Going Green - Construction, Which the Environment Loves!

Sustainable building, green building, green construction or simply "going green" is a concept about eco-friendly construction. It involves the application of practices and technologies that are environmental friendly, right from the construction, to occupancy, maintenance, renovation and finally demolition. This concept first started rising in the '70s when concerns regarding harmful impacts of construction industry on environment, and its resources, started growing.

Although no international agreement is available regarding carbon reduction and eco-friendly construction, there are organizations present that are working for the sustainability of natural resources, toxic reduction, recycling, waste reduction and application of energy efficient practices etc, such as EPA in the US. The EPA requires the construction industry to design and build buildings with eco-friendly materials and methods. This is not the only reason why construction industry has started following green trends. Many environmental-concerned companies and individuals have started emphasizing on green building, when doing a new construction or renovation project in their homes, commercial properties or work places. This is a very good sign because it educates and encourages the construction industry to work towards developing new sustainable building techniques. The need of going green gets more imminent as a recent study shows that the Ozone layer had depleted by 40%, which is alarming.

The basic principles of sustainable building in new construction projects and retrofitted properties include:

· Efficient use of land, water, energy and other resources.
· Improving the health of everyone living in a building.
· Providing clean environment to increase employees' performance.
· Reducing pollution and other waste emission in the environment.
· Educating public about the need and merits of green building.
· Using local materials and manpower so as to avoid transportation cost of these brought from other towns and areas.

Not only it is important to derive methods for going green, it is equally important to use the present resources in an intelligent and efficient way.

Water Efficiency:

Two-third of the Earth consists of water, not all of it readily usable. It takes a lot of work and energy to make water usable which means there's a shortage of water and therefore, we need to use it efficiently. A popular way of maintaining the quality of water and reducing its usage is to use dual plumbing system, which recycles the water with every flush of the toilet. Low-flow showerheads and low-flush toilets can also increase water efficiency during the life cycle of a building.

Energy Efficiency:

There are a lot of ways to use energy efficiently. Few simple methods are to use light paint colors on the exterior and interior of the building. The exterior light colors will reflect sunrays and as a result the interior of the building will remain cool reducing the need of air conditioners and such. Interior light colors will also help reflect the natural light, which will reduce the cost and need of electric lighting. Modern insulation systems can also be installed in walls and floors to use the energy efficiently. Building can be designed with passive solar building ways that uses windows and walls to help shade the property in summers and provide natural light in the winters. Other ways to use energy efficiently are solar power, hydropower and wind power etc.

Material Efficiency:

Using material that are recyclable and re-usable is an important part of sustainable building. It involves using natural materials such as straw bale, clay and bamboo for the construction or renovation of the building.

Waste Reduction:

Compost bins are a great way to reduce waste emission by the occupants or work force in a building. Waste reduction can also be achieved by recycling the waste into fertilizers. Use of water instead of paper towels can also reduce waste going in the landfills. Some highly sophisticated waste reduction techniques can also be applied, but they may be a little costly.

We only have planet Earth to live on. We don't have any other place to go. We need to keep earth and our environment safe and healthy, and Earth's natural resources sufficient for our generations to come. We've already harmed the Earth enough. Now is the time to go green.

Ali Bhutta of AB Contractors NY, a leading General Contractors firm in New York City, New York is an expert on all related market trends and can help you with every step of your construction project.

Professions In Construction - Engineering

There three main branches of engineering common in construction. These are:

· Structural Engineering: this is concerned with the design of the structure of the building, its resolution, provision of working drawings and site follow-up up until the whole structural frame is completed. The structure of the building is largely informed by the loads envisaged for the construction product at hand. These loads are either:

· Dead loads: Stationary weights like those of the building itself, furniture, services, loft water tanks, et cetera.

· Live loads: motion weights like those of persons, wind, snow et cetera.

It is common to allow an extra carrying capacity for unseen weights and movement as may be experienced. This is especially so in earthquake prone areas.

Structural drawings act as a guide on the shapes, sizes and compositions of the various structural members like beams and columns.

