, recycled aluminum content and durable finishes also were specified for NREL using Wausau’s 4250 Series windows and SuperWall systems. Part of the Advantage by Wausau, these standard products are manufactured in Wausau’s own LEED-Silver facility, competitively priced and delivered on accelerated schedules. They also are available with aluminum extrusions exclusively from secondary billet that contain at least 70% total recycled content.

Linetec finished the recycled aluminum framing material in a durable, Kynar® coating, and supplied the thermal barrier system. A silver-hued mica coating presents an eye-catching, metallic shimmer that withstands the exterior elements. The liquid coating is applied in Linetec’s factory using specialized equipment to safely capture 100% of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released in the painting process, and to destroy these captured VOCs with environmental sensitivity.

Other environmentally-sound, energy-efficient building features on NREL’s Research Support Facility include:
* Precast concrete insulated panels
* Radiant heating and cooling
* Underfloor ventilation
* Energy-efficient data center and workstations
* High-efficient computers, monitors and other devices
* Transpired solar collectors
* On-site solar energy system
* Recycled materials, such as aggregate from an airport runway
* Reclaimed materials, such as steel structural columns from former, natural gas piping

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National Renewable Energy Laboratory‘s Research Support Facility
South Table Mountain Campus, Colo.
* Owner: U.S. Department of Energy; Washington, D.C.
* Architect: RNL; Denver
* General Contractor: Haselden Construction LLC; Centennial, Colo.
* Engineer: Stantec, Inc.; San Francisco
* Glazing contractor: J.R. Butler, Inc.; Denver
* Glazing systems – manufacturer: Wausau Window and Wall Systems; Wausau, Wis.
* Glazing systems – glass assemblies: Viracon, Inc.; Owatonna, Minn.
* Glazing systems – glass assemblies: SAGE Electrochromics, Inc.; Faribault, Minn.
* Glazing systems – finisher: Linetec, Wausau, Wis.

CuriousPapers.com, the North American Curious Collection website, has added a new Environmental Savings Calculator to help creative professionals understand and manage their paper choices. Designed specifically for products in the Collection, the calculator allows up to four products to be simultaneously compared for environmental savings in the areas of trees, water, energy, solid waste, and greenhouse gas emissions.

“The updated Curious Collection offering and Environmental Calculator allows customers to communicate the difference they make when choosing environmentally-responsible papers,” says Phil Cavalier, vice president of marketing at Appleton Coated.

To view the new colors, calculator, and other updated information about Curious Collection, visit www.curiouspapers.com.

The water-based TRINAR® Aqua ADS was created to meet the interior specifications for the Green Seal® Standard and the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, offering very low-VOC (volatile organic compound) content.

As the nation’s largest paint and anodize finisher, and the largest independent architectural finisher, Linetec draws from nearly 30 years of experience in applying low- and no-VOC architectural finishes. These include the company’s on-site repair and restoration, high-performance paint coatings, as well as eco-friendly anodize, fluoropolymer powder and liquid PVDF finishes, which are among the highest-performing painted coatings available.

As a fluoropolymer finish, Linetec’s application of TRINAR® Aqua ADS meets weathering requirements of AAMA 2605, the most stringent specification for architectural coatings. Finishes of this quality are the most resistant to humidity, color change, chalk, gloss loss and natural weathering of any coating available today.

Whether in the factory or in the field, Linetec’s staff complies with environmental regulations and green building goals. For projects in most jurisdictions requiring additional certifications, the company’s Field Service team is trained and licensed to meet their local needs. In addition, the team partners with owners, managers, contractors and manufacturers to maintain the criteria outlined by LEED. According to the LEED IEQ Credit 4.2: Low Emitting Materials – Paints and Coatings, architectural paints and coatings applied to the interior must not exceed the VOC content limits in the Green Seal Standard. Along with the paint, any primer and cleaner used also must fall within the LEED guidelines.

“Right now, there is no verification that once a project has been certified under LEED for New Construction that its touch-up, repairs and future renovations will be conducted in accordance with the rating system’s objectives,” says Dale Robinson, Linetec’s field service manager. “Unless the owner seeks a separate certification for LEED for Commercial Interiors, ensuring LEED-compatible, on-site finishing is unlikely.”

