Miami Marine Stadium Closer To Historic Designation

Miami’s iconic Marine Stadium, admired by architecture enthusiasts around the world, cleared a significant hurdle on the path toward landmark status by the City of Miami’s Historic and Environmental Preservation Board as nomination as a landmark structure was approved.

A dazzling modernist masterpiece designed and built in 1964 by architect Hilario Candela, the 6,566 seat stadium’s cantilevered roof is one of the largest spans of unsupported concrete in the world. Its origami-like patterns of waves and sails jut out like alligator jaws from a water basin designed as a race course in Virginia Key. All seats have a spectacular view of the surging Miami skyline.

Originally built for power boat racing, the stadium’s floating stage hosted legendary performers like Jimmy Buffett , Bonnie Raitt, Mitch Miller, and Jose Luis Rodriguez (El Puma), Sunrise Easter Services, Virgen De La Caridad Flotillas, classical music concerts from the Miami Pops and the Boston Pops, even television shows. Clambake, an Elvis Presley movie was shot there, and Sammy Davis, Jr. hugged President Richard Nixon at a rally. Since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the stadium has been shuttered.

Friends of Marine Stadium, working closely with the nonprofit Dade Heritage Trust (DHT), Miami-Dade County’s pre-eminent historic preservation organization, has led the initiative to designate and renovate the Stadium. DHT President Becky Roper Matkov said, “The Marine Stadium is mid-century Miami architecture at its best, embracing the water without obscuring the waterfront.”

The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s President Richard Moe notes that the Marine Stadium is of “particular interest” to the Trust and that its design “is considered the finest example of a mid-century sporting venue in the region.”

The stadium’s original architect, Hilario Candela, then a 28 year old Cuban immigrant in 1962, went on to become principal of the firm Spillis Candela. Still active and thriving today, Candela is involved in the movement to revive the stadium. In fact, the Marine Stadium is one of the first major structures in the United States to be designed by a Cuban born architect. According to the designation report prepared by architect, Jorge Hernandez, a University of Miami faculty member and Dade Heritage Trust Board Member, the stadium is the first example of the significant contributions made by generations of Cuban professionals who fled Castro's revolution and came to Miami, starting a new chapter in the city's history.

The Marine Stadium’s universal appeal and cultural significance to an entire generation of Miamians has ignited a passionate drumbeat for the preservation, renovation, and adaptive reuse of a great architectural icon.

BIM Used In Study Of Product Performance

New York-based Turner Construction recently conducted a study with Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC to gauge the scheduling--and therefore financial--benefits of using Dens™ Brand paperless, moisture-resistant gypsum products.

Paperless gypsum panels are designed as a replacement for paper-faced panels in commercial and residential buildings. Dens Brand panels from Georgia-Pacific Gypsum have fiberglass mats front and back that provide superior moisture and mold resistance compared to traditional paper-faced panels.

In the study, Turner used advanced Building Information Modeling (BIM) software to model an assisted living facility in the Northeast to identify and show how significant efficiencies in the sequence and construction process can benefit architects, general contractors and building owners. Model construction of the $90 million commercial project showed that installing moisture- and mold-resistant DensArmor Plus® interior drywall from Georgia-Pacific Gypsum accelerated the construction process by up to 10 weeks. The potential savings in both time and money were a result of being able to install the gypsum panels earlier in the construction cycle before a structure is fully enclosed, allowing crews to work simultaneously and compressing schedules.

“Because of their overall durability and resistance to moisture, using Dens products in specific applications before the building has been dried in has proven to help accelerate the completion time of the project and without the fear of moisture damage that is seen with regular drywall,” said Edward V. McNeill, senior vice president, operations, Turner Construction.

“The results show benefits for all parties involved in the construction process,” said Leo Bissonnette, general manager for Georgia-Pacific Gypsum. “By building from the inside out with these moisture-resistant gypsum products, general contractors potentially can complete projects ahead of schedule, and building owners have an opportunity to generate faster cash flow by moving paying occupants in more quickly.”

“BIM helps everyone involved visualize the value of paperless gypsum products, from the architect to the owner," continues Bissonnette. "Our products can make a difference in the development, construction and the life of a building. That not every project will realize such significant results and costs savings will vary by project.”

Ultimately, the facility will be constructed with two Dens Brand products, including the flagship DensGlass Gold® exterior sheathing, which now features a 12-month weather exposure limited warranty, and DensArmor Plus interior drywall, which has a six-month weather exposure limited warranty.

