Florida Emergency Shelter/ Command Center Features Winco's Tornado-Rated Windows
The modern two-story 80,385 sq. ft. Pinellas County, FL operations building, built at a cost of $26.1 million in 2010, is constructed of reinforced tilt-wall concrete precast wall panels, with a flat concrete composite roof and with structural steel interior. It is a fully-equipped emergency storm shelter, the first new construction project furnished with Winco tornado rated windows.
Located in Clearwater, the sprawling multipurpose structure has achieved LEED GOLD certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
Objective: Window Damage Protection Beyond Hurricane Velocities
Tornado season came in with a vengeance the Spring of 2011 in pans of the southeast and in the Midwestern region known as Tornado Alley. In April more than 300 died in over 600 tornado-velocity storms - the worst month for U.S. tornadoes, smashing the previous record of 267 set in 1974, according to the U.S. Weather Service.
Disaster Protection Combined with Environmental Efficiency
If disaster strikes, the operations center will serve as the public works emergency center and shelter for first responders, and can house three shifts of 50 people each for up to seven days without outside supplies. Up to 32 emergency vehicles can be protected inside the same building.
- The building is designed to Category 5 hurricane event (156 mph one-minute sustained wind, or 190 mph three-second gust) with redundant emergency systems and seven days of sustainability for power, water, sewage, and building systems
- Officials anticipate an annual reduction o/20 percent in electricity, 65 percent for water and 70 percent for waste water will be realized in the LEED-certified building that opened in 2010
- Windows and doors were FEMA 361 impact tested at an independent test lab
- Outstanding protection from noise and water infiltration
- SteelCraft front doors and Secure Tech secondary steel doors
- Citadel storefront with Survivalite impact window system features 3/4” Safglas
- Construction materials are over 20 percent recycled-content
- Energy-efficient air conditioning and lighting
- Highly reflective “cool” roof
- Low-flow plumbing fixtures and recycled gray water
- Xeriscape water-efficient landscaping
- Planning and Execution
The project architect is Mason Blau Associates of Clearwater FL. Hennessy Construction of St. Petersburg FL is the general contractor. Countryside Glass, Dunedin FL, is the glazing contractor. Winco rep. John Murray, Jr. represented the window manufacturer along with Kurtis Suellentrop, Winco project manager.
Phase I planning was begun in March 2008 for the design/build project. Phase II costs were approved. Construction was initiated in early 2009 and finished in July 2010.
“The project was an unusually smooth one,” observes Sid Talsma, senior project man-ager for Hennessy Construction,” with all involved working well together with very few problems.”
Installation
Rick Miner, Countryside glass project manager supervised window installation over five weeks with a five-man crew. “We used regular flashing and a steel angle was installed using Winco’s clip system to fasten the windows.”
Installation went smoothly. Windows arrived in time to keep to the five-week installation schedule.
Why Tornado Windows Were Specified
Says Hennessy’s Talsma, “Normal wind velocity requirements for this area are up to 160 mph, or Hurricane Category 5. The windows in the Control Center are rated for 190 mph, or FEMA 361.” Architect Mike Mason of Mason Blau and Associates has been designing in the hurricane-prone Gulf area for years. “After the 2004-5 hurricane season we began doing critical buildings for public works facilities. Everybody was looking for higher wind speeds than what was previously considered normal for Florida coastal areas. While the local building code calls for a wind speed of 127 miles per hour, the county governments and some municipalities were now looking for much higher wind speeds. So we set the threshold for this particular building at 165 miles per hour, sustained wind speed. At the same time, we set the goal for 195 mph for a three-second wind gust, which put us into tornado wind level. Winco and the two door manufacturers, Steelcraft and SecureCraft, were chosen because they made products that meet FEMA 361 standard.”
Design and Performance Options
All Winco tornado impact windows are made with reinforced aluminum frames with a 1-½-inch glazing leg. Laminated interlayer and polycarbonate sheets can save property and lives. They also provide outstanding protection from noise, wind and water infiltration, as well as energy-saving thermal ratings of 0.35 U-Value or better. Operating models are also available from Winco.