The First Facility Management Blog

Staircases are just staircases, right? Well, not always. Sometimes, a clever designer taps the talents of a diligent engineer, and the results can be pretty impressive. Take a look…

This one would be confusing at first. Start with the wrong foot and you are in trouble.

Here’s a practical idea…the two bottom steps both open up for additional storage.

Unnaturally natural….

Another great use of space (my personal favorite)…
Going up:

And going down:

Better on paper than in practice?

Another example where footing is essential.
Going up (left) and down (right):

Colorful, but nauseating. Does this one come with a sick bag?

Does this pass code?

Or this?

This looks more like a sliding board than a staircase.

Perhaps this is what it looks like inside the condo for the Keebler elves?

Many thanks to Evelyn Schwartz for submitting this post.

Imagine 5th and 6th grade students donning hard hats and safety glasses, helping to design and build their own school, and then acting as energy conscious stewards for the facility. For public school children in New Haven, CT, Kids Build, an educational program developed by architecture firm Svigals + Partners, in conjunction with the New Haven School Construction Program, is allowing them to do just that. By offering participants the opportunity to gain firsthand experience working with architects, construction managers, and tradespeople, Kids Build offers career mentoring, side by side with lessons in art, science, and math.

The first Kids Build project focused on the Beecher School, completed in 2006.

The Kids Build program is intended to educate schoolchildren about the design, construction, and maintenance of their new schools. Students are involved in the design and ongoing maintenance, becoming “stewards” who can responsibly care for their schools and help younger students learn about these important values.

Kids Build is an energy conscious program that supports the City of New Haven’s efforts to reduce energy use in schools. It provides opportunities for schoolchildren to explore career paths in architecture, design and building/construction and is supported by New Haven Public Schools.

With two schools completed under the program—the Beecher School in 2006 and The Columbus Family Academy in 2008, participants are gearing up for a third project at the Engineering and Science University Magnate School.

Throughout the construction of each school, groups of 30 5th and 6th grade students meet for four two-hour workshops. Activities include exploring the office of Svigals +Partners, visiting construction
trailers, participating in discussions with the architects, construction managers, and tradespeople, and touring the schools at various stages of construction.

Students learn about a variety of building topics related to construction and operations.

Students in past projects hailed from several New Haven Public Schools and included several of those who would be entering the new schools upon completion. Once the schools opened, these students prepared a presentation of their Kids Build experience for their classmates.

New Haven Mayor John DeStefano, Jr., has said: “Kids Build is an innovative way to introduce city students to meaningful careers in architecture and construction and also to teach them to be proud of their schools. The City’s $1.5 billion Citywide School Construction program presents a great opportunity for kids to learn more about how to care for assets like their own schools. Kudos to Svigals + Partners for their involvement.”

Turner Construction Company announced that the First Quarter 2010 Turner Building Cost Index, which measures non-residential building construction costs in the United States, has decreased by 0.5% from the Fourth Quarter 2009 and decreased 7.74% from the First Quarter 2009. Construction costs have decreased by 13.06 % since their peak at the end of 2008. The Turner Building Cost Index value for First Quarter 2010 is 799.

Karl F. Almstead, the Turner vice president responsible for the Turner Building Cost Index said, “The rate of decline in construction costs is not as dramatic as it was in 2009.  The reduced volume of work remains the driving force behind the market’s downward pressure on costs in the non-residential building construction sector.

“While there are signs of recovery in the economy, the construction industry trails the broader economy due to the time required for project planning and design. As the economic recovery strengthens, increased activity in project planning will provide an indication that the rebound in the construction industry is underway,” said Almstead.

Turner has prepared the construction cost forecast for more than 80 years. Used widely by the construction industry and Federal and State governments, the building costs and price trends tracked by The Turner Building Cost Index may or may not reflect regional conditions in any given quarter. The Cost Index is determined by several factors considered on a nationwide basis, including labor rates and productivity, material prices and the competitive condition of the marketplace.

Georgia-Pacific Gypsum recently announced it has doubled the weather exposure limited warranty for its line of DensArmor Plus®  interior panels from six months to 12 months. All of the following Georgia-Pacific Gypsum fiberglass mat interior panels now offer a 12-month weather exposure limited warranty:

• DensArmor Plus® High-Performance Interior Panels
• DensArmor Plus® Abuse-Resistant Interior Panels
• DensArmor Plus® Impact-Resistant Interior Panels

These interior products join Georgia-Pacific Gypsum’s exterior products (its flagship DensGlass® Sheathing and DensGlass® Shaftliner) in offering a 12-month weather exposure limited warranty for the U.S. and Canadian markets.

