Protecting a parking deck from water leakage

Parking decks are costly to build, repair, and replace. Water is the major cause of concrete deterioration and steel corrosion; therefore its management is vital to ensure proper durability. Designing, installing, and testing specialized systems are key steps to ensure water is diverted away from the structural elements of the deck.

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Failures in plumbing pipe due to construction methods

When properly designed and installed, plumbing systems will provide many decades of problem-free service. Careful corrosion engineering management, including attention to details such as materials selection, fluid mechanics, water-chemistry control, protective coatings, cathodic protection, and suitable material corrosion allowance, should ensure these materials comfortably survive their design life. However, actions during the construction or renovation of a building can have unintended consequences that can dramatically reduce the service life of plumbing systems.

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Achieving beauty and durability with continuous insulation

Combining multiple esthetics is the standard rather than the exception in building exteriors. And since the days of monolithic design are long gone, architects are pushing the limits by integrating materials to create a modern, sophisticated look. At the same time, no designer can afford to sacrifice performance for an eye-catching look. Ever-evolving, stricter building codes, and heightened expectations from building owners now demand the right balance between beauty and durability.

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Bird-safe glass: codes and standards to know

Thanks to the pioneering work of dedicated scientists, ornithologists, wildlife associations, and the glass industry, the future is looking brighter for the billions of birds which end up colliding with windows each year. While still in its infancy, the science of bird-safe glazing is emerging with creative new ideas and changing the way birds see and react to building glass.

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Integrating Lighting into Specialty Ceilings

When integrating lighting into standard ceiling solutions, such as grid, drywall, and open-to-structure ceilings, traditional luminaire form factors, including troffers, downlights, recessed linear, and suspended products, are common and relatively straightforward to integrate. However, as specialty ceiling products have emerged, with often complex, three-dimensional, and organic form factors, so have the challenges associated with the design and installation of integrated, functional luminaire solutions.

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Fixing thermal bridging in masonry foundation walls

Thermal bridges occur all over a building in transitions, terminations, and penetrations. Foundation to wall transitions, balcony projections, window and door openings, and roof parapets can all serve as thermal bridges. However, while identifying areas where thermal bridging can occur is a relatively straightforward process; some areas were harder to solve until recently, as they involved junctions where masonry loads are applied to the foundation below.

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