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Cold Formed Steel

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Cold-Formed Steel (CFS) is the common term for products made by rolling or pressing thin gauges of sheet steel into goods. Cold-formed steel goods are created by the working of sheet steel using stamping, rolling, or presses to deform the sheet into a usable product. Cold worked steel products are commonly used in all areas of manufacturing of durable goods like appliances or automobiles but the phrase cold form steel is most prevalently used to described construction materials. The use of cold-formed steel construction materials has become more and more popular since its initial introduction of codified standards in 1946. In the construction industry both structural and non-structural elements are created from thin gauges of sheet steel. These building materials encompass columns, beams, joists, studs, floor decking, built-up sections and other components. Cold-formed steel construction materials differ from other steel construction materials known as hot-rolled steel. The manufacturing of cold-formed steel products occurs at room temperature using rolling or pressing. The strength of elements used for design is usually governed by buckling. The construction practices are more similar to timber framing using screws to assemble stud frames.  

 

Cold-Formed Steel Framing

Cold-formed steel framing (CFSF) refers specifically to members in light-frame building construction that are made entirely of sheet steel, formed to various shapes at ambient temperatures. The most common shape for CFSF members is a lipped channel, although “Z”, “C”, tubular, “hat” and other shapes and variations have been used. The building elements that are most often framed with cold-formed steel are floors, roofs, and walls, although other building elements and both structural and decorative assemblies may be steel framed.

Although cold-formed steel is used for several products in building construction, framing products are different in that they are typically used for wall studs, floor joists, rafters, and truss members. Examples of Cold-Formed Steel that would not be considered framing includes metal roofing, roof and floor deck, composite deck, metal siding, and purlins and girts on metal buildings.

Framing members are typically spaced at 16 or 24 inches on center, with spacing variations lower and higher depending upon the loads and coverings. Wall members are typically vertical lipped channel “stud” members, which fit into unlipped channel “track” sections at the top and bottom. Similar configurations are used for both floor joist and rafter assemblies, but in a horizontal application for floors, and a horizontal or sloped application for roof framing. Additional elements of the framing system include fasteners and connectors, braces and bracing, clips and connectors.

In North America, member types have been divided into five major categories, and product nomenclature is based on those categories.

  • S members are lipped channels, most often used for wall studs, floor joists, and ceiling or roof rafters.
  • T members are unlipped channels, which are used for top and bottom plates (tracks) in walls, and rim joists in floor systems. Tracks also form the heads and sills of windows, and typically cap the top and bottom of boxed- or back-to-back headers.
  • U members are unlipped channels that have a smaller depth than tracks, but are used to brace members, as well as for ceiling support systems.
  • F members are “furring” or “hat” channels, typically used horizontally on walls or ceilings.
  • L members are angles, which in some cases can be used for headers across openings, to distribute loads to the adjacent jamb studs.

In high-rise commercial and multi-family residential construction, CFSF is typically used for interior partitions and support of exterior walls and cladding. In many mid-rise and low-rise applications, the entire structural system can be framed with CFSF.

CFS/Green Buildings

Steel is one of the most sustainable building  materials in the world.  The industry has  embraced the common sense approach that reducing its impact on the environment  is not only the right thing to do, but it makes economic sense.

  • Since  the early 1990s, the steel industry has reduced its energy use to produce a ton of steel by approximately 1/3.
  • More than 95% of the water used in the steel making process is recycled and returned – often cleaner than when it was taken from the source.
  • Every piece of steel used in construction contains recycled content.  Further, all steel can be recovered and recycled again and again into new high quality products.
  • Steel is durable,  safe, and strong.  It is not susceptible  to rot, termites, or mold.  Steel used  for framing will last from hundreds to over a thousand years due to its zinc  coating, a natural element.  Steel  structures require less material (both reduced weight and reduced volume) to  carry the same loads as concrete or masonry or wood structures.
  • Steel is dimensionally  stable: it will not warp, split, or creep – making it durable and built to  last. Don’t waste time and dollars on  costly call backs. Minimize cracking and pops in drywall and other finishes  with CFS framing.

