The First Energy WV Operations Headquarters in Fairmont, WV is a 148,000-square-foot office facility. The $50-million operations building houses the Mon Power regional utility headquarters and one of FirstEnergy’s three regional transmission control centers that together manage the company’s 20,000-mile network of high-voltage transmission lines. CENTRIA products were utilized in the facility’s construction.

Built with the future in mind, the headquarters are LEED®-certified and earned the AIA West Virginia 2012 Merit Award. Among the building’s innovative design features are low-flow plumbing fixtures and sensors that reduce water usage by 45 percent compared to a typical building; energy-efficient lighting controlled by programmed control panels and occupancy sensors; a white reflective roof that minimizes heat absorption and results in less energy consumption; low-emitting materials to improve indoor air quality; and building materials composed of more than 20 percent recycled content.

CENTRIA’s products were chosen specifically for their high level of environmental sustainability because FirstEnergy was concerned with lowering their ecological footprint. Additionally, the project was on a tight schedule. CENTRIA’s products, known for their efficient installation times, were ideal to help keep the project on time.

CENTRIA’s Formawall Dimension Series is one of today’s most preferred insulated metal panel systems because of its combination of performance, aesthetics and sustainability. Formawall Dimension Series is manufactured as one component. It is described as the only wall system that provides both advanced thermal efficiency and moisture control in a single panelized component. The single component construction results in less jobsite waste, which helps make it a more environmentally friendly option and helps to keep the project on budget and on time.

Versawall’s lightweight, insulated metal composite panels feature concealed fasteners and are designed with double tongue-and-groove joinery. The factory foam-insulated system includes a thermal break between panel face and liner for outstanding thermal performance. The panels also provide outstanding weather resistance and can be installed quickly and easily.

Exposed Fastener panels provide flexibility and virtually unlimited aesthetic possibilities. Additionally, IW Series Concealed Fastener Panels were chosen because they come in a variety of gauges, colors and finishes to match the corresponding CENTRIA panels and blend into walls, eliminating visual breaks. These products were an important part of the architect’s aesthetic vision.