Byron G. Rogers Federal Office Building
photo by Mark Long

Renovation of Denver’s Byron G. Rogers Federal Office Building is on schedule for completion in 2014. The security, seismic and energy modernization upgrades on the 494,156-square-foot federal office building will continue its commitment to LEED® certification and ENERGY STAR® labeling. Window replacement at the adjacent U.S. Courthouse was finished in 2012. Renovation of this historic courthouse building maintains its legacy of Modern Formalist architecture. The building will be eligible for consideration by the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

Preserving the appearance while improving the performance and daylighting, Wausau Window and Wall Systems provided more than 1,600 blast hazard-mitigating BHM Series windows plus high-performance SuperWall™ system and custom ClearStory™ interior light shelves.

Owned by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Rocky Mountain Region 8, the federal office building facility houses 11 federal agencies and is the cornerstone of the Denver Federal District. This is part of the project seeking to revitalize the eastern edge of the downtown central business district at 20th and Stout Streets and to earn LEED Silver certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. Following an earlier renovation project, the adjoining courthouse building received LEED Existing Buildings (EB) Pilot Gold certification in 2006.

In 2009, funding was provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for additional modernization of the federal office building to meet current codes, seismic and progressive collapse criteria, and GSA facility requirements for acoustic privacy, security and sustainability. The project’s scope includes replacing all the existing exterior windows on both the federal office and the courthouse buildings with high-performance units manufactured by Wausau and installed by Harmon, Inc.

Other members of the building project team are: Mortenson Construction as design-builder, HOK as the design architect, Bennett Wagner & Grody Architects as architect of record, Martin/Martin, Inc. as the structural engineer and blast consultant, and Rocky Mountain Institute as high-performance green building consultant.

According to the GSA, the primary goals of this $154 million design-build project are “architectural preservation and demonstration of energy-efficient retrofit capabilities. All together, the Byron Rogers Federal Office Building systems are expected to lower the building energy consumption by up to 65% over its previous rate. The systems are expected to save taxpayers more than $250,000 per year in energy costs, while providing superior comfort and a modern workplace for various federal agencies.”

photo by Carol Highsmith, courtesy of the Library of Congress (2006)

The design-build team worked with GSA to find ways to generate a design model targeting a more aggressive goal of 27-30 kBtu per square foot per year. Using continuous whole-building energy modeling that compared various combinations of efficiency measures, predicted hourly energy use and annual energy costs, led the team to a realistic evaluation of various alternatives. This targeted reduction is expected to provide an annual energy savings of 55-65% per year over previous use.

Rocky Mountain Institute added, “Byron Rogers is an outstanding demonstration project since it is on track to become one of the most energy-efficient office buildings in the U.S., more efficient than the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) new-build Research Support Facility.” It also noted that the windows were selected “to maximize the amount of visible light and insulative properties and to minimize solar heat gain. The exterior window must also meet federal blast requirements, and maintain its original gray color to meet historic preservation requirements.”

NREL Research Support Facility
photo by Dennis Schroeder, courtesy of the Department of Energy/NREL

Bryon Rogers and NREL’s Research Support Facility each incorporated whole building energy modeling into the design process to identify and optimize energy efficiency measures. Both buildings also rely on Wausau’s high-performance window and curtainwall systems. Where NREL was new construction, Bryon Rogers is historic renovation, which necessitated that the exterior window frames and existing precast remain intact. Working from inside the occupied buildings, Harmon carefully replaced the windows with double- and triple-glazed units. On the lower floors of the courthouse, Harmon also field-glazed a custom curtainwall system from Wausau.

Harmon’s senior project manager, Steve Sauerbreit, says, “The project was a success due to the collaborative efforts by the entire design and construction team.”

Alfred A. Arraj U.S. District Courthouse Annex
photo by GregHurlsey

Mortenson and Harmon enjoy a long-term relationship and have collaborated on dozens of other projects, several of which use Wausau’s windows and curtainwall systems. Wausau also has contributed to other HOK-designed projects including the AIA award-winning Alfred A. Arraj U.S. District Courthouse Annex in Denver.

Byron G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse originally was designed by James Sudler Associates and Fisher & Davis. The courthouse building was constructed in 1964 by Autur Yenneri Company. It is considered by the local architectural community and Modern design enthusiasts to be an iconic representation of Formalist design.

