Building Design & Construction articles from May 2008

Building Design & Construction archives from May 2008

Stacked Up: 185 Berry Street at China Basin.(Office buildings construction)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Dave Barista Since the first application of base isolators some 23 years ago on a legal services center in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., the technology has become a popular seismic design approach throughout the West Coast. The technique is...

When One Is Better Than Two: Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
May 1, 2008... By Robert Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief Consolidating two healthcare facilities on one site proved especially difficult when the nearby river flooded just as construction was about to begin. It's one thing to build a new hospital on a nice,...

Energizing Atlanta: Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
May 1, 2008... Jeff Yoders, Senior Associate Editor The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre hopes to become an economic engine for northwest Atlanta and Cobb County. The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre rises like three crashing waves cresting above...

A Less Taxing Environment: IRS Pennway Complex.(renovation of business districts)(Internal Revenue Service)
May 1, 2008... By Jay W. Schneider, Senior Editor A highly efficient and sustainable government facility in Kansas City is a model for future IRS centers. Kansas City, Mo., is experiencing tremendous construction resurgence, led in great part by the...

A Place For Hope: Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care.
May 1, 2008... Dave Barista In the stressful process of cancer treatment, sometimes peace and hope are all that patients have to cling to. With those guiding principles in mind, the Building Team for the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care at...

Courthouse Pushes the Boundariesof Tradition: Wayne L. Morse U.S. Courthouse.
May 1, 2008... By Jay W. Schneider, Senior Editor A federal courthouse puts a modern spin on ancient ideas of judicial architecture. When U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan first saw designs for the new federal courthouse in Eugene, Ore., he hated...

A Greener Shade of Old Blue: Yale University Sculpture Building.
May 1, 2008... By Robert Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief Yale is out to out-green every other U.S. college and university, with a particular eye to outshining that institution of crimson hue to the northeast. Although Yale University's bottom-line mandate...

New Ceilingand AcousticalProducts.(Quiet Solutions introduced QuietPad)(Pinta Acoustic introduced Acoustiblok soundproofing material )
May 1, 2008... Staff Graphics galore Armstrong Ceilings has expanded its line of Infusions Accent Canopies with the addition of a new palette of graphics styles that includes dots, stripes, ovals, and oars. Graphix, the new screen-printed panels,...

Chicago suburb to get a luxury hotel.(Calamos Real Estate build luxury hotel at CityGate Centre)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Naperville, Ill.-based developer Calamos Real Estate has unveiled plans for a luxury hotel at CityGate Centre, its 31-acre mixed-use complex in Naperville. Hotel Arista will incorporate 144 guestrooms with residential-quality...

Hospital of the future breaks ground in Abu Dhabi.(Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Hospital Construct healthcare complex )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Construction work has commenced on the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD) Hospital in the United Arab Emirates, a massive 2.3 million-sf, $1.5 billion healthcare complex that is designed based on patient-centered care and...

Work set to begin on new HQ for Asia Society Texas Center.(Houston headquarters construction)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Groundbreaking is set for later this month on the new Houston headquarters for the Asia Society Texas Center. Designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, the two-story, 38,000-sf will be located in the city's museum district and will feature wide...

Salt Lake City to get first mid-rise shipping container building in North America.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Site demolition work was recently completed in downtown Salt Lake City to make way for City Center Lofts, a seven-story condo complex that will be constructed from shipping containers that were previously used to move goods across...

University of Rhode Island to get an undersea exploration center.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Providence, R.I.-based Gilbane Building Co. has broken ground on a $15 million undersea exploration center and expansion and rehabilitation of the Pell Marine Science Library at the University of Rhode Island, Narragansett. The...

CHPS Verified green school planned in American Canyon, Calif.(American Canyon High School )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff The American Canyon (Calif.) High School is set to be one of the first to be a CHPS Verified green school by the Collaborative for High Performance Schools. Designed by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects, Santa Rosa, Calif., the school will...

Superfund site warehouse gets new life as a green visitors' center.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff A Cincinnati-based team of Megen Construction Co. and Glaserworks Architecture is turning what was once a warehouse on a former Superfund cleanup site into a green visitors' center for the new Fernald Preserve, 18 miles northwest of...

More 'modest' proposals on climate change.
May 1, 2008... Robert Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief The recent National Conference on Building Commissioning, sponsored by PECI, provided some object lessons in how poorly most buildings, even new ones, operate, and what that means in terms of wasted energy...

