Aligning Facilities with Education: Considering the Big Picture in Charting Coatings Material and...

8/14/2019 Aligning Facilities with Education: Considering the Big Picture in Charting Coatings Material and Application Strategies

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Architectural

Coatings

Journal of

SPECIAL REPORT:

BEAUTIFYING AND

PROTECTING CONCRETE

COATING SYSTEMS

FOR SCHOOLS

FINISHES FOR

WOOD SUBSTRATES

V o l u m e 1 / N u m b e r 3 J u l y 2 0 0 5



Don’t get (sun)burned

R. Sam WilliamsUDSA Forest Service Forest Products

Laboratory

Contrary to popular myth, allowing

wood to weather before applying a

finish does not help the cause of coat-

ing adhesion and durability. That’s the

verdict from the Forest Products

Laboratory, based on long-term expo-

sure studies.

Aligning facilities with education:

Considering the big picture in chartingcoatings material and application

strategies.

Peter Brown and Andrew Wilson

Perkins+ Will

This review explores current directions

in school planning and design and

examines important considerations in

the selection of coatings materials for

schools designed for a new genera-

tion of students.

columns

Editors’ Word:

A different slant on sustainability

News: Product Stewardship Institute

announces plan for leftover-paint pro-

grams; Carboline, Zinsser make acqui-

sitions.

The Concept Stage: Research offers

promise for advances in water-borneintumescent coatings

Getting it Right: The cold, hard facts on

coatings for concrete…chemistry

holds the key

Passing the Test: Getting a read on the

performance of anti-graffiti coatings

Ad index and Calendar

J o u r n a l o f A r ch i t e ct u r a l C oa t i n g s / J u l y 2 00 5 1

5611

journal of architectural coatings / content s j u l y 2 0 0 5

44

52

62

9

70

76

69

6

3

On the cover: Perspectives school storefront library.

Photo courtesy of Perkins + Will

Lasting expressions

Special Report: Decorative and

protective materials for concrete

Joe Maty, Editor

The origins of concrete can be

traced to the Roman Empire of

two millennia ago, but the rise of

decorative concrete is a recent

phenomenon. This report surveys

developments in methods and

materials, with project profiles

showcasing the aesthetic possibili-

ties of this bold new world of con-

crete decoration.

The art and science of intumescents

Dan Heemstra

Carboline Company

Thin-film intumescent coatings are

seeing increasing use as a tool

that offers fire-protective capabili-

ties while meeting the design

objectives of architects. The

author examines important

aspects of the technology, includ-

ing materials, application, testing

protocols, and quality assurance.

Cool house, warm wood

David Hertz

David Hertz AIA Architects

Architect Hertz relates how he

integrated design and finishing con-

cepts in creating a unique indoor-

outdoor living space at his home,

the McKinley Residence in Venice

Beach, CA. The home also serves asa living laboratory for environmental

design ideas, the author says.



building materials and systems

to make climate-specific build-

ings. His work has been pub-

lished and exhibited interna-

tionally. He serves on the fac-

ulties of UCLA’s Extension

Design Programs and has been

teaching sustainable design

courses for more than a

decade. David is a past winner

of the SQA Sustainable Quality

Award, is a member of the ETF

Environmental Task Force for the City of Santa Monica, and

serves of the LUPC Land Use and Planning Commission for

Venice.

D a n H e e m s t r a

Dan Heemstra (The art and science of intumescents, p. 44) is

the western region manager for Carboline Company’s

Fireproofing Division. He

attended Calvin College in

Grand Rapids, MI, and theLos Angeles Trade Technical

College. He is a member of

the Construction Specifi-

cations Institute and NACE

International and has been

active with SSPC since 1985.

He is a NACE Certified

Protective Coatings Specialist,

a NACE Certified Senior

Corrosion Specialist, and is NACE Certified International

Coating Inspector #1834.

D r . R . S a m W i l l i a m s

Dr. R. Sam Williams (Don’t get (sun) burned, p. 56) is a senior

scientist for the USDA Forest Service Forest Products

Laboratory in Madison, WI. He is project leader of the Wood

Surface Chemistry Research Work Unit, which is responsible

for a research program in wood surface chemistry, properties,

modification, and protection. His other activities include con-

sulting and publishing in trade journals. He is the author or

co-author of more than 60 publications and two books.

