Situated on the southernmost tip of Louisiana—at the very end of the Mississippi River—the Southwest Pass Station is a 19,500 SF weather monitoring station and part-time residence for the Associated Branch Pilots.
Completely self-sufficient, Southwest Pass Station has its own power generation, on-board water capture and filtration, and sanitary capture. Access and resupply is only possible by watercraft. Because the station is operational 24/7/365, utilizing sustainable building materials was crucial for this project.
Awarded the Excellence in Sustainability Honorable Mention from USGBC Louisiana in 2018, the station is a pre-engineered metal building that was originally constructed on a barge, towed to its current location, and fixed on concrete columns 30’ above the river. Since then, the building had endured a significant amount of corrosion, air/vapor intrusion, and climate control and environmental issues due to prolonged UV and saline exposure.
Project Team
- Terri Dreyer
- Ian Dreyer
- Kristine Kobila
Soon after completion in 2018, the Southwest Pass Station was awarded the Excellence in Sustainability Honorable Mention from USGBC Louisiana.
NANO was hired by the owner to research, select, and detail a new exterior cladding system, roof, and generator building that could withstand harsh environmental conditions and 180 mph wind loads. Additionally, the building needed proper insulation and decreased air and vapor seepage while still adhering to the weight and structural limitations.
A 3" pre-insulated system with custom detailing and sealing allows for a complete envelope system, while vertical baton strips assure weather proofing while adding articulation. Stainless steel connectors and flashings are utilized throughout, and the roof panels are topped with a fiberseal membrane – the first use of a Durashield system on a residential facility.
Today, four years later, the building has successfully stood the test of time handling several tropical/hurricane events without any damage, achieving over a 35% increase in energy efficiency.
