Garfield Heights High School

Citing aging facilities, the Garfield Heights City School Board voted to approve the construction of a new high school. As with most school projects, schedule was a top consideration and budget wasn't far behind. So the project team, led by FPS Architects and Engineers, turned to precast concrete for a dynamic architectural exterior that would meet the district's needs for years to come . The team had first considered conventional masonry, including hand-laid block and full bed depth brick. However, the schedule called for construction during the cold Ohio winter-a problem for weather-sensitive block and brick systems. Instead, the team chose the High Performance Wall Panel from High Concrete Group. These precast panels could be easily mounted over the school's steel structure regardless of weather or temperature.

A Tight Site Requiring Tight Security

Funded by a $41.5 million bond issue, the new high school was approved to be built in 2000 and opened in the middle of the 2003-2004 school year. The site was tight, with an adjacent middle school that had to remain open during construction. Since precast panels require very little space to stage and erect, they were a perfect choice to allow trades to work easily in Garfield Heights' tight quarters. To facilitate security for this "first tier" suburb of Cleveland, the architect created an interconnected campus comprising three buildings. Entryways were oriented inward, away from the main street. Having achieved security, the school district still wanted a pleasing aesthetic in keeping with a community focus.

Making a Dramatic Entrance

The High Performance Wall Panels were finished with a thin brick veneer that captures the appearance of hand-laid brick but with superior performance. Thin brick precast walls helped compress the construction schedule, provided superior water tightness, and eliminated the fireproofing that would be required to protect the steel-framed curtainwall assembly. The panels were used in conjunction with other precast components, many in a variety of unusual shapes. These elements-including columns, triple columns, curved fascia, and gabled roofs-came together at the entrance. The columns are U-shaped and insulated, concealing PVC and cast iron downspouts that were cast into each piece at High Concrete's precast factory. Most of the walls were simply attached to the frame, however the precast walls that made up the entrance are completely load-bearing. The interior walls were acid-finished, and were ready to paint after erection.

High Performance Walls with Continuous Insulation

High Performance Wall Panels are made with expanded polystyrene that provides a composite insulation value of up to R-20-saving important energy dollars for Garfield Heights. The continuousinsulated walls were used to achieve long expanses of horizontal windows on the school, ensuring both plenty of light inside and a modern appearance outside. High Concrete's wall systems consist of a variety of insulated and non-insulated panels, column covers, mullions, infill, and recladding panels. They can be used with both steel and cast-inplace structural systems. And they work seamlessly with a wide range of other building materials, enabling easy incorporation of brick, tile, stone, and glazing systems into a single, elegant, expressive facade that will stand the test of time.

Maximum Schedule Flexibility

Garfield Heights' High Performance Wall Panels allowed single-step rapid installation because they were pre-finished, pre-insulated, and pre-wired (wall panels only). This saved weeks over the time normally required by block and brick trades, permitting faster occupancy.

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