RETROFIT MATERIALS
R-40 façade cladding: Mini- Wave and Micro-Rib panels from Kingspan,
kingspan.us
R-40 white, reflective roofing: 60-mil TPO from Firestone Building Products, www.
firestonebpco.com
Air and vapor barrier: Perm- A-Barrier Wall Membrane from Grace Construction Products,
www.na.graceconstruction.com
Spray-applied air barrier: Perm-A-Barrier VP from Grace Construction Products
Mineral-fiber insulation: CavityRock MD from Roxul,
www.roxul.com
Fiberglass casement windows and French doors: Armaclad,
www.armacladwindows.com
Solar water-heating system: Zapotec Energy, www.
zapotecenergy.com, and SOLID,
www.solidsolar.com
Energy Star air conditioners: Friedrich,
www.friedrich.com
Energy Star refrigerators: Whirlpool,
www.whirlpool.com
Exhaust ventilation system retrofit: Aeroseal,
www.aeroseal. com
Constant-air regulator damp- ers and fresh-air trickle vents: American Aldes Ventilation Corp.,
www.americanaldes.com
CFLs: Prisma,
www.pil-usa.com; Lithonia,
www.lithonia.com; Omnilite,
www.omnilite.com; Progress,
www.progresslighting. com; and Brownlee Lighting,
www.brownlee.com
LEDs: Omnilite; Nikko, www.
hktdc.com; New Star Lighting,
www.newstarlighting.com; and Emco Lighting,
sitelighting.com
Toilets: Toto,
www.totousa.com
Flushometers: Minolusa,
minolusa.com
40 RETROFIT // November-December 2012
is installed on the outside of the building. Residents can continue to live in their apart- ments during the renovation.”
More than Meets the Eye The building’s visual transformation does more than enhance the neighborhood’s aesthetics. The exterior overcladding also increases the building’s insulation value by a factor of 10, which—in combination with air sealing—reduces Castle Square’s annual heating and cooling needs by 61 and 68 percent, respectively. The high-performance exterior retrofit
incorporates three distinct elements: First, a liquid-applied air- and water-control mem- brane is painted onto the original concrete and brick walls, adding a water-control layer to keep air and moisture from getting in. Then, a mineral-fiber blanket is laid over the membrane, which suppresses airflow and improves water drainage. The mineral fiber also reduces air movement and negates the “chimney effect” of warm air rising quickly during cold weather, which can compromise insulation effectiveness. The insulated metal panels were installed
on the exterior side of the mineral fiber. The panels include a rigid, high-density foam sandwiched between durable metal sheets. The panels deliver insulation; shed rain and snow; and present an attractive building finish. The 5-inch-thick metal panels feature insulation performance about twice that of wall systems built to current code. Altogether, the enclosure retrofit delivers the lion’s share of the uncommonly high energy savings. Opting for a wrap of insulated metal panels and fiberglass windows, the DER proj- ect helped solve several challenges at once: adding exterior insulation and air barriers to greatly improve the thermal comfort without having to vacate residents during construc- tion and achieving a sleek, modern look that pleased residents and neighbors alike.
High-profi le Project Observers in Boston and the DER commu- nity cite the CSTO’s passion and fortitude in making this retrofit happen. According to Moy, this is the biggest DER effort in the U.S. “As dedicated residents, we are committed to being trailblazers with the nation’s largest deep-energy retrofit,” she says. In May, CSTO’s Backus received the Arthur
F. Howe Community Service Award, present- ed annually by the Ellis South End Neighbor-
PHOTOS/ILLUSTRATION: KINGSPAN
Castle Square Insulated Exterior Wall System
hood Association to an individual who has made “enduring contributions toward im- proving and preserving Boston’s unique and historic South End.” A month earlier, CSTO and WinnDevelopment were recognized by Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino at the 6th Annual Mayor’s Green Awards, which cele- brates businesses, nonprofits and residences who have worked “to make Boston a greener, more sustainable and livable city.” The work also earned praise from Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. It currently is tracking for LEED Platinum certification. Other benefits of the deep-energy retrofit
continue to accrue. Castle Square’s construc- tion work created more than 200 jobs. The project was partly funded by the 2009 Amer- ican Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources High Performance Grant Program. The Washington-based U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also con- tributed through the Green Retrofit Program. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, has been studying Castle Square and green renovations around the country to measure the effect of energy ret- rofits on air quality and, in particular, asthma rates in residents. Perhaps the most significant side-effect
of the Castle Square DER project is the depth of knowledge regarding green issues and sustainable design acquired by the tenant or- ganization’s residents, a majority of whom are Cantonese and speak English as a second lan- guage. At first, the concept of the deep-energy retrofit may have seemed like another foreign language to them, but by being active partici- pants in a unique project, they have become a forward-thinking entity. In fact, the group has become so forward-thinking that CSTO has hired its own sustainability manager—some- thing few luxury-priced residences have, let alone an affordable-housing property.
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