Cascadia Elementary School in Seattle, Washington, uses 112,000 square feet of GreenGirt Max CMH™ over metal studs, behind fiber cement, with mineral wool insulation. It is a large public elementary school. The project was designed by Mahlum and built and installed by Performance Contracting, Inc.

An elementary school is expected to operate safely and economically for decades while providing children a healthy, quiet environment for learning. In Seattle’s rainy climate, that begins with a durable, rot-resistant exterior. Fiber cement over continuous mineral wool provides a weather-resistant surface while keeping the insulation layer continuous behind it. The mineral wool then provides two further benefits of particular value to a school. It is non-combustible, an important property in a building occupied by children, and it absorbs sound, reducing the transmission of exterior noise into classrooms. On a 112,000-square-foot building, that combination of durability, fire safety, and acoustic control defines the purpose of the envelope.