The Envelope 2000 composite panels, by Citadel Architectural Products, consist of two aluminum skins, bonded to a thermoset phenolic resin core. The life cycle and recyclability of the panels were recently used to help the Helena Aviation Readiness Center achieve Gold LEED status during a renovation.

Constructed in 1995 as an attack battalion armory with a strength of approximately 240, a changed mission and substantial growth at the Helena Aviation Readiness Center, required a renovation and addition of the relatively new facility. Studies on the renovation started in 2006, the project started in June of 2015 and ultimately completed in August 2017.

Tim Meldrum AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, of SMA Architects served as architect. Swank Enterprises of Valier, Montana, served as the installer on the project.

“Swank built the original structure in the mid-90s,” says Kevin Forbes, project manager with Swank Enterprises. “Not long after that, the mission changed and the building was pretty much obsolete, but they worked with it for 20 years. We came in and built around the original 40,000-square-foot structure. It’s now 100,000 square feet. Between that renovation and the five other buildings, it’s the biggest project I’ve been a part of at Swank.”

More about Citadel Architectural Products at citadelap.com. This story originally appeared in the June 2019 issue of SNIPS magazine.