Located in New York City, a 12-story Multi-Agency Federal Government building was constructed in 1929. Over time, the existing window systems had deteriorated. Sealant on both the inside and outside of the windows caused significant air infiltration and tests showed water leaking into the building. The deteriorated window system caused poor performance and low efficiency of the building envelope, resulting in increased heating and cooling.

PULLMAN assisted the General Contractor in developing an Energy Conservation Measure (ECM) to present to the Owner. The ECM outlined a plan to seal existing window systems, reducing air infiltration/exfiltration and energy losses. The team provided water tests to determine the extent of the water infiltration, as well as mockups and production samples.

To repair the window system, the crew needed to use multiple joint repair solutions. Exterior gaskets at the inoperable windows received a cap bead of silicone sealant, and the joints were wiped to ensure proper adhesion. Weather-stripping joints were installed at the operable windows. The bulb gaskets were removed from the metal frame receptors and new bulb gaskets were installed securely into the window frame receptor groove. Additionally, the joints needed to be re-caulked.

One challenge the team faced was repairing some of the existing joints not identified during initial inspections that were larger than typical joint sizes. In addition, necessary repairs of double joints, panel joints, and angle joints were found throughout the repairs, and were not identified in the contract drawings. To remedy the issues, the team implemented a QA/QC program to inspect multiple, random locations to ensure that the quality of work stayed consistent with industry standards.

The project was completed on time, under budget, and with no incidents.