Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

BUDAPEST, Hungary, July 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- GRAPHISOFT, the global leader in Building Information Modeling (BIM) solutions for architects, announced today that ArchiCAD 16's global rollout process has begun. In addition, the company unveiled its BIMComponents.comGDL objects portal, a cloud-based database thatallows users to create, search, upload, and download custom BIM components of their choice.

The release of ArchiCAD 16 delivers key functionality to end users including the brand new MORPH tool, an optimal solution for creating custom BIM components, custom structures, and custom elements of the built environment, as well as custom-designed building interiors. Built-in Energy Evaluation allows architects working with ArchiCAD 16 to perform reliable dynamic energy evaluations of their BIM model within ArchiCAD, using BIM geometry analysis and accurate, hour-by-hour online weather data of the building's location. BIMComponents.com, a cloud-based, ArchiCAD-integrated community database, allows users to create, search, upload, and download custom BIM components of their choice directly within their native BIM application.

Shipping started with the International, US and German versions the first three of 26 local versions that will reach the market by the end of Q3 2012. For more information about ArchiCAD 16 please visit: http://www.graphisoft.com/products/archicad/

About GRAPHISOFTGRAPHISOFT ignited the BIM revolution with ArchiCAD, the industry first BIM software for architects. GRAPHISOFT continues to lead the industry with innovative solutions such as the revolutionary GRAPHISOFT BIM Server, the world's first real-time BIM collaboration environment, and the GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner, the world's first fully integrated building energy modeling application. GRAPHISOFT's innovative solutions have fundamentally changed the way architects around the world design and collaborate. GRAPHISOFT has been a part of theNemetschek Group since its acquisition in 2007.

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GRAPHISOFT Ships ArchiCAD 16, Launches BIMComponents.com

SJB Architects has appointed Oliver Mayger as a director in its Melbourne office. Originally from Britain, Mr Mayger joined SJB in 2006 and became an associate in 2007. Since joining SJB, he has been integral to big projects, including the RACV Healesville Country Club and the residential apartment projects, A Place to Live in Richmond, and Green Square in Abbotsford, for Salta Properties. Before joining SJB, Mr Mayger worked in Britain and Western Australia. He joins SJB Architects' existing directors, Michael Bialek, Tony Battersby, Owen Chow and Alfred de Bruyne. The appointment coincides with the retirement of SJB founder and director Charles Justin, who began the practice in 1976 with Mr Bialek and Alan Synman.

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BVN won the 2012 Sulman Architecture Award at the Australian Institute of Architects Awards, becoming the first architecture practice to win seven Sulman awards since the award was first presented in 1932. It is 22 years since BVN received its first Sulman award, with the latest award given for the Ravenswood School for Girls' Mabel Fidler building, which contains a library and resource hub, in Gordon, Sydney. The jury noted the ''elegant planning, the sheer delight of the library space and strong sculptural presence'', terming it ''a fine model for a school of the future''.

Real estate firm CBRE has expanded its valuation and advisory services with the launch of a national rating and taxing division. Kate Adams has joined CBRE to establish the division after five years with m3property and three years with Valuer-General Victoria. CBRE Rating and Taxing will assist owners and tenants in reviewing valuation-based statutory assessments that are utilised to levy rates and land tax.

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New director at SJB

Green roofing systems already exist in the form of gardens and agriculture installations. One company, though, has introduced tile roofing that mitigates air pollution. Boral Roofing LLC, which provides sustainable clay and tile roofing solutions, provides a smog-eating roof technology that significantly reduces nitrogen oxide, a key component of smog, and was confirmed by a one-year study.

BoralPure Smog-Eating Tile helps reduce the formation of smog and is installable on both residential and commercial buildings. Boral Roofing boasts that it is the only company that offers a concrete tile roofing solution within the United States that mitigates air pollution.

The technology works via catalysts embedded in each tile that speed up oxidation when they are exposed to sunlight. Each roof tile contains a micro-mortar surface with a titanium dioxide (TiO2) coating. Through a chemical reaction between the TiO2 coating and nitrogen oxide, the tiles are capable of breaking down dangerous smog particles.

