1. MINIMAL HARDWARE CREATES A SLIDING SHOWER DOOR WITH A MODERN AESTHETIC
The Cambridge Bypass Sliding Shower Door System from C.R. Laurence features a double-bypass configuration that allows for entry from the left or right side. Minimal hardware creates a modern aesthetic. Stainless steel rollers (inset) yield smooth door operation. The stainless steel design can be installed on full standing showers or onto bathtubs. Maximum door width: 37 inches; maximum door weight: 84 pounds.
2. ALL-IN-ONE WASHER-DRYER saves SPACE in smaller units
The Whirlpool Smart All-In-One Care Washer and Dryer allows a single laundry load to be completely washed and dried in the same machine. The ventless unit can fit under kitchen counters or in closets, laundry rooms, and bathrooms. Comes with Amazon Alexa and Apple Watch compatibility. The Whirlpool mobile app can provide alert notifications to the tenant’s smartphone.
3. LOW-MAINTENANCE ROOFTOP DECK BEAUTIFIES WASHINGTON’S APOLLO APARTMENTS
Built on the site of the Apollo Theater in the District of Columbia, the Apollo Apartments complex has over 350 rentals, a Whole Foods, and a landscaped rooftop terrace. The project’s landscape designer, Landscape Architecture Bureau, specified Kebony modified wood for the terrace pergola for its low-maintenance properties and the natural silver patina it develops over time. Kebony wood was also used for the decking and benches throughout the project.
4. METAL ROOF AIDS SENIOR LIVING FACILITY’S THERMAL AND WIND RESISTANCE
The one-story roof of the three-story Ridge Senior Living facility in Salt Lake City dominates the view from most resident’s windows. The project team—AJC Architects, Sahara Construction, and Capitol Roofing—decided to use the MBCI SuperLok 16-inch metal panel roofing system on the first-story roof for its clean aesthetic design and thermal and wind resistance. The mechanically field-seamed, vertical leg standing seam roof system provides exceptional resistance to wind uplift and the option to add insulation to the existing roof.
5. NEW BATHROOM DESIGN SERIES PROVIDES A FRESH TAKE ON THE CLASSIC RECTANGULAR SHAPE
The new DuraSquare collection from Duravit features ceramics and a fresh take on furniture. The collection’s washbasin has walls that are only 3/16-inch thick thanks to its DuraCeram construction. Complementing the washbasins is the DuraSquare vanity. The console frame is height-adjustable and available in silver (chrome) or matte black. The furniture frame includes a glass shelf (available in six colors) and a towel rack. Bathtubs round out the collection and mimic the shape of the washbasins.
6. BUILT-IN MODULES CONCEAL COMPLETE KITCHENS
The YesterTec Stealth Kitchen System hides complete kitchens in built-in modules to create a minimalist look or maximize the efficiency of a small space. The modules look like built-in cabinetry and come in a variety of finish options. The stealth kitchens are suited for apartments, game rooms, and entertainment areas. The modules can be configured into an L-shape or galley kitchen, as a straight line, or with a peninsula. Units are 29 inches deep.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
ULI: 'Old Normal' will not be a part of the housing recovery
As the U.S. economy recovers, emerging trends in demographics and consumer behavior will become major drivers of new housing opportunities, resulting in a residential market vastly different from the one that existed prior to the recession, according to Housing in America: The Next Decade, a new research paper authored by John K. McIlwain, senior resident fellow, Urban Land Institute/J. Ronald Terwilliger Chair for Housing.
| Aug 11, 2010
Billings increase less than a point in December, still in negative territory
The American Institute of Architects reported the December Architecture Billings Index rating was 43.4, up slightly from 42.8 in November. The score indicates a continued decline in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker said the inability to get financing is still the main roadblock to recovery.
| Aug 11, 2010
FMI: 2009 was the bottom for residential, non-residential construction still in freefall
While 2009 was likely the bottom in terms of percentage decline, 2010 will be the bottom in terms of dollar volume for non-residential construction, according to market analysts at consulting firm FMI. Residential construction is expected to begin recovering in 2010. The economy may show some signs of improving, but it is just the beginning of the downfall for nonresidential construction.
| Aug 11, 2010
SFI releases new sustainable forestry standard
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative has released a new standard. SFI 2010-2014 addresses climate change and bioenergy; strengthen unique SFI fiber sourcing requirements, which broaden the practice of sustainable forestry; complements SFI activities aimed at avoiding controversial or illegal offshore fiber sources, and embraces Lacey Act amendments to prevent illegal logging; and expands requirements for logger training and support for trained loggers and certified logger programs.
| Aug 11, 2010
Another steep decline in nonresidential construction activity projected for 2010
Despite signs that the overall U.S. economy is beginning to improve, nonresidential construction spending is expected to decrease by 13.4% in 2010 with a marginal increase of 1.8% in 2011 in inflation adjusted terms, according the American Institute of Architects' Consensus Construction Forecast. Commercial and industrial projects will continue to see the most significant decrease in activity. Thanks, in part, to federal stimulus spending, institutional building categories will fare better over the new year. BD+C, January 6
| Aug 11, 2010
WattStopper contributes freezer case occupancy sensor to DOE study
WattStopper has participated in a ground-breaking demonstration of solid-state lighting (SSL) technology combined with occupancy sensors in grocery store freezer cases. The project was supported under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solid-State Lighting GATEWAY Technology Demonstration Program. WattStopper contributed FS-705 Wide Angle PIR occupancy sensors to the project.
| Aug 11, 2010
Construction spending hits six-year low as employment declines in 324 of 337 cities
Construction employment declined in 324 out of 337 metropolitan areas over the past year as spending on construction projects dropped by over $137 billion in November to a 6-year low of $900 billion, according to a new analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of federal figures released recently.
| Aug 11, 2010
New data shows low construction prices may soon be coming to an end
New federal data released recently shows sharp increases in the prices of key construction materials like diesel, copper and brass mill shapes likely foreshadow future increases in construction costs, the Associated General Contractors of America said. The new November producer price index (PPI) report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics provide the strongest indication yet that construction prices are heading up, the association noted.
| Aug 11, 2010
Underwriters Laboratories, ICC Evaluation Service announce dual evaluation and certification program for building products
Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the leading product safety testing organization, and ICC Evaluation Service, Inc (ICC-ES), the United States' leader in evaluating building products for compliance with code, today announced a partnership that will provide the building materials industry with a Dual Evaluation and Certification Program for building products.
| Aug 11, 2010
The New Yorker's David Owen: Why Manhattan is America's greenest community
David Owen is a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of 14 books, most recently Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less Are the Keys to Sustainability, in which he argues that Manhattan is the greenest community in America. He graduated from Harvard and lives in Washington, Conn., where he chairs the town planning commission.