Site follow-up includes inspection of materials and procedures. It also involves tests on various samples taken during the actual construction, thereby representing the capability and compliance of the works themselves. A good example here is the structural concrete test known as cube crushing test.

At the end of the project, the structural engineer submits structural records for the building including as-built drawings, test carried out and their results and the building's capability.

· Mechanical Engineering: this involves mechanical services for the building. These include;

· Plumbing and Drainage: This is concerned with the provision of water into the building as well as removal of used water from the building and its safe disposal. The engineer is concerned with establishing;

· How much water is required for the activities of the building and in what condition (wholesome, sterile etcetera).

· Where and how the water will be sourced.

· How the water will be distributed around the building, industry et cetera.

· How the water will be stored for use.

· How used water will be collected for disposal or reuse.

· How water for disposal will be safely done away with.

· Air conditioning: This is concerned with the modification or alteration of the conditions of air, mainly heat, humidity and movement.

· Ventilation: It is concerned with the exchange of used air with fresh air. It is usually done by forcing used air out, either by supplying new air, by drawing out the used air or both.

· Lifts and Elevators: These are machines provided for vertical motion.

· Fire fighting solutions: Depending on the fire risks envisaged, mainly owing to the usage of the space.

· Electrical Engineering: This is principally concerned with electrical installations, although others like structural cabling for data, voice and security are usually put on board, possibly because of the convenience of using the same facilities like cable trays and trucking.

For all these specialties, the following will be done:

· Proposal including implications, especially financial

· Design of the most appropriate systems

· Follow-up during construction

· Reporting on completion

· Running, maintenance and repairs

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For New Home Construction, Practicality Is Key

The hottest trends in new home construction are not things like glass sinks and marble floors. Ostentatious architectural behemoths are no longer being seen in newly created neighborhood. New homebuilders are listening to buying trends, watching their pennies and making wise eco-friendly choices in materials. Practicality is the new key word in the home building industry.

Perhaps, the biggest change in new home construction is the size of the home itself. According to the National Association of Home Builders, the average size of new US homes dropped between 2007 and 2009. The overall size of a new home shrunk from 10% to 15%, which in turn brings down the price of the property. Buyers no longer see the need or have the funds to care for the spacious way of living anymore. Amenities are still present, quality finishings are still used, granite countertops are still popular but the kitchens and bathrooms are smaller.

Energy efficiency is the next biggest trend in new home construction, which is not surprising. Builders are using better methods of construction, choosing to spend money in areas that will not only make the home more green but will also appeal to the buyer's wallet. Choosing better windows that help maintain a higher R-value in the home is one way to increase energy efficiency. Properly sealing duct work so the homeowner gets the maximum possible benefit of air flow, is now a regular part of home construction. Using closed cell spray foam insulation in walls, cavities and attics, instead of pink batted insulation, increases the home's R-value tremendously. Perhaps, builders are choosing to construct energy efficient homes for the good of the environment. Or perhaps, it is an attempt to stay competitive in a market where foreclosure real estate is cheap and plentiful. Either way, the buyer benefits.

Anyone who has been in the real estate market for a few years knows that the best way to increase the value of your home is updating the kitchen and/or bathrooms. The reverse is also true if your intention is to decrease building costs. New home-builders have begun to scale back the size of kitchens. Bathrooms are losing square footage as well, but they are also decreasing in numbers. Homes, previously having two or three bathrooms, will now have one or two depending on the number of bedrooms. The kids' exclusive bathroom or a downstairs' powder room is no longer the trend. Most often there is the main bathroom for guests and an ensuite half bathroom for those who occupy the master bedroom. Resort style door-less showers are now a rarity in new homes. Instead, there is the built in linen closet. The kitchen is smaller but as the most used room in the home, it is constructed with practicality in mind. Traditionally, this is a multi-use space so new home-builders are adding features for those uses. Perhaps, there will be a charging station for cell phones and laptops. Or the ability to sit in multiples ways; at a breakfast bar, at a kitchen table or at a built in desk area.

