Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. [BECN] saw a change by -2.43% with the trading session, closing the trade at the price of $28.93. The company is holding 69.72M shares with keeping 54.40M floating shares. With the latest trading session, the stock is set at 9.17% off compared to its 52-week low, sliding -27.67% from high for the same period of time.

Since its 90-day high, the share price saw a move by -18.28%, trading +1.15% in oppose to its 90-day low While during the day, 69.72M shares valued at 1.2 million were bought and sold.

Its stock price has been found in the range of 26.50 to 40.00. This is compared to its latest closing price of $29.65.

Stay on the lookout for the next quarterly financial report the company is expected to release the following results on Thu 6 Feb (In 66 Days).

Now lets turn to look at profitability: with a current Operating Margin for Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. [BECN] sitting at +2.49 and its Gross Margin at +20.53, this companys Net Margin is now -0.50%. These metrics indicate that this company is not generating as much profit, after accounting for expenses, compared to its market peers.

This companys Return on Total Capital is 3.62, and its Return on Invested Capital has reached 3.30%. Its Return on Equity is -0.47, and its Return on Assets is -0.16. These metrics suggest that this Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. does a poor job of managing its assets, and likely wont be able to provide successful business outcomes for its investors in the near term.

Turning to investigate this organizations capital structure, Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. [BECN] has generated a Total Debt to Total Equity ratio of

What about valuation? This companys Enterprise Value to EBITDA is 10.02 and its Total Debt to EBITDA Value is 5.72. The Enterprise Value to Sales for this firm is now 0.64, and its Total Debt to Enterprise Value stands at 0.50. Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. [BECN] has a Price to Book Ratio of 1.23, a Price to Cash Flow Ratio of 10.79.

Shifting the focus to workforce efficiency, Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. [BECN] earns $872,120 for each employee under its payroll. Similarly, this companys Receivables Turnover is 5.77 and its Total Asset Turnover is 1.09. This publicly-traded organizations liquidity data is also interesting: its Quick Ratio is 1.04 and its Current Ratio is 1.75. This company, considering these metrics, has a healthy ratio between its short-term liquid assets and its short-term liabilities, making it a less risky investment.

Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. [BECN] has 69.72M shares outstanding, amounting to a total market cap of $2.02B. Its stock price has been found in the range of 26.50 to 40.00. At its current price, it has moved down by -27.67% from its 52-week high, and it has moved up 9.17% from its 52-week low.

This stocks Beta value is currently 1.37, which indicates that it is 4.99% more volatile that the wider market. This stocks Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 25.86. This stock, according to these metrics, is currently Oversold.

Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. [BECN] stock is presenting a less attractive investment opportunity when compared to similarly-sized corporations in the same industry. The price performance of these shares has not shown much promise, and the financial results that this company has recently delivered present a highly risky investment.

Originally posted here:
Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. [BECN] The key to winning is to focus on the bigger picture - The Dwinnex

Late on Sunday, the 1st of December 2019, China had imposed a new regulation that would require Chinese data carriers to scan faces of their users registering for new data services, a first-of-its-kind move that Beijing said was put into effect to crack down on frauds.

On top of that, following reveal of Sundays (December 1st) announcement, industry analysts were quoted saying that the rollout of Chinas facial recognition technology would mean millions of Chinese nationals would come under the recently introduced facial recognition technology, but the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology did not mention the names of companies appointed to carry out the services for telecom providers, however, since Chinas SenseTime and Megvii had been the leaders in facial recognition software across the globe, they would more likely to be appointed to provide network carriers with the services, suggested analysts.

In point of fact, Facial Recognition Technology in China went for a trial-run a year earlier, as its supermarkets, subway systems alongside airports had already been using facial recognition technology, while Chinese e-commerce behemoth, Alibaba Group Holdings had provided their customers with an option to pay using their faces at Hema supermarket chain and running a hotel in Hangzhou where its guests require facial recognition for an advanced level check-in.

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Chinas facial recognition roll out reaches mobile phones, shops and homes - Financial World

Thehit seriesTiny House Nation started streaming on Netflix in 2019 andhas people all over the world wishing that they could build or buy a tiny home of their own. Seeing the tiny homes that are built for the people on this show is just too much fun and it makes a lot of us think about what it would be like to own a tiny home of our own.

