Nearly a decade after the voters of Seattle, Wash., passed a levy to expand the size and scope of the Van Asselt Community Center, the renovated building was officially opened to the public.



Nearly a decade after the voters of Seattle, Wash., passed a levy to expand the size and scope of the Van Asselt Community Center, the renovated building was officially opened to the public.

Passed in 1999, the Community Center Levy provided a $3.9 million construction budget that would create a more enjoyable and user-friendly center for the citizens of Seattle. The levy proposed adding additional play areas, restrooms, locker rooms, new staff offices and a welcoming reception area to the existing building, which was last updated in 1976.

One of the more intensive and demanding aspects of the project was finding an adequate roofing material for the new 9,800-square-foot addition. The project called for a self-adhesive, modified bitumen roofing material that the city had often used in the past. However, the specified material was quite costly, leading everyone to search for an alternative.

After considering a number of options, the project’s roofing contractor, SQI Inc. from Seattle, decided on PolyKool, a highly reflective, modified bitumen roofing membrane manufactured by Polyglass USA. Part of Polyglass’ KOOL ROOF SOLUTIONS product line, PolyKool is an APP-based, modified bitumen membrane that utilizes Polyglass’ patented, dual-compound ADESO self-adhesive technology.

PolyKool membranes consist of a true APP compound on the top layer and an aggressive self adhesive on the bottom layer. They are manufactured with a high-performance, fiberglass-reinforced polyester mat that guarantees high dimensional stability and long-term durability.

According to Dan Johnson, senior project capitol coordinator for the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department, the city needed a long-lasting, low-maintenance roofing material for a couple of reasons. “Our maintenance personnel have a lot of buildings to take care of throughout the entire city and we needed something that wasn’t going to require a lot of their time or attention,” he said.

Possibly more important than its durability, performance and cost effectiveness, PolyKool also provides enhanced reflectivity and reduced energy costs. A revolutionary cool roof membrane, PolyKool features a reflectivity rating of 0.70 and an emissivity rating of 0.80. It also meets all current and proposed energy performance standards, including those administered by ENERGY STAR, the CRRC (Cool Roof Rating Council) and California’s Title 24.

“We expected an efficient roof system, and the PolyKool product gave us what we were looking for,” Johnson said. “Its excellent reflectivity is a long-term benefit that will help us keep our energy costs in check for years to come.” For more information, visitwww.polyglass.com.