In Europe, laundry facilities in the home are traditionally located in the kitchen. In North America, we do not see that too often. However, the practicality of the arrangement is pleasing and perhaps new home builders will catch on at some point. For now there does seem to be a trend towards building a dedicated and organised laundry room on the main level of the house. Instead of sticking the washer and dryer in the basement or a closet, home-builders are creating a dedicated space. Now the never-ending mundane task of laundry can be completed without bumping elbows with the furnace or closet doors. Plus if space allows, the laundry room can double as a mud-room.

As the US continues to struggle with recovery from the infamous economic downturn of 2007, home-owners will continue to seek ways to lower the cost of living. Foreclosure sales are great if you have the cash in hand but those homes do not necessarily come with the components to make the cost of living less. Rooms will usually be larger and more expensive to heat. More bathrooms means a higher water bill. Most homes are not properly insulated, which is a huge factor in energy consumption. Windows today are far more energy efficient than even five years ago. If you are looking to get into the real estate market, take a good hard look at new home construction. After all, practicality is key.

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Post Frame Construction - What Is It?

Post-frame construction is an engineered building system using wood frame methods. Post frame is not new and and has been used for decades to build Commercial and Agriculture buildings. Post Structure design incorporates vertical wood posts, spaced at a specific distance, to form the structure. Posts are usually solid wood or laminated wood and are embedded into the ground with concrete or sits on a foundation. Depending on the spacing, the height of the posts can increase your building ceiling up to 3 stories! These posts are then braced with horizontal strapping for lateral strength and the strapping is also used for applying the numerous options for exterior finishing of the building.

Common exterior finishes include metal siding, cement board siding, wood plank siding, vinyl siding and even stucco. Post construction is also very versatile and can be customized to have any exterior look.

With the advancement of technology, engineering, and wood laminate products, post frame building is now being used in residential homes and garages. Imagine not being limited to height and width of your new building like conventional wood stud framing. This is just one of the advantages of post frame construction. Other advantages include:

• Faster erection times as the wood posts are larger, spaced wider than conventional studs, and combine that with the lateral strength, can withstand larger loads. Therefore, less material is required and less labour is needed.


• Better insulation value is achieved as the space between posts is larger than regular studs, giving less interruptions for a more even thermal value. Also, the thickness of the posts also allows for more insulation for lowered costs in heating and cooling.


• Advanced engineering and the use of laminated beams and structural trusses, allows for 'clear span' of usable space that is no encumbered with posts or other support systems that are common with traditional framing. The flexibility of spacing the posts allows for a stronger structure as well as a higher ceiling in most cases.


• The look and feel of a post frame building is not restricted and can be made to look like any other conventional built building.

Post construction is the perfect solution for any low rise building project. In Canada, a majority of Municipalities and Building Departments have now accepted post frame construction into their approved building methods.

This is the new choice in durable building of retail, commercial, industrial, agriculture, residential and garage projects.

Certified Post Frame Construction expert, Schandelmeyer Construction Ltd. has been designing and building post frame projects for over 10 years in Canada. Their experience includes agriculture, commercial, industrial, garages and residential projects. We can be contacted at postframebuilder@gmail.com

Professions In Construction - Architecture

This is among the main professions identifiable with the construction industry. The professional involved here is the architect. Most architects are trained at degree or post graduate level, although there are also diploma holders in the same field. Right under the architect is the draughtsman, who works as an assistant in the architectural office. Architecture is concerned with the design of buildings. They are the professionals that give a building its form, shape and all the facilities necessary for the building to fulfill its intended purpose.

For this reason, the architect is usually the first person that the prospective builder contacts for professional advice and service. Depending on the brief presented by the prospective builder, the architect develops the most probable design for the purpose. This is done in consideration with things like the environment, occupancy, statutory regulations et cetera. This design is usually a gradual process, starting with the broad outlook and zooming in until the most acceptable product is achieved. The architect is usually regulated by statutory bodies that ensure the design is in accordance to requirements, upon which it is approved.

