Your One Stop Tenant Improvement Shop
B.C. is moving ahead with plans to build what is expected to be the tallest wood building in North America and possibly the world, Jobs Minister Pat Bell said Wednesday. The proposed 10-storey Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George will become a test case for creating a value-added forest products industry around tall wood building construction methods that would differ radically from the way traditional mid-rise and even highrise buildings are constructed ... »»»
LEDs are increasingly used for ambient lighting and other retail applications. Ambient lighting and highlighting are both needed in retail spaces, and in light of recent technological advances, LEDs can now provide both. A common practice in the retail industry involves contrast – increased illumination is designed to emphasize featured merchandise against general light levels. An increasingly efficient and feasible way of providing contrast is with LEDs ... »»»
Everyone has seen paint peeling off a surface like layers off an onion. Are you taking the steps to ensure this problem won’t leave you weeping? Bob Cusumano, president of Coatings Consultants Inc. in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, has encountered many horror stories involving painting and coating failures. In some cases, these can cost building owners and facilities management professionals thousands of dollars. In extreme cases, they can cost folks their jobs ... »»»
B.C.'s construction industry is honing a skill of turning this old structural material into new exciting shapes and forms. Known as architectural concrete, it is being used to express different colors, finishes, building shapes and sustainability objectives. “In Vancouver, during the 60s, 70 and into the 80s, a lot more was done,” said Roland Haebler, president of Haebler Construction, which is known for working on challenging projects that involve architectural concrete ... »»»
A building material that absorbs heat during the day and releases it at night promises to save building owners a bundle of cash when it's time to pay the monthly electricity bill. They’re called phase-change materials, or PCMs, and scientists have been experimenting with them for decades. Although there have been some efforts to introduce them to construction markets in North America and Europe, they remain largely unknown or ignored ... »»»
To redress this lack of information, the architecture firm Perkins+Will went about creating a free, online database – called Transparency – of building materials that contain substances known or suspected to be harmful to health. The database is geared towards the consumers who most often specify what materials should be used in a building project: architects and interior designers ... »»»
Tackle tiles to keep your ceiling appealing and acoustically sound. Until a problem rears its head, ceilings typically don’t catch your attention. A dusty, dirty, or stained ceiling, however, can negatively impact perceptions of the space. Depending on the ceiling’s condition, you may be able to get by with a quick sweep, while other occasions require replacement. Assess the type, size, and severity of your ceiling’s problem to determine your next step ... »»»
Avoid project pitfalls by understanding LED limitations. The directional properties of LEDs and their affinity for cool climates have allowed the technology to expand into a wide spectrum of applications, from parking lots to indoor uses. Not all applications are completely LED-ready, but there are several instances where you can reap considerable energy and cost savings from the reduced maintenance requirements and energy-efficient function ... »»»
Follow these six guidelines to specify and install a high-performance commercial bamboo floor. Bamboo flooring, until recently specified exclusively in the residential domain, has exploded onto the commercial scene. The market is so flooded with bamboo flooring options, in fact, that facility managers are drowning in bad information. Too many newly installed bamboo floors have been poorly sourced, feebly manufactured, or improperly adhered ... »»»
Open-Plan acoustics can eliminate office complaints with improvements and space planning. Ringing telephones, conversations, and even the street noise outside can cause major concentration issues for the estimated 70% of office workers who work in open-plan work areas. A typical open plan office offers few opportunities to stop unwanted sound from traveling, but you may be able to mitigate many complaints by addressing your space’s layout ... »»»