Pulichino Tong Business Center at University of Massachusetts Lowell, Mass

by Rosa Soto | 1 July 2020 12:00 am

In CambridgeSeven’s design for the Pulichino Tong Business Center at University of Massachusetts Lowell, daylighting is strategically controlled at every corner and opening. Low-energy consuming systems regulate indoor air temperature and provide artificial lighting. Stormwater runoff is controlled. From how it’s massed, to its materials and systems, energy conservation and sustainability were top line considerations throughout the development of the academic building.

With respect to massing, CambridgeSeven designed the building with shifting floor plates that gradually recede as it ascends. The massing contributes to controlling interior daylighting and interior/exterior shading. At the same time, it reduces the building’s scale.

The skin of the building is a combination of insulated metal panels (IMPs) and full-height windows. Sunrise Erectors Inc. installed 16,079 square feet of CENTRIA’s Formawall Dimension Series 22-gauge/26-gauge, 3-inch-thick IMPs. IMPs are colored and finished in six looks; Medium Gray and Silver Gray panels have either a smooth finish or Sundance AM coating.

Additionally, a transpired solar collector wall is located at the top of the building’s southwest corner. In addition to preheating air before it enters the HVAC systems, the perforated metal wall hides rooftop equipment from street view in a mechanical well. ATAS International Inc. supplied its Inspire transpired solar collector panels, and General Mechanical Contractors Inc. installed them. The 52,000-square-foot facility is LEED Gold certified.

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/projects/pulichino-tong-business-center-at-university-of-massachusetts-lowell-mass/

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