In Charleston’s historic district, the South Carolina Aquarium exists as part rehabilitation center, part hospital, and part exhibit. Along with nine main galleries, the aquarium also features the Sea Turtle Care Center. Visitors can watch as employees and volunteers work with sick and injured sea turtles, diagnosing and treating them with the goal of releasing them back into their natural habitat. The care center has nursed over 250 sea turtles back to health since its inception.
The South Carolina Aquarium received funding in 2017 for renovation and beautification of its property. The exterior walls of the structure had become grimy over the years, exuding a dulled appearance, the result of prolonged exposure to the elements. Because the aquarium is located on the Atlantic Ocean and Ashley River, selecting a coating system capable of enduring the humid subtropical climate was paramount.
Other challenges emerged in the form of determining the ideal coating system for a building consisting of concrete walls and a steel exterior structure. Additionally, consideration towards the marine animals was crucial.
Along with determining a system that would be safe for the aquarium’s inhabitants, the process of moving the animals from their exhibits in order to apply the new coatings requires accommodating each animals’ specific need to ensure their safety during the project. With such involved tasking, it was important to specify a coating system with a long lifecycle. The longer lasting coating would prolong the need to perform this process again.
The project managers reached out to their local Tnemec representative, Nick Vause, and eventually settled on using a system that utilized Fluoronar for the steel surfaces. Series 1070 Fluoronar was used on the steel surfaces and provides excellent gloss retention and color in all weather.
Utilizing Lumiflon FEVE resin technology, these products were used to provide a lasting finish to the aquarium that will stand up to the elements while preserving its historic roots.
Photos courtesy of Tnemec
Categories Architecture