A $225 million government construction project, the state of Washington’s new Department of Information Systems (DIS) in Olympia, was completed in 2011, bringing the state’s computing technology and capacity well into the 21st century. This building, adjacent to the State Capitol, houses a state-of-the-art data center and nearly all of the state’s DIS employees. The state of Washington asked the building be constructed to meet the green sustainability requirements of LEED® Gold.
After an extensive bidding process, the contract for the stonework was awarded to Fairweather Stoneworks, Bellevue, Wash. Fairweather Stoneworks partnered with Custom® Building Products for the installation materials because of its ability to comply with the State of Washington’s desire to meet the requirements of LEED® Gold. Emerald System is Custom’s complete system of environmentally responsible tile and stone installation products, which feature up to a Lifetime Warranty. Tile and stone installations are expected to last a lifetime, and it is important that the installation products do as well.
All Emerald System products can be produced locally; have recycled material content and low VOC content. By meeting these requirements, Custom’s Emerald System is able to comply with all major green building initiatives, including U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), CALGreen, ANSI Accredited Certification Program, IgCC and TCNA. In addition to the requirements of these agencies, Custom has purchased Carbon Offset Credits from Terrapass to aid in the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases. Projects that use the Emerald System will be awarded these Carbon Offset Credits based on the amount of product purchased and used on the project. Terrapass works with developers of greenhouse gas reduction projects to bring to market renewable energy and independently verified carbon offsets, and it manages a portfolio of more than 20 emissions reduction projects across the United States. Reduction of greenhouse gases can assist in achieving LEED certification through innovation credits.
“We used MegaLite® Crack Prevention Mortar for all thin-set stone applications, including the elevator fronts, and Prism® SureColor® Grout for the mud-set floors,” said Todd Kuhn, general manager, Fairweather Stoneworks. More than two years ago, we started using Custom and after great success, we now use nothing but Custom for all of our jobs.”
Made of 10% recycled glass, MegaLite offers exceptional bond strength and the flexibility to withstand horizontal substrate movement up to 1/8″. Prism is an excellent grout for interior spaces known for its superior handling. The Emerald System also includes other Custom underlayment, grout and mortar products.
“We are seeing more and more demand for green building,” said Tom DeNure, regional technical sales representative, Custom, who worked with Fairweather Stoneworks on the DIS building. “This high profile project is just one example of the growing trend toward LEED-certified construction, not only in both the public and private sectors. And this explains the growing appeal of our Emerald System line.”
“As an industry, we need to promote stone as the ideal green building product,” said Kuhn. “Stone comes from nature, it’s not manufactured, and it lasts a very long time. It’s the ideal material for LEED projects like this one. This project was a great success for all involved and we look forward to future projects where we can demonstrate our craftsmanship and continue to work with our partners at Custom.”
Olympia, WA
Year Completed:2011
Architect:NBBJ
Contractor:Howard S. Wright
Tile Contractor:Fairweather Stoneworks, LLC.
CBP Regional Technical Representative:Tom DeNure