Edgewater II Apartment complex is just minutes away from some of Philadelphia’s best restaurants, entertainment, shopping, and culture. But residents have plenty of reasons to stay home, thanks to amenities such as a fitness center and yoga studio; an outdoor grill loung lounge area; resort-style pool; a rooftop patio; dog park and dog trails; a kids playroom; and and Starbucks. The building looks great too, thanks in part to the inclusion of Omega-Lite® ACM panels from Laminators Incorporated of Hatfield, PA.    

The building's 25,000 sq. ft. of ACM cladding, along with Omega CI® rigid insulation panels, was installed by Hamburger Roofing of Sellersville, PA, using Laminators’ 1-Piece, Tight-Fit Molding installation system. In May 2019, Laminators introduced their new and improved field-fabricated installation system, 1-Piece, Tight-Fit Molding, which is a fully integrated back-drained and ventilated system, that can include an optional continuous insulation component, Omega CI®.

The aluminum moldings used to encapsulate panel edges are available in both flat and reveal styles, providing two different aesthetic options for installation. The back-drained and ventilated sub-framing provides enhanced system performance through improved moisture management and increased ventilation. This system offers a traditional yet high-tech appearance at an affordable cost.

The Omega-Lite panels, in the Grey Mica color featured on Edgewater, offer a highly decorative, strong, and durable surface finish for exterior wall surfaces. Composed of a polypropylene, corrugated core between two finished aluminum sheets, the panels are non-absorbent, water resistant and easy to maintain. All panels were distributed by Brock Associates LLC, Pittsburgh, PA.

Omega CI is a rigid insulation panel comprised of a closed-cell polyiso foam core bonded to a premium performance-coated glass backer and a 5/8” fire-treated plywood face. Omega CI is available in 4’ x 8’ sheets in 2.1” thickness. The plywood layer provides a dimensionally stable substrate by normalizing attachment loads, avoiding deformation of the rigid foam insulation, and is also fire-treated to allow for NFPA 285 compliance. The foam insulation layer provides thermal resistance to achieve the desired R-value for the wall assembly without causing thermal bridging.

When combined with Omega CI, the 1-Piece, Tight-Fit Molding installation system offers an effective solution for veneer installations over continuous insulation while balancing thermal performance, water management, and fire resistance code requirements. The system is also compliant with the NFPA 285 standard for multi-story fire testing for installations over Omega CI and exterior-grade, glass-mat faced gypsum sheathing.

Laminators’ Omega-Lite panels installed with the 1-Piece, Tight-Fit system guaranteed Edgewater II Apartments a class A fire rating as well as met NFPA 285, Miami-Dade County Product Control and Florida Product Approval requirements. Laminators Inc. manufactures high-quality ACM panels that meet these stringent performance levels and provide design professionals and building owners the confidence that their cladding will withstand the most extreme conditions.