Author: Constructech Editors
Coral does it, oysters do it, can we do it too? The building blocks of biology can be used to develop building blocks—actually, concrete masonry units (CMUs)—that are carbon free. A starting point is using living organisms to create zero-carbon building materials. According to the Institute of Civil Engineers, enhancement of the mechanical properties of cementitious materials) by using bacteria is known as biocementation or MICCP (microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation). On hydrolysis, bacteria produce carbon dioxide, which forms calcium carbonate in the presence of calcium ions. The precipitation of calcium carbonate in the concrete matrix augments the mechanical properties…
LED otherwise known as light emitting diode, lights have become the go-to for energy-conscious homeowners. They reduce energy costs and are being recommended as the lighting alternative. Bulbs and fixtures that use much lower wattage while providing light, both in color temperature and lumens, equal or better than incandescent or florescent units are becoming the norm. And when designing the entertainment area in a new construction or remodeling project, LEDs in strip or tape format adds changeable colors and new ambiance to the room or, in some case, the outdoors. A familiar name in LED lights is American Lighting, a…
Do you have customers who come to you with photos from magazines showing custom kitchens and bathrooms, saying “We want ours just like this,” and then get frustrated when your designers can’t match the photo? All too often, the layout in the photo is dramatically different than the floor area in the customer’s home. The answer might be found in a new application called 3D Kitchen Designer and its Design from Photo feature. 3D Cloud by Marxent’s automation feature for kitchen designs allows home improvement retailers and custom home developers to apply styles from inspirational kitchen photos directly to a…
As the world slowly comes out of the COVID-19 pandemic’s worst days, architects and designers are researching what the effects were on living spaces, commercial and residential. The changes experienced by people in all walks of life were drastic in many cases. People found ways of coping with the restrictions, remote working, new-found need for cleanliness, and other aspects of the pandemic, working around the limitations in their buildings that were overlooked in normal times. How can this knowledge be applied to the future design and construction of buildings? What are the criteria for a healthy home going forward? The…
Sparks and arcs can cause serious injury and, in drought conditions, major wildfires. In 2018, the Camp Fire destroyed most of the town of Paradise, California, resulted in 85 civilian fatalities and destroyed more than 18,800 structures. PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric) confessed that the utility’s crumbling electrical grid was responsible for the spark that ignited the blaze that also drove PG&E into bankruptcy. We’ve all experienced sparks generated by AC electric wires crossing and touching. Arc flashes are similar, an electrical accident that creates a dangerous, high-temperature explosion. An arc flash results from an arc fault caused by electricity discharging…
The connected building is not a fantasy, it’s a reality. But the integrated building is still a way off, it seems. To connect intelligent devices requires interoperability among those devices where proprietary protocols are the enemy and universality is a goal. Many manufacturers provide connected devices that are only compatible within one brand’s platform. For example, a consumer may purchase a connected washer and dryer from Brand A and benefit from features like notifications that alert the user when their wash or dry cycle is complete. Unfortunately, these notifications can only be enabled via Brand A’s platform. Interoperability enables consumers to…
It’s here, it’s there, it’s everywhere. Single-use plastics are the largest subset of plastics found in landfills and among the most challenging to recycle. The U.S. DOE (Dept. of Energy) reports that plastic production accounts for more than 3% of total U.S. energy consumption and uses roughly the same amount of oil around the world as the aviation industry. Yet, less than 10% of plastics are currently recycled, most of which are “downcycled,” or repurposed into low-value products. In 2021, the DOE began an investment of up to $14.5 million for research and development to cut waste and reduce the…
The outbreak of COVID-19 acted as a restraint on the non-residential construction market in 2020 as supply chains were disrupted due to trade restrictions and construction activities were affected due to lockdowns imposed by governments globally. As many governments restricted the movement of goods across countries and locally, companies had to halt construction activities due to lack of equipment and raw material. According to a report by TBRC (The Business Research Co.), Asia Pacific was the largest region in the global nonresidential building construction market, accounting for 42.4% of the total in 2021. It was followed by North America, Western Europe, and then…
One of the thrilling acts under the circus big top was the big cats, lions, and tigers, being put through obstacle courses like they were trained dogs. Jump, run, climb, go through hoops, and stand on barrels. The audience loved it. But not enough to make them continue. Five years ago, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus closed after falling ticket sales. In 2023, “The Greatest Show on Earth” is coming back, but there won’t be any animal acts. The nostalgia of watching the big cats on YouTube isn’t the same as seeing them live. But there are…
The COVID-19 pandemic created major disruption across all industries. Lockdowns, remote work, isolation and quarantine, social distancing, and masking, all hit at once. For more than two years, people were adapting and adopting new methods of doing what was possible in a world that seemed impossible. And as the country comes out of the depths of the pandemic, the old normal is being replaced in many places with the term a “new normal.” This new normal, a hybrid of old practices and responses to the COVID crisis, has almost immediately been hit by economic factors that are testing the validity…