Fire in Suburban Philadelphia Comes as New Jersey's State Legislature and Philadelphia's City Council Consider Measures to Strengthen Building Codes

Silver Spring, MD – On Monday evening, firefighters were called to the scene of what quickly became a 3-alarm fire at a wood-framed apartment complex in Willingboro, New Jersey – a suburb of Philadelphia. More than 50 people were displaced in the blaze that injured one firefighter and one resident, both of who have since been released from the hospital.

The composition of buildings like the apartment complex that burned on Monday, which was constructed in 2006 and utilized lightweight wood-framing in order to provide affordable housing to Willingboro's lower-income families, is being called into question in both the state of New Jersey and the city of Philadelphia, where lawmakers are currently debating bills that would amend building codes.

In New Jersey, Assembly Bill 135 and Senate Bill 1261 have been introduced – legislation that calls for the installation of an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with NFPA 13, measuring the number of stories from the grade plane, using noncombustible materials for construction, and installing a fire barrier with a fire resistance rating of at least two hours that extends from the foundation to the roof.

This legislation has been endorsed by seven county Freeholder boards, representing nearly 50 percent of the state's population, and is supported by the local New Jersey coalition members of Build with Strength, which include: Bob Carr, the Fire Marshal for Burlington County; The New Jersey State Firefighters' Mutual Benevolent Association; The Professional Association of Fire Fighters in New Jersey; the New Jersey State Association of County Fire Marshals; New Jersey State Fire Chiefs Association; New Jersey State Fire Protection and Prevention Association; Chief “Tiger” Platt of the Brigantine Beach Fire Company; the Bricklayers and Allied Crafts – New Jersey, and the Fire Department of West Orange.

“The materials that make up a building are a fire safety matter,” said Bob Carr, the Fire Marshal for Burlington County. “Combustible materials like wood, as the name suggests, simply do not have the fire prevention properties of concrete and steel. As a result, firefighters must take extra precautions when combatting fires in properties of that nature.”

In late December, firefighters responded to a fire at a wood-framed apartment complex in Princeton, New Jersey, that resulted in the death of a 73-year-old resident and the displacement of 35 others. The incident came after a pair of massive fires in the state in buildings constructed with combustible materials over the past couple years – namely in Maplewood and Edgewater. There have been dozens of fires of a similar nature throughout the country over the last several few years.

A September 2016 poll of 400 registered voters in New Jersey found respondents very supportive of the state making changes to building codes following the devastating Edgewater apartment complex fire in January 2015.

Mini-Rib panels provide one-of-a-kind look for Texas townhouses

Bossier City, La.— Everyone likes to feel like they are unique in some way. Dallas area architects and a developer are teaming up to construct modern-looking townhouses for customers interested in cutting-edge aesthetics. The Mini-Rib panel from McElroy Metal is a key component to making it happen.

Developer Colin Lardner, of the Lardner Group of Dallas, intended to construct something unique in this eastern Dallas neighborhood. “We wanted to do something unique in the neighborhood, something pretty edgy,” Lardner says. “We wanted it to be balanced, to blend in … to be stealth-like, tough, but elegant.

“We were a little skeptical about using metal, mainly because we weren't used to it for residential applications. Now that it's completed, we love the look.”

Lardner, who wore a second cap on this job as the project manager with his installing company, Ascend^Co., says most townhouse complexes are made up of six units. He constructed these as five two-story units to provide a little more space for the homeowners. This community is comprised of three attached units and two detached units, each with its own yard and two-car garage. Lardner says the complex takes advantage of the urban lifestyle but still offers adequate sense of privacy and outdoor space.

Three colors of McElroy Metal's 26-gauge Mini-Rib panels were installed to provide the look everyone was seeking. The three colors were Matte Black, Bright White and Charcoal, all Fluropon PVDF colors from Sherwin Williams. Ascend^Co. also installed 24-gauge Black 12-inch flat seam wall panels.

“It's right in the middle of an undeveloped neighborhood, so we tried something we've never done before,” he says. “People are intrigued by the look, it's sophisticated. People who have traveled around are drawn to unique, modern homes.”

Bang Dang, a partner at Far + Dang Architecture in Dallas, has been specifying metal for single-family and multi-family residential projects for more than five years. “People who follow what we do and like our work have a tendency to be a little more cutting edge and open minded to something they may not be used to,” he says. “When you show them drawings, they're really not sure, but when they see it in reality, how clean it is, how it reflects light, they fall in love with it. It's something that has to be experienced.”