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But, although downsizing and living in an adorable tiny home like the ones shown onTiny House Nation may be something that appeals to a huge number of people, it's definitely not something that everyone is cut out for. There are a lot of things (both positiveand negative!) that many people don't know about living in a tiny home.

To see 10 things you didn't know about tiny homes, keep reading!

There are quite a few people that look into getting a tiny home so that they can save some cash. For instance, one of the first episodes ofTiny House Nation on Netflix follows a couple parents that are looking to downsize in order to help save some cash to send one of their children to college.

While they can definitely be affordable and a way for people to save money, tiny homes aren't necessarily cheap. They're small on size, but the pricetag that you're going to have to pay to move into one can still be somewhat high. Tiny houses can run anywhere from $15,000 to $35,000 to build yourself. Looking to simply buy one already built? That number might be at least doubled or even more.

Although a tiny home may be a little more expensive than some people expect them to be, they're still quite a bit less expensive than a normal-sized house in many places. Plus, the price is definitely worth it for some people that dream of living in an adorable tiny home.

But, the upfront cost might not be the only time that you have to pay up. This is definitely not something thatTiny House Nation touches on, but there are extra expenses that come with owning and living in a tiny home. Zoning laws and homeowner's insurance can get complicated and pricy. And if you're looking to sell it later on? It might be tough to find a buyer.

One thing you've probably noticed if you've watched a lot ofTiny House Nation is the fact that a lot of people on the show that are getting tiny homes are single people or couples. There aren't a lot of big families moving into them and there's a very good reason for that fact.

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If you've got a family or you're looking to start one, then a tiny home may not be for you. Although the people onTiny House Nation are excited to move into their tiny home, the show often touches on the fact that the houses are, well,tiny. Because of this, they're best suited to a single person or a couple without kids living at home with them.

A lot of the focus of the houses inTiny House Nation is the fact that they're so small. While that's definitely something that people who want to move into a tiny home need to think about, a lot of the reason that people think about the fact that the houses are so small is because of how difficult it can be to fit everything into the house.

But, along with downsizing your belongings and the space you're going to be living in, many of the time homes that people build and buyare completely mobile. This means that the person living in it can, if they want to, hitch it onto a truck and travel somewhere new with their entire house.

Whether you choose to travel with your tiny home or you decide to park it permanently, one thing that a lot of people don't think about when they choose to go tiny is the fact that people are going toconstantly be asking about it. There's a reason that shows likeTiny House Nation have become so popular!

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Tiny homes are hugely trendy right now and they definitely draw in a lot of attention from others. If you're traveling in your tiny home or you're just having friends come visit it where you've got it parked, you're always going to have people asking questions about your tiny house.

Because tiny homes are so small, people who live in them definitely have to use their space as efficiently as possible. Every inch of storage space and floor space has to be maximized so that you can fit all the essentials into your tiny home without taking up too much space or making it too cluttered.

Because of this, you're going to have to spend a lot of time tidying up. In a normal sized house, things can be left out and not put away without really being noticed. But since there's not a lot of space in a tiny home, every little thing that winds up out of place becomes a big problem.

Having friends come over so you canbinge a new show on Netflixor enjoy a delicious meal together is a ton of fun. But, if you're someone that's thinking about moving into a tiny home, you might find that it's not so easy to have friends come over and hang out.

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The idea of having enough space for friends and family to come over is one thing that many episodes ofTiny House Nation touch on. While a lot of tiny house owners have really creative ways to make more space for seating, it can still be a major challenge to entertain groups of friends and family.

When people (both on and offTiny House Nation) decide to move into a tiny home, they've got their own reasons for making the decision. Some people want the freedom to be able to travel more while other people want to downsize and simplify their life, among other reasons.

Many people find that after they move into a tiny house, it gives them more time to focus on the more important parts of their life. Instead of having to take care of a large house and yard, the compact space gives people more time to focus on what's important to them.

If you're planning to travel with your tiny home, as many people onTiny House Nation say they are, then it's not as easy as simply hitching your house up to a truck and heading out on the road.

Many tiny houses are built with special features that make it easier for the owner to travel with it and make it safe to head down the highway with it on a trailer. Different countries and different states in the US have restrictions on how heavy a load can be and those apply to a tiny house. Although there's not a limit in every state for how heavy it can be, you may be required to stop at a weigh station to weigh your tiny house before you cross the border into another state.

