PROJECT
exteriors
Solutions For Dual-Branded Hotels Panelization means significant costs savings. Tim Salerno, StoPanel
P
anelization is becoming a popular exterior insulated wall-system choice for trendy dual-branded hotels. While not new, dual-branded hotels are an increasing development, and the need to have cost-
effective building solutions is key. The advantage to a developer with a dual-branded hotel is the likelihood of significant cost savings when only having to develop a single amenity or component within the hotel. It is important to bring the team together early in the development process to understand the ways to make this as efficient as possible. When combining hotels, the savings can begin prior to construction with decreased costs related to plans, permits, and fees. These properties are not your typical construction projects, so additional costs can accumulate when significant specialized design and construction are required. Enter panelization. Prefabricated insulated wall-panel solutions are light-
weight, energy efficient, durable, and require only a fraction of field personnel for a typical installation. By specifying a single water-and-airtight panel with the option of using virtually any desired finish or cladding—from brick, metal, and natural stone to the most modern, lightweight energy-efficient coating systems—owners and designers have the freedom to choose the look they prefer while meeting the schedule and performance requirements of the general contractors at an attractive price. TIME-EFFICIENT PANELS
An example of a dual-branded hotel built with prefabricated insulated wall panels is in downtown Austin, TX. The two authentic and distinct hotel brands, Aloft and Element, are combined into one 33-story tower and configured to offer two contrasting experiences for guests. This hotel plan called for a unique look, and became one of the reasons the owner, White Lodging, Merrillville, IN, chose the pre-fab StoPanel Classic ci system (Sto Corp., Atlanta) combined with Dri-Design, Holland, MI, metal panels for the exterior walls. The other reason was that prefabrication turned out to be the only time-efficient and cost-effective way to get the project completed. The Aloft & Element hotel wasn’t originally designed with offsite construction in mind, but as the team of DPR Construction, Austin; HKS Architects, Dallas; and owner/developer White Lodging discussed options, they realized prefabrication might make sense. Winter was approaching, there was very little laydown area at the location, and there were concerns about debris and trash that would likely accumulate at the cramped job site. When the StoPanel Technology affiliate in Dallas, Baker Triangle Prefab, proposed a practical panelization approach as the solution, it was properly vetted among the stakeholders and eventually adopted as the plan. In addition, recalled HKS principal Michael Strohmer, AIA, using a panel system gave the designteam more confidence in the overall quality of the Two authentic and distinct hotel brands, Aloft and Element, are combined into one 33-story tower in Austin, TX, and configured to offer two contrasting experiences for guests.
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COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE
NOVEMBER 2018
commercialarchitecturemagazine.com
construction while achieving the look they wanted. “Building panels in a controlled environment allows a better product,” said Strohmer. “The aesthetics were very important to us, and combining StoPanel EIFS and Dri-De-
