New College of Florida

Sponsored content by PETERSEN ALUMINUM CORP.

At first glance, the New College of Florida academic building in Sarasota is another architecturally pleasing structure. The building, roofed with Petersen Aluminum’s Tite-Loc Plus standing seam metal panels, sets at the entrance to the campus and makes a bold, welcoming statement. But more importantly, the building is the only structure on campus to meet the Hurricane Shelter Approval from the Florida Department of Education. In addition, the mechanically seamed panels also meet the requirements of Miami-Dade NOA and Florida Building Approvals.

Approximately 20,000 square feet of PAC-CLAD .040-inch aluminum Tite-Loc Plus panels were utilized in addition to 4,400 square feet of .032-inch aluminum PAC-850 Soffit Panels, which also has Florida Approvals. 7,000 square feet of PAC Flat Stock was used for flashings.

Located on a dramatic 140-acre bay-front site, New College of Florida is a residential honors academic institution. The new academic building provides 36,000 square feet of office space, classrooms and common areas. Design for the project was provided by Moule & Polyzoides Architects, Pasadena, CA, and combines vernacular and contemporary design elements consistent with its location on the Gulf of Mexico. The PAC-CLAD metal roof interfaces with masonry walls and hurricane shutters for protection from sun and rain.

Given the building’s location only 1,100 feet from the edge of the Gulf, the California-based architectural firm hired David Moss of Moss Specs, Sarasota, to provide expertise regarding local codes. With more than 40 years of writing total building specifications, Moss is well known throughout the industry and now specializes in roof and specifications consulting.

“When I first met with the architects, they were initially considering a Galvalume steel roof,” Moss says. “I’ve seen what Galvalume does in our neck of the woods and in a couple of years, it can really look bad. As a better option, I suggested they go with aluminum and a Kynar finish and they agreed. We specified .040-inch aluminum, but the final test for the shelter code passed with .032-inch so they actually have a roof that’s even better than what is required.”

Installation of the PAC-CLAD material was done by Murton Roofing, a TECTA America Company, Miami.

Long-recognized as an industry leader in metal standing seam roofing products, Petersen also offers exposed fastener panels, flush panels, composite wall panels and column covers. All provide the well-known Petersen quality and are available in PAC-CLAD® Kynar 500® finish in 37 standard colors on steel and aluminum. Most colors meet LEED, ENERGY STAR and cool roof certification requirements.

For more information on the complete line of Petersen metal products, call 800/PAC-CLAD or visit www.pac-clad.com.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Hawaii Elementary School Reopens Following $25M Campus Modernization

    Haʻaheo Elementary School in Hilo, Hawaii, has reopened to students following a three-year, $25-million campus modernization and expansion project that significantly increases the school's instructional space while preserving one of the island's oldest educational institutions, according to local news.

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.

  • University of Pennsylvania Releases Design of Future Physical Sciences Building

    The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Philadelphia, Penn., recently released renderings of an upcoming 350,000-square-foot Physical Sciences Building, according to news release. The facility was designed by CO Architects and will unite the university’s departments of Physics and Astronomy, Mathematics, and Earth and Environmental Science.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.