Depending on the state you're in, your tiny house may or may not be classified as an RV. This is great because it means that a lot of RV parks will allow you to park there and stay a while!

But, parking spaces - especially permanent ones - aren't easy to find everywhere. If you're looking to travel, you need to do some research about where you're going to be parking. And if you want to settle down permanently, getting zoning permits gets complicated.

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Excerpt from:

Tiny House Nation: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Tiny Homes - Screen Rant

MASCOUTAH Three conversations were going at once at David Jungs kitchen table, where old friends gathered this fall to catch up.

They laughed about years-old Easter candy left in a freezer. They mused about the rituals of the homecoming parade.

The chatter ceased and all eyes turned to Ed Morrison when the topic turned, inevitably, to murder.

Morrison has ties with everyone at the table over the murders 50 years ago of his older brother, Mike, and his brothers prom date, Debbie Means.

Theres Mary Kay Webb, his childhood neighbor and good friend who helped Ed find the couple's abandoned car the day after prom.

Theres Jung, the traffic cop first to reach the bodies and who dressed as a woman to try to snare a killer.

And Robert Moll, classmate and funeral-home director's son who, at the age of 16, accompanied his father to the crime scene and kept grisly details to himself.

Mike Morrison, 18, and Debbie Means, 15, attended the Mascoutah Community High School prom on May 3, 1969.

Morrison worked diligently over the yearsto piece together what happened in 1969. An Illinois prosecutor dropped charges against the presumed killer so there never was a trial where facts and accusations could flow in open court. Morrison this year self-published his findings in a book, Bad Moon Rising.

I think its helped heal the town of Mascoutah, he said.

Morrison, 67, now lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia, but returned to Mascoutah in October to speak with students at a high school assembly about the crime and its aftermath.

Webb, Jung and Moll welcome Morrisons visits to town and his curiosity that unearthed answers about the double murder. Morrison and a few friends visit the cemetery yearly to toast the couple who never made it home from prom.

This was, after all, the crime that marred their childhoods and the town a half century ago.

"We used to have our windows open and doors open at night," Webb said. "Not after that."

Prom night murders

Mascoutah was a town of barely 5,000 people in 1969. Mascoutah Community High School hosted prom on a Saturday night, May 3, 1969. Mike Morrison, 18, a senior and honor student, invited Means, who was his girlfriend and a 15-year-old sophomore. Her family lived at Scott Air Force Base.

After prom, they went to dinner, then to a friend's home. Later, they met classmates for a party at an abandoned strip coal mining operation. They left after about 2 a.m. Sunday and never made it home. Their bodies were found the next day at the edge of the mining operation, six miles southwest of Mascoutah.

According to a Post-Dispatch account, Young Morrison had been shot in the head at least twice. He was wearing tuxedo trousers and white shirt. His feet were lying in a small stream.

At the bottom of an incline was Means body, nude and bruised. Her hands and feet were bound with clothesline that was tied tightly around her neck, the Post-Dispatch reported. Shed been strangled. Part of her undergarments were used to gag her.

A St. Louis Post-Dispatch article from Tuesday, May 6, 1969, detailing the murders of Mascoutah Community High School prom couple Mike Morrison, 18, and Debbie Means, 15.

A few days later, an itinerant mechanic who repaired mobile homes in St. Clair County stopped coming to work at Scott Mobile Home Sales. His boss grew suspicious. Police found blood in his Shiloh trailer, according to a newspaper account, and the mechanic became the prime suspect.

By the end of May, police nabbed that suspect, 39-year-old Marshall Wayne Stauffer (who used an alias of William Raymond Nickerson), in Sacramento, California. Police said he had undeveloped camera film linking him to other crimes.

Marshall Wayne Stauffer, also known as William Raymond Nickerson, in handcuffs in 1969 as he is escorted from a police car in Belleville, Illinois, to face charges in the murders of Mike Morrison and Debbie Means. Photo via UPI ran on page 3 of St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Wednesday, June 11, 1969.

Extradited to Illinois, Stauffer pleaded guilty in Clinton County of robbing a Belleville boy and girl and also raping the girl near Breese on the night of April 25, days before the Mascoutah prom. He was sentenced to two terms of 50 to 52 years in prison.

