Depending on a particular project scope, construction and demolition (C&D) waste from commercial buildings can have wide and varied dimensions. Waste prevention includes a discussion on building design and material selection, whereas ‘diversion’ may examine building deconstruction, source separation, material reuse, and recyclability options. There are also factors such as regulations, cost, and time to consider.
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When the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC)—home to events like Construct Canada and the CSC Toronto Chapter’s No Frills Tradeshow—decided to renovate its South Building, it sought replacement ceiling panels that offered both a modern look and performance. It was also important the assembly would support its pursuit of certification under Canada Green Building Council’s (CaGBC’s) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating program.
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Flexible fabric curtain walls are becoming increasingly popular for industrial projects and plant operations because they are omni-functional. These products can help manage physical space, improve productivity, save energy, recapture needed floor space, and control environmental conditions, such as temperature, odour, dust, or sound.
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Vancouver’s NSDA Architects was presented with the inaugural Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Award earlier this month, as part of the 10th annual Wood WORKS! B.C. Wood Design Awards. The firm was recognized for its innovative use of wood certified to the SFI standard in the new Kordyban Lodge, a Canadian Cancer Society facility located in Prince George, B.C.
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Porcelain tile is a manufactured, kiln-fired product. A popular cladding for walls or floors in commercial projects, the material is suitable for both interior and exterior applications. Many of porcelain’s benefits comes from the combination of special clays (kaolin) and high kiln temperatures 1200 to 1400 C (2192 to 2552 F) employed during the manufacturing process that produce a tile with a low absorption rate (0.5 per cent) and an extremely durable, wear-resistant surface. Current manufacturing technology has evolved to the point where porcelain tiles can essentially re-create the appearance of natural materials like wood planking, marble, granite, limestone, and travertine.
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Prepainted metallic-coated steel sheet for buildings has been used successfully for many years. One indicator of its popularity is the large number of roofs made with prepainted steel in place across Canada and throughout the world.
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Insulation placed in the exterior air cavity between brick veneer and a backup wall is now common practice; however, accounting for the reduction in thermal performance as a result of thermal bridging at brick ties is not. As the building enclosure’s actual thermal performance becomes more important and integrated into the overall design of other building systems, a clear understanding of thermal bridging and its impact on effective R-values is needed. Brick ties are only one example of a thermal bridge in the building enclosure, but a close look at their significance illustrates how important it is to account for thermal bridging.
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For more than a century, the Dingle Memorial Tower overlooking the panoramic landscape of Halifax’s Northwest Arm has been a popular destination for not only the local community, but also countless visitors from beyond. In 1908, Sir Sandford Fleming donated to Haligonians the 38.5-ha (95-acre) Dingle Park, which gets its name from an Old English word meaning ‘wooded dell or valley.’ He proposed a monument should be erected there to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first elected government in the British Empire (outside the Mother Country), which had taken place in Nova Scotia in 1758.
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Wood product finishes wage ongoing battles against the elements and daily use. Observing the many applications of interior and exterior wood products, and the various temperature and humidity conditions in which they need to perform, it is no surprise new, specialized finishes regularly hit the market. The challenge to reduce volatile organic compounds (VOC) and formaldehyde emissions also contributes to coating development.
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In Prince George, B.C., the corner of George Street and Fifth Avenue has been a hive of activity since October 17, 2013—the day the first massive pieces of engineered timber for the Wood Innovation and Design Centre (WIDC) started arriving, launching what is expected to be the tallest contemporary wood building in North America, and one of the highest anywhere in the world.
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