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Fitness Center Facelift
Fitness centers are one of the fastest growing amenities in the residential and workspace market. As Americans of every age are becoming more and more health conscious, fighting against obesity or simply maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires a gym at home and/or work. Therefore, when planning and designing a fitness center for your existing or new […]
Is Your Building Gasping For Air?
If you experienced one or all of the following situations inside your building, most likely your building (and you) need a little more fresh air. 1. Did you see condensation on your window pane in the winter? Without enough fresh air and proper ventilation to remove the moisture from inside the building, humidity will keep building up in […]
Self-Healing Concrete
Researchers at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands are working on placing bacteria in concrete mixes to fix cracks in concrete and make it self-healing. This could make concrete less susceptible to damage related to water that infiltrates a beam by way of a crack and results in rebar corrosion. http://www.citg.tudelft.nl/en/research/projects/self-healing-concrete/
Warranty Expiration Dates
What do you really know about your roof warranties? There may be separate warranties issued for various materials and the installing contractor may have also guaranteed workmanship. Each will expire at some point and there are things you should do to preserve your protections. 1. Review the documents and assure they were properly executed. If, for […]
Dredging Up Drone Issues
There is a lot of talk these days about using drones to inspect exterior building walls. Aside from issues regarding safety, liability, federal regulations, etc. there is little doubt that up close video photography can be a helpful tool. Visual inspection using binoculars from ground-level or other vantage points is a basic part of exterior […]
Amenities for Condominium
When buying a condominium or renting an apartment, amenity spaces have become an important aspect of resident’s comfort and lifestyle. In newer developments, as the size of the apartment is shrinking, it is the amenity spaces that become the home and outlet for activities. Traditionally, a residential building has a club room, weight room and […]
Avoid Flooring Problems
Installing linoleum or similar covering directly on concrete floors can be problematic if there is moisture in the slab. This is especially a concern with on grade slabs where there may be moisture under the slab that can permeate upward. Linoleum and similar floor coverings act as a barrier that can cause moisture to be trapped […]
Making Wood Transparent
Researchers at the University of Maryland have found a way to make wood transparent, which could change the way that we utilize this building material. https://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/05/12/science/see-through-wood.html?_r=3&referer=
Important Tips When Visiting a Construction Site
Most importantly is your safety. Be sure to wear appropriate protection such as a hard hat, construction boots, yellow safety vest and safety glasses. Make an appointment with the contractor/management and be familiar with the overall layout, prior to your visit. Upon arrival check in with the construction site supervisor. Take photographs of the construction site and make field […]
Two Hours of Super Powers
We recently ran into an unusual item at a property – two hour, fire rated windows. The assemblies looked like “regular” windows but after some digging through the building drawings, it was determined that the windows were fire rated. The building code requires that exterior building walls within ten feet of a property line must […]
Inspection Gadgets
Advances in imagining and sonic technology have long been embraced by engineers and are being used every day to help evaluate buildings and building systems. These gadgets can allow for an in-depth, minimally invasive, and cost-effective inspection with rapid results. Plus, it is fun to pull out a toy that you might see in an […]