A report for the GSA Historic Buildings Program described the structure as a “carefully composed set of related components – a dynamic, geometric set of forms that consist of the low five-story courthouse building pavilion and the monolithic 18-story slab of the office tower, linked by two perpendicular exterior canopies and anchored by a landscaped plaza.”

The Federal Building’s tall office tower sits on an angular footprint. Upper stories of the primary elevations exhibit an alternating rhythm of beige pre-cast concrete panels and projecting windows. The street level is clad in white marble panels.

Byron G. Rogers Federal Office Building
photo by Mark Long

“The office building’s upper floors’ exterior units have a very specific historical profile that was to be maintained, so those existing units were re-glazed in the field by Harmon with a new high-performance piece of insulated glass to preserve the original look and improve thermal performance. The 1,600 new interior ‘add-on’ windows are 9-foot-tall, laminated IGUs, provided by Wausau to add blast protection and thermal improvement,” explains Wausau’s Todd Sackmann.

Sackmann continues, “The lower office building’s units did not have the same historical profile to maintain, so they were completely replaced with windows that combine all of the desired performance features – multiple high-performance coatings, double insulated units, laminated glass and fixed operation.” These windows reach more than 13 feet high and are fabricated with Viracon’s low-e glass to manage Colorado’s challenging climate.

Evoking the footprint and windows of the office tower, the courthouse building’s Champa Street elevation is accented at the top and bottom in white marble bands. Its windows are oriented vertically and in pairs, running in tall bands divided by thin strips of marble. The Stout Street elevation features a metal art screen, a common element of Modern Formalism, over large windows. The screen also serves to control direct sunlight on the interior. Wausau’s light shelves help carry the natural light more deeply into the building’s interior corridors.

In addition to daylighting and energy-efficiency, the Byron Rogers sustainability goals are supported with Wausau’s extruded aluminum frames and light shelves contain recycled content averaging 70% or greater. Linetec finished the majority of the aluminum in a VOC-free, dark bronze anodize for easy maintenance and durability.

GSA Rocky Mountain Region integrates the concepts of sustainability into its buildings and its business processes. It emphasizes, “Sustainability is an economic, social, and environmental concept. It is intended to be a means of configuring civilization and human activity so that society and its members are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving natural ecosystems for the future.”

Byron G. Rogers Federal Office Building
photo by Mark Long

Benefiting from these practices, federal agencies scheduled to occupy Byron G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse include: the Social Security Administration (SSA), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the new U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

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Byron G. Rogers Federal Building and Courthouse, 1961 Stout Street, Denver, CO

* Owner: General Services Administration, Rocky Mountain Region 8; Denver; http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21495
* Design-builder: Mortenson Construction; Denver office; http://www.mortenson.com
* Original architects: James Sudler Associates and Fisher & Davis
* Current architects –
– Design architect: HOK Architecture; Denver office; http://www.hok.com/about/locations/denver/
– Architect of record: Bennett Wagner & Grody Architects; Denver office; http://www.bwgarchitects.com/
* Mechanical, electrical, plumbing engineer: The RMH Group, Inc.
* Mechanical contractor: RK Mechanical
* Electrical contractor: Berg Electric
* High-performance green building consultant: Rocky Mountain Institute; Snowmass, Colo.; http://www.rmi.org
* Glazing contractor: Harmon, Inc.; Denver office; http://www.harmoninc.com
* Glazing systems – manufacturer:  Wausau Window and Wall Systems; Wausau, Wis.; http://www.wausauwindow.com
* Glazing systems – glass assemblies:  Viracon, Inc.; Owatonna, Minn.; http://www.viracon.com/
* Glazing systems – finisher:  Linetec, Wausau, Wis.; http://www.linetec.com

Filed under: ALL TOPICS, Buildings + Infrastructure, Green Goals, Harmon, Inc., Linetec, Projects, USGBC, Wausau Window and Wall Systems | Comments Off on Client news: Colorado’s historic Byron Rogers Federal Building modernization nears completion features Wausau’s blast-hazard mitigating windows

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has announced the availability of certification exams for the association’s FenestrationMasters™ program, a nationwide education and certification program for professionals in the window, door, skylight, curtain wall, storefront and sloped glazing industries. FenestrationMaster™ (advanced-level) and FenestrationAssociate™ (entry-level) students who have successfully completed the required coursework can take the certification exam at any number of testing centers across the U.S.

