Building Design & Construction articles from March 2006

Building Design & Construction archives from March 2006

Can design improve productivity?(EDITORIAL)
March 1, 2006... Would giving office workers better working environments yield greater productivity? According to a survey of business executives in the United Kingdom, it would indeed, by a remarkable 19%--enough to boost the British economy by 135...

With new standard, industry groups hope to take high-performance building practices mainstream.(NEWS & TRENDS)
March 1, 2006... A new minimum standard for high-performance buildings is in development for 2007. Cosponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council; the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America; and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and...

U.N. creates sustainable building program.
March 1, 2006... U.N. creates sustainable building program. The U.N. Environment Programme has launched an international effort to "green" the building and construction industry. Construction giants Lafarge, Skanska, and Arcelor are among founding members of...

Chicago closes in on mandatory construction recycling.
March 1, 2006... Chicago closes in on mandatory construction recycling. New rules for construction and demolition recycling in Chicago go into effect this month. The initial requirement for recycling will be 25% of all recyclable materials measured by weight...

NCARB architecture board may loosen its test-timing schedule.
March 1, 2006... NCARB architecture board may loosen its test-timing schedule. The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards will propose allowing candidates to take its Architect Registration Examination (ARE) when they have completed 250 intern...

U.S. developer plans a 2,000-foot skyscraper in South Korea.
March 1, 2006... U.S. developer plans a 2,000-foot skyscraper in South Korea. Atlanta-based developer John Portman plans to erect a 151-story tower as part of a 1,500-acre, $11 billion residential, office, and hotel complex about 20 miles from Seoul. The...

Trump wants to build a Rhode Island casino.
March 1, 2006... Trump wants to build a Rhode Island casino. Donald Trump wants to make a deal with Johnston, R.I., a town of 28,000 that's six miles east of Providence and the site of the state's biggest landfill. The hirsute real estate and TV celebrity has...

With seven new towers, the Baltimore skyline could change dramatically.
March 1, 2006... With seven new towers, the Baltimore skyline could change dramatically. Baltimore's skyline is on the verge of changing more than at any time since the Inner Harbor renewal began in the 1960s, thanks partly to returning baby boomers. In the...

Tilt-up on the rise: record-setting wall goes up in Hollywood, Fla.(NEWS & TRENDS)
March 1, 2006... The world's tallest tilt-up concrete wall, measuring an impressive 96 feet, 6 inches tall, was hoisted into position at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla., last month, setting a new record for the tilt-up concrete...

BD&C's giants 300 survey is now online.(NEWS & TRENDS)
March 1, 2006... Think your firm ranks among the largest design and construction companies in the nation? The editors of Building Design & Construction have posted our annual Giants 300 survey at www.BDCnetwork.com. Each year, BD&C tracks the business...

BD&C online poll.(NEWS & TRENDS)
March 1, 2006... Here are the results from our February BDCnetwork.com poll, which asked BD&C readers: What is your opinion of the progress of the reconstruction efforts in the Gulf Coast? 31.21% Progressing as fast as possible under the circumstances...

CH2M Hill.(PEOPLE/firms)
March 1, 2006... Lee A. McIntire has joined CH2M Hill, the Englewood, Colo.-based engineering, construction, and operations firm, as president and CEO. Mclntire spent the last 15 years of his 30-year construction career with San Francisco-based Bechtel Group.

Philadelphia-based architecture, engineering, and interior design firm Nelson announced last month that it's merging with AE Pragmatics, a design, consulting, and training firm based near San Francisco.(PEOPLE/firms)
March 1, 2006... Philadelphia-based architecture, engineering, and interior design firm Nelson announced last month that it's merging with AE Pragmalics, a design, consulting, and training firm based near San Francisco. The combined organization, which will use...

Omaha-based Leo A Daly has named Paul G. Heflin.(PEOPLE/firms)
March 1, 2006... Omaha-based Leo A Daly has named Paul G. Heflin, AIA, VP and managing principal of its Washington, D.C., office.