Beyond LEED, Linetec notes that more communities and individuals are voicing their concerns about the chemicals and particulates used in restoring and renovating their homes, schools, offices and public spaces. Robinson continues, “Consider such examples as preservation projects with historical artifacts, health care facilities with sensitive medical equipment and patients with compromised immune systems, residential and office towers with occupants that are reluctant to be relocated during renovations. These are exactly the types of projects where property owners and managers should insist on finishing applicators that are certified in environmentally-responsible practices.”

Architects, building owners and other professionals engaged in green building practices can learn more about the role of finishes and thermal barrier systems by visiting Linetec’s online Architectural Reference Center at www.linetec.com or calling 888-717-1472.

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“Therml=Block entrances dramatically reduce the transfer of hot and cold temperatures, block interior frost build-up and can be installed quickly,” says Mary Olivier, Tubelite’s marketing manager. She explains, “The door and frame utilize an I-shaped thermal strut reinforced with 25% nylon fiber. When matched with high-performance glass, Tubelite’s Therml=Block entrance systems dramatically improve performance in all categories, including U-factor and CRF. In addition, each assembled extrusion must pass a shear test of 1,000-pound minimum.”

The doors are available in both 4-inch Medium Stile and 5-inch Wide Stile. There also are options for a 4-inch, mid-rail and rabbet stiles for continuous hinge application. The meeting stile on a pair of doors includes Tubelite’s improved, adjustable astragal and standard weathering. The aluminum, thermal doorframe’s exterior face displays a 2-inch sightline and 4.5-inch depth. This new line can be ordered with Tubelite’s standard and custom, anodized and paint colors.

“The door and frames’ thermally-broken construction allows for different finishes to match both exterior and interior color schemes,” says Olivier. She adds that Tubelite’s painted finishes are applied and controlled in an environmentally effective manner. For low-maintenance durability, its eco-friendly anodize finishes send 90% less waste to landfills than traditional anodizing processes.

Because each profile extruded for Therml=Block door products is manufactured using Tubelite’s EcoLuminum, it contains a minimum of 80% reclaimed aluminum. Special requests for even higher recycled content can be provided, up to and including meeting specifications requiring 100% reclaimed aluminum.

Tubelite’s Therml=Block door products join the company’s other energy-saving products, which include the Therml=Block 300ES Curtainwall. These curtainwall and entrance systems can be paired with Tubelite’s daylight control systems, such as Max/Block™ Sunshade and aluminate™ Light Shelf. To learn more about Tubelite’s products and specific performance data, please visit www.tubeliteinc.com.
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“It was no mistake the College of Business took action to build the first ‘green’ building on our campus,” said Larry DeBrock, the dean of the College of Business. “The LEED Platinum designation reflects the importance of social and professional responsibility to our students, staff, faculty, friends and alumni. We are proud of our continuing efforts to push the college and the campus to be leaders in a sustainable world for everyone.”

The Business Instructional Facility houses state-of-the-art classrooms, offices and a 300-seat auditorium, and, as the building’s centerpiece, a natural-light-filled atrium, where students meet and study, and the University hosts special events. The $60 million building’s energy-saving features, reduce energy use by an estimated 50 percent and utility costs by up to $300,000 per year.
These include:
* Solar panels to help power the building
* Roof plantings to insulate the building and reduce water runoff
* Filtered, humidity-controlled, low-velocity air delivered at ambient temperatures to improve indoor air quality year-round
* Wausau Window and Wall Systems’ 7250 Series SuperWall and 8750 Series structural-glazed curtainwall to maximize natural light in the four-story atrium
* Triple-glazed, operable windows in the classrooms and offices

“Basic passive integrations of smart building, shaping, siting and carefully tuning conventional wall systems — especially the windows — by the design team contributed more toward the sustainability and LEED Platinum certification than any high-tech element,” says Craig Copeland, Senior Associate at Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, and the project’s design team leader. “The variety of glazing systems is a big contributor to the building’s overall quality and environmental intelligence. There was a great deal of consideration given not only to thermal efficiency, but also to daylighting and ventilation for enhancing the building’s learning environment.”

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, founded by University of Illinois alumnus Cesar Pelli, designed the four-story building, which opened in August 2008, and PSA Dewberry was the architect of record. Atelier Ten counseled the project and design team on massing, daylighting, thermal zoning and mechanical system types. Construction was managed by Gilbane Building Company, which oversaw 14 different contractors on the project. Among these was glazing contractor Bacon & Van Buskirk, which installed more than 13,000 square feet of curtainwall and 400 offset windows provided by Wausau for the project.

