Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

MIGDAL HAEMEK, Israel & WILSONVILLE, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

TowerJazz, the global specialty foundry leader, has announced the Mentors Calibre PERC rule decks are now available for TowerJazz customers to perform circuit reliability verification for its latest 0.18 micron products, including highly customized electrostatic discharge (ESD) and power management circuit checks. Many of these checks have been automated for the first time by taking advantage of the Calibre PERC products unique ability to combine schematic (netlist) and physical layout information.

The Calibre PERC checks include: ESD CDM verification confirming that the transistor gate is not connected directly to a PAD, ESD protection on the IO PAD, and power management propagation rules to avoid HV signals connected to a low voltage device or domain. For each of the above, TowerJazz implemented a topological check as well as a specific layout DRC. During 2013, the design kit will be further enhanced to include comprehensive rule checks to support mutual customers with the most advanced deck. The 0.13 technology release will be available upon customer demand.

TowerJazz is using Calibre PERC technology to help our customers achieve their reliability objectives by providing rule decks that perform advanced checks during signoff, said Ori Galzur, Vice President of the TowerJazz VLSI Design Center. Our advanced design kits implement special ESD rules, charge device modeling (CDM), and power management propagation checks related to our specific technology. By eliminating many potential reliability issues at the design stage, the TowerJazz solution helps shorten time to market and drive long-term product success for our customers.

Customers are demanding higher reliability in all types of electronic products using complex ICs, from automobiles to mobile phones, said Carey Robertson, Director of Product Marketing for Calibre Circuit Verification at Mentor Graphics. The Calibre PERC platform provides circuit reliability checking technology that goes beyond the scope of traditional DRC and ERC tools, so designers and foundries can implement highly complex checks that are customized to specific design styles and foundry manufacturing processes.

Information on TowerJazz design kits for power and reliability checking using Calibre PERC is available on the TowerJazz website (www.towerjazz.com) as well as the Mentor website (www.mentor.com) and also from TowerJazz sales representatives.

About TowerJazz

Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (TSEM)(TSEM.TA), its fully owned U.S. subsidiary Jazz Semiconductor Ltd., and its fully owned Japanese subsidiary TowerJazz Japan, Ltd., operate collectively under the brand name TowerJazz, the global specialty foundry leader. TowerJazz manufactures integrated circuits with geometries ranging from 1.0 to 0.13-micron, offering a broad range of customizable process technologies including: SiGe, BiCMOS, Mixed-Signal and RFCMOS, CMOS Image Sensor, Power Management (BCD), and Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) as well as CMOS and MEMS capabilities. TowerJazz also offers a world-class design enablement platform that complements its sophisticated technology and enables a quick and accurate design cycle. In addition, TowerJazz provides (TOPS) Technology Optimization Process Services to IDMs as well as fabless companies that need to expand capacity, or progress from an R&D line to a production line. To provide multi-fab sourcing, TowerJazz maintains two manufacturing facilities in Israel, one in the U.S., and one in Japan with additional capacity available in China through manufacturing partnerships. For more information, please visit http://www.towerjazz.com.

Safe Harbor Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary from those projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. A complete discussion of risks and uncertainties that may affect the accuracy of forward-looking statements included in this press release or which may otherwise affect TowerJazzs business is included under the heading "Risk Factors" in Towers most recent filings on Forms 20-F, F-3, F-4 and 6-K, as were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) and the Israel Securities Authority and Jazzs most recent filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, as were filed with the SEC, respectively. Tower and Jazz do not intend to update, and expressly disclaim any obligation to update, the information contained in this release.

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TowerJazz Releases Rule Decks for Advanced ESD and Power Domain Checking Using Mentor’s Calibre PERC

Natural stone is the preferred choice of discerning designers for a variety of uses. In the kitchen, in the bathroom and in workrooms and laundry rooms, granite and other natural stones are beautiful, last forever, and are easy to clean and keep clean. Learn how to buy granite countertops and revitalize your home with the beauty that only nature can provide.

What is granite? A durable and unique stone, granite consists of crystallized minerals compacted under great pressure deep in the Earth's mantle. Because of its natural formation, there is a wide variation in color and appearanceeven with similar types of stone.

Where should granite be used? Countertops in the kitchen are a perfect place for granite because of the durability and resistance to breakage and staining, according to the Marble Institute of America. Granite is heat tolerant up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit and resists the growth of bacteria.

How to buy granite countertops? Granite is widely available and sourced from around the world. Much of the U.S. supply is quarried locally with the balance imported from Brazil and India. Sources include big-box home improvement stores, designers, architects, builders and independent stone suppliers. Do your homework and consider the following factors before buying granite.