Corgan Associates.(PEOPLE/firms)
March 1, 2006... Corgan Associates, Dallas, has promoted two employees to VP status: Helen Danby was named VP of Corgan Interiors, and Jonathan Massey was named VP of the Aviation Group.

O'Neill Hill and Associates.(PEOPLE/firms)
March 1, 2006... P. Tara Wasmuth, IIDA, has joined the Houston office of O'Neill Hill and Associates as director of corporate interiors.

SEA Consultants.(PEOPLE/firms)
March 1, 2006... SEA Consultants, Cambridge, Mass., has named Anthony J. Zuena president and CEO. For more People/Firms news, visit: www.BDCnetwork.com.

Will workshop condos work?(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... Regarding your story on workshop condos in the January edition of BD&C ("A new building type: 'workshop condos,'" p. 9), these types of self-storage developments are typically issued a Certificate of Occupancy for S2 occupancy (low-hazard...

Clarifications.(Correction notice)
March 1, 2006... BD&C's December 2005 story on Tablet PCs ("Tablet PC's are finally poised to make their mark," p. 37) mistakenly stated that Boulder, Colo.-based @Last Software unveiled a pen-based version of its design product, SketchUp, for use on tablet...

Proposed expansion plan envisions a pier without peer.(ON THE DRAWING BOARD)
March 1, 2006... Officials of Chicago's Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority have released plans for an ambitious redesign of Navy Pier, one of the city's most popular lakefront attractions. The plan is estimated to cost in the hundreds of millions of...

Comcast skyscraper will alter Philadelphia skyline.(ON THE DRAWING BOARD)
March 1, 2006... The 1.2 million-sf, 57-story Comcast enter will markedly change Philadelphia's syline, as it's projected to rank as the 11th-tallest building in the U.S. at 975 feet. Construction began in January 2005 with completion slated for early 2008. New...

Harley-Davidson unveils design for Milwaukee museum.(ON THE DRAWING BOARD)
March 1, 2006... Harley-Davidson has set the design for its $95 million museum planned for Milwaukee. The move caps off more than a year of design work between city planners and Harley's team of Pentagram (design architect) in New York and Hammel, Green and...

Cultural center will honor playwright August Wilson.(ON THE DRAWING BOARD)
March 1, 2006... Scheduled to break ground this spring in the Pittsburgh cultural district, the 80,000-sf, $35.9 million August Wilson Center for African American Culture will present performing arts, visual arts, and education programs celebrating the...

MGM mirage approves $7 billion Project CityCenter.(ON THE DRAWING BOARD)
March 1, 2006... MGM Mirage Inc.'s board of directors has approved the $7 billion first phase construction budget and the design of the massive Project CityCenter planned to bring a city core to the Las Vegas strip. The project, described by the company as the...

Wooden Arts Center takes shape on Woodstock site.(ON THE DRAWING BOARD)
March 1, 2006... A $63 million project will add a museum and performing arts center to the site of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival. The first construction phase of the Bethel Woods Arts Center includes a 4,800-seat pavilion, a museum and events gallery,...

Arlington, Texas, Hospital will receive a new building.(ON THE DRAWING BOARD)
March 1, 2006... Arlington Memorial Hospital in Arlington, Texas, began construction on a $76 million addition. The six-story surgical tower will increase the hospital's size by more than 200,000 sf, adding 16 operating rooms for inpatient and day surgery....

New building planned for California Architecture School.(ON THE DRAWING BOARD)
March 1, 2006... California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo has launched a $24 million expansion and renovation of its College of Architecture and Environmental Design. The college will add a new 50,000-sf building to provide lab, lecture,...

Georgia performing arts center to serve the community.(ON THE DRAWING BOARD)
March 1, 2006... In Marietta, Ga., construction is under way on an 84,400-sf performing arts facility. Serving both students of the adjacent Mt. Paran Christian School campus and the local community, Dozier Center for the Performing Arts will feature an...

