In the 1960s, construction methods gained a speed and flexibility with “plastic.” However, it is now apparent replacing cement, rock, and water with plastics has unanticipated negative effects, such as shorter life cycles as a result of deterioration and corrosion, which have affected buildings, bridges, and highways.
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Guidelines for detailing and testing air and water barriers (AWB) with cladding attachments are limited, and installation practices are not consistent across projects. Each of these penetrations have their own unique attachment method, with varying potential effects on air and water tightness and the building’s overall thermal performance. However,...
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Waterproofing is the art and science of minimizing the potential for water ingress into a structure by treating surfaces to resist the passage of water under hydrostatic pressure. While it sounds similar, waterproofing is different from dampproofing, which is defined as treatment of a surface or structure to resist...
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Fully tempered glass offers designers certain advantages over annealed and heat-strengthened glass, including increased strength to resist imposed loads and thermal stresses, as well as a characteristic breakage pattern in a “relatively safe” manner; however, these features come at the cost of increased optical distortion and an often overlooked...
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The need for energy efficient buildings is the largest driving factor behind product innovation and building science advancements in air barrier materials. However, other equally important aspects of modern construction are sometimes overlooked by building professionals.
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Can historic building techniques teach us valuable lessons about sustainability, comfort, and even the beauty of architecture? That’s been one essential takeaway from Page & Turnbull’s work on Sacramento Valley Station, a 1926 gem originally designed by the firm Bliss and Faville, containing an exceptional mural by artist John...
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Many specifiers are uncertain of the difference between fail-safe and fail-secure security products, and how these functions apply to electric strikes, electromechanical locks, panic hardware, and electromagnetic locks. The two terms have both life safety and security implications.
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An astute project manager should know all requirements for notification related to construction delays. One should determine if the project specifications cover the use of critical path method (CPM) schedules.
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Guiding occupants out of a smoke-filled or darkened building via luminescing egress demarcation could save lives in an emergency. Specifying photoluminescent egress products in commercial buildings is required by building codes, but should also be done with care to ensure the selected materials provide durability and long-term performance.
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Connected buildings, the Internet of Things, and smart devices are buzzwords in the industry. But do building owners and facility managers have a true understanding of what a connected building is and the benefits it can provide?
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