DensArmor Plus interior drywall is also the only drywall product in the industry to be GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® and GREENGUARD Children & Schoolssm Certified. These prestigious certifications, from the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, recognize indoor products that have low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). DensArmor Plus is also listed as a GREENGUARD microbial-resistant product.

DENSGLASS GOLD and DENSARMOR PLUS are trademarks of Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC.

Supplier Takes Safety Seriously

Next to the slow economy, the cost and availability of workers compensation and general liability insurance continue to be the roofing contractor’s biggest problems, according to a recent survey of steep and low slope roofing installers. Accidents cost money and increase contractors’ insurance modification factors, making it more difficult and expensive to find coverage. This is one reason why most roofing manufacturers emphasize safety in their application literature and in their production facilities.

For nearly 20 years, the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) has recognized workplace safety through its prestigious Accident Prevention Contest. Almost 40 roof manufacturing facilities improved their “safety index” from last year. Among the top 11 winners this year, seven facilities are run by GAF Materials Corporation, including the top two winners, according to ARMA’s recently released results for 2007. GAF’s Fontana, CA, facility also managed to repeat its performance from 2006 and held onto its number one ranking again this year.

Dick Nowak, Executive VP and Chief Operating Officer at GAF says the company takes safety seriously, “Every single manufacturing facility in the GAF organization puts safety as its number one priority, and the ARMA results acknowledge their efforts.” Regarding the entire organization, Nowak added, “GAF has made a commitment to follow sound safety procedures throughout the entire workforce, and we hope to continue to be at the top of ARMA’s list each and every year.”

ARMA measures its results based on labor hours worked per year, with GAF winning the President’s Awards in Group A and Group B. (The Group A category represents more than 300,000 labor hours worked, with Group B facilities reporting 200,000-300,000 labor hours in 2007.) GAF’s Fontana and Savannah, GA plants—and two facilities run by other manufacturers—achieved a perfect ARMA index score for 2007, which is based on no lost and restricted workdays and no reportable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) incidents.

“GAF’s commitment to safety extends far beyond educating its plant personnel and also includes the entire GAF organization nationwide. In fact, company managers are required to begin each company meeting with a safety message which could, for example, address a safety concern or reiterate a safety practice,” stated Jan Jerger-Stevens, Senior Vice President, Human Resources at GAF. “This shows employees, contractors and visitors that the company truly is serious about safety in the workplace.”

Exhibition on Transforming South Street Seaport To Be Launched by AIA New York

Compelling proposals to change the face of lower Manhattan will be on display at the Center for Architecture in New York. "South Street Seaport: Re-envisioning the Urban Edge", is an exhibition from July 17 through September 20, 2008 that showcases 37 prospective designs resulting from the third Biennial Ideas Competition launched by the Emerging New York Architects Committee (ENYA) of the AIA NY. This competition encouraged participants to envision new connections, both material and metaphoric, to Manhattan’s contemporary urban fabric.

"South Street Seaport: Re-envisioning the Urban Edge" provided a rare opportunity for students and young professionals in the field of design and architecture, and who have completed their education at the undergraduate or graduate level within the past 10 years, to engage the ongoing evolution of the South Street Seaport.

Preserving waterfront history
Continuing its recent tradition of selecting sites tied to New York City’s waterfront, ENYA partnered with the Seaman's Church Institute (SCI), whose headquarters have been in the Seaport neighborhood since 1832. With SCI functioning as a hypothetical client, participants were asked to consider the area’s past before suggesting interventions to its future.

Principal design elements of the contest included a community center for the SCI and gallery space to house their collection of maritime art and artifacts, as well as open space usage that would preserve the neighborhood’s intriguing history. Unlike previous competitions that have asked entrants to consider building on terra firma, this competition required the design of a new pier over the water south of the Brooklyn Bridge.

“ENYA’s Biennial Competition program provides an important opportunity for emerging architects from around the world to proffer their suggestions about what the future face of New York City might look like,” commented Carolyn Sponza, AIA, LEED AP, Vice President for Professional Development with the AIA New York Chapter. “As an ideas competition, many of the selections break the mold of traditional thinking about urbanism and engagement with the city—often resulting in proposals that tread the boundary between the accepted and radical."

Global perspectives on the Seaport
The competition jury included highly influential designers and critics form New York, including Nina Baniahmad, Sara Caples-Jefferson, Kate Kerrigan, Eeva Liisa Pelkonen, Michael Sorkin and Calvin Tsao. The exhibition curators are Anne Leonhardt, Joel Melton, and Sean Rasmussen. Models of the four winning entries will be displayed along with the 37 proposals selected by the jury. More than 200 participants entered the competition, representing a broad spectrum of domestic and international architects, landscape architects, urban designers and planners, and graphic artists from 13 countries.

