After March 1, all building plans in Virginia must adhere to the 2009 code that was adopted a year ago. During a yearlong grace period, builders had been able to choose between the 2009 and 2006 codes. Among the code changes are: requirement for programmable thermostats, at least half of lighting fixtures must use energy efficient bulbs, and a mandate for mounted kitchen fire extinguishers for single family homes without sprinkler systems.
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| Aug 11, 2010
Inspiring Offices: Office Design That Drives Creativity
Office design has always been linked to productivity—how many workers can be reasonably squeezed into a given space—but why isn’t it more frequently linked to creativity? “In general, I don’t think enough people link the design of space to business outcome,” says Janice Linster, partner with the Minneapolis design firm Studio Hive.