“Development of a professional training and certification program of this scope is a substantial undertaking, and we are exceptionally pleased to have assembled a high-quality program culminating in the release of these certification exams,” says Janice Yglesias, AAMA’s association services director. “Feedback received thus far from our current certification candidates about the coursework and online delivery system has been very positive. Several individuals have nearly completed the entire required curriculum, so we are looking forward to processing our first exam registration and awarding our first certification.”

During the AAMA Fall Conference to be held Oct. 27-30 in Baltimore, AAMA will launch the option to administer exams outside of established testing centers using AAMA-authorized exam proctors. For those who register and attend the Fall Conference, no additional fees will be required to complete the FenestrationMaster or FenestrationAssociate exam in conjunction with the event.

In addition to the availability of certification exams, AAMA has completed the Candidate Guide and Study Notebook. The Candidate Guide explains how the program works, the necessary steps to become certified and what materials may be utilized during the exam. The Guide also provides sample exam questions and answers. In an effort to provide FenestrationMaster and FenestrationAssociate students with a printable reference to the courses, as well as a place to take notes to aid in preparing to take the exam, AAMA is offering a new resource called the Study Notebook to existing students for free.

About FenestrationMasters
FenestrationMasters was developed to help companies differentiate their business and increase their credibility by offering their customers the benefit of employees who have pursued a well-rounded education in the fenestration industry.

“FenestrationMasters is truly unique in that it is the only publicly available professional education and certification program concentrated on the fenestration industry. Due to AAMA’s material and product neutrality, as well as our long history of technical expertise, students will learn from an unbiased, industry-leading source,” says Angela Dickson, AAMA’s marketing manager.

There are two different credentials available through the program, both requiring successful completion of the applicable coursework and the certification exam: FenestrationMaster and FenestrationAssociate. There are no prerequisites to qualify for the FenestrationAssociate (entry-level) certification. To qualify for the FenestrationMaster (advanced-level) certification, one of the following prerequisites must be met:
* Four-year degree in engineering, architecture or applied sciences and four years fenestration product-related experience
* Six years fenestration product-related experience

AAMA released Group 6 courses in July, making the entire curriculum available to FenestrationMasters students. For a full course listing, http://www.aamanet.org/fenestrationmasters.

Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. In all cases, AAMA members receive further reduced preferred pricing. For questions regarding the FenestrationMasters program, visit www.aamanet.org/fenestrationmasters or contact fenestrationmasters@aamanet.org.

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Tubelite Inc. has added John Priebe as an architectural representative serving clients in South Central states with storefront, curtainwall, entrance and daylighting systems, including Tubelite’s ForceFront™ Storm and Blast products.

A fourth generation glazier, Priebe has worked in the industry his whole life and most recently served as general manager for glazing contractor Harmon, Inc.’s Cleveland office.

From an early age, he was cutting glass at his family’s glazing business in Buffalo, N.Y. He earned his construction technologies certification and joined the Glazier Union Local #660 where he served his apprenticeship. With three decades of professional experience in the shop and in the field, Priebe remained active with the Union as trustee of the Glaziers Trust Funds.

Moving from New York, Priebe sought out a position with Harmon and was hired at the company’s Orlando location as a small contracts project manager. Less than five years later, he was overseeing small contracts and glass services in both Orlando and Tampa. He continued to excel and eventually became director of service and special projects for Harmon’s clients in Florida and throughout the U.S. He remained with Harmon for 13 years.

Priebe is pleased to be a part of Tubelite’s team. He will share his industry knowledge and leadership with architectural clients in South Central states.

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The City University of New York’s (CUNY’s) Borough of Manhattan Community College’s opened the Miles and Shirley Fiterman Hall at the beginning of the 2012-13 academic year. It replaces the original Fiterman Hall, which was irreparably damaged when World Trade 7 fell against it in the attacks of September 11, 2001. The new facility offers students the latest in educational technologies, first-class amenities and expansive views of New York City framed with high-performance curtainwall from Wausau Window and Wall Systems.