4 J o u r n a l o f A r c h i t e c t u r a l C o a t in g s / J u l y 2 0 0 5

P e t e r B r o w n

Peter Brown (Aligning facili-

ties with education, p. 62) is a

registered architect recog-

nized for his national and

international contributions to

school planning and design.

He currently leads the Texas

K-12 practice of Perkins+Will

Dallas. He has been instru-

mental in the design of inno-

vative schools—both public

and private. Recent projects include clients in Beijing,

Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo, as well as clients in the

U.S. He speaks regularly to architects, school administrators,

and educators on topics that integrate facilities and learn-

ing. He has taught school planning and design at the uni-

versity level and his work is published in architectural and

educational forums.

A n d r e w W i l s o n

Andrew Wilson (Aligning facilities with education, p. 62) isthe technical resource manager and specifier at Perkins+Will

Los Angeles. He is experienced

in many phases of project deliv-

ery, including building code

consultant, construction con-

tract administrator and site rep-

resentative, construction specifi-

er, project architect, and quality

control manager. He is a mem-

ber of many professional associ-

ations, including the AmericanArchitectural Manufacturer’s Association, the Construction

Specifications Institute, and the National Institute of Building

Sciences.

D a v i d H e r t z

David Hertz, AIA LEED, AP Architect (Cool house, warm

wood, p. 52) is the founder and president of David Hertz AIA

Architects Inc. and Syndesis Inc., a multi-disciplinary archi-

tecture, design, and manufacturing firm. His work is charac-

terized as incorporating sustainable strategies and innovative

Contr ibutors



ducational planners and designers at

Perkins+Will—an architecture, interiors, and

planning firm with a tradition of innovative school

design—have made a practice of carefully observing and

listening to educators, creating a 70-year track record of

designing responsive schools that connect facilities with thelearning process.

In an effort to explore a baseline understanding of current

drivers in school planning and design, this review discusses

strategies aimed at connecting facilities with the educational

process and identifies issues to consider when specifying coat-

ings products in schools designed for a new generation of stu-

dents.

In considering various aspects of coatings materials and

their substrates (see accompanying article), it should be

emphasized that school buildings continue to evolve away

from the massive, heavy structures of the past to lighter

designs that emphasize light-filled environments, with speed

of installation an important consideration in the coating sys-

tem selection criteria.

With this shift on the architectural side, architects and speci-

fiers continue to evaluate various options for key building

components, including interior partition systems, durable and

affordable flooring systems, and exterior skin systems, all in

the context of creating sustainable school environments.

The context: A dynamic educational environment

For those of us engaged in the design and construction of

schools, it is essential to be aware of the big-picture issues that

affect decision making for schools. Through this understand-

ing, we can use our collective skills to align facilities with the

core endeavor of education.

Educators in the United States are working in an environ-

ment of unprecedented extremes and impressive scope. Two

reports published in May of this year describe the immensity

of our educational system. The U.S. Census Bureau’s “School

Enrollment Report” indicates that a record 75 million people,

more than 25 percent of our population, attend schools and

universities in the United States. Correspondingly, the

“Annual Education Construction Report” released by

62 J o u r n a l o f A r c h i t e c t u r a l C o a t i n g s / J u l y 2 0 0 5

American School & University reported that educational institu-

tions spent $41.4 billion nationwide in 2004 on construction.

The same report projects that $135 billion will be spent on

construction between 2005 and 2007. A record total of

expenditures are currently being poured into facilities to edu-

cate a record number of students.

At the same time, schools are faced with daunting funding

demands on the operational side. In a 2003 Public Agenda

report, “Rolling Up Their Sleeves,” 70 percent of superinten-

dents surveyed said funding pressure is the top issue facing

their school districts. Further, community constituents and the

federal government are placing increased demands on school

districts to demonstrate an improved and measurable student

performance.

‘Education for all’

Having worked with a diverse client base of pubic, private, sub-

urban, urban, and rural school districts, architects at

Perkins+Will hear a persistent message from school administra-

tors: We must educate all students. Challenged to do more

with less, educators are looking into every corner to ensure stu-

dent success.

