As Sno Gem Inc. celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2014, it is an opportunity to reflect on its journey from start-up to the forefront of the snow retention industry. Like many businesses, Sno Gem was born out of necessity. The Smeja family had founded Metalmaster Sheet Metal Inc. in 1977, which was growing into one of the largest commercial sheet metal and roofing businesses in the industry. They came to realize there were few snow guard manufacturers to meet the increasing demand for snow retention products, and for integration into the roofs they were consistently installing. "The roofing business was growing and they were doing a large portion of the work in the Chicagoland area," says James T. Carpenter, Vice President of Operations at Sno Gem.

Move will coordinate Standard 189.1, the International Green Construction Code and LEED to offer comprehensive system of regulatory and voluntary leadership tools for jurisdictions. Washington, D.C. — (Aug. 21, 2014) — The International Code Council (ICC), ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announce the signing of a memorandum to collaborate on the development of Standard 189.1, the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) and the LEED green building program. The unprecedented cooperation aims to create a comprehensive framework for jurisdictions looking to implement and adopt green building regulations and codes and/or provide incentives for voluntary leadership programs such as LEED. The agreement outlines the development, maintenance and implementation of new versions of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES/USGBC Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings and the IgCC, which will be combined into one regulatory tool. This agreement also endeavors to align the LEED program with the new code to ensure a streamlined, effective set of regulatory and above-code options for jurisdictions across the country.

Hampshire, IL – W. R. MEADOWS PREMOULDED MEMBRANE® VAPOR SEAL with PLASMATIC CORE® (PMPC) is a patented (#US 7,179,761) seven-ply, weather-coated, permanently bonded, semi-flexible vaporproofing/waterproofing membrane composed of an exclusive plasmatic core suspended mid-point between two layers of a homogeneous, bituminous material and then sealed under heat and pressure between liners of asphalt-impregnated felt and a glass-mat liner. An asphalt weather coat is applied to the glass-mat liner and covered with a polyethylene anti-stick sheet. PMPC provides a positive, easy-to-install, economical, true vaporproofing and waterproofing system for horizontal applications. Properly applied, it stops moisture migration in footings, concrete floors, and structural slabs. “PMPC is a patented 7-ply membrane designed for horizontal waterproofing and vaporproofing applications and is part of the complete W .R. Meadows building envelope product line. It exceeds industry standards for puncture resistance, tensile strength, and offers the lowest perm rating in the industry, less than 0.002 perms,” says Russ Snow, Building Science Specialist at W. R. MEADOWS. “The durability and performance characteristics of PMPC, along with its ease of application, offers the industry a superior vapor barrier where prevention of moisture migration is critical.”

Water shortages are becoming a reality throughout the world, and that includes the United States. As reported in the National Journal, the demand for fresh water in the United States will exceed the supply by 2030, according to a 2012 State Department report. The Environmental Protection Agency already has noted that at least 36 states are faced with local or regional water shortages. Here are some of the best ways to reduce water use and ensure a supply of clean water for your home. Safe drinking water You may say there are over 60,000 reasons to consider a water filtration system for your home. That’s the number of chemicals used in the United States today. And what is more alarming is the fact that the 35-year-old Safe Drinking Water Act is far from current with its testing of these chemicals: only 91 are on its list of contaminants. Are we to assume that the other 59,909 are safe in the event they enter our drinking water? Hardly. But the concern over contaminants is not solely at the water source. There are actually three sources of water contaminants: the water source, treatment facility and delivery system. Each has the potential to introduce your family to a host of unhealthy pollutants and impurities. Whether you have a well of your own or are connected to a municipal water treatment facility there is concern. Municipal water treatment plants treat the water by injecting chlorine gas to disinfect the water. The idea is to shock the water so it will be safe upon reaching your faucet. But contaminants found in homes as a result of impurities introduced to the water through the delivery system now require added measures. A home water testing kits can help you determine the condition of your water. There are over-the-counter retail options but for the best results use a comprehensive kit from a water filter company such as Aquasana. From the test results you will be able to select from a wide range of water filtration options, including whole water filtration systems that can include water softening, to simple point-of-use options. It is important for homeowners to understand that water filters are not all the same, and that no one filter removes all of the home’s drinking water contaminants. Some filters are made to remove chlorine, while others may be designed to remove heavy metals. It's important to have your water tested to know what you want a filter to do for your family. Comfort and convenience of hot water now! One of the most common residential plumbing system problems is the wait for hot water. Each year the average home wastes thousand of gallons of water down the drain, waiting for hot water to reach the kitchen or bathroom faucets. Running water also wastes lots of energy used to heat and transport that water. It's a bad deal all around. But there's a way to stop all that waste. And make the morning shower routine a pleasure. By installing an ACT, Inc. D'MAND Kontrol® hot water distribution system in your home, you can greatly reduce the wait time for hot water and the water wasted down the drain. Depending on your home plumbing layout, the ACT, Inc. D'MAND Kontrol® hot water distribution system will either be installed under the furthest fixture or at the end of the dedicated return line. Water saving tips for your toilet Older toilets could use up to 5 gallons a flush, and a more modern fixture might use 3.5 gpf. Since 1994, the federal government has mandated that manufacturers sell only toilets that meet a 1.6 gpf standard. But even those newer toilets waste water because they call on the same amount of water to flush away liquid and solid waste. Fluidmaster’s Duo Flush ™ converter kit takes into account that about 80 percent of the flushes only need to dispose of liquid waste. So instead of flushing 1.6 gpf every flush, only 1.1 gallons or less are used for the majority of flushes. In this way, the potential water conservation is greater than even buying a whole new commode.

