Close-up

The roof system on the new Mary Pretlow Anchor Branch Library, which overlooks Chesapeake Bay in Virginia Beach, Va., features various slopes and levels, intricate details and a cupola. Westar Roofing Corp., Virginia Beach, installed 30,000 square feet of Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based Petersen Aluminum Corp.'s PAC-CLAD® 0.04-inch-thick standing-seam aluminum SNAP-CLAD™ Silver Metallic panels on the building to help it resist the coastal environment's elements.

"We had decided from the outset that the roof would be standing-seam aluminum because of the salt air," says Ed Lazaron, principal and project architect. "The building is on a spectacular site overlooking the shipping channel into the bay. The city council wanted a 'beach style' look with a large, sheltering roof that would be compatible with the older houses along the beachfront."

The roof structure also features a hidden internal stainless-steel gutter system lined with EPDM, which was fabricated and installed by Westar Roofing.

"It was a challenge because the overhangs were so large," Lazaron says. "We created a complex internal piping system that could be hidden in the roof structure."

Westar Roofing installed Johns Manville's 2 1/2-inch Nailboard Insulation and RKW US Inc.'s ROOFTOPGUARD II high-performance underlayment. To help keep the project on schedule, Westar Roofing installed the ROOFTOPGUARD II underlayment over the entire roof area before installing roof panels.

"Using ROOFTOPGUARD II underlayment, we were able to keep the building weathertight as we installed the metal roof system during the winter months on Chesapeake Bay," says Tim Whited, chief executive officer of Westar Roofing.

Regarding safety, Westar Roofing used a combination of safety harnesses connected to Safewaze PPE Fall Protection Reusable Roof Anchor 4000, scaffolding (for the cupola) and aerial man lifts at the perimeter.

"The most rewarding part of the project was having a satisfied owner and general contractor on a high-quality job that turned a good profit with no accidents or injuries," Whited says.

And the roof system's style fits in well in Virginia Beach.

"The roof really provides the signature look we wanted, and the community's reaction has been outstanding," Lazaron says.

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