A highly efficient vibration isolation solution was provided for a major luxury high-rise project in Manhattan, New York City to prevent vibrations from a train tunnel under the property.

The Rushmore Building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, is a 41-storey luxury condo complex developed by real estate developer Extell as part of New York Citys largest construction project in the last 50 years. The overall project consists of 18 high-rise buildings and 7.9 million square metres of floor space.

The construction of the Rushmore presented a massive challenge as the two-towered high-rise was to be constructed directly over an AMTRAK railway tunnel. The tunnel consists of two railway lines carrying 25-ton axle loads and a planned future metro line, leading to concerns about rail-generated vibrations.

In addition to mounting a two-tower high-rise complex above a train tunnel, key challenges also included decoupling individual floors from vibrations, and meeting compliance requirements for ceiling height with smaller distance between the floors.

A developer and manufacturer of materials for vibration mitigation and isolation, Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH is also an experienced consultant in construction engineering issues related to vibration and isolation. Thanks to Getzners technical expertise in vibration isolation, the end result is a smart system using elastic materials, which ensure high levels of cost effectiveness, noise protection and comfort.

Getzner Werkstoffe worked with their North American partner Soundown Corporation during the 2007-2008 implementation period to develop and successfully install a suitable vibration isolation solution.

Polyurethane mats for highly efficient vibration isolation

Getzner Werkstoffe developed a completely new method for the elastic mounting of the skyscrapers. All the individual floors of the 41-storey building are elastically mounted with two storeys completely decoupled in terms of vibrations, similar to drawers that can be removed. The ground floor and mezzanine level are mounted on 9cm polyurethane Sylomer blocks, with neither of the two floors connected with the building in a fixed manner.

Sylomer mats were also used on the sides of the loadbearing columns to protect against the influence of wind. Working with the architects and structural engineers, Getzner prepared detailed load distribution plans, with loads on each of the 350 bearing points precisely determined. The ground floor was constructed using support beams with the isolation recessed in the ceiling of the first floor. The new construction method with T-beams helped minimise the built-up height.

Feedback from the general contractor

Our project team was very impressed with the cooperation with Getzner and Soundown during the course of the planning and coordination. Both firms were extremely flexible and proactive in getting all participants involved in the project and coordinating the work together.

Thanks to this approach, it was possible to devise an isolation system for the building, which is successfully integrated into the structure itself. Installation on-site went very smoothly and quickly, without interruptions. If vibration isolation is what you need, I would not hesitate to recommend Getzner, Soundown and Sylomer products, says David Ridoutt, Project Manager.

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Vibration isolation successfully provided for luxury high-rise complex in Manhattan - Architecture and Design

Spring is a wonderful time to be an outdoors person, but Spring also has brings times that make heading out to fish, hunt or hike not as much fun. Then throw in the confinement that many of us are feeling due to the Covid-19 virus, and you may be experiencing a little cabin fever. If thats the case, then here are a couple of activities that might help you get through, until the weather is a little better.

Put up a Martin house

Purple Martins are the only bird species in the eastern half of North America entirely dependent upon human-supplied nesting cavities for reproduction. It can be a challenge to establish a Purple Martin colony, but once a colony is established the tiny swooping acrobats will provide joy and insect relief for the new landlords.

If you are new to the purple martin game, then the suggestions below will help you succeed.

Educate yourself Learn everything you can about Purple Martins. Talk with other martin landlords and visit the web site (www.purplemartin.org) of the Purple Martin Conservation Association, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding Purple Martins through landlord education and scientific research. Read the book: Enjoying Purple Martins More by Richard Wolinski and/or the Stokes Purple Martin Book, by Donald & Lillian Stokes.

If you want more information, then join the PMCA and receive the informative Purple Martin Update magazine.

Choose the right location Martins have very specific space requirements. One of the main reasons people fail to attract martins is that they place their martin housing incorrectly.

Martin housing should be in the center of the largest open spot available, about 30-120 feet from human housing. Place the housing where you can see it so you can enjoy watching and hearing the martins.

There should be no trees within 40 feet, preferably 60 feet, of the housing. In the southern half of their breeding range, martins are less fussy about house placement, so sometimes housing can be within 25 feet of trees and still attract martins. But the farther housing is placed from trees, the better. Housing height should be in the range of 10-17 feet. Dont attach wires to the house or pole, especially if they lead to trees, buildings, or the ground. Predators can use the wires to access the housing.

Put up manageable housing Your chances for success will be better if your housing is easy to manage. Choose a pole that telescopes, or is equipped with a winch or rope & pulley, and housing that has easy access to the compartments. Houses and gourds should be white, or a light color. White housing attracts martins best and reflects sunlight, keeping nestlings cooler.

Cavity floor dimensions should be at least 6 x 6, but larger cavities (7 x 12) are preferred by martins, and offer better protection from predators and rain. Unfortunately, larger compartments are also attractive to European Starlings, but a modification to the entrance hole will minimize starling problems. A round entrance hole of 2-1/8 is preferred by the martins, but they will use a range from 1-3/4 to 2-3/8. Make sure there is adequate ventilation and drainage in each nest cavity. Many houses can be improved if need be.

Add insulation to the attic, remodel interiors to offer double-size compartments, and add porch dividers to houses with shared porches. Dividers help keep males from claiming extra compartments, and can double occupancy rates. They also keep nestlings from wandering to other compartments where they can get lost and die, or steal food from younger nestlings, causing them to starve.

Open housing at the right time Adult martins are rarely attracted to new breeding sites they return to the sites where they bred previously. Typically, it is subadult martins (last years young) that colonize new sites, and they begin arriving about 4 weeks after the first adults in the northern third of the martins breeding range, 6 weeks after the adults in the middle of the range, and 8 weeks after the adults in the southern third. At uncolonized sites then, opening housing when the scouts are due decreases chances of attracting martins by giving

House Sparrows and starlings 4-8 weeks to claim the site before the subadult martins arrive.