The company explains that the photocatalytic properties also destroy organic substances, such as dirt and algae, that come in contact with the tiles. Rain washes off the neutralized substances.

In addition to the smog-eating TiO2 coating, the base materials of the tiles are also beneficial to the environment. Concrete tiles are made of locally sourced raw materials, a mixture of sand, water and cement, and they have the inherent energy benefits of high thermal mass, emissivity, reflectivity and an insulating air space between the tile and the deck, John Renowden, vice president of technology for Boral Roofing, explained in a US Building Digest article.

The tiles are also designed to be recycled for materials for other building structures, should a rooftop need to be replaced.

As an eco-building trend, green roofing systems such as vegetation systems with waterproof barriers have spread due to environmental impact and cost savings, yet as new green technologies like smog-eating tiles emerge, such systems may look very different in the near future.

Boral Roofing reports that according to studies that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted in Los Angeles over one year, the agency discovered that 2,000 square feet of the tiles mitigates the same amount of nitrogen oxide produced by a car driven 10,800 miles in one year.

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Smog-Eating Roof Tiles Clean Up Surrounding Air

Story published: 07-03-2012 Print Article E-mail Story to a Friend

Roofing project at NECX completed

By Paula Walter Freelance Writer

David Hartshorn, head of the project for Osment Roofing Systems, addressed a crowd of approximately 45 people, who had all been instrumental in some way with the roofing contract, at The Tributary Restaurant this past week as they gathered to celebrate the completion of the job. I want to thank you personally for the overall success of the project, he said. The last inspection has been finalized and the project came in approximately 60 days ahead of schedule. According to Sexton, the roof replaced by Osment Roofing Systems was the original roof installed at NECX 22 years ago. The cost of the project was approximately $6.1 million and comes with a 20-year warranty.

According to Hartshorn, Osment Roofing Systems was contacted when the possibility of a new roofing project NECX was in the early developmental stages. The company had previously replaced the roof at Northwest Correctional Complex, located in the very northwestern tip of Tennessee along the Kentucky line. Part of the logistics of deciding whether or not to bid on the job included the unknown factors of what type of work force they would be able to employee. Nothing is as complex as working for a correctional complex, not the people, but the facility, said Hartshorn. Osment's employees remained under the watchful eyes of the correctional officers as they escorted them around the job site. The officers were diligent about giving us the support we needed, Hartshorn said. According to Sexton, most of the buildings were accessed from the outside and did not disrupt the inmates.

One of the first hurdles was the removal of the old roofing components before the new material could be installed. According to Hartshorn, he was concerned about the amount of debris that would need to be taken to the Johnson County Transfer Station. He estimated there was over 300,000 pounds of insulation, rubber and metal that would end up in dumpsters and wanted to find a way to utilize the materials while saving money, as well as being environmentally friendly Hartshorn discovered Reclaimed Resources, a company in Bristol, Tennessee, whose purpose is find both environmental and economical ways to reuse materials. The materials from NECX has been now cut and sized and is ready to be used. According to Sarah Gillespie of Reclaimed Resources, they reclaimed the debris and make it usable. Many of their clients use the recycled items for both new homes and remodeling projects. Every roofer needs to know about Reclaimed Resources, said Hartshorn.

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Roofing project at NECX completed

We are upgrading our recommendation on Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. ( BECN ) to Outperform, following a modest recovery in the housing market, healthy credit conditions and ramp up in the company's acquisition activity.

The company reported earnings of 7 cents per share in the second-quarter 2012, easily beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 8 cents. Results improved compared to a loss of 13 cents in the year-ago quarter. Total revenues increased 33.4% year over year to $395.2 million, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $346 million. Organic growth improved 28.2%.

The housing market is gradually looking up, reaping the benefits from escalation in employment rates and higher consumer confidence. At the same time, roofing demand is also increasing modestly and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 5.7% through 2015.

Alongside, the demand for re-roofing is also on the rise. The median age of the housing stock is over 35 years old and since an aging housing stock increases the demand for roofing materials, it provides ample scope for Beacon to grow in this market.

