Modern, "green" Architect & Design Center to be crowned by PIGMENTOŽ Red zinc.
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (1888PressRelease) September 23, 2011 - Umicore Building Products USA (UBP), headquartered in Raleigh, NC, has donated $70,000 worth of PIGMENTOŽ Red VMZ standing-seam zinc panels to be used for the roof of the American Institute of Architects North Carolina Chapter's new, modern, sustainable headquarters building that is now under construction in downtown Raleigh.
"We are proud to be a supporting member of the AIA NC building. It is wonderful to be a part of such an important project in our own backyard," said Daniel Nicely, an associate member of the AIA and UBP's Director of Market Development.
Officially named the AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design, the building was designed by Frank Harmon Architect PA of Raleigh, a multi-award-winning firm well known for its modern, green, regionally appropriate design. Under the direction of principal Frank Harmon, FAIA, the firm won a professional design competition for the project.
The design competition required submissions to be as "green," or environmentally sustainable, as possible. Among the building's many eco-friendly features will be the zinc roof.
"The three main environmentally sustainable qualities of architectural zinc are its durability, its recyclability, and the moderate amount of energy required to manufacture it," said Nicely. "Using architectural zinc for roofing materials or exterior cladding helps architects achieve LEED points."
The new building's other green features include: careful siting, extensive use of glass, operable windows, and open porches to maximize natural lighting and ventilation; a geothermal heating and cooling system; an underground rainwater collection cistern, the use of locally available and recycled materials wherever possible; a broad roof overhang to protect the interior from harsh summer sun; a special energy-conserving elevator; and an innovative parking "garden" comprised of porous paving that will eliminate all storm water run-off.
"There were three irreplaceable elements in the design of the AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design: stone walls, landscape, and the metal roof," said Frank Harmon. "Of these, the zinc roof was the most generous donation, and I think it will shelter the AIA for generations."
The red pigment in the PIGMENTOŽ Red panel is created through a factory process that adds the red pigment to the coil during the manufacturing of the sheets and coils. The advantage of adding the pigment during manufacturing is that the panel will not require any reapplication of color, and the color will weather evenly and smoothly as it ages. VMZINC is recognized for blending well and easily with other architectural products, such as the AIA NC Center's wood siding (cypress), stonework, concrete, steel, and glass.
The AIA NC building and landscape were designed as one interlocking system with the majority of the site left as green, open, park-like space in this urban setting. The building should be complete by the end of November. The landscaping will not be complete until the spring of 2012. For more information on the AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design, visit www.frankharmon.com and click on "current projects."
For more information on UBP and VMZ PIGMENTOŽ Red products, visit www.vmzinc-us.com.
Modern, "green" Architect & Design Center to be crowned by PIGMENTOŽ Red zinc. 
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