Opening party, walking tour and more
In addition to the opening on July 17, other events will include a symposium, walking tour, and lecture. The exhibition is accompanied by a publication that contains highlights of the best entries, critical essays by noted architectural writers on architecture Michael Sorkin and Ann Buttonwieser, and proposals by NYC high school students involved in an architectural design studio program.

How Was Your Weekend?

Imagine having one of the biggest events in the history of your facility not hold up well to the forces of nature.

That's what happened to the Qwest Center in Omaha, NE on Friday as it played host to the U.S. Swimming Trials.

Have you had any experiences with your facility not performing at its best when an important function was occurring on site? Please share your stories with us in the comment section or e-mail csafran@groupc.com



Photo by Omaha World Herald

Cambridge Architectural Provides Cost-Effective Cladding Solution

A Cambridge Architectural Parkade™ metal fabric application functions as a cost-effective exterior cladding solution with dramatic visual appeal at the new Home Depot store in Jersey City, NJ.

The well known retailer stands at the edge of the booming town at the base of the Holland Tunnel where over 100,000 cars pass daily. This prominent location led to the desire for a visually appealing, yet durable and cost effective exterior cladding material to wrap the store's adjacent two story, 600 space parking facility.

A Parkade metal fabric treatment from Cambridge Architectural offered a solution, integrating well with other building materials used on the structure, while at the same time offering a distinctive look. Approximately 14,700 square feet of woven metal fabric was used to create the Parkade system, which lends modern, contemporary visual appeal to the parking facility.

"We specified architectural mesh because we wanted to mask the parking garage and improve ventilation", says Joshua Burdick, President, SBLM Architects.

"Cambridge's ability to work within tight deadlines, as with the Home Depot garage, which needed to be ready for the store's grand opening, made Cambridge Parkade metal fabric solutions a practical choice," explains Heather Collins, director of marketing for Cambridge Architectural. "Freedom from requiring embedded supports means Cambridge Parkade mesh applications can dramatically cut down on project costs, making woven metal fabric an attractive yet affordable cladding option."

The Parkade system was created with Cambridge's mid-balance metal fabric pattern and attached in tension with Eclipse™ attachment hardware. Mid-balance features large scaled, flexible open weaves that shade and screen structures including facades, parking garages, and pavilions.

With the Eclipse tension attachment hardware, tailored edges of mesh are provided for expanses of flexible metal fabric in tension. Custom cut apertures receive the metal fabric ends in tubing that is integrated into a bracket and structural support design. Tube sizes may vary to emphasize or de-emphasize the attachment. The hardware is appropriate for lengths of metal fabric held in tension up to 100 feet.

Cambridge maintains a fully staffed engineering department to assist with design-build questions, installation details, framing design, and load characteristics, and is also available for on site installation supervision.

WEIRD WEDNESDAY: Twisting And Turning

Plans for an 80 story building in Dubai reveal a structure designed be in motion. Italian architect Dr. David Fisher announced yesterday the launch of the Dynamic Tower, which he says will be constructed first in Dubai, then Moscow, with other locations planned worldwide.

Rotating Tower Dubai Development Ltd headed by the Dynamic Group, have announced the opening of the reservations list for the first Dynamic Tower in Dubai. The building will contain apartments and larger villas, and the entire building would run on wind energy from turbines sited on each floor.

Said Dr. Fisher, “The Dynamic Tower is environmentally friendly and the first building designed to be self-powered, with the ability to generate its own electricity, as well as for other nearby buildings, it achieves this feat with wind turbines fitted between each rotating floor, An 80-story building will have up to 79 wind turbines, making it a true green power plant.”

The Dynamic Tower would also be the first skyscraper to be built entirely from prefabricated parts that are custom made in a workshop, resulting in cost savings, including fewer workers on the construction site. “Each floor of the building can be completed in only seven days. From now on, buildings will be made in a factory,” Dr. Fisher said.

In terms of how building systems will remain intact as the building twists and turns, Fisher notes at the press conference yesterday that plumbing fixtures, for instance, would be along the lines of the flexible equipment used for aircraft refueling.