The project was completed in March 2019.

“Metal offers a cleaner look than other products, like stucco,” Dang says. “At some point, stucco will allow for water infiltration and it stains. Metal goes up easier and is less expensive, so when you build for less, the return is greater. Metal is lighter and places less stress on the structure.

“The scale of Mini-Rib is smaller and a much more elegant look than wider ribbed panels, which can make you think you're looking at a traditional storage building.”

Scholarships awarded to 30 students for 20 winning projects in 2019 Vectorworks Design Scholarship

Columbia, MD (October 16, 2019)—Global design and BIM software provider Vectorworks, Inc. continues to support the next generation of designers, naming Kristopher Clemson winner of the 2019 Richard Diehl Award, the grand prize for the Vectorworks Design Scholarship. With over 1,600 submissions, scholarships were awarded to 20 student projects from the architecture, entertainment, landscape and interior design industries. Winners included both individual and group submissions.

The winning project, “The Octagon,” submitted by Clemson, a recent graduate of Full Sail University and founder of Bifröst Lighting LLC, focuses on lighting design, Vision and MA 3D renderings. Clemson used Vision alongside Vectorworks Spotlight to help with previsualization and implementing MA lighting on a PC.

“It is an incredible honor to receive this scholarship and to be the first entertainment winner of the Richard Diehl Award,” said Clemson. “As my first time applying to the Vectorworks Design Scholarship, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I struggled with the design process, but the usability, flexibility and overall presentation was achievable with Vectorworks software. I advise anyone looking to apply next year to suffer for your art and to ensure you have a well-balanced life of creativity surrounding yourself with creative mentors and friends.”

In addition to the Richard Diehl Award winner, we congratulate the regional scholarship winners selected by an international panel of design, academic and media professionals. Submissions were evaluated based on design integrity, originality, the effective use of computer technology and communication of design vision. Here are the winning projects:

ARCHITECTURE WINNERS:

•“Caretaker’s House” by Tom Hudson-Davies, Aarhus School of Architecture (Arkitektskolen Aarhus)

•“Collage City” by Alex Wong and Ningxin Huang, Columbia University

•“Cultura Gastronomy Centre” by Jeremy Shigemitsu, British Columbia Institute of Technology

•“Haus der Begegnung Halberstadt” by Julia Fehling, Technical University of Braunschweig (Technische Universität Braunschweig)

•“Listotektura” by Marina Georgieva, Birmingham City University

•“Microcosmes: Sublimation Des Paysages Inconscients” by Pauline Soulenq, Charlotte Batifoulier, Matthieu Faria and Elisabeth Sala, National School of Architecture of Clermont-Ferrand (Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Clermont-Ferrand)

•“PROTOCELL_00” by Monika Kalinowska and Denys Karandiuk, University of Applied Arts Vienna (Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien)

•“Wasserschloss” by Geraldine Recker and Saida Brückner, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich)

• “Wooden Crown” by Mickael Minghetti and Karol Wojtas, Delft University of Technology (Technische Universiteit Delft)

INTERIOR DESIGN WINNERS:

•“Indoor Community Park: De Potterij” by Robin van Vemde, Thomas More Mechelen

•“Pawilon Plansza” by Weronika Kempińska and Marta Kluba, Academy of Fine Arts Władysław Strzemiński in Łódź (Akademia Sztuk Pięknych im. Władysława Strzemińskiego w Łodzi)

•“Raum für Abschied” by Claudia Hynek, Darmstadt College (Hochschule Darmstadt)

LANDSCAPE WINNERS:

•“Amphibian Orinoquia” by Ekaterina Trosman and Christian Cueva, University of Pennsylvania

•“Dreiklang Landschaft” by Jonathan Sironi and Marie-Luise Tschirner, Technical University Dresden (Technische Universität Dresden)

•“IMBROS: Marine Experience and Gastro Tourism” by Zeynep Gulsah Aygun, Istanbul Technical University (İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi)

•“Kalmthout Centraal: Trap de Heide in Gang!” by Brent van den Bossche, University of Antwerp (Universiteit Antwerpen)

•“Les Toits d’Ardoines” by Zacharie Malan, University of Lorraine (Université de Lorraine)

•“Rewitalizacja Obszaru Przed Dworcem Nadoddrze We Wrocławiu” by Kinga Sadowska, University of Life Sciences in Wroclaw (Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy we Wrocławiu)

ENTERTAINMENT WINNERS:

•“Pyura: The 333 Tour” by Mauro Pujia, Polytechnic University of Madrid (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid)

•“We congratulate all winners of this year’s Vectorworks Design Scholarship, and we hope these scholarships play a fundamental role in their education,” said Vectorworks Marketing Programs Director Alice Lowy. “Each year, we receive more submissions and are always impressed with the quality of work the next generation of designers come up with.”

