Thermal importance of windows

Of all the components of a building enclosure, windows can have the greatest impact on energy consumption. This can be disproportionate to the area of the enclosure the windows cover. Therefore, it is important architects and specifiers are aware of the significant impact of windows on the overall building enclosure’s thermal performance when designing, evaluating, and selecting enclosure assemblies for new buildings and retrofit projects.

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Nailing down a quality hardwood floor with OSB

Hardwood floors are popular for their striking grain patterns, rich colours, and natural beauty. Their eye-catching esthetic is not solely dependent on these surface characteristics, however, as what goes under a floor is often as important as the finish material itself.
As the support structure for the flooring, a sound subfloor provides stability underfoot and helps enable a high-quality finish. Excess moisture in the substrate can damage overlying hardwood flooring, potentially creating cupping, cracking, or other defects.

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Curtain walls and energy codes

A curtain wall is a cost-effective building exterior enclosure system, and can be an esthetically pleasing envelope for many building types. From high-rise residential to office buildings, glass curtain wall cladding can provide architecturally eye-catching and highly marketable views for occupants. However, it is not an exterior cladding normally associated with high thermal and solar gain performance for reduced building energy use.

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Wood flooring installation methods

When most people think about installing hardwood floors, they typically envision a hammer, nails, and a lot of backbreaking work. However, the reality is there are several options available for installing wood floors. Choosing the most appropriate method depends on the flooring type, whether the floor will be installed above or below grade, and the type of material employed for the subfloor.

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The evolution of glazing in Vancouver

When looking at its skyline, it is no wonder why Vancouver is known as the “City of Glass.” Glass high-rise buildings, each one taller than the next, have been the architectural vision developed over many years (Figure 1). In fact, the relationship between West Coast architecture and glazing systems is symbiotic; their evolution would not have been possible without one another.

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Specifying recycled concrete aggregate

In seemingly every sector, from government to real estate development to retail, project owners are looking to make their construction sites greener. The movement toward more sustainable construction practices is neither trend nor fad; it is a functional philosophy responding to both a heightened public consciousness of the impact of human activities on the planet and the added value of doing ‘the right thing.’

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Taking care when dealing with condominium corporations

Contractors who deal with condominium corporations should be aware of recent reports in the press of a case involving alleged construction fraud and mortgage fraud perpetrated by a property manager. The story of the $20-plus million fraud was first reported by The Toronto Star in September 2011. The number of condominium corporations affected by the alleged fraud now stands at nine and counting, and police are continuing their investigation.

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The advantages of designing for IAQ

There are many advantages to having an effective indoor air quality (IAQ) strategy, which may not always include the obvious––breathing clean air. After all, most people now spend an average of 90 per cent of time indoors. One needs to look at the technologies that improve IAQ and address specific problems.

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