Masonry Magazine June 1977 Page. 10
Perlite Filled Cavities Conserve Energy
Heat transmission can be reduced by 50% or more when silicone treated perlite loose fill insulation is poured into the hollow cores of concrete block or cavity type masonry walls. In fact, cavity walls of face brick and tile show a 63% reduction! But that's not all. Silicone treated perlite loose fill insulation is water repellent-indefinitely.
Specs call for a concrete block wall? Perlite loose fill insulation can help too! By filling the core holes with perlite loose fill insulatlon your fire rating will be doubled to 4 hours and your "U" factor improved by 54%. And you don't have to worry about permanence. Silicone treated perlite is inorganic and rot, vermin and termite proof. And it's non-combustible with its fusion point of 2300°F.
Even a veneer wall of brick and concrete block can show a 52% improvement in insulating value when filled with loose fill perlite. Don't worry about settling -silicone treated perlite supports its own weight in the wall without settling-and it's easy to handle too! Thanks to its count less glass-like cells it's light-weight and easily poured. It's quick-it's inexpen sive and it's perma nent-the perfect material for insulating masonry walls.
Perlite Institute, Inc.
45 West 45th Street
New York, N.Y. 10036
212-265-2145
Masonry Adorns Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Chicago
Architect: Bernheim, Kahn & Lozano Architects, Ltd.
General Contractor: Cable Kamerman & Co.
Mason Contractor: Ringbloom Construction Co. (MCAA)
The medical profession has changed dramatically, and with it health care treatment. Where emphasis was once on a private physician's personal supervision, that role is increasingly assumed by the hospital, its staff and facilities. Many major medical complexes are realizing that they cannot adequately carry the load, and to relieve the pressure, more and more hospitals are sponsoring community clinics.
In Chicago, the Mount Sinai Medical Center was committed to serving a public remote from its principal medical campus, and to do so developed a series of neighborhood out-patient facilities, the newest on the city's south west side.
Bernheim. Kahn and Lozano Architects, Ltd. of Chicago designed this 6,400 square foot, single-story clinic to complement the surrounding lowrise residential community. A warm brown brick veneer inset with textured aggregate panels wraps the steel-frame structure, while simple landscaping softens the building as it meets the street.
Energy was the key factor in this design. The clinic's walls and roof are fully insulated to protect against heat gain in the summer and heat loss in winter. Once the building was enclosed, it took three months to finish the interior. Gas consumption during that period was only $300 in contrast to some jobs where gas expenditure may run as high as $1,000 during the same period, a positive indication of the energy conservation gained through proper use of insulation.
The Mount Sinai Hospital Southwest Side Medical Center is an unusually successful combination of client commitment to improved health care for a community far from its primary jurisdiction, and architect commitment to a facility that responds to the needs of its neighborhood, its users, and to energy conservation.