Steel and Green  Building Codes and Standards

As more and more green  codes and standards begin to make their way into adoption, cold-formed steel  (CFS) is well positioned to help your project meet the highest sustainability  standards.  Steel is recognized in all  major green building standards and rating programs, including the National  Green Building Standard (ICC-700) for residential buildings, ASHRAE Standard 189.1  for commercial construction, and the US Green Building Council’s LEED program  that covers all types of buildings.  How  is this possible? More than 82 million tons of steel were recycled in the US in  2008 – more than aluminum, glass and paper combined.  That steel goes back into new studs, joists,  and other members used in buildings.  In  fact, steel is the only material with an automatic minimum default value for  recycled content in the LEED program.   Further, most green codes and standards recognize the excellent  potential of CFS at reducing the amount of construction waste generated at a  site.  Most of this is due to the almost  universal use of pre-engineered and assembled panels to build steel assemblies  using modern, efficient technology.  For  example, of all the waste from a 2000 sq. ft. residence framed with steel, less  than 2 % of steel is left over and can be recycled compared to that same house  built of wood generating 20% of waste that will be sent to landfill.

Introduction to CFS pdf:

 

Additional Information & Original Link:

http://engineer-cec.com/index.php?sn=327

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_formed_steel

http://www.steelframing.org/sustainability.html

http://www.steelframing.org/aboutsteelframing.html

 

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

 

Posted by on August 18, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Green Construction & Building a Brighter Future

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Before I share a special guest article.I would like to invite everyone to join me this Friday at Firehouse Expo  @Baltimore Convention Center Baltimore, MD

I am very excited and honored to be teaching this year.

Green Building Construction For The Fire Service

7/20/2012 12:00:00 PM  Room 343

Description:

This presentation will examine various green buildings and methods and exotic materials that are used to achieve green standards and the potential hazards that they present to fire service personnel. Many of these materials are not common knowledge to most fire service personnel due to past and current teaching practices that only address traditional building construction for the fire service. This ground-breaking and informative program will utilize extensive multimedia materials to reinforce course content and subject areas.

Here a slide from the program that we will discuss and also use it to think about as you read the wonderful article below.

I would like to thank Noelle Hirsch for contacting me and asking me if I would share this wonderful article. Please enjoy and all credit is due to Noelle on this one.

LEED Construction: Building a Brighter Future

Introduction

When many people think about carbon emissions, they assume that cars and other motorized vehicles are the main culprits. However, building construction uses 30 percent of all raw materials consumed in this country and 12 percent of all available potable water – 15 trillion gallons each year.  This level of water consumption is ultimately unsustainable, given that the United Nations World Water Development Report 3, issued in 2009, states that one-third of the world’s population already lacks access to clean water. The report projects that at the present rate of consumption, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in water-stressed conditions by 2025.

Buildings continue to be environmentally demanding after construction has been completed. Buildings and the built environment account for 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and 30  percent of all waste products – some 136 million tons annually. As a major contributing factor to climate change, greenhouse gases have had a detrimental effect on the health of the planet, including rapid and perhaps irreversible melting of Arctic polar sea ice.

 

Green Building Benefits

Green construction can reverse much of the detrimental environmental impact of conventional construction methods. Along with environmental gains, eco-conscious construction can enhance the bottom line of individual companies and of the overall American and world economies. The USGBC reports that increased efficiency in construction and building maintenance  would eliminate 1.1 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions each year – while saving the U.S. economy $130 billion.

Providing aesthetic benefit for observers of nearby taller buildings as well as natural habitat enclaves, green roofs and rooftop gardens can mitigate air temperature inside the building, reducing the need for artificial heating and cooling. Their presence also helps to reverse the heat island effect caused by massive amounts of concrete present in a typical urban area. The soil in a rooftop garden also absorbs a significant portion of rainfall, thereby diverting rainwater from storm sewers.  At the same time, a dry green roof adds only 17 pounds per square foot to a roof’s load; a wet green roof adds 30 pounds per square foot.  Rooftop gardens are more demanding, adding up to 100 pounds per square foot to a roof’s load.

Green construction also improves the health of individuals who live and work inside buildings.  LEED standards for green construction call for the elimination of formaldehyde and other building materials that emit volatile organic compounds, also called VOCs, which contribute to “sick building syndrome.”  Employing green building construction and maintenance standards for natural light and temperature control also improve worker efficiency and reaction times.

Many municipalities and states, as well as the United States federal government have provided financial incentives to encourage green construction and retrofits, including expedited permit approvals, tax abatements and technical assistance.  These financial incentives apply to new construction and to retrofits, and not only reduce upfront construction costs, but present a selling point for would-be developers, buyers and tenants.