Plans Beyond The First Venture
Dr. Fisher also announced that the second Dynamic Tower planned for Moscow is now in the advanced design phase, with preassembling of the units to start soon and completion scheduled for 2010. The developer is the Mirax Group, headed by leading international developer Sergei Polonsky, The Moscow tower, which will have 70 floors and be 1,310 feet tall, will be located in Moscow City area.

“Our intention is to build the third Rotating Skyscraper in New York,” Dr. Fisher stated. “Additional Dynamic Towers will be built around the world, following an expression of interest from developers, governments, and public officials to construct a Dynamic Tower in Canada, Germany, Italy, Korea and Switzerland.

(Photo courtesy of Dynamic Architecture)

DuPont, Customers Help Rebuild Town

DuPont and four time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jeff Gordon recently announced that DuPont will partner with customers and make an initial donation of more than 30 innovative products and services worth nearly $750,000 to help rebuild homes and businesses in tornado-ravaged Greensburg, KS.

The town was leveled by one of the largest tornadoes in U.S. history in 2007. Very few structures remained in the aftermath of the deadly EF5 tornado and more than 1,500 people, who were displaced, are waiting to return to their homes. Greensburg residents are rebuilding their town using sustainable materials.

“DuPont employees and customers have come together to help the families in Greensburg. We cannot possibly imagine what this community has suffered but we can help. We care about protecting lives, we care about building homes, and we care about safeguarding communities,” said Tom Schuler, vice president and general manager, DuPont Building Innovations. “We are pleased to support the people of Greensburg with sustainable products that will help make a difference in the renewal of the town.”

The materials, which include key end use products from DuPont customers, will provide a number of benefits to homeowners in Greensburg for safety and energy efficiency, using sustainable materials for both inside and outside their homes.

“DuPont's involvement in Greensburg marks a great partnership for the city. I look forward to continued support from them as we rebuild our sustainable city,” said Steve Hewitt, Greensburg city administrator.

“DuPont's leadership in creating quality products and their generous contributions are making it possible for the Habitat organization to offer affordable home ownership as a hands-up solution in the Greensburg community. We are tremendously grateful to DuPont and their business partners for their leadership and support,” said Linda Stewart, executive director, Wichita Habitat for Humanity, Inc.

Key DuPont customer donations include carpet from Mohawk and air conditioning systems from Johnson Controls.

Inspired by Greensburg residents’ desire to rebuild “green,” Planet Green television network is chronicling the rebuilding of Greensburg. The epic docu-series is a mixture of human stories and building and engineering. "Greensburg" will air on Planet Green every Sunday for 12 weeks. The series will document the story of a community coming together and the enormous scope of rebuilding a small city.

Reliant Stadium Achieves Code Compliance

Facing fire and building code challenges that simply did not exist a few years ago with large, open air assembly facilities, Rolf Jensen & Associates (RJA) recently helped reach code compliance in emergency situations for Reliant Stadium, home to the Houston Texans.

"Achieving complete and total code compliance is difficult in these types of facilities," explained Michael Crowley, RJA project manager. "We worked with the City of Houston to gain acceptance for alternative methods of compliance for the smoke control system, exiting, and other features unique to the facility."

RJA considered using the retractable roof as a means to allow smoke to escape in the event of a fire. The roof, which is constructed of steel with a fabric covering, completely opens in about 10 minutes. However, the roof cannot be opened when wind speeds exceed 35 mph. Because wind speeds are typically in the high teens at the roof's peak, the city required RJA to approach the stadium as a smoke protected assembly with the assumption that the roof would not be open.

This kind of solution required pre-planning—a key ingredient in RJA's formula. RJA evaluated models, which determined how much smoke would be generated in a fire and the most favorable ways to control it for the design of the smoke control system. Even more important was conducting exit calculations and timed egress for occupant evacuation.

RJA also negotiated a code variance with the City of Houston to allow 3,000 additional standing room only occupants to be added to the existing configuration on the main concourse, as well as providing for special fire department access to hoses at alternative standpipe locations. The first stadium to have a retractable roof in the National Football League,
Reliant Stadium, which hosted Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, now is the centerpiece of the Reliant Park complex with venues for sports, entertainment, conventions, and other functions.

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Rolf Jensen & Associates provides a range of engineering and consulting services for clients on projects around the world. Through its 30 offices, the company is a consulting engineering firm for fire and life safety issues, from designing a fire alarm system for a high rise building or conducting a fire model for smoke control in a new convention center to providing on site management of the life safety construction process or conducting a custom training seminar on performance based design.

WEIRD WEDNESDAY: Is There Any Such Thing As Good Graffiti?