Beacon has completed the acquisition of the leading wholesale distributor of building products, Cassady Pierce Company. Cassady Pierce chiefly caters to the professional roofer, remodeling contractor, builder, general contractor and retail home center markets of Western Pennsylvania, Northern West Virginia and the Eastern countries of Ohio.

The acquisition will help Beacon in expanding its business activities in the unexplored regions of Pennsylvania. Further, it will augment the company's product portfolio in the lines of building products.

Recently, Beacon entered into a new five-year senior secured credit facility that includes a $550 million U.S. credit facility and a C$15 million ($15.1 million) Canadian credit facility with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, an unit of Wells Fargo & Company ( WFC ).

The credit facility refinanced the company's prior $515 million credit facilities that were provided through GE Antares and an affiliate. The new credit facility's interest rates are at historically low levels. It provides an attractive LIBOR margin pricing, low interest rates, reasonable financial covenants, as well as substantial liquidity and financial flexibility for the company to pursue acquisitions and growth opportunities.

Beacon's growth strategy, however, depends largely on acquisitions; the primary growth driver since its inception. The company, therefore, faces challenges from acquisition related risks. For instance, management may have trouble finding suitable acquisition candidates that provide synergies in existing markets and upfront earnings accretion.

Moreover, Beacon has to contend with privately held companies like American Builders & Contractors Supply Co., Inc., Guardian Building Products Distribution, Inc., Stock Building Supply LLC. Our recommendation on Beacon is in line with a short-term Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy).

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Beacon Roofing to Outperform - Analyst Blog

We are upgrading our recommendation on Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. (BECN) to Outperform, following a modest recovery in the housing market, healthy credit conditions and ramp up in the companys acquisition activity.

The company reported earnings of 7 cents per share in the second-quarter 2012, easily beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 8 cents. Results improved compared to a loss of 13 cents in the year-ago quarter. Total revenues increased 33.4% year over year to $395.2 million, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $346 million. Organic growth improved 28.2%.

The housing market is gradually looking up, reaping the benefits from escalation in employment rates and higher consumer confidence. At the same time, roofing demand is also increasing modestly and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 5.7% through 2015.

Alongside, the demand for re-roofing is also on the rise. The median age of the housing stock is over 35 years old and since an aging housing stock increases the demand for roofing materials, it provides ample scope for Beacon to grow in this market.

Beacon has completed the acquisition of the leading wholesale distributor of building products, Cassady Pierce Company. Cassady Pierce chiefly caters to the professional roofer, remodeling contractor, builder, general contractor and retail home center markets of Western Pennsylvania, Northern West Virginia and the Eastern countries of Ohio.

The acquisition will help Beacon in expanding its business activities in the unexplored regions of Pennsylvania. Further, it will augment the companys product portfolio in the lines of building products.

Recently, Beacon entered into a new five-year senior secured credit facility that includes a $550 million U.S. credit facility and a C$15 million ($15.1 million) Canadian credit facility with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, an unit of Wells Fargo & Company (WFC).

The credit facility refinanced the companys prior $515 million credit facilities that were provided through GE Antares and an affiliate. The new credit facilitys interest rates are at historically low levels. It provides an attractive LIBOR margin pricing, low interest rates, reasonable financial covenants, as well as substantial liquidity and financial flexibility for the company to pursue acquisitions and growth opportunities.

Beacons growth strategy, however, depends largely on acquisitions; the primary growth driver since its inception. The company, therefore, faces challenges from acquisition related risks. For instance, management may have trouble finding suitable acquisition candidates that provide synergies in existing markets and upfront earnings accretion.

Moreover, Beacon has to contend with privately held companies like American Builders & Contractors Supply Co., Inc., Guardian Building Products Distribution, Inc., Stock Building Supply LLC. Our recommendation on Beacon is in line with a short-term Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy).

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Beacon Roofing to Outperform

02-07-2012 15:07 Click here The last of three videos on caravan or motorhome window care and replacement work.

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Caravan windows: Repair and replacement - Video

LA CROSSE, WI--(Marketwire - Jul 3, 2012) - The storm clouds from the housing bust are starting to reveal a silver lining for remodelers: A Harvard University study predicts remodeling activity will grow quickly as Baby Boomers sell their homes and downsize -- which should create extensive remodeling opportunities for the next decade.

