Features Business intelligence Contracting
Award-winning structure features Kawneer

NEWS HIGHLIGHT

Award-winning structure features Kawneer
Storefront and entrances from Kawneer
Company Inc. were featured in the design of the Terry Thomas Building in Seattle, which was recently announced as a top ten winner by the American Institute of Architects.

Oct. 14, 2009, Norcross, GA – Storefront and entrances from Kawneer Company, Inc., were used in the design and construction of the Seattle-based Terry Thomas Building, which was recently recognized as an American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2009 Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Winner due to its excellence in sustainability and design quality.

The company's Trifab VersaGlaze (VG) 451T Storefront with GLASSVent Windows, Trifab VersaGlaze (VG) 450 Storefront and 190 Narrow Stile Entrances were featured on the building, helping enhance its thermal efficiency, durability and aesthetic appeal.

The AIA COTE Top Ten winners were selected by six jurors. Projects were evaluated for their architectural quality, green performance and contribution to the community.

In designing the Terry Thomas Building, architectural firm Weber Thompson, headquartered in Seattle, was challenged to create a building with natural ventilation and daylight. As the design progressed, a courtyard was integrated into the building to create a shaft that would help draw air upward as vented windows let warm air out, creating a chimney effect.

Because the building was designed without a HVAC system, it was critical that it was constructed in a way that would allow the building to naturally maintain a cool temperature, said Tim Hensley, project manager for Issaquah Glass located in Issaquah, Wash. To achieve these goals and enhance the thermal and energy efficiency of the building, Kawneer products were selected.

To help create the building's natural ventilation system, Kawneer's versatile Trifab VG 451T Storefront with GLASSvent Windows were used on the exterior of the building, including the courtyard. Visually frameless and thermally improved, the GLASSvent Windows incorporated automatic louvers mounted into the window frames allowing the louvers to open automatically when the building reached a certain temperature. Heavy wall mullions were also utilized on the building to help meet wind load and thermal requirements. Selected for its clean lines and durability, 190 Narrow Stile Entrances were integrated throughout the interior of the building. In addition, Trifab 450 Storefront was also used on the interior of the building.

The 64,600 square-foot Terry Thomas building achieved LEED Gold certification for its shell and core and cost a total of $11.2M to construct. Surrounded almost completely by glass, the four-story Terry Thomas building operates without expensive technology. The building has reduced energy consumption by 50 per cent.

"Kawneer has a longstanding commitment to creating products and solutions that contribute to LEED certification points," said J.D. Skip Dill, architectural sales representative for Kawneer Company, Inc. "In the Terry Thomas building project, the use of thermally broken storefront and thermally improved operable windows contributed to LEED points, helped meet the thermal requirements of the building and ultimately contributed to achieving our goal of creating a sustainable building. We are all proud that the Terry Thomas building was honored with a COTE Top Ten award."

For more information about Kawneer's range of products, please visit www.kawneer.com