ColorGranite comes in a wide variety of natural colorsfrom pale beige and blush to pure black with reds, greens and multicolored tones. The beauty of natural stone is the variations and character that make each piece completely unique.

FinishGranite is available in polished and honed finishes. Honed granite has a satiny matte finish that is luxurious and richly burnished. Polished granite has a glossy shine that is easy to clean. More unusual finish options include leathered, brushed and antiqued. Each finish has strengths and weakness, so be sure to pick the best finish for your location.

CostShop around to verify pricing for granite in your area. Your builder or designer should also be able to steer you in the right direction. Visit online estimator websites as well. Homewyse has a handy calculator that takes quality, square footage and ZIP code into consideration when supplying an estimate.

Visit the stone supplier and hand select your stone if possible. This is also the time to go over edge profile options, backsplashes and finish choices. Set up time for a template and estimate. When ordering stone from a supplier, be sure to verify references. Brought to you by: American Profile

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How to Buy Granite Countertops

Business leaders are scrambling to take their organizations deeper into the cloud, leverage the growing amount of data about their customers, and protect their companies from new security threats. Enterprise architects are usually their first call when it comes to bringing order to IT business process chaos, but EAs are also having to adapt to the very same trends impacting corporations.

Those tasked with helping organizations better manage their processes are themselves having to manage a lot of change these days.

Enterprise architects are looking at several trends impacting their roles in the business world -- the growth of cloud computing, the arrival of big data, more security challenges and the overall rate of technological advances.

These are the topics discussed at conferences, and the feedback from EAs at these events ranges from struggles in defining their roles so they can remain relevant, to embracing the new opportunities that can help businesses drive transformation.

A panel of enterprise architecture experts discussed the trends, challenges and opportunities in their field at the recent Open Group Conference.

The panelists included Chris Forde, general manager for Asia-Pacific and vice president of Enterprise Architecture at The Open Group; Iver Band, vice chair of The Open Group ArchiMate Forum and enterprise architect at The Standard, a financial services company; Mike Walker, senior enterprise architecture adviser and strategist at HP and former Director of Enterprise Architecture at Dell; Henry Franken, the chairman of The Open Group ArchiMate Forum and managing director at BIZZdesign, and Dave Hornford, chairman of the Architecture Forum at The Open Group and managing partner at Conexiam.

The discussion was led by Dana Gardner, Principal Analyst at Interarbor Solutions.

Here are some excerpts:

Dana Gardner: When it's a dynamic environment, lots of change, lots of movement, the enterprise architects' value can go up. If things were slow, constant and predictable, perhaps their value wouldn't be as high. Any thoughts about that?

Henry Franken: Well, sure. What you see is that the challenge within large organizations on business transformation is increasing and the number of good enterprise architects is small, so their value increases. It's simple mathematics.

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With Business Foundations Shaking, Good Enterprise Architects Are Hard to Find

Houston school district administrators are asking the Board of Education for authority to negotiate contracts with three firms on three more 2012 bond projects, including Grady Middle School, Condit Elementary, and the Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion K-8 School.

The board will consider the recommendations at its regular meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 7, in the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, 4400 West 18th St.

HISD officials spent several weeks reviewing qualifications submitted by 85 architectural and engineering firms seeking to do work with the district under the 2012 bond program, which will build or renovate 40 schools across the district, fund middle school restroom renovations, technology upgrades, and safety and security upgrades.

The firms recommended as most qualified for the selected projects are:

Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion K-8 School (new facility) -- PBK Architects

Grady Middle School (new addition) -- Natex Corp.

Condit Elementary School (new facility) --VLK Architects

The recommendations are the latest in the $1.89 billion bond program approved by voters last November. On Feb. 14, the school board authorized the district to execute contracts with eight firms for selected projects, as follows:

Middle school restroom renovations -- Robert Adams, Inc.; VCS; English & Associates, Inc.; and Courtney Harper + Partners, Inc.

North Houston Early College High School (new facility) -- RdlR Architects, Inc.

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HISD recommending architects for three Examiner-area schools; board meets Thursday

Wood WORKS! BC 2013 Green Building Award recipient: Peter Busby, Perkins + Will |Centre for Interactive Research

VANCOUVER, March 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Coastal BC swept the 2013 Wood WORKS! BC Wood Design Awards, with projects of the winning architects and structural engineers located in and around Vancouver and the Gulf Islands, including three projects on the UBC campus.

