Building Design & Construction articles from May 2003

Building Design & Construction archives from May 2003

Lagrange on steel.(Interview)
May 1, 2003... Lucien Lagrange. Principal. Lucien Lagrange Architects. Born in France, he moved to Montreal in 1959. He interned at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, tasted Chicago, and couldn't stay away. Now one of the most creative classic designers Chicago has...

The battle hymn of the economists. (Editorial).(Editorial)
May 1, 2003... An economist, a wit once said, is someone who likes numbers but lacked the charisma to be an accountant. This canard was challenged last month, when two exceptionally charismatic chief economists, David Wyss of Standard & Poor's and Kermit...

Darwin and construction. (Letters).
May 1, 2003... Your editorial on "How buildings really get built" [BD&C March 2003, p. 11] is a nice attempt to step out of the shadows of the creationist mind-set, but does not go far enough into the profoundly Darwinian one that is transforming our...

Healthcare report on the mark. (Letters).
May 1, 2003... I read with great interest the February 2003 edition of Building Design & Construction. The articles on healthcare design were extremely informative and insightful. As a hospital builder, I can relate to the information provided. While the...

The final word (honestly!) on Soldier Field. (Letters).
May 1, 2003... For Dirk Lohan Why do we think that all "old" buildings have style worth saving? Chicago made a tough decision on modernization. The new design should be given time to unfold. Mike DeVore Fire Protection Engineer Many other...

San Francisco savors solar energy. (News & Trends).
May 1, 2003... Despite its reputation as a fog-shrouded city, San Francisco is acting to tap solar energy. It is the first U.S. city to approve issuance of bonds to finance renewable energy systems. Frustrated by a series of electrical brownouts and...

$35 million remodeling and expansion of the Mitsubisbi Motors North America plant. (Projects awarded).(contract awarded to Kajima Construction Services)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Kajima Construction Services is the design/builder for a $35 million remodeling and expansion of the Mitsubishi Motors North America plant in Normal, Ill.. The project will increase the plant's capacity by 25%, adding 410,000 sq. ft. to the...

$12 million addition to the Dana Inn & Marina. (Projects awarded).(contract awarded to Tucker Sadler Noble Castro Architects)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Tucker Sadler Noble Castro Architects is architect for a $12 million addition to the Dana Inn & Marina in the Mission Bay area of San Diego. The project will add 51,000 sq. ft. in two three-story buildings that will house additional guest...

$7.4 million Murray Lake Elementary School. (Projects awarded).(BETA Design Group is architect for project; Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. is the general contractor)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... A school project placed on hold more than a year ago because of a flat student enrollment has now been activated due to a significant student population increase. The Lowell (Mich.) Area School District has broken ground for the $7.4 million...

California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology facility. (Projects awarded).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Construction has begun on the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology facility on the University of California-Irvine campus. The design-build project is being delivered by a team headed by PCL Construction...

CSI's MasterFormat to get a fourth life. (News & Trends).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... April 30 was the day for the Construction Specifications Institute to post the fourth draft of the MasterFormat on its Web site (www.csinet.org/technic/mfrevision.htm) for comment by the A/E/C industry. CSI, based in Alexandria, Va., says...

Charlotte towers still lead to nowhere. (News & Trends).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... When 16,000 architects descended on Charlotte for last year's American Institute of Architects convention, their curiosity was piqued by gray concrete towers rising on either side of a six-story parking structure between a Hilton Garden Inn and...

HOK Group Inc. (People/firms).(Patrick MacLeamy has been appointed CEO)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Patrick MacLeamy has been named CEO of St. Louis-based A/E HOK Group Inc. The 36-year HOK employee helped to establish the firm's first regional office, in San Francisco, in 1970.

Skanska USA Building Inc., Parsippany, N.J., will acquire employee-owned BFW Construction Co., Temple, Texas. (People/firms).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Skanska USA Building Inc., Parsippany, N.J., will acquire employee-owned BFW Construction Co., Temple, Texas. The $19 million purchase price includes $7.5 million for cash assets in the same amount being acquired from BFW.

Cannon Design. (People/firms).(Dale Alan Greenwald appointed vice president of firm's New York City office)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Dale Alan Greenwald, formerly an associate partner with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, has joined Cannon Design's New York City office as vice president.

Robert Fox, Jr., a co-founding principal of Fox & Fowle Architects, New York City, has left the firm. (People/firms).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Robert Fox, Jr., a co-founding principal of Fox & Fowle Architects, New York City, has left the firm to start his own architectural practice.

