Columns/Blogs

During my summer vacation this year my wife and I spent nine days in the southern region of Italy. For those who have never been to Italy it is beautiful in many ways. Some is natural beauty in the mountainous areas and some is man-made with buildings stacked vertically in the Amalfi coast and elsewhere in other areas.

I remember the first time that I was exposed to fax transmissions. It was when my now-partner, then co-worker Bob Fittro received a magazine article proof that he had originally sent by mail for approval. Before it was returned to Bob, apparently the original recipient had been faxed to other people for comments. We knew right away that this was going to become a new way of doing business.

Our nation has gone through many phases over its proud history. We had the industrial revolution when construction was booming. We’ve gone through the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. We’ve seen the space age reaching to the stars and we have enjoyed the age of digital communication. Today we are in a phase that puzzles economists with the explosion of what some refer to as the “superstar companies”.

It’s the buildings that make you stop and stare. The places that you’ve always wanted to go inside. The structures that you’ll drive the distance to see. Those are the ones that make a difference and leave a mark on your heart. Sometimes it’s hard to pin down exactly what makes a building so unforgettable. It could be a tiny nuanced detail or an extravagant and bold design choice – either way, it’s the unique architecture that always stands out.

I was reading a magazine article recently and I got progressively more angry as the article went on. It was mentioning “AR” throughout the article, assuming that the reader knew what “AR” means, but never explained what the “AR” acronym meant. Finally, after wading through the entire article, I found the meaning of “AR”. It stands for “Augmented Reality.”

Purchasing a custom roll former is one of your business’s larger investments. Getting the most out of your investment depends on designing a machine that will produce consistent product for a long time. The design will only be as good as the information provided to the roll former manufacturer so it’s important to have all the questions answered and every consideration covered.

Whether you experience the consistent climate of the Southwest, or the ever-changing Midwest weather, the sun is mostly viewed as a positive contribution to our lives. The right amount of sun offers plenty of mood-lifting benefits, helps lower stress levels and provides our bodies with Vitamin D – which plays a big role in bone health. For aesthetic benefits, it’s no secret that people constantly strive for that summer glow.

There is no doubt that the mission of sustainability as it pertains to construction has exploded well beyond simply lowering the environmental footprint of a building. Today there are more and more building certification programs in general. The USGBC’s LEED program is the dominating choice. And the Green Building Institute’s Green Globes program is gaining traction, especially within the U.S. government. And we now see BREEAM, the world's leading sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure and buildings in North America.

Architectural design varies across the world, the country and even across town. Variety in design and building products is visually pleasing and unique, but it’s not the only reason architectural trends can be distinct to certain locations. Several factors are considered when designing a building and determining which materials to use, especially when constructing a building that’s within close proximity to the coasts.

One of the most popular aspects of sustainable buildings is its focus on the well being of the occupants in those buildings. According to the one expert source, there are 120 million employees working in buildings each day in the US. The cost for personnel represents 90% of total business costs. The productivity and health of staff are often affected by the conditions of the office setting.

When architects make decisions on materials, it can sometimes feel as though they must choose between aesthetics and effectiveness. No one wants to decide whether something should look good but not work, or work well but appear unappealing, especially when it comes to architecture, as both are necessary elements of an exceptional project. This is why buildings incorporating exterior metal panels are gaining popularity.

Health and Wellness in sustainable buildings continues to create interest as to how to quantify the level of occupants’ well being. One of the newer certification programs in this field is the WELL Standard which is gaining ground. WELL was first introduced in 2012 by the Delos Living LLC company. The group was initially supported by the Clinton Global Initiative to develop spaces that enhance occupant health and quality.

From color and texture to sustainable features, today’s design options are endless. Innovative and advanced technologies are allowing buildings to show off more personality than ever.

The USGBC’s LEED version 4 continues to grow in North America as well as across the globe. According to Mahesh Ramanujam, the new President and CEO of USGBC and GBCI, LEED is growing worldwide with over 36,000 certified commercial projects. That represents over 5 billion square feet of certified space. He also states that every day more than 1.85 million square feet of space certifies LEED.

After spending the majority of my career in the low slope roofing industry, I was always fascinated by, and perhaps a bit jealous of, my partners in the steep slope metal world. The colors, the profiles, the substrates…it just really seemed a bit more “sexy” than minerals, coatings and rocks. When an opportunity presented itself to become more involved in steep slope and metal, I jumped at it. After more than a year in this portion of the market, I have yet to become bored with the options, aesthetics and durability that metal can offer.

Color in architecture is bigger than ever, and there’s a strong “why” behind that choice. Color carries emotion, and for businesses, choosing the right color can directly help sell products and services, and truly inspire visitors of a building.

As sustainable (or "green") products continue to grow in popularity, the claims by marketers of those products often go a little too far in their boasting of the sustainability of the product. In an attempt to somewhat regulate the green claims being made, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) created a Green Guides document in 1992. The guide has been updated repeatedly with the most recent update taking place in 2012. The Green Guides are designed to help marketing personnel avoid making environmental claims that mislead consumers.

Today, everything seems to claim “innovation” on the label – from the cell phone we choose to the car we drive, and even some of the food we eat. They all tout innovation. But what makes something truly innovative – new, ground-breaking and inventive? In the architectural coating manufacturing industry, it all comes down to the properties of a product and what benefits or services it can provide to the end user.

Are you hearing loud noises coming from your roof? This can be a sign that snow is sliding. Beware the next time you open the door to go outside especially if your door opens where snow falls. Deaths have occurred when snow slippage is imminent and someone slams a door. Just the vibration creates an avalanche.

At DesignandBuildwithMetal.com, we realize that time is a precious asset for everyone so we've kicked off 2017 by introducing Sustainability and Residential Landing Pages that help architects, contractors and building/home owners find the information they need as quickly as possible.