Roof leaks can be a museum’s worst enemy, threatening water damage to artifacts and disturbing delicately controlled indoor environments. That’s why an $8.3 million renovation to the core exhibits at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in 2007 was done in parallel with fixing approximately 75,000-sf of the flat, spray-applied polyurethane foam (SPF) roof that had provided almost 10 years of service.
“We were redoing the core exhibit so I thought it was a good time to check the roof,” explains Robert Spacek, Facility Operations Specialist for the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
The original roof was a foam and silicone-coated system. Although SPF roofs can often last 20 years or more, and are renewable indefinitely with simple recoats every 10-15 years, this one was showing some wear and tear. As part of the renovation, there was talk of tearing off the existing roof and replacing it with another solution. This option, however, would be extremely expensive and time-consuming. Plus, the artifacts and records would have had to be moved and the building closed to the public during renovations.
“This particular roof was still in excellent shape and performing well. There was nothing wrong with the base foam roofing insulation,” explains John Austin, Vice President of Spray Polyurethane Foam and Coatings for F.W. Walton Inc., the contractor on the project. “But there were some leaks related to the rotunda and control joints in the windows, and membrane repairs were ineffective to prevent those roof leaks.”
Spacek made a request to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for funding for the roofing project. The NARA architects were subsequently asked to research the cost of replacing the entire roof. After consulting with BASF technical experts, it was discovered that only certain parts needed minor repairs, so a tear-off and replacement could be avoided.
Once the project was approved, the bid went to Houston-based F.W. Walton, Inc. Having found the root of the problem, Austin used ELASTOSPRAY SPF from BASF to perform minor repairs on various parts of the existing roof, followed by a recoat of the entire roof to provide a consistent and fresh aesthetic appeal. This renewal would continue to deliver on the energy savings inherent in SPF roofing systems, prolong the life expectancy of the original roof and provide a quick installation with minimal disruption. All at a far reduced cost compared with a tear off and replacement. Plus, it would divert a lot of waste from landfills.
For more information, contact:
BASF Corporation
100 Park Avenue
Florham Park, NJ 07932
info@basfconstruction.us
construction.basf.us
And thanks to the decision to repair and recoat the original roof, the work didn’t inconvenience the public or expose artifacts to the elements.
“We didn’t have to change anything,” says Spacek, who adds that it was his first big job with this type of roofing system. “Things went really well. The contractor was very easy to get along with. In all honesty, I didn’t understand a lot about this stuff until I started this job. I am very pleased with the results. It has been a very satisfactory experience for me.” +
Related Stories
| Aug 10, 2016
Top 30 Data Center Architecture Firms
Gensler, Corgan, and HDR top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest data center sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 10, 2016
UNIVERSITY GIANTS: Facing money woes, the nation's colleges double down on innovative ideas
Budget constraints are compelling some public institutions to pursue alternative methods of financing their major building projects.
| Aug 9, 2016
Top 100 University Architecture Firms
Gensler, Perkins+Will, and CannonDesign top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest university sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
Reconstruction & Renovation | Aug 9, 2016
Renascent architecture: Demolished Frank Lloyd Wright structures get new life
The Frank Lloyd Wright Revival Initiative is set to begin its reconstruction efforts with the Banff Pavilion, which was demolished in 1939.
Building Team | Aug 4, 2016
Thought leaders from architecture, engineering and construction to meet at 2016 Bluebeam eXtreme Conference
Bluebeam users inspire technological change through shared insights and training at three-day event.
| Aug 4, 2016
MULTIFAMILY BUILDING GIANTS: Rental complexes focus on affordability, accessibility, and specialty amenities
To address the affordability problem and attract tenants, owners and developers are experimenting with smaller and smaller units, amenity-rich environments, and “co-living” concepts.
| Aug 4, 2016
Top 110 Multifamily Architecture Firms
Perkins Eastman, CallisonRTKL, and Solomon Cordwell Buenz top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest multifamily building sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 3, 2016
GREEN BUILDING GIANTS: Sustainability leaders turn to wellness and technology to get an edge
AEC leaders in green building are stepping up to a higher level of innovation and to be a green leader today, you have to dig deeper into data.
| Aug 2, 2016
Top 130 Green Building Architecture Firms
Gensler, Stantec, and HOK top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest green building sector architecture and A/E firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
Architects | Aug 2, 2016
Bradley Lukanic named CannonDesign's CEO
In his new role, Lukanic takes helm of an experienced leadership team crafting and achieving optimal short- and long-term strategies and business outcomes