Archinect - News

Researchers create ultra-white paint that could cool buildings

2021-04-16T17:54:00-04:00

Scientists in the US have developed a paint significantly "whiter than the whitest paint currently available". Tests carried out by researchers at Purdue University on their "ultra-white" paint showed it reflected more than 98% of sunlight. That suggests, the scientists say, that it could help save energy and fight climate change.

The paint's whiteness opens up a range of cooling features that, applied at an industrial scale, could limit the built environment's contributing effect to global warming and its dependency on traditional air conditioning.

"If you were to use this paint to cover a roof area of about 1,000 square feet, we estimate that you could get a cooling power of 10 kilowatts. That’s more powerful than the central air conditioners used by most houses," predicts Xiulin Ruan, the Purdue professor of mechanical engineering, who led the research.

An infrared camera shows how a sample of the whitest white paint (the dark purple square in the middle) actually cools the board below ambient temperature. Credit: Purdue University/Joseph Peoples.

"Using high-accuracy temperature reading equipment called thermocouples, the researchers demonstrated outdoors that the paint can keep surfaces 19 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than their ambient surroundings at night," claims the study. "It can also cool surfaces 8 d...

The New Stone Age: architects rediscover an ancient building material

2020-03-04T18:37:00-05:00

“Stone,” says architect Amin Taha, “is the great forgotten material of our time. In 99% of cases, it’s cheaper and greener to use stone in a structural way, as opposed to concrete or steel, but we mostly just think of using it for cladding.”

Oliver Wainwright's takeaways from The New Stone Age, a current exhibition at the Building Centre in London.

The "great forgotten material of our time" appears to be bracing for somewhat of a comeback with architects like Amin Taha of London-based practice GROUPWORK (also one of the exhibition's cocurators) who are rediscovering many environmental, structural, fireproofing, and ultimately economic advantages of stone over concrete and steel structures.

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One week to go before The New Stone Age! An exhibition curated by Amin Taha @groupwork_arch, Steve Webb @webbyates, Pierre Bidaud @stonemasonry_comp_stonestair and the Building Centre team. Thank you @polycordesign and @stonemasonry_comp_stonestair for supporting. #NewStoneAge Image: 15 Clerkenwell Close by @timothysoarphotographer.

A post shared by Building Centre (@thebuildingcentre) on Feb 20, 2020 at 10:13am PST

"The perverse thing about concrete is that you take limestone, crush it...

Can "phytomining" help meet humanity's need for metals with less environmental destruction?

2020-03-02T15:30:00-05:00

On a plot of land rented from a rural village on the Malaysian side of the island of Borneo, the group has proved it at small scale. Every six to 12 months, a farmer shaves off one foot of growth from these nickel-hyper-accumulating plants and either burns or squeezes the metal out. After a short purification, farmers could hold in their hands roughly 500 pounds of nickel citrate, potentially worth thousands of dollars on international markets.

A thought-provoking report from Ian Morse of The New York Times highlights a burgeoning approach for harvesting necessary (and toxic) metals like nickel from soil through "hyper-accumulating" plants.

Morse checks in researchers from the University of Melbourne who are farming nickel-rich soils in Borneo using metal-absorbing plants that eat up the substance. Nickel is a key ingredient in a variety of electronic products and in building materials like stainless steel. The approach can extract metals from the soil directly with minimal processing and can potentially be used to clean up abandoned mining sites, as well.

Will synthetic polar bear hair revolutionize architecture?

2019-06-14T18:36:00-04:00

Materials scientists in China have developed an insulator that reproduces the structure of individual polar bear hairs, while scaling toward a material made up of many hairs for real-world applications in architecture and aerospace. Polar bear hairs are hollow, and the shapes and spacing of their hollow centers is responsible for their distinctive white coats, as well as being a source of incredible heat-holding capacity, water resistance, and stretchiness.

Shu-Hong Yu, professor of chemistry at the University of Science and Technology of China and co-author of the paper titled Biomimetic Carbon Tube Aerogel Enables Super-Elasticity and Thermal Insulation published in the journal Chem, writes, “Polar bear hair has been evolutionarily optimized to help prevent heat loss in cold and humid conditions, which makes it an excellent model for a synthetic heat insulator."

