Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Smart technology has shaped not only how we communicate, but also how we live in our own homes. From voice assistants controlling our lights to security systems monitoring our front porch while were at work, these technologies are becoming more prevalent in the 21st-century residence.

As leading experts in their field, the members of Forbes Technology Council follow the trends on smart technology, including the mainstream adoption of certain devices. We asked them which up-and-coming smart device they believe most homes will have in five to 10 years. Their top predictions are below.

1. Electric Charging Stations For Connected Cars

All cars are going to be connected as soon as five years from now. Instead of going to the charging station, we would prefer to have an electric charging station at our home. Along with charging, the device will also communicate with us and the manufacturer about the critical issues to be fixed. It will also talk to the rest of the homes devices about the preferences of the driver when they arrive or depart. - Viplav Valluri, Fastlane Americas, Inc.

2. Master Controller For All Smart Devices

In the next 10 years, there will be a push for the integration of all smart technology into one seamless master controller. There are already dozens of smart home appliances and choices that are available, but the big idea and push will be for one master controller of them all, causing a fully stacked smart home and allowing for efficient and user-friendly control. - Alexandro Pando, Xyrupt Technologies

3. Ubiquitous Voice-Command Integration

In the 10-year range, the bigger development wont be new devices so much as improved integration. Todays voice assistants are all in competition to lock down the home Internet of Things market. Whether its Alexa, Siri or Google, every object in our future homes will take voice commands. As integrations improve we can expect voice-assistant interfaces to be built into the home as well, but integration is key. - Ben Lee, Rootstrap

4. Vision-Based Home Security Systems

Smart security systems with artificial intelligence and computer vision are becoming of extreme importance to most of us. Knowing how effective computer vision can be, I see a growing demand for smart home security systems around the world, especially in countries and cities with high crime and burglary rates. - Chris Ciabarra, Athena Security Inc.

5. Smart Thermostats

Smart thermostats will be in every home in the next decade. Trying to keep your house warm or cool without wasting money and taxing the environment is practically impossible. A smart thermostat does the work for you and makes sure you arent consuming more power than is necessary for comfort. Its a good thing for both consumers and the big picture and incredibly simple to use. - Robert Weissgraeber, AX Semantics

6. Wholesale Adoption Of Voice Assistants In Senior Housing

Voice assistants will be standard in the majority of homes in the next five to 10 years because the devices serve a host of use cases. Among the rising use cases that will drive wholesale adoption include senior housing, which will drive down the consumer cost of assisted living, and household energy and safety management to manage lighting, irrigation and security. - Jeanne Teshler, Wellsmith Inc.

7. Voice-Activated Home Diagnostics Tests

Imagine having software that is activated by voice and is able to run diagnostic tests on the state of your home. This type of technology will revolutionize home security. Being able to tell your home OS to check to see if a door or window is unlocked or damaged and then being able to lock down a certain area of your house will improve safety for your family and first responders. - Abishek Surana Rajendra, Course Hero

8. Environmental Sensors

A smart device I predict will be in the majority of homes in five to 10 years will be environmental sensors. Predictive maintenance tools will let homeowners know when filter replacements and professional tune-ups are needed on HVACs. Additionally, these devices can alert families when air ducts are leaking, which could be potentially hazardous. Families will be safer with smarter homes. - Ryan Chan, UpKeep Maintenance Management

9. Pet Tech Products

If there is one thing people love, its their pets. With the rise of pet tech, more and more pet owners will invest in these smart devices, especially if they can monitor their pets health. Tailio, for example, is a monitoring system that sits under a litter box. It can detect pets health problems and track their behaviors, and this information is easy to share with veterinarians. - Christopher Yang, Corporate Travel Management

10. Artificial Intelligence Integrations

AI, whether in the form of Alexa or another bot, will eventually be integrated into every smart home system. It will allow for all of your devices to sense and communicate with each other, share data with one another and ultimately optimize your environment for your lifestyle. This behind-the-scenes automation will be subtle yet extremely powerful in creating fluidity throughout your home life. - Marc Fischer, Dogtown Media LLC

11. Smart Assistants

Voice-controlled technologies are definitely going to be at the peak of their popularity within five to 10 years. Even now, if you look at the statistics, the number of their users is growing, adding almost 6 million people each year. In the future the spectrum of capabilities of such assistants will expand as well, allowing them to manage whole households. - Daria Leshchenko, SupportYourApp Inc.