After a 10-year construction process, Fiterman Hall opened in August 2012. The 14-floor building was designed by renowned architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and built by Hunter Roberts Construction Group. The new facility was certified under New York State Executive Order 111, which requires overall energy and sustainability improvements, with similar criteria to the U.S. Green Building Systems’ LEED® certification.

Fiterman Hall’s student capacity tripled to nearly 25,000 students with the new 400,000-square-foot facility. The building’s most distinctive areas include its two-story glass atria on the north and south sides of the building. Each has stacked atrium spaces with interconnecting, open, spiral stairs and student lounge areas. The atria house a fine arts center, a public café, and an interior grand staircase that ascends from the lobby to the fourth floor.

Students praised the windows as they were welcomed into the building. Criminal justice major, Shamisa Anthony, noted that Fiterman Hall “gives you that feeling of success. It’s a very classy building, with the huge windows and the view, also with the open ceilings, and the unusual shape of the lobby areas.”

“I love the view,” said science major, Kiran Iftikhar. “I think it’s amazing. I can see the whole city. It’s more fun to learn in a nice environment.”

Extrapolating on the idea of a red brick schoolhouse in a modern, urban, business district, Fiterman Hall’s southern façade showcases precast panels with architectural brick complemented by the openness and transparency of glass and aluminum-framed curtainwall. Helping translate this vision, Wausau manufactured and shipped nearly 71,000-square feet of unitized curtainwall for installation by Staten Island, N.Y.-based glazing contractor Genetech Building Systems, Inc.

According to Genetech’s president, Greg Tedesco, selecting Wausau from the three specified vendors was an easy decision: “I’ve worked with Wausau for nearly 25 years and have always had a good experience with their product and engineering support. The products, the people and the customer service are all very strong. Wausau may not always have the lowest price, but they always provide the best value.”

Engineered for high thermal performance, Wausau’s 7250i-UW and 10250i-UW Series curtainwall are optimized for energy efficiency with a polyamide nylon structural barrier. These unitized systems are manufactured in ready-to-install units that span vertically from floor-to-floor. Along with saving time and labor in the field, this approach reduces dependence on weather seals and accommodates dynamic movements without placing undue stress on glass, sealants or other infills. As the curtainwall units are pre-glazed under controlled conditions at Wausau’s LEED Silver-certified manufacturing center, rather than at the job site, customers can be confident that the systems achieve their intended performance.

Wausau also provided its 3250 Series windows as fixed over in-swing units for Fiterman Hall’s second floor workspace area. These windows are rated as AAMA AW-70 Performance Class and are labeled by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) for energy performance. Viracon supplied the insulating, Low-E glass for both the windows and the curtainwall.

Beyond high thermal performance to meet energy-efficiency needs, Wausau’s systems’ composition supports New York’s environmental and sustainability goals. The curtainwall and windows’ aluminum frames contain recycled content averaging 70% or greater. The recycled aluminum framing is painted by Linetec in a gray for the shadow box metal and Champagne Metallic for the curtainwall. Both use a Duranar® XL fluoropolymer coating containing a minimum of 70% PVDF resin. This three-coat system meets requirements of AAMA 2605, the most stringent, high-performance specification for architectural coatings, to withstand the urban environment and maintain the college’s enduring high-profile appearance.

On Fiterman Hall’s interior, students and faculty have access to 80 technologically advanced “smart” classrooms and computer laboratories, offices, library spaces, music ensemble rooms, a rooftop conference center and terrace. On the breezy terrace in September 2012, a Recognition Ceremony honored key individuals who made the construction possible. CUNY’s chancellor, Matthew Goldstein, said during the event, “As I stand in this marvelous space, I can’t stop thinking sometimes dreams really do come true; light can emerge from the dark.”

BMCC’s president, Dr. Antonio Pérez, moderated the event and remarked, “On 9/11, when 7 World Trade fell against Fiterman Hall, the face of Lower Manhattan changed forever. Our friends made the rebuilding happen. …BMCC is part of a community that cares deeply about every individual who comes here to learn.”

New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who led the World Trade Center Redevelopment Committee and worked closely with Manhattan’s Community Board 1, was a special honoree at the ceremony. “Through an open and thoughtful procedure, we guided the construction of a new Fiterman Hall –that’s how we do it in New York. This project was done the right way, the best way, and is a shining example of Lower Manhattan’s inspiring rebirth. I’m proud to have had a part in getting the job done.”