To improve your chances, keep housing closed until its time for subadults to arrive (purplemartin.org offers migration-timing map for adult arrival).

At active sites, the first martins usually show up within a week or two of previous years arrival dates. The strategy at active colony sites is to have your housing ready, but keep it closed until some martins return. Martin migration is a drawn-out affair, with birds arriving for 8-12 weeks in the north, 16-20 weeks in the south. Martins can arrive and begin nesting up through the end of June, rangewide, so keep your housing ready; dont close it up, or let other birds use it.

Dont Close it Too Soon Dont close the entrances, or take the housing down, until late

August, as fledglings will be searching for next years breeding sites in late summer.

Increase Your Chances A few things can be done to make your site more attractive to Purple Martins. Offer a combination of houses and gourds. Play a dawnsong recording. Add a Purple Martin decoy or two. Place 1-2 of nesting material in the bottom of each compartment.

For information on the Purple Martin Conservation Association and receiving the quarterly Purple Martin Update magazine, visit the web site: http://www.purplemartin.org.

Build a Wood Duck Box While the weather has been hit or miss for fishing, turkey hunting or anything else outside. How about dusting off those saws, hammers and nails and building a nesting box for one of North Americas most beautiful sites, a pair of wood ducks, Aix sponsa, cruising a pond or flooded creek bottom.

Many consider the wood duck the most picturesque of waterfowl, with the incredible green and white iridescent plumage, orange eye and cackling muted squeal gave them away.

Maybe no other wildlife story is as successful as the return of the beautiful little duck. On the verge of extinct in the late 1800s, conservationists stepped in and limited hunting, but that didnt fix the decline.

Bottomland forests, critical feeding and nesting habitat for woodies, were disappearing and wood ducks, which utilize natural tree cavities for nest sites, didnt have suitable locations for nests. The wood duck population plummeted and wood ducks were considered rare in many parts of North America. By 1916, hunting of wood ducks was prohibited in 22 states and by 1918 wood duck hunting was closed nationwide with the passing of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The wood duck season remained closed for over 20 years (1918 1941).

In 1937, the U.S. Biological Survey (USFWS) tested the first wood duck boxes in Illinois. Wood ducks proved to be very adaptable, and over 50% of the boxes were used the first year. The success of those first 486 boxes prompted the expansion of wood duck boxes throughout North America. Nearly 75 years later, its estimated that wood duck boxes produce 100,000 150,000 additional wood ducks each year.

While you are waiting for the rain to stop, or your favorite fishing lake to return to some more normal levels, head to the wood shop and make a box or two. Its easy, fun and if you are lucky enough to get a family of woodies to move in, you have just helped to make sure this delightful duck has a place to bring up the next generation.

Waterfowl scientists with Delta Waterfowl recommend wooden boxes because they are less prone to extreme heat build-up that could endanger a hen or her eggs. This is especially important for folks in the southern U.S., where temperatures regularly exceed 90 F during the nesting season.

The cedar box, designed by Minnesota wood duck expert Don The Duckman Helmeke, has been found productive and safe for wood ducks throughout North America. You can use just about any type of wood to build your nest boxes, but cedar and cypress are more weather-resistant and will last longer. We also recommend installing a predator guard on each wood duck box post. Boxes are more beneficial to wood duck populations if they improve nest success over natural cavities. Cone-style predator guards are very effective at reducing mammalian predation, especially when you install your boxes on land.

Here are a few wood duck box basics when picking a location for your wood duck box(es). First, there must be adequate wetland habitat nearby for the hen and her ducklings. Though wood ducks may nest a mile or more from water, ducklings are more likely to survive if overland travel is minimized. Also make sure there are clear flight lines to the box opening and an easy path to the water. If youre installing multiple boxes, try not to install them within sight of another box.

Perhaps most important is selecting a site that can be easily accessed for annual maintenance. Annual maintenance (i.e., clean out and replace wood chips) is critical if you want to ensure your wood duck boxes are consistently productive. If boxes are hard to access, boxes often become neglected and use by wood ducks will decline. We recommend performing maintenance in late winter, just before wood ducks begin searching for nest sites. This date changes with latitude, as boxes in the southern U.S. should be maintained by late January. In northern states, the first wood ducks usually return around mid March.

Once you find the right location, a wood duck box can be mounted on a variety of surfaces including trees, posts, and the side of your house or barn. Though it seems natural to install them on trees, the safest location is on a wood or steel post with a cone-style predator guard.

Nest boxes can be installed on land or in water. On land, a shoreline installation is fine, but not necessary. Wood ducks have been known to use tree cavities and nest boxes up to a mile away from water. Land-based boxes can be monitored on a walk-up basis, do not require boats or waders, and eliminate worries about varying water levels and bending of poles from ice-out conditions in the north.

A hen wood duck usually lays one egg per day until her clutch is complete. The normal incubation period for a wood duck is usually 29 -30 days. Once some of the ducklings hatched- the entire brood will leave the following morning. This is called Jump Day and is one of the most interesting sites in the wild kingdom. Urged on by mother ducks calling the baby ducklings take the leap of faith and tumble to the water or ground below. After all of the ducklings are out, mom leads them to water, where they will spend the rest of their childhood.

Apply for a Controlled Hunt The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservations popular controlled hunts program is open to online applicants now.

The controlled hunts program offers once-in-a-lifetime elk and antelope hunts, highly sought-after buck hunts, and a range of other quality deer and turkey hunting opportunities through randomized drawings that only cost sportsmen $5 to enter. Opportunities offered through the program include hunts on Department or other government-owned or managed lands where unrestricted hunting would pose safety concerns or where overharvest might occur.

The online application process takes just a few minutes and must be completed through the Wildlife Departments website at wildlifedepartment.com. Applicants have until May 20 to submit their applications.