After approval, the architect will either superintend upon the construction process or give the responsibility to a construction project manager. Where the architect leads the process, he will be in charge of hiring the construction team, including the quantity surveyor, contractor, engineer and others. He will be charged with the responsibility of heading the construction team throughout the construction period. The most notable task is leading site meetings. He acts as a link between the client and the contractor.a

The architect is usually paid a fee as a percentage of the total cost of the building and so the other professionals. They run architectural offices and are involved in a lot of paperwork. Drawing was previously by hand but with the introduction of Computer Aided Design (CAD) this is quickly shifting to the electronic side. The most common of these softwares are;

· Archicad

· Autocad

Both are usually on a commercial license although student versions are available. The use of CAD has reduced considerably the space needed for setting up an architectural office. The same can be said of the use of projectors for presentations in the place of pin ups. This has also reduced the need for paper, not mentioning saving on time! Architecture can be said as the profession that has really modeled the face of construction, both in the ancient days of the Roman entire to these days of Barge Dubai.

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Mezzanine Construction - 9 Things You Should Know

A mezzanine is a good investment. A mezzanine floor is a very easy way to create extra, very low cost productive space. Constructing your mezzanine should be very straight forward in engineering terms, however there are varying opinions on design. People with vested interests in wanting to deal with your project, often as part of other works that they may be doing at the time, can easily persuade you to embark on a course which falls well short of your expectations. You should not be derailed by this, there are certain fundamentals that if deployed will ensure you don't fall into the trap of going with popular opinion which is not the same as expert advice.

There are over 40 combinations and facilitations a mezzanine can bring to your business and they can be expensive in the wrong hands causing delays and unnecessary frustrations. A mezzanine floor should provide flexible, low cost productive business space and armed with these eight fundamentals your mezzanine construction is much more likely to maximise its contribution. My fastest payback time for a mezzanine floor construction project was under 3 months. These are the eight useful things to know to achieve rapid pay back results.

First Thing to know: Why would I want a Mezzanine? A mezzanine makes great people space so, showrooms, retail, restaurant, office, storage, production, workshop, exhibitions, museums, schools, libraries, gymnasiums and leisure are all good working examples. They are an easy retro fit and can be taken down again with relative ease making them good for landlord, tenant and private ownership as an obvious choice for developing temporary or permanent space provision. Landlords frequently will provide these facilities incentivising the cost into the lease.

Second thing to know: Is there potential and what will a Mezzanine cost? Once you are in your building, warehouse or factory unit or even shopping mall or out of town location, if nobody has occupied it before you, then you will have perhaps some basic hospitality plumbed in and some services and a lot of floor space. Here in the UK it is common place for architects and property developers to use steel frameworks because they can go higher more economically. In warehouses the construction is often a series of frames called portal frames onto which cladding rails and the building skin is fixed. If your property is not already divided up for you then you will be staring up at rafters and in a portal frame building you should have up to 6m at the eave and a meter or more additional height at the apex in the middle. If you look up at the eave rafter at the side of the building inside you will see a funny little triangular bracket between the rafter and the column - we call this the haunch and it is generally about 5m plus to the underside.

Anything over 5m is good, under 5m you will need professional help. If you are building this structure make sure you have at least 6m to this point and then you can install a mezzanine floor if you ever want one completely unrestricted by the haunch. There are many reasons for not building to this height, but low level production units won't work as warehouses later so unless you really can't afford it go higher, use the height, because you will add value through broader appeal than if you stay low. Anyway all that said, why it is free space is because you have bought or rented the floor space so the headroom is technically free in property terms. Mezzanine floors have a price spread of £90 to £250 per square meter, less than half of the new build price so it is relatively cheap to develop. Not only that unless it is more than about half to two thirds of the total floor area it may be exempt from council tax, particularly if it is a removable structure as it is regarded as an item of plant. So read on...

