The Payette Library recently hosted the first of four Mini Trade Shows of 2015. Six companies participated in the event, bringing samples, product literature and refreshments. As the firm Librarian, I am always looking for different ways to deliver information to our staff members about new products. The Mini Trade Show is one of the more exciting events the Library hosts, and there is always a lively atmosphere where people can mix and mingle while learning about and trying different products.
For this particular event, participating companies included Ver-Tex, HumanScale, Exposure Lighting, COP with Waldner Laboratory Solutions, Ritz Associates with COP and DIRTT and Milliken Carpets. The goal is to represent a variety of different product lines, all of which we would potentially use in our projects. I think the best part about the trade shows is the opportunity for our staff members to see products up close and be able to ask questions and try products for themselves. And for me personally, the best reward is when a staff member discovers a potential solution to a problem they have been trying to solve for a client.
This Earth Week, we’ll be covering five landmark buildings exemplifying new approaches to building performance and sustainability.
The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Klarman Building is the first hospital in the northeast to implement chilled beams in an inpatient setting. Early energy analysis demonstrated that the use of chilled beams would be the best way to reduce building energy use.
For this strategy to work, however, the peak thermal loads of the façades could not exceed the capacity of the chilled beams. An integrated design approach and in-house modeling allowed for constant tuning of the façade to optimize glazing, solar exposure and massing. The building orients glazing to face true north and south to minimize heat gain and maximize occupant comfort, resulting in a 15% reduction in peak solar load.
Beyond performance, the distinctive serrated terracotta façade reflects the scale and cadence of individual patient rooms, providing a delicate scale and texture to the façade.
#earthweek #designalways #buildingscience #performalism #facade