Location:
30-50 Mill Street, Arlington, Massachusetts 02476
Just 20 minutes northwest of Boston, MA, Arlington is a historically rich town founded over 350 years ago. The building site for the apartment complex was previously the headquarters of Brigham’s Ice Cream from 1968-2008.
The Building:
The Mill Street Apartments includes 116 apartment units as well as a small office/retail building. The complex was designed by CUBE 3 Studio, LLC. in Lawrence, Massachusetts. www.cube3studio.com ?The Developer was Wood Partners. www.woodpartners.com?The General Contractor was Callahan, Inc. www.callahan-inc.com
Progressive Foam Insulation:
HalfbackH20 Universal Siding Insulation was specified by Cube 3 Studio, LLC to be installed underneath the exterior fiber cement lap and panel siding. HalfbackH20 provided R-4.2 insulation on the exterior as well as maximum moisture management with drainage grooves built into the foam and a permeability rating of 2.5. The project is estimated to require over 1,000 squares of HalfbackH20 before completion.
Why HalfbackH2O Was Used:
Arlington, MA is one of many cities in MA that has adopted the state’s Stretch Energy Code, requiring 20% improvement in energy efficiency of new buildings. The Stretch Code, much like the 2012 International Building Code and Energy Star for Homes Version 3, encourages the use of exterior insulation.
Although it is estimated that the code raises the cost of commercial construction from 1-3%, case studies have shown pay backs of 1-2 years, when standard incentives from electric companies are included on the benefits side.
?The drainage grooves (of HalfbackH20) are critical to the performance of the wall?, says Project Manager Aaron Bancroft, AIA LEED AP of CUBE 3 Studio, LLC. ?Without the drainage grooves, constant moisture up against the water resistive barrier could work its way into the wall.?