12. Energy Storage Systems

The solar-energy market will continue to expand in the next decade, and smart home battery technology will expand with it. With the help of smart home systems, internet-connected, battery-based home energy solutions will enable homeowners to use voice commands to check energy storage levels and energy usage and make the switch to battery power when electricity rates are highest. - Ron Cogburn, Exela Technologies

13. In-Home AR/VR Shopping

As online retail continues to take over brick-and-mortar, online retail giants will strive to make trying out clothes, shoes, jewelry and other apparel possible online. Tech is already within touching distance from allowing you to do this; however, its still too expensive. Over the next 10 years, we will see retail giants giving away AR/VR shopping assistants to increase sales. - Tigran Sloyan, CodeSignal

14. Digital Health-Monitoring Equipment

For the most tech-savvy consumers, were already seeing digital scales, blood-pressure monitors and blood-glucose monitors enter the home. With the continued growth in chronic diseases, rising healthcare costs and the adoption of digital health beyond the technorati, digital health- monitoring equipment (including wearables) should be in the majority of homes in the next 10 years. - Steve Pao, Hillwork, LLC

See more here:
14 Smart Home Devices That Will Go Mainstream In The Next Decade - Forbes

Almost two weeks after Google disabled Xiaomis access to its Assistant and Home and Nest devices after a security breach, Xiaomi says it has resolved the issue. And customers can now use its smart security cameras within Googles smart home ecosystem again.

We now confirm that we have fully resolved the root cause of this issue, and Xiaomis Google integration service has resumed from 16, January, a Xiaomi statement reads. Users can now use Xiaomis Mi security camera services via Nest devices. At Xiaomi, we take user privacy and information security as [a] top priority. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused for affected users. We will take even stronger measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Its still not clear exactly what happened, and its likely well never find out. At the time of the bizarre breach, in which users of Xiaomi smart security cameras could see video feeds from other users, the firm only said that it was caused by a cache update designed to improve camera streaming quality.

Xiaomi says that only a few users were impacted, but apparently all of them posted videos to Reddit, since theres a lot of footage to choose from. The firm said early on that it had explained what happened to Google and fixed the underlying issue quickly. The reason for the delay in reinstating Xiaomis access was chalked up to a need to make sure that the root cause of this episode had been really solved so that it never happens again.

Well, Google is apparently now satisfied with Xiaomis fix.

Tagged with Google Home, Google Nest, Xiaomi

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Xiaomi is Back on Google Home and Nest - Thurrott.com

The "United States Fire Sprinklers Market: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 7.2 Billion by 2025, exhibiting a CAGR of about 9% during 2020-2025.

The US fire sprinklers market is currently exhibiting strong growth and reached a value of US$ 4.3 Billion in 2019. A fire sprinkler refers to a type of fire protection system consisting of sprinkler heads installed in ceilings or side walls connected to an active water supply through piping and fittings. Fire sprinklers are triggered by the rise in temperature. When a blaze ignites, the air directly above it heats rapidly and this hot air rises and spreads along with the ceiling. When the air is hot enough and reaches a sprinkler head, it triggers a chain reaction. It is considered to be one of the safest methods for suppressing the fire at an early stage, thus, preventing it to grow any further. On account of this, it is widely being utilized across the United States including different commercial buildings as well as residential buildings.

