Situated in North Carolina, Southlake Church and Christian Academy recognized the necessity of having a building envelope with true thermal performance and minimum infiltration of both air and water vapor. Southlake also wanted to get as much quality square footage as possible constructed on a tight completion schedule. That lead the building committee to explore tilt-up concrete as an option.

This all-in-one concept was the challenge Stephens, Aylward & Associates (SAA) accepted when they were selected as the architect for the Southlake project.

Because of tight budgets and daily use of the facility, energy efficiency was crucial. Southlake experienced significant heating and cooling problems in its original building, so they sought an energy-efficient, state-of-the-art air conditioning and heating system that incorporated heat recovery and staged, multi-unit equipment.

SAA recognized the necessity of the building envelope to have a true thermal performance with minimum air and water vapor infiltration. The solution utilized the THERMOMASS Building Insulation System as part of the tilt-up panels, creating a continuous thermal envelope around the entire structure, which eliminates thermal short circuits, air infiltration and moisture drive through the walls. No moisture means no mold or mildew.

"The durability, flexibility and long life-cycle costs of insulated tilt-up wall panels allowed us to meet the scheduling, budget, durability, flexibility and security desired for SouthLake. We believe tilt-up construction is the answer for the growing education market, " said Glen Stephens, SAA President and Partner in charge of the company's Carolina operations.