You just cant beat $5 for a chance at an Oklahoma big game or gobbler hunt in the unique areas offered through this program, said Wade Free, assistant director of operations for the Wildlife Department. Whether you want to hunt a bull elk in the Wichita Mountains, an antelope in the Panhandle or a trophy buck at locations across the state like the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, the controlled hunts program is one of the best things going in Oklahoma hunting.

All applicants, including lifetime license holders, must pay the $5 application fee to enter the controlled hunts drawings. The fee is paid only once per person per year regardless of the number of categories entered.

Applications are offered online through a secure process that only accepts applications once they have been filed correctly, and a print-out confirmation page is available for sportsmen to document their submitted application.

Log on to http://www.wildlifedepartment.com and follow the Controlled Hunts link for complete application instructions, including tips on enhancing chances of being selected as well as a full listing of available hunts for elk, deer, antelope and turkey.

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Conservation Activities for those with Cabin Fever | Sports | swoknews.com - The Lawton Constitution

Public Bathrooms for Children: Design Tips and Inspiration

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We often use the term accessibility when designing spaces for the elderly or for people with special needs. However, to guarantee effective universal design for children, it is necessary to understand and cater to their specific needs as well, especially through ergonomics, safety, lighting, colors, and some particular accessories. In this article, we will cover the most important parameters to consider when choosing dimensions and materials in public bathrooms for young children.

When it comes to a residential renovation,onlysmall adaptations are necessary for children to have the autonomy to use the toilet and sink safely. A stool and a toilet seat cover,attached to the toilet bowl, are effective short-term interventions. In the case of public bathroom projects in schools, parks, gyms, or family areas in shopping centers, for example, there are other important points to consider.

Everycountry has unique rules and instructions regarding safety elements and dimensions to use fordifferent types of construction. For illustrative purposes, we will use toilets for school children in Brazil as an example. Among other technical specifications, the following are recommended:

One of the most important elements toensure safety is the floor, whichmust be non-slip and waterproof. All the coatings must be easy to clean and maintain, even on partition walls thatare only 1.50 meters in height. For the safety of the children, it is essential to check the edge of the floor (especially near the sink area) to eliminate water accumulation. Dimensioning the number of drains correctlycontributes heavily to this end.

As with any type of building at any scale, good lighting is essential. It can contribute to a feeling of security and well-being, two very importantemotions for strengthening children's self-esteem in such an important periodin the formation of their personality.

A reference value for bathrooms, recommended by MEC Brazil, is to make the area of the window at least 1/8 of the total floor area. This formula can also be applied to the natural ventilation of the environment.

Generally, go for bulbs that are cold and intense. Diffuse lighting is the most effective method for ensuring the same level of lighting and comfort at any time of the day (or night). Including enough lightbulbs to light every stall is another key consideration in designing children's bathrooms. Check out some tips for lighting indoor spaces for kids here.

In nurseries,where there is usually a mixture of ages,designers might consider installing sinks at different levels, adapting them to the different heights of the children who will use them.

The sink surface should be installed approximately 40 centimeters from the floor. Additionally, the shape of the faucetis a primary consideration, as the faucet handle or lever must be easy to use forchildren whose motor coordination is not yet fully developed. Designers may even avoid water temperature adjustment systems so as not to add additional difficulty in this phase of learning self-care.

In children's bathrooms, whether unisex or divided by gender, toilet and urinal cups should be installed according to the guidelines of each provider, but always keeping in mind that the average height of a 3-year-old is approximately 95 centimeters.

There are three types of users in children's restrooms: infants, toddlers, and older children. Each one has different needs since they are in very specific periods of development.

For children with special needs, specific toilets and showers should be offered, as well as a bath chair and a sink. The space must be dimensioned so that it is comfortable for the child and their caregivers.

Ideally, bathrooms should be a calm and relaxing environment, especially those with areas for bathing. If your project aims to convey this kind of feeling, you should try to use primarily light colors. If, on the other hand,your design seeks a stimulating environment, it is possible to innovate and take advantage of the many possibilities for colors and shapes offered by cladding for wet areas.

It is important to emphasize once again that we have used illustrative benchmarks in this article. Whenever you design equipment for collective use (children or not), we recommend consulting the specific manuals for each country and type of project.

See also an article on designing safe bathrooms for the elderly.

References

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Public Bathrooms for Children: Design Tips and Inspiration - ArchDaily

Marina Tarasova and John Levy were five months into the renovation of their two-bedroom co-op on the Upper East Side contractor willing, just three months to go! when word came from the co-ops management company in mid-March that all construction and renovation projects would have to stop because of the coronavirus.

Another email soon followed as if for emphasis: The halt would be immediate.

We were beside ourselves, said Ms. Tarasova, the co-founder of Paloma Health, a virtual medical practice. Wed been renting elsewhere and the expense was much more than wed budgeted for. And now the rental would be prolonged.

It isnt exactly news that the coronavirus has upended everyone and everything. Those with an interrupted home renovation have good reason to feel especially unmoored. What should be a haven, their one safe place in the midst of chaos is perhaps now a welter of exposed pipes and partially tiled floors, an Everest of rubble around which they navigate at their own risk, or worse yet, flat-out uninhabitable.

In accordance with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos executive order, certain construction projects like hospitals, homeless shelters and affordable housing are considered essential and thus, permitted to go forward. But apartment alterations appear to be prohibited, said Steven D. Sladkus, a real estate lawyer. Still, he added, even without the governors order, practically all buildings are prohibiting renovations during this time anyway to limit foot traffic.

Nationally, the pandemic has caused almost one out of two contractors to stop work on current projects or delay jobs scheduled to start in the next 30 days, according to a recent survey by the Associated General Contractors of America. Further, 33 percent of those responding to the survey said they had been notified by suppliers that deliveries would be late or canceled altogether.

In these uncertain times, homeowners who are stopped mid-renovation can be certain of at least two things: the project is going to stretch out for months longer than theyd planned and cost far more than theyd anticipated.

