Tag Archives: National

Designing outside the fire-rated glass box

When using the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) approach espoused by the U.S. National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), team members pool together their knowledge instead of parcelling it out to specialists who work in isolation from one another. Such integration allows building teams to more efficiently evaluate and manage the design for cost, quality-of-life, and long-term performance (among other factors) from technical planning throughout construction.

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ICFs and the new green standards

As sustainable building has become the preferred (or, occasionally, required) construction method throughout North America, design professionals are turning to insulating concrete forms (ICFs). When comprising the building envelope, these materials provide occupants with a safe, clean, healthy, and comfortable environment in which to live and work. Whether residential multi-family, commercial new construction, school, theatre, healthcare, or retail, ICF structures also help reduce a building’s carbon footprint—their insulation can mean less energy to heat and cool than is needed in structures built with conventional materials.

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Plaza Deck Restoration: Principles of drainage and waterproofing

Plaza deck waterproofing typically requires replacement at some point during the building’s life. Restoration of the waterproofing system over occupied space poses many challenges, both in design and construction. Typically, plaza decks now being subject to restoration were constructed many years ago and do not include subsurface drainage or adequate deck slope at the waterproofing membrane level.

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Sustaining a KEE standard for roofing membranes

Ketone ethylene ester (KEE) is a flexible, high-molecular-weight thermoplastic co-polymer. When properly compounded with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the resulting single-ply membrane can be bonded or ‘fused’ to itself with hot air, requiring neither torching nor adhesives. Among its many performance benefits in roofing assemblies, the polymer promotes chemical resistance and remains highly flexible with age.

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Steam shower systems

Steam therapy is far from a new phenomenon. For thousands of years, many different cultures have used the healing powers of steam to soothe the body and relax the mind. However, modern societies are now rediscovering for themselves the many benefits of steam and reinventing the ways in which people experience it. A growing number of owners and managers of commercial and institutional properties have embraced steam therapy—hotels and resorts, golf and health clubs, day spas, and timeshares.

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Security: From cards to cell phones

Security is complicated. In any given facility, there are multiple openings to secure and multiple people who need access. Varied layers of clearance, employee turnover rates, and a long list of other factors play a role in dictating exactly which credential solutions make the most sense. Whether it is a key, card, biometric device, or multi-factor authentication, a credential system provides access to spaces or services within a facility.

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