Graphic fiberglass-reinforced panels create rooms with a custom view.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Graphic fiberglass-reinforced panels allow architects and interior designers to create custom mural walls on a tough, sanitary surface. Envue FRP provides reproduction of high-resolution photos, illustrations, logos, and other...

Flush and fancy poke-thru devices.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff High-capacity, fully recessed poke-thru devices offer a flush, all-metal cover assembly that allows easy device access via spring-loaded slide-cable egress doors. These UL fire-classified products maintain the fire rating of the...

Breathable air/water barrier.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Fluid-applied, vapor-permeable membrane air barrier provides a continuous, monolithic air and water barrier that blocks rainwater from penetrating the building envelope, while allowing indoor moisture to escape. As a result, the...

Single-ply looks like shingle.(Duro-Last Roofing)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Ideal for commercial applications where building appearance is important but conventional shingles are not practical, Duro-Last offers Shingle-Ply. The system provides a shingle look, but with the watertight performance of a...

Green screen dashboard.(Siemens Building Technologies Inc.)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Interactive tool analyzes building energy consumption data in real time. The GreenTouchscreen integrates with the Siemens APOGEE building automation system to translate numerical building operational data into visual information that...

Commercial dimmers.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Line of energy-efficient commercial dimmers has been expanded to include 1,600- and 2,000-watt incandescent dimmers, 1600VA magnetic low-voltage dimmers, and wallbox-mounted products for two-wire dimmable fluorescent ballast...

Architecture meets textile.(Bentley Prince Street )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Applying an architectural theme to textile was the point of inspiration for Bentley Prince Street's newest product line, Functional Expression. Comprised of five products, all available in broadloom and carpet tile, the carpet line...

RSMeans costs comparisons.
May 1, 2008... Staff [TABLE OMITTED]

HKS licenses gaming engine for 3D ARCHengine.
May 1, 2008... By Jeff Yoders, Senior Associate Editor Dallas-based HKS has licensed Epic Games' Unreal 3 game engine to create ARCHengine, a program that allows prospective clients to see and walk through the space they'll be leasing or buying in a...

Tech briefs.
May 1, 2008... Staff * Report: CAD industry will grow 15% in 2008.Despite the current economic downturn, the CAD industry is forecast to continue its growth streak this year by increasing 15%, according to Jon Peddie Research's 2008 CAD Report. The...

Hercules Thrilled with Its 'Dynamite' New Library.
May 1, 2008... By Jay W. Schneider, Senior Editor After more than a century, a historic California community finally builds a library, using rich, dark brick. Talk about your books being overdue. The residents of Hercules, Calif., had to wait 126...

BAM! Brooklyn landmark performing arts center gets a modern twist.(Brooklyn Academy of Music)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff The Brooklyn Academy of Music, America's oldest performing arts center in continuous use, has unveiled a dramatic 132-foot-long, undulating glass entrance canopy, the final piece of a five-year exterior restoration project. ...

Boston's Copley Square Hotel undergoes a fast-track facelift.(Boston office of Tishman Construction)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff The Boston office of Tishman Construction, New York, is leading a six-month, $14 million fast-track renovation of the 117-year-old Copley Square Hotel in Boston. Located in the heart of the historic Back Bay, the hotel is undergoing...

Historic West Palm Beach courthouse saved from demolition.
May 1, 2008... Staff On the brink of demolition six years ago, West Palm Beach, Fla.'s historic 1916 County Court House has been fully restored and converted into a museum following an $18.5 million donor-funded project. The local team of Hedrick...

Interim hospital opens in tornado-ravaged town.(Sumter Regional Hospital)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Just 13 months after a tornado ripped through Americus, Ga., killing two people and destroying dozens of homes and businesses, including Sumter Regional Hospital, the town of 17,000 is celebrating the grand opening of a new 76-bed...

Culture shock for Toronto subway station.
May 1, 2008... Staff Archeologically inspired columns representing Canada's First Nations, ancient Egypt, China's traditional culture, Mexico's Toltec culture, and ancient Greece adorn the newly renovated Museum Subway Station on the Toronto Transit...

Kohl's opens LEED Gold photo studio in Milwaukee.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Kohl's Department Stores has opened a 100,000-sf photo studio in Milwaukee that will enable the retail giant to photograph nearly all its weekly circulars and e-commerce elements in-house. Designed to achieve LEED Gold certification,...

