Historic Preservation Symposium 2015

The Historic Preservation Symposium 2015 covered a review of preservation projects in the Rio Grande Valley, presentations by Texas Historical Commission staff regarding the process for evaluating projects and qualifying buildings for state and federal historic tax credits and case studies of similar Historic Preservation Tax Credit projects in the Valley and Texas. Mata+Garcia Architects own Hector Rene Garcia, Architect | Partner and former MG'er Mario Garza, Jr. were in attendance.

An Overview of the Historic Architecture of the Lower Rio Grande Border

Stephen Fox, an architectural historian, presented a survey of the lower Rio Grande border, demonstrating how buildings, cities conserve the distinctive historical heritage of the Texas - Tamaulipas frontier. The session analyzed the building practices and typologies that characterize different historical eras and included a discussion regarding the ways buildings and sites preserve the layered cultural heritage of the lower border region.  

An Uncertain Future: Historic Buildings and Places of the Rio Grande Communities

Steven Land Tillotson, a principal of the architectural firm Munoz and Co., cited inadequate funding as the reason historic buildings and sites suffer neglect and abuse, yet available public funding programs are rarely used in the lower Rio Grande Valley. The session identified the comparatively low magnitude of investment to preserve historic buildings in the Valley and financial mechanisms and actions that are available to increase preservations efforts.

Historic Tax Credit Program

Valerie Magolan, Tax Credit Program Specialist at the Texas Historical Commission (THC), and Sara Ludena, South Texas Project Reviewer for THC, spoke on the new Texas Historic Preservation Tax Credit which covers both state and federal tax credit programs and how they can work together to offer significant incentives for rehabilitation of historic properties. Program eligibility, historic nominations and designations, architectural guidelines and project planning were also discussed.

Panel Discussion

Moderated by Cheryl LeBerge, Downtown Manager for the City of Harlingen, the panel included Sharon Fleming, AIA, Director of the Division of Architecture and Deputy SHPO for the Texas Historical Commission; Ben Dupuy, Director of Development at Enhanced Capital Partners LLC and Kevin McClintock, President of KMCC, Inc. a general contracting firm. The session focused on the process for evaluating projects and qualifying buildings. Insights gained from implementing Historic Tax Credit projects were discussed by financing and contracting firms involved in the recent tax credit rehabilitation project, the Valley Fruit Company, in Pharr.

After Hours

A tour of historic Downtown Brownsville included Market Square (1852), a commercial building (1866) housing the BC Workshop, a non-profit architectural firm and the Fernandez Side Yard (1890) where attendees gathered at the Half Moon Saloon to socialize and network.

The symposium was organized by: Texas Southmost College, The Texas Historical Commission, City of Brownsville Heritage Office, Downtown Harlingen and the Lower Rio Grande Valley American Institute of Architects.

Sponsors were:  Mata+Garcia Architects LLP, Megamorphosis, Orange Made, Origo Works, Robert J. Ruiz Architect Inc. and Texas Southmost College.

Apollo Collins - Our Intern Barkitect!

Apollo Collins, the pride and joy of architect Christopher Collins, reviews the work of his master during a Saturday workshop. Apollo goes from desk to desk to greet familiar faces but mostly lounges at Christopher's side. "We all enjoy having him around and Apollo loves the attention," says MG partner Hector Rene Garcia.   "We believe that he brings a nice change of atmosphere. If someone is having a tense day, you just bring him in and he changes the dynamic in the office."  Staff cubicles are fitted with toddler gates to keep dogs in place while filing cabinets are filled with dog chow. "He brings me joy and happiness and helps me be more productive at work," says Collins. We agree!

Texas Society of Architects - Architecture Day

The Texas Society of Architects Advocates for Architecture Day will take place today in Austin. Architects from across the state will converge on the Texas Capitol to meet with legislators to promote the importance of architectural design for urban planning. Our own MG'er Christopher Collins, Architect, will be on hand to lobby key issues with our local representatives.

