Aquarium 'Sheds' Water Usage

With nearly two million guests each year, the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago needed a commercial restroom upgrade to match its water efficiency objectives. challenge: Welcoming nearly two million guests each year, Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium is not only home to 32,000 animals, but also a popular location for local business meetings and events. So when the Chicago institution required an upgrade to its commercial restrooms, its goal of water efficiency and saving were top of mind. Devoted to its vision of a world thriving with aquatic life, sustained by people who love, understand and protect it, Shedd is a leader in the rescue and rehabilitation of aquatic wildlife across the world. Not o

Advances

Doors/Entry Systems

Great Wide Open

Vertical weather seals between the panels of ClimaCLEAR sliding-panel system prevent wind-driven rain intrusion and reduce air infiltration. The system is designed for indoor/outdoor designs in temperate climates and for use in outdoor porches and three-season rooms in cooler climates. The seals virtually disappear when panels are closed, for wide-open views.

Case Study

Windows/Skylights

Horse Farm Utilizes Ventilated Skylight System

A private horse farm located in Utah, Winter Farms’ barn and arena were designed to create healthy environments for both horses and their handlers by providing ample natural light and ventilation from VELUX Modular Skylights (VMS) systems.Ventilation is important in horse barns and arenas to protect the health of horses and handlers working with them. The owners were in need of a proper ventilating skylight system that was both cost-effective and could be installed quickly and easily.The 21,000-sq.-ft. arena includes 130 standard size vms units in the Longlight configuration, and the 7,500-sq.-ft. barn has 70 standard and custom vms units in the Ridgelight configuration.The arena is lo

Advances

Flooring

Core Values

The Engineered Hardwood collection offers a durable and easy maintenance option for high-traffic areas in the office or educational sector. It is available in three constructions featuring a blend of two cores and two finishes. Engineered High-Density Core and Engineered Ply-Core both have the look of solid hardwood with the added durability and dimensional stability of engineered cores making them both an excellent option for a variety of commercial spaces.

Case Study

Exterior Panels/Cladding

Time and Money Saved Restoring Atlanta-Area Landmark

Built in 1963, 309 East Paces is located in the trendy Buckhead area of Atlanta and was once the headquarters of the nationwide rental company Aaron’s. Knox/Redan, owners of the 12-story building, wanted to preserve the building’s aesthetics, selecting a brick design with large industrial-style windows.The general contractor, Balfour Beatty Construction, proposed the use of StoPanel Technology to meet the developer’s limited time and budget. The team selected StoPanel Classic NExT ci as the cladding, with StoCreativ Brick and StoCreativ Granite to achieve the look of natural substances without the cost, weight and labor. The panels were produced at the Atlanta manufacturing

Advances

Restrooms

Next Generation Washbar Advances Touch-free Hand Washing

Bradley introduces the next generation of its WashBar series. The new extension delivers exclusive clean+rinse+dry functionality along with an ultra-modern, edgier profile designed to make a statement in upscale commercial washrooms.The next generation WashBar features a thin, L-shaped design that gives the feel the all-in-one fixture is floating above the sink for a sleek aesthetic. With only one connection point to the sink, the unique design provides more open space for easier cleaning while providing a striking design element.Its angular shape—complemented by its flat top surface—reflects modern architecture and interior design, making it perfect for refined applications that

AP ProductWire

November 12, 2020 by Jim Crockett

The Great Outdoors Challenge

The heart of Fall is upon us—literally. After a surprisingly fair Halloween, the next day in the Chicago area was brutal, as temps plummeted under a vicious November wind. The following day the branchy leaves of a “Tree of Heaven” over my deck dropped in its best imitation of a Ginkgo. Then, bizarrely, it was really nice again… This totally unexpected bit of Indian Summer reminded me just how much I love my deck space and will miss it this winter. That said, as we continue our exile in COVID—for our national sanity—I believe creating outdoor spaces where social activities can continue to occur—such as dining—is a critical. I ask the community to really think about how we can do so. In the meantime, following are some outstanding tools for creating great transitions between the inside and out.

Advances

Lighting & Controls

Color Tuning Made Easy

A simple, flexible, all-in-one color-tuning solution, Athena, from Lutron, maximizes the company’s acquisition of Ketra, to elevates everyday experiences with light. The system marries best-in-class control with simple app-based setup, in a solution that works equally for new construction or retrofits. Key features include native Ketra integration; a right-sized processor for architectural spaces small and large, like intimate restaurants, art galleries & museums, and hotel public areas; Integrated shades; and a simple-to-use iOS app for real time programming and personalization.

Case Study

Thermal & Moisture Control

Revitalizing a Mixed-Use Community

A forgotten and dilapidated shopping center is now well on its way to revitalization thanks to new developers with a vision. Built in 1955, Laurel Plaza in North Hollywood, Calif., is now entering the next phase of its story. The building transitioned from its original May Co. store to a bustling shopping center with Macy’s as its anchor before suffering significant earthquake damage.The former Laurel Plaza will soon become NoHo West, a mixed-use community complete with office space, apartments and retail, which will include a variety of environmentally friendly features. Due to the progressive nature of this project, it was decided to design and build the new development to compl

Advances

Landscape Products

Creativity Meets Function

A retaining wall system that allows for patterning, inlays, texture changes and more was unheard of until Unilock introduced U-Cara Multi-Face Wall System. This two-component system gives designers the ability to flex their creativity and extend patterning and finishes from groundwork to vertical. U-Cara features two backer block sizes and interchangeable fascia panels, available in a variety of sizes, colors and surface textures. The backer blocks allow for structural and non-structural walls, single or double sided. It is also available as a wall mount system for cladding and in a modular system for grill islands and pillars. U-Cara has the ability to create striking architectura

Architectural Products

Aquarium 'Sheds' Water Usage

Read the Digital Edition

Sep/Oct ’20

Great Wide Open

Horse Farm Utilizes Ventilated Skylight System

Core Values

Time and Money Saved Restoring Atlanta-Area Landmark

Next Generation Washbar Advances Touch-free Hand Washing

AP ProductWire

The Great Outdoors Challenge

Color Tuning Made Easy

Revitalizing a Mixed-Use Community

Creativity Meets Function