Hughes Associates. (People/firms).(Nestor Iwankiw is head of firm's new Chicago office)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Nestor Iwankiw, former vice president of engineering and research at American Institute of Steel Construction, heads the new Chicago office of fire protection consultant Hughes Associates.

Talking still beats typing. (Computer Applications).
May 1, 2003... Personal information managers, or PIMs--those push-button or touchscreen pocket organizers, such as the Palm Pilot and Pocket PC--have grown to attract legions of fans and users. But the real handheld technology revolution in construction...

Industry data.(Illustration)
May 1, 2003... Cost comparisons per square foot in select metro markets Swimming pool, enclosed * Racquetball court '03 '02 % chg. '03 '02 % chg. Atlanta 153.55 140.94...

Building Team Project of the Year Awards. (2003 Competition).
May 1, 2003... The six expert judges and five editors evaluating this year's Building Team Project of the Year Awards poured over dozens of submittals to identify the projects that best exemplify the collaborative effort necessary between owner, architect,...

Rural chic: nestled in the wooded wetlands of rural Ohio, the campus of clothier Abercrombie & Fitch reflects the company's hip, natural image. (Grand Award Commercial).
May 1, 2003... An old-school wooden canoe hangs from the ceiling in the lobby o[ the main entrance of the Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) office campus, a symbol of the active, nature-loving lifestyle that reflects the company's corporate identity and its hip brand...

Nurturing the community: Seattle's new multi-sport stadium and exhibition center showcases the culture of this progressive city, while preserving its neighborhood fabric. (Grand Award Institutional).
May 1, 2003... The best seat in the house at the new Seahawks Stadium in Seattle isn't on the 50-yard line. It's in the southeast corner, at the very top of the upper bowl. "From there you have a corner-to-corner view of the field and an inspiring grasp of...

From the heart: a cardiac-care facility survives two near-fatal incidents, thanks to the efforts of a dedicated Building Team. (Grand Award Institutional).
May 1, 2003... Describing the efforts of architects, contractor, and owners to bring the new home of Houston's Texas Heart Institute (THI) to life prompts any number of medical metaphors: the grafting required to attach the new Denton A. Cooley Building to...

Enduring entity: in Los Angeles, a new cathedral will serve the city's Roman Catholics for the next 500 years. (Grand Award Institutional).
May 1, 2003... The 1994 Northridge Earthquake was the precipitating event that led to the completion last year of a new cathedral for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. St. Vibiana's Cathedral, a 127-year-old unreinforced masonry structure, was damaged by the...

Capitol success: the State of California benefits from just the right approach for a megalithic mixed-use project in its capital city. (Merit Award Institutional).
May 1, 2003... The design and construction team for the Capitol Area East End Complex, Block 225, in Sacramento, faced tightened requirements of California's Title 24 energy code, frequent presentations to government bodies, and the need to integrate a public...

In defense of the nation: in the wake of September 11, a dedicated Building Team delivers a smallpox vaccine processing facility in just 72 days. (Merit Award Industrial).
May 1, 2003... Smallpox, a virus that once brought rampant illness, scarring, and death to millions, was eradicated in 1977, but the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001 restored the threat of widespread contamination. The Federal government responded quickly...

The little jewel: Cleveland's new planetarium is proof that innovative buildings don't have to be monumental to be meritorious. (Merit Award Institutional).(Nathan and Fannye Shafran Planetarium )
May 1, 2003... During the judging for Building Design & Construction's 6th Annual Building Team Awards, judge Elva Rubio, of Gensler and the University of Illinois at Chicago, uttered a phrase that was quickly picked up by everyone in the room. "It's...

Breaking the mold: owner/contractor entity delivers a highly marketable tower that escapes the mediocrity of most high-rise condos. (Merit Award Commercial).
May 1, 2003... In the multifamily housing business, the key to success is delivering what homebuyers want as fast and as cheaply as possible. While this simple equation can fatten the pocketbooks of owners and developers, it often leads to architecturally...

Making the grade. (Products at work).
May 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, Fla., decided to update its 10-year-old fire alarm system, school officials looked for an expandable system that could increase its capability by adding...

Fire notification. (Security & Life Safety).
May 1, 2003... An eight-page brochure on flexible network solutions for advanced fire protection includes information on the Noti Fire Net fire system network and the UniNet 2000 facility monitoring network. Designed to provide engineers, end-users, and...

Twist and turn. (Security & Life Safety).
May 1, 2003... Flexible stainless-steel hose used to connect sprinkler heads to the branch lines of commercial sprinkler systems provides no rigid joints between the branch line and the head. Rated up to 300 psi, each sprinkler hose is leak- and...

