Case Study: Hess Tower achieves LEED Platinum-certified weather protection and architectural performance with Ruskin louvers

Hess Corporation completes 29-story LEED Platinum Hess Tower with Ruskin louvers

The customer, Hess Corporation, a major energy company, faced a significant architectural challenge for its new 29-story LEED Platinum tower in Houston. The high-profile design required extensive custom louvers that provided both HVAC airflow with storm protection and a consistent aesthetic, all while needing to withstand hurricane-force winds and be installed entirely from the building's exterior in many inaccessible areas. Vendor Ruskin was selected to provide a solution using its EME745 Wind Driven Rain Resistant Louvers.

Ruskin engineered a custom two-piece louver system, the EME745, which featured a blind attachment method for exterior-only installation and was fabricated with precise leave-outs for architectural fins and pipe penetrations. The solution successfully met the project's stringent aesthetic and performance demands, contributing to the building achieving LEED Platinum certification. Ruskin's in-house painting facility also provided a custom pearlescent finish with a 20-year warranty. The vendor's comprehensive project management and innovative product design were critical to the project's overall success.

Hess Corporation