September 12, 2007

Follansbee® TCS II® Tops New Addition to Yale University's Lewis Walpole Library

FOLLANSBEE, WV ...A Follansbee roof lends a distinctive appearance to a prestigious building in Farmington, CT - Yale University's Lewis Walpole Library.

The Library - comprised of a large farmstead and surrounding buildings - was quickly running out of space to house the eighteenth-century British literature and art that it's internationally known for. A new, free-standing addition solved this problem, creating additional room for storage while providing a spacious work area for staff and students.

For the roof, Follansbee's TCS II terne-coated stainless met the aesthetic requirements of the architect, who desired a material with a gray patina that was also natural-weathering, long-lasting and lead-free. The new roof complements the addition, which, in recalling the Connecticut tradition of connected farm buildings, was designed to look like a barn.

"Architects continue to specify TCS II for high-profile institutional projects such as this one," says Edward Thomas, Follansbee vice president and general manager. "The unique combination of aesthetics, durability and longevity that TCS II and other Follansbee metal roofing products offer simply can't be duplicated by other roofing materials."

The building design and construction of the 12,000 square-foot facility were planned in accordance with United States Green Building Council (USGBC) standards in order to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) requirements. The Follansbee roof contributes to the sustainable aspects of the project, which additionally include heating and cooling from an energy-efficient geothermal heat pump system and storm water runoff that will be retained on site, resulting in no additional burden on municipal storm water systems.

"Metal roofing is an excellent choice for sustainable building projects," continues Thomas. "The longevity of a metal roof ensures that a roof replacement is 50, 80 or even 100 years away. Additionally, Follansbee metal roofs offer added energy saving benefits and superior corrosion and fire resistance."

Approximately 9,700 square feet of TCS II was installed as a double lock standing seam roof and was additionally used for the structure's gutters and leaders.

Construction on the addition began during the summer of 2006, with construction on the roof beginning in the fall of 2006. The entire structure was completed in the summer of 2007. Centerbrook Architects, Centerbrook, CT, served as project architect, PAC Group LLC Harwinton, CT, as general contractor, Peterson Aluminum, Lincoln Park, NJ, as distributor, and R&S Construction Services, Middlebury, CT, as installer.

The Lewis Walpole Library is internationally recognized as a research institute for eighteenth-century studies and center for the study of Horace Walpole, the English "man of letters." The Library's book and manuscript collections number over 32,000, and cover all aspects of eighteenth-century British culture. Wilmarth Sheldon Lewis, a scholar of Walpole, and his wife Annie Burr Lewis donated the collection along with their farmstead to Yale University in 1980, upon which it was officially named a department of the Yale University Library. The Walpole Library is located approximately 40 miles from Yale's main campus in New Haven.

Follansbee TCS II, an architectural stainless steel coated with Follansbee's patented ZT® (zinc/tin) alloy, weathers naturally to an attractive gray patina and does not require painting. TCS II withstands the severe corrosive conditions of industrial, coastal and salt-water environments, as proven by Follansbee's extensive metallurgic testing and real-world experience. To date, TCS II has surpassed 15,000 hours of ASTM salt spray testing with no red rust.

The highly versatile TCS II can be tailored to a variety of design forms - from the traditional standing seam roof to vertical walls, barrel applications, shingles and customized sections in flat or spherical shapes. TCS II is solderable and virtually maintenance-free.

Follansbee Steel offers a wide range of metal roofing products for commercial and residential construction including Terne II®, KlassicKolors®, TCS II® and TCS Satin™. Founded in the early 1800s, the Follansbee, WV, company has been manufacturing in its current location for more than 100 years. Modern alloys developed and patented by Follansbee have taken the original tin roof to new heights of performance and longevity. For more information call 1-800-624-6906 or visit www.follansbeeroofing.com.