Marc Solomon was told by his contractor that 70 to 90 days would be a sufficient chunk of time to allot for the renovation of his one-bedroom co-op in Park Slope. The job included turning the kitchen into a second bedroom, and creating a kitchen/living room area. Accordingly, Mr. Solomon, an associate broker at the real estate firm Compass, and his wife, Rainbow, a stay-at-home mother of two young daughters, signed a lease for a three-month rental nearby, and cleared out.

At the beginning of March, the apartment was gutted. In mid-March, a Sunday night text from a member of the buildings co-op board informed the couple that the renovation was being frozen.

We were devastated, Mr. Solomon said. We were already feeling the anxiety of the pandemic. We had money in the stock market, which was gutted. And now, here we are having to pay our mortgage, our maintenance and our rent. And, he continued, they have to use money they had set aside for the renovation to cover day-to-day expenses.

Of course, having taken that rental close by so they could monitor the progress of their home improvement job more easily, Mr. Solomon and his wife are now reassessing. With the renovation on hold, he said, were not sure why were here and were not sure where were going to go.

Ms. Tarasova is similarly at sea. With the renovation postponed indefinitely, she couldnt justify the outlay for extending the lease on the rental. Instead, the family is bunking with her husbands parents on Long Island.

But when things get back running, Ms. Tarasova said, our apartment still wont be ready immediately and well have to take on the expense of another rental because the commute to Long Island is two hours each way.

Even in the best of times renovations create upheaval. In these particular times, its upheaval squared.

When the one-bedroom next door to hers in a Sutton Place co-op became available last year, Gail Eisen pounced. Shed long wanted to expand her two-bedroom penthouse space; here, finally, was the chance. Im in my 70s and I wanted a project it would be fun, illuminating and a great present to myself, said Ms. Eisen, a former television news producer.

Work began last September and Ms. Eisen was pleasurably contemplating the fantastically large living room and fantastic apartment she would have in six months.

Everything was humming along right on schedule. The walls were plastered, the floors scraped and sanded, the millwork and a wall of cabinets all done. One day in mid-March, Ms. Eisen was in the lobby of her building, and the staff member who stands sentry at the service entrance gave her a somewhat cryptic heads-up: no more. The next day she got the official word from the management company.

You know, if the building wants to protect tenants, you go with the flow and thats all you can do. I still have a habitable place to live and thats the important thing. But time is precious, especially now, so Im not happy about the delay, said Ms. Eisen, who is even less happy about the current state of her living room. Shes sharing it with a washer and dryer, some industrial machinery, a hillock of furniture encased in plastic, a rolled-up carpet, her piano and a poinsettia from last Christmas.

Some, like Ms. Tarasova and Mr. Solomon, were initially hopeful that they could make their co-op boards see reason. My husband and I felt the board was overreaching and how could they control what was going on in our apartment, Ms. Tarasova said.

I was thinking how is this not essential? she continued, referring to the standard for deciding whether businesses can continue operating and projects can progress during the pandemic. I thought we could work something out. I thought the men on our job could wear masks and gloves and just go straight up to our apartment in the morning, stay there and come down at the end of the day.

Mr. Solomon was thinking along somewhat similar lines. Our contractor volunteered to keep one guy in the lobby whose sole job was to sanitize the door handles and such, he said. Alas, the board was having none of it.

Shareholders have pushed back against boards. They all think their circumstances are different. They all think theyre the exception, said Marc Kerner, the owner of Infinity Construction whos also on the board of his co-op on the Upper West Side. But there cant be any exceptions, added Mr. Kerner, who himself is in the middle of renovating his bedroom and bathroom, a project that was stopped a few weeks ago. I had workmen in my apartment who wanted to keep going and I told them they had to leave. I told them, Guys, Im on the board of the building.

In fact, some buildings have been willing to bend the rules just a bit. Pembrooke & Ives, an interior architecture and design firm was in the midst of work on the 6,000-square-foot penthouse of an Upper West Side co-op when they were directed to disappear for the foreseeable future.

We had just installed all the millwork and floors, which would be destroyed if the humidity on the site wasnt controlled, said Alexia Sheinman, Pembrooke & Ives director of branding and communications. We had to make a special arrangement with the building to allow one contractor up every morning to maintain the humidifiers.

A shareholder in the midst of a big renovation elsewhere on the Upper West Side persuaded the board of her co-op to allow the delivery and installation of a stove so that her kitchen would be at least partially functional while she was sheltering in place.

But then she started parsing what Governor Cuomo meant by essential to try to get us to let her workmen continue refinishing the floors, said a member of the board who requested anonymity to avoid conflict with a neighbor. People like that are just selfish.

Delays are likely to continue long after residential buildings open their doors to cabinetmakers and carpenters once again.

Lets assume were back to normal June 1, said Mr. Kerner. Every client with an unfinished project is going to be asking their contractor when can you get here?

And then all the new clients who booked a contractor for a June 1 or July 1 start are also going to be asking when are you going to get here? Mr. Kerner continued. But we cant be everywhere at once. Quality is going to start suffering because we dont have a lot of bench strength in this business.

Meanwhile, Gabriela Gargano, the founder of Grisoro Designs, an interior design firm, is anticipating a scarcity of plumbing fixtures and fittings because of coronavirus-related factory shutdowns, as well as keen competition for luxury materials.

We had several slabs of Calacatta Viola on hold, Ms. Gargano said, referring to a burgundy-veined marble. And we received an urgent call from our vendor about whether we were purchasing it. With all the shipments of marble from Italy on hold until further notice there was a huge spike in demand.

Ms. Tarasova is very gamely trying to look beyond past and future interruptions. Its painful at the moment, but I know this will pass, she said. I just picture us when were finally in our apartment.

But, she added, If people I like are looking for a place, Ill beg them never to buy something that needs renovating.

For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @nytrealestate.

