Silicone coatings and sealants deliver lasting façade performance for San Francisco’s twisting Mira Tower.
Mira Tower is a distinctive 400-ft-tall residential tower located in the heart of San Francisco. The building’s sculptural design features a gradual twist as it rises, with bay windows that capture natural light and panoramic city views.
Designed to meet ambitious sustainability goals, the tower’s façade is 51% opaque and incorporates an innovative Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) cooling system, graywater harvesting, green roofs, and high-efficiency fixtures. Mira Tower exceeds California Title 24 energy standards and holds LEED® Gold certification.
To achieve a continuous, high-performance building envelope, Elemax™ Air & Water-Resistive Barrier (AWB) Coating was applied as the air barrier. The façade construction also utilized a system of UltraGlaze™ SSG4600 Structural Silicone Glazing Sealant, SilPruf™ SCS2000 Sealant, and UltraSpan™ UST transition sheet.
The complex façade was fabricated across three Permasteelisa locations - in Montreal, Modesto (CA), and Thailand. Our technical team supported both in-plant and on-site activities, helping coordinate subcontractors for the air barrier application and ensuring consistent performance across all units.
Elemax AWB coating forms a seamless, breathable membrane that controls the flow of air and water through the building envelope. This helps enhance indoor air quality, stabilize interior temperatures, inhibit mold and mildew growth, and reduce energy consumption.
The primerless silicone coating offers flexible application, can remain permanently exposed to UV light, and coordinates easily with other trades - supporting efficient project sequencing. As a LEED-certified material, it contributed directly to the tower’s sustainability achievements.
The UltraGlaze structural silicone glazing sealant provided the strength and flexibility to withstand San Francisco’s seismic activity, UV exposure, and extreme weather conditions. With a 30 psi design strength, it supports the construction of strong, safe, and energy-efficient curtainwall systems designed for long-term durability.
The façade system’s modular design allowed for faster installation. Window panels were connected to a repeating frame from inside the building - reducing reliance on cranes and minimizing both energy usage and neighborhood disruption during construction.
Mira Tower has received multiple awards for its innovation, design, and sustainability, including:
Our silicone technologies enable the construction of high-performance façades that combine strength, flexibility, and long-term protection. Together, these products help create more durable, sustainable building envelope systems designed for decades of performance - even in challenging coastal and seismic environments.
Performance results are those of reported accounts and are not to be relied upon as typical or expected under any other circumstances. Performance results will vary depending upon a number of factors. Prospective customers should rely solely upon their own evaluative techniques to determine what results are attainable and optimal to their specific needs.Further note that MPM is not endorsed by or affiliated with the owner(s) of Mira Tower.
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