Case Study · Commercial Roofing
GT-1 Tested Gutter System at New Midway Middle School
MPI Fabrication × RPI Roofing — Custom aluminum box gutter system, coping, edge metal, and column-cover trim for a new public school roof in Liberty County, Georgia.
New Midway Middle School — Liberty County, Georgia
A Public School Needed a Roof That Could Prove It Would Hold
When RPI Roofing was awarded the roof at New Midway Middle School, the perimeter gutter specification called for more than heavy-duty aluminum. It called for documented, third-party-tested wind and load performance — a gutter system with published pressure ratings, an independent test report, and a defined installation method that would stand up to review during submittals.
That is exactly what MPI Fabrication's GT-1 tested gutter system delivers.
The MPI Fabrication GT-1 Gutter System
MPI Fabrication manufactures a third-party-tested aluminum box gutter system designed for low-slope commercial roofing applications. Our GT-1 assembly has been evaluated for outward wind pressure, vertical uplift, and downward static loading in accordance with ANSI/SPRI GT-1, and independently tested by National ES Testing Service.
Tested Performance
| Test | Direction | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| G-1 | Horizontal / outward wind pressure | 190 psf |
| G-2 | Vertical uplift | 135 psf |
| G-3 | Static / downward load | 160 psf |
Tested Assembly
- .040-inch aluminum gutter body
- 8″ rear vertical · 6″ bottom · 5″ front face · 1″ × 1″ box lip
- Hemmed .040 aluminum top straps
- 2″-wide, 16-gauge galvanized steel rear reinforcing supports
- Concealed #10–13 × 1½″ pancake screws
- Reinforcing supports and straps at 30″ on center
- 10-foot fabricated sections
MPI GT-1 gutter — certified profile submittal drawing
Why GT-1 Matters on a School
A commercial gutter is part of the roof perimeter — one of the most wind-sensitive areas of a building. When a gutter fails on a school, it does not just create a drainage problem. It threatens the roof edge, fascia, membrane termination, wall panels, HVAC equipment mounted along the perimeter, and everything below.
GT-1 provides documented evidence that the gutter assembly has been physically evaluated under controlled loading conditions. That gives the architect, the roofing contractor, the district's construction manager, and the school board something they can point to on paper: this specific system was tested to these specific ratings by this specific independent lab.
For a school being built to serve a community for the next 30-plus years, that documentation is the difference between “we think this will hold” and “we know it will hold.”
The Partnership: RPI Roofing + MPI Fabrication
RPI Roofing needed a metal partner who could deliver more than product — they needed a system, a submittal package, and a shop that would coordinate with the install schedule. MPI Fabrication delivered all three.
From RPI's shop drawings, our team fabricated the GT-1 gutter system to the tested specification, along with every additional perimeter metal piece the roof called for — coping, edge metal, transitions, corners, end caps, and the column-cover trim visible on the exterior. Every piece was fabricated in our Richmond Hill, GA shop and shipped to Midway ready for RPI's install crews.
One accountable shop. One estimating contact. One production schedule. One tested system with published ratings. That is how MPI works with commercial roofing contractors like RPI on projects where the details have to be right the first time.
On the Roof at Midway
What MPI Delivered to the Midway Project
- GT-1 tested aluminum box gutter system — fabricated to the certified profile, with reinforcing supports and straps at the tested 30″ on-center spacing
- Coping — continuous white metal cap running the full perimeter of the parapet
- Roof edge / drip edge — perimeter termination for the single-ply membrane
- Custom flashings — corners, end caps, and parapet-to-brick transitions to the architect's spec
- Column-cover trim — the red steel column cover pieces on the exterior walkway columns
Every fabricated piece was cut, formed, finished, and quality-checked in our Richmond Hill shop before it left for the jobsite.
Turnaround That Kept the Project on Schedule
School construction schedules are unforgiving. Every trade downstream of the roof depends on the metal being installed on time. MPI Fabrication's standard 24–72 hour turnaround from approved drawings to shipped metal kept RPI's install crews moving. Change orders and field adjustments were handled in hours, not days.
That responsiveness is why roofing contractors like RPI return to MPI on the next school, the next hospital, the next commercial build.
Proud to Serve the Community
New Midway Middle School is close to home for MPI Fabrication. Our shop is 30 minutes north in Richmond Hill. The students who will walk into this school every fall are neighbors — some of their families work in the same trades as ours, buy from the same suppliers, live in the same coastal Georgia communities.
Being the fabrication partner on a project like this is not just business. It is a building that will serve Midway for decades, with a certified gutter system engineered to prove it will hold up to whatever the coastal Georgia weather sends at it.
We are proud of the roof RPI built at Midway Middle School. And we are proud of the partnership — and the credential — that made it possible.
Important Note on the GT-1 Certification
The GT-1 rating applies to MPI's tested assembly, including the gutter's dimensions, metal type and thickness, rear reinforcing supports, top straps, fastener type and locations, support spacing, attachment into suitable blocking, and installation configuration.
MPI Fabrication offers a GT-1 tested gutter system when manufactured and installed in accordance with MPI's approved profile, material, reinforcement, fastening, and installation requirements.
Specify MPI's GT-1 Gutter System on Your Next Commercial Roof
Third-party tested. Published pressure ratings. Locally fabricated in Richmond Hill, GA. 24–72 hour turnaround for Southeast commercial roofing contractors.
Or call (912) 755-0030
Common Questions, Answered
Which roofing contractor installed MPI's GT-1 gutter on the Midway Middle School project?
RPI Roofing was the commercial roofing contractor for the New Midway Middle School project in Liberty County, Georgia. MPI Fabrication was the metal fabrication partner, providing the ANSI/SPRI GT-1 tested aluminum box gutter system along with coping, edge metal, custom flashings, and column-cover trim from our Richmond Hill, GA shop.
What did MPI Fabrication build for the New Midway Middle School roof?
MPI Fabrication built the ANSI/SPRI GT-1 tested aluminum box gutter system, continuous parapet coping, roof edge / drip edge, custom perimeter flashings, and the red steel column-cover trim visible on the exterior walkway columns. Every piece was fabricated in our Richmond Hill, GA shop and delivered ready for RPI Roofing's install crews.
Does MPI Fabrication fabricate metal for schools and school-district construction?
Yes. MPI Fabrication provides commercial metal fabrication for public and private K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and technical schools across the Southeast. School-project fabrication commonly includes GT-1 tested commercial gutter systems, roof edge and coping metal, HVAC ductwork and curbs, structural components, and architectural trim — all delivered on a 24-72 hour standard turnaround.
Why is MPI Fabrication's GT-1 system a good fit for public-school roofs?
Public-school roofs must serve their community for 30-plus years and must survive review by architects, district construction managers, and boards of education during submittals. MPI Fabrication's GT-1 tested gutter system provides published wind, uplift, and static-load ratings from an independent lab, a defined installation method, and documented third-party compliance — replacing 'we think this will hold' with 'we know it will hold.'
Where is the New Midway Middle School project located?
New Midway Middle School is located in Midway, Georgia — in Liberty County, approximately 30 minutes south of MPI Fabrication's Richmond Hill, GA shop. Midway is part of MPI's home Coastal Georgia service area.