The Follansbee architectural stainless steel roof coated with the company's patented zinc/tin alloy helped the Willow School earn LEED Gold certification. (Photo by Taylor Photography for Farewell Mills Gatsch Architects, LLC.)
As the first school in New Jersey and the second independent school in the country to earn Gold Certification in the U. S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, the Willow School in Gladstone, N.J., features many green attributes including a Follansbee TCS II® roof installed by Strober Roofing Metal Works, Ringoes, N.J.
The K-8 private elementary school, completed in September 2003, is surrounded by a combination of farmland, woodland and wetlands. Designed to be environmentally friendly and achieve a top LEED certification, the green aspects include salvaged bluestone walkways, hallways made of cork and all-natural linoleum, desks constructed of wood from trees harvested at the site, and bathroom stall doors made from recycled detergent bottles.
Rainwater runoff from the roof is collected and stored in a 57,000-gallon underground tank made entirely from recycled materials. The water is then utilized to flush toilets and for irrigation.
Follansbee's TCS II® roof is an architectural stainless steel coated with Follansbee's patented ZT® (zinc/tin) alloy. TCS II does not require painting, weathers naturally to an attractive gray patina, and can withstand severe corrosive conditions including industrial, coastal and saltwater environments. Follansbee offers nine preformed profiles for metal roofing, including six standing seam profiles, but the highly versatile TCS II can be tailored into a variety of design forms, from the traditional standing seam roof to a vertical wall, barrel applications, shingles and customized sections in flat or spherical shapes. TCS II is solderable and virtually maintenance-free.
"We made the choice for a standing seam roof because we were planning for water collection," explains Heidi Fichtenbaum, associate and LEED accredited professional, Farewell Mills Gatsch Architects. "Metal was the best choice to collect the water, which is now used to flush the toilets. The roof, which contains 70 percent to 95 percent recycled content, is very durable, and that is important for a school because the building should last several hundred years, not just twenty."
"The entire school was built to be environmentally friendly and our TCS II® was the ideal fit to help them achieve a LEED Certification," states Edward Thomas, Follansbee's vice president and general manager. "TCS II not only enriches the rustic aesthetic appeal of the school, but is also virtually maintenance-free, which allows for easier upkeep of the new building. Because it can withstand corrosion and environmental stress, it was the perfect choice for the planned longevity of the building."
For more information, visitwww.follansbeeroofing.com.
