Orchards at Orenco, the largest certified multi-family Passive House building in North America, received two of the highest honors in the 2015 Passive House Institute U S Building Project Competition. The project won both the Best Overall Project and the Best Affordable Housing Project awards. The first ever North American Passive Building Competition recognized projects and project teams that exemplify best passive practices to accelerate adoption of passive building in the U S marketplace. Developments from across the country competed in the single-family, multi-family, affordable and commercial/institutional categories. Projects were rated on measures of performance, difficulty, cost-effectiveness, design, craftsmanship, and health (i.e. use of non-toxic materials). Opened in June 2015, Orchards at Orenco is the largest certified multi-family Passive House building in North America. Its outstanding transit-oriented location on the MAX light rail line in Hillsboro, Oregon, provides easy access to multiple community amenities including hospitals, airports, shopping and large area employers. The development contains 57 units of housing including 40 one-bedroom and 17 two-bedroom units. The building will achieve nearly 90% energy reduction in heating and 60-70% for overall energy use compared to a comparable USGBC LEED building. Orchards at Orenco is bringing affordable, sustainable living to low-income workers. The beneficiaries include households earning incomes of 50% Median Family Income or less, $36,750 for a family of four. Rents range from $611-$733/month. Eight of the units have project-based Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 8 vouchers. The project is fully leased. The L shaped building features PVC-fiberglass triple-paned windows, 12” of insulation in the roof, walls with 10” stud cavities, a heat recovery system, 4” inch of foam under the ground floor slab, and a building positioned with shading devices that allow winter sun but block it in the summer. REACH assembled an outstanding Portland-based team of design, development and construction firms including Walsh Construction Co. (general contractor); Ankrom Moisan Architects (architects of record); William Wilson Architects (architect of design); Housing Development Center (construction manager); Green Hammer, Inc. (Passive House consultants); Housing Authority of Washington County (limited partner); and PHIUS (Passive House Institute of the United States). The $14.5 million project was financed with funding from Wells Fargo, the Community Housing Fund, Meyer Memorial Trust, Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH), Oregon Housing and Community Services, NeighborWorks® America, and the Washington County Office of Community Development.

In kitchen appliances, black is the new black with the first-ever black stainless steel finishes from KitchenAid. Hailed by kitchen designers as a “new neutral” that adds warmth and sophistication to a range of kitchen designs, black stainless is a fourth design alternative in the brand’s all-new collection, also available in traditional stainless, white and black. While sharing a professionally inspired look and feel, the new finish adds warmth to the starker appearance of stainless steel by dressing it up in a lustrous, satiny black. Kitchen designs ranging from clean and classic to rustic and rich instantly become more modern and design-forward with black stainless steel appliances, whether complementing or differentiating the rest of the space. These new design touches include satin textured stainless steel handles that enhance grip; chrome inlaid frames that accent the transition between glass and other surfaces; and unique KitchenAid brand medallions, available in red and other optional colors that serve as a finishing stamp on the side of every handle.

Insulation Solutions features a beautiful home in Daniel Island, South Carolina. Viper CS and Insul-Barrier were some of the Insulation Solutions products used on the project provided by Insulation Materials, LLC. Viper CS is a great way to clean up your crawl space! Viper CS is a white, cross-woven polyethylene vapor barrier designed specifically for controlling moisture migration in crawl space applications. Its bright white color will give any crawl space a fresh, clean look while also combating the harmful effects of radon, moisture causing wood rot, mold, mildew, odors and poor indoor air quality. Promising performance and longevity, Viper CS is specifically designed for your crawl space and your peace of mind. Viper CS is a 10-mil product and is available in a standard roll size of 12' x 200'. Custom sizes and printing available. Insul-Barrier is great for crawl space foundation insulation, crawl space vapor barrier as well as new and retrofit construction. The patented reflective technology and configuration creates optimal thermal performance while also preventing any unwanted moisture from migrating into the living or working space. Insul-Barrier's 4' x 25' rolls are easy to handle and maneuver in tight spaces. This patented, reflective technology addresses all three modes of heat transfer and acts as a "Class A" vapor barrier in accordance with ASTM E 1745.