The Chinese researchers have experimented with creating hair-sized hollow carbon fiber tubes that can be spun into larger configurations called "aerogel blocks." These "blocks" can then be used as building-scale industrial materials, potentially as surface finishes or insulating material. The resulting material has been found to be not only lighter in weight than other aerogels, but can also function to repel water, retain heat, and stretch into flexible configurations, Earth.com reports.

Professor Yu added, “By making tube aerogel out of carbon tubes, we can design an anal...

What does the future of architectural materials look like?

2019-03-11T17:49:00-04:00

While technology has always been a double-edged sword when it comes to sustainability and equity, it also holds the key to ameliorating pressing environmental challenges. A rising generation of materials engineers and designers are engaging these questions with renewed urgency, examining the nexus of nature and technology to develop more sustainable architectural products.

With the changing environment, architects and designers must consider the evolution of architectural materials and its uses. Digital building techniques have already made an impact on the built environment, however building materials are being re-evaluated not only for their application but their long term impacts. According to Blaine Brownell, architect and material researcher, he explains the renewed urgency for designers and material engineers to evaluate the connection between nature and technology in order to create sustainable building products. Brownell, author of the Transmaterial book series, shares five new prototypical materials that can reshape the future of architecture and construction.

Read about these five building materials and Brownell's description below:

Green Charcoal, designed by Meenal Sutaria and Shreyas More

Green Charcoal
Developed by: Meenal Sutaria and Shreyas More, of the Indian School of Design & Innovation in Mumbai
"The new material is a non-steel-rein...

How cool can paint really be? UNStudio collaborates with Monopol Colors to develop a paint that helps buildings fight solar radiation and elemental weathering

2019-02-27T20:16:00-05:00

UNStudio is known for their groundbreaking work in solution driven designs relating to the ever-changing urban environment. Climate is changing, which leaves architects and designers taking steps towards designing buildings and structures that can accommodate to the overheated urban environment. Intense heating and other weather conditions like rain and dust generate a lot of stress and strain on the exteriors of many buildings. Thirty to forty years ago, these types of conditions were not necessarily a priority. However, with the environmental conditions of today firms like UNStudio are taking a different approach to future building design. According to the studio's principal and founder Ben van Berkel, "designing with the future in mind also means buildings last longer in the face of environmental change. That they are more resilient to change and they endure environmental strain."

Theatre de Stoep in Spijkenisse, Image courtesy of UNStudio

Beyond the design process, materials play...

10 new examples of metal in architecture

2019-02-01T14:19:00-05:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

(Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles!)

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Metal.

↑ HOME in Paris, France by Hamonic+Masson & Associés with Comte Vollenweider; Photo: Takuji Shimmura/Milène Servelle

↑ House in Peconic Bay, NY by Mapos Architects, DPC

↑ 5300 McConnell in Los Angeles, CA by ShubinDonaldson; Photo: Benny Chan

↑ Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT by Ennead Architects

↑ Formosa1140 in Los Angeles, CA by Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects; Photo: Lawrence Anderson

↑ SculptureCenter in Long Island City, NY by Andrew Berman Architect; Photo: Michael Moran/OTTO

↑ Rio Vista Residence in Dallas, TX by Buchanan Architecture; Photo: Charles Davis Smith, FAIA

↑ Parametric Car Garage in Berk...

Ikea's design modifications for their new store in India and around the world

2018-08-20T15:29:00-04:00

This week, Ikea opened its first store in India–a feat the company has been planning for many years. But while the big, blue exterior of the store looks the same, the interiors, from the displays to the products themselves, have been subtlety tailored to accommodate cultural differences. It’s a strategy Ikea has used to expand from its origins in Sweden, now reaching 30 markets in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia...

As Ikea expands into Asia, the brand recently opened their first store in India tailoring their products to the county's culture. This is part of how Ikea introduces their brand to countries around the globe, by keeping their designs mostly the same with subtle, pointed changes for specific aspects of different cultures.

The company sends representatives to potential expansion areas in order to discern what alterations they may need to make. For India, Ikea created furniture designs with new materials to withstand the extreme humidity rather than using their standard material of untreated pine. They also created more stools and folding chair products to accommodate spontaneous family gatherings, common to many Indian households.

Check out the full article for other cultural modifications Ikea made around the world.

Researchers develop method to 3D-print inexpensive houses from peat

2018-07-25T15:07:00-04:00

Cut peat blocks were already being used for building houses thousands of years ago. Now, scientists at the University of Tartu have developed a material which could make it possible to print energy-efficient houses out of milled peat and oil shale ash using a 3D printer.

