February 22, 2006

When Aquascape Designs Incorporated, a manufacturer of components for the construction and maintenance of water gardens and water features, decided to build a new corporate headquarters, the goal for designing the building was to think outside the box. Company President and Chief Executive, Greg Wittstock wanted the building to not only stand out, but also to utilize environmentally friendly engineering for which Aquascape Designs is known.

With the substantial growth Aquascape has experienced, it seemed a perfect time to rebuild. “We wanted to create an environment that will accommodate future growth while providing a structure that fosters creativity and higher productivity,” explained Wittstock.

To accomplish this, employees had significant input on interior design and created numerous areas featuring beanbags for informal discussion and freethinking. “The employees had fun collaborating in the design and it really shows. People are energized and productivity is up,” continued Wittstock.

Wittstock had his own hopes for the building. “My dream was to build a LEED®(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) approved and green facility,” stated Wittstock. “I knew that with the right team, we could accomplish these goals and create an environmentally-friendly showcase for the rest of the St. Charles, Illinois community.”

The right team for the job included architectural firm, Artisan Design Build of Monroe, Wisconsin, and roofing contractor Olsson Roofing Company, Inc. of Aurora, Illinois. Their combined expertise determined what kind of roofing system would best complement the building design. Terry Martin, owner/partner of Artisan Design Build, suggested utilizing a shallow garden roof system on the new facility to achieve the their goal in having an environmentally-friendly building. After discussing possible options, it was agreed that using a Carlisle Roof Garden System was the most beneficial route.

“The building has a unique sloped structure (1:12) for such a large roof,” Mike Herlihy, executive vice president of Olsson Roofing stated. “We had to account for water that will drain down from three metal shed roofs and onto the garden roof area.” Utilizing gravel baskets and drain structures, Olsson was able to control any excess drainage that might empty onto the garden.

The Roof Garden system installed on the Aquascape headquarters is the largest sloped green roof in North America. The entire roof system was installed in two phases. To start, Olsson Roofing installed a Carlisle Fully- Adhered Roofing System that incorporated a 75-mil Sure-Tough EPDM membrane. Chosen for its highly durable, puncture resistant qualities, Sure-Tough membrane is also easy to install over irregular substrates as in the case of the Aquascape building.

Following the application of the membrane and insulation assembly, the second phase commenced with the installation of the following roof garden components: protection fabric, drainage course, and moisture retention fabric. The shallow roof garden system consists of a four-inch deep ngineered soil base. This system also incorporates a grid watering system that is buried under the soil media to support the plant growth that includes sedum and low growing vegetation.

“The ease of installation was a result of careful planning with all of the contractors and suppliers. The logistics and media installation process became routine very quickly,” commented Herlihy. Leading the roofing crew, a landscaping crew and plumbing contractor, Olsson finished the 130,000 square foot roof complete with vegetation in record time.

In addition to the experienced benefits of improved storm water management, water and air purification and a reduction in energy consumption, Carlisle’s Roof Garden System is aesthetic and durable. Located in close proximity to the airport, the Roof Garden System also contributes to muting the noise associated with air traffic.

The result had Wittstock and the folks at Aquascape Designs Incorporated thrilled. “We couldn’t be more pleased with how the roofing system turned out,” said Wittstock. “We know that Carlisle’s Roof Garden System not only helped us meet our goal to be ‘green’, we feel confident that the roof will endure the elements.”

The system was put to that test just two weeks after the completion of the installation. A heavy rainstorm hit the region causing flash flooding yet none of the growth media was washed away.

Recently, Aquascape celebrated its grand opening of the new headquarters. In addition to the green roof and firm plans to add a signature pond able to old 600,000 gallons of water that will feature a beach area and underwater caves, Aquascape Designs Incorporated really knows how to think outside the box.

Carlisle SynTec Incorporated, headquartered in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, has been investing in single-ply membrane roofing systems for more than 40 years. Carlisle is a business segment of Carlisle Companies Incorporated NYSE:CSL) and has manufacturing facilities in Carlisle; Greenville, Illinois; Senatobia, Mississippi; and Tooele, Utah. For more information, write to Carlisle SynTec Incorporated, P.O. Box 7000, Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013; contact Melinda Raback, Public Relations Specialist, at 1-800-877-6956; or visit our website at www.carlisle-syntec.com.