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PRISM MARCH 2017 EDITION

Air barriers, education facility design and glass
The Arroyo at Glen Mor Student Apartments - University of California, Riverside in Riverside, Calif. Photo: Millicent Harvey
The Arroyo at Glen Mor Student Apartments – University of California, Riverside in Riverside, Calif. Photo: Millicent Harvey
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Air barriers
Credit: Henry Company
Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions about Air Barriers

Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions about Air Barriers

Building Enclosures require proactive actions by each member of the Design and Construction Teams to deliver a building that meets stated performance requirements. Air Barriers are a critical component to meeting those requirements. This document addresses ten of the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that Architects, Engineers and Construction Managers/General Contractors ask with respect to air barriers.

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Education facility design
The Arroyo at Glen Mor Student Apartments – University of California, Riverside in Riverside, Calif. Photo: Millicent Harvey
The Arroyo at Glen Mor Student Apartments – University of California, Riverside

The Arroyo at Glen Mor Student Apartments – University of California, Riverside

A recent housing complex at the University of California, Riverside makes a case for change by challenging the language of conventional university landscape typologies. Glen Mor Student Apartments sets the stage for an academic experience grounded in place. The design embraces changing attitudes about sustainability, offers an appropriate response to building in arid climates, and taps into students’ shifting sensitivities and increased climate-awareness.

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Cardinal Union, the new home for the middle school at the Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences (SAAS), Seattle. Credit: LMN Architects
LMN Architects announce groundbreaking of first vertically-oriented middle school in Seattle

LMN Architects announce groundbreaking of first vertically-oriented middle school in Seattle

LMN Architects announces the groundbreaking of the Cardinal Union, the new home for the middle school at the Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences (SAAS). Located in Seattle’s dynamic Capitol Hill neighborhood, the new building for the Seattle Academy’s urban campus will be the first mid-rise middle school classroom building in Seattle. Through careful utilization of the dense site and strategically focused visual and physical connections, the school’s learning environment will extend into the community and fully knit the institution into the fabric of its surrounding neighborhood.

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Mesa Community College Student Services Center, San Diego, Calif. Duranar® fluoropolymer coatings in three earth-tone colors highlight the center’s variegated metal exterior. Photo © HGW Photography
Fluoropolymer coatings brighten Mesa Community College Student Services Center

Fluoropolymer coatings brighten Mesa Community College Student Services Center

Designed by the award-winning firm ARCHITECTS hanna gabriel wells to earn LEED® Gold certification, the center features a series of terraced interior and exterior spaces that function as communal gathering hubs. An open four- story atrium adds wayfinding visibility and fosters interaction among students, faculty and administrators, as well as the school’s academic departments.

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Methuen High School. Photo by Neil Alexander
Finegold Alexander Architects receives Citation Award for Methuen High School

Finegold Alexander Architects receives Citation Award for Methuen High School

Finegold Alexander Architects announces it has received a Citation Award for Education Facilities Design from the Boston Society of Architects’ annual Design Awards. The project transformed an outdated high school building through an intricate balance of renovation for 324,000 GSF and a 40,000 GSF addition, to create a state-of-the-art high school.

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Michigan’s Novi High School Fitness Center features a glass and metal curtainwall by Tubelite Inc. Credit: John Heider
Novi High School’s new fitness center features curved Tubelite curtainwall

Novi High School’s new fitness center features curved Tubelite curtainwall

Michigan’s Novi High School’s new $3 million fitness center replaces an outdated weight room that served only a few of the 2,000 students. Now a modern facility, it welcomes everyone, including 30 varsity sports teams and 10 physical education classes per semester. Featuring a glass and metal curtainwall by Tubelite Inc., the new fitness center offers natural light and views overlooking the north end zone at the school’s Wildcats Stadium.

