Colour Considerations: Managing visual expectations for metal coatings

Metal coatings have come a long way. Not only have their protective and environmental qualities improved dramatically in recent years, but so have the range of colours and effects. Thanks to these new innovations and technologies, architects can choose from an extraordinary palette of decorative colours, glosses, and sheens for commercial office buildings, retail stores, and entertainment complexes.

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Controlling noise issues in wood buildings

Wood has long been regarded as a viable material for construction thanks to numerous factors, namely design flexibility, efficiency, and affordability—reasons making it especially popular for smaller housing projects. Add in a smaller carbon footprint than concrete or steel, and wood can also be seen as a much more sustainable choice.

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Glazing technology promises greater architectural freedom

One of the strategies employed by architects to increase (or regain lost) glazing area to meet the performance objectives of building energy codes and standards involves using established building envelope elements such as window louvres, fins, and shelves, along with emerging technologies such as vacuum-insulated glazing and panels (VIGs) and electrochromic (EC) glass.

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The community health centre of the future

With an aging population and an unmanageable burden on most hospitals, the community health centre is an increasingly in-demand neighbourhood resource. Stretched regional and non-profit finances mean these new facilities are often asked to do double (or triple) duty, accommodating many needs and user groups. The challenge then falls to design teams to successfully integrate disparate building requirements—often under a tight move-in deadline determined by grant and funding deadlines.

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Freestanding roof guard woes

HVAC equipment is generally installed on top of the flat roofs of industrial, commercial, and institutional buildings. The maintenance personnel sometimes are exposed to danger of falling if the units are close to the roof’s edges. In this case, a guardrail system is required. How do you know if it is sufficiently structurally secure?

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Ensuring security with card-based access control systems

For buildings, the security of access control systems is critical. If a card system is hacked, there can be major problems. For example, at a university, years of research can be tampered with or lost. At a hospital, federal and provincial security rules are stringent and the penalties for having them breached can be severe. No administrator wants to be ultimately responsible for causing injury to an employee or visitor because unauthorized entry was gained via the card system.

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Are all LED luminaires created equal?

Navigant Research recently released a report stating global unit shipments of light-emitting diode (LED) lamps and luminaires are expected to total 10.7 billion from 2014 through 2023. This statistic rings true in the Canadian market where most areas of the country are actively implementing LED streetlight programs or incentives.

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