With technological advancements and product innovations, the market for fire sprinkler has gained strong traction in the United States. Moreover, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has mandated the installation of fire protection in new commercial construction projects under the new regulatory code. As a result, the growing rate of construction of commercial units including offices, retail shops, commercial centers, entertainment centers, hospitals and schools is catalysing the demand for fire sprinklers in the United States. The US government is also organizing various seminars and formulating regulations to facilitate the adoption of these systems.

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

Key Topics Covered:

1 Preface

2 Scope and Methodology

2.1 Objectives of the Study

2.2 Stakeholders

2.3 Data Sources

2.3.1 Primary Sources

2.3.2 Secondary Sources

2.4 Market Estimation

2.4.1 Bottom-Up Approach

2.4.2 Top-Down Approach

2.5 Forecasting Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends

5 United States Fire Sprinklers Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Market Forecast

6 US Fire Sprinklers Market Breakup by Component

6.1 Fire Sprinklers Structures

6.1.1 Pipe

6.1.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.1.2 Market Forecast

6.1.2 Valves & Fittings

6.1.3 Sprinklers Head

6.1.4 Others

6.2 Fire Response System

6.2.1 Fire Alarm Devices

6.2.2 Lightening

6.2.3 Voice/Public Alert

6.2.4 Secure Communication

6.3 Fire Detector and Control Panels

6.4 Fire Suppression Reagent

6.4.1 Water

6.4.2 Foam

6.4.3 Gas

6.4.4 Chemical

7 US Fire Sprinklers Market Breakup by Fire Sprinkler Type

7.1 Wet Sprinkler System

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Dry Sprinkler System

7.3 Pre-action Sprinkler System

7.4 Deluge System

7.5 Others

8 Market Breakup by Service

8.1. Installation/Design

8.1.1 Market Trends

8.1.2 Market Forecast

8.2. Maintenance & Managed

8.3. Engineering & Fabrication

8.4. Others

9 Market Breakup by Application Sector

9.1 Commercial

9.1.1 Market Trends

9.1.2 Market Forecast

9.2 Industrial

9.2.1 Manufacturing

9.2.2 Oil & Gas

9.2.3 Energy & Power

9.2.4 Healthcare

9.2.5 Transportation & Logistics

9.2.6 Mining

9.2.7 Others

9.3 Residential

10 Market Breakup by Region

10.1 West US

10.1.1 Market Trends

10.1.2 Market Forecast

10.2 Southeast US

10.3 Northeast US

10.4 Midwest US

10.5 Southwest US

11 SWOT Analysis

11.1 Overview

11.2 Strengths

11.3 Weakness

11.4 Opportunities

11.5 Threats

12 Value Chain Analysis

12.1 Overview

12.2 Raw Material Procurement

12.3 Design

12.4 Manufacturing

12.5 Fabrication and Installation

12.6 End-Users

13 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

13.1 Overview

13.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

13.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

13.4 Degree of Rivalry

13.5 Threat of New Entrants

13.6 Threat of Substitutes

Read more here:
United States Fire Sprinklers Market Expected to Grow with a CAGR of 9% During the Forecast Period, 2020-2025 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Yahoo Finance

Saugerties new town board which only has one additional new member but a slew of fresh initiatives cleaned up shop at their January 8 reorganizational meeting at the Frank Greco Senior Center, designating citizens for town committees, establishing pay raises and divvying up town board liaison positions.

The town board approved their own pay rates at $11,500, and the town supervisors pay rate of $39,500. As he did last year, Supervisor Fred Costello Jr. chose Councilmember Leeanne Thornton as his deputy supervisor.

Among approved pay rates were Saugerties Police Chief Joe Sinagras annual $105,592.03 (in 2017, Sinagra received a 16 percent pay raise from slightly over $86,000 to $100,000 per year); $84,460.89 for police Captain Steve Filak; $63,008 for head of HUD department Alice Mumper; $78,925 for Town Assessor Frank Orlando; $58,281.60 for Water Superintendent Mark Resso; $74,992.57 for Parks and Rec Department head Greg Chorvas; and $71,228 for building inspector Alvah Weeks.