 

LEED and Green Construction

In the United States, the dominant standard for measuring environmental features is LEED, an acronym that stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.  LEED standards, developed by the United States Green Building Council, can be applied to new construction, and to buildings that are already standing. LEED standards are designed to measure and evaluate the environmental consciousness of construction, general maintenance, landscaping and climate control. Different LEED standards apply to commercial buildings, residential buildings, even entire neighborhoods.

Buildings that meet LEED standards for green construction apply sustainability methods to several phases of construction, including the building shell, climate control inside the building, water usage, landscaping, sourcing of building materials and disposal of construction wastes. There are presently five levels of LEED certification for green construction: certified, bronze, silver, gold and platinum.  As of 2012, LEED Platinum structures exist in 25 countries worldwide. The United States has 950 LEED Platinum projects; India is second with 35 LEED Platinum projects.

The worldwide financial crisis has slowed or halted construction to all-time low levels. Nonetheless, green construction of non-residential structures has maintained, or even gained, in market share. In fact, green construction presently accounts for one-third of all non-residential design and construction projects and will account for more than half of all non-residential construction within five years. Green construction is expected to generate 8 million construction-related jobs by 2013.

Growth in green construction is not limited to new projects. In fact, as of December 2011, existing LEED-certified building space exceeded new LEED-certified construction by 15 million square feet.  A significant number of green retrofits are devoted to architectural icons such as the Empire State Building, which recently gained LEED Gold status through its retrofit project. The renovation is projected to cut energy use by nearly 40 percent, which translates to annual savings of $4.4 million per year – and a payback of renovation costs in only three years.

Another green retrofit is in progress for the Sears Tower, recently renamed the Willis Tower. Once the tallest building in the world, this Modernist icon still stands as the tallest building on the North American continent.  Beginning in 2009, the process of “greening” the tower has focused on retrofitting various features of the structure, with impressive results. For example, installing low-flow toilets and faucets conserves more than 10,000,000 gallons of water each year. Shading the building’s windows significantly reduces heating and cooling requirements.

Eventual plans include a complete overhaul of the electrical system to reduce energy consumption by 80 percent. Replacing 16,000 single-paned windows and constructing a thermal bank would save 50 percent on heating energy. A proposed 500-room “green” luxury hotel would be powered entirely by the tower’s energy system and would pursue LEED Gold status. Besides the projected sustainability gains and energy savings, the five-year project would create as many as 3,600 jobs, according to developers.

 

Green Construction Resources:

 

LEED Certification in America and Worldwide

Twenty-one countries participate in the LEED International program: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Finland, South Korea, India, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, France and the United Arab Emirates.  The United Kingdom launched an equivalent to LEED, known as the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEM), in 1990.

An even more stringent standard is the Living Building Challenge, granted by the International Living Future Institute.  As of 2012, four construction projects had earned this certification: the Tyson Living Learning Center in Eureka, Missouri; the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, New York (also LEED Platinum); the      Eco-Sense home in Victoria, British Columbia and is the Hawaii Preparatory Academy Energy Lab in Kamuela, Hawaii (also LEED Platinum).

In March 2012, the International Code Council released the 2012 International Green Construction Code (IgCC), a cooperative effort between the American Institute of Architects and ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials), which cosponsored the project with the support of ASHRAE (the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers), the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Illuminating Engineering Society. The IgCC is the first sustainability measurement that addresses the entire life cycle of a building, from design and construction to occupancy – and beyond. The IgCC is intended to provide a compliment rather than a replacement for LEED as an environmental building certification standard.

 

Hope you have enjoyed this article and it has shed some light on the fact that Green Construction is here to stay and isn’t just a fad so firefighters better learn about it now instead of 2am when you have a JOB in one.

See you all in Baltimore!

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

 

Posted by on July 16, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Greenest College Campuses

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The Greenest College Campuses
Compiled By: Online Colleges Guide

Posted by on June 23, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

First National Green Building Code Approved!

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For the first time, the US has a national green building code.

The International Green Construction Code (IgCC), approved last week after two years of development, applies to all new and renovated commercial buildings and residential buildings over three stories high.

The historic code sets mandatory baseline standards for all aspects of building design and construction, including energy and water efficiency, site impacts, building waste, and materials.

Although the final code won’t be published until March 2012, many local and state governments have begun to officially adopt it.

