Capeway Roofing Systems jumped at the chance to install the roof system on a new project consisting of 228 apartment units with ground-level retail space in the fast-growing Canal District of Worcester, Mass.
The site once housed a factory owned by Wyman-Gordon, manufacturer of engineered titanium, steel, and nickel-based alloy forgings for the aerospace, energy, and military naval market. It’s adjacent to Polar Park, home of the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox, affectionately known as the WooSox.
Based in Westport, Mass., Capeway Roofing Systems was tapped by the project’s general contractor, Plumb House Inc., to install a 48,000-sf GAF TPO roof system over the wood and concrete deck areas of The Revington. Capeway Roofing worked closely with the GAF Technical Support team 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,” said Robert DeMelo, Project Manager, Capeway Roofing Systems. “It is specified for versatility, which is key for mixed-use projects. In 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 toward.”
OVERCOMING TOUGH SITE LOGISTICS, WEATHER
“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 said.
“We also worked through three seasons—and working in winter is never easy for contractors in New England," he said. "These factors 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.”
NUMEROUS GAF PRODUCTS EMPLOYED
The roofing portion of the project began in the fall of 2022 and was completed in June 2023. On the concrete deck areas, the system was adhered, staring with the installation of a GAF SA Vapor Retarder XL, 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 60-mil smooth EverGuard TPO adhered with GAF EverGuard TPO Quick Spray.
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.
The project also involved gutters at glass canopies, roof hatches, and a non-penetrating freestanding guardrail system. It also used about 500 custom pre-made GAF TPO vent boots.
KEEPING SAFETY TOP OF MIND
The site-specific safety plan included crane lift preparations, temporary safety railings, and tie-off points along with flagging—all coordinated with Plumb House, the general contractor, to keep all personnel always working on the roof and on the ground safe. 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 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,” said DeMelo, who noted that GAF EverGuard SA TPO can be installed during the winter months to eliminate the flash-off time with adhesives.
GREATER PRODUCTIVITY, LOWER WORKLOAD
“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 added. “It goes down quickly due to its six-foot width, which helps us move on to the next step in the roof assembly and ultimately get the task 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,” said GAF’s Dean Brown.
