›› Retrofit Team GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Pillar Construction Inc., Washington, D.C., www.pillarconstruction.com STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Keast and Hood Co., Philadelphia, www.keasthood.com BUILDING ENVELOPE CONSULTANTS: Williamson & Associates, Atlanta, williamsonassoc.com, and Peter Fillat Architects, Baltimore, pfarc.com
›› Materials The resort’s 740 windows were replaced with M950 Series thermally broken, hori- zontal sliding and fixed-window assemblies.
Manufacturer: Wojan Window & Door Corp., www.wojan.com
StoTherm Lotusan NExT EIFS (exterior insulation and finish system), a 5-inch-thick drainable cladding, was used on 125,000 square feet of the building, providing an approximate R-23 of continuous insulation.
The 9-story high-rise building features 239 condominiums for owners and vacationers. Its original EIFS had been experiencing water leaks since it was installed in 1985, during which time there was no option for substrate protection, air barriers or drain- able systems. Before starting the retrofit, sections of the building had to be opened up to identify the existing conditions, including the way the EIFS panels were hung, window-leakage issues and imperfect seals. Much of the metal-stud cladding wall system had been significantly corroded and deteriorated, though the primary structural system was in fairly good shape. Adding a continuous air and moisture barrier was crucial and gave the building a much truer R-value. The air barrier con- nected to the new windows to give it a tight seal. There were several water tests and inspections along the way, including after the windows were installed. Williamson & Associates performed ASTM E1105, a uniform static pressure test to evaluate water-infiltration performance, capabilities of the windows and related construction. The project was completed in two phases and lasted more than two years, during which time the building was occupied.
The Hotel Wilshire|Los Angeles
›› Retrofit Team ARCHITECT: Killefer Flammang Architects, Los Angeles, www.kfarchitects.com GENERAL CONTRACTOR: R.D. Olson Construction, Irvine, Calif., www.rdolson.com HVAC ENGINEER: Creative Engineering Group, Canoga Park, Calif., www.c-e-g.com HVAC CONTRACTOR: Sirius Mechanical Inc., Moreno Valley, Calif., siriusmechanical.com
›› Materials A Variable Refrigerant Flow zoning system was installed in the building. Its two-pipe sys- tem delivers simultaneous cooling and heating. Thirteen condensers (seven total systems) operate at mostly partial load and generate a maximum of 63 decibels at full throttle.
Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Electric U.S. Cooling & Heating Division, www.mehvac.com ›› The Retrofit
Located in the Miracle Mile between Beverly Hills and Hollywood, The Hotel Wilshire is a luxury 74-room boutique hotel created from a 1950s 6-story medical office building. Olson Construction started by taking the building down to its original concrete frame; reinforcing it struc- turally; adding a roof deck with pool; and converting the shell into 55 guest rooms, 19 suites (including one rooftop penthouse suite) and common areas. “For our goal of LEED Silver for The Hotel Wilshire, we wanted the highest number of energy-performance
credits,” explains Christine Cho, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Killefer Flammang Architects’ chief architect for LEED certification and sustainable design. “We viewed the selection of the Mitsubishi Electric VRF zoning system as a good way to realize energy savings and earn key LEED credits, especially in the Energy & Atmosphere section.”
Cho adds energy modeling predicts the building will use 17 percent less energy and have a cost savings of 19 percent when compared to a hotel that meets the Title 24 minimum requirements.