"As peat and oil shale ash are not very expensive, house builders would be especially happy about the price of the material. According to Liiv, scientists calculated that the cost for the construction of a house shell printed from this material with a floor surface of 100–150 square meters could be about €5,000 (compared to the construction of the shell of a framed building of equivalent size, which would cost about ten times more). Thus, peat material could be used to build a very cheap house with an energy class A."

H/T Global Construction Review

Stainless Steel Bollard Covers Provide Security in Style

2018-06-18T08:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by Reliance Foundry

Long before they began making the news as protection against vehicle attack, security bollards were an important part of the urban landscape. These useful little posts stand guard in front of storefronts, utility meters, playgrounds, and sidewalks.

Bollards are useful because they don’t impede traffic; they create a permeable perimeter for foot traffic. Bicycles, strollers, and wheelchairs can also easily pass through a line of bollards. As an alternative to a
fence, wall, or berm, bollards create security for pedestrians without slowing them down.

As a security feature, bollards can provide a sense of safety—but they should not be an eyesore, nor create the feeling of living in a bunker. Decorative bollard sleeves, like Reliance Foundry’s newly introduced stainless steel bollard cover line, can provide aesthetic enhancements to a security perimeter. Not just guards, bollards are also guides. They direct traffic while protecting people ...

From shiny to rusty: 10 impressive examples of metal in architecture

2018-03-02T09:00:00-05:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

(Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles!)

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Metal.

↑ DA Residence in London, UK by deDraft; Photo: Whitaker Studio

↑ 437 Madison Avenue in New York, NY by Fogarty Finger Architecture PLLC

↑ Hay Barn in Somis, CA by SPF:architects

↑ TreeHouse in Portland, OR by LEVER Architecture

↑ Sunac Chongqing One Central Mansion Sales Pavilion in Chongqing, China by aoe; Photo: Ligang Huang

↑ Raif Dinckok Cultural Center in Yalova, Turkey by EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture; Photo: Cemal Emden

↑ The Tillary Hotel in Brooklyn, NY by Cl-oth Interiors

↑ Parker Arts, Culture & Events Center [PACE] in Parker, CO by Semple Brown | Architects & Designers; Photo: Ron Pollard Photography

↑ Orsman Roa...

Japan's timber industry deplores the plastic seats of Tokyo's new stadium

2017-10-19T14:05:00-04:00

Dignitaries at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will obviously get the best seats--those made of wood--but ordinary common folk will have to make do with plastic.

Less than 1 percent of Tokyo's Olympic Stadium seats will be wooden. Those will be allocated for the best views of the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as track and field events. The country's timber industry has been advocating since 2016 to install wooden seats for all the spectators as a symbol of Japan's craftsmanship and to promote the forestry industry.

'We're very disappointed (with the decision). We will still continue to propose that wooden seats be introduced, as making use of this domestic natural resource will prove beneficial to maintaining the mountain environment and preventing disasters (such as landslides),” said Yasuhide Nakayama, head of the federation of Diet members for the promotion of Japan's timber industry.

What does Trump's 20% tariff hike on Canadian softwoods mean for architecture?

2017-04-29T13:51:00-04:00

What will higher timber prices as a result of Trump's new tarriff mean for architecture? Dr. Warren Mabee, who is the Canada Research Chair in Renewable Energy Development and Implementation at Queen's University, told me over the phone that it will likely halt or significantly alter the design and construction of formerly ubiquitous wood-frame residences. "I think one of the big things you're going to see, particularly in the U.S., is that introducing this type of tariff or countervailing duty, is that it will drive up the price of lumber. What that will mean is that for architects who are specializing particularly in residential construction, where there is a lot of wood and wood frame that goes into it, they may find themselves limited in what they can do. So if you're building something that's on a budget or something that's going to use a lot of wood, you may find yourself in a position where the costs are now going to be substantively higher than prior to the tariff being intr...

Ten Top Images on Archinect's "Metal" Pinterest Board

2017-03-17T15:34:00-04:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

(Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles!)

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Metal.

