Corporate occupants of 301 North Elm Street—the US Trust Center—in the heart of Greensboro, N.C.’s main business corridor, are thrilled with the contemporary reskin of their 168,500-square-foot office tower. Originally constructed in 1980, this full-service, 10-story, high-rise building is one of downtown Greensboro’s major office tower buildings. With its architectural design and convenient access to all major roadways, high-end residential neighborhoods, upscale shopping, and the finest restaurants in the city, 301 North Elm Street is recognized as a prestigious office building in the Greensboro area.
Since 2001, ownership has invested millions in renovating the interior including the main lobby, bathrooms, and elevator cabs as well as adding a “carrier class” data center which provides Internet security to thousands of locations in numerous states. Expanding on the renovations, 301 North Elm Street was in dire need of a professional exterior makeover. The look of the single-pane spandrel glass panels that had gradually deteriorated throughout the years because of the solar reflective film bubbling and peeling, left the appearance of the building extremely uninviting.
Drew Fletemeyer from Drew Fletemeyer Co. of Larkspur, Colo., reached out to Laminators Inc. regarding his questions and concerns with the building exterior. According to Fletemeyer, they “needed a product that would update the look of the building and add other modern features that would go up more inexpensively than other costly quotes” he was getting. After numerous visits to examine the building, months of research and design, and various meetings with Fletemeyer, Laminators’ team of engineers made the decision to leave the old window system in place and apply their architectural panels on top of the glass mullion system. Fletemeyer states, “Laminators offered a good price and a cost savings to the building owner that would pay for itself through cost savings in energy reductions.”
Establishing that a modified version of their One-Piece, Tight-Fit installation system with addendum for mullions would be the most suitable and economical approach for the magnitude of this project, Drew Fletemeyer Co. moved forward and installed 60,000 square feet of Laminators Inc. Omega-Lite panels in Bright Silver. “They shipped the product as needed, saving me $6,000 in financing costs during the life of the installation period. The panels arrived on time, went up as we learned in their (Laminators) training session, and look great on the building,” says Fletemeyer.
This specific installation method also saved on the cost of removal and landfill disposal, repurposed the glass into an effective insulator and simultaneously eliminated the need to close the building during the renovations. The panel system adds a layer of R-2.63 aluminum composite panels over the glass. The WUFI analysis of the new system (in regards to transient heat and moisture transport) shows substantial energy savings without creating landfill waste. Covering more than 60 percent of the building, with the remainder staying double pane vision glass, the reskin of the failing glass is a classic example of saving waste, reusing the glass that needed replacement and giving the building a new, defined appearance.
Sustainable design really paid off by saving the owners and corporate occupants money, both for the installation and for the energy cost to condition the building. Studies show a potential conditioning energy savings in a range of 16 to 18 percent as related to the reduction of solar radiant heat load through the glazing and increased insulative value of the wall system. The new Omega-Lite panels also give the building an upgraded and contemporary business-like look. Whether you’re a small business or a growing corporation, the 301 North Elm Street building provides a superb location in the middle of Greensboro, which Forbes ranks among the 10 fastest U.S. growing cities since the recession.
Fletemeyer is “a local contractor working 90 percent commercial and light industrial” in his area, but because of Laminators research, product and installation training, and cost-saving methods, Fletemeyer says: “With Laminators help I have branched out to working nationally with their products. I have jobs with their product in three locations and looking at another possible six jobs.”