More than 350 distinguished design and building professionals, including architects, engineers, project teams, industry sponsors and guests gathered this evening to honour the nominees and winners of the 2013 Wood WORKS! BC Wood Design Awards. The 9th annual awards evening at the Vancouver Convention Centre (West) recognized leadership and innovation in wood use while being an opportunity to publicly salute and celebrate continued excellence in the building and design community.

There were 98 nominations in 12 categories for the 2013 awards from all over the province, as well as some national and international submissions, including one by a BC architect for a project located in Tajikistan and another in the Yukon. "We are truly amazed by both the structural and architectural uses of wood; we are seeing innovation beyond anything we could have imagined a decade ago," explained Wood WORKS! BC executive director Mary Tracey. "Builders and designers have always embraced wood for its beauty and sustainability, and now with technological advances in wood products, they are recognizing it as a building material that offers them opportunities to create distinctive and expressive projects because of its remarkable versatility, flexibility and cost-effectiveness. The project teams are exploring wood's potential and advancing the science and art of wood design and building which are the goals of our awards program."

The panel of five judges included Henry Hawthorn, Architect (retired); Tom Guenther, P.Eng. Chair - Civil Engineering Department,Okanagan College; Douglas MacLeod, Ph.D., MRAIC, Chair - RAIC Centre for Architecture, Athabasca University; Thomas Tannert, Ph.D. Associate Chair - Wood Building Design and Construction, UBC; and Dwight Yochim, RPF, Executive Director -Truck Loggers Association.

The Wood Champion Award was presented to Vancouver-based and internationally renowned structural consulting engineering firm, Equilibrium Consulting. Its principals, Eric Karsh and Robert Malczyk were chosen for their work on such projects as City of North Vancouver Civic Centre Renovation and Prince George Airport. Founded in 1998, this firm has been successfully involved in over 800 projects world-wide, including many award-winning designs. The BC architect who nominated this firm for the 2013 Wood Champion Award had this to say about Equilibrium Consulting: "As architects that are fascinated by structure, we ask a lot of them in pushing the limits of wood technology. They always deliver for us and have helped us create some very unique technical solutions. Their ability to resource solutions from Europe and adapt them to Canada has been exemplary for improving the wood design industry as a whole". Elegant solutions with brilliant engineering are the hallmarks of this esteemed firm.

Equilibrium co-founder and principal Eric Karsh was also the recipient of the Engineer Award. He was honoured this evening for his commercial, residential and institutional projects, all of which provide innovative, sustainable structural solutions. His showcase project, City of North Vancouver Civic Centre Renovation was deemed to demonstrate a highly-innovative use of wood and the jury appreciated his ability to push the envelope on the design. "For many years, this engineer has chosen not to take the easy route, and has encouraged and supported advances in wood design," stated the nomination. As a leader in the field of timber engineering, Eric Karsh is the engineer of record for numerous award-winning projects, including the Earth Sciences Building at UBC and the Raleigh Durham Airport.

In addition to finding solutions for large scale commercial projects, he has been actively promoting solid wood construction as a viable alternative to concrete, and as an answer to going taller with wood. He is also co-author of the widely publicized "Tall Wood" report (co-authored with BC architect Michael Green, principal at Michael Green Architecture, formerly principal at mgb ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN), which introduces a structural concept to build timber high-rises of 30 storeys or more, even in high seismic zones such as Vancouver.

Kimberley Smith and Bo Helliwell of Helliwell + Smith Blue Sky Architecture, West Vancouver, architects whose names are synonymous with innovative architecture, were the recipients of the Architect Award. The principals of this firm acknowledge it has taken decades of practice to understand the economy and versatility of both conventional wood frame, and timber post and beam construction. The appreciation for wood is evident in their designs which encompass residential, multi-family and commercial projects. They continue to experiment with exposed timber frame structures and new wood products, as well as traditional wood products - in-turn developing an architecture that is expressive, economical and lasting. The ingenious use of organic, flowing spaces in their designs suggest that wood is a malleable material, not confined to straight lines and right angles. Their award winning work has been widely published and exhibited locally and internationally.

The Wood Innovation Award recognizes creative and innovative approaches in the use of wood in building design, product design and/or processes. The winners of this category were Vancouver-based Peter Busby and Jim Huffman of Perkins + Will for their project, VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre in Vancouver. This remarkable project creates a harmonious balance between architecture and landscape, and features extensive wood products, including a complex panelized roof structure. With wood as the primary building material, the wood provided an added environmental benefit - it sequesters enough carbon for the project to achieve carbon neutrality. The jury applauded the structural expression of the roof, calling it highly-dramatic and very innovative. It is the first building in Canada to register for the Living Building Challenge, the most stringent measurement of sustainability in the built environment.