“The program statement specified our need for high-performing windows that provided outside views and as much natural light as possible. The atrium curtainwall takes full advantage of the southern exposure and available daylighting,” says George Freeman, director of facilities, for the College of Business. “It has become the place for everyone to gather in part because of the openness and light. Everybody loves that space.”

The atrium displays nearly 12,000 square feet of Wausau Window and Wall Systems’ 8750 Series structural-glazed four-side curtainwall and 1,000 square feet of 7250 Series SuperWall. In the classroom and offices, the Business Instructional Facility has 477 high-performance 4250 Series offset windows, part of the Advantage by Wausau standard product offering. The windows’ setback glass and asymmetrical sash sizes provide a distinctive look. For exceptional energy efficiency, three-quarters of these operable windows feature triple-glazed, insulated glass by Viracon.

According to Copeland, less than 25 percent of the total building is glazed, which may be deceiving because of the amount of bright and well-controlled, day-lit spaces throughout. In the auditorium, for example, less than 10 percent of the room’s walls are glazed. Windows placed horizontally at eye-level give students and faculty views to the outside and the perception of abundant natural light on sun-filled days.

More than half of the windows include integral, between-glass blinds. The blinds were reversed, such that the slats were concave in the “up” position. This allowed the occupants to not only manage privacy and light, but to have greater control in redirecting sunlight by bouncing the light off the blinds’ concave surface.

Demonstrating its commitment to durable, high-performance products, Wausau’s 4250 Series window units are NFRC-labeled and successfully tested to meet the AAMA AW-70 Performance Class rating. All of Wausau windows and curtainwall have aluminum frames, which can be specified with recycled content. For the University of Illinois College of Business, Wausau’s aluminum framing material was finished by Linetec in three-coat, 70 percent fluropolymer, Bone White paint for a consistent, long-lasting finish.

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Professional certification for LEED unites leaders from across the building industry who promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. Introduced in 2009, the new LEED Green Associate credential demonstrates comprehensive, general knowledge in green building and LEED. It distinguishes individuals that support, but may not directly apply, green building in their regular professional work. This credential also is a prerequisite to pursue the next tier of accreditation, LEED Professional with Specialty.

Premeau adds his status as a LEED Green Associate to his 18 years of experience in contributing to commercial and residential applications. In his daily work, Premeau is involved with Kolbe’s green strategies through printed materials, online content, training seminars, market and industry research, as well as presentations.

As an example, Premeau helps architects gain sustainable design knowledge and learning units through American Institute of Architects’ continuing education seminars (AIA/CES). Kolbe most recently began offering “Sustainable and Energy Efficient Windows & Doors: Contribution to Green Buildings,” a one-hour, in-person AIA/CES course.

To learn more about Kolbe’s green initiatives, please call 800-955-8177 or visit www.kolbe-kolbe.com. For more information on the USGBC and LEED, please see www.usgbc.org.

What began in 1946 as a two-brother team has grown into an internationally respected manufacturing company. Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Co, Inc. remains a privately held, community-oriented business located in Wausau, Wis. Covering nearly one million-square-feet, its state-of-the-art facilities feature high-tech machinery and a design center to present the creative possibilities offered by Kolbe windows and doors.
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In May 2010, the building earned Gold certification under the LEED® Green Building Rating System™ for new construction. The LAPD Headquarters project also was recognized in 2009 with the American Institute of Architects’ presidential honor award for “Building Team of the Year” and in June 2010 with the “Q Award” from the Alliance for Quality Construction.

Opened in October 2009, the 10-story, 500,000-square-foot structure maximizes the advantages daylighting and energy-efficiency. Aiding in this effort, the building features high-performance glass, recycled/recyclable aluminum framing and ornamental details, and environmentally friendly, durable paints.

Contributing to the building’s intended longevity, the window and curtainwall systems also were tested to meet stringent performance criteria. Seismic performance was of particular concern as the previous police administration building, constructed 1955, and was not expected to withstand another moderate earthquake.

One block south of its prior location, the new facility sits on the lot formerly occupied by the Caltrans building. The new police headquarters’ modern glass-metal-concrete exterior blends with the neighboring architectural icons including the new Caltrans building, City Hall, the Los Angeles Times building and St. Vibiana’s Cathedral.

