When new energy codes requiring continuous insulation for the building envelope were adopted by the state of North Carolina, the developers of the recently opened Asheville City Center sought out a cost-effective design that met code requirements while still allowing the building to feel open from the outside.
Architects chose tall, thin windows that let light in and prioritized energy efficiency. Spacing the windows evenly apart and flush with the rest of the building’s envelope gave the windows an interesting staggered pattern. Recessing them by three inches provided the building with a sense of depth and dimension.
The architectural team considered insulated metal panels, but for this mid-scale project, ALPOLIC®’s practical, versatile materials proved the better fit for both their vision and their budget.
“With the insulated panels, it’s not cost effective to have many different widths,” architect Aaron Brumo of design firm Clark Nexsen explains. “But with ACM, we could have 100 different size panels if we wanted to. Plus, the panels were available in a wide selection of stock ALPOLIC colors.”
Complex Design, Simple Construction, Minimal Cost
The materials were installed using the innovative R-Trac HVHZ pressure-equalized rainscreen system, developed through a collaboration between Mitsubishi Chemical Composites America, Rmax, and Altech Panel Systems.
In compliance with the latest energy efficiency codes, the R-Trac system works with continuous insulation. It is specifically designed to meet wind loading and missile impact standards for high velocity hurricane zones, and meets the NFPA 285 standard for limiting fire propagation.
Doug McIntyre, director of research and business development at Altech Panel Systems and the fabricator of this project’s R-Trac system, notes that one advantage of a continuous insulation system with an R-Trac rainscreen is that it’s an all-inclusive system. This reduces costs by eliminating the need to have multiple trades on site.
A Perfect Combination
The R-Trac system and ALPOLIC® materials are the perfect marriage of innovative materials and design engineering. Of the R-Trac system, Brumo says: “It really simplifies the design, the assembly of the skin.”
McIntyre notes that ALPOLIC® materials pair perfectly with his company’s innovative rainscreen system. “We’ve been using ALPOLIC® materials for years,” he says. “We’ve always felt they have a very good product. Their colors are, we feel, superior to others in the industry. Quality and service, they’re A-number one.”
For more information, visit www.alpolic-americas.com.
Related Stories
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Aug 24, 2022
Solutions for cladding performance and supply issues
This course covers design considerations and cladding assembly choices for creating high-performance building envelopes — a crucial element in healthy, energy-efficient buildings.
Sponsored | | Aug 4, 2022
Brighter vistas: Next-gen tools drive sustainability toward net zero line
New technologies, innovations, and tools are opening doors for building teams interested in better and more socially responsible design.
Building Materials | Aug 3, 2022
Shawmut CEO Les Hiscoe on coping with a shaky supply chain in construction
BD+C's John Caulfield interviews Les Hiscoe, CEO of Shawmut Design and Construction, about how his firm keeps projects on schedule and budget in the face of shortages, delays, and price volatility.
Building Materials | Jul 20, 2022
LP Building Solutions celebrates 50th anniversary at NYSE ceremony
LP Building Solutions celebrates 50th anniversary at NYSE ceremony.
Building Materials | Jun 20, 2022
Early-stage procurement: The next evolution of the construction supply chain
Austin Commercial’s Jason Earnhardt explains why supply chain issues for the construction industry are not going to go away and how developers and owners can get ahead of project roadblocks.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | May 10, 2022
Design guide for parapets: Safety, continuity, and the building code
This course covers design considerations for parapets. The modern parapet must provide fire protection, serve as a fall-protective guard, transition and protect the roof/facade interface, conceal rooftop equipment, and contribute to the aesthetic character of the building.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | May 10, 2022
Designing smarter places of learning
This course explains the how structural steel building systems are suited to construction of education facilities.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | May 5, 2022
Designing with architectural insulated metal wall panels
Insulated metal wall panels (IMPs) offer a sleek, modern, and lightweight envelope system that is highly customizable. This continuing education course explores the characteristics of insulated metal wall panels, including how they can offer a six-in-one design solution. Discussions also include design options, installation processes, code compliance, sustainability, and available warranties.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | May 3, 2022
For glass openings, how big is too big?
Advances in glazing materials and glass building systems offer a seemingly unlimited horizon for not only glass performance, but also for the size and extent of these light, transparent forms. Both for enclosures and for indoor environments, novel products and assemblies allow for more glass and less opaque structure—often in places that previously limited their use.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Apr 19, 2022
Multi-story building systems and selection criteria
This course outlines the attributes, functions, benefits, limits, and acoustic qualities of composite deck slabs. It reviews the three primary types of composite systems that represent the full range of long-span composite floor systems and examines the criteria for their selection, design, and engineering.