Aluminum curtainwall replaces steel window wall in Louisiana high school
Opened in 1962, Archbishop Rummel High School has welcomed students from the Metairie, La., area for more than 50 years. During that half-century, the school has stood the test of time, withstanding countless hurricanes that ravaged the Louisiana area. The old building began to show wear and tear after Hurricane Katrina hit the area in 2005. The window’s steel supports had corroded and were beginning to cause problems.
Despite receiving funds after the hurricane to caulk, bondo and professionally paint the building, the school still dealt with the faulty exterior. After a hard rain, water would flood the school, requiring maintenance to pull up and vacuum the carpet squares. The issue worsened to the point that the school had to do something.
In an effort to deal with the problem, the school approved replacement of the deteriorated steel exterior window wall with an aluminum curtainwall. In 2014, with a joint effort between New Orleans-based Sizeler Thompson Brown Architects and Stallings Construction Co., New Orleans, the school enlisted LFS Glass
& Glazing LLC, Harahan, La., to serve as the glazing contractor for the project.
Because of its location in a hurricane zone, any products that were specified would have to meet the standards for hurricane-impact resistance. However, budget restrictions and a tight schedule put a wrench in any simple plans to install a new curtainwall.
Existing buildings often present a challenge that requires an innovative solution. For the Archbishop Rummel High School project, the contractor had to find a way to install a new curtainwall system without going over budget, which meant the team would have to work with the existing structure. As one can imagine, building codes had completely changed since the high school was first built in 1962. The existing structure had a window wall depth of 5 1/4 inches.
Due to tight budgets, the school could not afford to modify the building to accept a deeper system, meaning it would need to find a system with a depth no wider than the existing wall, while still meeting all of the contemporary building codes. Storefront systems are limited in height or span. To span the two floors of the building, the new system would have to be a curtainwall. Additionally, due to the rapidly approaching school year, the project team was tight on time, meaning a custom solution would be almost impossible.
Across the country, the situation at Archbishop Rummel High School is a common one. Tight budgets and short deadlines are limiting projects everywhere. As the building community continues to focus on revitalizing communities and renovating existing buildings, architects and contractors are going to be faced with unique problems, much like this one.
The first step to solving any tricky problem is to align yourself with trusted partners. At Archbishop Rummel High School, the glazing contractor, Steve Stigler, co-owner, LFS Glass & Glazing, contacted YKK AP America Inc., Austell, Ga. “We reached out to the supplier as soon as possible, knowing that the dimensions required a customized system, but the timeline would make it impossible to do.”
Luckily for Stigler, the supplier had previously worked on a similar project, and the dies were available to engineer a custom curtainwall in the time frame the project required. Consensus discussions with LFS Glass & Glazing, YKK AP America engineering and manufacturing enabled the project to continue on time.
Additionally, Stigler worked with the school to figure out other ways to make the project more manageable, especially since budget was a top concern. By working on the most worrying areas first, the school was able to budget appropriately for the project and perform the installation during the school year. “The school assisted us by relocating classes and we tried to fit in work during after hours,” says Stigler. “Installing the curtainwall in an occupied building proved to be a challenge, but the school made it doable.”
The project was completed without a hitch, providing the school with a functioning curtainwall. The high school, as well as the rest of the town, was delighted with the final result. According to Stigler, the renovated building boosted the moral of the campus. In fact, when the job wrapped up, the school enlisted Stigler to update the senior wing of the school as well.
Retrofit projects can present a challenging situation-budgets are often tight, timelines are short and the installation process can be difficult. When faced with a challenge, it is vital for architects and contractors to tap into their resources to help make the process easier. The best solutions are often created through conversations. As with the Archbishop Rummel High School project, through engineering and innovation, even the oldest buildings can find new life.
—
Greg Galloway is the ProTek brand manager for YKK AP America Inc., Austell, Ga. For more information, visit www.ykkap.com.