Each year, new products come on the market that solve developmental pain-points. Here are six innovative products for various multifamily developments, including a condominium-wide smart electrical system, heavy-duty aluminum doors, and prefabricated panels.
1. Solarban R100 (Architectural glass that counters the strong Texas sun)
![Architectural glass counters strong Texas sun](/sites/default/files/inline-images/1_2.jpg)
Austin's new 34-story 70 Rainey houses 164 condos featuring floor-to-ceiling Solarban R100 glass from Vitro Architectural Glass. "Glazing selection on tall buildings is one of the most complicated design decisions we face today to navigate energy codes, aesthetics, and environmental performance," said Joshua Coleman, AIA, LEED AP, Principal/Design at Page architecture firm. "Solarban R100 glass provides one of the best solar heat gain coefficients on the market without being overly reflective, too dark, or tinted." Win-Con was the glazier.
2. Leviton Decora smart devices (Smart electrical systems for luxury residences in upstate N.Y.)
![Smart electrical systems for luxury New York residence](/sites/default/files/inline-images/2_2.jpg)
Bonacio Construction (GC) and Prediletto Electric (electrical contractor) specified Leviton Smart Circuit Breakers and Leviton USB Type A/Type-C In-Wall Outlet Charger with 15A Tamper-Resistant Outlet for The Moderne Condominiums, Sarasota Springs, N.Y. Leviton Decora Smart Dimmers were installed in the living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms of the two- and three-bedroom condos and in the penthouse units.
3. Omega-Lite ACM panels (Philadelphia apartment building clad in ACM panels)
![Philadelphia apartment building clad in ACM panels](/sites/default/files/inline-images/3_2.jpg)
For the exterior of SOLO on Chestnut, a seven-story, 250,000-sf complex of 280 luxury apartments near the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, JKRP Architects (designer) and The HOW Group (GC) specified 14,600 sf of Charcoal Grey Omega-Lite ACM panels. Makosh Services used Laminators' Clip & Caulk installation system.
4. Aluminum Swing Terrace Door (Aluminum door for high-rise, high-wind applications)
![Aluminum door for high-rise, high-wind applications](/sites/default/files/inline-images/4_0.jpg)
Crystal Window & Door Systems' Series 1450/1460 Aluminum Swing Terrace Door has been structurally and thermally enhanced and offers a new hydraulic closer, glazing, and a laboratory water-tested ADA low-sill option. The Series 1450/1460 Terrace Door is constructed with heavy-duty 0.093-inch wall thickness extrusion and a redesigned strong multi-chamber 3.25-inch jamb frame, for use in high-rise and wind-prone installations.
A powerful adjustable hydraulic closer from leading German hardware manufacturer G-U (Gretsch-Unitas) features a concealed mounting plate and slide arm assembly designed for outswing door operation, which allows effortless operation of the door while maintaining the door’s sleek look on the interior. The aluminum frame of Crystal’s Series 1450/1460 Aluminum Swing Terrace Door is finished in durable environmentally sustainable powder coat paint, to either AAMA 2604 or 2605 performance standards.
5. Centerline Prefab uses Sto prefab panels to save time on WMU student housing complex
![Prefabricated panels being put onto student housing development](/sites/default/files/inline-images/5_0.jpg)
Centerline Prefab set 48-foot StoPanel Metal ci panels on the upper four floors and Sto Backup panels for the six-story Arcadia Flats residential housing at Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo. The 206 wall panels were prefabricated off site and installed on site in 37 minutes per panel. Stantec Architecture (architect) and Triangle Associates (GC) were on the project team.
6. Atlas ACFoam (Roofing system that prevents ice jams in Colorado project)
![Roofing system preventing ice jams in Colorado development](/sites/default/files/inline-images/6.jpg)
Jeff Johnston, president of The Roofing Company, Granby, Colo., installed more than 210 squares of Atlas ACFoam and ACFoam CrossVent from Atlas Roofing Corp. on the roof of the nine residences and six penthouses ($7.4 million to $9.6 million) at the Vail Mountain View Condos, in Vail Village. The roofing system provided a fully continuous insulation solution with an R-value of 20.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Cost of HVAC equipment to remain flat in 2009, says Turner
While some manufacturers have announced slight increases in facilities equipment pricing for 2009, the average cost of equipment is expected to remain flat in 2009, according to the 2009 Turner Logistics Equipment Cost Index. However, equipment pricing could face increased pressure if there is a further decline in market demand.
| Aug 11, 2010
Citizenship building in Texas targets LEED Silver
The Department of Homeland Security's new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services facility in Irving, Texas, was designed by 4240 Architecture and developed by JDL Castle Corporation. The focal point of the two-story, 56,000-sf building is the double-height, glass-walled Ceremony Room where new citizens take the oath.
| Aug 11, 2010
Toronto mandates green roofs
The city of Toronto late last month passed a new green roof by-law that consists of a green roof construction standard and a mandatory requirement for green roofs on all classes of new buildings. The by-law requires up to 50% green roof coverage on multi-unit residential dwellings over six stories, schools, nonprofit housing, and commercial and industrial buildings.
| Aug 11, 2010
Modest recession for education construction
Construction spending for education expanded modestly but steadily through March, while at the same time growth for other institutional construction had stalled earlier in 2009. Education spending is now at or near the peak for this building cycle. The value of education starts is off 9% year-to-date compared to 2008.
| Aug 11, 2010
'Feebate' program to reward green buildings in Portland, Ore.
Officials in Portland, Ore., have proposed a green building incentive program that would be the first of its kind in the U.S. Under the program, new commercial buildings, 20,000 sf or larger, that meet Oregon's state building code would be assessed a fee by the city of up to $3.46/sf. The fee would be waived for buildings that achieve LEED Silver certification from the U.
| Aug 11, 2010
News Briefs: GBCI begins testing for new LEED professional credentials... Architects rank durability over 'green' in product attributes... ABI falls slightly in April, but shows market improvement
News Briefs: GBCI begins testing for new LEED professional credentials... Architects rank durability over 'green' in product attributes... ABI falls slightly in April, but shows market improvement
| Aug 11, 2010
Decline expected as healthcare slows, but hospital work will remain steady
The once steady 10% growth rate in healthcare construction spending has slowed, but hasn't entirely stopped. Spending is currently 1.7% higher than the same time last year when construction materials costs were 8% higher. The 2.5% monthly jobsite spending decline since last fall is consistent with the decline in materials costs.
| Aug 11, 2010
Luxury Hotel required faceted design
Goettsch Partners, Chicago, designed a new five-star, 214-room hotel for the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The design-build project, with Saudi Oger Ltd. as contractor and Rayadah Investment Co. as developer, has a three-story podium supporting a 17-story glass tower with a nine-story opening that allows light to penetrate the mass of the building.