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Waterbury VT Municipal Complex uses INTELLO Plus for Foam-Free Enclosure Moisture Control

Waterbury VT Municipal Complex uses INTELLO Plus for Foam-Free Enclosure Moisture Control

Waterbury VT Municipal Complex uses INTELLO Plus for Foam-Free Enclosure Moisture Control

INTELLO Plus from foundation to roof: all interior walls and ceilings of this building include Pro Clima's airtight smart vapor retarder to ensure that the enclosure maintains high performance for the next 100 years. Note the best practice use of horizontal battens over the INTELLO Plus that help to protect the airtight layer from abuse over time. The strapping also facilitates the dense packing of cellulose behind the membrane by taking the brunt of the pressure.

In August 2011, floodwaters from Tropical Storm Irene decimated the downtown area of Waterbury VT, including the town's government offices. A sure sign the town has rebounded from that calamity is the completion of the new Waterbury Municipal Complex, a project two years in the making. Designed by Vermont Integrated Architecture of Middlebury VT, and built by ReArch Company of South Burlington VT, it weaves together a full renovation of the historic Janes House with a new wing that contains the town offices and library. The new building has received high praise for its contribution to the revitalization of the Waterbury community, its beautiful interior and exterior - and it's commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency. 475 High Performance Building Supply played an important part in helping to make this municipal project one of the greenest in New England.

INTELLO Plus at double stud walls and vented roof

Vermont Integrated Architecture's high performance strategy included mostly foam-free enclosures using cellulose insulation and INTELLO Plus from 475. The INTELLO Plus helped the building achieve airtightness levels well beyond code requirements, while keeping moisture levels in the super-insulated walls and roof at safe levels with its smart vapor control properties. This critical component will ensure that the building stays protected from mold and moisture damage – and the occupants comfortable and healthy – for decades to come.

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Windows were fully integrated into the airtight interior layer with Pro Clima tapes - so occupants are comfortable sitting right up to the glass

For this project, INTELLO Plus provides continuous airtightness and vapor control across the walls and ceiling:

  • The double stud walls are insulated with dense pack cellulose blown in behind the reinforced INTELLO Plus (see here how INTELLO keeps moisture levels low in highly insulated assemblies such as double stud walls). CONTEGA HF acrylic caulk adhesive was used to permanently and flexibly connect the INTELLO to the concrete slab, ensuring that the airtightness remains intact even as the wood framing expands and contracts over time. TESCON Profil tape was used to connect INTELLO to window frames for complete airtight integration of openings.
  • The flat truss ceiling uses INTELLO Plus from wall to wall. The roof is vented, so INTELLO Plus provides the roof’s all-important airtight layer – helping to keep the interior moisture inside during the dry winter months. INTELLO Plus' reinforcement mesh is more than strong enough to support the weight of loose fill cellulose resting on it. Penetrations through the ceiling INTELLO Plus were taped airtight, or sealed with rubber gaskets such as ROFLEX or KAFLEX for added flexibility.

Bugbee Insulation of Williston VT installed the INTELLO Plus and dense pack cellulose.

Airtightness and vapor control that is affordable, resilient, and foam-free

This outstanding project demonstrates again that INTELLO Plus is an affordable and high performance alternative to foam insulation. In previous blog posts we have described how INTELLO Plus provides the most robust vapor control in some of the most demanding applications - and doing so more resiliently than foam. Here are a few:

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