Tremco Inc., which has provided building owners and managers with sustainable solutions for decades, is now turning its attention to its own headquarters. Originally built in 1970, the facility will undergo a $5 million, top-to-bottom renovation that will transform it into a showcase of sustainability. Tremco intends that its headquarters will become one of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) few LEED Gold-certified facilities in Ohio.
Tremco is owned by RPM Building Solutions Group (RPM BSG), which is part of RPM International. Numerous solutions for the renovation will be provided by companies that are a part of RPM BSG, including Canam Building Envelope Specialists (interior air sealing); Increte Systems, a division of Euclid Chemical Co. (decorative concrete); Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing (sealants and gaskets); and Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance (vegetated, cool and photovoltaic roofing systems). Also incorporated into the project will be an Outsulation® insulated exterior wall cladding system from RPM sister company Dryvit® Systems, Inc. Tremco subsidiary Weatherproofing Technologies Inc. (WTI) will act as general contractor for the project, which includes the management and training of all subcontractors. (See the sidebar for additional details regarding these companies and their involvement in the project.)
“This renovation gives us an exceptional opportunity to show our commitment to sustainability to our customers, staff, suppliers and others,” said Randy Korach, president. “We intend to create a truly high-performance, sustainable facility that integrates our rich array of corporate solutions and highlights the use of construction best practices.
“Our objectives are to improve energy efficiency and conserve water; reduce operational costs; provide a safer, healthier facility for our employees; and protect the natural environment by reducing our carbon output, lowering the local heat island effect, and recycling and reusing material to keep it from being hauled to a landfill. The retrofit aligns with our broader vision for sustainability at Tremco, which involves becoming a global leader in sustainable development.”
Project Details
The renovation’s most noteworthy sustainable features will include:- Four types of sustainable roofing systems from Tremco.
- A vegetated roof featuring local plants. Low-impact lighting and a water capture system will be integrated with the roof, as will a pathway of recycled materials.
- The ENERGY STAR®-qualified Rock-It™ roof surfacing system composed of white gravel set in white adhesive.
- A white, reflective, single-ply system installed beneath a rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system.
- A thin film rooftop PV system that will be used to generate electricity for the building.
- Dryvit Outsulation Plus® MD exterior wall system featuring Dryvit’s TerraNeo™ finish. The system provides an energy-efficient, insulated facade and can be applied directly to the existing slate, eliminating the time and potential waste of removing the facade.
- High-performance, double-pane, tinted windows that exceed minimum energy standards. Tremco sealants and gaskets will be used, as will Tremco’s Proglaze® ETA (Engineered Transition Assembly) to ensure an airtight transition from window to wall.
- New sidewalks, with decorative concrete from Increte Systems, which will be supported by gravel from one of the building’s existing roofs.
- A 1.8kW-rated wind turbine installed on the property to help generate electricity.
- Numerous interior upgrades such as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant restrooms, interior window treatments, elevator modernizations with eco-friendly technology and ADA compliance.
- Mechanical/engineering/plumbing upgrades such as a new control system
that ensures an accurate operating schedule of HVAC and lighting, as well as
improved zone control; modifications to the central air handling system to
enable variable flow, resulting in significant energy savings; and replacing
the cooling tower with a variable-speed model that also eliminates the need for
water treatment.
WTI and its subcontractors will follow a number of construction best practices to increase the project’s sustainability. These will include onsite sorting of materials, recycling of all non-hazardous material, chain-of-custody documentation for all off-site recycling, reusing materials when applicable, and verifying that materials are certified for LEED credit. To support the company’s efforts to attain LEED Gold certification, an independent commissioning agent will verify the impact of the various solutions on building performance.
About Tremco Inc.
Headquartered in Beachwood, Ohio, Tremco Inc. is dedicated to the development of high-performance buildings characterized by energy efficiency, limited environmental impact and low operating costs. Tremco is part of the RPM Building Solutions Group, an international leader in the construction, maintenance and repair markets that includes the Euclid Chemical Co., Republic Powdered Metals, Tremco Barrier Solutions, Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing, Tremco illbruck, Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance, and WTI. RPM Building Solutions Group companies are ISO 9001:2000 certified, and WTI is the first facility services group to attain this certification.For more information, visit www.TremcoGreenHQ.com.
A Group Effort
Tremco will be relying on the companies within the RPM Building Solutions Group family, along with a number of other partners and vendors, to bring the renovation to fruition. Canam Building Envelope Specialists will provide interior air sealing. Canam has helped owners, managers, architects, and engineers improve the health, safety, durability, comfort, and energy efficiency of buildings for more than 25 years. It has achieved success through the development of proprietary techniques and materials to improve the performance of the building envelope.Providing decorative concrete walkways will be Increte Systems, a division of Euclid Chemical Co. Since 1963, Increte has been recognized as a leading manufacturer of decorative concrete systems. Its products range from hardeners, releases and sealers to highly detailed stamping tools and decorative wall form-liners.
Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing sealants and gaskets will be used, as will Tremco’s Proglaze® ETA (Engineered Transition Assembly) to ensure an airtight transition from window to wall. Tremco CS&W is a leading North American supplier of integrated building envelope solutions for the commercial construction industry. It also serves the OEM, residential glazing and weatherization markets. Product lines include high-performance silicone and urethane joint sealants; waterproofing membranes; drainage protection; air barrier systems; deck coatings; expansion joints; a full line of passive fire protection products and systems; and a comprehensive line of glazing systems, including silicone sealants, tapes, gaskets, and setting blocks.
Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance is supplying sustainable roofing systems, including vegetated, cool and photovoltaic. Since 1928, Tremco has been a leading innovator and provider of roofing and weatherproofing solutions. Tremco offers a comprehensive roofing and weatherproofing range of solutions for new construction, roofing maintenance, replacement solutions, restoration and repair services, and roofing materials.
The project will also include an Outsulation® insulated exterior wall cladding system from RPM sister company Dryvit Systems, Inc. Dryvit Outsulation Systems are engineered exterior claddings that provide beauty and protection for the vertical wall surfaces of the building envelope. Most importantly, they are highly energy-efficient insulated cladding systems that place insulation on the outside of the wall, where building scientists say it is most effective. The systems function as a vapor-permeable blanket for the building.
Weatherproofing Technologies Inc. (WTI) will act as general contractor. WTI offers a comprehensive inventory of roofing and general contracting services to building owners and facility managers. WTI is one of the largest roofing maintenance service providers in North America, with millions of square feet of roofing under contract covering thousands of roofs with service agreements. Its customers receive peace of mind knowing that experienced professionals are handling the service needs of their entire building envelope.
