The value of new construction starts in July advanced 7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $411.2 billion, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies. Non residential building continued to see improvement after extremely depressed activity earlier in the year, and nonbuilding construction bounced back following its June slide.
There is growing pressure on the regulatory agencies and legislators to increase the stringency of energy codes. The Department of energy stressed the importance of a 30% improvement in stringency of the new version of ASHRAE 90.1 standard. In fact, it was stated that unless this was achieved, the DOE may develop their own energy code.
--The Senate may take up a bill aimed at small businesses that could include extensions to the cool metal roofing tax credits.
"Architects are afraid of color," say Janine James, polymath designer and the founder of the New York multidisciplinary firm The Moderns. "And when architects fear something, they call it uncool." Whether or not we all suffer from some form of chromophobia, it's true that architects tend to avoid most of the visible spectrum.
What makes solar power so appealing? In Wales while working on ways to make steel more resistant to degradation in sunlight, a Swansea University student discovered a way to make paint harness energy and convert it into electricity.
In general, the market challenges for metal wall panels are similar to what they have always been - stay a step ahead of the competition, educate buyers and code officials, and support industry research and product testing. But different needs and opportunities lie ahead for specific wall panel segments, say our experts.
It's been estimated that 80% of a product's environmental impact can be determined in the design stage. This is no different in building design. The building industry is looking to designers to lower the impact of the construction phase, the products used, and the long-term operation of structures. Where are these designers? How will tomorrow's architects become versed in sustainable building design?
The changing perception of metal panels among decision makers has been influenced by manufacturers' promotional efforts. These include educating decision makers about metal and delivering messages through the standard methods of advertising, public relations, trade shows, sales calls, lunch-and-learn sessions, and more recently extending it to a wider scope of electronic media.
From their early utilitarian use across America's farmland to their visibility in today's architectural masterpieces, metal wall panels have helped build structures and commerce for more than 40 years. The first designs were basic, and communication between suppliers and designers was fairly simple, with education being a key part of the sale. Today the entire process and the end result are much more sophisticated. Designs are highly creative and vibrant. Metal wall panel products are innovative, there is a wider variety to choose from and they are designed to meet today's high performance building needs.
Norton Brownsboro Hospital is the first new full-service hospital to open in the Louisville area in more than 20 years. The five-story 298,000 square foot facility features the latest in healthcare technology and an innovative patient and family-centered care model.
Metl-Span has introduced CFR Retro-Seam™, an insulated metal standing seam roof panel that features the innovative Roof Hugger® sub-purlin system. The CFR Retro-Seam system eliminates the need and associated cost of removing an existing roof.
A new CEU online course titled "Mineral Wool Core Panels: Innovative Fire Resistive Wall Construction" is now available from Metl-Span on AEC Daily' Online Learning Center.
More than 74,000 sq. ft. of Metl-Span insulated roof and wall panels were used on the new Gary Jet Center - West Hangar in Gary, IN. Located at the Gary/Chicago International Airport, Gary Jet Center is a full-service FBO.
Metl-Span has introduced CFR Insul-Solar™, a comprehensive insulated solar standing seam roof system. The system utilizes a thin-film solar laminate fused to the surface of the roofing panel substrate. The panel/laminate bond has been proven to withstand winds of 160 mph.
The new Ballard Blocks development in the Ballard area of Seattle offers 366,000 sq. ft. of commercial and retail space in two buildings connected by a pedestrian promenade and below-grade parking level.
Approximately 8,500 sq. ft. of Metl-Span CF-36 Striated Insulated Wall Panels were selected as a key component on the third-largest Whole Foods store in the world.