The relationship between the facility manager and the graffiti artist has always been a hostile one. There are many products on the market to help arm the fm in the battle against the rogue artist (or artists), but in this particular example, the "graffitist" is given free reign.

Here is an amazing short film by Blu. It features an ambiguous animation painted on public walls around Buenos Aires and in Baden.

WEIRD WEDNESDAY: A Chicken Partial To Fast Food?

For four months, a fair fowl took up residence at a California McDonald’s. Customers and restaurant management alike had tried to catch the chicken, which at times blocked cars from traveling through the drive through lane. Perhaps it knew customers might be ordering chicken nuggets?!

To read the story, which appeared at CNN.com the other day, visit this link…

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Signs Of Success For FMs

This Web Exclusive comes from Ernest Dwight of SouthWood Corporation.

As a facility management professional, your goal is to provide a consistently pleasant experience to users of the facility. Creating an inviting and attractive atmosphere is important to that goal. But equally important is to ensure that the facility environment matches your organization's brand identity. A mismatch between environment and brand identity leads to an uncomfortable confusion, rather than the pleasant experience you are striving for.

Signage plays an important role in retaining brand identity while guiding facility users to accomplish what they need to accomplish. Signage is a first impression for those who don't know you and a reinforcement of expectations for those who do. It is a unique chance to create value and enhance image.

The intention of signage is not just to get noticed. Going to a black-tie dinner in overalls would get you noticed, but what would it do for your image?

There are four basic types of signs:

1. Identification signs that name a facility or location;
2. Directional signs that guide people to a facility or location;
3. Informational signs that provide necessary facts, such as hours of operation, golf-course hole layouts, or how to use exercise equipment in a health club; and
4. Regulatory signs that tell people what is permitted and what is not permitted, such as stop signs, swimming pool rules and restricted areas.

These four functions are critical to effective signage. The signs should clearly identify, direct, and inform customers, visitors, and guests.

The implied message of signage must be one of quality and image consistent with the business brand. Not only must the graphics reinforce the marketing image of the business, design and materials must appropriately reflect the architectural flavor of the building or development. Don't overlook the viewing and site conditions which impact the appropriateness of every solution.

Consistency throughout the property is also important to an effective signage program. An assortment of shapes, colors, materials, and typefaces creates a look of clutter and confusion. All signs should convey a consistent look and project the same image regardless of their purpose or location.

A proliferation of wordy signs detracts from the visual appeal of your property without offering any real value to your visitors. Keep your message simple and use fewer signs so that they will be noticed and read easily.

It is often difficult for staff members who know the exact location of everything to see the property from a first-time visitor's viewpoint. Seeking assistance from an outside source can uncover existing signage problems and help avoid future problems. Professional sign planners determine what signs are appropriate by systematically identifying sign types, then developing a hierarchy within each type. They list all the facilities that need identification, and then assess the need for directional signs to help people find these facilities, informational signs dealing with use of the facilities and regulatory signs that control access to or use of the facilities.

After the planning process defines signage needs, designers use known size criteria for message legibility, as well as building, zoning and traffic considerations to develop concepts that reflect the property's architectural identity and image. Designers compare each sign type to others in the program to ensure that a cohesive and consistent look is maintained.

It isn't necessary for you to submerge yourself in the technicalities of signage. What is important is that you are able to assess what you need and how it can make a positive contribution to your facility.

WEIRD WEDNESDAY: Shrink Wrap Your Building

Shrink wrap is nothing new. In addition to its product packaging applications, the technique is gaining popularity as a method of securing everything from luggage to shipping pallets. But shrink wrapping construction projects? Now that's an interesting concept. But it's a pretty practical idea, when you think about it.

Dr. Shrink, a company out of Manistee, MI, is pioneering this approach based on the practical idea that most construction and remodeling jobs are not completed within a single day. The company's UV-protected BioShrink shrink wrap has additives that resist mold, mildew, algae, and bacteria, including E. Coli.

If building materials are left out for weeks or months without any protection, they can end up covered in mold or mildew. By attaching BioShrink to walls, the shrink wrap can be used to cover an entire room or area during construction.

To protect materials that will be left outside, BioShrink can be heat-shrunk like regular shrink wrap for a tight-fitting cover. It will provide full antimicrobial protection during storage or transportation.

The tan shrink wrap is suitable modular and pre-fabricated buildings. It comes in widths up to 20'.