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Miles and Shirley Fiterman Hall 245 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007; http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/fitermanhall
* Owner: City University of New York, Borough of Manhattan Community College; http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu
* Architect: Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects, New York; http://www.pcf-p.com
* General contractor: Hunter Roberts Construction Group, New York; http://www.hunterrobertscg.com
* Glazing contractor: Genetech Building Systems, Inc., Staten Island, N.Y.; http://www. http://www.genetechsys.com
* Glazing systems – manufacturer: Wausau Window and Wall Systems; Wausau, Wis.; http://www.wausauwindow.com
* Glazing systems – glazing: Viracon; Owatonna, Minn.; http://www.viracon.com
* Glazing systems – finisher: Linetec, Wausau, Wis.; http://www.linetec.com

CUNY BMCC newsroom and videos:
http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/news/news.jsp?id=8979
http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/news/news.jsp?id=9024
Online photo gallery: http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/fitermanhall/photo.jsp

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The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) released education courses on curtainwall design, aluminum storefronts and entrances, as well as energy and the architectural fenestration industry, as part of the association’s FenestrationMasters® program. This is the sixth group of FenestrationMasters courses released by AAMA.

“Because of the complexity of the topics and their specificity to the commercial market, the courses in Group 6 are exclusively required of FenestrationMaster™ students,” says Angela Dickson, AAMA’s marketing manager. “As this group represents the final courses in the program, AAMA is very excited to have the entire curriculum available to students, with the certification exam launching at the beginning of July.”

* Group 1 courses cover product types and design considerations, window, door and skylight performance standards, proper glass selection and specialty performance considerations (blast, impact, tornado and acoustics).
* Group 2 courses cover profile performance and material considerations, as well as coatings and finishes.
* Group 3 courses cover hardware, weatherstrip and weatherseals, as well as sealants and adhesives used during factory fabrication.
* Group 4 courses cover code requirements, energy efficiency and thermal performance, as well as skylights and daylighting.
* Group 5 courses cover commercial and residential installation, as well as field testing/forensic evaluation and fenestration anchorage.

“FenestrationMasters is truly unique in that it is the only publicly available professional education and certification program concentrated on the fenestration industry. Due to AAMA’s material and product neutrality, as well as our long history of technical expertise, students will learn from an unbiased, industry-leading source,” says Dickson.

For a full course listing, visit www.aamanet.org/fenestrationmasters.

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Arjowiggins Creative Papers collaborates with Gary Card, Lady Gaga’s costume/set designer, on extravagant creatures fashioned from Curious Collection

Arjowiggins Creative Papers launches Curious Matter, an avant-garde paper made with potato starch. This revolutionary, patented paper provides a startling texture with a richly matte surface and deep, ultra-pigmented colors. A complementary part of the multi-sensory Curious Collection of fine papers, Appleton Coated is the exclusive North American distributor.

To express the new papers’ creative potential, Arjowiggins Creative Papers has embarked on an adventurous artistic collaboration with designer Gary Card, a rising star of the London scene and fêted costume and set designer for Lady Gaga. He has used his wildly eccentric ideas to create extravagant creatures fashioned from Curious Matter and Curious Collection papers.

Card’s Curious Matter creature interacts with a second creation made from paper and light, a combination of the Curious Collection’s SKIN, Cosmic, Metallics, Translucents and Touch ranges. The resulting tableau, “Metamorphosis,” serves as an artistic metaphor and an inspiration platform for the Curious Collection as a whole, reflecting its mix and match possibilities and its increasingly comprehensive range of textures, colors and effects.

Curious Matter is the result of a continuous quest by Arjowiggins Creative Papers’ laboratories to develop unconventional papers with unique creative qualities. “Astonishing as alchemy, the mundane has been transformed into the beautiful,” says Ferkó X. Goldinger, marketing manager at Appleton Coated. “The cutting-edge Curious Collection constantly innovates to offer designers and creatives unexpected and original papers. This launch once again pushing the boundaries of material science and creative endeavor.”