The only contested agenda item, which was only voted against by Costello, was the salary of assistant building inspector Kevin Brown, which was raised to $30 per hour from $27.70.

Kevin had to cover for Alvah Weeks who was out on disability for a time, so he was bearing the burden of running the building department on his own, said Costello before he voted against the pay raise. He was also an integral part of the ice arena roofing project and was an integral part in the hearing involving the dumping situation in Saugerties as well as other [code enforcement court issues].

When asked about his vote, Costello said he wish[ed he] could give everyone a pay raise, but that there was definitely merit to the assertion that Brown had earned a higher hourly rate.

All part-time clerical workers received a 50 cent increase in their hourly rate; full-time clerical employees received an additional $2.50.

Notably, new county Legislator Al Bruno kept his commitments to nearly all of the boards that he held positions on he will serve again this year as the chair of the Board of Assessment Review and on the Saugerties Transportation Advisory Council. He did step down from his position as an alternate for the county planning board, citing a conflict of interest between that position and his new position as a legislator.

Honestly, I felt honored to be in that chair, I really did, said Bruno of his first legislature meeting, which took place on the same night as the towns reorganizational meeting. I take it really seriously, and from watching from the gallery from the past year to actually being in the seat and bring called on to take a vote. It was exciting in one part and sobering in another. I know the responsibility and job in front of me is pretty serious.

More officials

George Redder and John Greco were appointed as the official attorneys serving the town. Audrey Klinkenberg will serve again as the town historian. Gary Newkirk was appointed town accountant and Brinnier & Larios the official engineers for the town. Lisa Stanley was reappointed as town clerk and Leslie Duffy was appointed deputy town clerk.

The Saugerties Times was named official town newspaper for the 12th year in a row; the Daily Freeman was also designated as an official town newspaper. M&T Bank was named the official town bank.

Sam Dedericks resignation from the Zoning Board of Appeals was accepted at the meeting; she will remain a member of the Comprehensive Planning Committee. Timothy Scott Jr., who was previously an alternate for the board, was appointed to fill Dedericks position.

Shes been as dedicated now as the day she started, said Costello. She brings a very good perspective to it and really makes that well-known and does and very good job educating herself before she brings them to the town board.

Councilman John Schoonmaker was appointed as liaison to a few new committees, including the Conservation Advisory Committee and the Climate Smart Task Force (both were previously overseen by ex-councilman Mike MacIsaac) and the Parks and Recreation Committee (previously overseen by Councilman Paul Andreassen). New Councilman Mike Ivino was designated as liaison for the transfer station, the assessors office and the Board of Assessment Review.

Sprinkler system

The board voted to solicit bids for a sprinkler system for the newly refurbished Kiwanis Ice Arena. Ivino, asking his first question as a town board member, asked Chorvas whether he knew that the sprinklers would need to be installed after the project was otherwise finished. Chorvas said yes, that he and the town were aware.

Seems to me we piecemeal the project together to hide the real true cost of the entire project, said Ivino after the meeting. Not fair and not right to the taxpayer.

The board determined the dates of its meetings for the rest of the calendar year: January 8 and 22; February 5 and 19; March 7 and 21; April 1 and 15; May 6 and 20; June 15; July 17; August 12; September 2 and 16; October 7 and 21; November 4 and 18; and December 16.

See more here:
Saugerties Town Board names officials and sets salaries at reorganizational meeting - Hudson Valley One

BRYAN, Tex. (KBTX) - A gas smell inside a Bryan home is now gone but the homeowner doesn't know if she'll ever be able to move back.

The mystery first started in the fall of 2018 and then an evacuation on Dec. 19 that year.