Office park planned for Carlsbad, Calif.(ON THE DRAWING BOARD)
March 1, 2006... Smith Consulting Architects of San Diego has designed a $10 million development called Bressi Spectrum, a 119,000-sf office/R&D project on a 9.6-acre campus within the Bressi Ranch Business Park in Carlsbad, Calif. Bressi Spectrum LLC of San...

Research center will help protect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.(ON THE DRAWING BOARD)
March 1, 2006... The National Park Service has started construction on the Twin Creeks Science and Education Center at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in southeast Tennessee. Atlanta-based Hedges Construction is building the 15,000-sf, $4.4 million...

Surge of shopping center offers retail therappy for the recovering commercial construction construction sector.(INDUSTRY DATA)
March 1, 2006... The outlook for commercial construction spending--mostly retail--has improved from our earlier forecasts, which had closely matched expected inflation. However, a recent surge in shopping center starts requires a revised forecast where...

Commodity price inflation is increasing job site delivered costs.(INDUSTRY DATA)
March 1, 2006... Rapid inflation in construction commodities, such as ravel and cement, resumed last September after remaining virtually unchanged for a year. Hurricane supply losses and subsequent reconstruction work are largely responsible for the return of...

Education spending up 14% this year, 11% increase expected in '07.(INDUSTRY DATA)
March 1, 2006... Construction spending on education facilities rebounded to double-digit growth last fall, following a brief decline during the summer months. Education project starts increased 27.5% between the first and second halves of 2005, according to...

Cost comparison per square foot in select metro markets.(INDUSTRY DATA)
March 1, 2006... Cost composition per square foot in select metro markets Jail '06 '05 % chg Atlanta 192.39 181.90 5.7 Baltimore 199.92 187.81 ...

Rethinking workplace design: it's not about cubicles. it's about how work gets done.(OFFICE INTERIORS)
March 1, 2006... Six years ago, Kevin Kampschroer, director of research and expert services in the General Services Administration's Office of Applied Research, came up with one of those ideas that people in his profession get paid to dream up. His...

Office space must 'sell' the corporate brand to drive business.(OFFICE INTERIORS)
March 1, 2006... "There are companies that, build buildings just to seat people," says Andrew Garnar-Wortzel. "They don't take into account how the building drives their business." Office space in the private sector should reinforce the corporation's...

Storage that's not a reach.(OFFICE PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... AIISteel's award-winning Reach system doesn't just hang storage space off a wall. It actually uses lots of storage space to create the wall. By placing high-capacity lockers, cabinets, and shelves inside a cubicle's wall, it puts files, books,...

Options are on the menu.(OFFICE PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... The Menu line from Gunlocke allows the user to customize his or her own workstation. Menu has 10 worksurface shapes and various storage component options for space-efficient configurations. Integrated power, data access, and cable management...

Give me Liberty or give me uncomfortable office chairs.(OFFICE PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... The follow-up to Niels Diffrient's Freedom chair from Humanscale, the Liberty uses a patent-pending, form-sensing mesh covering to allow the chair to conform to the user's body shape, yet still be breathable and durable. The no-knob adjustable...

A monitor arm that's nice to your arms.(OFFICE PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... Humanscale's M4 flat panel monitor arm uses the same height and depth adjustment technology used in the Freedom and Liberty chairs. Users can adjust the ergonomically designed monitor support with their fingertips and the arm will keep its...

Office furniture that turns heads.(OFFICE PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... One of Humanscale's newest ergonomic office products, the Diffrient Task Light can be positioned without using knobs for flexibility and ease of use. With an adjustable task light on a desk, workers can direct light where they need it most....

Turn your phone conversations into babble.(OFFICE PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... Babble, from Herman Miller's Sonare Technologies, is a desktop device that connects to the telephone and sends the user's voice out in multiplied and "babbled" form through proprietary speakers arranged in the work area. It achieves...

