CRL-U.S. Aluminum Merges Design with Sustainability to Help Construct New MEC Headquarters

Leading Supplier of Architectural Glazing Systems Lends its Expertise to Develop a State-of-the-Art Environmentally Sustainable Building

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 3, 2015 - Since its founding, Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) has been an advocate for active and eco-friendly lifestyles. When it came time to construct a new corporate headquarters in East Vancouver, the vision was to engineer a "green" building that reflected MEC's corporate philosophy.

A key element of the building's design was to maximize the amount of natural light to reduce energy consumption. The building was thus constructed with high ceilings, supported by extensive exterior glazing. To complement these settings, CRL- U.S. Aluminum supplied its innovative Series HP3253 Triple Glaze Curtain Wall System.

The patented system acts as an effective thermal barrier that helps maintain desired interior temperatures to reduce energy costs. By utilizing triple glazing, two fill and debridge pockets, and three thermal break points, the system can achieve U-factors of 0.32 to 0.17. In addition to enhanced thermal performance, the Series HP3253's triple glaze design yields a higher STC rating for a quieter workspace. Finally, to accommodate the increased dead load resulting from taller window spans, the system was outfitted with custom reinforced steel brackets in the curtain wall nose.

Other CRL-U.S. Aluminum systems used on the building's façade include Series 7200 Windows; custom fabricated Sunshade Systems that help minimize solar heat gain; and NFRC rated Series 750-T High Performance Thermal Doors.

When it came to the interior, the diffusion of natural light throughout the building was an essential design requisite. To support this, offices were outfitted with the CRL Cascade Series Frameless Glass Wall Office System. The system features transparent, uninterrupted spans of all-glass partitions with very little hardware. This yields maximum natural light transmission while delivering a minimalist aesthetic that can enhance any contemporary office interior.

"We believe in sustainable design and product innovation and so our engineers continually strive to develop systems with increased energy efficiency and thermal performance," said Gerald Hendrick, President of U.S. Aluminum. "Our ultimate goal is to provide product solutions that surpass today's code requirements in order to meet the needs of tomorrow."

MEC's new headquarters has become an award-winning structure that is 70 percent more energy efficient than conventional office buildings. For more information on sustainable solutions from CRL-U.S. Aluminum, visit www.crl-arch.com.

About C.R. Laurence
CRL-U.S. Aluminum is an ISO 9001:2008 certified manufacturer of glazing systems and supplies with over a century of experience in the industry. The company is a premier supplier to the architectural, construction, and automotive industries with service centers located throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. CRL manages several web sites, each geared towards catering to the needs of specific audiences: crlaurence.com is a proven resource for the glass and glazing industry; usalum.com is an all-encompassing destination for information on U.S. Aluminum architectural product lines; and crl-arch.com provides architects and specifiers with an online reference for the CRL architectural systems at their disposal. For more information on CRL-U.S. Aluminum, call (800) 421-6144 or email askus@crlaurence.com.

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C.R. Laurence
2503 E. Vernon Ave.
Los Angeles, CA  90058