The Excelsior – Reston, VA

The Reston Excelsior Parc is a new residential complex with numerous bells and whistles hiding underneath its luminous exterior. Situated close to the DC Metro rail line, the building is one of many convenient and comfortable hubs for city commuters.

What makes this project truly unique is that it changes color! The Excelsior is fitted with pre-glazed windows that utilize electrochromic technology. This special glass is electronically tintable by the tenant on the inside of each apartment. On the exterior, the building is cladded in metal panels that tint in response to outside conditions.

Working with Metal Panels

Pecora was submitted for specification following discussions between two longtime partners: subcontractor Service Glass Industries and Pecora sales rep Andrew Stone.

The Excelsior’s “color-changing” windows were provided by View, Inc. Offsite manufacturer Custom Walls & Windows fabricated and installed over 16,000 different metal panels to clad the exterior.

Custom Walls and Windows has used 890NST for their metal panel installations for years. The reason? They haven't had sealant issues since they started using 890NST. The sealant’s silicone chemistry provides for exceptional movement and adheres well to the composite panel material. All applied sealant to the panel and window perimeters was performed by J & W Caulking Applicators located in New Oxford, PA.

An additional benefit is Pecora 890NST's non-staining technology, which doesn't cause staining on the panels. This long-term benefit is truly appreciated by developers and building management firms in reduced cleaning and maintenance costs.

The Excelsior’s metal panels, which are about 10” by ¼”, are folded up at the sides. When the panels were installed, 890NST was caulked along the perimeter of the panel folds. The sealant, along with a stiffener, holds the panels in place.   

890NST was applied on metal-metal and metal-aluminum window joints. Since the metal panels are thin (approx. 3/16” wide), and constantly exposed to the elements, they expand and contract. The dynamic capabilities of 890NST allow it to elongate and move with the panels as they expand and contract.

Changing Colors

The panels’ color-shifting finish virtually demanded a custom color sealant. Sealants cannot change color sporadically, so the sealant needed to “blend in” with the panels.

Pecora Corporation provided several samples for approval to satisfy the architect, thanks to the efforts of our color matching team. Pecora’s color lab can match just about any color to any substrate a project requires. The custom color for the Excelsior was dubbed “steel blue”.

As building exteriors become more high-tech, demands for unique sealant solutions will increase. Pecora’s state-of-the-art sealant technology, with non-staining and endless color capabilities, make Pecora silicone sealants a front-runner for construction projects of the future.