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Concourse at The Pavilion, Villanova University. Credit: EwingCole
EwingCole designs renovations to The Pavilion at Villanova University

EwingCole designs renovations to The Pavilion at Villanova University

EwingCole has designed a $60,000,000 renovation to The Pavilion, home of the 2016 NCAA men’s basketball champion Villanova Wildcats. Upgrades to the two-story, 6,500-seat structure include a relocated main entrance, a completed concourse, and increased quality of premium offerings, seating, and amenities. These modernizations will not only support Villanova’s men’s and women’s basketball programs but other University-wide events and programs.

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Kean University, Green Lane Academic Building, N.J. Photo courtesy of Graham Architectural Products
Kean University’s Green Lane Building inspires learning

Kean University’s Green Lane Building inspires learning

Kean University’s west entrance welcomes visitors with a bold architectural statement exemplified in the newly completed Green Lane Academic Building on the Union, New Jersey campus. Designed by Gruskin Architecture & Design, P.C., the award-winning 102,275 square-foot building’s geometric glass and aluminum façade was finished by Linetec.

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Glass
Setting the Scene at Mall of America

Setting the Scene at Mall of America

In May 2014, Mall of America® embarked on a $325 million expansion — the most significant construction project since opening in 1992. The expansion included a 342-room JW Marriott Hotel, an office tower, high-end retailers, new dining options and a tourist welcome center. Additionally, the new grand entrance on the north side of the mall featured an atrium and massive rotunda skylight, which looked beautiful, but posed a few significant solar control challenges.

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Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Athens, Greece. Photo: Michel Denancé.
Lawrence Public Library in Kansas. Photo by Mike Sinclair
Museum Tower in Charlotte, North Carolina. Courtesy of Terry Wieckert
Mint Museum Tower features glass fabricated by J.E. Berkowitz

Mint Museum Tower features glass fabricated by J.E. Berkowitz

J.E. Berkowitz, LP fabricated 100,000 square feet of glass for the 43-story luxury apartment complex, which was built atop the Mint Museum in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. Rule Joy Trammel + Rubio architects designed the glass-clad, 385,000-square-foot high-rise to complement the contemporary architecture of the existing Mint Museum, and help transform the city block into an iconic centerpiece of the Queen City.

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Special Feature
Altar’d State, Knoxville, Tenn. Credit: Studio Four Design
Studio Four Design: Why Design Matters

Studio Four Design: Why Design Matters

While design may mean different things to different individuals, the team at Studio Four Design lives by the mantra that Design Matters. Studio Four Design exists because it is our driving belief that by and through creative and thoughtful design of environments people can see, use and feel the lives of individuals, families, organizations and communities can be positively transformed.

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IN EVERY EDITION

Noteworthy news and projects

CitiesAlive®: 15th Annual Green Roof & Wall Conference – Awards of Excellence – Call for Submissions

CitiesAlive®: 15th Annual Green Roof & Wall Conference – Awards of Excellence – Call for Submissions

Every year the green roof and wall industry recognizes exceptional integrated design and installation through the CitiesAlive® Green Roof & Wall Awards of Excellence. This is the only awards program dedicated to innovative green roof and wall projects and is designed to celebrate the creative and technical advancements the industry continues to make. CitiesAlive Awards of Excellence also recognizes outstanding individual contributions to the industry in research, policy, and corporate leadership.

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Santa Clara University’s rEvolve House. Photo by Joanne H. Lee/Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University’s rEvolve House wins 2016 Green Builder Award

Santa Clara University’s rEvolve House wins 2016 Green Builder Award

Santa Clara University’s rEvolve House wins the 2016 Green Builder® Green Home of the Year Awards in the Best College Sustainability Project category. Homes were evaluated in terms of overall sustainability, resilience, synergy with the environment and surrounding neighborhood, affordability, creativity and the depth of building science employed.

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LP® FlameBlock® Fire-Rated OSB Sheathing was used on all nine townhomes as a code-compliant component of a U350 2-hour partition wall assembly.
Habitat for Humanity cuts down on construction Time with LP® FlameBlock® Fire-Rated OSB Sheathing

Habitat for Humanity cuts down on construction Time with LP® FlameBlock® Fire-Rated OSB Sheathing

In March 2015, Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County broke ground on Walnut Ridge in Wilmington, Delaware. Walnut Ridge would consist of nine units in total, including a four-pack and a five-pack of single-family attached townhomes. LP® FlameBlock® Fire-Rated OSB Sheathing was used on all nine townhomes as a code-compliant component of a U350 2-hour partition wall assembly.