Want Cheaper Energy Bills and a Greener Home? Here’s How to Buy Your Next Household Appliances If you recycle, if you watch your water consumption, if you carry your own bag to the grocery store and you minimize your purchases of plastics, you’re putting in a lot of time and energy to watch your impact on the environment. That’s why it should bother you when your appliances don’t live up to the standards you set. The problem is, many people are ignorant to just how much energy their refrigerator uses, or what kind of environmental impact their water habits might have. What are Green Appliances, and How Can You Find Them? You’d be amazed at how many people ask some variation of that question, as if the answer is complex and mysterious. The truth is, it’s actually very simple to figure out which appliances are green and which ones are merely costing you green. Before you buy your next appliances, keep the following in mind: •The EnergyStar® Label. The Natural Resource Defense Council recommends seeking this label out because the appliances that bear this label don’t just meet the minimum requirements of energy efficiency by the government, they exceed them. EnergyStar® also hands out awards for high standards and performance for specific brands. •Find the EnergyGuide Label. You know how bread comes with nutrition information on the label? Appliances actually have something similar. This label is perfect for comparing similar appliances head-to-head to see how they really stack up. Once you get used to reading these, picking the greener appliance is easy. •Think “size-appropriate.” Does a college dorm room need an industrial-sized air conditioner? Does a two-person household require a refrigerator that resembles something a butcher would use? A little common sense goes a long way when it comes to energy usage. Why are Green Appliances Important? We’re aware of the fact that a phrase like “green appliances” makes it sound like you’re seeking out low-power thingamajigs that were built out of coconuts by the Professor from “Gilligan’s Island.” But it’s not like that. In fact, if you do it right, your kitchen and household will be stealthily green—it will look like anyone else’s household, but with less energy costs and less impact on the environment. This is accomplished in two ways: •Finding low-energy usage items. Or, more accurately, you’re merely seeking out lower-energy items. It’s not that these appliances are low energy; it’s that they don’t require extra energy. According to the NRDC, a refrigerator built today will use 75% less energy than one from decades ago—but the food inside is still kept chilled. More efficiency means less energy used. Less energy used means less money spent, and less of a consumption strain on the environment. Simple as that. •Establishing conscientious consumption habits. You’re not just a customer; you’re a consumer. You’re going to use that dishwasher and that washing machine, so you’d better learn how to use it. If you scrape your plates before dishwashing, for example, and leave off the “rinse” cycle, you can save some 20 gallons per wash. That has nothing to do with the quality of the appliance and everything to do with your habits as a consumer.

The Newly Constructed State-Of-The-Art Facility Will Be Company’s First-Ever Silver LEED Certified Logistics Center MONTVALE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Benjamin Moore & Co., North America's favorite paint, color and coatings brand, announced its plans to open a new distribution center in Oakland, California to meet the needs of its growing business. Scheduled to open by early 2015, the Oakland facility will support the distribution of all Benjamin Moore & Co. products and eventually serve as the key distribution center for the company’s growing network of Asia Pacific retailers and distributors. The newly constructed Goodman Logistics Center in Oakland provides 374,725 square feet of Class A industrial warehouse space and is the largest freestanding industrial facility built in the Greater Oakland area in the past two decades. The new facility is to be leased to Benjamin Moore & Co. by Goodman Birtcher North America on behalf of the owner, Goodman North American Partnership, and is the first-ever Silver LEED certified site for Benjamin Moore & Co. Benjamin Moore & Co. also has plans to expand operations in the Southeast later this year and Mid-Atlantic regions in 2015.