During the 84th Regular Legislative Session, architects  expect challenges relating to the laws governing: Qualifications Based Selection (QBS), Local K-12 public school planning and design, Public-Private Partnership (P3) bill - We helped amend this bill last session,  and it is likely to change again in 2015. Adequate funding for public works - Facilities funding must grow to keep pace with population increases, which it has not done recently. Dollars must be appropriated now for Tuition Revenue Bonds (TRBs) and to save Texas' historic courthouses.

The primary goal of Advocates for Architecture Day is to create and strengthen the awareness among legislators of the implications of good architectural design. Well-designed buildings and infrastructure positively impact the state's resources (i.e. water, energy, maintenance costs, etc.) as well as the health, safety, and welfare (HSW) of all Texans. Chris is looking forward to telling our profession's story! Congratulations to all who are participating in this endeavor.

Public Interest Design - Brownsville Workshop

Mata+Garcia Architects own Hector Rene Garcia attended this workshop on architectural firms taking part in community engagement, development and design. A growing sector in the field of architecture known as Public Interest Design is documented in exhibits such as MoMA’s Small Scale, Big Change and publications like Design Like You Give Damn. Unlike traditional practice, the projects in this field are an area of great potential for the future of our profession. The Public Interest Design Institute®  provided training to architecture and other design professionals in public interest design with in-depth study over two days, at Market Square in Brownsville, Texas, on methods of how design can address the critical issues faced by communities. Learning skills to become pro-actively engaged in community-based design through fee-based projects were discussed as a way to enhance existing design practices.

The workshop's curriculum was based on the Social Economic Environmental Design® (SEED) metric, a set of standards that outline the process and principles of this approach to design. (Mata+Garcia Architects is a member of SEED.) SEED goes beyond green design with a “triple bottom line” approach that includes the social and economic as well as the environmental. The SEED process takes a holistic and creative approach to design driven by community needs. (A core concept of Mata+Garcia's principles.) This process provides a step-by-step aid for those who want to undertake public interest design. Learning objectives addressed: 1. Finding new clients and public interest design projects 2. Learning about new fee sources and structures. 3. Using a step-by-step process of working with a community as a design partner. 4. Leveraging other partners and assets to address project challenged. 5. Maximizing a project’s positive impact on a community. 6. Moving beyond LEED to measure the social, economic, and environmental impact on communities. 7. Understanding public interest design and how is it re-shaping the design professions.

The sessions were led by Bryan Bell, Founder of Design Corps, Founder of the Public Interest Design Institute, and a Co-founder of SEED along with the staff of BC Workshop, Brownsville. Keynote speaker Maurice Cox, of Tulane University spoke about how Tulane had to reinvent itself after Hurricane Katrina, and how the university incorporated active citizen participation into the design process while achieving the highest quality of design excellence.  Architecture students from Texas Southmost College and Monterrey Tech kept the discussions lively.  

Sustainability - Permaculture Design

The University of Texas - Pan American's Office of Sustainability (led by Marianella Franklin and her staff) offered Part One of a two part series - Permaculture Design Intensive Workshop - October 30th through November 2nd.  Mata+Garcia's own Hector Rene Garcia attended this fascinating workshop.

The course covered sustainable living systems for a wide variety of landscapes and climates. It included the application of permaculture principles to food production, home design & construction, energy conservation and generation, and explored the social and economic structures that support a culture that cares for the planet and all its inhabitants. Part I: October 30th to November 2nd, 2014. Part II: January 8th to 12th, 2015.

Topics included in the first workshop were:  Permaculture Ethics and Principles; Observation and Pattern Understanding; Concepts, Themes and Methods of Design; Climate; Landform and Earthworks; Measuring Tools, The Backyard Farmer; Water  & Keyline, Access and Circulation; Vegetation & Wildlife; Plants, Gardening and Farming; Seed Saving; Plant Propagation, Grafting; Gardening & Farming Systems; Plants and Trees; Plant Walk, Plant Guilds; Health use of Animals in Permaculture Systems. 

The funding for this workshop was provided by an anonymous donor. Many thanks to the foundation and the Office of Sustainability for offering this workshop, course material and meals at no cost to the attendees. Garcia said: "Everything was top notch and I met some incredible people that are practicing a sustainable lifestyle right here in the Rio Grande Valley."