↑ Matryoshka House in Rotterdam, Netherlands by shift architecture urbanism; Photo: NoortjeKnulst

↑ Woodard Residence in Memphis, TN by archimania; Photo: Hank Mardukas Photography

↑ Willow Houses in Oakland, CA by Baran Studio Architecture

↑ Faerder High School in Tønsberg, Norway by White Arkitekter A/S; Photo: Åke E:son Lindman

↑ Georges-Freche School of Hotel Management in Montpellier, France by Studio Fuksas

↑ Pages Lane in London, UK by Kirkwood McCarthy

↑ Chengdu Skycourt in Chengdu, China by Höweler + Yoon; Photo: Yihuai Hu

↑ Sulwhasoo Flagship Store in Seoul, South Korea by Neri&Hu Design and Research Office; Photo: Pedro Peg...

Exquisite play on materiality defines "Maison de Quartier de Chatelaine-Balexert" by Stendardo Menningen Architectes

2017-01-19T13:24:00-05:00

Designed as an easily accessible community center that, according to its architects, would preserve "a logical continuity and preservation of the existing landscape as well as construct synergies with the surrounding buildings," the Maison de Quartier de Chatelaine-Balexert benefits from a sophisticated material interaction.

The visual interplay between the concrete and wood, along with the angular, Dan Flavin-meets-Daniel Libeskind-interior lights, creates an exquisite structural passageway. It functions both as an intriguing space in itself and a facilitator of its surrounds.

Designed by Geneva-based Stendardo Menningen Architectes, the building was commissioned by the client Ville de Vernier and completed in 2016.

Researchers discover 'glue' that makes plant cell walls strong — foreseeing brighter future for wooden skyscrapers

2016-12-22T14:12:00-05:00

Molecules 10,000 times narrower than the width of a human hair could hold the key to making possible wooden skyscrapers and more energy-efficient paper production, according to research published today in the journal Nature Communications. The study, led by a father and son team at the Universities of Warwick and Cambridge, solves a long-standing mystery of how key sugars in cells bind to form strong, indigestible materials.

"But just as this could improve how easily materials can be broken down, the discovery may also help them create stronger materials, he says. There are already plans to build houses in the UK more sustainably using wood, and Paul Dupree is involved in the Centre for Natural Material Innovation at the University of Cambridge, which is looking at whether buildings as tall as skyscrapers could be built using modified wood."

New Harwyn Alucobond Office Pods Continue To Revolutionize Modular Design

2016-11-07T09:00:00-05:00

This post is brought to you by Alucobond®

The Harwyn Office Pod is a portable home office born from founder Jason Fremder’s need for a demarcation between home life and profession life.

Fremder explains the idea for the pod was born simultaneously with the birth of his first daughter “my home office was no longer a quiet sanctuary…one sunny afternoon, when working in the backseat of my 4WD in the driveway at home, the idea for Harwyn struck me like a bolt of lighting.”

The award-winning Harwyn office pods have taken the design world by storm offering beautifully designed prefabricated modular spaces. The small team at Harwyn is dedicated to innovative design working with the “100 to 1 concept ratio” which, as the designers explain, “…for every 100 great ideas we put to paper, one will emerge as exceptional to make its way from sketchpad to design.”

Today the brand, and designs, have evolved as well as the company’s clientele. In a recent installation for a residential dwelling in Austr...

GKD Mediamesh Display Delights Shoppers In Northern China Mall

2016-10-24T09:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by GKD Media Mesh.

The port city of Dalian in northern China is a city of contrasts. A vibrant center of trade and industry, this rapidly growing metropolis plays an equally important role in the region as one of the country's most popular vacation destinations. In the city center of Dalian, the Beijing office of the NBBJ architectural firm designed the Eton Place Dalian tower complex as a superlative multifunctional development: five mixed-use towers standing 41 to 81 stories high and a six-story mall transform the 6.23-hectare site into an exclusive microcosm of urban life. The connecting element between the two highest towers is the spacious mall, with a roof designed in a manner reminiscent of a park. Over six floors, it offers a representative atmosphere for high-class boutiques, a luxury department store, elite gastronomy and a supermarket. Large Mediamesh screens from GKD running around the corners of the building seize the attention of passers-by ...

FunderMax Individualdecor – If you can think it, we can print it

2016-10-13T12:37:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by FunderMax.

Make your imagination into individual, large-sized decor concepts. With various formats and motifs spanning over multiple formats, your fantasy becomes reality.

As a small inspirational source, we present to you a few application examples. FunderMax Individualdecor has made all of them possible.

