Over $60,000 in Energy Rebates for Austin Building Owner

Like everyone else across the country, building owners are looking for creative ways to reduce their cost without sacrificing quality. Recently, an opportunity came along in Austin, Texas for TCP Realty to do just that.

Austin Energy offered local commercial building owners the opportunity to receive a significant rebate if they reroofed their building with an energy efficient, reflective roof. The company also added an incentive: an extra 20% construction bonus if the project was completed and inspected by Austin Energy before April 1, 2010.

TCP Realty, a long-time Chamberlin client with properties throughout Texas, looked to Chamberlin’s roofing professionals to reroof their multi-building Springwood Business Center and complete the work in just 28 working days – rain or shine. Chamberlin was able to quickly respond to TCP’s request for a proposal and provide the manpower necessary for the project.

“We have met tight deadlines before, and this one was a real challenge,” said Roofing Project Estimator Russell Johnson. “We wanted to do whatever was needed to achieve TCP’s goals and help them receive all the rebates offered by Austin Energy.”

“Chamberlin has been working for me on roofing and waterproofing projects for over 25 years,” said TCP Realty Senior Vice President, Rubin Kremling, CPM, CCIM, “and they always go the extra mile to make sure we are 110 percent satisfied with their work.”

The Springwood Business Center is an office/warehouse park with five buildings. Each building is covered with a standing seam metal roof totaling 90,000 sq. ft. The buildings were beginning to experience leaks on a regular basis. A damaging hail storm was the final nail in the coffin for the metal roof, and the energy rebates offered an excellent reroofing opportunity.

Chamberlin installed a 15 year warranted roof system consisting of three-inch expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation board, which was custom cut to fit the existing metal roof configuration. A one-half-inch heavy duty cover board was placed over the EPS, which was mechanically fastened to receive a 1-90 wind uplift rating. To finish off the roof system, a white, reflective .45 mil thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) single ply membrane was mechanically fastened throughout the field of the roof and fully adhered at all openings, flashings and perimeter. Chamberlin’s sheet metal fabrication shop also formed and installed pre-finished metal edge, gutters, downspouts and copings.  

Because the April 1 deadline left no room for weather delays, the Chamberlin team worked long hours on clear days, including some weekends, to complete the project in time to have it inspected and approved by Austin Energy for the rebates.

“Weather was not an excuse to extend the project in the eyes of Austin Energy,” said Johnson. “With this fast-track pace, we were extremely cautious about the safety of our workers and the multiple tenants that occupied the buildings during construction.”

Chamberlin completed the project in time to file the proper rebate application forms with Austin Energy. Next, an Austin Energy representative will perform an inspection to verify the roof installation and determine the final rebate amount, which is estimated to be over $60,000.

Careful and thorough project management makes for a successful fast-track roof replacement. Superintendent Danny Taft and Foreman Pedro Balderas guided the team, meeting all standards and deadlines. Their dedication to safety and a quality installation amongst a quick deadline demonstrate the Chamberlin objective to meet and exceed client expectations on every project.