Masonry Magazine February 1988 Page. 32
Celotex Thermax Insulation Board
block cavity-wall system insulated with Celotex Thermax insulation Board, we were provided with an energy-efficient exterior wall system (R-17) and maximum design flexibility along with a very aesthetically pleasing building," said Richard P. Mann of Gin, Ebel & Frazier Ltd., architects for the building.
The high R-value per inch of the insulation board was an integral part of the cavity-wall construction. "By inserting the board inside the cavity, we took advantage of its thin profile which resulted in a savings of ½ inch to one-inch of usable perimeter space (without sacrificing R-value)," said Mann.
This insulation board has a unique glass fiber reinforced, polyisocyanurate foam core, produced by a patented process. This foam core has a uniform closed-cell structure, which makes it exceptionally resistant to the flow of heat. Aluminum, foil facers on each side of the product help provide an effective moisture barrier and vapor retarder.
According to "Cavity Walls, A Case of High Performance," a publication produced by the Masonry Advisory Council, this type of polyisocyanurate insulation is ideal for cavity-wall construction:
The isolation of the exterior and interior wythes by the air space allows a large amount of heat to be absorbed and dissipated in the outer wythe and cavity before reaching the inner wythe and building interior.
This ability is further increased by the use of insulation in the cavity. The use of a polyisocyanurate insulation is beneficial for three reasons: it yields an approximate R-value of 2 per 4-inch thickness (at 40° mean temperature), and its foil faced enclosure creates a reflective air space that increases the wall's overall R-value by approximately 3. The R-value of a typical cavity wall may range from 15 to 23, depending on the type and thickness of insulation selected.
There are many modern-day benefits to building with cavity-wall systems, such as strength and durability, in addition to the energy saving characteristics.
The new tenants should be pleased to know that the exterior of The New York is as safe and functional as it is attractive. As it is, they'll probably be too busy taking advantage of the "New York Style" amenities of the building-visiting the numerous retail operations on the premises, the gourmet food shops and caterers, dry cleaners and tailors or shoe repair shop. Or else they'll be occupied at the complex's full service health club, running, swimming, working out on the exercise machines or in the aerobics classes. They probably won't ever stop to think about the functional aspects of their building. But that, of course, is the real beauty behind this design.
FWA Group Earns Two Awards
The FWA Group's design of The BASF Agricultural Research Center in Research Triangle Park, NC has earned two design awards.
The Brick Association of North Carolina awarded the BASF project an AWARD OF MERIT at its First Annual Architectural Brick Design Awards banquet. The Charlotte Section of the North Carolina Chapter, The American Institute of Architects, announced that the BASF Research Center had received a "Merit Award" in the Built Projects category of the Charlotte Section NCAIA 1987 Awards Program.
Price Alone
John Riskin said it many years ago and it holds true today as it did in the 19th Century: "There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper and the people who consider price alone are this man's lawful prey."