Los Angeles-based AECOM (formerly DMJM Design) designed the Los Angeles Police Administration Building in joint venture with Roth + Sheppard of Denver. Tutor-Saliba Corporation of Sylmar, Calif., served as the project’s general contractor throughout the three years of construction. According to Tutor-Saliba’s James Nies, Wausau’s participation in this challenging project included “implementing a value-engineered system that saved the City significant amount of money. Achieving this required thorough submittal coordination, as well as installation tolerances with the adjacent, pre-cast concrete wall system.”

Geometric shapes, highly transparent glass and windows were incorporated throughout the building’s exterior to invite natural light and sightlines that connect the city’s law enforcement with the community it serves. Light colors and finishes are used to further communicate this sense of warmth and openness.

Many watching the project’s progress noted the visible transformation from structural framework to physical building began last summer as the first glass lites were installed. Specialty glazing contractor Metz Enterprises, Inc. of Anaheim, Calif., carefully and quickly installed the large windows and curtainwall units supplied by its manufacturer of choice, Wausau Window and Wall Systems .

Helping save time and labor in the field, the majority of the 100,000-square-feet of windows and curtainwall systems were shop-glazed and pre-assembled into ready-to-install units, then staged, sequenced, crated and shipped to the job site. To ensure proper performance protected by an up to 10-year warranty, these units were factory-glazed in Wausau’s climate-controlled, LEED-Silver certified manufacturing facility.

“Performance is critical,” emphasizes Wausau’s senior project manager, Kurt Beidle, who was involved from the earliest stages of the Los Angeles Police Administration Building’s development. “The project was tested for air, water, structural, floor displacement and seismic movement with repeated air and water tests between each requirement. This included both static and dynamic water tests on the windows, and on the unitized curtainwall. A full, two-story mock-up of the curtainwall, including the pre-cast, was assembled to match the descriptions and conditions, and successfully tested.”

Beidle also notes, “The unitized curtainwall had a simulated acid etch, as well as two different dot patterns. Viracon provided VRE1-67 and VE1-2M high-performance, insulated glass. The glass was silk-screened with a custom dot pattern that varied by elevation. Some locations had white dots; some black dots. It depended on the solar and optical needs of its placement on the building.”

Along with the custom silk-screened glass, the curtainwalls’ deep sightlines and shadow boxes add visual interest to the façade. Similarly, the window pattern avoids a grid-like layout in favor of an open, yet secure, staggered arrangement. For these 429 ‘punched’ openings, Wausau supplied factory-glazed, custom windows. “These were specifically designed for this project with a very thin metal profile along the side of the pre-cast opening. Each opening consisted of a pre-glazed, two-section window with the upper portion of the window in front of a pre-cast panel to accommodate quick, safe installation from the building’s interior,” explains Beidle.

For the street-level installation, Wausau fabricated a custom, butt-glazed, knocked-down wall system to enclose the café and auditorium. Beidle adds. “We also supplied the aluminum canopies for the entrances, as well as the decorative trim at the roof coping, and the vertical ‘knife point’ of the building. We also worked closely with the architectural staff to design custom interior trim, as well as custom exterior caps for the aesthetic look they were seeking.”

Supporting the project’s architectural goals for appearance and performance, the aluminum framing and components were painted by Linetec in a three-coat, Champagne Gold II metallic Duranar® coating, which meets or exceeds all criteria of the AAMA 2605 specification. “These are the most weather-resistant of all finishes,” says Jon Close, Linetec’s vice president of sales and marketing. “The three-coat process includes primer, topcoat and clear finish. This combination provides outstanding resistance to humidity, color change, chalk, gloss shift and chemical cleaning.”

Linetec’s environmentally responsible, liquid paint application also supports many projects’ green building goals. During the finishing process, Linetec captures and destroys the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) present in solvent-borne paints.

Within its finished interior, the Los Angeles Police Administration Building has dedicated spaces for administration and investigative operations, a Police Commission hearing room, conference center, state-of-the-art communications and command center, 200-seat café, and a 450-seat auditorium. Many of the building’s large assembly areas are used for civic and community functions as are its outdoor plazas and gardens.

The building was turned over to the owner, City of Los Angeles’ Department of Public Works , on time and under budget in September 2009. Eager to relocate, the 2,300 law enforcement officers and employees immediately began moving into the much-needed space and comfort of their new home.

The newest addition to Denver’s Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC), the $120 million Auraria Science Building opened in September 2009 as a premiere teaching facility for students from the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State College of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver. The existing Science Building was built in the early 1970s and is being renovated for an anticipated re-opening this autumn. Since the ’70s when the original science building opened, the Auraria Campus has grown 250%. The renovated structure will be united with the newly-constructed building to accommodate students in all three institutions and multiple programs.

