Pittsburgh-based corporations PNC Financial Services Group and PPG have played integral roles in the development of sustainable architecture. Given their proximity and history, it’s no surprise that PPG products have figured prominently in many of PNC’s signature buildings, including its boldest yet: The Tower at PNC Plaza.
Designed to be one of the greenest office buildings ever built, the 33-story high-rise looks like a conventional glass-and-steel skyscraper, yet the sleekly polished exterior hides a second glass façade that, along with a rooftop solar chimney, creates a “breathing” building that uses fresh air and solar energy to naturally cool, heat and ventilate itself for much of the year.
Metal Curtain Wall
The metal framing for the double-skin façade for The Tower at PNC Plaza is finished with CORAFLON® SUNSTORM® powder coatings by PPG, which were specified for their sparkling mica appearance, hardness and near-zero VOC emissions. “Reducing energy use and emissions, maximizing natural light and optimizing occupant comfort were among the primary goals for The Tower at PNC Plaza, which earned LEED Platinum certification, the highest designation available from the U.S. Green Building Council,” says Patrick Finegan, Group Regional Manager, PNC Realty Services.
To help achieve these objectives, PNC and Gensler worked with the Permasteelisa Group to construct a 1,200-square-foot mock-up of the 800,000-square-foot structure using insulating glass units with argon-gas-filled warm-edge spacers. Thermally broken aluminum framing—finished with Coraflon Sunstorm Mica Gray powder coatings—connected the IGUs to wooden mullions to create added insulation.
During testing and verification, the curtain wall mock-up exceeded design and performance expectations and the design was specified for the entire building.
Based on FEVE resin technology, Coraflon Sunstorm powder coatings deliver exceptional durability and weatherability in a wide range of colors and glosses, including the sparkling mica finish featured on The Tower at PNC Plaza. Like traditional liquid fluoropolymer coatings, Coraflon Sunstorm FEVE powder coatings and DURANAR® PVDF powder coatings feature equivalent performance that meets or exceeds American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) 2605 specifications for weathering, corrosion resistance, chemical resistance and other criteria on marquee building projects.
In addition to a sophisticated double-skin façade that maximizes ventilation for heating and cooling and increases access to fresh air and natural light, The Tower at PNC Plaza operates highly-efficient water-based heating (radiant) panels and cooling (chilled beam) systems for supplemental heating and cooling.
Not only do these strategies enable The Tower at PNC Plaza to consume up to 50 percent less energy than benchmark buildings of its size, but the high-rise also bathes more than 90 percent of its workspace in natural light.
To learn more about high-performance Coraflon FEVE and Duranar PVDF coatings and how they can enhance building performance and sustainability, call 1-800-258-6398 or visit www.ppgmetalcoatings.com.
Related Stories
Sponsored | Coatings | Aug 18, 2016
Premier projects across the globe feature Valspar's Fluropon coatings
Valspar’s Fluropon coatings are popular due to their high durability, outstanding performance characteristics, and broad color palette.
Sponsored | Coatings | Aug 15, 2016
Can swift graffiti removal keep crime rates down?
To reduce the cost, time, and hassle of cleaning up graffiti, Valspar has a graffiti-resistant system protecting all coil and extrusion coatings
Sponsored | Coatings | Aug 11, 2016
The art and science of color planning for performance requirements
Inorganic pigments are typically used to meet high performance requirements but typically include fewer bright colors.
Sponsored | Coatings | Jun 28, 2016
Achieving greater building performance with color selections
With more than 20,000 colors to choose from, Valspar offers coatings that lower heating costs, lower cooling costs, and remain pristine in coastal settings.
Coatings | Jun 13, 2016
Sherwin-Williams color forecast identifies 40 hot colors for 2017
The four palettes—Noir, Holistic, Intrepid, and Unbounded—were developed by a team of design and color experts.
Sponsored | | May 25, 2016
Live Greener with Fluropon Pure
With more Building Teams considering hazard reduction and ingredient transparency in their material selection, many are excited about a new coating that fits that bill in a myriad of ways
Sponsored | Coatings | May 24, 2016
Prepainted metals for interior design visions
With high-quality Valspar coatings, pre-painted metals can be abrasion resistant even for heavy commercial use, delivering protection and long-lasting beauty.
Sponsored | Coatings | May 2, 2016
At the Forefront of Design Freedom
From prismatic coatings with mica flakes to graffiti-resistant coatings to coatings with a crinkle finish, Valspar scientists help create the impossible.
Sponsored | Coatings | Apr 28, 2016
Building a Habitat with Paint: The Polk Penguin Conservation Center
With Valspar’s expertly color-matched Fluropon coating, the Polk Penguin Conservation Center was able to capture the look and feel of the Antarctic landscape.