He explains, “This up-cycled paper disguises its modest origins as industrial waste behind its sophisticated look and feel. In the same way that molecular gastronomy breaks down foods to reconstruct them in innovative forms, the R&D team found a recipe that used the spherical particles of raw potato starch, which is a by-product from the food industry, to form an arrestingly textured surface that delivers a tactile experience like no other.”

The qualities of Curious Matter are difficult to describe, but Goldinger is compelled to attempt: “To the touch, it exudes the impossible fusion of sand and silk. The colors are so uniform, so intensely matte, that your eyes seem to sink into its depths. This is a paper that demands attention when you see it and is memorable the moment you pick it up.”

Each paper has been carefully honed, aesthetically and physically, to have resonance in lifestyle-oriented markets: from food and drink and beauty and cosmetics, to luxury goods and engaging environments. Its robust nature makes it an ideal partner for all applications where an eye-catching, contemporary look and irresistible feel will make a difference: invitations, brochures, event collateral, luxury packaging and labeling for products and accessories, to name a few. It is also perfect for boxing and folding cartons where first impressions count.

Curious Matter has been rigorously tested to delivers spectacular print results. Goldinger elaborates, “Its unique tactile assets cannot be reproduced by print techniques and provide the perfect base for four-color offset printing, digital printing, lithography and letterpress. Stunning textural contrasts can be produced by the creative application of silk-screening, embossing, debossing, die-stamping and foil-stamping, as well as for folding, scoring, laser-cutting and lamination processes.”

To create Curious Matter’s seductive, contemporary palette, Arjowiggins Creative Papers has once again worked with Edelkoort Studio. Continuing the narrative of its potato starch source, the colors are named after rare potato varieties that have extraordinary properties and strikingly colorful flesh that evoke the seven hues of Curious Matter:

* Désirée Red – The name of this potato from the Netherlands and France expresses the fiery, passionate, and indulgent nature of the color. The blazing and powerful Curious Matter version stands out as a newly intense color perfect for announcing an event and printed communications for anything from accessories to pastries and lingerie.

* Adiron Blue – The Adiron Blue potato is a hybrid created recently by a well-known American university and has an arresting deep and vibrant cobalt blue. Curious Matter’s version has a sensational graphic tone with magnetic qualities that make it eye-catching for events, invitations and packaging.

* Purple Majesty – This penetrating and mysterious shade carries the name of one of the world’s healthiest potatoes that is rich in antioxidants, giving it its voluptuous and seductive coloring. It is also a chef’s favorite for its divine taste. This color is perfectly suited to the luxury goods, cosmetics and fashion industries.

* Black Truffle – Named after an ancient potato from Latin America and Italy, this vibrant extra black has irresistible “must have” elegance.

* Andina Grey – This uncommonly gnarled potato is probably the source of all modern varieties. This is a timeless ash-grey, with a porous, pebble-like feel. It is an essential tone that exudes wisdom and adds subtlety to the collection. A perennial color, embodying comfort, wellbeing and stability, it is as ideal for beauty and lifestyle products as it is for spirits.

* Ibizenca Sand – Found in the Ibiza and Formentera Islands, this is a gourmand’s delight, with a beige mineral-based shade, whose color and texture is reminiscent of the coast and its sandy dunes. This shade, as Andina Grey, is a natural color that reflects the recent trend for nude and kraft colors and will delight the food, drink and cosmetics industries.

* Goya White – A potato with pure white flesh and renowned for its resilience, has inspired this extremely white shade that is versatile and timeless, perfect for four-color printing and packaging.

For more information on the Curious Collection, please visit CuriousCollection.com and click on “Where to Buy?”

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Opened in February 2013, the Wisconsin Veterans Home of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin is the newest one of three nursing homes in Wisconsin dedicated to veterans and their families. Wausau Window and Wall Systems provided more than 300 of its 3250i-XLT INvent™ windows, helping to ensure that fresh air and connection to the outdoors are made accessible to people of all ages and abilities.

This new 72-bed, 83,000-square-foot skilled nursing care home employs 90 people, and was paid for by state and federal funds. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses a 75-mile radius to define the market area for a state veterans’ home. It estimates 397,644 veterans currently live in Wisconsin and counts more than 17,000 veterans aged 65 or older in the 14-county area surrounding Chippewa and Eau Claire Counties. Demonstrating its need, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) facility already had received 199 reservations a month prior to its opening.