   

Permaculture Workshop at UTPA

I am looking forward to attending the Permaculture Workshop this coming week, sponsored by the University of Texas - Pan American.  The workshop will be led by Wayne Weiseman, an international leader in permaculture design.  Permaculture is an innovative design process that is based on one's design principles and ethics.  At Mata+Garcia Architects we use it as a guide for our the design of our buildings, by adapting patterns and relationships that are found in nature and applying them to all aspects of human habitation.

Location, climatic conditions and resources influence the strategies used to implement the principles of permaculture.  While the strategies may differ, the basic steps to the holistic approach of permaculture remain constant.

I will provide daily updates on the various talks and tours of RGVittes that are leading the permaculure movement here at home.  HRGarcia

5.5 Ways To Turn Your Classroom "GREEN"

As architects, we often get asked by the teachers of the schools we design for help in taking positive steps to save our planet. We enjoy showing how easy it is to do so! Here’s a simple list of items both teachers and students can use to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

1. Recycle:  Place paper and plastic recycling boxes in your classroom and promote their use. Students take turns being the recycling monitor, taking responsibility for demonstrating and knowing what is recyclable and what is not. Teachers can minimize the amount of paper used in classrooms, without compromising educational objectives, by going paperless. Writing assignments and testing on computers, posting information on the school website and the use of email, all help limit the use of paper.

2. Plant a Tree: Turn your school grounds into a park! On many of our projects, landscaping is usually left out or deleted from the project scope. The client’s point-of-view being that the school PTA will provide the landscaping. This rarely happens! In a school with 750 kids, the classrooms number about thirty-four. A $250 two-inch caliper tree or shrub, when divided by 22 students per classroom, equals a cost of $11.36 per child per semester (63 cents per week). If a school does this twice a year it would amount to sixty-eight trees and shrubs per year. Trees lower the surrounding temperature, filter air, remove carbon dioxide and provide shade and beauty.  What an impact this would make. There will be plenty of trees to hug on Earth Day!

3. Flip the Switch: Every time you leave your classroom empty, turn-off the lights. While we install motion sensors to activate lights when needed in all of our projects, not all schools have them. Turning off classroom lights cuts carbon emissions by reducing electrical use.

4. Edu-Garden: With a school-wide effort, plan and place the "edu-garden" adjacent to the school cafeteria. You can grow vegetables, for use in school meals, or flowers, for display in administration and library areas. The students are able to taste and see what they grow. An additional step is to take classroom and cafeteria water used in assignments or cooking and using it to water the plants.

5. Let the Daylight In: It never fails! During programming sessions, teachers always ask that their classrooms have plenty of windows; once they occupy the space the windows are covered with construction paper, blinds or curtains. We go to great lengths to ensure that only daylight, and not direct sunlight, enters the classrooms. While there will be times when a teacher needs to control the view, there are plenty of teaching moments that can occur by keeping the blinds open – changes in weather, birds building nests, the movement of wind through tree and shrubs, etc. In addition, studies have shown that an aggressive daylighting program can reduce electrical loads by up to 30 percent, increase student performance by 20 % and reduce absenteeism by 50 %.  
5.5 Power Down: Classrooms are empty three periods a day; conference period, lunch period and planning period.  Though teachers my place classroom computers on shut-down mode, they still pull electricity. It is best to completely shut down computers, chargers and printers,   and un-plug them from the walls during these periods and after school hours as well.

Hector Rene Garcia, Architect / Partner - Mata+Garcia Architects LLP

Texas Society of Architects Convention: Day Three

Lean Architecture: Excellence in Project Delivery. presented by Michael F. Czap, AIA. In this session, Czap stated that lean architecture is the on-going process of rethinking architectural methodology by applying "Lean" principles to every aspect of our practice. In a fast-paced program Czap introduced us to techniques of process management with three goals for application to architectural management, documentation and technology.

Scoping Provisions of the New 2012 Texas Accessibility Standards: presented by Gaila Barnett and George Ferrie.  The Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS) came into effect in March of 2012 with several key differences from the 1994 TAS. Barnett and Ferrie anaylized the differences and explored the ways scoping pertains to all TAS sections, how to meet the necessary requirements, the differences in implementing the TAS in a new building and an existing building, and the notable exceptions to the TAS.  