Next-generation detection. (Security & Life Safety).
May 1, 2003... Fire detector continuously samples the air and adjusts its detection threshold without user intervention and with no need for an installer to set sensitivity levels. The Acclimate detector incorporates both thermal and photoelectric...

No-fail fire protection. (Security & Life Safety).
May 1, 2003... Sprinkler system has built-in features that ensure protection while preventing water from entering the system, even during power failures. Available in both single and double interlock electric releases, in 1 1/2 to 8-in. sizes, the new...

Fire-rated insulation. (Security & Life Safety).
May 1, 2003... Duct insulation is a non-ceramic, high-temperature blanket that now gives a two-hour fire rating in single-layer applications. FlameCheck 2 is a 2-in.-thick insulation that delivers the same performance in one layer that previously required...

Controlled report. (Security & Life Safety).
May 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fire alarm control panel features advanced auto-programming capabilities, reducing installation time and overall cost, says the manufacturer. The MS-9200UD includes a remote upload/download communicator, which allows...

On-line security. (Security & Life Safety).
May 1, 2003... An Internet-powered, BACnet-compliant, IT-friendly building automation system, the eBuilding v1.1 includes improvements to scheduling, alarm management, trending, and extended support for multiple sites. The system has a common navigation menu...

New escape. (Security & Life Safety).
May 1, 2003... New patented fire escape for commercial buildings is concealed within the rafters of the building's roof and can be installed in an existing or new building. The Ferguson Fire Escape System (F.F.E.S.) can be produced in various sizes to...

Survey the room. (Security & Life Safety).
May 1, 2003... Advanced surveillance system, supported by a digital media infrastructure created by IBM, offers networked digital storage of security video from multiple networked systems. Providing a central point of control for all video files, the...

Verifying "Greenness". (Green Products).
May 1, 2003... Along with the rise in popularity of environmentally friendly products has come a method of testing and certifying a manufacturer's commitment to the cause. The Greenguard Environmental Institute has emerged as one of the leading...

Return to fresh air. (Products at work).
May 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Following the Sept. 11th attacks, an elementary school near Ground Zero didn't re-open for five months. High on the list of parent and teacher concern was the quality of the air staff and students would be breathing...

Recycled backing. (Green Products).
May 1, 2003... Carpet backing now uses 20% post-consumer recycled content and has received the Carpet and Rug Institute Green Label approval. The Unibond RE system passes lateral seam stress tests, protects against delamination by withstanding up to 8.3 psi...

Zero-VOC paint. (Green Products).
May 1, 2003... Interior latex paint for high-end commercial applications contains no VOCs or harsh solvents, meeting LEED criteria. Harmony paints have anti-microbial properties that protect the paint film. Suitable for environments that require a high level...

Roof reflection. (Green Products).
May 1, 2003... Reflective roof coating provides the roof membrane with an extra layer of protection. EnviroGuard's reflective properties help lower the membrane temperature, reducing both the building's energy demands and the amount of heat emitted into the...

Environment-friendly flooring. (Green Products).
May 1, 2003... Linoleum flooring is made of cork flour and linseed oil combined with resin from conifer trees, limestone, and wood flour, which is then laid on jute backing. When heated, Linosom provides a smooth surface that eliminates dust, bacteria, and...

Certified walls. (Green Products).
May 1, 2003... Vinyl-based brand-name wall coverings, including Bolta, Essex, Genon, Guard, Lanark, Tower, and Xquest, are Greenguard certified. The certification ensures that VOC emissions per square meter of wall covering fall below 500 micrograms within 96...

Bright light savings. (Green Products).
May 1, 2003... More than 15 compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) models, including a three-way CFL, a candelabra-based CFL, and a BR40 reflector floor CFL, have all led the Environmental Protection Agency to name Osram Sylvania an Energy Star Partner of the Year....

Flush it away. (Green Products).
May 1, 2003... Piston-operated flushometer features a non-hold open handle that controls water usage. The GEM 2(R) has an ADA-compliant handle, control stop, vandal-resistant cap, high copper/low zinc brass castings, and a sweat kit with cast-set screw wall...

New Product & Technology Center Directory.
May 1, 2003... This Directory is for use in association with the New Product & Technology Center at AIA Expo 2003, held May 8-10 in San Diego, CA. The New Product & Technology Center is sponsored by Building Design & Construction and the American Institute of...

Through more than a century of delivering superior building technology systems and services throughout the world.(Johnson Controls' knowledge based integration approach)
May 1, 2003... Through more than a century of delivering superior building technology systems and services throughout the world, Johnson Controls has worked hard to learn and understand what our customers want. Building owners want solutions that simplify...