'The Cell' ballpark in Chicago getsnation's largest permeable parking lot.(US Cellular Field )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Jeff Yoders More than 527,000 interlocking permeable pavement blocks make up parking lot L at US Cellular Field on Chicago's South Side. The 265,000-sf lot is the largest permeable pavement surface in the nation and can absorb 920 gallons...

News Briefs.
May 1, 2008... Staff * Claim of found Freedom Tower blueprints sparks probe. Officials at the Port Authority of New York ordered an internal investigation after a homeless man claimed to have discovered blueprints for the Freedom Tower in a trashcan in...

Survey: Vegetated roof industry is blooming.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff The installation of vegetated roofs in North America increased by 30% between 2006 and '07, according to the third annual Green Roof Market Industry Survey. The Green Roofs for Healthy Cities nonprofit organization...

ASHRAE green standard unfair to steel, says AISC.(American Institute of Steel Construction)(American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff The American Institute of Steel Construction has come out in opposition to the latest draft of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standard for the design of high-performance green...

People+Firms.
May 1, 2008... Staff * Gregory C. Hammond , RA, has been elected a shareholder of Hixson , a Cincinnati-based architecture, engineering, and interior design firm, bringing the total number of shareholders of the privately held firm to 31. * Gregg...

Letters.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... Staff Nothing new under the sun In reference to our April 2008 story on fiber optic skylights ('Fiber Optic Skylight Illuminates Maryland's EnviroCenter,' p. 46), BD+C reader Gersil Kay wrote: In my 1998 book, Fiber Optics in...

Cal State Hayward earns some stripes with new business facility.(California State University Hayward's academic building design architect VBN Architecture)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff The Wayne and Gladys Valley Business and Technology Center is the first new academic building on the California State University Hayward Campus in more than 30 years. To create the building's monolithic white form and distinct grey...

Fiber-cement siding remakes apartment complex.
May 1, 2008... Staff Looking for a durable, low-maintenance siding product to replace 800,000 sf dilapidated Masonite at the Madison Park at Alta Loma apartment complex in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., local general contractor Friess Construction specified...

Hospital destroyed by Hurricane Rita finally gets a new home.(Williams Scotsman reconstruction of South Cameron Memorial Hospital)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff Williams Scotsman has completed the construction and installation of nearly 29,000 sf of permanent modular space for the reconstruction of South Cameron Memorial Hospital in Cameron, La., following its destruction during Hurricane...

Washington's first modular green roof stands the test of time.(Washington State School for the Blind, Vancouver, Wash., built modular green roof system )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Staff When the Washington State School for the Blind, Vancouver, Wash., built its Ogden Resource Center in June 2003, the school took a chance on a modular green roof system that had never been installed on a building in the state before....

InSpire simulated slate roof tiles.
May 1, 2008... Staff Available in 18 colors and seven blends, InSpire simulated slate roof tiles are made of a 100%-recyclable blend of virgin resins and natural limestone that has been compression-molded, resulting in a strong, durable, and lightweight...

Building Tight with SIPs.(Structural Insulating Panel )(Editorial)
May 1, 2008... By Dave Barista, Managing Editor Long popular in single-family home construction, structural insulated panels are making their way into the nonresidential industry as a high-performance alternative to traditional building envelopes. ...

Building with Steel.(Steel construction)
May 1, 2008... By C.C. Sullivan and Barbara Horwitz-Bennett Structural steel has been the framing material of choice for more than a century. By the start of World War II the steel frame had become an architectural commonplace; after the war, it exploded...

'Mixed-use development is both art and science'.
May 1, 2008... Staff Kenneth A. Himmel is president and CEO of Related Urban, the mixed-use division of Related Companies. Under Himmel, Related Urban, founded in 1997, has developed the 2.8-million-sf Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle in New York...

Downlight has perfect aim.
May 2, 2008... Staff Line of halogen and ceramic metal halide downlights in both flush and overlap trim styles allows installers and facility managers to adjust the light with a screwdriver, keeping hands away from the hot beam. During 'hot aiming,' the...

Spray-on moisture protection.(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... Staff Air and water vapor barrier for above-grade applications can be roller or spray applied to a variety of concrete surfaces. Barriseal is a water-based asphalt emulsion modified with a blend of synthetic rubbers and special additives,...

Add some color to glass blocks.
May 2, 2008... Staff Glass blocks appear to change color as the viewer's perspective to the product changes or the light sources relative to the block change in direction or intensity. Color Mirage glass blocks manage the reflection, transmission, and...