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Winning architects , structural engineers and project teams enthral and inspire at 2013 BC Wood Design Awards

Real Estate Bathroom Remodeling Requires A Plan

The bathroom is the smallest room in most houses and, along with the kitchen, one of the two rooms most often remodeled.

Limited space is typically the chief constraint in a bathroom remodeling project. That's because the usual floor plan is only about 8 feet by 5 feet, and once the essentials are in place, there's not a lot of room for anything else, says Jim Bateman, owner of Bateman Custom Construction, a home remodeling company in Fairfax, Va.

"If the typical bathroom is all the space that's available, you're kind of restricted in what you can do. You have to look at ways to make it prettier, or choose things that might make it more functional, (such as) a walk-in shower instead of a tub bath," he says.

One way to overcome the constraint is to enlarge the bathroom. That can be done by incorporating an adjacent closet, hallway, part of a bedroom or merging two back-to-back bathrooms together. Bateman recalls one couple who converted an unused child's bedroom into a master bath. With that much space, it's possible to include a separate tub and shower, Roman or Jacuzzi tub, dual showers, double large-bowl sinks, or even multiple big fixtures.

The shower, tub or combo question is crucial because any configuration will consume a big chunk of floor space in a bathroom remodeling job.

Today, big showers are "in," according to Robert Criner, president of Criner Remodeling, a home remodeling company in Newport News, Va.

"We take more tubs out," Criner says. "But always leave one in the house, at least, for children or resale."

A shower big enough for two is an especially hot item in bathroom remodeling projects, and doesn't have to be hospital-like, but it can be functional and attractive.

"If you're 30, you think, 'This is going to be fun.' If you're 60, you're thinking, 'I can get some assistance.' It works for both ages," Criner says.

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Bathroom remodeling without draining your wallet

By Steve Patterson

ST. LOUIS COUNTY (KSDK) - A massive pile of post-market roofing shingles is dwarfing homeowners in one north St. Louis County neighborhood.

After trucks packed with the shingles swarmed the area for months, dropping nails, puncturing tires and creating a mountain of waste, fed up residents called NewsChannel 5 looking for help.

Nearly eight months ago, an Oklahoma-based LLC called Genex Recycling became licensed with St. Louis County in a lot zoned N1 for commercial use. The purpose was to import post-market shingles from contractors and export them to have the waste safely recycled.

That never happened.

Since late July, the pile of waste has been growing larger. It now towers above local homes in the area.

"No one told us anything about what was going on. They we're coming in here almost 24-7," said resident Kenneth Pitts about the number of trucks that would drive through the neighborhood delivering shingles. "I didn't move here to be across from a landfill. That's what we have over here."

The trucks were loud and dropped roofing nails all over the local roads. Neighbors and commuters reported dozens of flat tires. An employee at a local Firestone Tire said he saw upwards of five people a day with flats during the summer.

Both the St. Louis County Health Department and Department of Public Works are involved. In January, the County filed a $500 citation against Genex Managing Partner Scott Yelton. Yelton, based in Oklahoma, failed to respond. Weeks later, the Public Works Department followed up by pushing for prosecution with the County Counsel.

In late February, a few days after NewsChannel 5 started investigating county supervisors revoked Yelton and Genex's right to operate.

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Mountain of roofing shingles plagues county neighborhood

PEABODY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. (BECN) (Beacon or the Company) announced today that Joseph M. Nowicki has accepted the position of Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Beacon effective March 25, 2013. Mr. Nowicki will oversee Finance, Information Technology and Investor Relations and will be located in our Herndon, VA office.

Mr. Nowicki has been the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for Spartan Motors, Inc. (SPAR) (Spartan), a public company, since June 2009. Spartan designs, engineers, manufactures, and distributes specialty chassis, specialty vehicles, truck bodies and aftermarket parts for the recreational vehicle, emergency response, government services, defense, and delivery and service markets. Spartan reported annual sales of $471 million for 2012. Prior to his tenure with Spartan, Mr. Nowicki was with Herman Miller, Inc. from 1992 through 2009 where he held progressive financial roles, lastly as Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasurer. Mr. Nowicki also held past financial positions with IBM and General Motors. He is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Canisius College and an MBA from the University of Michigan. He will be relocating along with his wife, Tammy, to the Herndon, VA area.

Paul Isabella, the Companys President & Chief Executive Officer, stated: Joe has a strong history of leading the finance function and has very broad base experience that makes him a perfect fit for Beacon. We feel very fortunate to bring a talented executive with his depth of financial, operations and continuous improvement experience to our team. Joes extensive background and leadership experience will be an important asset to us as we continue to grow. Under his guidance and oversight, our strong finance and IT teams and disciplined financial culture will continue to serve the Company well in the years ahead.

