BEST RAINSCREEN PROJECT

21st Century Library & Community Learning Center — Local 3 California

Signatory Contractor: Cleveland Marble

The three-story, 58,000-square-foot building, designed by Noll + Tam Architects of Berkeley, is setting the new standard in environmental sustainability. In addition to being 100 percent energy self-sufficient and carbon-free, it will conserve drinking water by capturing, filtering, and storing rainwater for non-potable uses such as flushing toilets and irrigation.

This $60 million project suffered a series of construction delays for nearly two years. Cleveland Marble was asked to assist in getting the project back on track, and BAC Local 3 California members stepped up to the challenge.

They installed 30,000 square feet of terra cotta on the exterior and numerous columns on the interior with 1/16-inch joints. A difficult backup system did not faze them. The horizontally and vertically installed aluminum channels shimmed precisely to the backup material, as well as beams attached to the substrate to match dissimilar materials.