It's unusual to see aesthetics prioritized on a self-storage project. But the new CubeSmart storage facility in Cranston, RI is no ordinary self-storage project. Thanks to the utilization of two colors of Green Span Profiles insulated panels from McElroy Metal as the primary cladding material—and the incorporation of rooftop solar panels—the two-building development is highly energy efficient too.
"Lately, people are doing whatever they can to avoid having a big plain-Jane gray building,” says Ed McKean, owner of EKM Construction Inc. in Burlington, NC. “Staggering the colors in a random pattern is one way of doing just that, that seems to be a new trend. It’s not hard, but you have to pay attention when you’re installing the panels.”
There are two storage facilities on this site in Cranston with plans for a third to be erected by the same contractors. All are operated on electricity produced by rooftop solar panels. The specification of solar panels as well as insulated metal panels meets the needs of the owner seeking to construct “green” facilities. McKean says the entire team has plans to construct similar storage facilities in Warrick, RI.
McElroy Metal supplied approximately 30,000 square feet of 24-gauge, 4-inch thick Green Span Profiles WaveLine insulated metal panels for the project – all panels were 42 inches wide. Plans called for 24,000 square feet of 4-inch thick Ash Gray panels, 5,000 square feet of 2-inch thick Ash Gray panels, 5,000 square feet of 4-inch thick CubeSmart Red panels and 5,000 square feet of 2-inch thick CubeSmart Red panels. McElroy Metal provided the CubeSmart Red framing material, preformed trims and all associated insulated metal panel accessories.
McKean says this project worked because the entire team was on the same page … the property owner, architect, general contractor and the EKM team all worked together to complete the successful project in about a year.
The main building is a three-story storage facility with units in a variety of sizes and two banks of elevators. The insulated metal panels (IMPs) installed on the three-story climate-controlled building are 4 inches thick. The one-story building is not climate controlled, so 2-inch IMPs were satisfactory. The IMPs feature 24-gauge exterior metal and 26-gauge interior metal in Regal White.
“We really like working with this entire team, from the owner on down,” McKean says. “We’re already looking forward to the next project with them.”