Washington, DC

Houston Elementary School

Scope/Solutions

The District of Columbia Public Schools needed to modernize and expand Charles H. Houston Elementary School. The project included renovating existing spaces and constructing a new addition. By moving corridors to exterior walls, the design team was able to bring natural light into circulation areas. SGH consulted on the enclosure, including new and existing systems.

SGH collaborated with the design team to evaluate existing enclosure systems and design new ones. Highlights of our work include:

  • Reviewing the existing roofing assembly, focusing on developing an insulation and drainage strategy that would be compatible with the existing roof structure
  • Analyzing the hygrothermal performance of the existing walls to evaluate the proposed air barrier and insulation installation and help mitigate the potential for condensation and moisture accumulation
  • Surveying the existing windows to identify deficiencies to be addressed during the renovation work and establish appropriate performance criteria
  • Evaluating proposed building enclosure products and systems, including new roofing, glazing, and cladding systems
  • Providing recommendations for improving constructability, durability, and performance of the new and existing assemblies
  • Developing details to integrate the various enclosure systems, including transitions from new construction to the original building
  • Performing construction phase services, including reviewing contractor submittals, evaluating material substitutions, observing ongoing construction and performance testing, and helping address unforeseen field conditions

Project Summary

Icon: completion-date

2020

Completion Date
Icon: building-size

84K

Project Size
Solutions
New Construction
Services
Building Enclosures
Markets
Education
Client(s)
Cox Graae + Spack Architects
Specialized Capabilities
Condition Assessments | Roofing & Waterproofing

Key team members

Bradford Carpenter
Senior Principal
202.772.4837 bscarpenter@sgh.com

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