Tag Archives: National

IIDEXCanada announces 2014 keynotes

IIDEXCanada has announced the keynote speakers that will take the stage at the 30th annual conference this December.

Held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre December 3 and 4, the interior design show features more than 80 educational seminars, as well as an exhibition hall for the 15,000 attendees in the architecture and design community.

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Lifecycle assessment software updated

The Athena Sustainable Materials Institute has released the latest incarnation of its lifecycle assessment (LCA) software. Version 5 of the Impact Estimator for Buildings is useful for designers and architects targeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v4 Whole Building LCA credits, as well as for projects pursuing Green Globes.

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Turning retrofits into success stories with IMPs

Driven by the principles of high-performance energy (HPE) buildings through government, energy codes, and the green building movement, building energy designs across Canada and around the world strive to improve. The increasing focus on the implementation of energy-efficiency requirements, for both new construction and deep energy retrofits for commercial and public buildings, begins with envelope-first energy efficiency, reduced energy demand loads, and related greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions.

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Insulation’s role in controlling noise

Acoustical management is a challenge for both design professionals and building occupants. A certain level of background sound within a building is expected, and generally contributes to a pleasant ambient environment. Unwanted noise can cause occupants to feel irritable, distracted, anxious, hostile, or annoyed. This is why it is critical to closely review the intended use and design of commercial environments so sound levels do not become ‘noise’ concerns.

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June housing starts increase

Trending housing starts for June are slightly up from the previous month, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

“The trend in housing starts has been stable since March 2014, down from the range of 191,000 to 196,000 seen between September 2013 and February 2014,” said CMHC’s Bob Dugan. “This is in line with CMHC’s analysis indicating the new home construction market in Canada is headed for a soft landing in 2014.”

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Before the Drywall Dries: The evolution of construction starts from within

Constructing the buildings that define communities is not simply a matter of enclosing a volume of space, but rather a complex blending of function, esthetics, needs, and owners’ desires. These criteria must fit within the practical constraints of climate, available resources, and schedule demands. As competition increases, successful contractors must continually find new ways to cut costs and protect margins without sacrificing quality or client satisfaction.

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Radon Active: Future-proofing buildings against silent hazards

Designing new buildings to meet both current and potential future hazards makes good business sense. This is particularly the case when pre-emptive protection measures have much lower costs in comparison to retrofits. One example involves proactively dealing with infiltration of radon and other soil gases (e.g. methane) into indoor air. Radon is a radioactive gas emitted by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil.

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Stable Joints for Concrete Floors: A new standard

A stable joint—one that does not move excessively when a load is applied near it—is obviously better than an unstable one. However, the best methods to make joints stable are not always agreed upon. For example, one floor designer might call for stout, closely spaced dowels, while another also chooses dowels, but makes them thinner and spaces them farther apart.

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Advancing energy-efficient timber façades

The building industry consumes 40 per cent of the world’s energy, and is responsible for more than 38 per cent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to studies completed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD 2009). The energy demand and its costs will continue to increase; this explains why Canadian building code requirements are becoming more stringent.

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