High-Rise Wood Construction
I grow increasingly fascinated by this topic as new projects are discovered. This is in British Columbia where a Request For Proposal for a 10 storey high-rise wood building was responded to by seven teams. Interestingly, one of the selected teams is CREE from Austria, whose LCT (Life Cycle Tower) system is used the highest wood high-rise in that country. They have recently opened an office in San Francsco. Another firm selected is the Canadian division of the American contractor PCL.
The article in a British Columbia website is here
A copy of the RFP can be found here.
As sustainability takes a more important front seat in the design and construction industry...it is already well-integrated in practice at many firms...and as wood technologies quickly advance, we will see Building and Fire Departments loosen requirements that currently limit wood construction and permit greater performance-based design.
And, architects and engineers and contractors need to become comfortable with the technology. The learning curve is not that steep. I wonder how many manufacturers can design and build the structural wood panels. With CREE staking a presence in America, we may soon see something happen.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Building Better Architecture - High Rise Wood
High-Rise Wood Construction
If you have not seen what is being designed in wood I urge you to investigate the great changes happening before us. this will revolutionize construction worldwide as we seek sustainable, cost-effective, and innovative approaches in urban design.
With publication of Canadian architect Michael Green's design for a proposed thirty story high-rise tower in Vancouver, the structural capabilities of wood has piqued the interest of many designers and constructors.
One of any articles that describe the project is located on Inhabitat. This would be the tallest high rise wood structure in the modern era. There have been a number that are, or were bigger. Of those existing, the Tianning Pagoda in China stands at 505 feet and the Gliwace Radio Tower in Poland at 387 feet.
If you have not seen what is being designed in wood I urge you to investigate the great changes happening before us. this will revolutionize construction worldwide as we seek sustainable, cost-effective, and innovative approaches in urban design.
With publication of Canadian architect Michael Green's design for a proposed thirty story high-rise tower in Vancouver, the structural capabilities of wood has piqued the interest of many designers and constructors.
One of any articles that describe the project is located on Inhabitat. This would be the tallest high rise wood structure in the modern era. There have been a number that are, or were bigger. Of those existing, the Tianning Pagoda in China stands at 505 feet and the Gliwace Radio Tower in Poland at 387 feet.
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| Tianning Pagoda - China |
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| Gliwace Radio tower - Poland |
There is much more. Six thousand miles away in Kirkenes, Norway there is a proposal for a twenty story office tower designed by Reinulf Ramstad Arkitekter.
And, another new project is in Vienna, Austria by The Rhomberg Group. Some good information can be found at this site. The builder is CREE. Please spend some time at their home page as it is different.
In Melbourne, Australia there are plans for a 10-story high-rise wood apartment building designed by studio505. See HERE for new story.
America is letting itself fall behind. Our prescriptive building codes are antiquated and inadequate to address the quickly changing technological advances being made in wood technology. One website noted that most structural engineers in America do not have the capability to design high-rise wood structures. Sad!
Building Better Architecture - Single Ply Roofing
Section 07 53 00 - Single Ply Roofing
(Elastomeric and Thermoplastic)
There are numerous single ply systems on the market and selection of the best product for your installation is dictated by building height, wind exposure, foot traffic, fire rating, attachment method, selection of contractor, and cost. I strongly suggest architects and specifiers review design tools and standards promulgated by the Single Ply Roofing Industry association prior to selection.
First, your selected manufacturer should be reputable and known in the industry. They should be in existence for as long as the desired warranty - likely, twenty years.
Should you base your design on a particular manufacturer, use their typical details. Do not deviate without their written approval. By copying their details, you are doing your professional best to ensure the system is designed correctly and that manufacturer will provide a warranty. Use of their nomenclature is not required - generic is fine. Your drawings should include all special conditions and without exception the membrane should always turn 8" up the vertical surface. Do not accept less without written acceptance from the manufacturer that this will not in any way affect the warranty.
Drawings should reflect all major components shown in the specifications. Basically, as details are sections, show all items that can occupy space in the section. Fasteners and adhesives can be left to the specifications. Consider using axonometric details to show complicated details or how components might need to be installed. This will clarify difficult or unusual conditions for your contractor. Ensure all metal flashing or flashing components are coordinated with that section of the specifications.
Your contractor should not have to guess as to your intent or need to read your mind. I strongly suggest you do a mental walk around the perimeter of your roof and around all equipment and penetrations of the roof membrane. If there is any doubt whether a detail will convey the correct concept and amount of information to your contractor, draw the detail. This can be time-consuming but, so can litigation and additional time and effort resolving conflicts in the field and placating angry clients.
If a detail is not shown in a manufacturers detail book or online, draw the detail and send it to the manufacturer or their representative for review. If your selected manufacturer will not come by your office to review your documents or do so by correspondence, I suggest you discuss your project with another manufacturer.