“It represents a change in the standard of construction,” says Jessyca Henderson Director of Sustainability Advocacy at the American Institute of Architects. “It will effect everyone that touches buildings…it will be a big leap.”

How it Differs From LEED

The new code creates a mandatory “floor” – enforceable minimum standards on every aspect of building design and construction that now must be reached.

LEED certification, on the other hand, is voluntary. Although many buildings now strive for it, there are more that don’t. The new code will thus raise the standards for ALL buildings.

Also to qualify for LEED, designers choose from a menu of options. They may choose to address certain aspects of energy efficiency, such as lighting, for example, while leaving others out.

Setting a “floor” through the code, creates the opportunity for LEED-certifications to push toward higher “ceilings,” where buildings are awarded for truly reaching greater levels of performance, rather than receiving awards for what are increasingly expected standards.

Mandatory Requirements:

Site Development, Land Use: it pretty much eliminates development on greenfields (undeveloped land), although there are exceptions based on existing infrastructure. It includes clear guidelines for site disturbance, irrigation, erosion control, transportation, heat island mitigation, graywater systems, habitat protection, and site restoration.

Materials: A minimum of 50% of construction waste must be diverted from landfills, and at least 55% of building materials must be salvaged, recycled-content, recyclable, biobased, or indigenous. Buildings must be designed for at least 60 years of life, and must have a service plan that justifies that.

Energy Efficiency: total efficiency must be “51% of the energy allowable in the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code” (IECC), and building envelope performance must exceed that by 10%. It sets minimum standards for lighting and mechanical systems, and requires certain levels of submetering and demand-response automation.

Water Efficiency: it establishes maximum consumption of fixtures and appliances and sets standards for rainwater storage and graywater systems.

Indoor Air Quality: It addresses radon, asbestos, VOCs, sound transmission, and daylighting.

Commissioning, Operations: it requires extensive pre- and post-occupancy commissioning and education of building owners and maintenance employees.

Every project is also required to choose an additional “elective,” which pushes the envelope for the developer further. Once they choose it, it’s enforceable. There’s a long menu of elective choices, including whole-building life-cycle assessment to more stringent recycled-content.

Local governments and states have the choice of adopting the code, but once they do, it’s enforceable. They can add their own requirements on top of the code that address local concerns such as stormwater management or lighting pollution control.

To help implement the code, IgCC includes a “cookbook” approach for smaller buildings to follow and a more flexible approach for large buildings.

To develop the code, the International Code Council worked with many stakeholders, with the American Institute of Architects, US Green Building Council, and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), foremost among them.

Original article link:

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/23142

 

Green Buildings are not just a fad. I believe this national code will help make green buildings the norm and not just a option.

Firefighters need to start learning about green buildings and green concepts more than ever before.  Green Maltese hopes that fire service will use this as a place  to learn about how the buildings are changing.

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

 

Posted by on November 27, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Roanoke Green Station 3

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I am very excited to post my 1st firehouse that was submited by using the submit a firehouse link.

My hope is that more fire departments that have green fire stations will submit their green fire station information, so other fire deparments that are considering building green will have a place to gather information.

Roanoke Green Station 3

A special thanks to Lt.  Rhett Fleitz ( Fire Critic) for this submission.

Roanoke Fire Department

Mission/Vision

This Department exists to protect and preserve the lives and property of residents and visitors of the City of Roanoke from damage or loss due to fire, medical emergencies, environmental hazards and traumatic accidents.

Responsibility

Roanoke Fire-EMS is a full-service fire and emergency medical service agency providing basic and advanced pre-hospital life support, fire prevention and education programs, fire suppression services, arson detection, vehicle extrication, and heavy tactical rescue. We also support a regional hazardous materials team. In addition to housing firefighting and EMS personnel and apparatus, fire-EMS stations are neighborhood resources. Fire-EMS personnel at these sites help distribute important city documents, teach children about fire safety, and provide a safe place for lost children and adults. Six of our stations are official polling places for all city elections.

Station Mascot

Station 3 :

Fire-EMS Station #3 is located at 4803 Williamson Rd..

It houses the Engine and Ambulance previously stationed at the Airport Fire Station. This is a great opportunity to bring emergency vehicles into the community.

