For Immediate Release s248

News Release

For more information contact: For immediate release: Michael B. Loughery, CertainTeed June 19, 2008 (610) 341-7328 [email protected] www.certainteed.com/pressroom

Energy-Efficient ToughGard® Fiberglass Duct Board by CertainTeed is Key Component in Washington School’s Mechanical and Electrical Systems Upgrade

(Valley Forge, Pa.) – CertainTeed® ToughGard® Duct Board is a key component in an energy- efficient, new HVAC system installed at Reeves Middle School in Olympia, Wash.

The Olympia School District (OSD) hired mechanical and electrical engineering firm Tres West Engineers, Inc., of Tacoma, Wash., in 2006 to complete the entire mechanical and electrical system upgrade design for the facility, which included a more efficient HVAC system. After a product demonstration from Duct Board Systems Fabricators, Tres West specified CertainTeed ToughGard Duct Board for the project. The ToughGard Duct Board made a great first impression, says Bob Greeno, Co-Owner and Designer of Duct Board Systems Fabricators.

“The engineers from Tres West were especially impressed that the ToughGard Duct Board would handle airflow at 5,000 feet per minute (fpm), was treated with an anti-microbial coating and had a water repellant inner liner,” added Greeno. “The inner liner would also greatly reduce the amount of fiberglass particles that could enter the air stream. Per their analysis, this product was far superior to earlier fiberglass duct board they’d used in the past. The properties of this material would help to ensure good indoor air quality for the students at Reeves Middle School.”

ToughGard Duct Board is a rigid board designed for fabrication into supply and return air ductwork for residential and commercial HVAC systems, which operate at velocities of up to 5,000 fpm. ToughGard Duct Board systems are an excellent choice for schools, as they provide News Release Reeves Middle School —Page 2 of 3 exceptional thermal properties, resist microbial growth and absorb unwanted crosstalk, equipment noise and air rush noise. The ToughGard surface is extremely durable, providing strong resistance to damage during fabrication, installation and cleaning, as well as the stress caused by HVAC systems operating at high velocities.

“Fiberglass duct systems made from ToughGard Duct Board help provide excellent sound absorption to create a low-noise environment,” says Renee Chesler, General Manager of CertainTeed’s Mechanical Insulation Division. “And, ToughGard’s resistance to mold growth ensures the circulation of better quality air.”

The OSD’s general contractor, Babbit Neuman Construction, of Steilacoom, Wash., hired Capital Heating and Cooling, of Lacey, Wash., to install the HVAC system, and Capital Heating and Cooling hired Duct Board Systems Fabricators to assemble the system’s fiberglass ductwork. Paragon Pacific/SPI, a subsidiary of Specialty Products and Insulation Co., a nationwide insulation and specialty products distributor with a location in Seattle, supplied about 40,000 square feet of ToughGard Duct Board to Duct Board Systems Fabricators for fabrication. The lighter weight of the prefabricated fiberglass ducts made installation easier and saved time and money.

“We saved about 20 percent on labor in the field,” says Bill Schmidtke, President of Capital Heating & Cooling. “The ease of the material handling alone made the duct board worthwhile. It’s simply a much easier material to stage on site and modify in the field.”

The newly renovated Reeves Middle School opened last September, just in time to kick off the 2007-2008 school year.

About CertainTeed Through innovation and creative product design, CertainTeed has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Company, the firm made its slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," which quickly inspired News Release Reeves Middle School —Page 3 of 3 the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed is North America’s leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, windows, fence, decking, railing, trim, foundations, pipe, insulation, gypsum, ceilings and access covers.

Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., CertainTeed and its affiliates have more than 7,000 employees and more than 70 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. In 2007 the group had consolidated sales of more than $3 billion. www.certainteed.com.