Do Vegetative Roofs Pay Off? with Herbert Slone

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Herbert Slone, Owens Corning

Our sixth Commercial Conversation is with Herbert Slone, registered architect and technical manager of commercial building for Owens Corning, Toledo, OH. With more than 30 years in construction and 26 years in the insulation industry he is responsible for system development, including architectural specifications, fire, structural and wind testing, building code approvals, codes and standards development, and energy analysis. Slone has authored numerous professional articles and AIA/CES educational programs on building construction, fire-rated systems, and energy-code compliance. Prior to joining Owens Corning, Slone worked as an architect, building code official, and taught codes and standards in the Kent State University College of Architecture and Environmental Design.
   In this podcast, Slone shares his knowledge about vegetative-roof systems, including design and specification considerations, benefits of these systems and how they compare with convention roofing, maintenance and care, and what’s on the horizon for these systems. Click here to download the podcast mp3 file. (Note: If your browser (Firefox) doesn’t automatically play the podcast, right click on the link and download the file to your desktop. Double-clicking on the downloaded file will open it in your mp3 player, bypassing the browser.) Also, be sure to take advantage of the resources provided below.

Resources
To help better help you understand and specify vegetative roofs, take advantage of the following resources:


 

Matching Education Technology and Education Design with Amy Stein

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Amy Stein, MGA Partners Architects

Commercial Conversation #5 is with Amy Stein, AIA, LEED AP, associate, and project manager at MGA Partners Architects, Philadelphia. She has completed masterplanning, design and construction of more than $300 million in significant historical restoration and adaptive-reuse projects for the federal government, private institutions, and independent schools. Amy Stein has directed the development of eight important historical projects, including The Painting Studio and Gallery and the U.S. Institute of Peace Academy for Conflict Management and Peacebuilding. Ms. Stein’s community leadership includes affiliations with local universities and direction of the historic committee for The General George McCall School in Philadelphia. She is a graduate of Kent State University, Kent, OH.
   In this Commercial Conversation podcast, Stein discusses the trends she’s seeing in education-facility design, including the impact of technology, need for flexibility, renovation vs. new construction, building security, and energy conservation. In addition to the podcast, be sure to explore the resources presented below.

Click here to download the podcast mp3 file.

The following photos show some of Amy Stein’s work.

A pavilion provides educational space for athletic and agriculture programs at The Salvation Army Kroc Center, Philadelphia.

Natural daylighting and views outside create healthy learning environments at The Haverford School.

Common spaces foster interaction between faculty and students at The Haverford School.

An outdoor amphitheater creates an innovative new teaching space at The Haverford School, Haverford, PA.

Articles about the Kroc Center and the Haverford School

Philadelphia Inquirer article about the Salvation Army Kroc Center

Architectural Record article about Salvation Arm Kroc Center

Context magazine article about The Haverford School

Making Business Noise When the Economy is Quiet, with Chris Sullivan

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Chris Sullivan, principal at C.C. Sullivan Strategic Communications, Montclair, NJ.

Our fourth Commercial Conversation is with Chris Sullivan, principal at C.C. Sullivan Strategic Communications, Montclair, NJ. Chris is a former architect and magazine editor. In his current role he assists design and construction professionals with their marketing and publicity efforts. He also writes regularly for several industry publications, has launched the “Home of the Year” awards, and produces several conferences on architecture and real estate. Click here to download the podcast mp3 file. In the coming weeks you’ll also be able to use iTunes to download the podcasts.
   In this podcast, we discuss what firms should do to maintain a market presence when business activity slows. Subjects covered include:

  • When to promote your company and how much
  • Print and online advertising
  • Market research
  • Networking
  • How to generate free publicity
  • Press releases
  • Your company website
  • Social networking
  • E-newsletters

We encourage you to listen to the podcast and consider how the advice might help you keep your company visible in difficult market conditions and generate new business now and in the future.


 

Fenestration Codes and Trends with Mike Turner

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Mike Turner, AAMA board member and vice president of marketing at YKK AP America, Inc.