Roanoke Fire-EMS has another reason to be proud of this building. It is the City’s first “Green” building. No, we’re not
talking about the color – this will be the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building in the City of Roanoke, meaning it will be more environmentally friendly. The LEED process gives the Engineering Department a way to measure payback and real value.

The benefits of constructing a “LEED” building are

    The building will use resources like energy, water, materials and land more efficiently than a building simply built“to code”. An improved living environment will improve the health, comfort and productivity of those that workin the building. The City will save money by reducing operations and maintenance costs, and by lowering utility bills. Energy and water efficient buildings can reduce operating costs to less than half those of a traditional building. Improved indoor environments can increase employee productivity by up to 16%! And most importantly, to set an example for the community.

Setting an example for the community is very important to the City of Roanoke. With concerns over global warming, state and
federal pressure to cut air pollution and the alarming rise of asthma and allergies in children, we have to increase the competitiveness in quality of life indicators.
By being the first LEED Building built by the City of Roanoke, the Fire-EMS Department is “leading” the way in the education process about the benefits of being environmentally friendly. To schedule a tour, please call the Public Education Office at (540)853-5785.
Link with a great video about this station.

http://www.roanokeva.gov/85256a8d0062af37/vwContentByKey/N27EVHF5438TBRYEN

Station 3 LEED Gold Certification
Roanoke,VA — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has recognized the city’s new Williamson Road Fire Station with “gold” LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. This certification was achieved as the result of the facility scoring 39 credits (or points), which are defined and rewarded by the USGBC. To qualify as a basic LEED facility, the project must achieve 26 credits. LEED “silver” certification is achieved at 33 points. “It is a great accomplishment to have the city’s first LEED-certified facility earn the ‘gold’ status for new construction,” says City Manager Darlene Burcham. “This is an excellent demonstration of Roanoke’s strong commitment to
environmental stewardship.” The facility’s new features have the potential toreduce operating and maintenance costs to less than half those of a traditionalbuilding. The sustainable or “green” components in the fire station include:

  • A Rainwater Harvesting Tank and System—a 10,000-gallon tank buried on site that collects rainwater run-off form the fire station. Thiscollected water is pumped from the tank to water the landscaping, flush toilets, and wash the trucks—greatly reducing the use of potable water. The system piping is not connected in any way to the building potable water system.
  • A Bio-Retention Pond—an area of the property populated with native plants that provides a “Rain Garden” to collect storm water run-off. The purpose of the pond is to reduce the amount of water flowing directly into the storm drain system and filter impurities from the run-off through layers of subgrade material before it eventually reaches the storm drain.
  • Shower fixtures that reduce water consumption.
  • Pervious Concrete Pavement— used in lieu of traditional concrete pavement to allow for surface water run-off to “seep” or filterthrough the pervious concrete. This too reduces the amount of water flowing directly into the storm drain system and filters impurities from the run-off through layers of subgrade material before it eventually reaches the storm drain.
  • Motion Detector Light Switches—these devices use sensors to turn light fixtures on and off depending on whether a room is occupied orvacant, and reduce the amount of electricity used.
  • Spray Foam Insulation—used in lieu of traditional batt insulation to provide a more air-tight interior attic space, restricting theamount of cold and hot air entering the building, and thus reducing heating and cooling costs. The spray foam also provides additional noise reduction from operating HVAC units.
  • Walk-off Floor Mats—these mats are provided at each doorway to reduce the amount of pollutants that enter into the core of the building.They are replaced with clean mats on a weekly basis by a service company.

Points were also earned for the city’s method for disposing of debris such as cardboard, glass, metals, and masonry. These materials were recycled as much as possible utilizing the city’s Solid Waste Management services and local recycling companies. In addition, the city earned points for procuring the majority of the building materials from vendors within 500 miles of the project site who produce their materials locally, thus reducing energy use and resources required to ship and obtain these products. “The building will use resources like energy, water, materials and land more efficiently than a building simply built ‘to code,’” says Roanoke Fire-EMS Chief David Hoback. “And an improved living environment will enhance the health, comfort, and productivity of those that work in the building.”