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PROJECT PROFILES

Crayola Experience at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN. Image credit: Crayola
Crayola Experience at the Mall of America adorned with colorful floor

Crayola Experience at the Mall of America adorned with colorful floor

Crayola, best known for its iconic crayons and markers, recently expanded the brand’s Crayola Experience attraction to a third location. Located in the equally iconic Mall of America®, the newest location follows in the footsteps of the Crayola Experience in Easton, PA (the home of Crayola crayons since 1903) and Crayola Experience Orlando, and takes inspiration from the brand’s 1,500 proprietary products and technologies.

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Montessorischool in Maastricht, the Netherlands. Credit: Gregor Ramaekers
Monument renovation using natural materials

Monument renovation using natural materials

“Architecture is generally a conservative sector, and this is something that really came to light during the renovation project of the Montessorischool in Maastricht. You can take an objective approach to the building and the intended renovation; but in our view, an architect needs to physically explore the building and dig deeper. This necessarily means becoming familiar with the users and how they use the building, and drawing on this knowledge as a basis for the design” said Nicole Maurer, of the Maastricht-based Maurer United Architects (MUA).

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BUILDING SCIENCE

Centre Vidéotron in Quebec City. Photo: © Stéphane Groleau
PPG DURANAR XL coatings add brilliance to new Centre Vidéotron

PPG DURANAR XL coatings add brilliance to new Centre Vidéotron

When the design team of Populous and ABCP Architecture chose to celebrate the passion Québécois’ have for winter, ice and snow in Quebec City’s new arena, they trusted DURANAR® XL coatings by PPG to bring their vision to life. Fabricated from glass and sculpted metal panels coated in Pure White Duranar XL coatings by local applicator Anacolor, Inc., the curtain wall for Centre Vidéotron draws inspiration from a snowdrift.

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Ferguson Hall in the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa, Fla. Photo courtesy of Straz Center
Acentech’s Studio A completes audiovisual system design at the Straz Center

Acentech’s Studio A completes audiovisual system design at the Straz Center

Acentech’s Studio A, a specialized acoustics, audiovisual systems design, and vibration consulting group for the performing arts, last month announced that it has completed audiovisual system design work for the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida. The Straz Center is one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States and the only one with an on-site and accredited performing arts conservatory.

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New BIA study shows brick building exteriors cost less

New BIA study shows brick building exteriors cost less

Conducted by RSMeans for the Brick Industry Association (BIA), the independent study compares total construction costs in five categories: three-story office building, three-story apartment building, five-to 10-story office building, four to eight-story hospital and a six-story dorm.

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According to Lintec, painted coatings and anodized finishes are among the most durable finishes for exterior-facing architectural aluminum products. Tampa Museum of Art. Courtesy of Tampa Museum of Art
Carlsbad Village Lofts in Carlsbad, CA, Courtesy of AVRP Skyport Studios
Carlsbad Village Lofts receives unanimous City Council approval

Carlsbad Village Lofts receives unanimous City Council approval

Architect AVRP Skyport Studios and developer Gerber Group are pleased to announce that the proposed Carlsbad Village Lofts received unanimous City Council approval on February 28, 2017. The mixed-use project will revitalize a gateway parcel to Carlsbad Village with market-rate and affordable housing, ground floor retail, public plaza space, and a new pedestrian-friendly street connecting Carlsbad Village Drive to Grand Ave. The development will become a signature project for the City of Carlsbad and a regional model for smart, sustainable growth.

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US paint & coatings sales to reach 1.4 billion gallons in 2020

US paint & coatings sales to reach 1.4 billion gallons in 2020

Demand for paint and coatings in the US is projected to rise 2.3% per year to 1.4 billion gallons in 2020. Advances will decelerate modestly in both volume and value terms over the forecast period. However, demand will be bolstered by the continuing recovery of the construction industry, which will boost sales of architectural paint.