Unique applications

Individual facades
Wall claddings
Creative solutions for balcony and floors
Exclusive furniture and attractive shop fitting
Gates and doors
Bathrooms

Create fantastic projects – Interior and Exterior! Find all information about FunderMax Individualdecor on www.individualdecor.com

MAX EXTERIOR INDIVIDUALDECOR

Ideas with Form

With individual designs from FunderMax, you have the freedom to provide facades, balconies and outdoor-applications with creative and completely unique designs.

Your design can be printed on single panels, or as in the image below, across several panels. Ideal for large designs and special visual effects.

Possible exterior a...

GKD Metal Mesh Plays Disappearing Act On Interior Office Building

2016-09-26T08:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by GKD Metal Fabrics.

White GKD metal fabric plays a disappearing act on the interior of a commercial office building in Toronto, Canada. With sharp geometric lines and vibrant white walls set against concrete floors and metal railings, a few red bucket chairs starkly break up the monotone design. The overall aesthetic creates a futuristic lobby worthy of the busy, interconnected corporate office that caters to premium retail spaces below 14 floors of office space. GKD Omega 1510 was used to create partitions on the second level, hiding walkways and blending into the design allowing the metal fabric to become indistinguishable from the solid white walls.

It’s a brand new feature for GKD in North America for metal wire to arrive from Germany already treated with a white powder coating. The coated wire mesh was handled with extreme caution to avoid scratching the white surface. What GKD representatives expected to be a delicate process turned out to be stand...

Multi-layered cube-like façade achieves diversity in residential high-rise design with fire-rated aluminum composite material

2016-09-18T09:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by Alucobond®

A big compliment to architects is hearing that one of their building designs has become a recognizable landmark. That’s the case for architects at the Los Angeles office of Arquitectonica International Corp. who designed the Olume residential building in San Francisco’s Mission District with a unique multi-layered cube-like metal façade featuring a total of five custom earth-toned colors of Alucobond® Plus aluminum composite material (ACM).

The 12-story 138,512-square- foot Olume multifamily residential community opened in March 2016 with owner Monogram Residential Trust, Inc., of Plano, Texas, offering 121 luxury rental units – including studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments – as well as two levels of subterranean parking. Monogram Residential Trust partnered with Martin Building Co., of San Francisco, to develop the boutique-style community.

Arquitectonica was brought in to re-design the façade of the building after the project’s en...

FunderMax introduces an exclusive new surface... SKY

2016-09-06T09:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by FunderMax.

SKY has been carefully developed to complement our Max Exterior portfolio, specifically for exterior decors and in instances where you want to create distinctive and convincing stone/concrete like finish.

This unique surface allows you to achieve the very best in terms of visual depth and texture. Carefully developed, SKY delivers an entirely new optical quality, emulating the nuances of rough stone surfaces. Its deep matt finish is enhanced with shiny facets, which sparkle as they catch the light - creating the perfect impression.

SKY is an aesthetically striking new addition which opens up so many possibilities. Full of character and depth, the name itself conveys the vitality of this product.

We recommend installing SKY in the following ways:

as a large-panel open-joint Rainscreen
using our economical Modulo Rainscreen-System: factory-prefabricated 8mm panels, concealed fastening, closed joints,

Both engineered Rainscreen systems are NFPA 285 ...

Scientists develop a flexible concrete that is stronger than traditional mixtures

2016-08-17T19:09:00-04:00

Researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have invented a new type of concrete that is flexible yet stronger than traditional concrete. Named ConFlexPave, the concrete "allows the creation of slim precast pavement slabs for quick installation, thus halving the time needed for road works and new pavements," according to the press release.

According to the inventors, the new concrete will cut down on on-site work and construction time, as well as reduce inconveniences caused by road maintenance. Precast ConFlexPave slabs are much thinner and lighter than traditional concrete slabs, so they can be more easily installed.

The new concrete uses polymer microfibre which allows the material to bend under pressure and improves skid resistance. According to the lead researcher, Assistant Professor Yang En-Hua, the "key breakthrough" was understanding "how the components of the materials interact with one another mechanically on a microscopic level."

“The hard materials give a ...

Shitting bricks: researchers experiment with making concrete from sewage

2016-07-13T13:52:00-04:00

Malaysia has too much sewage sludge and not enough concrete, a problem which naturally prompted an "aha!" moment among researchers. By burning and drying wet sewage sludge cake and then grinding and sieving the dry cake to produce Domestic Waste Sludge Powder (DWSP), the Malaysian researchers are attempting to create an additive that can be mixed with cement to produce concrete.