Last week we told you about a $1 million lawsuit filed against a nearby energy company. This week the homeowner's attorney met us for an update at the home and gave us a tour inside the house.

A dream home has turned into a nightmare situation on Austin's Estates Drive.

81-year-old Lenice Morgan hasn't been able to live here since she evacuated in December 2018 when flammable gas started coming in.

"We've been able to rule out there are no natural gas lines coming to the house. There are no consumer lines coming to the house. None of the appliances run on natural gas and they never have. There are no septic tanks," said Jeremy Allen, who is Morgan's attorney.

"There are no abandoned wells. We've been able to pretty much rule out every other possible source of natural gas other than the oil and gas production on the nearby property," Allen said.

Last week, Allen filed a lawsuit against Hawkwood Energy Operating seeking more than $1 million in damages.

They believe an an eight-inch gas line leaked, filling the ground underneath the home. Allen said the gas remained even after that line was shut-in. Now, they have monitoring wells around the property.

"We can't say with any reasonable degree of certainty at the moment, how long that gas is going to be down there...There's no noticeable odor inside the home...Its been several months since samples have actually been drawn. The last time samples were drawn in the house we did get trace, trace elements but nothing that would be noticeable by smell," said Allen, who is also a grandson of the homeowner.

He took KBTX inside the home which hasn't had electricity for more than a year.

"You're starting to see the presence of mold in the house, there's some settling in the walls and the floor that results from no irrigation. You can't run the sprinkler system and so the soil around the house gets dry the vegetation is suffering," said Allen.

Davis Watson, an attorney for the Hawkwood Energy, said they plan to respond to the suit within 20 days and continue to be responsive to the homeowner. Watson added there will be lots of scientific evidence for the case and experts that will work on studying it.

Allen is ready for their day in court.

"Just not knowing what her future holds, you know she worked her entire life with her late husband to be able to buy this house and being forced out if it has had quite an impact on her," said Allen.

"We don't want to file a lawsuit. Thats kind of a last resort but we felt it was necessary at this point because were just not able to resolve it otherwise up to this point. You know weve spent a lot of time and money out here investigating," said Allen.

An initial sample taken by the Conroe Fire Department found refined hydrocarbons in the gas. Things you would see in products like gasoline.

But the homeowner's attorney said their results haven't exactly matched and point to natural gas as the substance.

A trial date isn't expected anytime soon.

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Bryan homeowner still unable to live in home more than one year after gas leak - KBTX

Sponsored byFBC Mortgage, LLC:This six-bedroom, five-bath home in College Park comes with an office, a Florida room, and tons of upgrades.

The 3,724 SF home is located at 1347 Quailey Street [GMap] and was built in 1953. The main living room is open to the dining room and the kitchen which open to the master and two bedrooms.

The master bedroom features French doors that lead to the Florida room and a bathroom with a large, open closet, dual sinks, a garden tub, and a glass door shower.

The aforementioned Florida room overlooks a lush, fenced-in yard with a new patio and plenty of room for a BBQ, pool, and a playset.

Other features include new interior doors, new gutters, new sprinkler system, and the large oak tree in the front yard was just trimmed.

The asking price is $644,500.

Click HERE for more information or to arrange a tour.

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House of the Day: 5/3 College Park home asking $644500 - Bungalower

LAWRENCE The University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications is kicking off the spring semester with ribbon-cutting ceremonies to celebrate the completion of a multimillion-dollar renovation project of Stauffer-Flint Hall.

The school closed the building in May 2019 to complete the nearly $5 million project. On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the first day of spring classes, the school plans a ribbon-cutting ceremony for journalism school students, faculty and staff at 10:30 a.m. On Thursday, Jan. 23, the entire KU community is invited to a grand reopening ceremony. Starting at 3 p.m., Chancellor Douglas A. Girod will give remarks, and donors of the project will be recognized.