In addition to the monetary awards, winners received free Vectorworks educational software licenses for their schools and complimentary training for faculty and students.

Visit the Vectorworks Design Scholarship web gallery to view the winning designs and runner-up projects. Interested students may sign up for notifications regarding future scholarship awards.

Three residents and one firefighter injured in 2-alarm blaze that caused extensive damage

Silver Spring, MD – On Thursday afternoon, fire crews were called to the scene of a fire at a three-story, wood-framed apartment complex in Middletown, Connecticut, resulting in the hospitalization of three residents and one firefighter, who was injured when part of the building collapsed. Additionally, ten pets were rescued, and unfortunately, one dog perished in the fire.

Seventy-five firefighters from all three of Middletown's fire districts responded to the incident, and were forced to deal with freezing and icy conditions. According to The Hartford Courant, “a third-floor unit was a complete loss, and smoke and water caused extensive damage throughout the 24-unit building.”

The blaze comes at a time of a number of spectacular fires in wood-frame, multi-family residential structures – most notably in Princeton, NJ; East Boston, MA; Lakewood, NJ; Weymouth, MA; Haverhill, MA; Waltham, MA; Charlotte, NC; Warner Robins, GA; Midvale, UT; Oakland, CA; Dorchester, MA; Lawrence, MA; East Hollywood, CA; Lowell, MA; Waterbury, CT, Emeryville, CA; St. Petersburg, FL; Arlington, VA; College Park, MD; Overland Park, KS; Raleigh, NC; and Maplewood, NJ. There have been dozens over the last few years.

“Sadly, incidents of this sort will continue to occur as long as builders and developers prioritize building cheaply with combustible materials over resilient products like concrete and steel,” said Kevin Lawlor, spokesperson for Build with Strength, a coalition of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association comprised of community organizations, fire professionals, engineers, architects and industry experts. “No family should be forced to experience the loss of a loved one – even a pet – or their home and possessions over what amounts to a misguided economic decision.”

A number of cities and small towns have already taken proactive steps to protect themselves from preventative fires in construction of this type, including Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Sandy Springs and Tucker, GA. Last year, the Waltham City Council in Massachusetts voted unanimously to ask the state to update their building codes to prevent this sort of construction, as well, after a string of fires devastated the region.

LEWISVILLE, Texas – Metl-Span has compiled its annual list of Projects of the Month and is featuring them in its 2020 calendar.

The Project of the Year, featured on the cover, is the 54 Middlesex office building renovation in Bedford, Mass. Metl-Span provided approximately 16,000 square feet of 3-inch CF Architectural insulated metal panels in 24-inch and 36-inch widths. The IMPs, with a 22-gauge exterior skin and 26-gauge interior skin, were installed over an existing split-face masonry wall with a custom clip, to metal studs. Half of the panels were Regal Gray and half were Polar White. IMPs provided a fresh look to a dated office building which is now a source of pride for the employees and surrounding area.

“Architects and installers continue to use Metl-Span insulated metal panels to construct what turn out to be their signature projects, which rejuvenate communities,” says Amanda Storer, Director Brand Marketing at Metl-Span. “Insulated metal panels are becoming more and more popular in a variety of construction markets, from schools to offices to recreational facilities. Durability, aesthetic variety and performance are a few of the reasons IMP usage is growing.”

Other winning projects featured in the 2020 Metl-Span calendar include the EFI Inkjet office in Londonderry, N.H.; Home2Suites by Hilton in Chicago; Boston Sports Institute in Wellesley, Mass.; Zialena Winery in Geyserville, Calif.; Pablo Center at the Confluence in Eau Claire; Amazon in Spokane, Wash.; North Star Academy in Newark, N.J.; Sofidel America in Circleville, Ohio; Boston Medflight Hangar in Bedford, Mass.; High Point Climbing and Fitness in Memphis, Tenn.; and Atlantic Aviation PDK in Atlanta.

