Headquartered in Beachwood, Ohio, Tremco Incorporated is dedicated to the development of high-performance buildings characterized by energy efficiency, limited environmental impact, and low operating costs. Tremco Incorporated is part of RPM, an international leader in the construction, maintenance and repair markets. In June 2010, Tremco began a foundation-to-roof renovation of its 40-year-old-headquarters. The goal: to transform the building into a showcase of sustainability that has achieved LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council. “Changes were so extensive that the certification is for new construction and not for renovation; officially, the building is LEED-NC. The building received 72 points from the USGBC, far surpassing the minimum number required for LEED Gold,” Tremco Press Release, 2012.

Tremco’s 46,000 square foot corporate headquarters renovation incorporated numerous sustainable features including a vegetated roof which was designed with four different sections to support a variety of low-maintenance plant life and edibles. The HQ also has a living facade trellis system by Tournesol Siteworks on several walls on top of the roof.

As Tremco states, “Transforming our headquarters into a high-performance building that is energy efficient, uses less water, employs renewable energy sources and reduces operating costs substantially from prior levels is a powerful statement about our commitment to developing and providing integrated, environmentally friendly construction solutions. We have provided building owners and managers with sustainable solutions for decades, and look forward to helping our customers continue to achieve these same kinds of outcomes.”

Sustainable features are incorporated throughout the building, including four types of sustainable roofing systems from Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance:

• A vegetated roof featuring 46 species with almost 16,000 plants including fruits, vegetables, and herbs the company’s cafeteria can use. The roof also features low impact lighting, and a pathway of recycled slate. According to the company, “The vegetated roof is our own system. We took it down to the deck and installed a system including a two-ply vapor retarder, insulation, a TPA (Tri-Polymer Alloy) adhered membrane, engineered growing media and plants.”;
• The ENERGY STAR qualified Rock-It(TM) roof surfacing system, composed of white gravel set in white adhesive, installed beneath a rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system;
• A thin film module rooftop PV system for renewable energy; and
• A white, reflective, TPA membrane on top of the mechanical room.

Additional features include:

• A Dryvit Outsulation Plus MD exterior wall system featuring Dryvit’s TerraNeo finish. The system provides an energy efficient, insulated facade and was applied directly to the existing slate, eliminating the time and potential waste of removing the facade.
• High-performance, double-pane, tinted windows that far exceed minimum energy-saving standards. Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing provided sealants, gaskets, and Proglaze ETA (Engineered Transition Assembly) to ensure an airtight transition from window to wall.
• A wind turbine installed on the property to help generate electricity; the wind turbine and PV system are expected to generate 10-12 percent of the company’s electricity.
• A 15,000 gallon water capture and reuse system in the parking lot to reduce the amount of water entering the city’s sewers; captured water is used to irrigate the building’s grounds.
• New sidewalks, with decorative concrete from Increte Systems, that are supported by recycled gravel.
• Numerous interior upgrades such as an ADA-compliant elevator and restrooms.
• Mechanical/electrical/plumbing upgrades such as a new control system that ensures an accurate operating schedule of HVAC and lighting as well as improved zone control; modifications to the central air handling system that enable variable flow, resulting in significant energy savings; a new variable speed cooling tower and new plumbing fixtures that save potable water.

During the renovation, Tremco sent nothing to landfills. Almost 100 percent of everything removed was recycled, reused or burned for energy. The company has implemented a zero landfill policy at its headquarters.