Winners to Be Celebrated at Gala Banquet on October 10 in Paris, France BUDAPEST, August 14, 2014 – GRAPHISOFT’s BIMcloud was named the winner of a Silver Stevie® Award in the Best New Product or Service of the Year - Software - Cloud Application/Service category in the 11th Annual International Business Awards. The International Business Awards are the world’s premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small - are eligible to submit nominations. The 2014 IBAs received entries from more than 60 nations and territories. Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala awards banquet at the Westin Paris – Vendôme Hotel in Paris, France on 10 October. More than 3,500 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Company of the Year, Website of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year, and Executive of the Year, among others. BIMcloud won in the Best New Product or Service of the Year – Software category for Cloud Application/Service. GRAPHISOFT’s BIMcloud Solution goes far beyond basic cloud services offerings available on the market today. Thanks to its unique set of features, it is the only cloud solution that offers a true model-based BIM collaboration environment for companies and projects of any size. With the help of its mobile integration through the cloud, all stakeholders of the design-build process can actively participate in the collaborative work. Its private cloud setup option enables companies working on projects with extended security requirements to keep their data on premise and entirely under control, offering the benefits and flexibility of the cloud to all AEC projects without exception. “We are pleased and proud to be recognized by the International Business Awards for our efforts on behalf of architects, engineers, and contractors around the world,” said Viktor Varkonyi, CEO of GRAPHISOFT. Stevie Award winners were selected by more than 250 executives worldwide who participated in the judging process from May through early August.

A Brazilian startup launched recycled PET tiles for environment friendly construction. The Rivesti Ecological Tiles help cut building costs by generating savings in labor and material. In 2010, the people at Plaslatina set themselves the challenge of producing a completely sustainable, ecologically correct product made entirely from recycled material. After years of research and development, together with a 2.5 million dollar investment, they created Rivesti (http://redirect.aecdaily.com/s18122/www.rivesti.com.br) and have brought the environmentally friendly mosaic tiles to the market. Produced from a mixture of recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate or PET (85%) and recycled mineral additives (15%), Rivesti tiles are 100% recycled and recyclable. The manufacturing process is also sustainable: it consumes less energy, emits no pollutants and generates no waste. Each square meter of Rivesti mosaic tiles prevents the release of 3kg of CO2 into the atmosphere and removes 66 PET bottles from the environment. Their business plan projection is that in five years the company will be recycling 6.6 million post-consumer PET bottles per month, which would mean 300 tons of PET being removed from the environment every month. Such figures could make Rivesti attractive as a strategic option for packaging companies seeking environmentally sound solutions to the waste they create. The tiles also have protective properties. They provide a perfect seal (0% water absorption) for surfaces where they are fitted, and are made with additives that combat the action of UV rays and chemical agents. Because Rivesti mosaic tiles are up to 66% lighter than conventional ones, CO2 emissions during transport are also reduced. According to Rafael Sorano, who created the eco tiles, "sustainability is the mission of our company”. Practicality is another concept that applies to Rivesti. The mosaic tile sheets are easy to install and are made in such a way that ensures perfect alignment. Visual uniformity is achieved using the tiles’ unique built-in lateral locators, exclusively developed by the company. “The locators in every tile sheet prevent misalignment, which happens so often when using conventional mosaic tiles”, says Mr. Sorano. This is why working with Rivesti mosaic tiles is up to 6 times faster than with traditional ones, which means savings in labor. The tile sheet has also been designed so that the amount of mortar and grout used to fit them can be reduced by up to 60%. In fact, Rivesti’s efficient design ensures the individual tile pieces will not detach from the surfaces where they are installed. This is a welcome solution to the usual problem with mosaic tiles, which tend to come loose after a while, leaving gaps. Another advantage is that Rivesti tiles can be applied to masonry or drywall in both indoor and outdoor areas, such as kitchens, bathrooms, facades or even swimming pools. The Rivesti tiles are available in 33 vibrant colors. It is also possible to reproduce any Pantone color upon request.