Antimicrobial-coated door hardware.
May 2, 2008... Staff Full line of levers, locks, exit and panic devices, push/pull levers, and door accessories is available with an antimicrobial coating that inhibits the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew on the surfaces. Ideal for school and...

The 12-second hand dryer.
May 2, 2008... Staff The Dyson Airblade hand dryer uses a 400-mph stream of clean air, blown through a gap no thicker than an eyelash, to wipe moisture from hands, leaving them completely dry in 12 seconds. At the heart of the system is a low-energy,...

Interior sandwich panels.
May 2, 2008... Staff Ideal for the construction of interior walls, partitions, and ceiling systems, foam-core panels are a lightweight, 'green' alternative to traditional interior panel systems. Composed of a polystyrene foam core with a thin face...

Ceiling in the clouds.
May 2, 2008... Staff Line of acoustical cloud ceiling systems includes 10 standard shapes, ranging from squares and rectangles to circles, trapezoids, hexagons, and softly rounded contours. Designed for use in exposed structures and other areas that...

Antimicrobial coatings for HVAC.
May 2, 2008... Staff Specially-formulated coatings for metal surfaces can be applied to any HVAC component, including ductwork, fan blades, and condenser coil, to minimize odor and provide an active layer of protection against mold, mildew, fungi, and...

Tip the toilet.
May 2, 2008... Staff Toilet replaces the rubber flappers and seals in conventional toilets with a 1.6-gallon bucket that tips when the flush handle is deployed. The result is a product with fewer moving parts, reducing the chance of leaks due to wear and...

Textured acoustical ceiling panels help light up private school.
May 2, 2008... Staff In early 2007, the Sidwell Friends Middle School in Washington, D.C., was awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum rating by the U.S. Green Building Council. The private school (Chelsea Clinton is an alumna),...

Insect control solution is off the wall.
May 2, 2008... Staff Safely control indoor environments against ants, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and other insects simply by painting interior walls with Bug-Juice Insecticide Paint Additive. The odorless additive mixes easily with water- and oil-based...

Integrated lighting-ceiling system offers clean, uncluttered appearance.
May 2, 2008... Staff Zumtobel Lighting has partnered with Armstrong to offer a line of high-performance Armstrong TechZone-compatible lighting fixtures. TechZone systems offer a visually clean, uncluttered look on ceilings with multiple services. Modular...

Framing system can cut labor costs in half.
May 2, 2008... Staff Steel framing system allows the stud to lock into the track, minimizing the use of mechanical fasteners. The framer simply twists, locks, and extends the stud between the tracks, which are installed in the same manner as conventional...

Wood ceilings adorn judicial center.(Santiago Judicial Center)(Brief article)
May 2, 2008... Staff The Santiago Judicial Center in Chile is at once serene and powerful. It has given Santiago major new outdoor civic space, surrounded by eight glass-and-concrete buildings under a single ceremonial roof canopy, all reflecting a large...

Local grey water system.
May 2, 2008... Staff Grey water system for small-scale projects uses the water from faucets to flush toilets. Sloan's Graywater System stores water that would normally go down the drain and routes it through a sanitizing device to a storage reservoir...

Rubber flooring tape.
May 2, 2008... Staff Flooring installation tape system is an environmentally-friendly alternative to glue. Nora dryfix allows immediate traffic upon completion of nora flooring installations because there is no need to wait for glue to cure. Flooring and...

Lightweight concrete tile.
May 2, 2008... Staff Precast concrete floor tiles are composed of a cementitious composite using natural minerals and recycled materials that has twice the compressive strength and less than half the weight of traditional concrete. Syndecrete is...

Eco-friendly tile.
May 2, 2008... Staff Porcelain tile is composed of natural compounds such as clay, sand, and water that are fired at high temperatures and coated with a subtle sheen to create durable, vibrant tiles recommended for exterior walls, interior walls, and...

411 on polished concrete flooring.
May 2, 2008... Staff White paper addresses the sustainable attributes of polished concrete floors, including improved thermal mass, the potential for reuse of existing building materials, and the inclusion of post-consumer and post-industrial recycled...

Floors raise the bar with terrazzo.
May 2, 2008... Staff Raised access floor system is available with a terrazzo finish for high-traffic, decorative applications, including lobbies, hallways, and corridors. Natural marble, granite, quartz aggregate, or eco-friendly recycled glass is...