Be sure to draw all of the components of the roofing system. On buildings with metal decks both insulation and/or substrate boards are often used and need to be shown in their correct thicknesses.
Insulation is a critical component of each roofing system. The specified insulation type must be compatible with the roofing system and roof construction. Verify that the correct insulation thickness is shown at building perimeters where the roof system terminates. In systems utilizing tapered insulation or crickets, this thickness will provide a higher finish elevation that must be coordinated with parapet height or architectural features at the back of parapets. I have seen less than 42" parapet height occur far too often. To simplify design you might consider a standard flashing height with an elevation of 8" above the high point of the roof.
(Elastomeric and Thermoplastic)
There are numerous single ply systems on the market and selection of the best product for your installation is dictated by building height, wind exposure, foot traffic, fire rating, attachment method, selection of contractor, and cost. I strongly suggest architects and specifiers review design tools and standards promulgated by the Single Ply Roofing Industry association prior to selection.
First, your selected manufacturer should be reputable and known in the industry. They should be in existence for as long as the desired warranty - likely, twenty years.
Should you base your design on a particular manufacturer, use their typical details. Do not deviate without their written approval. By copying their details, you are doing your professional best to ensure the system is designed correctly and that manufacturer will provide a warranty. Use of their nomenclature is not required - generic is fine. Your drawings should include all special conditions and without exception the membrane should always turn 8" up the vertical surface. Do not accept less without written acceptance from the manufacturer that this will not in any way affect the warranty.
Drawings should reflect all major components shown in the specifications. Basically, as details are sections, show all items that can occupy space in the section. Fasteners and adhesives can be left to the specifications. Consider using axonometric details to show complicated details or how components might need to be installed. This will clarify difficult or unusual conditions for your contractor. Ensure all metal flashing or flashing components are coordinated with that section of the specifications.
Your contractor should not have to guess as to your intent or need to read your mind. I strongly suggest you do a mental walk around the perimeter of your roof and around all equipment and penetrations of the roof membrane. If there is any doubt whether a detail will convey the correct concept and amount of information to your contractor, draw the detail. This can be time-consuming but, so can litigation and additional time and effort resolving conflicts in the field and placating angry clients.
If a detail is not shown in a manufacturers detail book or online, draw the detail and send it to the manufacturer or their representative for review. If your selected manufacturer will not come by your office to review your documents or do so by correspondence, I suggest you discuss your project with another manufacturer.
Be sure to draw all of the components of the roofing system. On buildings with metal decks both insulation and/or substrate boards are often used and need to be shown in their correct thicknesses.
Insulation is a critical component of each roofing system. The specified insulation type must be compatible with the roofing system and roof construction. Verify that the correct insulation thickness is shown at building perimeters where the roof system terminates. In systems utilizing tapered insulation or crickets, this thickness will provide a higher finish elevation that must be coordinated with parapet height or architectural features at the back of parapets. I have seen less than 42" parapet height occur far too often. To simplify design you might consider a standard flashing height with an elevation of 8" above the high point of the roof.
The only product ever endorsed by the Napoleon Hill Foundation
Building Better Architecture - Why This Blog?
Having a blog allows me to go on about anything of interest. My interest is architecture and I love it dearly. Context is required in my career. I am well-qualified in every technical aspect of construction and can immediately assist any firm in producing high quality construction documents and support construction administration efforts. There are regrets about where I am in my career and life and new strong efforts have begun to turn it toward where I need it to be headed. This blog is part of that effort.
My biggest mistake in life was not empowering myself when younger. My mother pushed Norman Vincent Peale s, The Power of Positive Thinking, and other similar books on me, went through them briefly to satisfy her, and went on to my love at the time - history. Big mistake! There was so much I could have used later in life. It was as if my mother knew their value for me in the future but, owing to her humble beginnings and life, could not say, "Look at what this has done for me." And, I would never had listened.
Great works exist outside of religion that provide almost immediate empowerment. I am not irreligious however, many have developed an aversion or never learned the power of faith. One does not need religion to develop oneself. It does, however, help.
My personal development and empowerment is recent. It began in earnest last year when I unearthed a CD of lectures by Les Brown my wife and I purchased a few years earlier at a USANA convention where he was one of the highlighted speakers. Deciding to listen to it - I was bored - it provided immediate encouragement and energy for me to take charge of my life. From that moment forward, a new beginning.
There are numerous teachers from who we can learn and develop ourselves. a good site is MASTER TEACHERS. You should also investigate Napoleon Hills classic work Think and Grow Rich, and you will, in many more ways than one.
I am hooked on self-empowerment and snap up whatever I find at local used book shops. Recent additions include The Richest Man In Babylon by George S. Clason and The Magic of Thinking Big by David J./Schwartz. It is nice to have a long queue of books waiting to be read with anticipation.