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Keeler Court, a new BNIM-designed development slated for the Southcrest neighborhood of San Diego. Credit: BNIM
Building Positive in San Diego

Building Positive in San Diego

“BNIM’s ethos of Building Positive is aligned with Community Housing Works’ commitment to the Southcrest neighborhood, which focuses on quality design and enhanced resident services to help families to achieve their goals,” said Matt Winter, BNIM project manager. “BNIM’s diverse design experience will enable us to showcase how shared visions and systemic thinking can transform with authenticity beyond architecture to encompass communities, nature and ideas.”

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USG Corporation unveils the world’s most sustainable wallboard

USG Corporation introduced the next big thing in wallboard: Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels. Developed to answer the demand for sustainable building products, Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels represent a revolution in wallboard manufacturing, creating the industry’s first and only wallboard that is both lightweight and sustainable.

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URBAN PLANNING

Rendering of the Orchard in Santa Ana, Calif.
New UC Irvine research supports best practices implemented at The Orchard

New UC Irvine research supports best practices implemented at The Orchard

According to research conducted by the University of California, Irvine, best practices implemented at The Orchard, a Permanent Supportive Housing project in Santa Ana, could save Orange County $42 million per year. The first-ever countywide study on the cost of homelessness may have long-lasting implications in how homelessness is addressed. The Orchard, which is the City of Santa Ana’s largest single investment in housing for the homeless, is set to become a regional model.

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110 North Wacker Drive, Riverwalk. Image © Goettsch Partners
The Howard Hughes Corporation® unveils plans for office tower in heart of Chicago

The Howard Hughes Corporation® unveils plans for office tower in heart of Chicago

Set between prestigious Wacker Drive and the Chicago River, the 51-story Class-A building is being designed by Chicago-based Goettsch Partners, internationally renowned for their exceptional high-rise design and technical expertise. The 1.35 million-square-foot tower is wrapped in a high-performance, aluminum-and-glass curtain wall and will feature sweeping views up and down the river, as well as of the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan.

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Atwater Street Development Concept. Detroit RiverFront Conservancy
New plan to preserve and expand Detroit Riverfront access

New plan to preserve and expand Detroit Riverfront access

Officials from the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy (DRFC), the City of Detroit Planning & Development Department (PDD) and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) announced the details of a framework plan that will preserve more riverfront land for public use and create greater community access.

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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Levy Park in the heart of Houston’s Upper Kirby District. Photo credit: Dan Blackson

Launch of Your Land magazine supplement for aspiring young landscape architects

Landscape Architecture Magazine (LAM), the monthly magazine of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), has just launched Your Land, a special print supplement for young readers. Your Land is a one-time publication produced in response to a rising interest among ASLA members to introduce the profession of landscape architecture to students from grade school through high school.

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HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Malarkey’s Pub and Townies Grill in Wausau, Wis. Image credit: Peter Vance. Courtesy of Kolbe Windows & Doors
UMASS Old Chapel restored by Finegold Alexander Architects, re-opens as student center. Image © Robert Benson Photography / robertbensonphoto.com
UMass Amherst Old Chapel transformed into vibrant community center

UMass Amherst Old Chapel transformed into vibrant community center

The most iconic and widely recognized building on campus, the Old Chapel first opened in 1885 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The building closed in 1999 because it no longer met code and accessibility requirements. Today, the Old Chapel has emerged following a two-year, $21 million renovation as a vibrant community space for student gatherings, exhibits and events. The project is targeted for LEED Gold certification.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

AAMA releases new standard test method of static loading and impact on exterior shading devices

AAMA releases new standard test method of static loading and impact on exterior shading devices

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) recently released a new document to provides a standard laboratory procedure for exterior shading devices and the project-specific evaluation of downward static ice and snow loads, and impacts on them from falling ice or snow. AAMA 514-16, the “Standard Test Method of Static Loading and Impact on Exterior Shading Devices,” uses sandbags to simulate downward loads from ice and snow to test shading devices.