Flooring mimics terrazzo.
May 2, 2008... Staff Decorative flooring for healthcare, retail, and commercial applications replicates the appearance of terrazzo mosaic flooring at a fraction of the cost. Verrazzo is composed of pigmented epoxy, pigment-absorbing background aggregate,...

PVC-free sheet flooring.
May 2, 2008... Staff WELS PVC-free sheet flooring is heat-weldable, durable, and chemical- and alkali-resistant, meeting the strict specification requirements of healthcare facilities. Its ease of maintenance and sound resistance make it suitable for...

Sun tracker maximizes daylight.
May 2, 2008... Staff Skylight dome unit maximizes the level of daylight in buildings by tracking the sun's position with a global positioning system and directing the sunlight down the skylight using a mirror. The Ciralight SunTrackerTwo system produces...

Durable floor coating.
May 2, 2008... Staff Aliphatic polyurethane coating for athletic and pedestrian floor systems provides protection against abrasion, scuffs, weather, and impacts. When applied to polyurethane, wood, or concrete floors, the Chemthane 3900 satin and gloss...

Green carpet backing.
May 2, 2008... Staff Designed for high-end, mid-traffic environments, EnviroCel polyurethane carpet backing is composed of bio-based polymers derived from domestically grown soybeans. The backing also includes Celceram, a highly refined material...

Carpet for healthcare, senior living.
May 2, 2008... Staff Designed for healthcare environments, particularly senior-living facilities, the Oak Park carpet collection features a classic aesthetic and provides long-term durability, low maintenance, and a high level of comfort. The American...

Self-cleaning fabric roof material.
May 2, 2008... Staff Tensile membrane roof is coated with titanium dioxide that provides self-cleaning properties to help extend the vibrancy of the non-toxic material. The titanium dioxide on Birdair's TiO2 tensile fabric membrane acts as a...

Get a hip roof ridge in one step.
May 2, 2008... Staff Hip and ridge system for shake shingle roofs installs in one step, eliminating the need to cover the hips and ridges with metal prior to installing. The result is a system that maintains the traditional sharpness for a natural look...

Bright-white EPDM membrane.
May 2, 2008... Staff An alternative to thermoplastic membranes for single-ply, fully adhered roofing applications, RubberGard EcoWhite EPDM features a unique construction of 30 mil of white over 30 mil of black membrane, providing a UL- and FM-rated...

Self-adhering roofing.
May 2, 2008... Staff Line of self-adhering roofing systems includes both asphaltic and single-ply offerings. These systems eliminate the mess and safety concerns when using hot asphalt, cold adhesives, or torch-applied applications. Liberty asphaltic and...

Silicone roof system.
May 2, 2008... Staff Silicone roof system is composed of a zero-VOC coating that is applied over soy-based spray polyurethane foam insulation, creating a moisture-resistant seal that is durable and flexible. The silicone topcoat cures in a few hours,...

Wind performance, green roofs covered in new ASTM roofing resource guide.
May 2, 2008... Staff The sixth volume of STP 1504, Roofing Research and Standards Development, is now available from ASTM International. Edited by Thomas J. Wallace, Coast to Coast Consultants, Toronto, and Walter J. Rossiter, Jr., National Institute...

Cool concrete roof tile.
May 2, 2008... Staff Concrete roof tile available in a range of colors and styles, from true terra cottas and traditional tan and grey blends, has earned a 'cool roof' rating from the Cool Roof Rating Council. Cool Roof Tile has a recorded thermal...

Blinding light perfect for school rooms.
May 2, 2008... Staff Similar in appearance to mini-blinds, the LightLouver Daylighting System provides daylighting and solar control in one system. The panels consist of reflective slats shaped and arranged in a passive optical design with no moving...

Reflective roof coating for renovation applications.
May 2, 2008... Staff Highly reflective roof coating for metal, modified bitumen, and single-ply restoration projects sheds dirt, ensures color stability, resists fading and chalking, and combats mildew growth. Formulated from Kynar Aquatec polyvinylidene...

KeeGuard® Contractor Portable Safety Railings.
May 2, 2008... Staff OSHA-compliant KeeGuard Contractor safety railing systems provide temporary or permanent fall protection barriers for rooftops, construction, utility worksites, and maintenance areas. Installs without penetrating the roof membrane or...

Light fixture baffles students.
May 2, 2008... Staff Fluorescent light fixture for sustainable classroom environments incorporates radial and axial baffle elements that cut off any potential glare from the lamps, maximizing visual comfort for students and teachers. Radi-X is Cradle to...