According to Mike Clay, vice president, sales and marketing for Georgia-Pacific Gypsum, the move to lengthen the weather exposure limited warranty for the DensArmor Plus Interior Panels line was based on the ongoing stellar performance of the products, which were first introduced in 2002. “Our panels are moisture- and mold-resistant, due to fiberglass mats instead of paper facings. Their use can potentially accelerate building schedules since they can be installed earlier in the construction cycle, even before the roof is sealed,” said Clay. “”With the inevitability of delayed construction due to weather, this extended warranty gives confidence to construction professionals that our products will perform as expected.”

Mike Betz of Island Acoustics, which provides acoustical ceilings, drywall and carpentry services in the New York City area, can attest to the quality, reliability and durability of DensArmor Plus High-Performance Interior Panels. “Based on an aggressive construction schedule, we used DensArmor Plus High-Performance Interior Panels for my current project so we could begin drywall installation sooner than expected,” Betz explained. “The panels performed above and beyond what we expected and thanks to Georgia-Pacific, the project is currently on-track to finish ahead of schedule.”

A new publication from the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the group that writes the specification for the seismic design of steel buildings in the U.S., provides a broad understanding of earthquakes and how they affect buildings. The American Institute of Steel Construction, headquartered in Chicago, is a not-for-profit technical institute and trade association established in 1921 to serve the structural steel design community and construction industry.

While “Facts for Steel Buildings Number 3: Earthquakes and Seismic Design” was written prior to and does not directly address the situation in Haiti, the reader gains a basic understanding of earthquake engineering and the U.S. buildings codes that are designed to prevent this level of catastrophe.

Written by Ronald O. Hamburger of Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc., this publication presents an overview of the causes of earthquakes, the earthquake effects that damage structures, the structural properties that are effective in minimizing damage, and the organization and intent of seismic design requirements for steel structures in the U.S. today and also looks at the future of seismic design.

Hamburger is one of the world’s leading experts on seismic design and chairs the AISC committee responsible for prequalifying moment connections for use in high-seismic applications. He is a past president of the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations and played a key leadership role in the post-Northridge earthquake research that helped to create our current seismic design standards. For his work on performance-based seismic design, he received the AISC T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award in 2007.

AISC’s Facts series provides a look at the background and philosophy on various topics without delving into heavy technical details. They are written so as to be understandable by both engineers and laypeople. The previous two installments — “Facts for Steel Buildings Number 1: Fire” and “Facts for Steel Buildings Number 2: Blast and Progressive Collapse” — are also available for download.

To request a free PDF of the Earthquake report, send an e-mail to tfm@groupc.com with the words “Earthquake Design Guide” in the subject line.

The engineering mind is a fascinating thing. When an engineer comes on the scene, the most common objects—a stack of pennies, for instance—can be transformed into just about any architectural masterpiece.

“Distracted Programmer” Mitch Fincher has published a Web page based on a talk he gave while studying civil engineering at Texas Tech University. He explains the science behind his creations:

“The following is the basic pattern for building cantilevered structures with pennies. Although it looks trivial, we can build amazing structures with these pillars.

“All penny columns are 10 high per stack. Two side-by-side pennies held in place by a penny above them is called a triad. (Pictured at left is a stack with two triads resting on top.)

“All stacks of coins were created without any glue. Only the weight of the coins provides the support.
Fincher’s site has collected numerous examples of amazing coin stacks, which he calls “a fun hobby for kids, college students and adults.”

The video below demonstrates how one “stacker” has designed a three foot bridge with over 2,000 coins:

Richard P. Weiland, Chief Executive Officer of the International Code Council, has issued the following statement regarding the Haiti earthquake and the necessity of using stronger codes in the rebuilding effort.

“On behalf of our members and our organization, we extend support and prayers to the people of Haiti, and for the efforts underway to respond to the devastating impacts of the earthquake. In particular we are thinking of our colleagues in the building safety community, as they develop strategies to rebuild from this incredible devastation.