Although new construction suffered during the Great Recession, remodeling work held tight -- dropping from $326 billion in 2007 to $286 billion in 2009 before rebounding back to about $300 billion in 2010, according to Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies.

The center singled out specialty contracting firms like Kitchen Solvers for their ability to withstand even the worst of the recession. Kitchen Solvers pioneered solid-wood kitchen cabinet refacing, which can transform the look of a kitchen without all of the mess and expense of a full remodel. It's part of a full range of services Kitchen Solvers offers.

"By offering quality refacing as well as full remodels, and by offering new cabinets at a variety of price points, we can deliver an outstanding kitchen to people regardless of budget," said company President and CEO Gerry Henley.

The Harvard center puts the current value of kitchen and bathroom remodeling at $75 billion a year, and its Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity projects remodeling spending to grow 5.9 percent in 2012 and 3.5 percent a year through 2015.

What's driving the projections? As people hit retirement age, they often downsize, selling homes they haven't upgraded in decades to younger buyers eager to remodel. The huge Baby Boom generation is just beginning to retire and unload houses in massive numbers -- and many of them need remodeling.

"There is a huge generational bulge of people who have owned their homes for decades," Henley said. "Some of them will remodel their homes to continue living in them long into retirement, but many more will sell to younger buyers eager to have a kitchen that suits their needs."

Kitchen Solvers has remodeled more than 45,000 kitchens since the company was founded in 1982. To learn more, visit kitchensolvers.com or kitchensolversfranchise.com.

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As Economy Rebounds, Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Franchise Kitchen Solvers Poised to Take Off

footnotes officially known as the City of Valenzuela ( ) (ISO: PH-00; PSGC: 137504000 ) or simply Valenzuela City is the 101st largest city of the Philippines and one of the sixteen cities that along with the smaller municipality of Pateros comprise the region of Metro Manila, located about 14km (7.9 miles) north of Manila. Valenzuela is categorized by virtue of Republic Act Nos. 7160 and 8526 as a highly urbanized, first-class city based on income classification and number of population. A chartered city located on the island of Luzon, it is bordered by Meycauayan (Bulacan) in the north, Quezon City and northern Caloocan to the east; by Obando (Bulacan) to the west; by Malabon, southern Caloocan and Tullahan River to the south. With a land mass of 44.59km2 and a population of almost 600,000 in August 2010, Valenzuela is the 10th most populous city in the Philippines. Valenzuela's population is composed of 72% Tagalog people followed by 5% Bicolanos. Small percentage of foreign nationals reside in the city.

Valenzuela was named after Po Valenzuela, a doctor and a member of Katipunan. The town preceding Valenzuela that was originally called Polo was formed in 1621 due to religious separation movements from parishes of Meycauayan (Catanghalan). Polo has been occupied twice by foreign armies other than colonial powers Spain and United States: first during the Seven Years' War by the British and by the Japanese during the Second World War. In 1960, President Diosdado Macapagal ordered the creation of the municipality of Valenzuela carved from few territories of Polo and is independent from the provincial government of Bulacan. However in 1963, another law was issued ordering the reversal of the previous edict and reunifying the towns of Polo and Valenzuela under the single name of Valenzuela. In 1975, Valenzuela was named as an independent municipality from the government of Bulacan and incorporated under the administration of Metropolitan Manila Authority. On February 14, 1998, President Fidel V. Ramos signed Republic Act 8625, or the Valenzuela City Charter, which elevated the status of Valenzuela as a highly urbanized, chartered city.

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, Valenzuela has a similar government system to other chartered cities of the Philippines. It is governed by a city mayor and vice-mayor elected through popular vote. The city is divided into two congressional districts and each is represented by a congressional district representative at the Philippine Congress. The vice-mayor heads the 12-manned city council: each district elects six councilors. The current mayor is Sherwin T. Gatchalian.

There is no known tourist spot in the city except for the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, the Philippine apostolate to the Our Lady of Fatima of Portugal. Valenzuela is traversed by two major roads in the country: MacArthur Highway and North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), with NLEx being connected to Circumferential Road 5 at segments 8.1 and 9. Major transportation modes include buses and jeepneys that founded terminals at the northern points of the city.