Read more from the original source:
Renovation, Interrupted - The New York Times

Imagine lying in bed in a tiny glass cabin at the foot of Icelands most active volcano and watching the spectacle of the northern lights, or a five-hour-long sunset play out through the transparent roof and walls that surround you. This is the magical reality crafted by Estonian brothers Andreas and Jaak Tiik. The duos company D Homes built a tiny cabin for Panorama Glass Lodge Iceland on a remote site at the foot of the Hekla volcano in the south of Iceland.

D offers a range of "mirror houses"tiny prefab cabins that are often used as guest houses, countryside getaways, and Airbnb accommodations. So far theyve built projects in 12 different countries, including Estonia, Finland, and Norway. The D Iceland home is a bespoke design, based on the clients wishes and strict local building requirements. These impacted everything from the dwellings structural properties and energy efficiency to the pitched roof.

"D Iceland is a house of transparent glass that allows for next-level stargazing from the comfort of your home and bed," says CEO Andreas Tiik. "The apocalyptic scenery is a dramatic matchadd strong howling winds and the comfort of a warm, homely cabin and you get the perfect out-of-this-world hideaway."

Two cabins sit in the vast, empty landscape overlooking the Hekla volcano, around three hours drive fromReykjavk. The front part of each cabinfor sleepingis almost entirely glass, while the rearwhere the living, kitchen and bathroom spaces are locatedis clad in timber for privacy.

D created two identical cabins for Andreas and Sabrina Dedler, who rent them out to guests through their company Panorama Glass Lodge Iceland. The 200-square-foot cabin has all the necessities for livinga bedroom, small living space, kitchenette, and bathroomarranged in a tiny floor plan.

The gable decoration is a Viking element traditionally used to protect homes from danger. The "moon" shape comes from the shape of Viking horns.

Like other D homes, the cabins were constructed in a factory, then delivered and installed on-site in just one day. "D Iceland has been created with the surrounding landscapes in mind," says Tiik. "Transparent glass is a perfect match with the Icelandic nature, letting in as much of its beauty as possible."

The harsh local climateincluding strong winds and acid rain caused by the volcanic landscapewas a particular challenge. The cabin features a copper roof, which is one of the few materials that can cope with acid rain.

D Iceland has a number of sustainable features, including substantial insulation, triple-glazed windows, thermally modified timber, programmable thermostats, and LED lighting.

The bedroom is set at the front of the cabin, which is entirely encased in glass so that guests can sleep under the stars. A more private living/dining space and kitchenette are located to the rear. Black hexagonal tiles on the floor and kitchenette backsplash help to define different zones in the open space.

"D always hopes to make people feel at home," says CEO Andreas Tiik. "This approachfound in the use of materials, the bespoke solutions, and the warmth of the kitchenmakes a house that is meant to be a hotel to feel like a home."

The custom pendant above the dining table was made by a small Lithuanian design studio based on a brief from the client. The black hexagonal tiles help define the different zones in the tiny interior space.

The cabins design is inspired by Viking culture and Nordic mythologyfrom the rustic, handcrafted bed to the symbolic Viking moon element on the roof, and the custom cord and wire pendant above the dining table. Nordic mythological symbols and runes also adorn the exterior of the home.

The two cabins are named Freya and Alva, and feature the runes for "F" and "A" on the exterior timber wall. Signs from Nordic mythology are also found on the back of the houses. "The viking elements and the runes help the cabins fit into Icelandic history," says CEO Andreas Tiik.

"One of the challenges was to accommodate everything necessary in such a small areawe had to maximize every inch of space available," says Tiik. "Large drawers below the bed, for example, provide ample space to stash everything from clothing to additional blankets for chilly nights." The cupboards are also designed to accommodate travelers suitcases.

The bed is custom-made by a local designer according to a brief by the client. It offers ample storage below to make the most of the small space.

The bed features luxurious supima linen and woolen blankets, as well as hand-knit pillows from a local artist.

The "rustic Nordic" kitchen features dark oak cabinets that complement the black hexagonal tiles that climb from the floor to the backsplash. The cabinets have been deliberately left open to create a welcoming atmosphere. "Imagine how cold and closed off the space would look if everything were hidden in cabinets," says Tiik. "Instead, everything is out in the open, creating a space that feels more like a home and less like a storage unit."

The kitchen features oak woodwork, black fixtures and fittings, and black hexagonal tiles that mimic the lines of the local landscape and represent the "basalt columns and moodiness of Iceland".

A door from the kitchen leads into the bathroom, which features copper and stone details and a dramatic wall crafted from geometric 3D tiles. "When the light is turned on, the shadow effect is very eye-catching," says Tiik. "These particular tiles were chosen thanks to the Viking arrow-like pattern, and the industrial-style lights give it a little bit of an underground feeling."

The bathroom has a richly textured material palette, including a copper towel rack, natural stone basin, and white ceramic tiles. The painting reflected in the mirror depicts draumstafir, magical Nordic staves.

One of the major challenges with the large expanses of glass was controlling light in the summer months, when it doesnt get dark at alla phenomenon known as the midnight sun. "These long sunsets can be both beautiful and disturbing," says Tiik. "Therefore, we installed pleated curtains around the bed, which provide privacy as well as shelter from the constant daylight."

The cabins overlook the Hekla volcano, one of Icelands most active volcanoes. It is part of a 25-mile-long volcanic ridge, and during the Middle Ages it was referred to by Europeans as the "Gateway to Hell."

"People visiting D Iceland are immensely impressed by the natural forces that you can enjoy in the comfort of the home," says Tiik. "D Iceland is less an accommodation and more an experiencethe only time that you have to leave the beautiful view is if you fall asleep."

The glass front half of the cabin blurs boundaries between interior and exterior and completely immerses guests in the dramatic surroundings.

Both D Iceland houses have a hot tub at the front overlooking the spectacular scenery. "This makes the experience even more surreal," says CEO Andreas Tiik.

A floor plan of Ds Iceland mirror house shows how the living, sleeping, dining, and bathroom spaces are arranged.