Measure Twice and Cut Once - A Fresh Approach to Integrated Project Delivery: presented  by Richard Markel, AIA and David Weinberg, AIA.  Integrated Project Delivery is an innovation emerging as the preferred way to organize project teams to achieve more efficient and better-planned projects.  IPD is a team-centric approach that increases value to the owner by leveraging the knowledge, experience and talent of all team members to improve quality, eliminate waste and reduce costs with less risks.

Leadership Effectiveness and Creative Problem Solving: presented by Peter A DeLisle, Phd. This highly interactive seminar addressed the issues of leadership effectiveness and decision making.  We reviewed the importance of critical self-reflection and awareness of the impact of a leader's behavior on people. Processes were examined through the use of inventory and dialogue on cognitive problem-solving. 

The Influence of 21st Century Education Principles on K-12 School Facility Design: presented by Michael B. Baker, AIA.  The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is the largest geographical K-12 school district in the world. DoDEA recently changed to 21st Century Education Specifications. This change has influenced the architecture of DoDEA school facilities worldwide.  This session focused on how 21st Century Education Principles have changed the school environment, both inside and out.

Texas Society of Architects Convention: Day One

The New Accessibility Standards:  presented by Jeromy Murphy, AIA, American Construction Investigations. This session covered the 2012 Texas Accessibility Standards and how they are more restrictive in some areas but provide more latitude for designers to comply. The program identified the major differences between the old standards and the new standards, beginning with the applicability of the law and continuing with the major technical changes and special exceptions.

Influencing the Quality of Life:  presented by Thomas Hayne Upchurch, AIA and Elizabeth Price, AIA.  The program was about small Texas towns, in this case Brenham, and how architects have unique capabilities and vision for improving communities. By getting involved and doing good work, concepts and ideas develop from small projects to big improvements. In Brenham, Upchurch and Price went about cleaning up a public alley, which led to a TEA-21 public grant and greater downtown improvements and development.

influence. Water. Greenroofs. Resilience. presented by Joe Douglas Webb, AIA. Mr. Webb stated that while there are no certified "Living Buildings" in Houston currently, an office building designed by his firm, Webb Architects, serves as a local prototype that exemplifies tools and technologies that let us begin to encroach on strategies required in the Living Building Challenge.  As a result, architects influence a clients approach to development and the environment.

Living in the Landscape: Design that Embraces Nature. presented by Gary Furman, FAIA; Mell Lawrence, FAIA; Kevin Alter, Assoc. AIA.  How have Austin architects drawn powerful design character from the beauty and ecology of the Texas Hill Country? How have they employed the climate, the topography and native materials of the region to create an authentic ethos of this memorable place? The three architects discussed ways in which architecture and the natural environment can work together in symbiotic harmony. 

Design in Austin, It's About the Quality of Life: presented by Larry Speck, FAIA; Arthur Anderson, AIA; Dick Clark, AIA and Juan Miro, FAIA. The four architects, who have made significant contributions to the creation of many of most memorable and endearing parts of the city, spoke about how design generates amenity, interaction and a celebration of everyday living.

Tuesday Talks: Green Building Design with CMU

Our Tuesday Talk this week was sponsored By: Trenwyth, An OldCastle Architectural Brand   In this one hour seminar we reviewed the sustainable attributes of concrete masonry units (CMU) and discussed how CMU's contribute toward a certified LEED project including improving the indoor environmental quality, improving energy performance through thermal mass and passive solar design and material recyclability and reuse. We will also looked at the safety and health aspects of concrete masonry such as fire and acoustics. The Learning Objectives covered were: 1. Identifying concrete masonry’s inherently sustainable attributes including recycled content and recyclability.  2. Describing how concrete masonry helps improve indoor air quality through the prevention of mold growth and indoor environmental quality through improved thermal comfort.  3. Identifying the role concrete masonry plays in the LEED rating system and the credits it may contribute toward both directly and indirectly.  4. Describing how concrete masonry contributes toward improved fire safety in any project.