The renovation project focused on creating a new plaza and front door and extensive remodeling of the first and third floors of Stauffer-Flint Hall. The first floor, which housed classrooms, a conference room and faculty offices, will be the new home for the University Daily Kansan, Media Crossroads and KUJH News. Those student media organizations had been located in the Dole Human Development Center and Anschutz Library.

The renovated first floor also will include state-of-the-art media technology, a 39-foot ticker that will display news and events, and large screen monitors that will broadcast national, local and student media news programs. The main floor also will feature flex space designed for students to gather and study, including bar-level seating along the north wall facing Jayhawk Boulevard.

The third floor of Stauffer-Flint, which held tightly configured faculty offices and a conference room, was renovated into an open-concept classroom space and an updated conference room.

The renovation project also addressed some critical maintenance and safety needs for the building, which is more than 120 years old. The elevator and HVAC system were replaced, and a fire sprinkler system has been installed.

The last major renovation of Stauffer-Flint Hall was in 1982, and it was time for an update, according to Dean Ann Brill.

The remodel is a wonderful metaphor for journalistic training, Brill said. Throughout the building, you can see the pillars that held up these walls for more than a century, much like the traditional values we continue to teach. However, there is a new entrance that reflects the many changes in media that make them more accessible to all.

The Kansas Board of Regents approved the creation of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Public Information in 1945, and in 1952 the school moved into the building, which was then named Fowler Shops. In 1955, it was renamed Flint Hall to honor Leon Daddy Flint, who served as chairman of the Department of Journalism from 1916 to 1941. In 1983, Flint Hall was renamed Stauffer-Flint Hall to honor Oscar S. Stauffer, founder of Stauffer Communications Inc. and longtime supporter of the school. Stauffer donated $1 million in 1979 for the buildings renovation and academic programs.

The current renovation is funded by private dollars and university deferred-maintenance funds.

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Stauffer-Flint Hall reopens next week with ribbon cutting to celebrate completion of renovation - KU Today

The first project in the series, called Frame 283 and located at 283 Greene Avenue in Clinton Hill, is an industrial-style five-story building with 10 apartments, all with two bedrooms and either one or two bathrooms, and private outdoor space.

Spruce boards, which are glued at perpendicular angles to make thick beams called cross-laminated timber, are clearly visible in columns, beams, walls and ceilings. And the veins, knots and whorls in the wood wont always be concealed behind Sheetrock or paint.

But not every surface at Frame 283 is wood. Some walls are made of unfinished concrete, giving the building, which has open-air staircases, an almost work-in-progress look. Some pipes are exposed, too. Other building features include an 80-panel solar system, a shared roof deck and a bike room.

While wood can be pricier than concrete, labor costs can be much less, developers say. In fact, because Frame 283s cross-laminated timber arrived in prefabricated sections, it took only about two weeks to put up its main structure, in what might traditionally be a six-week project, said Ms. Wilson, of Frame Home, who would not divulge the development cost. The land, city records show, cost $6 million in 2015.

The building, which began marketing in the fall and expects to open this winter, is priced near the top of the market.

Rents start at more than $4,000 a month, which is high for Clinton Hill, where market-rate two-bedrooms have averaged $3,300 a month, according to the brokerage Ideal Properties Group. But two-bedrooms in next-door Fort Greene average $4,100, the brokerage said.

See more here:
Five Stories Tall and Made of Wood - The New York Times

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Following the Grenfell tragedy, a housing association did not remove the potentially unsafe cladding of five high-rise housing blocks for social housing in Trafford on the advice of the Greater Manchester fire chiefs.

In November, the Trafford Housing Trust admitted that the replacement of the ACM cladding, which was classified as the main cause of the spread of fire during the Grenfell fire, was delayed.

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The cladding comprised around 15 percent of the five Trafford blocks.

The panel replacement should be completed on all five blocks by February this year. In the case of three blocks, however, the problematic cladding was removed and completely replaced. However, work on the two remaining blocks should not be completed until this summer.