A floor plan and elevations of Ds Iceland mirror house.

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This Tiny Glass Cabin in Remote Iceland Takes Stargazing to the Next Level - Dwell

For the last several years, there has been a debate raging about alternators. One side feels the traditional set up is best, while the other screams the virtues of one-wire units. For that reason, I thought we would focus this weeks Throwback Thursday on One-Wire Or Three-Wire Alternator: Theres No Wrong Choice.

During the 60s and 70s, the output of the alternator was simply used to sustain the power needed to run the engine with the headlights on. The only electrical accessory was an AM radio. There wasnt a need for high-amp alternators. The addition of fog lights, driving lights, amplifiers, and other high-powered accessories had not really hit the market very heavily until the 1980s.

Tuff Stuff alternators are usable in both one- and three-wire installations. With a one-wire install, simply connect the charge wire from the alternator battery post (left) to the battery. Tuff Stuff does recommend upgrading the charge wire to a larger gauge (smaller number), as the factory wiring might not be capable of carrying the extra amperes without melting. If you plan to use the factory three-wire installation, install the charge wire to the post, then remove the black plug (right) and connect your factory two-wire connector.

In the original article, we talked with the professionals at Tuff Stuff Performance to find out if there is a benefit to one or the other. Whether using a one-or three-wire alternator, its function is to recharge the battery. As lights and other accessories draw current from the battery, energy is replenished by the alternator.

To keep the battery fully charged, the alternator must provide more amperes than the accessory load on the battery. A common myth is that a higher amperes-output alternator can hurt the battery. That is not true. If the voltage regulator is properly functioning, it will safely keep the battery fully charged and ready for use.

If you are starting a project from scratch or you want to minimize the number of wires in your engine bay, a one-wire alternator will simplify the installation. The only drawback to using a one-wire alternator in GM vehicles has to do with the ALT warning lamp (idiot light) on the dash. A one-wire alternator doesnt use the two-wire connector which supplies electrical current to facilitate use of the idiot light. The two-wire connector houses the exciter wire, which is responsible for turning off the in-dash light.

Tuff Stuff alternators like the7127,7139, and7140series can be wired to turn off a warning light. To wire a warning light using one of these battery chargers, simply remove the black terminal plug on the housing and connect the R terminal to the warning-light wire.

A major benefit to using a Tuff Stuff alternator is the fact it can be used as a one- or a factory-designed three-wire system. Using the alternator in either instance requires no extra effort on the part of the end-user. If you want to use it as a one wire, connect the charge wire to the battery and alternator, and youre done. If you wish to use the three-wire system, connect the charge wire, remove the black plug at the two-wire terminal location and plug in your wiring. Its that simple.

Theres a lot more in-depth information in the original article, and for that reason, I selected, One-Wire Or Three-Wire Alternator: Theres No Wrong Choice as this weeks Throwback Thursday showcase article.

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Throwback Thursday: To Use A One-Wire Or Three-Wire Alternator - Chevy Hardcore

As announced by Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, new broadband installation is now permitted during the movement control order as the internet is viewed as an essential service. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has also issued a statement on the new directive. Telcos are only allowed to proceed with new broadband installations depending on the risk profile of the location.

According to the MCMC, new installations and troubleshooting at customers home are only permitted if its located in green zones with no confirmed COVID-19 cases. If an area is categorised as yellow and red zones which has positive cases of COVID-19, installations are strictly prohibited.

For restoration works in yellow and red zones, telco technicians are allowed to troubleshoot until the Distribution Point (DP). They are not allowed to enter the premise unless it is a premise that provides essential and critical services. TM has recently issued a similar guideline for installation, restoration, maintenance and installation of new infrastructure during the MCO.

Before a job can be carried out at a customers home, both service provider staff and customers must present their declaration of health. During the installation or troubleshooting, technicians need to comply with customer interaction guidelines set by the respective service providers. According to the MCMC, both parties must have their face masks on and practise social distancing at all times.

Telco technicians are not permitted to enter customer premises in yellow and red zones as it poses a high risk and could cause both workers and customers to be exposed to COVID-19. They added the standard procedure requires service providers to send at least two staff to a customers home to conduct a technical assessment on the suitability for fixed broadband installation.

For those who cant install fixed broadband at their homes, MCMC is urging customers to consider using wireless broadband services. These broadband alternatives are easier to install without any wiring or hacking, and there are various packages offered from telcos through their websites.

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MCMC: Broadband installation and on-site troubleshooting permitted in green zones - SoyaCincau.com

There is a need for a simple, cost-effective way to extend Gigabit coverage deep inside the MDU or the MTU without requiring the installation of fiber. The GAM product enables us to offer a solution to our customers to expand their network coverage quickly and cost effectively.

MONTREAL (PRWEB) April 20, 2020

Positron Access Solutions announces a distribution partnership with Baltic Networks, a leading provider of custom solutions for wired and wireless networking systems. Baltic will leverage the Positron product line to enable Wireless ISPs and Operators with a scalable and cost effective solution that leverages the existing in-building telephone or coaxial infrastructure to deliver Gigabit internet access to each door in Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs).

Positrons G.hn Gigabit Access Multiplexer (GAM) extends fiber or fixed-wireless Gigabit services, over the existing in-building wiring infrastructure, in existing MDUs, office buildings (MTU), home clusters and shopping centers. It delivers managed real-time non-blocking Gigabit speeds without the cost and construction disruption of installing fiber to each door. The GAM enables Gigabit speeds up to 800 feet over existing telephone pairs or up to 2800 feet over existing RG6 coaxial cable, even across existing splitters.

The GAM is a proven, robust, Carrier Grade MEF CE 2.0 compliant product. It is a significantly lower-cost solution and easier to deploy and operate than G.fast, DOCSIS or Fiber to the Door. The GAM is scalable and cost effective even with minimal initial subscriber take rates. With the GAM, Telcos, CableCOs and ISPs now have a tool that can be installed and activated in hours that will provide them with a competitive advantage and a faster path to increased ROI.