Third thing to know: Do I need planing permission for a Mezzanine? No, you do not need planning consent, unless you are altering the outside appearance of your building with windows for example, but you do need building regulations in England and Wales and a warrant in Scotland and this is what you need to know about them:

1. You need proof that the supporting concrete floor is structurally up to the imposed loadings.
2. You need to have a designated approved route off the floor and out of the building to satisfy fire regulations.
3. You need to ensure the floor can withstand fire for up to an hour if people are working on it.
4. You need drawings of the proposed works.
5. You need a block plan and a site plan.
6. You must provide structural calculations demonstrating the steel work and decking will take the design loads.

There are a few other items which arise out of this, but these are the main ones. In England and Wales you can proceed ahead of the building regulations, but be warned that if during this statutory process changes are ordered it may result in expensive re-work for which you will be charged. In Scotland you need the warrant first and any qualified structural engineer can sign off the warrant. If you are at the design phase you will need to ensure that foundations are provided for any floor supporting columns, these go down before the floor is poured. If you don't have this facility you will need to check the ground can take the weight without your floor cracking up.

The fourth thing to know: How long will it all take to construct a Mezzanine? Well, if there are no hiccups from receipt of approvals 2 to 4 weeks for little floors 8 to 12 weeks for floors up to football pitch size and somewhere in between for the rest. Planning will take 6 weeks if you know what you are doing, longer if you don't and building regulations 2 to 3 weeks if you use an agent, 6 weeks if you don't. Add design and planning time in for yourself and getting in prices etc. If you have weak ground you may have to add 6 weeks for design and 6 weeks for ground works, so don't start winding up your supporting teams about deadlines. It takes 28 days for concrete to reach specific hardness no matter how much pressure you are under, unless you add expensive resins and this is not always advisable. Additionally, there will be sampling and design work to do so allow plenty of time for orderly progress and a job well done. Even with all this it will still be an economical solution for you.

The fifth thing to know: Who should I buy it from? There are specialists. You can have a concrete mezzanine put in at the design phase, they can be quieter, better for wet processes or plant rooms and span larger spaces but they usually cost a lot more. For the heavy stuff or special design spans the contractor may have a good solution. I would avoid contractors for all retro-fits and go instead to specialists. I would also encourage you to thoroughly investigate the benefits of having the mezzanine separate from the main shell, 9 times out of 10 it will serve you better. Buy them from storage specialists or better still materials handling engineers then you will get help with all the other aspects too.

The sixth thing to know: Should I buy second hand? The chipboard decking rarely comes up well when dismantling the floor. There are minimally three construction methods and several material specifications, all doing different jobs. Once materials are oprhaned from the main build even the experts have trouble with them. Hot rolled sections are designed to a span to take specific loadings with specific properties. I have yet to meet anyone who bought a second hand floor able to account for this information or who knows whether or not their construction is a 360, 250, or centre build design, what the service or dead load is, or provide any structural calculations for the floor other than very rarely the original calculations which were provided case specific for that application and not the current application all after it had obviously stood in someone's yard for six months.

If you move a floor you need the manufacturer to re-approve the calculations and issue a certificate of verification. You are highly unlikely to find a second hand floor in the possession of someone qualified to provide this support. I have found people actually pay more for used floors than new ones. It costs about 25% of the cost of a new floor to take it down and pack it correctly for dry storage, properly inspected and labeled up. It costs the same to re-install it. You will spend a further 30% to 40% with a reputable salvage company re-assembling the specification for your application including correct structural information. Unless you are prepared to do the work yourself and know the location and history of the floor and put it back up identically to the way it came down, avoid it. The only real value is scrap or architectural salvage for re-use by experts.

The seventh thing to know: How can I tell I am being sold a new mezzanine and not a used one? Yes, I am afraid this does happen. All you can do is take up references, ask about the issues raised above and always obtain 3 quotes, remembering if something is too good to be true it probably is just that. If you are in doubt, you can't hide marks and damaged materials and don't part with any money until you have all the correct technical information for the authorities.