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February construction starts advance 2 percent

February construction starts advance 2 percent

At a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $706.4 billion, new construction starts in February rose 2% from the previous month, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. This was the second straight monthly increase, following a 15% hike in January, as construction starts regained the upward track following four consecutive monthly declines to close out 2016.

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Dean Lewis has retired from AAMA

A long-time staff member at the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has retired. AAMA Technical Manager, Training and Education, Dean Lewis retired from the association as of the end of 2016.

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ASLA Statement on President Trump’s Proposed Budget

Washington, D.C., March 17, 2017 — The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) released this statement in response to President Trump’s 2018 budget proposal: “We are disappointed with President Trump’s budget blueprint, which calls for dramatic cuts to many of...

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AAMA ratifies 2017 board

At the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) 80th Annual Conference, the association’s membership ratified the 2017 board of directors. Mike DeSoto (MI Windows and Doors) is the new chairman of the board, and Donnie Hunter (Kawneer) took on the role of vice chairman. Carl Troiano (Trojan Powder Coatings) accepted Hunter’s previous board position as an architectural representative.

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ASTM International calls for nominations for new Emerging Professionals Program

After two successful pilots, ASTM International, a global standards organization, is expanding its Emerging Professionals program. The program will provide free airfare and lodging this year for up to 24 participants to attend a leadership development workshop held during an ASTM International conference – “committee week” – where technical experts in their industries create and revise standards.

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ASLA plan provides top U.S. infrastructure recommendations

ASLA plan provides top U.S. infrastructure recommendations

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) yesterday released a document outlining critical priorities to update and strengthen all forms of infrastructure. “Landscape Architects Leading Community Infrastructure Design and Development” centers on less-costly green infrastructure solutions.

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Dodge Momentum Index increases in February

Dodge Momentum Index increases in February

February’s increase was due to a 4.4% jump in institutional planning, while commercial planning slipped slightly, falling 0.3% for the month. The Momentum Index has now increased for five consecutive months; however, the underlying components continue to be volatile on a month-to-month basis as large projects continue to sway the data.

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In the News…

Vitro Architectural Glass launches new website at vitroglazings.com

Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) has launched a new website at vitroglazings.com, which retains all of the most popular and heavily trafficked features on the legacy PPGIdeaScapes.com website, including the CONSTRUCT tool, online sample order system, and thermal stress analysis tools; as well as links to product literature, architectural glass specifications, design resources and technical information.

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Haks has named Alberto Villaman, P.E., as its new president

HAKS, a full-service consulting engineering firm headquartered in New York City with nearly 700 employees, has named Alberto Villaman, P.E., as its new president. Villaman will oversee the firm’s operations in its 15 corporate offices throughout the U.S., and international offices in India and Bahrain.

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Sherwin-Williams and Valspar Extend Term of Merger Agreement

The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE: SHW) and The Valspar Corporation (NYSE: VAL) today announced that they have extended the termination date of the definitive agreement under which Sherwin-Williams will acquire Valspar for $113 per share in an all-cash transaction, from March 21, 2017 to June 21, 2017.

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Linetec’s expansions continues

Linetec’s expansions continues

Linetec continues to expand capacity and add new jobs to support the market’s increased demand for high-quality finishes and high-performance architectural metal products. Part of the latest job growth is a $3 million investment to double the capacity of the thermal services department.

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PPG Confirms Proposal for AkzoNobel

PPG confirmed that it made an attractive and comprehensive proposal to Akzo Nobel N.V. on March 2, 2017, inviting AkzoNobel to enter into negotiations with PPG on a potential transaction to form a combined company, which AkzoNobel rejected.

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ClarkDietrich Building Systems CEO Bill Courtney to retire

ClarkDietrich Building Systems announced the impending retirement of its president and CEO Bill Courtney. Courtney, who has been at the helm of ClarkDietrich, since its formation in 2011, and prior to that with ClarkWestern, will step down March 31, 2018, after which time he will continue to serve the company in a role on its board of directors.

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