Pictures:
Pictures are by Rhett Fleitz with the exception of the graphic about the rainwater system. That one is from the City of Roanoke.

rain-water-harvest-system

The-pump-and-filters-for-the-rainwater-non-potable-water-system

wash-our-trucks-with-non-potable-water

 

Sensor Light Switch

 

Additional links:

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/148307

http://www.rainwatermanagement.com/CS_Institutional.htm

http://www.heapy.com/portfolio/leed–sustainability-services/180-roanoke-fire-station-.html

http://www.roanokeciviccenter.com/85256A8D0062AF37/CurrentBaseLink/N2794MD4108JCOTEN

http://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/vwContentByKey/AF347B332DDF0FD48525786F00475321/$File/Ken_Cronin.pdf

Posted by on July 27, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Green Building in Indianapolis: Creating a Sustainable Future

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Green Building in Indianapolis: Creating a Sustainable Future

The City’s Office of Sustainability, in partnership with WCTY Channel 16, is proud to announce the City’s first green building documentary. The film is titled “Green Building in Indianapolis: Creating a Sustainable Future” and is hosted by green living expert Sara Snow. The approximately 54-minute documentary features many of Indianapolis’ green building projects. The film explains the components of green buildings, the strategies used to ensure optimal environmental benefits and cost savings, and the importance of partnerships in the design and construction process. The purpose of the documentary is to inform Indianapolis residents about the concept of green building, highlight the City’s leaders in sustainable building projects, and provide a resource for more detailed information on best practices by featuring The Nature Conservancy’s new Headquarters building. The Efroymson Conservation Center is seeking LEED Platinum certification.

This documentary project began as a partnership between the Office of Sustainability and The Nature Conservancy. In early 2009, as The Nature Conservancy was preparing to break ground on the construction of their new headquarters buildings, the Office of Sustainability approached WCTY Channel 16 and The Nature Conservancy with the idea to video-document the construction process. This idea sparked the interest of The Nature Conservancy and Channel 16 as an opportunity to “tell the story” of green buildings: What is a green building? What are the benefits of a green building, to owners, to occupants, and to the community? What are the costs and how do green buildings compare to traditional buildings? From the earliest concept of the documentary, it was clear that there was an exciting story to tell about Indianapolis’ progress towards encouraging green buildings projects, and the growth of green buildings in our community. As a result, while the film project features specific, case study level information on The Nature Conservancy building, it also features several green building projects that had been completed prior to The Nature Conservancy. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc., State of Indiana Forensics and Health Sciences Laboratory, IDO, Inc., HealthNet’s Southwest Clinic, and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail are some of the green building projects featured in the documentary.

Posted by on July 24, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posey Township Volunteer Fire Department New Green Fire Station

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Green Maltese LLC  latest adventure!

I am pleased to announce that Chief Larry Tempel Posey Twp. VFD has agreed to allow me to follow and document the building of this new Green fire station.

I think this will be a wonderful educational experience for myself and any fire department that is looking into building green in the future.

 

Background:

A Clay County fire department is starting construction on a new fire house.

The Posey Township Volunteer Fire Department broke ground on the $1.5 million project.  Federal stimulus money is paying for most of it.  Posey Township collected donations to cover its portion of a quarter-million dollars.

The new fire house will provide more room for newer fire trucks.  It will also have living quarters for the volunteers and be energy efficient.

“Thick insulated walls, it’s going to have solar panels to generate some electricity.  It’s going to have solar panels to heat some of the water.  We’re going to catch all the rain water and use it for geothermal heating and cooling,” says Posey Township Volunteer Fire Chief Larry Tempel.

Posey Township’s current fire house used to be a church built in 1911.  The new fire house is expected to be finished by January.

Link with video:

http://mywabashvalley.com/search-fulltext?nxd_id=191467

 

Posey Twp. VFD facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100001994950955

 

Check back often as we will try and cover this project from start to finish.

 

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by on June 12, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Going on a field trip

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I am very excited about tomorrow’s meeting and tour of Johnson Melloh Solutions in Indianapolis.

Johnson Melloh, Inc is a full services mechanical contractor and service company founded in 1976 that has experience in a wide range of market segments including schools, universities, government, hospital, industrial, commercial and biomedical.

Part of Johnson Melloh’s core business has been guaranteed energy savings projects as a sub contractor. With this core business experience, Johnson Melloh Solutions was formed as a separate company to directly serve this market segment.

Formed in 2009, Johnson Melloh Solutions focuses on renewable energy products and services for our customers. Offering Solar PV, Solar Thermal, Biomass, and Wind; we are ready to address your renewable project needs.