Hanover, Md., September 24, 2015 - Hayward Baker Inc. (HBI), North America's leader in geotechnical construction, is pleased to announce that Ryan Johnson has joined the company as Senior Project Manager at HBI's new office location in Suburban Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Johnson, who has over 15 years of experience in the construction industry including on-site project management, will focus his efforts on supporting customers in HBI's Central region, a dynamic and successful geographic area for the company. After Johnson earned his Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from North Dakota State University, he began his career as a Project Manager and Safety Officer at a general contractor in North Dakota, focusing on heavy/civil projects. More recently, Johnson worked as a Foundation Group Manager for a civil contractor in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His responsibilities included developing and implementing business plans for the deep foundation division as well as managing deep foundation and civil projects. Johnson is a respected leader with extensive industry knowledge. He is disciplined in tailoring project delivery methods to meet specific client expectations. He specializes in deep foundations, structural concrete, ground improvement and earth retention systems. Johnson is also active in industry associations across the region and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

...building bridges Accoya wood inspired OAK architects to design two wooden heavy traffic road bridges for the city of Sneek in the Netherlands. Accoya was finger jointed and laminated into large sections measuring 1.08 x 1.4 metres to create these innovative structures, the first of their kind in the world.

...in the shade Accoya wood is an excellent choice for shutters, louvres and solar shading. At Scottish Widows’ Exchange Place development, eye-catching bespoke solar shading and ventilation louvres were incorporated to prevent excessive heat gain. The system included 1,060 Accoya wood fins. The solar shading has a life expectancy of 60 years and the finish applied carries a 10 year warranty.

...on deck In specifying decking, jetties and pontoons, beauty, strength and all-weather performance are important. A dimensionally stable material that will stay flat and has very minimal bow, cup, warp and split and will not be affected by fungi or rot is desirable. It is also important that the wood is non-toxic and therefore safe for people and animals. Accoya wood meets these requirements.

September 15, 2015 10:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Just announced! The RIBA-USA, the American Region of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), presents programs as part of the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial! In the spirit of international cooperation and architectural fellowship, the RIBA-USA hopes to enhance international architectural education and dialogue as it fosters stronger ties between Chicago and the UK. The Biennial features forward looking programming, officially described neatly: “The Chicago Architecture Biennial provides a platform for groundbreaking architectural projects and spatial experiments that demonstrate how creativity and innovation can radically transform our lived experience. For centuries, Chicago has been at the forefront of architectural innovation…” The RIBA-USA will host three key events during the three month initiative, including a Reception at the Official Residence of the British Consul General in Chicago, A Night of Film and Theater, as well as a unique river cruise experience Liquid Happening: A Living Architecture Ball. “The Chicago Architectural Biennial offers a great opportunity to transform public thinking about architecture”, commented RIBA-USA President James Karl Fischer. “In our programming, we hope to stress how working with natural systems in architecture leads to better understandings of our surroundings and better towards approaches in architectural design. Thoughtful architecture can be a proactive force towards building strong communities, and it is the RIBA-USA intention to draw this out during the Biennial.” The Chicago Architectural Biennial begins on 1 October 2015, and events will continue throughout early 2016.

Webberville, MI, September 4, 2015: Applegate Insulation, the world’s largest family-owned manufacturer of cellulose insulation products, is excited to announce the acquisition of the cellulose insulation business of Rodney, ON based IECS. The plant will operate as Applegate Canada, ULC and marks the first time the Webberville, MI based manufacturer of eco-friendly insulation products will have production capabilities inside of Canada. “We’ve had customers in Canada for decades,” says Applegate CEO, Terry Applegate, “now we can serve a greater market more efficiently and with lower freight.” Applegate has customers in more than 20 countries and attributes its success to the exceptional performance of its products and support. The manufacturer says its products are typically lower in dust, cleaner and plug less frequently than its competitors’ products. This helps the insulation contractor work more efficiently and with fewer headaches. “When you’re in an attic that could be 120 degrees or hotter, you don’t want to stop to clear plugs or wait for dust to clear,” says Richard Applegate, Applegate Insulation National Sales Manager. In addition to its cellulose insulation products, Applegate manufactures a suite of eco-friendly products including: Cotton Armor, a thermal/acoustic insulation blanket, board and wrap product for the construction and OEM markets, Paper Shavings, a cellulose bedding product designed for horses and all other animals, MastaSorb, cotton and cellulose-based industrial absorbents, and a full line of cellulose mulches, wood mulches and tackifiers to the international landscaping, hydroseeding and erosion control community.