For example, before planning new schools, additions and

renovations, the Roaring Fork School District in Glenwood

Springs, CO, first examined the education program.

Committed to “learning for all students, whatever it takes,”

Aligning facilitiesBy Peter Brown and Andrew Wilson, Perkins+Will

The central common space at Perspectives, an award-winning urban school in Chicago, serves as the social center of the school. Color is used to enliven the space, while bi-lingual quotes on the wall reinforce the school’s character development principles.



allowing a greater range of

teaching methods—from

project-based instruction,

self-directed learning, and

team teaching to tradi-

tional teaching formats

• Inviting parents to take

an active part in school

life and the educational

process

• Engaging the communi-

ty to support education

in developing future gen-

erations

• Expanding resources to include univer-

sity partnerships

In kicking off the school-design

process, the school district engaged

Perkins+Will to facilitate a series of work-

shops with community constituents to

develop facility concepts that support its

educational mission.

Administrators at Roaring Fork—like

other school districts—realize that

changing educational models potential-

ly affect schools from planning con-

J o u r n a l o f A rc h i t e ct u r a l C o a t i n g s / J u l y 2 0 05 63

educators in the district, led by

Superintendent Fred Wall and

Curriculum Superintendent Judy

Haptonstall, are developing “holistic”

concepts, such as the following.

• Assessing students according to real

progress and allowing them to demon-

strate mastery in multiple ways

• Allowing flexible use of time, such as

extended school days and school years

• Encouraging flexibility, recognizing

that students learn in different ways

• Creating a collaborative team process,

cepts down to the details.

While educators are looking to make

significant gains in student performance

by improving curriculum, teachers, andprocess, architects are looking to do their

part by studying where learning is taking

place—the educational environment.

Those involved with building schools

can make a significant contribution in

three key areas, each with a direct rela-

tionship to finishes and coatings used

within a school building:

• creating spaces to support the stated

educational goals;

• improving building performance toimprove student performance; and

• detailing schools to allow a greater

proportion of operational funds to be

spent on education.

In addition to traditional classrooms,

new spaces are finding their way into

schools, supporting curriculum and mak-

ing better use of the budget. For exam-

ple, Perspectives Charter School in

Chicago recently completed the first

phase of its permanent facility. A low-

budget building by Chicago standards,

the facility is organized around a trian-

gle-shaped multi-purpose room. This

room is heavily utilized throughout the

day—a large group room, dining room,

performance room, and study breakout

room. Due to the diverse use needs, the

space is finished to meet the variety of

functions.

Fearn Elementary School in Aurora, IL,

places small mini-libraries among group-

ings of four classrooms rather than

building a traditional, central library.

This strategy places resources close to

students and, to be fully utilized, calls

for a great degree of transparency

between classrooms and resource rooms.

Blythewood High School in Columbia,

SC, will open this fall with an internet

café—recognizing that students need for-

mal and informal learning activities.

Internet cafes in schools receive finishes

more like a coffee shop than a tradition-

with education:Considering the big picture in

charting coatings material

and application strategies

Considering the big picture in

charting coatings material

and application strategies

Perspectives school features an exterior wall system of corrugated metal panels with a metallic fluoropolymer finish. Exterior aluminum window systems have black anodized finish.

Perspectives school features a storefront library to invite the local neighborhood into daily life of the school. A galvanized steel grate creates a sun screen and forms a gateway to the library.



ducted by Harry Wohlfarth examined

the impact of color and lighting on stu-

dents. The project involved four elemen-

tary schools and covered a curriculum

year running from September 1982 to

June 1983, and indicated that functional

color schemes significantly reduced inci-

dents of destructive behavior, aggressive-

ness, and disruptiveness. The school that

underwent changes in light levels and

color showed the strongest improvement

in academic performance and IQ scores.

Funding oftens fails to connectcapital, operational requirements

Typical funding mechanisms in school

districts highlight a fundamental discon-

nect between capital outlays and operat-


al school—warmer colors, for example,

that are intended to create a relaxing

environment for students.

The schools in Roaring Fork School

District will be open for longer days and

extended school years. They will require

more durable finishes; first, because the

buildings receive more use, and second,

because the annual three-month-long

“deep clean” that traditionally occurs

over the summer will not be possible in

buildings that are operated year-round.