Verona, 6 August 2014–More than 1,400 confirmed exhibitors from 56 countries-­-with new entries from Malta, Mexico, Thailand, Ukraine and Zimbabwe. The entire exhibition centre is consequently already fully booked, with 75,000 square metres net of business spaces and areas reserved for special shows with than two months to the 49th edition, Marmomacc 2014 is already warming up its engines. The most important international event in the natural stone industry, scheduled at Verona fiere next 24-­-27September,is poised to become for four days the world meeting point for all operators in the natural stone sector(www.marmomacc.com). This industry in Italy alone boasts 3,340 companies, 33,700 employees and turnover of 3.9 billion euros in 2013 (source: Confindustria Marmomacchine) and is represented at Marmomacc in the most complete way: from unhewn blocks to processed materials, machinery and equipments for marble and granite through to training courses and teaching tools for architects. This year, more over, ties with the world of design are even closer. Infact, the show is scheduled for the first time together with Abitare Il Tempo (www.abitareiltempo.it), the exhibition devoted to the contract, interior decoration and furnishing/furniture sector that complements and extends Marmomacc's own offering. As for every edition, there is a very strong focus on international demand as a crucial aspect for promoting processed marble and Made in Italy technology-­-that in 2013 exported 71.5% of production with a positive balance of trade of 2.4 billion euros. The top ten markets of interest high lighted by Italian exhibitors at Marmomacc confirm the United States in first place, followed by Russia, China, Italy, Brazil, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, India and Turkey. This is why Verona fiere, through its network of foreign delegates and in collaboration with Confindustria Marmomacchine and ICE-­-Italian Agency for International Promotion and Internationalisation of Italian Companies, has worked to attract qualified and selected stone industry and contract buyers to Marmomacc with the aim of involving them in training programs, B2B appointments with exhibitors and meetings with international groups.

MORRISTOWN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Schindler Elevator Corporation has provided state-of-the-art elevator technology at 4 World Trade Center including 37 custom high-performance Schindler 7000 elevators (34 passenger cars with Schindler’s industry-leading PORT Technology destination-dispatch system, and three high-rise service cars). Schindler also provided two custom hydraulic elevators, two geared service elevators, and six Schindler 9300 escalators to transport passengers to two separate retail areas serving the building. The 977 foot tower developed by Silverstein Properties, Inc. boasts 2.4 million square feet of leasable office and retail space throughout 72 floors and has become a symbol of urban renewal in Downtown Manhattan since opening in November 2013. The LEED® Gold certified building is also one of New York’s most sustainable and commuter friendly with access to the new WTC Transportation Hub connecting to the new PATH terminal, 11 NYC Transit subway lines and the new Fulton Street Transit Center, the World Financial Center and ferry terminal. Tenants and visitors to 4 World Trade Center will also find a first-class mobility experience within the building. Schindler partnered with Silverstein Properties and architect Maki and Associates to provide custom glass PORT Technology terminals that seamlessly integrate with the minimalist design of the building and facilitate movement of tenants and guests throughout the building. In addition, Schindler 7000 high-rise elevators are some of the fastest in the world reaching top speeds of up to 1,800 feet per minute with ease and comfort.

Once in a while a customer shares a story with us of how they used our products that really stops us in our tracks. No pun intended. Such an application was brought to our attention recently by the fine folks at The Art of Richard MacDonald Gallery. Many of you have perhaps seen this gallery, as it is rather unique both in traffic and in location. The gallery, which is “presented by Cirque du Soleil®”, is located within the theatre entrance to the “O” Theatre at the world famous Bellagio®, Las Vegas. “O” is the headline act at Bellagio and is one of the hottest tickets in Vegas, and has been for many years. The theatre seats thousands and, since the show presents 10 times per week, well this alone makes the gallery very well visited. However, it is also open for general viewing during daytime hours and may be found toward the rear of the Bellagio gaming floor. The gallery space is absolutely stunning, as it must be, to dutifully present the work of such a master, surely one of the most talented sculptors of our era. For that reason, we at AS Hanging Display Systems are most proud to find we play a small part in that presentation. The gallery designer found a strong motivation to deploy a gallery hanging system within this space. Of course, because this is a gallery where art and displays are constantly changing, a hanging system is justified. There is no need to pound nails into the wall to relocate art and change a display. However, these are not average walls surfaces. The gallery wall surfaces are finished with perfectly polished Venetian plaster. How appropriate! Since walls finished in this manner can never be “repaired” if damaged, gallery management made the decision to protect them by installing a fully functional art hanging system. While we are not so presumptuous as to compare our hanging display system to the art of Richard MacDonald, we can make one comparison. While Mr. MacDonald’s pieces have the power to command attention, our systems have the exact opposite ability. A well-designed art hanging system recedes into the background, commanding little attention, if any. We think, this too, is an art of a different sort. You could think of it as the art of hanging art. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to personally visit this gallery, as well as see “O”. While I thoroughly enjoyed the show, and had my breath taken away numerous times during the performance, I must honestly admit that the gallery exhibit is what completely captured my attention and moved me in ways I’d never experienced through art. The flow, movement, grace, and stunning expression captured in these pieces have stirred an appreciation for art, and the brilliant talent, I’d never before known. As the gallery recently celebrated the first twenty-five years of the art of Richard MacDonald, we thank Mr. MacDonald for his inspiration, join in the celebration of his success, and urge his future exploration into those captured moments of emotion within the human form.