So far, there has been no disappointment and with each book there is more to be learned of myself and what/how I need to change and redevelop.
My commute each way is forty miles and approximately one hour. There are great resources available on YouTube that I download and place on CD. Most I need to listen to three or four times to scratch the surface. Each day they provide the positive encouragement for me to hit the ground running.
Our immediate goal is to develop wealth and move on from a day job. It is a good job! Pays well! With daily challenges and opportunities. Is it what I want to do in the future? Heck no! Do I want to work for a salary or profit? The answer is easy.
Recently I became a distributor of Organo Gold, coffee or tea infused with reishi, a supplement used in Oriental medicine for several thousand years. Reishi has anti-bacterial and anti-viral qualities and helps make HEALTHY COFFEE. Please visit my site and let me know if you are interested in trying some. It is also a great ground floor business opportunity. Please look into this.
My biggest mistake in life was not empowering myself when younger. My mother pushed Norman Vincent Peale s, The Power of Positive Thinking, and other similar books on me, went through them briefly to satisfy her, and went on to my love at the time - history. Big mistake! There was so much I could have used later in life. It was as if my mother knew their value for me in the future but, owing to her humble beginnings and life, could not say, "Look at what this has done for me." And, I would never had listened.
Great works exist outside of religion that provide almost immediate empowerment. I am not irreligious however, many have developed an aversion or never learned the power of faith. One does not need religion to develop oneself. It does, however, help.
My personal development and empowerment is recent. It began in earnest last year when I unearthed a CD of lectures by Les Brown my wife and I purchased a few years earlier at a USANA convention where he was one of the highlighted speakers. Deciding to listen to it - I was bored - it provided immediate encouragement and energy for me to take charge of my life. From that moment forward, a new beginning.
There are numerous teachers from who we can learn and develop ourselves. a good site is MASTER TEACHERS. You should also investigate Napoleon Hills classic work Think and Grow Rich, and you will, in many more ways than one.
I am hooked on self-empowerment and snap up whatever I find at local used book shops. Recent additions include The Richest Man In Babylon by George S. Clason and The Magic of Thinking Big by David J./Schwartz. It is nice to have a long queue of books waiting to be read with anticipation.
So far, there has been no disappointment and with each book there is more to be learned of myself and what/how I need to change and redevelop.
My commute each way is forty miles and approximately one hour. There are great resources available on YouTube that I download and place on CD. Most I need to listen to three or four times to scratch the surface. Each day they provide the positive encouragement for me to hit the ground running.
Our immediate goal is to develop wealth and move on from a day job. It is a good job! Pays well! With daily challenges and opportunities. Is it what I want to do in the future? Heck no! Do I want to work for a salary or profit? The answer is easy.
Recently I became a distributor of Organo Gold, coffee or tea infused with reishi, a supplement used in Oriental medicine for several thousand years. Reishi has anti-bacterial and anti-viral qualities and helps make HEALTHY COFFEE. Please visit my site and let me know if you are interested in trying some. It is also a great ground floor business opportunity. Please look into this.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Building Better Architecture
A Journal of Empowerment
This journal is created with the purpose of providing architects with technical insight towards preparing better quality construction documentation. Higher, more definitive documentation will minimize change orders, reduce expenditures and time responding to contractor questions, and expedite construction. It will also provide an opportunity for younger or less-experienced practitioners to maximize their knowledge and efforts towards building quality projects.
We will explore different products and systems weekly highlighting specification sections and drawing locations where common mistakes, inaccuracies, and deficiencies have occurred.
Some of my experience can be found on LinkedIn and a complete resume provided, if necessary. I have over thirty years experience in construction documents, including specifications, construction administration, and construction management. My background includes time with several major international architectural firms as well as individual practice. I am experienced in design assist, design-build, design-bid-build, and fast-track project delivery methodologies.
I have performed constructability reviews on well over 100 projects for government agencies and provided in-house peer reviews for another twenty-plus.
Additionally, empowerment is mentioned in the sub-heading. Our greatest resource is ourselves and, sadly, we use only 5% of it. I am an ardent follower of Napoleon Hill, Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy, and many other teachers of self-improvement. We all need to continually grow for our fullest lives possible and to benefit our family, friends, and humanity.
Section 07 17 00 - Bentonite Waterproofing
If you do not know what bentonite is, please do a Google search. Simply, it is a clay material that, when in contact with water can expand to over fifteen times its size. In architecture it is used for foundation and below-grade waterproofing and for plaza decks. It is good stuff that can be installed on the foundation wall or blind-sided onto the shoring and, thus waterproofing the wall. It can also be easily repaired through injection of bentonite granules into the location where any leak might appear. I have used bentonite on several projects - one where the foundation was cut into a rock strata where water flowed on top of the strata in the rainy season. In essence, the foundation was a concrete boat in water.