Cells of comfort.(OFFICE PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... Designed by Herman Miller's Jerome Caruso, the Celle work chair's defining feature is Cellular Suspension, a concept that uses pliable molded polymer "cells" and loops to responsively flex in concert with the body's movements throughout the...

Reflective canopies keep out sound.(OFFICE PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... Armstrong's Soundscapes acoustic canopies are being recommended to reduce noise in work stations and reception areas. The curved canopies have a reflective membrane that absorbs 90% of soundwaves that contact it. The canopies are also...

Second time is a charm.(OFFICE BUILDINGS)
March 1, 2006... It was early September 2001, and Chicago developer John Buck had just put the finishing touches on one of the most successful speculative office projects in his firm's 20-year history. The 1.3 million-sf, 50-story UBS Tower at One N. Wacker...

A melding of the arts: a public-private partnership result in a unique children's cultural center that has redefined the fine art of storytelling in downtown Charlotte.(CULTURAL FACILITIES)
March 1, 2006... When adult patrons enter Charlotte's new children's cultural center for the first time, the initial thought that probably comes to mind is chaos. With virtually no interior walls, the 160,000-sf facility is a sea of whimsical exhibits and...

40 under 40.
March 1, 2006... What do a juggling unicyclist, a Celtic rock musician, a Yoda impressionist, and a certified hand-to-hand sword fighter have in common? They're among the 40 brightest stars in the AEC universe--and they're all under age 40. They and...

Ashrae Mulls continuous air barriers: in a major study, NIST researchers conclude that tight building envelopes reduce energy costs.(BUILDING TECHNOLOGY)
March 1, 2006... A study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) reports that continuous air barrier systems can reduce air infiltration by up to 60% and energy consumption by almost 40% in commercial buildings. Researchers...

Downsizing lab energy systems: HVAC and piped-utility systems in labs can be as much as 300% too big. Here's how to cut them down to size.(BUILDING TECHNOLOGY)
March 1, 2006... Laboratories are the third-most energy-intensive building type. A single fume hood can consume as much energy as three single-family homes. But different types of labs can exhibit wide variations in energy needs, which often discourage...

StrionAir air-purification system.(The Professional's Choice)
March 1, 2006... Dan Green, senior project manager with Madison, Wis.-based consulting engineer Arnold & O'Sheridan, has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare, science and research, corporate, industrial, and higher education markets. Green's...

Ballpark gets the major league joint treatment.(PRODUCTS AT WORK)
March 1, 2006... Now into its third Major League Baseball season, the Philadelphia Phillies' Citizens Bank Park has remained virtually leak-free, thanks, in part, to Emseal's Thermaflex expansion joints installed along the stadium's risers. The tread and riser...

No need to wait for natural patina.(PRODUCTS AT WORK)
March 1, 2006... A posh, lavish appearance was desired for the exterior of the 7,000-sf Tryg's Restaurant in Minneapolis. Local architect Shea Inc. specified an exterior design scheme comprised primarily of stone and wood elements that would meld with the...

Historic lighthouse gets an upgrade.(PRODUCTS AT WORK)
March 1, 2006... Years of exposure to driving rain and gale-force winds had taken its toll on the Umpqua River Lighthouse in Winchester Bay, Ore. Many of the structure's historic windows were broken and the front door was badly deteriorated. As part of its...

Taking advantage of views at Cape Cod.(PRODUCTS AT WORK)
March 1, 2006... Located at the mouth of the scenic Cape Cod Canal, Massachusetts Maritime Academy is within a stone's throw of Buzzards Bay and offers views of the Atlantic Ocean beyond. Somerville, Mass.-based HKT Architects made sure to maximize the...

Railing creates an industrial look.(PRODUCTS AT WORK)
March 1, 2006... Looking for an industrial feel for the 250unit Premier Lofts condo complex in downtown Denver, local architect Shears Adkins specified Speed-Rails for all handrail systems. Generally used for industrial environments, Speed-Rails offered the...