Positioned at the campus’ main entrance, the east side of the new, four-story, 197,000-square-foot Science Building faces one of the busiest roads leading in and out of downtown Denver. Rather than shut the public out, the building’s floor-to-ceiling windows invite passers-by to peek inside. The views provided by the glass façade are intentional. In addition to serving as a highly rated educational facility, campus administrators also wanted the building to serve as a gateway, physically and visually connecting the Auraria campus to the greater Denver community.

In an interview with the Denver Post, the Science Building’s principal architect, David Pfeifer of AndersonMasonDale, said transparency was an important to the building’s design and function: “It is unmistakable that high-tech science education and research is occurring in the heart of the city.”

Views and light play an important part in setting the building’s transparent look and feel. From the east, those walking and driving by see into the building’s interior with walls painted in vivid shades of oranges, greens and blues. The building’s exposed vents, pipes and ductwork enhance its modern feel. Those inside the building enjoy abundant natural light, maximized by soffits that pull the interior walls away from the window system.

On the other sides of the building’s unique “7″-shaped design, the generous use of glass offer students and staff an unobstructed view of green spaces and other campus buildings. A shared lobby, hallways and other public access points connect the new building to the campus’ older, three-story science building.

Working with general contractor Haselden | Barton Malow, glazing contractor J.R. Butler selected Wausau as its supplier for the high-performance curtainwall and window systems. “Wausau was able to provide a complete package with its SuperWall for the new building and storefront and ribbon wall for the renovation project. The new construction portion used approximately 45,000 square feet of Wausau’s systems and Viracon’s glass,” says Marc Butler, president of J.R. Butler. “We also used Lean manufacturing and scheduling, which turned out to be an important aspect in meeting the general contractor’s schedule.”

He explains, “Material management and installation requires careful coordination, especially when working in the field during the dead of winter. We rely on a just-in-time delivery to keep pace with the quick construction schedules. When schedules change, it can be difficult to make adjustments.”

Working with the Lean principals and tools, with which both Wausau and Viracon are familiar, J.R. Butler was able to shift its attention from the building’s south elevation to the north elevation. “This meant that we could close-in the building’s northwest exposure, protecting it from the majority of winter storms. The general contractor was thrilled that we could accommodate their request and stick to the same, overall timeframe.”

Kevin Robbins, Wausau’s regional sales manager, was confident that Wausau’s products could exceed the project’s rigorous specifications, as well as meet J.R. Butler’s fast-paced schedule. “Thanks to the efficiencies of our Advantage by Wausau offering, we were able to provide the SuperWall system in just three weeks,” says Robbins. “In the past, a system like this could easily take eight to 10 weeks. Cutting the lead-time that dramatically opens up all kinds of opportunities. For Butler, this allowed their glazing team to unitize the system in their shop and quickly install the pre-assembled units on site.”

In addition to meeting the project’s construction timeline and aesthetic needs, Wausau’s SuperWall system’s high-performance glazing and thermal barrier framing systems contribute toward energy efficiency. Wausau’s 7250 Series system was specified with Viracon‘s VNE 1-63, neutral low-e glass “Given the project’s green goals, this was an important factor in the Science Building’s material selection,” notes Robbins.

The insulating, thermal barrier system was applied by Linetec, as was the aluminum framing’s finish. “The architect choose a custom, Extra Dark Bronze anodize, which is a hard finish to match,” says Butler. “Because Linetec finished all of the SuperWall, storefront and ribbon wall systems, we knew that we’d have a consistent look from one framing member to the next, and across both the new and renovated buildings.”

Linetec’s eco-friendly anodize also contains no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Using low-VOC paints and materials, assisted in achieving the LEED criteria. Some of Auraria Science Building’s other LEED credit-worthy, features include:
* Manufacturing materials regionally, 20% of which were produced within 500 miles
* Diverting 75% of construction waste from landfills
* Maintaining good air-quality measures during construction
* Installing energy-saving, occupancy sensors for interior lighting

Technology is found throughout the building, which houses everything from a cadaver lab and research spaces to a student lounge and coffee bar. The Science Building’s lab rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art classroom technology including laptop projectors and lectern cabinets with cameras, built-in laptop connections, Internet ports and other features.