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SlenderWall System Can Contribute 14 Points to LEED Certification

May 9, 2008 | Architectural Products

MIDLAND, Va. – Smith-Midland Corporation (SMC) announced today that the SlenderWall  system meets LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Standards, providing a contribution of up to 14 points toward LEED Certification.  The SlenderWallsystem was reviewed by the Construction Testing Laboratory (CTL), an independent testing lab.  CTL rendered an opinion regarding SlenderWall’S contribution toward LEED’s Certification for the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) strict criteria designed to promote sustainable buildings for the conservation of energy and resources and the protection of the environment.  The LEED Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

According to the CTL report, LEED’s points are awarded for environmentally friendly actions taken during design, construction and use phases of a building project.  If designed and built according to accepted principles of energy conservation and environmental protection, SlenderWallcan be used to contribute on up to 14 points in the version 2.2 of LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations.  “This recognition underscores Smith-Midland’s commitment to environmental stewardship, which is a critical part of our company’s vision,” said Ashley Smith, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for SMC.  “This achievement is only the beginning as we continue to make design enhancements to the SlenderWallsystem to contribute on additional LEED credits.”

SlenderWall is an architectural precast concrete and steel stud building panel.  It consists of two inches of architectural precast concrete with galvanized welded-wire-fabric reinforcing steel, a ½-inch thermal break air space, and an insulated 6-inch deep galvanized (or stainless) steel stud frame.  The joints between panels are sealed with two layers of caulk sandwiching a drain strip.  The drain strip is a secondary drainage system that also allows leak-detection inspection of potential failure of the caulk.  The exterior face of the panel is the finished face.  Finishes are available in a variety of colors and textures, including precast brick, granite, limestone, and sandstone.

SlenderWallcan help earn LEED points in the following categories:

  • Optimize Energy Performance, Energy and Atmosphere – Up to four points can be earned for using SlenderWall.  This credit is awarded if energy cost savings can be shown compared to a baseline building that meets requirements ANSI/ASHRAW/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004 Energy Standard for Buildings except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.  SlenderWall provides energy savings due to its combination of thermal
    mass, air tightness, and thermal breaks.
  • Materials and Resources – Up to six points can be earned in this category.
    • Construction Waste Management, Materials and Resources – Credit is given for diverting construction debris from disposal in landfills.  Since SlenderWall panels are prefabricated at the plant and assembled on-site with precut steel and precast concrete, there is virtually no on-site waste associated with building the walls.
    • Recycled Content, Materials and Resources – Rewards the use of materials with recycled content.  SlenderWall is compatible with all designated recycled materials.
    • Regional Materials, Materials and Resources – Supports the use of indigenous (local) resources and reduced transportation distances.  SlenderWall qualifies in this category because the source of the raw materials (cement and aggregate) are within 100 miles of the plant.  The source of the reinforcing steel is within 500 miles of the plant and SlenderWall panels are produced within 500 miles of the project site.   
  • Innovation and Design Process – Four points can be awarded if an innovative green design strategy is used that does not fit into the point structure of the five LEED
    categories or if it goes significantly beyond a credit requirement and demonstrates exceptional environmental performance.
    • Life cycle CO2 Reduction – Credit is given for concrete mixes that are specifically designed to use 40% Less Portland cement than standard mixes.  The SlenderWall system is only 2 inches thick and thus uses Less Portland cement than typical concrete systems.
    • Durability – The SlenderWall system is a durable system because it consists of concrete, which is inherently durable, and a sealing system (two layers of caulk with a secondary drainage strip) that is designed for easy inspection and quick location of leaks.
    • Resource-Efficient Cladding System – Credit for the innovative nature of a resource-efficient structural system (35% Less than several other systems.)  The SlenderWall project team leader would provide calculations that show the weight and material use of the SlenderWall system on a particular building project is significantly Less than typical systems if they were to be used on the same project.

In addition, one point can be given if the principal participant of the project team is a LEED Accredited Professional.

SlenderWall combines time-proven components to create a permanent, light weight wall system for both new construction and recladding projects.  Architectural precast concrete, insulated Nelson anchors and heavy-gauge stainless or galvanized steel studs create a single,
efficient exterior wall system with unlimited design freedom. Due to the exclusive Lift-and-Release panel landing system of SlenderWall, installation time and costs can be reduced by 50%.

Architectural Precast Concrete Brick, or Second Nature, is the only “Class A” Architectural Precast Concrete Brick finish with the quality level necessary for “Class A” commercial projects.  It features no leaking brick joints.

Only SlenderWall offers the latest DuraFlex 360°TM technology. This technology is the only 2” wall connection system that meets AAMA 501.4-2000, the Interstory Differential Movement vertical and horizontal displacement test. DuraFlex 360°TM allows isolation from the exterior precast concrete skin and the structural stresses associated with wind loading, steel frame movement, expansion & contraction and seismic shock.

Smith-Midland Corporation is a publicly traded company (OTC BB:  SMID, SMIWC; Boston Stock Exchange:  SMM, SMM/W). Smith-Midland develops, manufactures and sells a broad array of precast concrete products for use primarily in the construction, transportation and utilities Industries. Smith-Midland has two manufacturing facilities located in Midland, Virginia and Reidsville, North Carolina. Easi-Set Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of Smith-Midland Corporation, licenses the production of Smith-Midland developed products around the world. For more information please call (540) 439-3266 or visit www.smithmidland.com or www.SlenderWall.com.

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