Solving a noisy situation in Costa Rica.(PRODUCTS AT WORK)
March 1, 2006... The Building Team for a new emergency room facility at Calderon Guadia Hospital in Costa Rica was faced with a major acoustical problem when the only feasible location for two new 90-ton water chillers was adjacent to patient dormitories....

Low profile.(PRODUCTS AT WORK)
March 1, 2006... When designing the Leon Levy Visitor Center at the New York Botanical Garden in Bronx, N.Y., architect Hugh Hardy of H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture, New York, was searching for steel windows with "crisp profiles and simple joinery" that...

50th Annual CSI Show and Convention.(PRODUCTS AT WORK)
March 1, 2006... March 28-31 Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas Architect Frank Gehry, FAIA, and his colleague Dennis R. Shelden, founder and chief technology officer of Gehry Technologies, will kick off the 50th Annual CSI Show and Convention in Las...

Roof spray has the best of both worlds.(EDITORS' PICKS)
March 1, 2006... Baytec SPR 185A hybrid thick-film coating is formulated for industrial roof systems. It combines durability, flexibility, and rapid cure to create a seamless roof coating that protects against leaks, weather, and foot traffic. The spray...

Tighter skylights.(EDITORS' PICKS)
March 1, 2006... Naturalite's Continuous Vault skylight system is available in an improved thermal performance version that allows buildings to have airtight, thermally efficient skylit ceilings. Naturalite from Vistawall Input No. 203 at ...

Plastics keep out mold and mildew.(EDITORS' PICKS)
March 1, 2006... Plastex PolyWall combines recycled polyethylene and polypropylene, usually incompatible resins, to create a chemically inert wall covering that is waterproof and mold and mildew resistant. The wall covering sheets are approved for high moisture...

Easy lighting design.(EDITORS' PICKS)
March 1, 2006... 3dOP lighting software from Allscape instantly performs lighting analysis and allows users to see how fixture positions dynamically affect output and overlap. The software includes data for in-ground fixtures, step lights, bollards, footlights,...

Indirect approach.(EDITORS' PICKS)
March 1, 2006... The Indirect luminaire throws less than half its light upward. The luminaire focuses light energy onto an upper reflector, which sends it downward with virtually no stray light, minimizing light pollution. The fixture features a motion sensor...

Open the door of possibilities.(EDITORS' PICKS)
March 1, 2006... Sextant door pulls offer numerous options for grips, finials, materials, and finishes that can be mixed and matched. Grips are available in stainless steel, bronze, or tactile black. Finials come in four designs in stainless steel or bronze....

Let it snow, let it show, let it snow.(EDITORS' PICKS)
March 1, 2006... Mineral fiber ceiling panels are manufactured from a cotton-like substance that provides excellent sound absorption and high thermal resistance. Snowen panels are formaldehyde-free and are suited for commercial environments where acoustical...

Concrete carpeting.(EDITORS' PICKS)
March 1, 2006... Woven carpet collection mimics the appearance of four hard-surface architectural components: glass, steel girders, steel rebar, and concrete. The Translations line is composed of a skeindyeable metallic polymer nylon that provides a high-luster...

The only masonry cement you'll need.(EDITORS' PICKS)
March 1, 2006... Cemex masonry cement is formulated and manufactured to produce mortar for use in brick, block, stone plaster, and stone masonry construction. The mixture includes portland cement blended with plasticizers such as limestone and hydrated or...

The air's not there.(EDITORS' PICKS)
March 1, 2006... Air-Bloc liquid-applied air barriers are available in both a non-permeable and vapor-permeable formula. The membranes reduce energy costs from heat loss, cooling loss, and surplus humidity. Working in concert with tight roofs and windows,...

Jeff Elie: 'corporate real estate is transforming'.(THOUGHT LEADERS)(Interview)
March 1, 2006... Jeffrey L. Elie is VP of Global Real Estate and Facilities for Kaplan Inc., an education division of the Washington Post Co. Previously, he was real estate director for the McGraw-Hill Companies and assistant vice president for Citibank, N.A....

