By Clayton Daniels, Territory Manager, The Garland Company Inc.

The original standing seam metal roof over the Cancer Center at CHI St. Joseph Health in Bryan, Texas was peppered with white repair material at the seams, in the valleys, at transitions and around penetrations. At flashings or other complex details, sealants and single-ply membranes had been used to stop water intrusion. But the repairs, which appeared to have been done numerous times over the years, didn’t work. The roof continued to leak into the cancer treatment center, making it all the more critical to find a permanent solution.

Physicians Realty Trust, a real estate investment trust company, purchased the facility in 2016, and part of the purchase agreement required the real estate company to fix various issues within two years. The roof was given the highest priority. The building was constructed in 1996 and it had been added onto at one point, with the original roof tied into the new roof – creating additional waterproofing challenges. At the time of purchase, the original standing seam roof was only 20 years old, well under its expected service life.

A building envelope expert conducted a thorough inspection of the roof and deemed it beyond repair due to its faulty design and poor installation that had led to years of water intrusion. The roof was removed down to the wooden deck, revealing even more issues of rotted wood and wet insulation. Problem areas were cut out and replaced to provide a solid foundation for the new roof.

The design of the new roof system was carefully and meticulously engineered to ensure complete watertight protection of the more than 25,000-square-foot facility. With the roof’s numerous slopes, hips, and valleys, it was critical that even the smallest details be given the utmost attention. As an indication of the complexity of this building, there were 292 different Garland R-Mer^® Loc metal panel sizes manufactured for the roof – each one designed to fit seamlessly next to the other to create a watertight seal.

In addition to its strength and proven performance, R-Mer Loc panels, as the name suggests, lock into one another, allowing for quick and easy installation. The integral standing seam design of R-Mer Loc provides excellent spanning capability as well as architectural appeal. The heavy-duty, 18-gauge one-piece concealed clip design accommodates thermal movement and its internal gutter/anti-siphon feature helps protect against the elements.

Prior to the installation of the metal panels, an ice and water shield underlayment was applied to the deck to provide an additional layer of watertight protection. The panels, once sorted and organized, were lifted to the roof by a crane. The facility remained operational throughout the installation, which took about three months to complete.

Garland is a full-service manufacturer, meaning in addition to the materials provided for the project, its local representative assisted with budgets, writing specifications, contractor selection, scheduling and project oversight. These services proved beneficial to Physicians Realty Trust as its project manager was based in Colorado and relied heavily on Garland to manage the project.

“Projects like these are extremely complex when they involve a practicing clinic with typical weekday office hours,” said Ryan Yetzer, LEED GA and Capital Projects Manager with Physicians Realty Trust. “Thankfully, the Garland team and our highly-skilled onsite contractor closely monitored the project from start to finish. As a result, the installation ran very smoothly and our healthcare providers are pleased with the results.”

Photo credit: The Garland Company, Inc.