Architecture Boston Expo “Tiny House” Is Large in Innovation with Help from CertainTeed
Sustainable high-performance wall, ceiling and insulation products help Rhode Island architect downsize for ABX2015 showcase home
(Malvern, Pa.) – The Tiny House movement shows no signs of slowing down and CertainTeed, one of North America’s largest brands of building products, is joining the trend to “go small” by helping create an architect’s dream home: a 150-square-foot trailer-mounted dwelling affectionately nicknamed Lil’ Lodge. The mobile marvel will be on display at the Boston Society of Architects’ Architecture Boston Expo (ABX2015), Nov. 17-19 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
Although based in Providence, Rhode Island, Tracey Powell is an architectural consultant whose work takes her all over the country. This peripatetic lifestyle fueled a decision to downsize and build a small but feature-packed house that she could tow around and live in as she travels from project to project. CertainTeed wall, ceiling and insulation systems met her unique requirements for a go-anywhere house on wheels.
“The challenge was finding products that would work within the confines of the space while meeting the need for outstanding performance,” said Powell. “I’ve worked as an architect for more than ten years and have specified CertainTeed products on many different projects. I’m extremely familiar with and comfortable with the brand.”
CertainTeed’s broad selection of high-quality, sustainable building products combines recycled content, energy-saving performance and technical innovation. The ability to source so many of Lil’ Lodge’s components from one company also simplified Powell’s design process and enabled her to achieve safety, sustainability, durability and energy efficiency objectives. CertainTeed products used on the Tiny House include:
- GlasRoc® Sheathing – Excellent fire-resistance properties enabled Powell to meet strict fire safety standards, while the weather-resistant gypsum sheathing’s light weight helped keep Lil’ Lodge under the 14,000-pound limit for a mobile structure.
- AirRenew® Extreme Abuse Indoor Air Quality Gypsum Board – Proprietary technology captures formaldehyde often found in indoor air, transforming it into inert compounds that are retained within the board. It is also engineered for areas prone to surface abrasion and indentation, a key consideration for a house on wheels that must contend with bumpy roads outside and stray elbows inside.
- No Coat® Structural Laminate Drywall Corner System – The industry’s only structural laminate (SLAM) drywall corner system provides superior strength and durability; it will not crack, dent or chip.
- FibaFuse® Paperless Drywall Tape – A paperless glass mat drywall tape that is the ideal complement to AirRenew gypsum board; both products also offer excellent mold resistance.
- Ecophon® Ceiling Panels – Fiberglass panels that combine outstanding acoustic performance with a strong sustainability profile: significant recycled glass content and a renewable plant-based binder.
- CertaSpray® Closed Cell Spray Foam Insulation – Delivering high R-Value, enhanced moisture management and excellent sound control, the lightweight insulation was a perfect fit for the weight-conscious project.
To learn more about Powell’s Tiny House at ABX2015, visit CertainTeed Gypsum (booth #707) and CertainTeed Ceilings (booth #709). CertainTeed Roofing products will also be on display (booth #705). For more information about CertainTeed, go to www.certainteed.com.
About CertainTeed
Through the responsible development of innovative and sustainable building products, CertainTeed, headquartered in Malvern, Pa., has helped shape the building products industry for more than 110 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm's slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed® is North America’s leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, fence, decking, railing, trim, insulation, gypsum and ceilings.
A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest and oldest building products companies, and celebrating its 350th anniversary, CertainTeed and its affiliates have more than 5,700 employees and more than 60 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. For six consecutive years, the company has received top honors from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its contributions in protecting the environment and was most recently the recipient of the 2014 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award. The group had total sales of approximately $3.3 billion in 2014. www.certainteed.com
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