Silver Spring, MD – According to a report released Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2017 was the most expensive year on record for disasters in the United States – thanks to historically powerful hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and devastating wildfires in the west.

In 2017, there were 16 separate billion-dollar disasters, with the cumulative damage of these events totaling $306.2 billion – shattering the previous U.S. annual record of $214.8 billion from 2005.

As expected, the storms' impact on the U.S. also led to the costliest year in history for the global insurance industry – totaling $135 billion – with the U.S. accounting for half of these costs according to a recent report by Munich Re, one of the most prominent global reinsurers.

“There's evidence that building with less resilient materials costs more in the long run,” said Robert Garbini, president of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association in a letter to The Orlando Sentinel. “Whether the issue is stability in the face of high winds, or rotting and molding after floodwaters, the materials used to build make a difference.”

According to studies by MIT, initial investment in hazard mitigation is the key to a sound structure and can be cost effective. An equation developed by the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub) evaluates the cost-effectiveness of incorporating mitigation features into a building design in a particular location by factoring in the expected damage a conventional building that's designed to code would endure over its lifetime, and comparing that to a more resilient, enhanced building design.

“In some areas of the country, especially along the coast, hazard-induced maintenance costs can be significant, sometimes even exceeding the initial building cost,” said Jeremy Gregory, Executive Director of the Concrete Sustainability Hub at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “As such, increasing spending on mitigation is fully justified in areas prone to natural disasters. Through our Break Even Mitigation Percentage (BEMP) project, which offers a data-informed approach to investment in hazard mitigation, we aim to support the widespread adoption of codes that take hazards into account because designing homes and buildings in hazard-prone areas with the expectation that damage will occur can make communities safer and reduce costly repairs in the long run.”

Insurers are also seeing the efficacy of designing buildings to withstand extreme weather.

According to a recent study underwritten by the NRMCA by Dr. Pieter VanderWerf and Nicholas Haidari of Boston College entitled “Survey of Insurance Costs for Multifamily Buildings Constructed with Wood-frame and Concrete,” building insurance rates will be lower for midrise apartment buildings constructed with resilient materials like concrete rather than wood‐frame.

While the extent of the insurance savings for a concrete building varied widely for builder's risk insurance quotes, it was within the range of 22‐72% for all regions. For commercial property insurance, the quoted savings were within the range of 14‐65%.

Verdura® at Skyline in Vista, CA

In early 2018 D.R. Horton contracted Soil Retention to build over 25,000 sq ft of Verdura® walls at their new project site in Vista, CA - Skyline.

Challenge: The City of Vista, CA has a strict guidance on planting and irrigation, D.R. Horton had to comply to.
Consultants:
Landscape Architect: Gillespie Moody Patterson, Inc.
Engineering: Excel Engineering
Irrigation Specialists: Hunter Industries
Retaining Wall Design and Engineering: Soil Retention Systems, Inc.

In less than one year after planting, the Verdura® walls look exceptional and meet and exceed the City of Vista's landscape manual. The walls are irrigated with conventional sprayers by Hunter Industries atop the walls (pictured below).

The maximum height of the 2 walls reach 16 feet. The project was completed in record time in July 2018. Based on the expertise and collaboration of a great team of consultants, this project is considered a huge success.

Skyline is home to 2 condominium developments by D.R. Horton, as well as the latest Ayres Hotel in San Diego County. D.R. Horton and Soil Retention Systems, Inc. have been working together successfully on several projects over the years, i.e. Crosby Estates in Rancho Santa Fe, Santa Rosa Highlands in Murrieta, Morgan Hill in Temecula, Seaglass in San Marcos to name a few.

Please help us welcome our new team members:
Shawn Higgins - Contractor Business Development
Natasha Indegno - Office Manager
Rex Revard - Architectural Sales

Metal panels achieve aesthetic unification across neighboring structures

Moon Township, PA - One Research Drive is home to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (ICAR). CENTRIA®, the world's leading provider of high-performance building envelopes, contributed more than 13,000 square feet of Formawall™ to the building façade, which visually echoes nearby campus buildings also clad in Formawall.

“We aimed to have the material connection across all facades, – the ICAR and the Center for Emerging Technologies – in addition to the same durability and speed of installation we enjoyed with the Emerging Technologies project,” says Chris Stone, Associate Principal, LS3P, the firm responsible for the building design.

