Complex Sealant Replacement at Tech Campus

Project Background

• In 1987, AT&T constructed a world-class research and development center for its Bell Laboratories subsidiary; the property sits on 137 acres just outside Allentown, Pennsylvania
• In 2002, Agere Systems, Inc. had over 2,000 people employed at the site, involved in everything from research and development to manufacturing and assembly
• Today, TEK Park is one of the most advanced technology campuses in the Mid-Atlantic and includes over 500,000 square feet of office and conference room space; cleanroom, lab, and clean production space; and mission-critical operations and data center space
• As the building envelope reached 25 years in operation, the flexible sealants that stitched together the exterior metal and glass and masonry building envelope reached the end of their service life
• As the sealants began to fail, the building was plagued with leaks and water infiltration breaching the envelope

Project Challenges

• Prioritizing and diagnosing water leaks and corresponding repairs on this campus presented unique challenges due to the variety of materials and details included in construction
• The site layout of various building sections limited access to walls and required specialized custom access at most areas
• Substrate expansion and contraction of the large metal panels due to temperature fluctuations caused joint geometry problems before the sealant could initially cure and required adaptation during installation
• Leaks were often compounded and fed by more than one source and deficiency, requiring a stepped and measured repair response to accomplish economical solutions

Project Approach

• Extensive water spray testing was utilized to pinpoint facade breaches and corresponding infiltration zones to enable a targeted repair approach; pre- and post-repair water testing was completed to validate the repair program and provide the owner with performance confidence
• MPS implemented a detailed campus-wide repair data collection and tracking system to log completed, ongoing, and scheduled repairs— this supported fiscal planning and enhanced institutional knowledge
• Careful substrate preparation and testing was required to ensure success of sealant bond, application, joint geometry, and performance
• Creative use of high-quality silicone sealants and pre-molded silicone seals allowed successful joint replacement at challenging joints