Bird-X, Inc. Adds Resources To Its Web Site

The company has introduced its redesigned site to offer more information on bird control issues. While retaining all of the information from the previous site, the updated site (www.bird-x.com) contains an array of relevant information pertaining to specific bird problems and solutions. It is designed to serve as a complete authoritative resource on bird and animal control with educational and practical information, along with links to articles and customer testimonials.

"We wanted to create a Web site that functions as more than just an online store," says Mona Zemsky, marketing manager for Bird-X, Inc. "For example, if a corporate complex has a problem with territorial Canada geese destroying the grounds, we want them to know how to solve it, of course, but also why that solution is going to be successful in the long-term."

The Web site encompasses information learned after four decades of working with scientists, biologists, humane and Audubon societies, animal rights groups, environmental groups, concerned citizens, and global leaders of industry. Secondly, it highlights the real world experiences of the organizations who have suffered the financial, aesthetic and health effects of birds and their droppings.

About Bird-X, Inc.
Founded in 1963, Bird-X, Inc. is known for producing the world's most humane bird and animal pest control products. With new laser, ultrasonic, sonic, and visual repellents, the Bird-X tradition of innovation, high quality, and premium materials continues to endure. The company is located in Chicago, IL.

WEIRD WEDNESDAY: The Ants Go Marching...

Today's Weird Wednesday story comes straight from the "you can't make this stuff up" file. For facility professionals outside of the Houston, TX area, this story is odd, but amusing. For fms in the largest city in Texas, it's "A Bug's Life" with a nightmarish twist, and the siege shows few signs of ending anytime soon.

The story is about ants...crazy rasberry ants. What makes them doubly nightmarish (especially for fms) is their appetite for electronics (computers, motors, wiring) and their tenacity (it's nearly impossible to kill them because of their extreme numbers and the cost of the treatment).

First spotted about six years ago, paratrenicha species near pubens (their formal name) may have arrived in Houston by way of cargo ships from South America or the Caribbean. Their numbers have gone from the thousands to the millions in the meantime, and their infestations have spread to five surrounding counties. Moving at the rate of a half a mile a year, the ants (named after Tom Rasberry, the first Texas exterminator to do battle with them) do bite, but they don't sting.

Linda Stewart Ball of the Associated Press reports:

Exterminators say calls from frustrated homeowners and businesses are increasing because the ants — which are starting to emerge by the billions with the onset of the warm, humid season — appear to be resistant to over-the-counter ant killers.

And when you do kill these ants, the survivors turn it to their advantage: They pile up the dead, sometimes using them as a bridge to cross safely over surfaces treated with pesticide.

"At this point, it would be nearly impossible to eradicate the ant because it is so widely dispersed," said Roger Gold, a Texas A&M University entomologist.

The good news? They eat fire ants, the stinging red terrors of Texas summers.

But the ants also like to suck the sweet juices from plants, feed on such beneficial insects as ladybugs, and eat the hatchlings of a small, endangered type of grouse known as the Attwater prairie chicken.

Worse, they, like some other species of ants, are attracted to electrical equipment, for reasons that are not well understood by scientists. They have ruined pumps at sewage pumping stations, fouled computers and at least one homeowner's gas meter, and caused fire alarms to malfunction. They have been spotted at NASA's Johnson Space Center and close to Hobby Airport, though they haven't caused any major problems there yet.

Apparently, Moscow has called Houston to make sure everything was safe at NASA.

Here's more on these critters from the Center for Urban & Structural Entomology, Texas A&M University, Department of Entomology:

They have been known to short out many different types of electrical apparatuses. In some cases the ants have caused several thousand dollars in damage and remedial costs. These ants often cause great annoyance to residents and businesses.

Currently, little is known regarding specific biology of this ant. Texas A&M's Center for Urban and Structural Entomology is currently investigating food source attraction (Rachel Wynalda, M.S. student), colony growth, and immature development (Jason Meyers, Ph.D. student). However, research regarding other Paratrechina species is available and may offer close approximations of this species.

Colonies are polygyne (multiple queens) with moderately sized numbers (several hundred to few thousand). However, size of the colony can be much greater, especially when considering their unicolonial (supercolony) behavior. The colonies can be found under or within almost any object or void, including stumps, soil, concrete, rocks, potted plants, etc.

Check out this news footage from a local Houston station:

This story makes me itch.

WEIRD WEDNESDAY: Play That Funky Building, White Boy

On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from May 31, 2008 to August 10, 2008, there will be concerts on the Battery Maritime Building. Yes, concerts ON the building. David Byrne (formerly of The Talking Heads) has transformed the interior space of the structure into an interactive sound installation for all visitors to play.