As part of a plea deal in the Clinton County case, St. Clair County states attorney Robert Rice dismissed the Mascoutah murder case. Rice said one reason he dropped the charges was that Means' family had been transferred by the Air Force to Germany; returning them to St. Clair County for trial would have involved considerable difficulty, according to a Sept. 10, 1969, Post-Dispatch story.

Morrison is still furious, not only with Rice's decision but also that Rice didn'tinform the Morrison family. His parents found out from a television newscast, he said.

A Post-Dispatch story on Sept. 10, 1969, about state's attorney planning to drop murder charges in Mascoutah murder case.

After an uproar in the community, Rice agreed to meet with Mascoutah residents to explain his decision. Before more than 300 people in the school gymnasium, Rice said there was insufficient evidence. Morrison watched from the back of the gym. He saw that people were angry, pointing fingers, yelling at Rice. "Our kids are not safe," someone shouted.

Jung was among the troopers guarding Rice. "The people started heading for the stage," Jung said. "They wanted a piece of him. We grabbed him by the arm and we got him out the side door."

Stauffer served 21 years for the Clinton County crimes. He was later arrested for kidnapping and raping girls in Idaho, Oregon and Nevada, and given a life sentence. Stauffer died in 2002 in an Idaho prison at the age of 71, according to the Idaho Department of Correction.

The drink line

Morrison, who was 17 when his brother died, distanced himself from Mascoutah after the murders.

My parents would walk into a restaurant in Mascoutah for a casual dinner, thered be a hush, fingers point at them. Not to be rude. But they were always, The parents of the boy. They would never get away from that, Morrison said.

His family including Morrison's other siblings,a 10-year-old brother and a college-aged sister moved in 1971 to Bowie, Maryland. Morrison graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and worked at a bank in Du Quoin, Illinois. He moved to Germany and Virginia, where he worked as a financial planner.

Morrison returned to Mascoutah periodically, including for his 30th class reunion, where hewaited in the drink line behind Moll. The former classmates hadnt spoken in a decade. Out of the blue, Morrison turned to Moll. Werent you and your dad there when they retrieved the bodies? Morrison asked. Moll said he was, and Morrison asked if hed mind describing what he saw.

Eddie, Moll replied, Ive been waiting for 30 years to tell you.

Moll knew that, as a funeral director, a trade he learned from his father, certain topics werent discussed. But Moll reasoned, Its his brother and he wants to know. So Moll divulged specifics hed long kept from his friend. One detail he shared was the image of Mikes hands gripping the grass, even in death.

When my dad and I turned Mike over, his hands were down and he had grass in his hands, and the roots came out. His hands were still clenched like this, Moll said. Something vivid. I never forgot.

Ed and Mindy Morrison are shown in the Holy Childhood of Jesus Cemetery in Mascoutah, Illinois, on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019. Ed's brother, Mike, is buried in the cemetery alongside his prom date, Debbie Means. The two were murdered after their prom night on May 3, 1969. Ed and Mindy have written a book in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of their deaths. Photo by Cristina M. Fletes, cfletes@post-dispatch.com.

Morrison was taken by surprise, realizing that perhaps his brother hadn't died instantly as hed thought. As Moll and Morrison spoke in a corner at the reunion, Morrison summoned his wife Mindy to hear Molls account. Others at the reunion gathered around.

They wanted to hear that, too, he said.

It was the first time people outside Morrison's group of friends talked openly with him about the murders.

Morrison wrote a 12-page story about the crimes, for family posterity. As more information poured in, his focus ballooned into a book, which he co-wrote with Mindy, a retired teacher. In research, he telephoned friends to tap recollections. He read newspaper clippings and tracked down investigators. He lodged a request for Illinois State Police files. He followed a paper trail to document Stauffer's other crimes and, finally, his death in prison facts neither Morrison nor many in town knew.

Decoy in a blonde wig

A key investigator Morrison turned to for background was Jung. In 1969, when Jung was 25 years old, his duties with the state police were mainly as a traffic cop. The day after prom, when the couple hadnt come home, Jung heard a deputy quip: "Dont worry about it, theyre out shacked up someplace."

Once the couples abandoned car turned up, "the town was terrified," Jung said. The police chief asked Jung and Jungs patrol partner, Trooper Charlie Graul, to search every farmhouse, ditch and culvert near the strip mine.

Mike Morrison and Debbie Means.

Two days after prom, an airman in a plane spotted Mikes white shirt. Jung and Graul were the first officers on the ground to reach the bodies.