Wisconsin-based Frisbie Architects designed the single-story facility with a similar feel to the veterans’ former family homes with four “communities” of 18 rooms in each “neighborhood.” Each resident has a private room and bathroom. Private seating areas and smaller dining areas also help create a sense of community.

Accommodating all members of this community, the Wisconsin Veterans Home complies with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility criteria. Wausau’s INvent™ Series family of windows feature ADA hardware options capable of meeting the operating force and limited motion requirements of ICC/ANSI A117.1. Wausau’s health care market manager, Lisa May, LEED® Green Associate, explains, “Wausau’s accessible projected windows operate with one hand, and require an operating force of five pounds or less to unlock, open, close and lock without making users need to tightly grasp, pinch or twist their wrists.”

May and her colleagues can assist with other accessibility design considerations, such as locating and detailing operable windows to meet the ICC/ANSI A117.1’s “reach,” protrusion and approach area requirements for project-specific conditions. Wausau has tested a broad range of product options in compliance with the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) 513-12 publication, which outlines laboratory test methods for accessible operable window products.

“The construction team was very focused on accessibility requirements,” adds May. “Wausau offered them the peace-of-mind of a pre-tested, proven, accessible product, that could be delivered within a tight timeframe without need for project-specific prototype testing. With the Wausau INvent product family, no reductions in air infiltration performance or water penetration resistance are necessary in achieving five pounds operating force.”

As part of the Advantage by Wausau® standard product offering, INvent Series’ high-performance pre-engineered windows are backed with an industry-leading warranty of up to 10 years. Wisconsin Veterans Home’s accessible, operable windows maximize energy efficiency and condensation resistance using Viracon’s insulating glass and 24 mm XLT polyamide thermal barriers.

The combination of triple glazing and XLT thermal barrier delivers an overall unit U-Factor of 0.32 BTU/hr.sqft.degreeF or less, with a Condensation Resistance Factor of 59. Acoustic performance also is enhanced, with a Sound Transmission Class rating of 43 and an Outdoor-Indoor Transmission Class of 31. Integral between-glass antique white blinds minimize maintenance, while managing light and glare.

Along with daylighting and outside views, operable units present a seasonal opportunity for natural ventilation. Further contributing to green building goals, Wausau’s extruded aluminum frames contain recycled content averaging 70% or greater. The windows’ aluminum framing was painted in LT 607-70 “Sandstone” color by Wisconsin-based Linetec using a durable 70% PVDF two-coat in-house blend selected to suit the location.

Situated in a park-like setting east of Chippewa Falls, the veterans home’s tall, roto-operated awning vents offer expansive views of the surrounding landscape, as well as a year-round opportunity for fresh air when the weather allows. Charcoal-colored screens help keep out insects when windows are open. Easy-to-open linear operation latches lock vents in the closed position for security. The accessible hardware package imparts a familiar residential feel to the institutional dwelling spaces and common areas.

“This new veterans home is a shining example of quality care,” John Garcia, told the Chippewa Herald at the dedication ceremony in January 2013. Garcia serves as the VA’s deputy assistant secretary for intergovernmental affairs.

“The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs has a long proud history of providing top-notch care to our state’s veterans who reside at our veterans homes,” said WDVA’s secretary, John A. Scocos. “We are excited to provide the most modern living conditions and best health care to veterans, while also providing a lasting economic boost to an important region of the state.”

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Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls, 2175 East Park Avenue, Chippewa Falls, WI  54729; http://dva.state.wi.us/Homes-CF.asp
* Owner: Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs; Madison, Wis.; http://dva.state.wi.us
* Architect: Frisbie Architects, Inc.; River Falls, Wis.; http://www.frisbiearchitects.com/
* General contractor: Miron Construction Co., Inc.; Neenah, Wis.; http://www.miron-construction.com/
* Glazing systems – installer: Glacier Glass LLC; Baraboo, Wis.; http://glacierglassllc.com/
* Glazing systems – manufacturer: Wausau Window and Wall Systems; Wausau, Wis.; http://www.wausauwindow.com
* Glazing systems – glazing: Viracon; Owatonna, Minn.; http://www.viracon.com
* Glazing systems – finisher: Linetec, Wausau, Wis.; http://www.linetec.com
* Photos – Phil Weston

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Kolbe introduces the VistaLuxe™ Collection, collaboratively developed with architects specifically for contemporary designs that utilize multiple units to create large expanses of glass. This new product line highlights the quintessential Modern aesthetic with crisp, clean lines distinctively conveyed with the warmth of wood.

