GREENLAND, N.H., Aug. 15,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Slated for a fall 2024
opening, 21 Summer Street in
Natick, Massachusetts is a
multi-use property redevelopment that meets the parameters of
the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) Multifamily
Zoning Requirement. ICF construction, with NuduraR forms
provided by Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast, was used
to control sound intrusion and improve energy efficiency in
this urban redevelopment.
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In 2021, Massachusetts enacted
the MBTA Communities Zoning Law which requires that
multifamily housing be included in communities within a half-mile
of transit and other transportation facilities. The goal is not
only to provide housing to address a nationwide shortage, but also
to provide homes in areas where transportation is readily
available, resulting in the use of fewer single-occupant vehicles.
One of the challenges of building residential projects in urban
locations is the transmission of noise from the surrounding
community into living spaces. Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast
works with contractors to provide an ICF solution for mitigating
urban noise, creating quiet, desirable living spaces for those in
MBTA communities.
The 21 Summer Street development is located on the site of a
former craft brewery. The previous one-story structure has been
replaced by four stories that house retail and other commercial
tenants, with 13 rental units above. The rental units comply with
MBTA zoning with no age restrictions and units that are suitable
for families with children.
ICF construction combines a concrete core surrounded by expanded
polystyrene (EPS) foam in a wall system that reduces sound
transmission. Sound transmission testing, expressed as the sound
transmission coefficient (STC) may be accessed at
https://atlanticbuilderssupply.com/why-icf#reduced-sound.
These quieter spaces provide a refuge even in highly trafficked
urban areas. The typical STC rating for wood-framed structures is
38, while the combination of concrete mass and insulating
EPS can provide a STC rating in excess of 52, which is the
equivalent of loud sounds being heard faintly or not at all.
The project was not originally designed for ICF construction.
Subcontractor Key Industries suggested ICF as a means to reduce
energy costs and mitigate sound intrusion within the residential
units. Atlantic Builders Supply worked with the ICF
installer to select Nudura ICF forms that would provide a
combination of reduction in sound transmission and exceptional
energy performance. The thermal mass achievable with ICF structures
improves energy efficiency, making it possible to easily
accommodate strict energy codes. The Massachusetts energy code falls in line behind
California and New York as the strictest energy code in
the United States. Dense concrete
cores enhance energy performance, while the integrated EPS greatly
reduces sound transmission. Nudura ICF forms can achieve an R-value
58% greater than a 2" x 6" wood frame wall with a lower life cycle
assessment than timber frame construction.
The continuous insulating properties and concrete components of
ICF construction mean buildings maintain a comfortable interior
environment, no matter what the temperature is outside. Higher
thermal resistance, superior R-values and elimination of air
infiltration through ICF construction translates to lower costs to
heat and cool, saving building owners up to 60% in annual
energy costs.
According to Joe Harnois,
president of Atlantic Builder Supply Northeast, "In addition to the
energy performance and reduced sound transmission, the concrete
combined with the EPS serves as both a vapor barrier and an air
barrier. The comfort level is improved in an ICF basement. There's
no moisture wicking up through the footings like with typical
foundations, and none of that musty odor. Plus it's all achieved in
one step."
Stonegate Group, also of Natick, is the developer for the project,
which was designed by Main Street Architects of Weymouth, Massachusetts. Nudura products for
the project were supplied by Atlantic Builders Supply
(https://atlanticbuilderssupply.com/why-icf/contractors/).
CONTACT KIM PENDARVIS,
404-237-5087
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SOURCE Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast