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Meyer Architects and Liberty Property Trust made some local history last month when the team's 425 Privet Road project was completed. This Horsham building is the first in the Philadelphia area to include Trespa, a new exterior application product. Architects nationwide are raving over this new open joint system, which eliminates the potential risk for moisture problems and comes in a variety of rich and vibrant colors. "At first we were a bit skeptical about using the product since it was so new and no one in the local area had tried or tested it, but after Meyer reported on its research and results others outside the area had with the product, I was convinced we should try it," said Jason Honesty from Liberty Property Trust, the building owner of 425 Privet Road. "We are quite pleased with the design impact TRESPA had on the new façade of 425 and how well it has enhanced the appearance of the building."
In addition to its pleasing aesthetic and physical properties, Trespa won over the "Green" enthusiasts at both Meyer and Liberty. Meyer's dedication to the "green" movement is to specify a minimum of 10% environmentally preferable product on each and every project. Trespa is considered a "green" product which makes it that much more attractive to George Wilson, principal architect at Meyer and founding board member of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC). "We are always looking to specify environmentally preferable products. Trespa is great because it is manufactured from post consumer waste and it is recyclable itself." Waste from non-residential buildings accounted for 57% of the 209 million tons of waste poured into US landfills in 1996. By using a product like Trespa, where 15% of its makeup is recycled material and another 15% is post-industrial waste, architects and designers are helping to extend the lifetime of existing landfills instead of forcing them to expand. Shields Construction was the contractor on the job, and when word got out that Trespa had been specified locally, interest in the project soared. Shields began receiving calls from both contractors and building owners, asking about the product and wanting to know when the installation would be complete. Local representatives Mike Soprani and Steve Schultheis of S&S Resources have been sending interested architects to Chicago to see Trespa in the past. Now they'll have a much shorter trip: just 45 minutes outside of the city to Horsham, PA!
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Trespa
makes Local History
"Trespa
gave us the opportunity to do something different and fun to highlight
the entrances without breaking the budget," project manager Dan
King said. While not as inexpensive as EIFS (Dryvit), the cost is considerably
less than masonry, precast or curtain wall. "Many of the Architects
here, including myself, have been attracted to the sleek, contemporary
look of the product." Trespa's exterior coating is made from resins
that have been thermoset, making it extremely weather resistant. Its
color will withstand even the harshest atmospheric conditions, including
UV radiation and acid rain. 
