It took creative problem solving and professionalism to replace the failing roof on Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis. In December 2016, Midland Engineering, South Bend, Ind.; AECOM Hunt Construction Group, Indianapolis; Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Indianapolis; and Sika Sarnafil, Canton, Mass., delivered a roof system that looks aesthetically pleasing while offering long-term durability and performance.
Bringing their "A" game
Home to the NBA's Indiana Pacers and WNBA's Indiana Fever, Bankers Life Fieldhouse is protected by a barrel-shaped roof measuring 152,900 square feet and featuring multiple slopes of 3:12, 5:12 and 9:12. The fieldhouse sits in the middle of downtown Indianapolis and hosts various events between basketball games. When the roof started failing, the owners sought a dependable roof system that could be installed with minimal disruption to the facility's daily activities.
The fieldhouse sits in the middle of downtown Indianapolis. |
Midland Engineering removed the existing roof system down to the deck, which included taking off a mechanically fastened EPDM membrane that served as a vapor barrier, 1 1/2-inch-thick polyisocyanurate insulation, 1/2-inch-thick gypsum cover board and mechanically attached PVC membrane.
The roofing contractor then installed a 1/2-inch DensDeck Prime, Sarnavap SA, two layers of 2-inch-thick polyisocyanurate insulation, 5/8-inch-thick DensDeck Prime and fully adhered G410-15 (light gray/lead gray) in 2121 adhesive. A large logo made of Sarnafil G410 Evergreen finished the roof membrane.
"Even though we have a lot of experience with logos, it really is an art to get them cut and laid out properly," explains Chris Garber, project manager at Midland Engineering.
The roofing scope also included replacement of 1,500 linear feet of coping and 870 linear feet of Sarnaclad gutter liner, which Midland Engineering conformed to a saddle.
"The copings appear repetitive, but they really vary dramatically along the length of the parapet," says Logan Cook, associate III of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates.
Midland Engineering custom fabricated more than half the copings on-site with metal provided by Sika for the inconsistent walls.
"Every piece of metal we installed on this project was custom-made," Garber says. "Our sheet metal shop was able to field verify, fabricate and install certain portions of the roof system within 24 hours. All of this was completed on an active arena in the middle of a large city."
Bankers Life Fieldhouse is protected by a barrel-shaped roof measuring 152,900 square feet and featuring multiple slopes of 3:12, 5:12 and 9:12. |
"We were in the middle of downtown and had basketball games, concerts, circuses and other events going on all the time," says Tom Boyle, director of operations for the Capital Improvement Board of Managers of Marion County. "Working on the roof was like fixing an airplane while it's flying."
Defeating the greatest opponent
To deliver the roof system safely and on time, Midland Engineering and its team overcame various obstacles, including frost, wind and the wettest May in a decade. Additionally, numerous events scheduled during construction required constant communication with the owner to maintain access to the building and provide a safe environment for patrons. Several times, the crew was instructed not to work, which created scheduling hurdles.
"The Pacers were in the playoffs, so we suddenly had to deal with their unscheduled practices," Garber says. "Sometimes, we would start installing the roof system and then get a call that we were making too much noise and had to shut down. Another time, Kanye West was doing a sound check and the roof started shaking while we were working on it."
All this work took more than 25,000 man-hours and more than 50 roofing workers and sheet metal workers organized into four crews. Safety was of paramount importance.
Staging for the project was difficult because of the space constraints and volume of people who visit the facility daily. To move materials and manpower, Midland Engineering designed a scaffold system in partnership with its scaffolding subcontractor that used Beta Hoists and Bokker Hoists. Scaffolding was designed to move the crew and materials. Additional scaffolding was installed above the sidewalks when the crew was working on the roof perimeter.
"We made sure the scaffolding was maintained and secured from the general public," Garber says. "We also hired security to watch the scaffolding during arena events."
Reroofing the fieldhouse took more than 25,000 man-hours and more than 50 roofing workers and sheet metal workers organized into four crews. |
On the roof, workers on the 5:12 and 9:12 slopes were always tied-off, and a full-time security officer conducted weekly safety audits of the project.
Fortunately, because of the teamwork of all involved, the project was completed on time and without incident.
"Midland Engineering did a good job, and Chris Garber did a great job managing the project," says Chris Schoettle, project manager for AECOM Hunt Construction Group. "They had a lot of challenges, but at the end of the day, they adapted and got it done on time."
Project name: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Project location: Indianapolis
Project duration: April 2016 – December 2016
Roof system type: Thermoplastic
Roofing contractor: Midland Engineering, South Bend, Ind.
Roofing manufacturer: Sika Corp., Lyndhurst, N.J.