So far, they've found a mixture of between 3% to 15% DWSP in cement produces fairly strong concrete, although the higher percentage of DWSP, the less strong the concrete becomes. Variables abound: according to this report, higher incineration temperatures can produce better DWSP, and the more DWSP in the concrete, the higher the water absorption.

More waste-related news:

FunderMax – Clever Mounting Systems for Success

2016-05-16T09:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by FunderMax.

With the Modulo and Scaleo Rainscreen Cladding systems, FunderMax offers panels, mounting system and all the necessary accessories from a single source. Thus, you not only efficiently save time with your purchase and installation, you can also be confident that you will receive impact resistant, attractive, durable and UV resistant panels and accessories with proven FunderMax quality.

SCALEO: A Robust Façade System with a Perfect Look

Pre-fabricated Max Exterior Panels for Scaleo Lap Siding make it easy to design and install robust and modern facades. With the engineered and easy to install mounting system, a façade of durable, UV resistant, and maintenance free Scaleo Lap Siding creates a beautiful and functional building exterior. The product characteristics make Scaleo Lap Siding a façade material with comprehensive protection. The double-hardened acrylic curing process provides a non-porous surface with tremendous abrasion resistance and...

New glow-in-the-dark cement could illuminate roads & structures

2016-05-11T13:46:00-04:00

A scientist in Mexico has created glowing cement that absorbs solar energy during the day and emits light after sun-down. Claiming the engineered cement can last a hundred years, he says it could make roads and structures glow in the dark, cutting the cost of street-lighting. The patent is the first for Mexico’s University of San Nicolas Hidalgo, says the researcher behind the invention, Dr. José Carlos Rubio, according to Investigación y Desarrollo.

Alucobond® PLUS Meets The Higher Requirements Of Fire Regulations In Architecture

2016-05-11T09:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by Alucobond®

Alucobond® aluminum composite material (ACM) has been used for exterior cladding products in the North American building construction market for over forty years. Throughout these years, we have continued to be on the forefront of all fire and building code developments.

Not all Aluminum Composite Materials (ACM) are created equal. Making the correct choice can be a complex process. At Alucobond®, it is critical that the ACM is tested, third-party inspected on a regular basis, and labeled as required by the building code in order to meet the necessary and expected fire performance critical for evacuation and life safety in high-rise structures.

When an architect, designer, or engineer indicates a project design basis as the International Building Code (IBC), the ACM is regulated within the code by the Metals Composite Materials Section 1407. This division has performance criteria that may require the use of a fire retardant core due to the pro...

The Proven Benefits Of Daylighting On Employees And The Environment

2016-04-25T09:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by GKD Metal Fabrics.

There are many benefits produced as a byproduct of incorporating daylighting into an office building design. Access to daylight throughout the day improves employee well-being and overall health, even after leaving the office. Besides creating a pleasant working environment for employees, solar protection also plays a key part in supporting sustainable energy efficiency concepts.

It is important to incorporate a well-designed solar protection system, particularly for buildings with modern glass façades. Glass building façades are often seen as the ideal solution for energy-efficiency, but they are not the ultimate solution - on their own. Glass buildings result in interior overheating from direct sunlight, but there is a simple design solution available that can reduce solar overexposure throughout the day. Adding a material specifically designed for solar shading, like GKD Metal Fabrics’ solar line of metal mesh, offers a way for emp...

How Alucobond ACM Continues To Be On The Forefront Of Meeting Strict Fire And Building Code Standards

2016-04-18T09:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by Alucobond®

FunderMax – "For people who create"

2016-04-04T09:00:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by FunderMax.

Whether it is a matter of surfaces, facades or interior furnishings, FunderMax is always to be found at the interface between ideas and materials. We understand architects, fabricators and the furniture industry – as well as the genuine decision-makers: your customers.

What we do:
We think about the issues, we develop the products and we create them. Our strength lies in well thought out wood-based materials and phenolic compact laminates. We see ourselves as a production facility, a service partner and a design laboratory. Only because we are highly competent in all three fields can we make top-class performance a matter of course.

What we are proud of:
We stand for sustainability, wherever you look: creative brains who are already making an active mark today on the design and product trends of the future; materials created from renewable resources; and energy that is sustainably produced and supplies “green” electricity and district heating fa...