Baltic Networks is very excited to be partnering with Positron to make their game changing GAM available to our customer base, said Brian Vargyas, Managing Director at Baltic Networks. There is a need for a simple, cost-effective way to extend Gigabit coverage deep inside the MDU or the MTU without requiring the installation of fiber. The GAM product enables us to offer a solution to our customers to expand their network coverage quickly and cost effectively.

We are very excited to work with Baltic Networks and their customers. Baltic is a strong partner to the WISP market. Several of their WISP customers are already using the GAM to extend their Fixed Wireless and Fiber networks. They deliver Gigabit Services in challenging environments where leveraging the existing in-building wiring infrastructure is the most viable and efficient approach, said Pierre Trudeau, President and CTO at Positron Access Solutions. Together, we allow WISPs and other innovative Operators to gain a competitive edge and provide their subscribers with best-of-breed Broadband services they demand quickly, cost effectively and without construction disruption.

About Baltic NetworksBaltic Networks, founded in 2005, provides cost effective wireless, routing and switching, and fiber solutions. Whether you are a WISP, a hot-spot provider, a digital signage installer or are embarking on the latest fiber deployment, Baltic Networks has a solution for you. As distributors, Baltic Networks offers a complete line of products and custom solutions for wired and wireless networking systems and components, including routers, antennas, backhaul equipment, power supplies, and radios in licensed and un-licensed frequencies and fiber solutions.To learn more about Baltic Networks, please visit: http://www.balticnetworks.com

About Positron Access SolutionsPositron Access Solutions specializes in carrier-grade telecommunications products that increase the bandwidth and the distance at which it can be delivered to subscribers within the core access network and within residential and multi-tenant buildings using existing wiring infrastructure. These include G.hn Gigabit Access Multiplexors (GAM) that provide managed non-blocking symmetrical real time Gigabit bandwidth to subscribers in MDU/MTUs over copper pairs or coax. They deliver Gigabit at significantly longer distances, with greater stability, reduced complexity and lower cost than G.fast or DOCSIS and much lower cost than fiber solutions. Positrons solution portfolio also includes bonded copper solutions for mobile backhaul, core transport, access and edge aggregation and DSL amplifiers. Our products are developed, manufactured and supported in North America.To learn more about Positron Access Solutions, please visit: http://www.positronaccess.com

For more information, please contact: Sales Department, Baltic NetworksPhone: 630-929-3610, ext. 601sales@balticnetworks.com

Sandra CohenDirector of Marketing, Positron Access SolutionsPhone: 514-345-2239scohen@positronaccess.com

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Positron Access Solutions and Baltic Networks Announce Distribution Partnership - PR Web

Microsoft is currently building a new Spotlight-like launcher app for Windows 10. Designed to replace the existing Win + R shortcut, the new launcher will include options to quickly search apps and files across Windows and support for plugins like calculators, dictionaries, and search engines.

The software giant has been working on the launcher since January, and an initial public beta is planned for May. An early version of the launcher will support basic search tasks that are typically handled by the built-in Windows Start menu search functionality. But there are plans to make this a more powerful launcher thats similar to Alfred on macOS and more functional than Apples Spotlight search.

For most Windows users the Start menu search will be enough, as it acts as a basic launcher of sorts. Power users demand more, and the built-in search doesnt include plugins or the ability to add custom web searches, snippets, and more. The Start menu search also forces you into Bing search results and opens the Edge browser for any web queries.

Microsoft is working with the open-source community and apps like Wox to integrate plugins. UX designer Niels Laute created a concept design for the launcher back in February, and Microsoft is adopting some of Lautes code so the launcher has a modern design.

Its one of many PowerToys that Microsoft is actively developing, and Microsoft is looking for help naming the app. Microsoft originally brought back PowerToys last year to allow anyone to improve Windows 10 for power users, and the first set arrived in September. Microsoft originally introduced the concept of PowerToys back in Windows 95. The apps were a quick way for Windows engineers to test prototype features, and Microsoft soon packaged some of the best ones into PowerToys bundles.

The current Win + R functionality is outdated and used by Windows power users to launch cmd prompts, regedit, powershell instances, and even shortcuts to areas in Windows like the Control Panel. This new launcher will support all of the same commands that Run does currently in Windows, but the hope is that it will be a powerful alternative that the community of Windows power users can build on.

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Microsofts new Spotlight-like launcher for Windows 10 will arrive in May - The Verge

Old-school PC users will fondly remember PowerToys for Windows 95 and XP a set of semi-official utilities that let you tweak operating system features and behaviours that werent normally customisable. Now, Windows 10 has its own set of PowerToys. There are currently just three toys available, compared to the 15 that launched for Windows 95, but the collection is growing over time and rather than developing PowerToys as an in-house project, Microsoft is hosting them on GitHub and allowing third-party contributors to develop and contribute their own. Heres our guide to the first tranche of Windows 10 PowerToys, with a look ahead to whats coming soon.

To run PowerToys, youll need to be using Windows 10 build 17134 or later. This was released back in early 2018, so as long as youve kept up to date with your patches, that shouldnt be an issue. At the moment, PowerToys only supports Intel processors, but a revision for versions of Windows running on ARM is in development. Note that youll need a 64-bit version of the OS, too: recent posts in the PowerToys support forums suggest that there are no plans for 32-bit support.

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If youre ready to install PowerToys, you can download the installer here: look in the uppermost Assets section for the latest installer file. At the time of writing, the current version is called PowerToysSetup-0.16.1-x64.msi, although the version number may have gone up by the time you download it.

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You can also install PowerToys from either the Command Prompt or PowerShell, using the Chocolatey package manager. Simply run the command choco install powertoys to fetch the code and as new builds are released, you can upgrade with choco upgrade powertoys.