Industry groups team to create green design standard.(news)
March 15, 2006... The U.S. Green Building Council, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North American have formed a partnership to create a set of criteria listing minimum...

RCMA releases a tech brief on white roof coatings.(news)
March 15, 2006... The White Coatings Council of the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association has published a technical brief on white reflective coatings for commercial roofing applications. Tech Note-06, "Overview of White Coatings and their Application,"...

Events.(Calendar)
March 15, 2006... April 19-20 CleanMed 2006, Seattle Info: www.cleanmed.org May 2-4 Green Design Solutions, Atlanta Info: (888) 530-6714; www.greendesignsolutions.com 4-7 The Architecture of Sustainability Shepherdstown, W.Va. Info:...

Mitigating moisture.(products)
March 15, 2006... Moisture-retardant system can reduce vapor transmission by up to 75% with its post-application cure time of 12-16 hours. The VapArrest System is VOC-free and freeze/thaw-stable to 10 degrees F. The moisture retardant can be applied with a...

Don't forget the scraps.(products)
March 15, 2006... Aluminum ceiling system for interior and exterior applications is manufactured with 70% recycled content and contains no VOCs. Scrap aluminum is recycled back into the manufacturing process. The manufacturer also uses cleaning and pre-treatment...

Roll out the red carpet.(products)
March 15, 2006... Commercial carpet lines are certified by Scientific Certification Systems as environmentally preferable products for their manufacturing efficiency and installation with minimal waste. The Charlemont, Heath, and North Adams lines feature both...

A plethora of lights.(products)
March 15, 2006... Recessed, low-level luminaires for indoor and outdoor environments are ideal for effects lighting and specific color coordination and themes. The Solas Series offers a variety of lamp sources and wattages (26-100 watts), including an 18-watt...

PVs play a key role in ferry terminal's grand views.(products)
March 15, 2006... Located on Manhattan's southern tip, the Whitehall Ferry Terminal has become one of the Big Apple's most eye-catching transportation centers. The 200,000-sf terminal, which carries 65,000 commuters and tourists between Staten Island and...

Wash and save.(products)
March 15, 2006... Electronic hand-washing faucets save water by using an infrared sensor to activate and disable flow when users step up to and away from the sink. The SF-2300 and SF-2350 chrome-plated, brass faucets automatically deliver tempered hot or cold...

Reinforced roofing.(products)
March 15, 2006... Multipurpose, liquid-urethane product line now includes a reinforced waterproofing restoration system for metal, modified bitumen, and built-up roofing systems. The highly reflective White Knight coating meets Energy Star requirements, reducing...

Sparkling garden.(products)
March 15, 2006... Recycled glass "mulch" adds color to walkways, gardens, and other landscaping elements, while inhibiting weed growth, moderating soil temperatures, and preventing soil compaction. The 100% post-consumer recycled industrial glass is crushed and...

Mighty mosaics.(products)
March 15, 2006... Handcrafted glass tiles are made from 25%-85% post-consumer glass bottles. Tiles are available in 39 colors and in a variety of sizes (from 1x1 to 8x8 inches). Each tile is cast, cut, and finished by hand, resulting in a sophisticated,...

Energy-efficient escalators keep up the pace at Chicago's O'Hare Airport.(products)
March 15, 2006... Chicago's O'Hare International Airport is one of the world's busiest airports. And because it is home to many national and international airline carriers, the Chicago Department of Aviation takes its commitment to the environment seriously. So...

Energy-efficient window.(products)
March 15, 2006... Window system features a nonmetallic edge seal for improved thermal performance and lower U-value. The window's NexGen Technology resists moisture and has a greater ability to tolerate thermal stress and high wind loads. TRACO Input 209 at...

For the love of the dolphins.(products)
March 15, 2006... The Island Dolphin Care Facility in Key Largo, Fla., provides dolphin-assisted therapy to 2,000 critically ill, disabled, and special needs children annually, allowing them to swim and play with dolphins and attend motivational recreation...