Metal Roofing - a Durable and Sustainable Option

Buncombe County Schools, in Asheville, NC. sought to relieve overcrowding in eight existing schools with the simultaneous construction of two new intermediate (grades 5-6) schools. The twin 107,000 square-foot facilities are identical in design and offer students a unique sense of discovery.

Sustainability was a driving directive for the design of the schools provided by Architectural Design Studio (ADS), Asheville, N.C. The project is slated for LEED Silver status.

Eblen Intermediate School utilizes a colorful variety of PAC-CLAD profiles. “Metal was the natural choice to use on the roof of the buildings,” according to ADS Principal Mike Cox. “School construction has been my primary focus for many years and my emphasis has always been durability. Metal gives us more durability and longer life than other materials.”

Site limitations caused some challenges with daylighting, according to Cox. “Daylighting was one of the features we really wanted to get into the buildings,” Cox says. Both buildings are oriented east/west. ADS’ solution was to design construction of large vertical skylights, called “monitors”, for each classroom. “The monitors are designed to get daylight in the classrooms year-round but to completely avoid the entry of direct sunlight. It’s all reflected light — any day, any time, any time of year — there’s no direct sunlight.”

Installation of the PAC-CLAD material, supplied by PAC distributor Commercial Roofing Specialties, Inc., College Park, Ga., was done by Peach State Roofing of Lawrenceville, Ga. “It was a challenging job due to the complex design and the phasing and coordination with the various trades,” says David Schmitt, vice president. “The monitor skylights were built with metal stud framing and clad with the Petersen material. The trim packages all required individual measurements. But the end product really turned out great.”

www.pac-clad.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Missouri Child Development Center Completes $2.3M Expansion

    The Urban Sprouts Child Development Center in St. Louis, Mo., recently announced the completion of a $2.3-million expansion and adaptive reuse project, according to a news release. The new space includes a retail café, outdoor learning space, and a support office building.

  • Wold Completes Geothermal Projects at Two Minnesota Schools

    Wold Architects & Engineers recently announced that it has completed two geothermal expansion projects for Mounds View Public Schools in Shoreview, Minn., according to a news release. The work at Highview Middle School and Irondale High School serves the district’s long-term goal of reducing energy costs and dependency on non-renewable fuel sources, as well as improving building performance.

  • University of Rochester to Break Ground on New Student Life Center

    The University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., recently began construction on a new Student Life building, according to a news release. The first floor will contain campus-wide gathering, program, and rehearsal space; the second floor will play home to the Greenbaum Center for Jewish Life.

  • Carnegie Mellon University Receives $3B Gift to Launch New Campus

    Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Penn., recently announced that it has received $3 billion—the largest individual gift in higher education history—from Citadel CEO and founder Ken Griffin, according to a news release.