Building with the end in mind: every building begins with a vision. Now a new approach to construction helps owners fully realize that vision in brick, mortar and technology. It's called knowledge-based integration.
May 1, 2003... When an organization decides to build, it is usually for reasons beyond adding square footage. A school district may envision a new high school wired for online instruction and distance learning and with classroom environments designed to...

Web of progress: building automation continues to benefit from growth in Web-based tools and advances in information technology. Here's a look at the latest directions.
May 1, 2003... Technology continues to increase the power of a building automation system (BAS), not just to drive facility performance but to deliver business results. Trends today include the convergence of building and IT network infrastructure and...

A broader view: new Internet-based services give facility managers unprecedented power to analyze information and deliver business results.
May 1, 2003... It's budget time again for A Plus Company's facility director, Chuck Stevens--but this year, things are different. Although money is as tight as ever, Stevens is confident that the plan he'll present to his management next week will not...

Securing our nation's defense. (Case Study: The Pentagon Washington D.C.).(Johnson Control is involved in $1.2 bil renovation project of Pentagon)
May 1, 2003... The Pentagon, the largest low-rise office building in the world, was constructed during World War II to serve our nation's wartime administrative needs. The building is part of the federal government's ongoing effort to increase employee...

Application: company: type: equipment.
May 1, 2003... APPLICATION COMPANY TYPE Access Northern/Silent Knight INT Control SMF Corporation N2 Systems Toye Corporation N2 Air Alnor Instrument...

Understanding workspace improves workplace performance. (Case Study: BP America, Inc. North America).(Johnson Controls Inc was contractor for BP America)
May 1, 2003... In 2000, after the acquisition of Amoco Oil, it became imperative that BP America, Inc. improve the efficiency and effectiveness of work environments within their large regional offices located in Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles. Along with...

What's changed in building design since 9/11? On February 26, the 10-year anniversary of the first attack on World Trade Center, a group of designers, builders and code officials met to discuss what has changed for those who design, construct and operate buildings since September 11.
May 1, 2003... JIM CROCKETT: We come together for this discussion at a very timely confluence of events: The imminent announcement of the winner of the new World Trade Center development; the announcement of the findings of the City of New York's post-9/11...

Unstructured thinking: Johnson Controls Readiness Management Support unit plays a substantial role in national security and humanitarian aid. (Case Study: AFCAP).
May 1, 2003... The typical image of a Johnson Controls employee is someone seated at a computer workstation, or installing a building control system, or working in an office. But look around the world and you may also see Johnson Controls people doing...

Validation requirements for building automation systems in pharmaceutical and bio-medical manufacturing facilities.
May 1, 2003... Most information Technology (IT) professionals can recall the nervous anxiety they experienced at 11:59 pm on December 31, 1999 in anticipation of what some thought would be the implosion of the computerized world. The great news is that...

Plant built for nearly 10% less than targeted. (Case Study: Oklahoma City ASG Oklahoma City, Oklahoma).(Johnson Controls outsources construction management of its own assembly plants)
May 1, 2003... Automobile manufacturers increasingly turn to outsourcing vehicle components so they can devote more attention to creating enticing designs and improving production efficiencies. They partner with experts to supply seats, instrument panels,...

"Intelligent" broadcaster: integrated building automation at MDR. (Case Study: Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) Central German Television).
May 1, 2003... Efficient buildings and availability of equipment are important to the smooth operations of television broadcasting at the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), which translates to Central German Television. That's why those responsible for running...

Protecting your BAS investment: Systems Integration Services helps facility owners get optimum performance from existing systems.
May 1, 2003... Like the mechanical and electronic devices they control, building automation systems age. In time, components need service or replacement. More important, the systems themselves move toward obsolescence as technology advances. If you own...

Creating buildings for a livable future--sustainable design gains ground.
May 1, 2003... Americans spend up to 90 percent of our time indoors, much of it in densely populated high-rise structures that consume vast amounts of natural resources. The impact of indoor environments on occupants' health and productivity, as well as on...

Security assessments--new and emerging trends in systems and procedures.
May 1, 2003... The security landscape has changed since 9-11. Many companies and institutions have reawakened to the need to review their currently security strategies, and to reassess the policies, procedures and systems they have in place, to address...

Critical facilities: the four A's of management: a strategic approach helps owners of critical infrastructure maximize performance, reliability, and return on investment.
May 1, 2003... During the technology boom, companies asked one question about computer and server infrastructure: How fast can we build it? Today, they ask different questions: How can we maintain this high-value, critical space at the lowest cost with...