Once youve installed PowerToys, an icon will appear at the right of the taskbar (and then disappear into the hidden icons stack after a few seconds of idleness). Click it to open the PowerToys Settings UI, in which you can switch the individual PowerToys on and off.

Of the three currently available PowerToys, FancyZones is our favourite: the other two are useful utilities that you might use a few times a month, but for us this one is a daily must-have.

What does it do? Well, youll already know that holding down the Windows key while pressing the cursor keys causes your active window to snap to one edge of the screen, making it easy to organise multiple apps side by side. FancyZones takes this idea much further, underpinning the default layouts with a more finely grained grid, a range of preset arrangements and the option to create custom layouts to suit your needs.

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You can switch between five predefined layouts from the FancyZones overlay; the documentation claims that you can bring this up by pressing Windows+`, but this didnt work for us. However, you can pick any key combination you like by opening FancyZones from the PowerTools sidebar, clicking in the Configure the zone editor hotkey box and pressing your chosen shortcut.

Once youve picked a layout, try holding down Shift and dragging a window around your screen: youll see multiple zones overlaid on your desktop, with each one highlighted as the mouse pointer reaches it. Dropping the window over a highlighted zone instantly resizes it to fill that region. If you prefer to use the keyboard, you can override Windows existing shortcuts for snapping apps by clicking the switch to activate Override Windows Snap hotkeys to move windows between zones in the FancyZones settings.

These predefined layouts make FancyZones useful straight out of the box, but it really comes into its own when you create your own layouts. To do this, click Edit zones and Custom, followed by Edit selected layout (at present, you wont have any custom layouts configured so this will create a new one).

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Now enter a name for your new layout: weve called ours Writing and research, as its intended for writing articles, but almost any task where you need to have multiple apps in view simultaneously can benefit from a custom configuration. Next, click the Add new zone button above and drag the edges of the grey frame that appears below the zone-editing dialog until it occupies the part of the screen you want to use. Then click Add new zone again and repeat the process to define the next snapping zone. Carry on until youve created your desired layout, remembering that you dont have to use every available pixel. Nor do your zones have to be completely separate from one another: you can overlap sections if you want windows to sit in front of each other when in use.

Finally, click Save and apply, and try Shift-dragging your windows around the screen again. As you can see from the screengrab to the left, our custom grid comprises a large window to the left and a smaller window to the right. The idea is to have a full-width word processor and a smaller browser window for reference, but if the mood takes us were free to switch them around or to use a completely different pair of programs, such as Excel in the smaller window and Mahjong in the larger.

Using the Windows File Explorer to rename a folder full of files means clicking and typing a new name for each one in turn a slow and tiresome process. The Command Prompt is much faster, letting you rename multiple files with a single command, but the syntax can be complex, and getting it wrong could have frustrating consequences.

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PowerRename combines the efficiency of batch processing with a user-friendly front-end. To use it, you simply navigate to the folder that contains the files you want to rename, select the ones you want to work with, then right-click and select PowerRename from the context menu.

The PowerRename window will now open, prompting you to enter text in the Search for field, and specify what you want to replace it with in the Replace box. As an example, lets consider a folder full of Windows screengrabs, which are automatically named with the date and time of their capture. If we want (for whatever reason) to make it look like all of the grabs wed taken in December 2019 were actually captured in March 2020, we can search for 2019-12- and replace it with 2020-03-.

Just as if you were using the find and replace function in a word processor, the rest of each filename is left the same. And to reassure you that youve entered the right terms, PowerRename includes a terrifically helpful Preview pane, so you can see exactly what the effect of your input will be before you hit the Rename button.

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Thats a powerful capability on its own, but its just the start of PowerRenames potential. Lets suppose we want to change the day as well as the month: if you just used the Search and Replace fields, youd need to run the process 31 times to catch all the different dates. Thankfully, thats not necessary as PowerRename also supports regular expressions, better known as regex.

Regular expressions are a sophisticated system of wildcards. You probably already know that the asterisk character, when used in a search term, matches everything so searching for *.png will return all files with the appropriate extension. Regex takes this idea much further, with a wide range of operators to differentiate between letters, numbers and special characters, as well as specifying things such as maximum string lengths. This means you can use it to build complex search equations that precisely match specific criteria.

If youre feeling daunted, dont worry. As weve mentioned, the Preview pane takes the guesswork out of using wildcards and you dont need to master the whole regex system to take advantage of it. You can use as many or as few of the regex features as you want for each search.

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This is best illustrated with a couple of examples, starting with our idea of changing the day component of each filename. We can do this using the regex operator d, which stands in for any single digit. First, we need to click the Use Regular Expressions and Match All Occurences [sic] boxes below the search and replace fields; then we can set our search term to 2019-12-dd, and set the Replace text to (for example) 2020-03-01. This will change the filename on every screenshot captured during December 2019 to indicate that it was in fact taken on 1 March 2020.

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What if you wanted to replace the numerical month with the word March? In this case, you could search for 2019-dd-dd, then put 1 March 2020 in the Replace box. And to include files created in November as well as December, you could use the syntax [x|y], which means either x or y. Search for 2019-[11|12]-dd and all files from either November or December 2019 will be returned.

Clearly, regex is a wildly powerful tool, with more potential than we can fully go into here. Its something thats well worth learning if youre frequently going to use PowerRename or the Windows Subsystem for Linux, which includes full support for regular expressions. As a starting point, check out the primer that Microsoft itself recommends at pcpro.link/307regex.

After the powerful, practical potential of the first two PowerToys, the third may seem like something of a damp squib. Shortcut Guide brings up a desktop overlay when you hold down the Windows key for a second, showing a list of keyboard shortcuts you can use to access specific Windows functions such as Windows+H for dictation, Windows+S for search and so on. Let go of the key and it instantly vanishes again.

Shortcut Guide has no further function of its own, but if youre the sort of person who likes to use Windows in the quickest and most efficient way, its a handy reference and could well introduce you to some speedy desktop shortcuts you never knew about.

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