Washington, D.C. – (Sept. 8, 2015) – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Board of Directors announced today that USGBC’s Chief Operating Officer Mahesh Ramanujam has been named incoming Chief Executive Officer, and will move into the role after Rick Fedrizzi, the visionary co-founder of USGBC and current CEO, steps down at the end of 2016. “Mahesh has a highly impressive track record of success in both his role as USGBC’s COO and as President of Green Business Certification Inc.,” said USGBC Board Chair Marge Anderson. “He is a proven leader who has exhaustive knowledge of the organization, respect from its volunteer leadership and strong support from its team. He has extensive global experience and broad business acumen. He is the perfect choice to lead the organization into the future.” “I’m deeply honored that Rick and the Board have placed their trust in me, and I will serve the organization and our movement with a long-term vision – keeping innovation as a top priority,” said Ramanujam. “As USGBC’s CEO, I pledge to continually modernize and enhance our capabilities and performance to ensure we deliver the future that our founders envisioned.” Ramanujam joined USGBC in 2009 as Senior Vice President, Technology, before being named COO in September 2011. In December 2012, he was also named President of the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) where he broadened offerings to better serve a wider client base, leading the organization to change its name to Green Business Certification Inc. earlier this year.

Malmö/Columbia, MD (September 1, 2015)—Global CAD/BIM design software developer Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc., a part of The Nemetschek Group in Germany, and BIMobject AB announced today that they signed a cooperation agreement. The two companies will support each other's BIM technology in order to better accommodate the needs of the AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) industry. "We joined forces with BIMobject to deliver a streamlined way for Vectorworks designers to access up-to-date, manufacturer-approved BIM content," said Robert Anderson, vice president of integrated practice at Nemetschek Vectorworks. "Our partnership supports our desire to provide increased access to building material and product specifications that live in a building information model – valuable data that decision-makers involved with the design, construction and maintenance of a building need to be successful." As part of the agreement, BIMobject® will host Vectorworks native file formats in its cloud-based web portal on BIMobject.com. In addition, BIMobject® and Nemetschek Vectorworks will collaboratively assist manufacturers with developing BIM objects for Vectorworks software users worldwide. A BIM object is a detailed piece of information that defines a product’s geometry and represents its physical characteristics. More than half a million users around the world are using Vectorworks software, and this user community will be significant contributors to the BIMobject® Cloud platform. BIMobject and Nemetschek Vectorworks will together build up an initial set of manufacturers objects, including preexisting BIMobject content. All of these BIM objects will also be available and distributed by Nemetschek Vectorworks through a multivendor private cloud, offered with the support of BIMobject® Cloud solutions. There are also future plans for developing tighter integration and enhanced collaboration between Vectorworks software and BIMobject’s cloud platform. “This partnership is meaningful as we've seen a huge demand from Vectorworks users over the last year for content from our BIMobject Cloud portfolio,” said Stefan Larsson, CEO and founder of BIMobject AB. "For our building product manufacturers, this completes our offering across BIM platforms and delivers a significant user base dedicated to the Vectorworks platform that will benefit in additional business and customer satisfaction. Now, we'll do our best together to get the solutions done as quickly as possible to meet user demand."

On December 11, 2005 a series of explosions rocked the Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal, located near Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, England. The plastic waterstops that were in the fuel terminal joints all failed due to the high heat of the fire. The Health Protection Agency and the Major Incident Investigation Board provided advice to prevent incidents such as these from happening again, including the utilization of stainless steel waterstop in place at all concrete joints to prevent fuel from escaping the bund walls. In July of 2014, JP Specialties, Inc. was contracted to provide our Earth Shield® Stainless Steel Waterstop (part nos. JP1122 and JP1122R) in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal. Earth Shield® Stainless Steel Waterstop is used as a fluid-tight diaphragm, embedded in concrete, across and along the joint, for primary and secondary containment structures. Earth Shield® Stainless Steel Waterstop can stop even the most corrosive fluids in their tracks, even at severely elevated temperatures. A variety of metals, grades, and gauges are available. Earth Shield® utilizes 20 gauge 316 low carbon as our standard alloy, which offers broad spectrum corrosion resistance to most aggressive media, and is virtually untouched by the deleterious effects of ozone, making it an ideal choice for ozone contactor structures used in modern water treatment plants. Earth Shield® Stainless Steel Waterstop is available in many standard shapes and sizes including profiles for new construction and retrofit. All change of direction fabrications (shop made fittings) can be premanufactured leaving only straight butt welding for the Contractor in the field.