Columns/Blogs

A huge buzzword in the building products industry these days is transparency. The green building movement, which has previously focused on high-performing buildings with a strong emphasis on energy efficiency and fossil fuel use reduction, has increasingly put its cross hairs on occupant exposure risk in the last few years. Hhow this new emphasis is being implemented is really fueling the fire for new arguments.

Retrofitting an existing building by adding a new exterior surface can breathe new life into an aging structure. Not only does it provide an entirely new look, but retrofitting can also increase a building's energy efficiency, saving operational costs for the remainder of the building's life cycle. Insulated metal panels (IMPs) are an excellent option for exterior retrofit projects. Their versatility, performance, and easy installation make them an ideal choice for buildings of all types, sizes, and sectors.

A new three-year Research and Development project on Cool Walls has begun in California. The purpose of the project is to evaluate the energy-saving and environmental benefits of solar reflective walls, and to assess and advance available and emerging cool wall technologies. This will include cool paints, cool claddings, self-cleaning surfaces, fluorescent cool pigments and other novel solar reflecting technologies. Another important purpose of the project will be to develop an infrastructure to eventually promote cool walls and certify their performance.

Most people understand the purpose of a building code: To ensure the safety of the occupants and to establish the minimum accepted performance level of the building and its systems. Fewer people understand that because building codes are adopted into law by a governing body, technically referred to as an Authority Having Jurisdiction or AHJ, they are an in fact an extension of the law or ordinance that brings them into effect.

There are so many great advantages that come with living in warm climates. Although the warm sun is a prime condition for a fun outdoor lifestyle, when it comes to all things indoors is where the trouble begins. An overbearing sun may be okay if you are laying out on a beach somewhere, but you don’t want the same conditions beaming into your building. This is why it is important to fortify your building with insulated metal panels (IMPs). It’s the best way to protect your building against intense summer rays.

In 2012, the metal roofing industry caught wind of a rainwater runoff evaluation that was being planned by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) to supplement a 2011 investigation. Concerns over certain chemicals and metals in the Puget Sound were at the heart of the investigation. The intent of the project was to address chemicals and metals of concern in the rainwater runoff that were being detected in the Puget Sound.

Now that you have chosen the proper length for your application as described in Part 1 of this series, you now need to determine the proper type of fastener based upon the application. Carbon steel or stainless steel, painted or non-painted, capped head or molded head, washered or non-washered. The application will provide you the proper answer to each one of these choices as long as you know the differences.

There are many ways for metal to be used in building construction that can help to reduce the building’s impact on the environment. Sustainable building practice is designed to extend the life of the building by using recyclable materials and by lowering the use of energy and water. The move toward Net Zero energy in buildings is another example of how structures will be designed and maintained differently to achieve significant reductions in the electricity load on the building.

Resilience is once again in the spotlight. As the environment changes around the globe and population continues to grow, the built community and designers will be challenged to create buildings that can withstand ever-changing conditions.

As important as knowing the differences in metal roofing products, it is more important to know the differences in the fasteners holding that roof in place. There seems to be a lack of knowledge about fasteners, not only among metal panel and metal building suppliers but also among the contracting community. It is extremely important to choose the proper fastener for the proper application so here are some things to consider.

As you look to construct a brand new building for your business, you browse the Internet for a few options, only to end up more confused than when you started. Choosing between brick and aluminum cladding systems isn’t such a tough decision, but there are some companies offering single component wall systems, while others tout the built-up. Which way do you go? Does it matter? Why? With a soothing breath, take a minute as you will soon discover why single component wall systems trump built-up systems and everything else will fall into place.

The USGBC’s LEED program, as well as other green building rating programs around the world, have without a doubt transformed the building construction industry. What started as a way to design, construct and operate buildings to be more energy efficient and environmentally responsible has changed over the past 20 years. Today’s version of LEED looks at the impact of the project site, energy efficiencies, water conservation, environmentally responsible materials and resources, and indoor quality.

Many of us attend webinars that tease us with an intriguing title. One that caught my eye recently was hosted by the Department of Energy. The title was “Highly Efficient Solar Thermochemical Reaction Systems”. It sounded like a highly technical topic that someone like Bill Nye the Science Guy would just love to hear.

Having your roof inspected is the single most important thing you can do to ensure its overall lifespan. Annually is better than never, but if you are in a location that experiences extreme weather conditions over different periods throughout the year (like most of us), the majority of roofing contractors suggest inspecting your roof at least twice a year, in the Fall and again in the Spring or early Summer. Since Spring will be here before we know it, it’s actually a good time to start thinking about this now.

Today’s prepainted metals offer much more than just beautiful, flawless top coats. Coil coated metal’s specialized coatings differentiate your products from the competition. Specialized coatings include antimicrobial, non-skid, fingerprint resistant, reflective, anti-graffiti and anti-static coatings just to name a few. Whatever your product needs, the National Coil Coating Association and its members have the coating solution that will set you apart.

Even though there is no letter “H” or “W” in the acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) the USGBC’s green building rating system is creeping into the health and wellness of the building occupants. Lowering energy consumption and reducing the environmental footprints of buildings have been the primary focus of most of the major green building rating programs, including LEED and Green Globes…until now.

Institutional knowledge is the knowledge of your business and industry contained within your company. It’s not easy for the accountants to measure, but as any good manager knows, it is one of the key assets of all successful businesses.

Just about everyone has seen the bulky inverter units on their cords used to charge laptop computers, smart phones, i-pads and numerous other small electronic devices. Even rooftop photovoltaic panels require inverters to change the DC power generated by the modules to AC for use inside the building. As the building construction industry moves closer to net zero energy designs, there is a growing need for buildings to generate their own electricity and to rely less on the traditional large utility grid.

I have a friend who bought a beat-up Model T truck a couple years ago and did a great job of bringing it back to running condition, as he’s done with other old autos. What's different about this one is that it doesn’t look as restored as his other projects. There are no bright colors or great graphics. In fact, he preserved the truck’s “barn-find” appearance by sealing the rust that covers nearly all of the metal surfaces.

Like every Greenbuild conference and expo ever held, this year’s event in New Orleans was filled with new and surprising information. One can get a sense of the hot topics just by looking at the titles of the more than 200 education sessions, and the speeches given at the opening and closing plenary. This year’s event was focused on the slow acceptance of LEEDv4 since its launch at Greenbuild 2013.