Our third Commercial Conversation is with Mike Turner, vice president of marketing at YKK AP America Inc., Austell, GA. Mike is also a board member of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), Schaumburg, IL, the TaskGroup Chairman for BIM Initiatives at AAMA, a member of the Codes and Regulatory Affairs Committee at AAMA, and a member of the International Code Council. Click here to download the podcast mp3 file. In the coming weeks you’ll also be able to use iTunes to download the podcasts.
   In this podcast, we discuss new Int’l Code Council codes, AAMA standards, fenestration technology, and how these factors are going to combine to reduce building energy consumption by 30% and exceed current LEED requirements. Mike’s involvement with the various code-development committees and as an AAMA board member provides him with insight that will help specifiers identify fenestration that that will meet energy-code requirements, likely exceed LEED requirements, and generally help develop efficient and sustainable facilities.

Resources
To help you further understand the new codes and what they mean, explore the following resources:


 

Hospitality and restaurants, with Joshua Zinder

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Joshua Zinder, principal, JZA+D, Princeton, NJ

Our second Commercial Conversation podcast focuses on trends in the hospitality/restaurant arena. Click here to download the podcast mp3 file. Our guest for this podcast is Joshua B. Zinder, AIA, NCARB, LEED-AP, principal at JZA+D, Princeton, NJ. His 20-year professional experience encompasses education, institutional, commercial, municipal/government, and residential design. His design sense blends a sound commitment to traditional materials, with a dedication to the appropriate design, allowing every project to reflect a sense of purpose, place, and context.
   Joshua founded JZA+D in 2006, with the intent of offering a “complete design” approach. The firm’s team offers more than 40 years of experience, drawing from different countries and cultures. The firm “specializes in developing spaces that offer a unique experience that reflects the personality and nature of our clients.” JZA+D’s two most impressive/recent projects, both discussed in the podcast, are the Waku Ghin and Sky on 57 restaurants in Marina Bay, Singapore. The Waku Ghin restaurant is an award-winning project. Below are images from those two projects and links to additional resources so listeners can see and learn more about JZA+D’s work.

Hallway to the dining area of the Waku Ghin restaurant.

Sake bar at the Waku Ghin restaurant.

Bar at the Sky on 57 restaurant.

Dining area of the Sky on 57 restaurant.

Resources

EPDs with Heather Gadonniex

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Welcome to Commercial Conversation, a series of podcasts from the editors of Commercial Building Products magazine. In our first podcast, we talk with Heather Gadonniex, EPD Program Manager, UL Environment, a wholly owned subsidiary of Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Northbrook, IL. You can download/listen to the podcast here. In the coming weeks you’ll also be able to use iTunes to download the podcasts.

Heather Gadonniex, EPD Program Manager, UL Environment.

Heather Gadonniex
The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a rapidly emerging certification program that is playing a major role in the specification of sustainable/”green” construction products. In this Commercial Conversation podcast, Heather Gadonniex  explains what an EPD is; the role it plays in understanding a product’s environmental impact; and how architects, contractors, and owners can use EPDs in the product-specification process.
Heather is a LEED AP and the EPD Program Manager at UL Environment. In this role, she is responsible for cultivating, facilitating, and communicating the benefits of the EPD program. The program is a global certification service that communicates product transparency through a life-cycle based reporting system. Prior to joining UL Environment, Heather served as managing partner of sustainability for MindClick SGM, Santa Monica, CA, and worked as the sustainability and marketing director for Timbron International, Stockton, CA. She is co-author (with Trish Riley) of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Greening Your Business” and is a lecturer at the U.C. Berkeley Extension Sustainable Design Program. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development from the University of Pittsburgh.

UL Environment Resources

Additional Resources


 

Welcome to Commercial Conversation

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Commercial Conversation is a new online offering from the editors of Commercial Building Products. In the coming weeks you will be able to download podcasts in which editorial director Gary L. Parr talks with experts in the commercial-construction market about the various issues that affect architects/specifiers, contractors, and owners. Each podcast will be accompanied by links and downloads to help you obtain more information about each topic.
   Our first podcast will be with Heather Gadonniex, EPD program manager at UL Environment. Heather will help us better understand Environmental Product Declarations and the role they will play in product specification.
   To be notified when the first Commercial Conversation is ready, subscribe to this website using the link below. Eventually you’ll be able to subscribe to the podcasts through iTunes.
We hope you enjoy this new offering and welcome your feedback.–Gary