Mr. Nowicki stated: I am very excited about joining Beacon and I look forward to helping the leadership team continue their growth and track record of consistent profitability. I am impressed with their leadership team and past accomplishments, including their successful integration of many acquisitions. The Company is highly respected in the industry and has a strong balance sheet and sound infrastructure. Beacon is positioned nicely for continued expansion across North America and I intend to use my skills and past experiences to facilitate that growth in the future along with driving overall business improvements.

About Beacon Roofing Supply Inc.:

Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. is a leading distributor of roofing materials and complementary building products, operating 228 branches in 38 states in the United States and across Canada. The Companys fiscal year 2012 sales exceeded $2 billion.

Forward-Looking Statements:This release contains information about management's view of the Company's future expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including, but not limited to, those set forth in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's latest Form 10-K. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so other than as required by federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. BECN-F

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Beacon Roofing Supply Appoints Joseph M. Nowicki as Chief Financial Officer

Jabs Construction, Inc. was awarded the "Best of the Best" designation for excellence in Kitchen Remodeling Virginia by Follow Media Consulting, Inc.

Washington DC (PRWEB) March 04, 2013

Jabs Construction Inc. is a full-service design/build residential remodeling company. They are a Virginia Class "A" licensed contractor. Jabs Construction also serves the following areas: Prince William County; to include Lake Ridge, Montclair, Ashland, Woodbridge; Stafford County and Fairfax County; to include Mt. Vernon, Gunstan Hall, Springfield.

The company was started in 1978 as a small family business and maintains that structure today with Jabs Construction still being owned, operated and managed by members of the Jabs Family. Their office staff, master carpenters and experienced crew follow through on all aspects of the project to provide our clients with the attention they deserve and a timely, quality constructed, finished product.

Jabs Construction provides complete contracting services for projects ranging from small trim repairs to whole-house remodeling with an emphasis on house additions, kitchen remodels and bathroom remodels. Many of their projects have been recognized with various design awards. This full-service approach allows Jabs Construction to provide complete contracting services. They will provide a design concept, complete the final design, provide cost estimate and options, and construct the remodeling project.

Visit their website at http://www.jabsinc.com.

About Follow Media Consulting, Inc.

Named one of the best SEO companies by Jonas Marketing, Follow Media Consulting, Inc. is a rapidly growing worldwide firm of SEO, Social Media, and Mobile Marketing Professionals. Follow Media Consulting, Inc. headquarters is located in Richmond, VA. However, our professional team is networked across the world, with regional offices across the United States, in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, South Africa, the Philippines, and India.

Tom Marshall Follow Media Consulting, Inc. 800-909-7648 Email Information

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Kitchen Remodeling Virginia 'Best of the Best' Awarded to Jabs Construction, Inc. for Excellence by Follow Media ...

Real Estate Kitchen Remodeling Entails Patience, Prep

It's no secret to Realtors that fabulous kitchens sell homes. Improve the room used primarily for food preparation, and the entire house will feel homier to residents, guests and prospective buyers alike.

The appeal of a modern kitchen is so powerful that Robert Criner, president of Criner Remodeling, a home remodeling company in Newport News, Va., says homeowners should consider remodeling an outdated or dysfunctional kitchen regardless of how long they intend to keep the home.

"A lot of people think they aren't going to sell for two or three years," Criner says. "Then they realize right before they decide to sell: I have to put a facelift on the kitchen. Why not do it now, and enjoy it for three or four years, and then it's modernized and ready to sell when you get to that point?"

The first step in a major kitchen remodeling project should be an inspection by a structural engineer, says Gary Henley, president of Henley Homes, a home remodeling company in Liberty Hill, Texas.

Some homeowners are tempted to dive right in, tearing out walls themselves to save time, but Henley says proper investigative work upfront is crucial to ensure the remodeling work is structurally sound.

Patience is required as well.

"You see these programs that do a kitchen in three days," Henley says. "People in the real world know that's not practical. A set of custom cabinets takes about four weeks to get built from the time you put them in production. You can buy off-the-shelf cabinetry, but it probably won't fit the space the way the homeowners want it to fit."

The so-called work triangle that connects the sink, refrigerator and stove is a time-honored principal of kitchen design. The traditional school of thought aims to minimize steps along the sides of the triangle to save time during meal preparation.

Not everyone thinks a small triangle is a must, but the concept is worth considering, especially if a big kitchen is envisioned, says Jim Bateman, owner of Bateman Custom Construction, a home remodeling company in Fairfax, Va.

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Kitchen remodeling requires patience, reflection