Johnson Melloh Solutions Services:

  • Energy Efficient Mechancial System Upgrades
  • Building Automation Systems
  • Water Conservation Projects
  • Energy Analysis
  • Renewable Energy
  • Sustainable Design
  • LEED Accredited Engineering

Link:

http://johnsonmellohsolutions.com/

 

 

Posted by on May 5, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New feature on Green Maltese

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I am excited to announce a new feature on Green Maltese.

If you you have not noticed already we have added a new page Submit a Green Firehouse.

The purpose of this page is so departments can share their information good or bad concerning their firehouse, so other departments can learn from them.

 

Jackee Coe/The Arizona Republic

The Tolleson Fire Department moved into the $6.35 million facility, which sits a few feet away from the old station near 92nd Avenue and Monroe Street, on Nov. 15, 2010

 

Link and article for this picture:

http://www.azcentral.com/community/swvalley/articles/2011/03/17/20110317tolleson-fire-station-open-house.html

 

So if your station is a green firehouse please take the time to submit your information so we can help other fire departments in the future.

 

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by on May 4, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, Fire Prevention/Public Education, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Maryland 1st State to Adopt International Green Construction Code

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Maryland became the first state to pass the International Green Construction Code and apply the same across the board to all construction projects. As previously posted on my facebook page Green Building Construction for the Fire Service, Rhode Island adopted version one of the IGCC but only applied the code to public buildings.

The new law will go into effect on March 1, 2012. The IGCC bill (House Bill 972) passed through the state’s legislature with rampant success. The Senate approved the bill unanimously and the House passed it with a 121 to 18 vote.

The IGCC will serve as a supplement to the minimum building code applied in each jurisdiction (for the most part, the IBC). State and local building authorities will be authorized to implement the IGCC for all private and public construction.

The IGCC is the result of combined efforts from the International Code Council, the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), American Standard for Testing and Materials (ASTM International), the US Green Building Council and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES).

Maryland a pioneer state for Green Codes & Green Buildings:

  • The first certified LEED Platinum building was in Maryland
  • Maryland was one of the first states to offer a green building tax credit in 2001
  • Today, 14 local governments in Maryland have enacted a LEED based green building initiative, including several that have mandatory green building laws imposed on private building.
  •  Relative to its population, Maryland has more LEED® projects than any other state. 

 

Sources:

http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/reiserlegal/23644/maryland-adopts-international-green-construction-code

http://construction.about.com/b/2011/04/13/first-state-to-adopt-international-green-construction-code.htm

http://www.sbcmag.info/kb/KB_SBC_NewsDetails.php?KBID=17423&

Posted by on April 19, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

USED SHIPPING CONTAINERS BEING USED IN GREEN CONSTRUCTION

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The majority of firefighters today associate used shipping containers with Live Fire training.

1403 Live Fire class @ Greencastle FD

1403 Live Fire class @ Greencastle FD

 

However many designers, builders and eco organizations have another idea for the use of these used containers.

Why not turn one of the world strongest mobile structures into your next home or office?

After all these container were built to withstand built to withstand typhoons, tornados,hurricanes and even earthquakes. One or more of these incredible steel modules are the safest superstructure for a home, school, office, apartment, dormitory, storage unit, emergency shelter.  …where would you rather be in a storm, hurricane or earthquake? I think in a room made of strong Corten steel

Shipping Containers that survived the recent earthquake in Japan. Shows the strength of Corten steel.

ISBU Construction Modules

Now we have a perfect box that is strong and virtually won’t rust – what else can we do with it? For many years the shipping container has been used for storage units beginning with the military and also construction companies.

But when the Shipping Container is no longer used for shipping, the name changes. When it used for any other purpose, other than transportation, the name for the ISO Shipping Container becomes ISBU. When you build with a shipping container it is an ISBU; short for Intermodal Steel Building Unit.  …yes, in fact they are so popular now, they are often purchased directly from the factory simply for the purpose of construction, not shipping. The construction module is known as an ISBU to most people in the building construction trade.

Availability of shipping containers:

It is well known that the rapid growth of manufacturing in China and the global thrist by virtually every country for lower priced, high technology products from China has given to happier consumers and lower prices globally, but the side effect has been the one-way shipping of all the containers bringing the products from China.

So What Can We Do With Theses Containers?

The ISBU shipping container has been popular in Europe, UK, Australia, China, and the US since 2005 or even before.