Owing to the cross migration of people across the country and its location as the northernmost point of Metro Manila, Valenzuela has developed into a well-mixed, multicultural metropolis. A former agricultural rural area, Valenzuela has grown into a major economic and industrial center of the Philippines when a large number of industries relocated to the central parts of the city.

Originally, Valenzuela was called Polo. The name Polo was derived from the Tagalog term pul meaning island, though the area was not an entirely island for itself. The original town of Polo was blessed by the rivers from the north and Tullahan River on the south. Hence, the enclosed land was thought to be an island, so the early townsmen regarded the place as Pul which later evolved into Polo done by hispanicization of the word.

Today, the term Polo only applies to the barangay of Polo, the birthplace of Dr. Pio Valenzuela himself, which is found in the city's first congressional district.

According to Philippine historians Emma Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson there existed an infamous battle in Bangkusay, Tondo headed by Maynila king Rajah Sulayman which employed seafarers and warriors from all over parts of the north of Maynila Kingdom and Bulacan. The battle was declared against Spanish conquering forces of Miguel Lpez de Legazpi on June 3, 1571. Spanish troops were headed by Legazpi's nephew, Martn de Goiti. On June 3, 1571, Sulayman led his troops and attacked the Spaniards in a decisive battle at the town of Bangkusay, but they were defeated, and Sulayman himself was killed. With the destruction of Sulayman's army and the friendship with Rajah Lakandula, the Spaniards were enabled to establish throughout the city and its neighboring towns. Legazpi formally established settlement on Maynila on June 24, 1571. According to Martnez de Zuiga, a Spanish missionary of Augustinian order, Maynila was a vast region enclosed by the towns of Polo, Tambobong (now Malabon City), and mountains of San Mateo in Morong. The region of Valenzuela, was formally merged under the rule of Bulacan town of Catanghalan.

On 1587, the Tagalog cabeza de barangay of Catanghalan Tassi Bassi joined the chieftain of Tondo Magat Salamat in a planned insurrection against Spanish colonization of Maynila. The rebellion was composed of kin-related noblemen or maharlikas of Maynila including Juan Banal, another Tondo chief and Salamats brother-in-law; Gernimo Basi and Gabriel Tuambacar, brothers of Agustn de Legazpi; Pedro Balinguit, the chief of Pandacan and other chiefs of Tondo. The "revolution" never happened because whistleblowers revealed the nature of it to Spanish authorities.

When Manila became an archdiocese on August 14, 1595 based upon Pope Gregory XIII's Papal order, regular friars that already established permanent church in Catanghalan decided that the attached sitio of Polo be separated to cater spiritual needs of its increasing population. Through successive efforts of Franciscan Fray Juan Taranco and Don Juan Monsod, sitio Polo was successfully separated from Catanghalan in 1623. Thus, the first cabeza de barangay of the new town of Polo was Monsod while Taranco operated the present San Diego de Alcal parish on a small tavern. The separation was made upon the orders of Governor-General Alonso Fajardo de Entenza the towns were still under the provincial government of Bulacan. (However it must be noted that historical records in Errecciones de los Pueblos at the Philippine National Archives showed first parochial records of Polo as early as November 7, 1621. Later, this was adopted as the foundation day of Valenzuela.)

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3 kids hurt in wall collapse in Valenzuela

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

THE Baguio City Government is set to start soon the P80-million Irisan dumpsite retaining wall rehabilitation funded by the Office of the President (OP), according to City Mayor Mauricio Domogan.

According to Domogan, the project will assure the safety of the immediate community and also a gigantic step towards converting the former garbage facility into an eco-tourism park.

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It may be recalled a wall of the five-hectare dumpsite breached last August 27, 2011 during Typhoon Mina and the cascading garbage killed six residents of the area.

The mayor said the approval of the Department of Public Works and Highways is now the only requirement we are waiting so that we can immediately start this important project.

Apart from the dumpsite retaining wall, there are many other infrastructure projects worth several millions of pesos undergoing completion. (Aure Galacgac/PNA)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on July 03, 2012.

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P80-M dumpsite project ready to commence