A growing body of evidence suggests

that improved building design and per-

formance—everything from increased

natural daylight to acoustics, to color, to

indoor air quality—are also good for stu-

dent performance.

According to the Environmental

Protection Agency (February 2003), grow-

ing evidence links poor indoor air quality

(IAQ) with health problems in both stu-

dents and teachers. The symptoms range

from mild irritation to acute cases that

require absence from school. Other data

suggest that poor IAQ may impair one’s

mental ability to handle tasks requiring

concentration, calculation, and memory.

Color also plays a significant role in

the behavior of students. A study con-

ing expenditures. Although superinten-

dents place funding pressures for opera-

tional expenses at the top of the list, life-

cycle costing is rarely considered by edu-

cators and school administrators when

making decisions on capital expendi-

tures. On the operational side, however,

design strategies exist to help school dis-

tricts:

• creating higher-quality facilities while

controlling building size;

• reducing energy usage by means of

daylighting and use of energy efficient

mechanical systems; and

• considering maintenance and replace-

ment procedures for products and mate-

rials, including coatings, and assessing

the total lifecycle cost of owning a prod-

uct.

In summary, with record spending on

school facilities, architects, contractors,

and suppliers can—and should—play a

critical part in shaping the success of our

schools. The understanding of the learn-

ing environment as an integral part of

system-wide efforts to improve student

performance begins with a firm grasp of

educational ideas and creates an integral

dialog between educators and those who

shape their learning environments.

or architects, specifiers, educators,

and building managers, the evolu-

tion in design and construction of

school facilities presents a number of challenges in the choice of coatings

materials needed to meet performance,

aesthetic, environmental, health, and life-

cycle objectives. A discussion of some of

these challenges and suggestions on coat-

ings selection follow.

Coatings for interior

partition systems

In the last 10 years, architectural firms

have seen a steady increase in the use of

drywall partitions in schools, for two pri-

mary reasons: drywall partitions cost less

than masonry partitions and provide

greater flexibility in accommodatingfuture building revisions.

While drywall partitions can address

these needs, other issues come into play,

primarily durability.

In seeking to meet the objective of

substrate durability, several strategies can

be employed. Generally, high-impact or

abuse-resistant drywall products are spec-

ified in locations within eight to 10 feet

above the floor. Many of these products

also contain mold inhibitors for added

benefit. For corridors and other public

areas, specification of technologies that

provide an inherently durable surface

along walls is recommended.For example, at Perspectives Charter

School in Chicago, metal lockers with

baked enamel finishes were specified,

while at Fearn Elementary School in

Aurora, IL, wood cubbies with a shop-

applied catalyzed polyurethane clear

coating provide a durable wall surface

and create benches for students. At both

schools, greater intensity of color is pro-

vided in high-traffic areas to enhance the

aesthetic qualities of the spaces.

Coatings choices for schools reflect design directions, performance needs

Fearn Elementary School’s custom wood lockers provide spaces along the corridor to encourage student interaction in this wireless elementary campus. Color is used above the lockers to create a warm environment.



As with all applied finishes, surface

preparation of drywall is critical for suc-

cessful material performance. For applica-

tions requiring non-textured flat,eggshell, or high-sheen coating finishes,

drywall should receive a Level 5 finish

that adds either a full skim coat and sep-

arate drywall primer or a combined

spray-applied primer/Level 5 finish to the

surface of the wall. This level of finish

provides the highest quality of surface

preparation to prevent joints from

telegraphing through the final finish.

ASTM C 840 provides additional infor-

mation on finish levels recommended forvarious applications of drywall finishing.

For durability of finish, architects and

specifiers work with school districts to

provide the highest-quality surface possi-

ble within budgetary constraints. In ser-

vice areas such as loading docks,

kitchens, and service corridors, thin-film

epoxy coatings can provide a durable fin-

ish for drywall substrates. With a thin-

film system, high-solids epoxy coatingsare applied directly to a prepared drywall

surface and allowed to cure to either a

smooth or slight orange-peel finish. For

added durability in spaces subject to

greater abuse, embedded fiberglass engi-

neering fabric mat reinforcing can be

added between coats. Epoxy-coated

masonry wall systems, however, remain

the norm in spaces such as locker rooms,

shops, weight rooms, and backstage andtheater areas.