In Amsterdam and the UK, the ISBU shipping container units have been popular for Student Housing and apartments since 2005.  At about the same time in the US, people like Adam Kalkin, Peter De Maria, and the Lo-tek company in New York began using the shipping container in contemporary art type homes. The homes looked like shipping containers, but were designed in a very trendy way that was appealing to many.

ISBU’s are now be more easily adapted to conventional housing and office structures, both onsite and with the growth of new ISBU shipping container Prefab and Modular companies in the US and even more so globally.

Modern green home built with used shipping container:

Other uses of shipping containers:

Containers are in many ways an ideal building material because they are strong, durable, stackable, cuttable, movable, modular, plentiful and relatively cheap. Architects as well as laypeople have used them to build many types of buildings.

Shipping containers have also been used as:

  • Press Boxes
  • Concession Stands
  • Fire Training Facility
  • Military Training Facility
  • Emergency shelters
  • School buildings
  • Apartment and office buildings
  • Artists’ studios
  • Stores
  • Bank vaults
  • Medical clinics
  • Radar stations
  • Shopping malls
  • Sleeping rooms
  • Recording Studios
  • Transportable factories
  • Data centers
  • Experimental labs
  • Intermodal sealed storage on ships, trucks, and trains
  • Hotels

 

Firefighting Concerns:

  • Size

The common ISO Shipping container is 20′ or 40′ long; 8′ wide; and 8’6″ tall. So with the walls only being 8′ wide and ceiling 8’6 tall that will make the thermal radiation feedback happen much faster creating Flashover much sooner than the average 12′ ceiling. Most firefighters have fought many fires in these types of containers in training, however keep in mind the fuel load used in training is OSB and straw,paper and pallets. These homes have all the modern fuel loading (plastics) but in a very close space.

  • Ventilation

Since the containers are built of steel they are strong enough to support the added weight of a green roofs, also because they are flat they are well suited for solar panels installation.  These two options add challenging obstacles to open the roof, not to mention the steel roof.

  • Access

Many of these containers are being used in green construction and are trying to achieve The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings. Heat island mitigation is a big issue in achieving LEED points. LEED requires at least 50% of the hardscape of a development be either shaded or permeable materials.

Shading is usually accomplished by planting many trees and in some instances they are placed close to the structure which could hamper ladder placement.

Permeable materials are used to achieve LEED points these materials such as permeable pavers.Some of these permeable surfaces are made out of new exotic materials other than the common asphalt and concrete most fire departments are used to staging there apparatus on.  The weight of your apparatus may be a concern?

Many LEED communities are becoming walkable communites with limited amount of open parking spaces.  these spaces are often away from the homes this could cause fire department access issues with staging and aerial ladder placement.

These are just a few that came to mind please reply in the comment section of your thoughts concerns.

Additional info at links below:

http://containerhomes-info.com/

http://www.kmbc.com/news/18414304/detail.html

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2047072,00.html

http://containerhouse.info/

http://www.isbu-info.org/

http://www.bobvila.com/sections/home-building/articles/316-home-sweet-container/pages/1

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by on April 17, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

St. LOUIS MO. HABITAT for HUMANITY GOES GREEN

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This blog is dedicated to Nick Morgan and all my brothers and Sisters in St. Louis Mo.

The  Habitat for Humanity St. Louis (HFHSL) a nonprofit agency has recently built 17 green homes just north of downtown St. Louis Mo.

Habitat for Humanity was able to build green by using sustainable materials and installing eco-friendly products, such as tankless water heaters, geothermal exchange heating and cooling systems, structural insulated panels, cool roofs, low-VOC paints, and copper fire sprinkler systems.

These 17 single-family homes are 1,200 square feet, and consist of three- and four-bedrooms, and one and a half baths. They were designed to complement the current architecture in the neighborhood, and all of the homes are pending LEED Platinum certification.

For full article check out link below:

http://www.greenbuildermag.com/News/Headlines/Habitat-for-Humanity-Goes-Green  

Other related green developments in St. Louis using structural insulated panels check out this link.

http://www.homechannelnews.com/article/green-modular-homes-grow-st-louis

 

Structural Insulated Panels have came on strong in green construction in the midwest. I will have more information in later post about structural insulated panels.

If you are a member of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors you can access a free training program I have developed on structural insulated panels. It will be located in the community resource section.

International Society of Fire Service Instructors web site:

http://www.isfsi.org/

 

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

 

Posted by on April 9, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,