Kalwall+ Nanogel® Cools Fire Protection Firm's Energy Costs
Growth is no stranger to J.F. Ahern. The original 1880 plumbing business in downtown Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, is today one of the nation's largest mechanical and fire protection contractors. There are offices and facilities in eight states; annual sales exceed $194 million. For J.F. Ahern's most recent growth spurt, the goal was making more space and controlling energy costs without tearing down their current building. Instead, they built a new, 54,000-square-foot building on an adjacent property and connected the two structures.
To do so, PTD Architects and J.F. Ahern Project Manager Craig Bahr used super-insulating Kalwall+ Nanogel to create a 100-foot-long atrium. "With stairwells and connecting bridges at each end and a 20-foot separation between the two buildings, attaching the old to the new presented challenges," Bahr admits, not the least of which was reconciling the present two-story building with the new three-story one. But Kalwall+ Nanogel turned obstacle into object of beauty, designing a 2,012-square-foot, shed roof skylight with a dramatic 2-to-1 pitch that would deliver the ultimate in daylighting and energy savings.
Next, to keep the interior temperature stable in any climate despite the lengthy walkway and the atrium's towering height, Kalwall+ Nanogel was the ideal choice. "Walking through the atrium is comfortable in all seasons," says Bahr. Moreover, "the insulated skylight provides natural daylighting to the atrium and interior offices overlooking the area." The 0.05 btu/hr/ft²/°F (0.3 W/m²K) system "offers a good insulating value with low solar heat gain" in summer and minimizes heat loss in winter, cutting energy costs for air conditioning and heating. Controlled daylight reduces the need for artificial lighting and, studies have shown, offers a number of positive effects on the health and mood of a building's occupants.
The translucent skylights are also highly resistant to condensation, as the extreme, outside temperatures of Wisconsin's famously cold winters are insulated from the warm air inside. "I haven't noticed moisture on the interior ceiling," Bahr observes. When bad weather strikes, Kalwall panels can also stand up to the heaviest snow and wind loads. And the sound-dampening qualities of Kalwall+ Nanogel keep things quiet, Bahr adds. "I don't notice when it rains."
The J.F. Ahern project incorporates a number of green building design elements throughout the structure, such as using collected rainwater to flush toilets. In addition, sustainably manufactured, highly insulating, energy-saving Kalwall+ Nanogel is a key component of the LEED® Gold certification for which the project has applied. From saving energy to offering the healthy effects of daylighting, and from creatively renovating and expanding an existing structure to enhancing architectural aesthetics, Kalwall, says Bahr, "is a good solution."
J.F. Ahern
Fond du Lac, WI
Architect: PTD Architects
Kalwall+ Nanogel Specifications
Shed roof skylight: 2,012 square feet
U-Value: 0.05 Btu/hr/ft²/°F (0.3 W/m²K)
Light Transmission: 17%
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: 0.18
Exterior panel color: Crystal
Interior panel color: White
For more information, contact:
Bruce Keller
Kalwall Corporation 603-627-3861 (800-258-9777 N. America)
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