When determining the appropriate

coating quality level in any space, it’s

interesting to examine the true cost of

quality against the total architectural

coating system cost. The integrity of a

coating film is determined by its compo-

sition, and better-quality paints generally

deposit a thicker film on the surface,

which in turn provides for the best film

fill on a variety of substrates.

In painting, costs of materials general-

ly run from 15 to 20 percent of the total

cost of the finishing system. This means

the actual cost of upgrading from lower-

performance (usually less expensive)

material to the higher-performance (usu-

ally more expensive) material is often

not as prohibitive as it might initially

appear when looking at the coating from

the perspective of a unit price per gallon.

This is because the greatest percentage of

the total coating system cost, namely

labor, remains relatively unchanged

regardless of the quality of material being

applied, unless a specific application

technique is necessary to achieve a

required mil thickness. When consider-

ing the overall cost of such an upgrade

from a life-cycle perspective, the cost in

upgrading quality may be offset by a

lower life-cycle cost due to decreased

maintenance over the life of the coating.

Similarly, a thoughtful color scheme


Each set of four classrooms at Fearn Elementary School shares a mini-library with books and technology resources.

Interior clear anodized aluminum windows allow passive supervision of informal learning areas.

http://www.zrcworldwide.com/



J o u r n a l o f A r ch i t e ct u r a l C oa t i n g s / J u l y 2 00 5 67

can greatly enhance the learning environ-

ment in a cost-effective way. When mov-

ing away from non-standard colors to

more medium and custom colors, it isimportant to consider that lower-perfor-

mance products are not always formulat-

ed to effectively support those colors.

While nearly any good-quality coating

can be tinted to match virtually any color

sample, high-performance coatings tend

to possess better hiding power and typi-

cally display more vivid color and offer

better color retention, both initially and

over the life of the coating.

Coatings for flooring systems

For schools challenged to do more with

less, designers are looking to products

that allow the concrete slab to serve as

the finish floor material. For example, the

floor at Perspectives Charter School con-

sists of a clear finish polymer over the

structural concrete slab. While this can

offer a lower installed cost solution than

adding a finish flooring material, coordi-

nation with the structural engineer is

needed to ensure the concrete mix will

yield an acceptable concrete color and

that the placement of column base keys

are aesthetically acceptable. Also impor-

tant is coordination with the contractor

to safeguard floor protection during con-

struction.

Two basic processes are available to seal

concrete after it has cured. Applying pen-

etrating reactive sealers—usually silanes,

siloxanes or silane/siloxane blends—

leaves the concrete in a natural-looking,

as-poured condition. Film-forming sealers

such as acrylic, urethane, and epoxy

materials add a sheen to the floor and

may tend to darken the surface and

lessen the coefficient of friction, especial-

ly when wet.

Depending on exposure conditions,

epoxy technology is less colorfast than

urethanes. While in certain environments

epoxy technology will work just fine, it

makes sense in other cases to incorporate

sealing concrete is crucial, as is an ongo-

ing maintenance regimen.

For an upgrade in budget, concrete can

be polished using successive grit levels inabrasive disc equipment and with a

chemical reactive stabilizer that enhances

concrete density and hardness. This

a hybrid coatings system using epoxy

base and intermediate coats and a ure-

thane topcoat. Generally speaking, pene-

trating sealers tend to last longer andusually require less maintenance than

film-forming sealers. As with other coat-

ings, proper surface preparation prior to

http://www.polyspec.com/




process allows the concrete to be finished

to a satin, medium, or high-gloss, mirror-

like sheen. Such finishes are durable, pen-

etrating, dust-resistant, and maintenance-friendly.

In new construction, polishing is rec-

ommended when a terrazzo-like finish is

desired. In existing buildings, polishing

can remedy deteriorating, dusting, dull,

rough, or pitted concrete floor surfaces.

Coatings for exterior skin systems

Once dominated by masonry products,

the range of exterior materials being used

in school design has greatly expanded.Maintenance and durability needs, bal-

anced against installation and mainte-

nance costs, constitute prime considera-

tions in the selection of exterior building

materials.