CEFPI - Day Two

Hector Rene Garcia, Mata-Garcia Architects principal, is attending the Certified Educational Facilities Planners International (CEFP I) World Congress on Educational Environments in San Antonio, Texas this week.  The following are summaries of the sessions he attended.

The Best School Ever Made: Beth Hebert, former principal at Crow Island School, Winnetka Public Schools. Hebert reviewed her experience at Crow Island School and how the look and feel of a school matters to students and is deeply connected to their attitudes, behavior and learning. Having toured this school a few years ago, I know first hand what a classroom and a school environment can accomplish. Hebert explored the connection between specific features of classroom and school design that impact student learning beginning with lessons learned from Crow Island School - a national historic landmark and now almost 75 years old. The session also covered (a.) Understanding the importance of collaborative conversation between architects and educators, (b.) Identifying specific design features that enhance student learning, (c.) Exploring how the design of space relates to student attitudes, behaviors and learning, and (d.) Learning specific strategies for engaging students in the design process.

Go Outside to Learn: The Value of Outdoor Learning Environments: Robing R. Randall, ED lab INC. Randall stated that "When present in nature, all senses are stimulated," which is the optimum state of learning, blurring the boundaries between academic learning and creative curiosity. As a mini-ecosystem, the "outdoor classroom" fosters the use of systems thinking and emphasizes the interconnectedness. Through exposure to the intricate web of life, students come to understand that complex natural and societal systems often require holistic rather than linear solutions. In seeking a holistic understanding, outdoor learning lends itself to inter-disciplinary studies employing multiple academic disciplines. Global environmental issues are reflected in microcosm and often lead to service learning projects that emphasize social responsibility. Randall reviewed how she (a.) Uses evidenced based design research to document the value of outdoor learning, (b.) Defines the characteristics and stimuli of the outdoor learning environment, (c.) Dissects examples of projects that support spontaneous and organized learning, and (d.) Discusses future implications to curriculum delivery and environmental responsibility.

Building as a Teaching Tool: Connecting, Curriculum, Culture and the Physical Environment: Stephanie Barr, Institute for the Built Environment, Colorado State University and Craig Schiller, Build to Teach Consulting LLC.  This seminar asked the question "How can we design and operate schools which not only save energy, resources and money, but also actively engage and educate students in sustainability? Taking green schools beyond a physical shell, to an active, dynamic green learning environment requires more than just  visible green building features. A holistic approach, driven by both educators and building professionals, is needed to integrate sustainability into building design, curriculum, organizational culture and an community at large. Only through this holistic integration is a building truly a teaching tool. Utilizing case studies and recent research, Barr and Schiller defined principles, provided a framework and presented tools for creating a school building that teaches. Also covered were (a.) Understanding the necessity of a whole-school approach and integrating sustainability into educational programs, organizational culture and facility design to create a building that successfully teaches, (b.) Defining common design principles and building components which make successful teaching tools and the methods used to connect building features to learning opportunities, (c.) Exploring "best-case" examples of how school buildings across the country are being used to teach sustainability and (d.) Providing hands-on experience planning a holistic building that teaches.

CEFPI - Day One

Hector Rene Garcia, Mata-Garcia Architects principal, is attending the Certified Educational Facilities Planners International (CEFP I) World Congress on Educational Environments in San Antonio, Texas this week.  The following are summaries of the sessions he attended.

Keynote Speaker:  Jason Ryan Dorsey, "The Gen Y Guy" kicked-off the day with his highly energized talk "Crossing the Generational Divide: Leveraging the Power of Generations for  your Strategic Advantage. Dorsey noted that for the first time in world history, four different generations are working side by side, with a fifth generation on its way! He went on to state that each generation brings a different perspective, strengths and priorities to the workplace. While it can be a frustrating experience - leaving a voice-mail and getting a text as a reply - can be a strategic opportunity depending on how one responds. Dorsey revealed each generation's workplace mindset and followed up with strategies that drive results across generations.