On the theory that the killer confronted the couple in a car, Jung and Graul acted as decoys. Jung wore a blonde wig from the city clerk. The police chief was a clown in the Shriners, so Jung borrowed his bra and the rubber bazoombas, as Jung jokingly called them. He tucked his gun into a purse.The couple parked at night for a week. They were spooked a few times when cars pulled up, but no one ever approached.

David Jung dressed undercover as a woman as part of a murder investigation in 1969. Handout photo.

It turns out, the killer had left town and put a letter in the mail addressed to Means mother, containing the contents of Mike's wallet. Jungs next task: Find where the letter had been mailed. Only a single k in the postmark was clear. Jung consulted a road map and drove to towns with K in the name. That didnt materialize either.

In all, Jung logged 331.5 hours over 23 days working on the case.

After this was all over with, Jung said, we were back on the road doing traffic.

David Jung at his home in Mascoutah, Illinois, on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019. Jung was an Illinois state trooper who was the first on scene to find the bodies of Mike Morrison, 18, and Debbie Means, 15, high-schoolers who were murdered on their prom night in May 1969. Photo by Cristina M. Fletes, cfletes@post-dispatch.com.

Morrison always believed his brother was killed first, but decided it is more likely that Means was the first to die. He wishes the states attorney were still alive so he could get an explanation for the plea deal. He wrote to the prosecutors son but never heard back.

Ed and Mindy Morrison have two sons. As a parent, Eds nerves were on edge whenever a prom rolled around, Mindy said. Researching and telling the story has been cathartic for her husband, Mindy added. Ed was still stuck in the moment as a 17-year-old kid trying to make sense of what happened, she said.

After the murders, Jung added something to his patrol routine. He made it a point to stop and talk with couples parked on a lovers lane, asking the girls if they were alright and urging them to stay safe.

Mascoutah, Jung said, was forever changed.

It wasnt the nice peaceful small town anymore, Jung said, where nothing bad ever happened."

Ed Morrison, far right, toasts his deceased brother with his wife, Mindy, far left, and longtime friends Mary Kay Webb (back turned) and Bob Moll in the Holy Childhood of Jesus Cemetery in Mascoutah, Illinois, on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019. Mike Morrison, 18, and his prom date, Debbie Means, 15, were murdered after their prom night on May 3, 1969. The two are buried next to each other in the cemetery. Ed and Mindy have written a book in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the deaths. Photo by Cristina M. Fletes, cfletes@post-dispatch.com.

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'It wasnt the nice peaceful small town anymore.' Mascoutah prom murders 50 years later still echo - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

In November, the average price of a single-family home in Kamloops was pushed above the $500,000 mark.

While its a sobering figure, the president of the Kamloops and District Real Estate Association said the month is likely an outlier.

Its going to be a big headline, but a good portion of the sales were in that higher price point, which we dont always see, KADREA president Wendy Runge said.

Runge said Kamloops saw two home sales over $1 million, when typically it sees one per month at the most.

Other higher value home sales were also completed, making November a novel month.

The average price for a single-family home sold in November came out about $521,000, about 7.8 per cent higher than last month.

Typically, that figure is between $480,000 and $495,000, Runge said.

Especially being November, thats kind of the surprise. I could see something like this happening in May or June. It certainly took me by surprise. I dont think its our new norm, she told KTW.

The price surge comes as housing inventory in Kamloops, in the province and even across Canada remains low, creating more pressure on sales for higher value homes, which tend to be more available.

If we had the inventory, maybe the pressure on pricing would come down a bit, too. Its a two-handed thing, she said.

Overall, Runge said Kamloops is still an affordable city and there are still homes to buy.

In total, 202 residential housing units were sold in November, including 128 single-family homes, 58 multi-family homes (townhouses, apartments, multiplexes) and 16 mobile homes.

Read more here:

Average price of Kamloops home surpasses $500000 - Kamloops This Week

The historic legislation makes New York the first city in the world to place hard limits on the emissions of large buildings, and it has been touted by supporters as being the most ambitious climate legislation enacted by any city to date.

For building owners, the new laws mean new requirements for everything from building emissions to roof materials, and while some of the changes go into effect years in the future, others start as soon as this fall. The time to become familiar with the new rules is now, as achieving compliance may take substantial advance planning and budgeting, and, especially for older buildings, no small measure of ingenuity.