Exterior metal wall systems—steel

sandwich panels, aluminum composite

panels, and sheet-metal systems—are

becoming more widely used.

Factory-applied finishes for metal

For exterior ferrous metals that must be

coated for aesthetic purposes or for protec-

tion from corrosion, a recommended fin-

ishing system would consist of high-per-

formance coatings with zinc-rich urethane

or surface-tolerant epoxy primers and

aliphatic acrylic polyurethane gloss enam-

el topcoats should be specified.

For exterior aluminum surfaces sched-

uled to receive an architectural finish, coat-

ings based on fluorocarbon polymers can

boast a successful service-life track record

exceeding 20 years. Fluoropolymers gener-

ally exhibit good adhesion to properly pre-

pared aluminum surfaces, are available in a

wide range of colors in the low- to medi-

um-gloss range, and demonstrate reliable

color uniformity and excellent resistance

to fading and chalking.

Fluoropolymer coatings for extrusions

generally are available in two- or three-coat

systems (color or color plus clear coat for

added durability and protection); coatings

on rolled and coiled aluminum are gener-

ally available in two-, three- or four-coat

systems (color or color plus clear). While

two coats are considered a high-perfor-mance system, three coats and up deliver

superior performance and are recom-

mended. Metallic coatings are only avail-

able in systems of three coats or more.

Antigraffiti coatings

As schools tend to serve as focal points of

the community, some school districts—

particularly those in urban or dense sub-

urban areas such as West Aurora High

School—request the added protection of exterior materials with anti-graffiti prop-

erties. Perkins+Will has experience with

two types of antigraffiti coatings: non-

sacrificial (penetrating) and sacrificial

(surface film-forming).

Non-sacrificial antigraffiti coatings are

resilient protective materials designed to

make repeated graffiti removal quicker

and easier. These coatings can last up to

10 years before recoating and are suitable

for use on a range of surfaces.

Penetrating graffiti-resistant coatings

applied to porous surfaces such as con-

crete or masonry can also pull double

duty as a water-repellent coating.

Sacrificial coatings are formulated to

be sacrificed, that is, removed from the

substrate along with graffiti markings by

means of cleaning.

As with other paint and coatings, the

performance of antigraffiti coatings is

determined largely by surface prepara-

tion. The degree of surface preparation

required depends on the type of sub-

strate, the coating system, and the severi-

ty of the corrosive elements that come

into contact with the substrate.

Antigraffitti coatings are supplied as

single- or multiple-component products,

can be solvent- or water-borne, clear or

colored, and of varying sheens from

matte to satin to gloss. Most designers

look to limit shine or discoloration of the

surface, and prefer to minimize obvious

change of appearance of the building

surface where the coatings are applied.

Sustainable coatingsWith growing pressure on operating

expenses and mounting research con-

necting sustainable concepts and

improved learning outcomes, schools

nationally are showing a marked interest

in creating sustainable—“green”—envi-

ronments. LEED certification from the

U.S. Green Building Council offers credits

for methods and materials designed to

improve indoor air quality, including

“low-emitting” paints and coatings. Toobtain this credit, coatings must meet

Green Seal Standard GS 11.

In addition to meeting maximum

allowable volatile organic compound

(VOC) limits for flat and non-flat coat-

ings, products must demonstrate speci-

fied levels of abrasion resistance, opacity,

and stain-removal properties. Products

that are certified by Green Seal are clearly

marked on the product packaging.

Specifying low-VOC paint and coat-

ings benefits both students and the

school environment, and can alleviate

problems associated with allergies and

chemical sensitivities. Thanks to emis-

sions of little or no hazardous fumes,

low-VOC coatings generate minimal

odor during application and no odor or

off-gassing once cured. Painted areas can

be occupied sooner with no odor com-

plaints, which is particularly important

in school construction where schedules

are often compressed to allow occupancy

before the fall semester.

For the environment, coatings with

low or even no VOCs also help reduce

the generation of low-level atmospheric

ozone, or smog. The products are nor-

mally water-borne and easy to clean up

with soap and warm water, simplifying

housekeeping and disposal.

JAC

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