Designed From the Bottom Up

The MBTA Government Center Subway Station, Boston, is scheduled for completion at the end of 2006 and places primary emphasis on functionality and operation. The design features frameless glass walls and a stainless steel-clad roof that is suspended from five towers and tied down to the foundations while stainless steel rods are pulled away from the frameless glass exterior; this creates a sense of lightness and transparency to lift the spirits of riders, passersby, and pedestrians.“It is our intention to explore the limits of suspension and glazing technology in order to create an expression of weightlessness and visual movement appropriate to transit station design, the resultant forms and materials standing in stark contrast to the heavy concrete and masonry buildings of [Boston’s] City Hall Plaza, and providing an icon of new public transportation architecture,” says Brian Thomson, president, Thomson Design Associates, Boston.White Coatings Council LaunchedWashington, D.C.-based Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) recently announced initiation of a new council for the producers of white coatings. The White Coatings Council has been developed to cultivate an active agenda for this growing product line in the roofing industry. The council will function as part of the overall RCMA.“RCMA will be focusing on describing and promoting the benefits of white roof coatings,” says RCMA Communications Committee Chair Anthony Ruffine, director, Specialty Products, GAF Materials Corp.The Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association is the national trade association representing the manufacturers of cold-applied protective roof coatings and cements, and the suppliers of products, equipment, and/or services to and for the industry. For more information, contact RCMA at (202) 207-0901 or visit (www.roofcoatings.org).New Window Cleaning StandardsAccording to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 70 percent of reported window cleaning accidents are fatal. The International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) has created new window cleaning guidelines designed to prevent these accidents.The new standards spell out best practices and outline safety precautions. They also familiarize owners with forthcoming OSHA requirements, simplify safety planning, and eliminate costly surprises.Copies of the new ANSI/IWCA I-14 Safety Standards are available. For more information, visit (www.iwca.org).Luxury Living Comes to Historic Los Angeles SiteThe 1925 Subway Terminal Building is on the track toward conversion to luxury apartments in the middle of downtown Los Angeles. Los Angeles-based AC Martin Partners (ACMP) will design public spaces, historic renovations, and a new parking structure.“These are not lofts,” states Daniel P. Gehman, associate, Irvine, CA-based Thomas P. Cox Architects. “The apartments have walls and rooms, and are designed for luxury living.” The Italian Renaissance-inspired exterior will need only minor rehabilitation and clean-up to its granite and terra cotta facing, and the 277-unit complex will be monitored by 24-hour security. A new health club and media center will be designed by ACMP as well.Construction began in June 2003 with an expected two-year schedule.The Actual Cost of M&RToo often, estimates of maintenance and repair (M&R) requirements are vague and imprecise in terms of the costs actually being addressed. There is no common terminology that permits the comparison of the scope and accuracy of the many models proposed to forecast M&R requirements. A report from Santa Barbara, CA-based Whitestone Research proposes a taxonomy of M&R costs that should sharpen the focus of your M&R planning. A complete version of the report – at no charge – is available at (www.whitestoneresearch.com/news).First Green Office Building Comes to Philadelphia AreaThe latest building completed by Brandywine Realty Trust, based in Plymouth Meeting, PA, is the first office facility in the greater Philadelphia area to receive a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. Located in King of Prussia, PA, the four-story facility features a 90-foot atrium with a distinctive pyramidal skylight. 935 First Avenue offers many environmentally sensitive highlights, including the innovative usage of recycled/recyclable materials, efficient energy management, and superior air quality. All of the concrete and stone from the building originally on the site were used in the new facility’s parking lots and building pad. In addition, the majority of the demolition debris was recycled. Other features of this innovative 104,000-square-foot office structure include: A steel structure made of 90-percent recycled steel.Ample use of natural light with tinted glass to aid in building cooling.An HVAC system that filters out 65 percent of air pollens.Widespread use of recycled/recyclable/renewable interior finishes, such as recycled plastic wallpaper, recyclable carpeting, and cherry wood from certified wood stocks.About ‘Green’: Did You Know?Approximately 83.8 million tons of paper and paperboard products account for the largest component of waste. SOURCE: (WWW.IOSI.BIZ)Did you know that steel, concrete, asphalt, and wood can all be recycled and reused? SOURCE: ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICATwenty-four (24) percent of solid waste in landfills is from construction and demolition debris. SOURCE: (WWW.IOSI.BIZ)Recycling saves natural resources and reduces waste by as much as 75 percent per construction project. SOURCE: ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICAElectricity used to support one office worker for a day causes twice the greenhouse gas emissions as driving to and from work. SOURCE: (WWW.EPA.GOV)– Leah B. Garris, Editorial Coordinator ([email protected])