“As Haiti moves in the coming days and weeks from the challenges of immediate response to those of short-term and long-term recovery, we encourage the smart application of proven seismic safety principles to rebuild Port-au-Prince and other Haitian communities. We know that damage, fatalities, and injuries from earthquakes can be reduced by code adoption and enforcement. Effective codes, such as the International Codes enforced throughout earthquake-prone areas in the U.S., require certain design and construction approaches that acknowledge hazards and the risks they pose. The many members of the Code Council who work in seismically active regions know firsthand the value of these codes and the techniques to ensure their effective enforcement. While building to newer codes may result in slight increases in construction costs, studies show that every dollar spent on building safer and stronger prevents four to seven dollars in future losses.

“We stand ready to support the efforts of the U.S. State Department and other federal agencies, along with the United Nations and other international relief organizations, to make sure that Haiti is rebuilt in a manner that creates disaster resilience. The seismic provisions of the International Codes are regularly updated to reflect the latest knowledge about earthquake dynamics and building behavior, and can function as an important tool in the Haitian recovery effort. We can provide written materials, subject-matter expertise, and professional development to ensure a safer and more sustainable Haiti.

“The events in Haiti once again teach us that any effort involving rebuilding should require construction that utilizes the best available information on codes and code enforcement. Events of similar magnitude result in different impacts based on how a nation and community approach their management of the built environment. Our codes are intended to protect people inside buildings by preventing collapse and allowing for safe evacuation. Structures built to the most modern codes should resist minor earthquakes without suffering damage and ride out severe earthquakes without collapsing.”

The International Code Council is a non-profit, membership organization composed of code officials ranging from building inspectors to fire suppression officials, along with architects, engineers, developers and building owners, and others involved in the building safety community. The Code Council develops model codes which have been adopted in all 50 states and are either adapted or used as resources around the world including nations in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia, and the Middle East. The family of International Codes includes specific sections addressing natural hazards, which are regularly updated in coordination with U.S. federal agencies and reflecting current data and field experience.

Cooper Crouse-Hinds, a provider of electrical products designed to enhance safety and productivity in industrial and commercial environments, recently announced SmartGuard clear protection plates. SmartGuard is a high impact, router resistant, PVC patented protection plate designed specifically for the protection of electrical boxes and wiring from damage during rough-in stage of construction.

The SmartGuard plates are available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Designed to keep electrical and communication boxes clean and free from debris throughout completion of construction projects, SmartGuard seals out sheetrock mud, sanding dust, and paint overspray to provide protection from potential damage on commercial and residential job sites.

The family of products includes covers for four square commercial boxes with single- to five-gang mud rings (no devices installed) and single- to four-gang empty PVC residential boxes. SmartGuard also includes covers for single- and two-gang four inch square steel mud rings with a device installed (switches, receptacles and GFCI’s), as well as commercial or residential lighting “cans,” residential ceiling boxes, panel/breaker boxes and meters.

Stan Munro of Syracuse, NY has an unusual profession: he builds with toothpicks. We’re not talking about school project or Boy/Girl Scout merit badge caliber, but entire recognizable architectural monuments from around the world.

Munro can spend up to six months to create a building, and each of his creations is built to 1:164 scale. His work can be seen at the Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse.

Look at the amazing works of one of the most patient men in the world.

Note: before making large toothpick structures for a living, Munro was the “wacky morning guy” on 13WHAM-TV, in his hometown of Rochester, NY.

With the growing interest to “bring nature indoors” into buildings and homes, increasingly we see measures like expansive natural daylighting and an abundance of plants inside new and existing structures.

A real estate developer incorporated a less common natural element into his home in the Catskill Mountains in New York State after harboring his idea for several decades. He just had to find the perfect rock… if that’s what it can be called. In fact, the bluestone boulder that graces his living room is 8′ high, 15′ wide, and 22′ deep.

Inspiration for a dream house?

Among other construction issues, a major question was: Would they be able to waterproof the house against the stream of water than ran underneath the boulder’s edge?

To address the water issue, workers waterproofed the rock against the stream before building the house. After completing a foundation that reached half the height of the boulder, a concrete slab was poured at the base of the boulder. Then workers applied a sealant over the slab and the rock. Radiant heat tubing was installed and a second concrete slab was poured. Thus far, according to the owner, the boulder has not leaked. It also maintains a temperature of 68 degrees throughout the winter, which the homeowner measures using a thermal imaging camera.

With some ingenuity (and a healthy project budget, no doubt), you really can bring Great Outdoors in! A New York Times story on the house can be found here…