The eighth thing you need to know: How do I know if my mezzanine design is right? Often the floor will be made to suit an application, this can range from packing materials through to a night club. Whatever it is, if you are assisted by a materials handling engineer then plans will have been drawn up illustrating the activities with specific loading information detailed to be accommodated at the production phase of the project. Specifically this will include:

• Finishing details of the decking to adjoining structures with no gaps
• Floor supports and hot rolled sections sympathetically and regularly spaced
• Deflection ratings assessed for you for the application (you don't want it to feel like a trampoline)
• Methods of feeding goods, services and facilities required on or off or to and from the floor
• A full access statement and provision for personal welfare on the floor
• The finished floor height and any structural technicalities taken care of for you
• Finishing details for doors, carpets or special surfaces aligned to existing structures

There are many other things as well, it all comes under the heading of attention to detail.

The ninth thing to know: What sort of equipment should I consider to go with a mezzanine? The easiest answer is a list of equipment commonly supplied with mezzanine applications:

• Steel, stainless steel and timber and steel staircases
• Steel fire escapes
• Cat ladders
• Lifts
• Goods lifts
• Wheelchair lifts
• Lifting tables
• Storage systems including racking
• Pallet loading gates
• Conveyors
• Chutes
• Hoists
• Mobile pallet stackers with electric lifts (cheaper than lifts)
• Handrails
• Partitions
• Doors
• Ceilings
• Fire retardant materials

Some more storage ideas These 9 guides will help you decide how you want to proceed with your new mezzanine floor project, but there are alternative ways to use headroom, for example raised storage platforms for bulkier items which can't be conveniently stored in shelving or pallet racking. Two tier systems are alternatives too, you can use pallet racking or shelving sections to construct storage space and flooring into the headroom of your building.

If you decide to embark on a mezzanine floor project and you contact prospective suppliers they should be prepared to come and see you to take information on the application, take an interest in any additional equipment you may need to complete the application and offer to help with regulations and technical issues.
Many may be reluctant to assist with the civil engineering aspects preferring that you make your own arrangements. You should be wary of anyone unable to help with structural calculations. This is essential and may indicate that your supplier is not qualified in the technical competencies required to complete the work.
In cases where such doubt arises you might wish to involve a structural engineer to oversee the work or obtain further quotations.
You can find more information from http://www.engineeredsolutions.info under the mezzanine floors tab, there are buttons at the base of the home page where you can find more engineering project and design support if you need it.

Important Tips in Creating Construction Logos

The field of construction involves building of construction sites or assembly plants for industries. Recently, we have seen a boom in this sector of business as companies are progressively rising in this industry. The main reason for such growth is the high profit gains in the construction business. But like all businesses, construction companies also need an identity to display themselves in the marketplace. For that purpose they need a logo design that will accurately represent their company mission and values. Construction logos are used for businesses that build houses, plots and other industrial units. Since there are so many businesses of the same genre out there, one must possess an identity that will make you stand out from the rest of the pack. One must create a valuable impression on the clientele by signifying that your company is the best in the construction business. Some of the major qualities of a construction logo is honesty, steadiness, firmness and integrity.

• Colors of Construction Logos:

Since construction logos must exhibit a feeling of security and safety, they should not incorporate too many colors. One must remember to use those colors that signify a soothing and stable effect. Formal colors like brown, magenta, red and white are some colors that are employed in the making of identities for construction companies. Moreover, your colors selection must be captivating and inspiring for clients.

• Fonts of Construction Logos:

While making construction type logos for companies, make sure that the font you use are appropriate and suitable. Since the logo depicts the company's name and its mission to the people, it must exhibit sobriety and graveness. Also make certain that the typefaces you employ are formal, simple and straightforward. Moreover, make the fonts bold, highlighted so that it is more prominent. Some of the commonly used are the Serif and Helvetica fonts in these types of identities.

• Style of Construction Logos:

There are two basic styles of creating logos for construction businesses. Firstly, you can create a design with a literal symbol in it. Using literal symbol means that you employ signs that are related to landscaping and construction. The symbol must be synonymous with the company. On the other hand, another style of making construction logos is to employ abstract symbols. In this method, you don't necessarily have to exhibit building signs, but you can use conceptual signs that denote a message about the business.

Always get a logo design for your company from a professional logo designer.