Mahlum Architects is designing the Finn Hill Junior High in Kirkland, Wash., to be 47% more energy efficient than targets set by the Energy Star program. The Building Team specified six-inch-thick structural insulated panels (SIPs) from Premier Building Systems for the 120,000-sf school’s walls, and 10-inch-thick SIPs for the roof. The panels arrived at the job site in large, ready-to-install sections, which helped reduce gaps and air leakage and allowed for smaller, more efficient mechanical systems to be used. The 600-student school should have a rating of 25 kBtu/sf/year when it opens this fall.
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