The 85,000 square-foot structure aesthetically unites other nearby Clemson structures with the same clean lines and modern aesthetic. The design team with LS3P associates leveraged the sleek exterior and consistency afforded by working with Formawall. “We utilized the CENTRIA panels in a continuous ribbon across the building, which enabled it to have a uniform, distinct façade: Its 4 sides all have prominent frontage and CENTRIA panels formed the primary skin that wrapped around the entire building,” says Stone. Formawall is CENTRIA's flagship line of insulated metal panels, combining unprecedented design freedom with unmatched performance. The product's five distinct profiles deliver unlimited design combinations and create the world's most imaginative building envelopes with varying articulations, rhythms, and textures.

Not only did Formawall provide the optimal building façade for Clemson's needs, but the design team also opted to use the product for its accelerated and seamless installation capabilities.

“We have been working with CENTRIA products for quite some time and find that their speed of installation, longevity, and durability are all factors that make them ideal for our needs,” says Stone. “At the International Center for Automotive Research, the CENTRIA product was installed quickly enough to get the core and shell enclosed on-schedule.”

Other members of the design and construction team included general contractor, Sherman Construction, and CENTRIA dealer, Steel Clad, Inc.

Bossier City, La. — Everyone wants to look their best for company. With its growing popularity, Cape Cod Potato Chips has seen its annual number of visitors grow to more than 250,000 at its manufacturing plant in Barnstable, Mass. The nearly 40-year-old facility was in need of a fresh look and ribbed metal wall panels from McElroy Metal were prescribed for the exterior renovation.

“The facelift was simply to improve visitor experience,” says Michael Pellegrino, AIA, at J.J. White Inc., in Boston. “They've got a huge international following now and the original building had a tired look and really needed a cosmetic upgrade. “We took it from a 1970s beige and white building to a modern-looking bright blue and gray building with a bold white trim.”

The original plan was to install McElroy Metal's Wave panel vertically, but ultimately, the client decided on the bolder Mega-Rib, installed horizontally. Mega-Rib is a 7.2 exposed fastener panel that provides strength and spanning capabilities. The distance from rib to rib is 7.2 inches.

“The use of metal panels was cost-driven and they speed up construction,” Pellegrino says. “To install the panels horizontally, we required an engineered substructure. McElroy's engineering group provided that assistance and the installation was completed without issue.”

More than 8,500 square feet of 26-gauge Mega-Rib was installed by Robert Ganter Contractors Inc. of Quakertown, Penn. The panels were a combination of Roman Blue and Ash Gray.

“It was a pretty simple project, straight-forward installation,” says John Gannon, estimator and project manager for Robert Ganter Contractors. “We were in a bit of a hurry to get everything done before the busy tourist season in summer. We got in and out in about two months.

“It was really one of those rare flawless projects. Deliveries were on time, in the right order and to the right place. We've heard nothing but good things.”

The Cape Cod Potato Chip facility, which is owned by the Campbell Soup Company, now has a look as unique as the taste of its kettle cooked chips. Visitors can enjoy a 30-minute self-guided tour, a behind-the-scenes look at the process, from peeling and cutting the potatoes to bagging the finished product. New signage and televisions explain the kettle chip making process. The tour concludes at the redesigned gift shop for a complimentary bag of chips on the new outdoor patio.

“We've even gotten some positive feedback from visitors,” Pellegrino says. “That's unusual, so it's safe to say everyone is pleased with how the renovation turned out.”

LEWISVILLE, Texas – Metl-Span's proven ThermalSafe® insulated metal panel is now available with a Striated exterior profile, in addition to the already existing Ultra-Light Mesa and Santa Fe exterior options. “The demand for more fire-resistant options led us to produce ThermalSafe with a striated exterior profile,” says Jennifer Franz, Metl-Span product manager. “Striations offer an aesthetic customers are familiar with and asking for.”

Fire-resistant ThermalSafe is equipped with a LockGuard interlocking side joint, achieving one-, two- or three-hour fire resistance rating for walls and 1-1/2 hours for ceilings. The insulated metal panel features a core made from non-combustible structural and non-toxic mineral wool boards processed to maximize compressive strength. The core insulating properties are 3.61 “R” per inch. ThermalSafe panels are 42 inches wide and available in thicknesses of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 inches. Panels have been extensively tested to meet the fire standard requirements of FM4880 and the structural requirements of FM4881.