project briefs | orion building
Unique Building Technology in Orion Building delivers high quality design, sustainability and energy efficiency
Located between two buildings in West Seattle’s Admiral District, the Orion Building project presented unique challenges for our team to utilize new building technology to deliver high quality design, energy efficient, and a sustainably constructed commercial building. Instead of traditional demolition, we decided to divert the raw materials from the existing building and construction waste for reuse. Approximately 85% of existing building materials were diverted from landfills.
In order to allow the new design to gain an extra 400 square feet of usable space, Designers Andy Patterson and Luis Vargas found a new wall system technology via a concrete form masonry unit (CFMU), called The One Step Building System. This new wall system offers multiple benefits; better waterproofing, energy efficiency, contains a high percentage of recycled and regional materials, aesthetically appealing appearance, and perhaps most importantly, allows for the recovery of valuable floor space that typically would be lost to a concrete black wall.
The One Step Building System is made regionally in Salem, OR and Yakima, WA. The One Step System has the external appearance of high quality concrete blocks, but in fact is held together by a system of plastic connectors also supporting a rigid insulation insert. The recycled plastic used help support the LEED goals for the project. Concrete is pumped into the void around the plastic connectors creating a strong, well-insulated wall assembly. The Orion Building will be one of the first uses of the system in the Northwest and will be finished Spring, 2010.
- John Adams - Associate Principal
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