Casements, awnings, direct set windows, inswing and outswing doors and matching transoms are featured as the debut products in Kolbe’s VistaLuxe Collection. A choice of two profiles is offered: the smoothly aligned Flush style or the setback Accent style. Minimal, narrow frames optimize daylight openings and maximize viewing areas, while maintaining energy efficiency. The glass remains on the same plane for a consistent appearance across the different products in the VistaLuxe Collection.

“Appealing to design-savvy homeowners, the new VistaLuxe Collection gives architects the flexibility to harmoniously combine multiple units into unique, compatible configurations, while maintaining symmetry and sightlines,” says Cindy Bremer, Kolbe’s vice president of marketing. “Clean, fluid lines are delivered by the narrowest of frames. On a 3-by-6-foot casement, the vision area is 82% of the total window.”

Kolbe unveils its VistaLuxe Collection on June 20 in Denver at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) national convention and design exposition in Booth #334. This eye-catching display showcases custom-mulled configurations incorporating inswing doors, casements, awnings and direct set windows with LoE2-270 glass. One side of the display stretches 110 inches wide by 98 inches tall and highlights the Flush style profile. The other side spans 78-by-80 inches and features the Accent style profile. Various hardware and finish options complement the maple interior.

Bremer adds, “Spectacular views deserve to be enjoyed through expansive, attractive windowscapes that capture a sophisticated elegance. The VistaLuxe Collection is guided by a simple purpose: to allow the view to take center stage. These products serve to elevate the homeowner’s experience and to enhance the home itself.”

Learn more about Kolbe’s new VistaLuxe Collection at www.kolbe-kolbe.com and in AIA Booth #334.

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Wausau Window and Wall Systems has promoted Bob Daniel from senior estimator for engineered sales to regional sales manager.

Daniel’s responsibilities include guiding the company’s architectural sales representative serving Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and northern Delaware.

Daniel’s 30-year-career in commercial window systems includes 18 years in estimating, sales and account management at Wausau. Most recently, his involvement has focused on the company highly engineered window and curtainwall products for large-scale projects, such as New York’s high-rise residences at 241 5th Avenue and 127 East 79th Street, and the San Francisco International Airport Control Tower and Terminal expansion. He also assisted with new software development and implementation of Wausau’s curtainwall configuration templates providing customers with more accurate, timely estimates.

In his new role as Wausau’s regional sales manager, he will continue to work closely with building owners, architects, general contractors and glazing contractors. Within the company, he will collaborate with estimating, marketing, production and delivery planning, as well as with lead process improvement initiative teams. He is trained in lean manufacturing principles, earned a Green Belt in Six Sigma and graduated from Wisconsin’s Northcentral Technical College with a degree in architectural design.

A life-long resident of Wisconsin, Daniel lives in Wausau with his wife and their five sons. For the last 12 years, he has coached youth sports and is the former president of the Wausau East Youth Wrestling Club. He travels extensively throughout the U.S. and also enjoys golfing.

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Tubelite Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of architectural aluminum storefront, entrance and curtainwall systems in the United States, is pleased to announce that is has completed the initial set-up of its new Texas facility at 4900 Langdon Rd., Suite 500 Dallas, Texas 75241. The new facility is now staffed and operationally ready to service the company’s clients within the Texas and South Central region.

“We are very pleased with how well everything went on the project,” says Ken Werbowy, president of Tubelite. In addition to carrying stock product inventory and servicing clients with damage-free delivery service, the new 27,500-square-foot building area will provide on-site CNC machining for door and frame fabrication. Employees previously working out of the company’s Mesquite, Texas office in addition to several employees from the company’s Walker, Michigan plant have already transitioned to the new location.

Werbowy adds, “This facility is easily accessible to accommodate shipping needs and is centralized within the region to provide even faster lead-times and damage-free shipments to our customers in the region.”

An upcoming open house is being planned for clients in the region.

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