Connecting the Dots - The New Ecosystem of Pedagogy, Technology and Space: Lennie Scott-Webber, PhD.  The session dealt with a behavioral conditioned response method in terms of teaching and learning in a classroom setting - stand and deliver / sit and listen. It was stated that this pedagogical approach no longer works. The pedagogy, technology and space need to be intentionally developed and purposefully integrated in order to deliver on the demand for 21st century learning skills by students, parents and corporations alike. Scott-Webber's research has led her to understand this paradigm shift and she shared the drivers for change, design principles and methods to successfully deliver on this need.

Connecting Students, Creating Futures at Central Campus: James Britt and Elizabeth Erbes of RDG Planning & Design and Bill Good and Julie Rosin of Des Moines Public Schools.  A 1916 Model T factory in downtown Des Moines, Iowa has been retooled from building cars to building futures. The Central Campus, a 400,000 square foot high-rise buidling has been continuously evolving to accommodate a unique variety of project based learning programs for students of all ages. Fourth graders immerse themselves in the 2012 presidential campaign, while high school seniors in Marine Biology raise jelly-fish; downtown office employees exercise in the wellness center and enjoy lunch in the student-run Campus Cafe of the Culinary Arts program. Unique spaces and programs have become the catalyst for connection and creation. (a.) We learned about the diverse culture and climate created to serve multi-age learners through project-based programming in a century-old building. (b.) The team showed how to effectively engage an underutilized, existing facility to support and grow a vibrant, connected learning environment. (c.) Rosin and Erbes gave examples of the positive impact of unique programming and high-performance space on students, faculty and community members. In closing, the group helped us understand the benefits of a strong vision and quality management to create dynamic learning spaces for a diverse community.

Des Moines Central Campus serves students from 29 districts and 57 schools, and was originally a 1918 a Ford car factory that has been converted in recent years to a high-efficiency, regional, K-12 school. The renovations have included the installation of double-pane glazed windows in order to increase the availability of natural light and reduce the need for artificial lighting. High-efficiency water source heat pumps also were installed in the school, and reduce the need for steam heating. Des Moines Central Campus has reduced its energy consumption by 28 percent compared to a 2008 baseline, and has reduced its water consumption by 64 percent compared to a 2009 baseline. In this urban setting, students use sustainability concepts to learn green job skills.  Home building students use recycled materials to turn old bleachers into hardwood flooring. The aviation program works with the Iowa congressional district to salvage old jets and helicopters as teaching tools.  A welding program recycled over 43,000 pounds of scrap metal in 2011. The teacher academy is working toward paperless operations with electronic portfolios. The culinary arts program installed a grow cart to cultivate herbs and salad greens, and their new ENERGY STAR dishwasher reduces energy consumption.  Animal science students use recycled materials to create wildlife habitat sculptures.  Design students study sustainability principles and devise constructions that incorporate LEED criteria. Horticulture students offer their landscaping services throughout the campus. Technology students’ use of cloud computing reduces energy consumption by over a third. Central Campus’ Iowa Energy and Sustainability Academy is a two-year program that teaches sustainability, green technologies, renewable energy, and conservation. The school nurtures partnerships with University of Northern Iowa, Siemens, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Energy Department.

Vision to Reality, through an Integral Approach to School Design: Daniel Plunkett and Matin Coleman - Kilworth Studio Ltd.  These Brits presented their take on non-traditional schools with "unique engagement strategies." The project presented was the The Isle of Portland Aldridge Academy.

Engage, Educate & Recycle, K-12 Sustainability Solutions 
September 12, 2012,  1:00 PM CDT

Imagine a world where schools serve as a model of sustainability for their communities, teach their students to use natural resources responsibly, and empower them with the skills to solve global environmental problems. Many schools across the country are already blazing the trail in going green and finding it not as difficult as they anticipated. Join Waste Management's Carrie Becker, Keep America Beautiful (KAB)'s Kelly Dennings and Spring ISD's C.G. Cezeaux as they discuss environmental trends and implications for K-12 schools, share best practices from exemplary schools and give easy, practical solutions to move your school along its sustainability journey.

Presented by  School Planning & Management’s WEBINARS FOR EDUCATION. 

Moderator:   Deb Moore, Executive Editor/Publisher, School Planning & Management 

Featured Speakers: 

Carrie Becker, Director of Education Sales, Waste Management; 

Kelly Dennings,  Director of Recycling Programs and Services, Keep America Beautiful; C.G. Cezeaux  Director of Operations, Spring Independent School District, Houston, TX.

