As climate change is anticipated, bringing with it an uncertain future, the construction industry needs to seriously consider the preparedness and the proven performance levels of buildings. It also needs to ensure the “large membrane” that separates the exterior environment from the interior environment, also known as the building...
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When specifying prefabricated building enclosure systems, project-specific quality assurance (QA) procedures, including a step-by-step review and documentation of the panel assembly during off-site fabrication, are often required.
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A key challenge for architects and engineers has been the development of strategies for vibration control, where it is necessary to achieve a base level of performance suitable for life sciences. Achieving success often involves analyzing the vibration performance of the base structural system, followed by weighing options for...
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Just as successful specifications enjoy the four attributes of being clear, concise, correct, and complete, concrete also has four steps that are crucial to its success. Those steps are: mix design, consolidation, finishing, and curing.
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The recommendations and considerations in The Construction Specifier feature, "Key considerations for designing fenestration systems for success" serve as Part 1 of this article, and they discuss what will help prevent water leakage into new buildings. This article will discuss what can happen when some of those recommendations are...
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Lightweight cladding is gaining traction in the construction industry. With advancements in material science, the benefits of such cladding are increasing, and it is no longer necessary to use heavy materials such as masonry, concrete, metal panels, precast, porcelain, or even fiber cement to achieve the look of brick,...
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To tap into the built environment’s full potential to improve wellbeing, one needs to better understand not only how noise negatively affects occupants’ physical and mental health, but the ways in which “the sonic aspect of buildings can be intentionally articulated to achieve a richer, more satisfying built environment:...
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Many industry groups recommend kick-out flashings, and various prefabricated options for three-sided flashings are available; however, they are not consistently used where needed. Two recent projects show the severe consequences when this critical component is omitted, leading to significant structural deterioration only a few years after construction.
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During the design phase, the process of selecting and specifying a curtain wall and/or storefront, in some cases is limited to aesthetics, structural considerations, thermal performance, and cost. Too often, the interface between the air and water barrier and fenestration are overlooked. The goal is to maintain continuity of...
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It is within the building enclosure, the exterior skin, where joints are found—one of the primary components responsible for facilitating these dynamic interactions. Joints allow buildings to stand firm as much as they allow them to operate responsively to ever-changing internal and external conditions, enabling the flexing, sweating, or...
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