Creative Time presents Playing the Building, a 9,000-square-foot, interactive, site-specific installation. The project consists of a retrofitted antique organ placed in the center of the
building’s second-floor gallery.


The organ controls a series of devices attached to its structural features—metal beams, plumbing, electrical conduits, and heating and water pipes. These machines will vibrate, strike, and blow across the building’s elements, triggering unique harmonics and producing finely tuned sounds.

As Byrne explains: “Typical parts of buildings can be used to produce interesting sounds. Everyone is familiar with the fact that if you rap on a metal column, for example, you will hear a ping or a clang, but I wondered if the pipes could be turned into giant flutes, and if a machine could make girders vibrate and produce tones.”

Playing the Building marks the first time in decades that the second floor of the Battery Maritime Building (located at the southern tip of Manhattan next to the Whitehall Ferry Terminal) will be accessible to the public. The space will be open and free on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout the summer of 2008. Everyone will be invited to sit at the organ, tap on the keys, and create sounds that travel through the space.

“David is most widely known as a musician, but he is an extraordinary writer, visual artist, and director who resists categorization, plays around with grey zones, and favors a life of broad creativity,” says Anne Pasternak, curator of the exhibition and President and Artistic Director at Creative Time. “Playing the Building is deceptive in its simplicity; it's layered with rich meaning relating to human nature, our contemporary relationship to place and sound, and considerations of shifts in culture at large.”

The exhibit and subsequent development of the Battery Maritime Building will preserve the historic features of the building, bring the grandeur back to the second floor Great Hall, and create a waterfront destination for all New Yorkers and visitors to enjoy. The Battery Maritime Building will be a great catalyst for the continuing revitalization of Lower Manhattan and the evolving New York Harbor District.

Designed by Richard Walker and Charles Morris and completed in 1909, the Battery Maritime Building is the last surviving East River ferry building from an era when 17 ferry lines traveled between Manhattan and Brooklyn. The building, which is in the Beaux-Arts Structural Expressionism style, was designated a historical landmark in 1967. The second story was home to the Great Hall, one of New York’s distinguished public spaces, which was at one time illuminated by a stained glass skylight. The Great Hall was used as a waiting area for many years, and in the 1930s was connected to the neighboring Whitehall Ferry Terminal by a pedestrian bridge. The Battery Maritime Building shut down its ferry service to Brooklyn in 1938, and consequently suffered structural deterioration due to lack of maintenance. It is now the property of the Department of Small Business Services and it is managed by the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

Playing the Building was originally presented and commissioned by Färgfabriken, Stockholm in 2005.

Tensile Roof Held Strong

When a tornado touched down in Atlanta, GA this past March, the Georgia Dome escaped major damage. Part of this was due to the presence of a tensile roofing system on the facility.

Inspections revealed that the Georgia Dome survived relatively unscathed after undergoing what Carl Atkins, general manager there, called a "focused Herculean team effort" by Birdair Inc., the specialty roofing contractor for lightweight long-span roofing systems and other tensile structures that that constructed the original roof on the Georgia Dome. Birdair's PTFE fiberglass fabric membrane envelops the structure.

During a Southeastern Conference (SEC) basketball game on the night of Friday, March 14, the Georgia Dome felt the effects of the 100-plus mph winds that struck Atlanta. The scoreboard swayed from the force exerted on the building, but none of the fans inside were injured. Designed to be flexible, the fabric roof rippled and bellowed with the wind but sustained only minor damage.

The storm, initially classified as a thunderstorm with winds in excess of 60 mph, was later upgraded. "The storm that hit Atlanta was a tornado," said AccuWeather's Ed Adams, manager of forensic services. "Its classification as an EF2 tornado means that winds in excess of 100 mph swept through the region."

CNN, which itself sustained heavy damage at its Atlanta headquarters, reported that The National Weather Service's Peachtree City office rated the storm an EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, meaning it packed top winds of 135 miles per hour. Both the Georgia's governor and Atlanta's mayor declared the city in a state of emergency.

Upon inspection of the Georgia Dome after the event, Birdair officials noted that, on the west side of the building, a diamond panel, a small sub-panel, and some cabling needed replacement. "The remainder of the roof is in very good condition, as we've established this through a thorough inspection of the membranes and attachments," said Dave Ricci, director of customer service and warranty at Birdair, Inc. "All involved at the Dome are very impressed with its performance. Buildings and other facilities around the dome suffered far greater damage, and the two panels that were damaged on the Georgia Dome were in the direct path of the tornado."