Tuesday Talks: Marvin Windows

Fiberglass Composites in the Window and Door Industry

Maribel Zimmerman, Architectural Representative for Marvin Windows and Doors offered this continuing education program to help our staff understand how fiberglass, a composite material, provides superior and sustainable performance. The program explained the pultrusion process and its environmental impact and how it explores the characteristics and thermal properties of fiberglass. Thanks to Maribel for an excellent program!

Lighting Seminars

Hector Rene Garcia (Architect/Partner) and Christopher R. Collins (Architect) of Mata-Garcia Architects LLP attended the LED Lighting and Lighting Controls Roadshow in San Antonio on July 11, 2012. The event was sponsored by our friends at Spectrum Lighting Inc. at the Center for Architecture at the Pearl.

Seminars Presented:

INTELLIGENT LIGHTING FOR EXTERIOR SPACES: by Mark Sheppard. This presentation covered outdoor lighting codes and practices. It also identified the pros and cons of outdoor sources LED, HID, etc.; and showed how controls can affect and compliment outdoor projects.

LED LIGHTING EDUCATION FOR SPECIFIERS:  by Tom Scott. This program gave us an overview of factors related to effective lighting design using Solid State Lighting. Attention was given to the advantages of this new technology in architectural and general lighting applications as well as the science of LEDs and how this new technology can be used to provide a superior energy saving solution in the lit environment without compromising a quality lighting design.

DAYLIGHT HARVESTING LIGHTING CONTROL APPLICATIONS: by Richard Hormuth. This exciting program delivered an overview of daylight harvesting. Attention was given to terminology, applications, zoning, and circuiting, daylight entering the space, photo-sensors, open and closed loop, and electrical light reduction.

THE POWER OF DIGITAL LIGHTING AND CONTROLS – SMART AND SIMPLE: by Bill Ballweg. This dynamic speaker offered a fundamental overview of the characteristics of LED digital lighting. Ballweg addressed the quality of illumination, how to create a digital lighting system, the long term cost benefits, and how using controls can reduce the carbon footprint.

A big thanks to Spectrum for sponsoring these excellent programs.

Tuesday Talks: Building Insulation

This course provided an overview of SPF, Spray Polyurethane Foam, beginning with its composition and how it is applied, as well as reviewing its multiple roles in the building envelope. The key to any material is how it works, and the course reviewed some of its many applications in both residential and commercial fields. A versatile and effective material such as SPF can help a LEED project with credits in many direct and indirect ways;Energy and Atmosphere, Indoor Environmental Quality Materials and Resources.
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Tuesday Talks: Air Barrier Systems

This week we welcomed our favorite Nittany Lion (and the only one we know) for a presentation on Air Barrier Systems. Roy Schauffele, FCSI, CCPR, LEED Green Associate, set about defining the parts of an air barrier system - understanding the benefits of the systems to the environment, building owners and occupants; understanding codes and testing relating to air barrier systems and reviewing plans and specs to ensure the air barrier system is properly designed to eliminate air leakage.  Schauffele noted that the benefits of an air barrier system are to conserve energy, lower initial construction costs, reduce maintenance costs and improve indoor air quality.  Roy can be contacted at: Division 7 Solutions, Inc., 107 Avenue B, Converse, Texas 78109-1402. Tel. 210.659.6533, Fax. 210.659.7016.

Tuesday Talks: Tectum

This week we welcomed Judy Maniscalco of Maniscalco & Associates who presented information on Tectum roof deck systems, ceiling panels and wall panels.  Judy is one of our favorite manufacturer's reps as she is as passionate about Tectum as we are about architecture!  Judy, and husband Tony, also updated our library catalogues and provided suggestions for the WHS Music Halls project.  Thanks to Maniscalo & Associates for the continuing education seminar given to our staff. Judy can be contacted at: Maniscalco & Associates, 1912 Hollister, Houston, Texas 77080. Tel. 713-465.4344, Fax. 713-465-0873, email: judymaniscalco@aol.com