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People and Places | |
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Magic Blue Box | |
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Making Buildings Good | |
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Architectural Products Update |
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König Swiss® passive humidifiers use the patented Hydro pneumatic capillary system to humidify air without using electricity. Water travels from a reservoir atop the device onto a specially formulated composite panel, from which it evaporates into the room. With no fans or motors, the devices are quiet and easy to clean. Designed, engineered, and manufactured in Switzerland. Wall-mounted units in seven designs for home and office. |
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Pittsburgh Corning has expanded its LightWise® Architectural Systems series to include Energy Efficient Glass Block Panels, which reduce thermal transmittance while letting in visible light. With a low-emissivity coated glass panel sandwiched inside each block, these engineered systems reduce solar heat gain by 60 percent and have an insulating U-Value of 0.34 unframed (0.38 framed). The prefabricated panels are framed by a two-piece aluminum channel and are either mill finished, anodized clear, or bronze. Available in in a range of visibility and privacy options. Can contribute to LEED points. |
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Pella® has redesigned the Architect Series® HurricaneShield® double- and single-hung windows to eliminate the need for brace clips and other visible reinforcements. The new design integrates the bracing system into the checkrail of the window, making it invisible to the everyday observer. The impact-resistant glass is made by sandwiching an advanced polymer between two layers of glass, producing windows with a Missile D impact rating and Wind Zone 3 performance. Like for other impact-resistant windows, additional installation steps are required to secure the window frame to the house. Architect Series windows and patio doors are made to custom specifications with all-wood construction. |
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Prescolite has upgraded its LiteFrame line to include watts-per-square-foot optics. The new fixtures feature more lumens per watt, offering energy-saving benefits while increasing efficacy for retail, hospitality, and design-build projects. The new optical design offers more light than the typical 45-degree cutoff, allowing more space to be illuminated with fewer fixtures. The watts-per-square-foot optics can be useful when complying with ASHRAE standards or California Title 24 requirements, which restrict the number of watts per space in many building spaces. Pictured is a LF6CFH six-inch (15-centimeter) horizontal compact fluorescent open downlight. The web site includes a layout calculator and other information and planning tools. |
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Haddonstone, a manufacturer of cast-stone landscape features, announces the new Olympian Collection designed by Robert A.M. Stern Designs. The collection includes two bowls, two urns, and a tall, slim amphora, offering a clean, contemporary interpretation of ancient vessel forms as seen through the lens of late 19th-century Neoclassicism. Architect Robert A.M. Stern describes the collection as "classically-inspired, yet wholly contemporary ornamental planters, operating at the intersection of nature and artifice, and designed to help define outdoor rooms in an architectural way." |