Several manufacturers produce bentonite for the building industry. Details are for three without prejudice to one or the other. Selection of specific manufacturers is yours based on locality, costs, or any unique features associated with your project. We have reproduced details from three manufacturers for our discussion. All are of the same detail and all manufacturers provide details for most waterproofing situations.
What do i look for when reviewing drawings and specifications.
1. For all waterproofing situations, details MUST match those of the selected manufacturer and MUST be shown on your drawings. If several manufacturers are specified and details vary, draw those of the manufacturer with the most stringent requirements. This may be extra work however, it will minimize liability and avoid claims during construction.
2. If your conditions vary from manufacturers standard details in the slightest, contact your local representative and have them review your drawings and make recommendations. I strongly suggest you invite them to your office to review all of your details.
3. The first and second detail is slightly different from the third . The first detail from CETCO also indicates what may be a waterstop at vertical and joints. The second by Tegraseal and third by Tremco are very similar. Note differences.
3. Representative details below are for non-hydrostatic conditions. Hydrostatic details are different and more extensive. You MUST CHECK your geotechnical report or contact your geotechnical engineer to determine the appropriate details. Be aware, as I was, that hydrostatic conditions may not always occur or be seasonal. When reviewing construction documents, I check soils reports to ensure all requirements are adequately represented in the construction documents.
4. If you provide specifications that list several manufacturers ensure your specifications include specific requirements of all specified manufacturers. If you do not, you may not get it without delay, back and forth questions and RFIs, and change orders. You get what you specify and show on your drawings.
A Journal of Empowerment
This journal is created with the purpose of providing architects with technical insight towards preparing better quality construction documentation. Higher, more definitive documentation will minimize change orders, reduce expenditures and time responding to contractor questions, and expedite construction. It will also provide an opportunity for younger or less-experienced practitioners to maximize their knowledge and efforts towards building quality projects.
We will explore different products and systems weekly highlighting specification sections and drawing locations where common mistakes, inaccuracies, and deficiencies have occurred.
Some of my experience can be found on LinkedIn and a complete resume provided, if necessary. I have over thirty years experience in construction documents, including specifications, construction administration, and construction management. My background includes time with several major international architectural firms as well as individual practice. I am experienced in design assist, design-build, design-bid-build, and fast-track project delivery methodologies.
I have performed constructability reviews on well over 100 projects for government agencies and provided in-house peer reviews for another twenty-plus.
Additionally, empowerment is mentioned in the sub-heading. Our greatest resource is ourselves and, sadly, we use only 5% of it. I am an ardent follower of Napoleon Hill, Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy, and many other teachers of self-improvement. We all need to continually grow for our fullest lives possible and to benefit our family, friends, and humanity.
Section 07 17 00 - Bentonite Waterproofing
If you do not know what bentonite is, please do a Google search. Simply, it is a clay material that, when in contact with water can expand to over fifteen times its size. In architecture it is used for foundation and below-grade waterproofing and for plaza decks. It is good stuff that can be installed on the foundation wall or blind-sided onto the shoring and, thus waterproofing the wall. It can also be easily repaired through injection of bentonite granules into the location where any leak might appear. I have used bentonite on several projects - one where the foundation was cut into a rock strata where water flowed on top of the strata in the rainy season. In essence, the foundation was a concrete boat in water.
Several manufacturers produce bentonite for the building industry. Details are for three without prejudice to one or the other. Selection of specific manufacturers is yours based on locality, costs, or any unique features associated with your project. We have reproduced details from three manufacturers for our discussion. All are of the same detail and all manufacturers provide details for most waterproofing situations.
What do i look for when reviewing drawings and specifications.
1. For all waterproofing situations, details MUST match those of the selected manufacturer and MUST be shown on your drawings. If several manufacturers are specified and details vary, draw those of the manufacturer with the most stringent requirements. This may be extra work however, it will minimize liability and avoid claims during construction.
2. If your conditions vary from manufacturers standard details in the slightest, contact your local representative and have them review your drawings and make recommendations. I strongly suggest you invite them to your office to review all of your details.
3. The first and second detail is slightly different from the third . The first detail from CETCO also indicates what may be a waterstop at vertical and joints. The second by Tegraseal and third by Tremco are very similar. Note differences.
3. Representative details below are for non-hydrostatic conditions. Hydrostatic details are different and more extensive. You MUST CHECK your geotechnical report or contact your geotechnical engineer to determine the appropriate details. Be aware, as I was, that hydrostatic conditions may not always occur or be seasonal. When reviewing construction documents, I check soils reports to ensure all requirements are adequately represented in the construction documents.
4. If you provide specifications that list several manufacturers ensure your specifications include specific requirements of all specified manufacturers. If you do not, you may not get it without delay, back and forth questions and RFIs, and change orders. You get what you specify and show on your drawings.
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