The game, being played with 18,000 people in attendance, was briefly delayed when the tornado struck at 9:40 p.m. The Washington Post later quoted SEC associate commissioner Charles Bloom as saying there were no injuries inside the arena among the fans, players and media attending the game between Alabama and Mississippi State. Within an hour the building was reported to be structurally sound and the teams finished the game. (Still, following the weather event, all events at Georgia Dome were cancelled for that weekend to ensure the safety and security of occupants.)

The Georgia Dome did not get hit directly, as tests indicate that the tornado itself passed about 100 yards north of the Georgia Dome. However, "the structure was definitely affected by the 100 mph winds," says Adams, general manager.

The tornado is the first to strike downtown Atlanta on record.

Landscape Architecture Projects Recognized

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recently announced the recipients of its 2008 Professional Awards. The jury considered over 500 entries and selected 29 projects to receive awards.

The winning projects are a mix of commercial, institutional, and residential landscape projects. They include:
General Design Category
Award of Excellence: The Lurie Garden, Millenium Park in Chicago
Honors: Boston Children's Museum in Boston; Walden Studios in Alexander Valley, CA; Lost Dog Wash Trailhead in Scottsdale, AZ; Fountain Promenade at Chapultepec Park in Mexico City, Mexico; Lagoon Park in Santa Barbara, CA; Washington Monument in Washington, DC; James Clarkson Environmental Discovery Center in White Lake Township, MI; and Gannett/USA Today Headquarters in McLean, VA

These projects and the other winners can be viewed at: http://asla.org/awards/2008/08winners/

“These awards represent the pinnacle of design achievement by the world’s leading landscape architects,” said ASLA’s President, Perry Howard, FASLA. The awards will be presented on October 6 at the ASLA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia at a ceremony sponsored by Landscape Forms.

Two Voluntary Specs Address Window Assemblies

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has recently released two revamped specifications relating to acoustics and impact and cycle testing.

Acoustics
The first revamped document is AAMA 1801-08, a voluntary specification for acoustical testing. According to Ken Brenden, AAMA technical standards manager, the eight-page document, first published in 1995 and titled "Voluntary Specification for the Acoustical Rating of Windows, Doors and Glazed Wall Sections," includes several updates.

The test specification describes the sound transmission loss measurement procedure for windows, doors, and glazed wall sections.

“In addition to various editorial changes, the most significant changes were the addition of new sections 6.0, Test Specimen Installation and 7.0, Conditioning,” states Brenden. “New sub-sections under Test Reports were also added addressing the verification of the manufacturer’s statement, filler wall transmission loss and items to include in the detailed description of the glazing material.”

In addition, a reference to ASTM E 90 Standard Test Method for Laboratory Measurement of Airborne Sound Transmission Loss of Building Partitions and Elements was added, as well as a diagram detailing test specimen installation, according to Brenden.

Impact And Cycle Testing
The second updated document is AAMA 506-08, a voluntary specification for impact and cycle testing. The revamped seven-page document, first published in 2000 and titled "Voluntary Specifications for Impact and Cycle Testing of Fenestration Products," also includes several updates.

The document is designed to provide a system for rating the ability of windows, doors, skylights, and sliding glass doors to withstand impact and pressure cycling generally associated with hurricane conditions.

Says Brendan, “In addition to various editorial changes, the most significant changes were the addition of a new section 8.0, ‘Qualification of Alternate Constructions,’ although these alternate constructions or details must also successfully complete all requirements of Section 6.0 to be qualified, therefore, some additional testing may be required.”

An exception was also allowed in Section 6.2 regarding mullions and the addition of cladding or a wrapped material. In addition to the three previous versions of the 101/I.S. 2 standard, AAMA 506-08 also recognizes products that have satisfied the minimum requirements associated with AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S. 2/A440-08, NAFS-North American Fenestration Standard/Specification for windows, doors, and skylights.

In addition, the reference to storefronts and curtain walls was removed and the text “surrounding building substrate for which qualification by this standard is sought” was added in Section 7.1 that deals with test specimen preparation, according to Brenden.

Each document is available to AAMA members at a cost of $10 for download, $20 for paper copy and $25 for CD. Non-members may purchase the document at a cost of $25 for download, $50 for paper copy and $55 for CD. Information can be found at the AAMA Online Publication Store or call AAMA at (847) 303-5664.

About AAMA
AAMA is the source of performance standards, product certification, and educational programs for the fenestration industry. (SM)