When plans were announced for a new construction project consisting of 228 residential apartment units with ground level retail space in the thriving Canal District in Worcester, Massachusetts, Capeway Roofing Systems jumped at the chance to install the roof system.
Based in Westport, Massachusetts, Capeway Roofing Systems was tapped by the project’s general contractor, Plumb House Inc., to install a 48,000-square-foot GAF TPO roof system over the wood and concrete deck areas of The Revington. Capeway Roofing worked closely with the GAF Technical Support team and its independent sales rep firm on the project, Congress Associates, to ensure everything was specified and installed correctly.
“The TPO roof system installed on The Revington seems to be favored by many designers and installers,” notes Robert DeMelo, Project Manager, Capeway Roofing Systems. “It is a roof system that is specified for versatility, which is key for mixed-use projects. As a mixed-use building, the roofs provide a durable substrate for amenities for tenants with the right assembly and structural considerations, which contractors are seeing more building owners lean towards.”
The Right Roof System
The roofing portion of the project began in the fall of 2022 and was completed in June of 2023. On the concrete deck areas, the system was fully adhered. First the GAF SA Vapor Retarder XL was installed, followed by a GAF EnergyGuard Tapered Polyiso Insulation System and DensDeck Prime, adhered with OlyBond 500 SpotShot adhesive. The cover board was topped with GAF’s self-adhered EverGuard SA TPO.
On the wood decks, the flat and tapered insulation and cover board were mechanically attached before the self-adhered TPO was installed. The project required the installation of more than a half mile of GAF edge metal — GAF EverGuard EZ Fascia — and other GAF TPO custom accessories. It also involved gutters at glass canopies, roof hatches, and a non-penetrating freestanding guardrail system, the project also utilized approximately 500 custom pre-made GAF TPO vent boots.
Challenges included the typical difficulties of a busy new construction site and some tough weather conditions. “There are multiple challenges we face when roofing buildings such as The Revington, including site logistics, working multiple pieces of equipment to get material from the staging area to the roof, numerous mobilizations, and the six roof assemblies with an 85-MPH Wind Addendum required on this project with different deck types,” DeMelo says. “We also worked through three seasons — and working in winter is never easy for contractors in New England. All of these challenges can hinder the roofing work, in addition to the constrained time for individual blocks of the building so that other trades can do their work.”
Safety Precautions
Safety was always top of mind. The site-specific safety plan included crane lift preparations, temporary safety railings, tie-off points along with flagging — all coordinated with the general contractor to keep all personnel working on the roof and on the ground safe at all times. These plans even included police details to use aerial lifts to complete a portion of the roofing work.
The success of the project was the result of impeccable planning and teamwork. “We look to manufacturers such as GAF and their innovative products to keep us roofing throughout all seasons allowing us to complete the project on or ahead of schedule, including their GAF EverGuard SA TPO, which can be installed during the winter months to eliminate the flash-off time with adhesives while increasing productivity year-round,” notes DeMelo.
“Anytime we can increase productivity and decrease the workload on our employees, we’re interested, and the GAF SA Vapor Retarder XL helps us achieve those goals,” DeMelo continues. “It goes down quickly due to its 6-foot width, which helps us move onto the next step in the roof assembly and ultimately getting the task at hand done quicker.”
“This project required a lot of collaboration, and the GAF Technical Support team helped the design team on the assembly, pressures, and wind speed coverage — demonstrating GAF’s ability to support the contractor and project teams with not only products, but also expertise,” notes Dean Brown, a manufacturing sales associate for GAF.
TEAM
Architect: Cube 3, Boston, Massachusetts (Lead Architect – Nathan Klein), cube3.com
General Contractor: Plumb House Inc., Milford, Massachusetts, plumbhouse.com
Roofing Contractor: Capeway Roofing Systems, Westport, Massachusetts, capewayroofing.com
MATERIALS
Membrane: EverGuard SA TPO, GAF, gaf.com
Insulation: EnergyGuard Flat and Tapered Polyiso Insulation, GAF
Vapor Retarder: SA Vapor Retarder XL, GAF
Fascia: EverGuard EZ Fascia, GAF
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