The five skyscrapers in Stretford and Old Trafford are:

Iain Wallace, head of property management at Trafford Housing Trust, said at a council meeting that the Greater Manchester fire chiefs asked them not to remove the cladding because the exposure of the polyethylene to the aluminum panels was classified as flammable and flammable became dangerous when it was covered up.

Mr Wallace said the hope was to complete the work in 2018, shortly after the Grenfell Tower tragedy, but this advice had delayed the move process.

He said: Immediately after (Grenfell), we brought in contractors to work with us to remove (the cladding) as soon as possible. We were hoping that this would be completed in 2018, but we received a notification from Greater Manchester Fire and emergency services, which did not require you to remove a panel until you found a suitable technical solution to replace it.

Initially we thought we would strip the towers and essentially leave them open until an alternative is available. However, the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service advised us not to do this.

He added that since then, further delays have been caused by difficulties in getting experts, scaffolding and contractors to complete the work.

The Stretford Empress Court is managed by the Trafford Housing Trust(Image: Google Maps)

The trust admitted that there was an arbitrary decision by other organizations to remove the ACM cladding from their buildings, but at that time the trust was receiving advice daily and keeping residents at the heart of the process. ,

Authorities in the south east of England who removed aluminum plates were criticized for this.

Since the cladding had been replaced on three of the five blocks in the past two and a half years, 18 residents were temporarily relocated so that the work could take place.

Housing Trust chiefs said residents were absolutely fantastic and incredibly patient and incredibly understanding during the trial.

The central government is expected to cover the panel replacement bill in Trafford and elsewhere in the UK through a grant funding program so residents do not have to pay for the process.

Representatives of trust also confirmed that watch watches are in operation around the clock in all five high-rise buildings.

Two firefighters patrol the five high-rise buildings every hour on the hour to remove flammable objects. In the event of a fire, a horn would sound to initiate the evacuation of the building. Something that trusted representatives said was very well received by residents.

In consultations with the residents of high-rise buildings, a ratio of 60 to 40 was determined in order to retrofit sprinkler systems in all of the districts high-rise buildings.

Iain Wallis confirmed that funds would be provided to cover all of the costs associated with this sprinkler system if installed after a decision by the Board of Trustees and after further consultation with the residents.

A decision on the sprinkler system is expected to be made in March 2020 at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Trafford Housing Trust, which includes former Council President Coun Sean Anstee and current Council President Coun Andrew Western.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services said: Since the Grenfell Tower fire, GMFRS has worked with housing providers like the Trafford Housing Trust to develop renovation solutions.

No enforcement notices have been served on the Trafford Housing Trust and a work program has been drawn up.

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In five high-rise buildings, the potentially unsafe cladding was not removed immediately by Grenfell's instructions from the fire chiefs - magviral

SAN DIEGO The Board of Supervisors Wednesday backed stricter building requirements to lessen wildfire damage.

Supervisors Jim Desmond and Dianne Jacob proposed the changes to the building codes, which she said will make the county a model for fire protection in California and save lives.

Its not a matter of if, but when, when the next major wildfire hits this region, Jacob said.

The last two major blazes in San Diego, in 2003 and 2007, took the lives of 17 people and numerous animals, and caused billions of dollars in damage.

No one in the audience spoke for or against the proposed requirements prior to the supervisors unanimous vote. A final reading of the ordinance, under county policy, will take place at the boards Jan. 29 meeting.

The ordinance requires:

Last March, the board directed Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer to develop a plan that would strengthen wildfire resiliency in new homes in moderate- to high-fire areas in the unincorporated communities.

County staffers also informed the Building Industry Association, County Building Innovation Group, community planning groups and environmental stakeholders about the proposed changes.

Previous building code changes included automatic fire sprinkler system installations, more defensible space and ignition-resistant construction materials.

Link:
Stricter building codes approved to boost wildfire protection - fox5sandiego.com