Embassy Suites by Hilton Grand Rapids Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, uses 109,000 square feet of the SMARTci® building enclosure system over metal studs, behind fiber cement and stone cladding, with polyiso insulation. It is a large, upscale all-suite hotel. The project was designed by BRP Architects and built and installed by Bouma Corporation.

A high-end hotel is judged partly on its exterior, and this facade pairs heavy stone with fiber cement. Because stone imposes a substantial dead load, the cladding support must carry that weight securely while keeping the insulation continuous behind it. The SMARTci system does both, supporting the stone on girts that maintain an unbroken insulation layer rather than letting the attachments bridge it.