What Is the Most Important Thing to Know about the New Legislation?The centerpiece of the Climate Mobilization Act is Local Law 97 of 2019, which requires certain large buildings in the city to drastically cut carbon emissions to meet successively lower targets, beginning in 2024. More about that later. What owners should focus on first is Local Law 92 and Local Law 94, which go into effect much sooner (November 2019) and apply to more buildings (nearly all of them).

Local Laws 92 and 94 mandate that roofs on new construction, new roofs resulting from the expansion of existing buildings, and roofs undergoing complete replacement including the roof deck be covered with either solar panels or a green (vegetated) roof system. Replacing the entire existing roof deck or roof assembly will trigger compliance with these new laws. Although exceptions are granted for Fire Code compliance access, small terraces, recreational spaces, and areas housing rooftop equipment, 100 percent of the remaining roof areas are now considered sustainable roofing zones and must be equipped with a solar photovoltaic system or a vegetated roof assembly or both.

Steep-slope roofs are exempt from the green roof requirement, but if they can accommodate at least 4kW electricity generating capacity, they must have solar panels. Historic buildings subject to Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) regulations are NOT exempt from Local Laws 92 and 94, but the proposed assembly must first be approved by the LPC before being submitted to the DOB for permit approval.

For all buildings, roof areas unfavorable to either a vegetated or a photovoltaic assembly, as in cases where the building structure cannot support the added weight, may receive an exemption.

Even for some roof projects that dont involve full roof assembly or roof deck replacement, the law increases solar reflectance requirements for low-slope roofs and establishes minimum solar reflectance for steep-slope roofs. Certain materials, including glass, metal, clay, and concrete tile, are exempt, as are small roofs and minor setbacks. However, the requirements for solar reflectance are not only more stringent, they apply to many more buildings and roof types than in the past.

For building owners, this means that imminent roof assembly and roof deck replacements, as well as building expansions and new construction projects, need to comply with Local Laws 92 and 94. Solar arrays and green roofs may require structural modifications to accommodate the additional weight, so owners should factor this into their budgeting and timeline.

While both types of assemblies can mean long-term energy cost savings, the up-front expense, as compared with traditional roof systems, can be substantially greater. Owners planning expansions, roof replacements that include the roof deck, or new construction should start preparing now for the new design considerations and address any obstacles to compliance.

Projects with construction documents approved on or after November 15, 2019 will be subject to the new requirements.

What Is All the Buzz about Emissions?Replacing New Yorks heat-absorbing, impermeable roofs with the improved stormwater management, habitat creation, thermal regulation, and electricity-generating capacity of vegetated and solar assemblies is a big boon to the environment. Still, the real showpiece of the Climate Mobilization Act is the mandate to drive down the emissions of the citys biggest polluters: large buildings.

According to the Urban Green Council, buildings larger than 25,000 square feet represent just 2% of the citys building stock yet account for up to half of all building emissions. Since buildings are responsible for nearly 70% of overall carbon emissions, driving down emissions from the worst offenders will substantially contribute to meeting the citys climate goals.

Local Law 97 of 2019, along with the related amendments in Local Law 147, requires buildings over 25,000 square feet or two or more buildings on the same tax lot exceeding 50,000 total square feet to cut carbon emissions 40% overall by 2030 and 80% by 2050.

Buildings with rent-regulated units and other types of affordable housing, as well as houses of worship, are exempt from the cap, though they must implement a set of prescriptive energy-saving measures. Non-profit healthcare facilities, including hospitals, can apply for a percent reduction in the emissions limit.

Emissions targets are based on NYC Building Code occupancy groups, with mixed-use facilities having limits that reflect the balance of space usage. The law establishes two compliance phases, with an initial period of 2024-2029 and significantly more stringent emissions limits after 2030. The newly established Office of Building Energy and Emissions Performance (OBEEP) at the NYC Department of Buildings is charged with updating and enforcing these requirements.

Carbon offsets, renewable energy credits (RECs), and carbon trading are included in the law as alternate compliance options and may help building owners meet the emissions targets as they work to implement necessary upgrades. Hardship waivers, as well as emissions limit adjustments for buildings facing outsized emissions reductions, are also included in the legislation to ease the way forward in challenging circumstances.

Still, penalties are steep. Exceeding the emissions cap will cost building owners $268 for each metric ton over the limit, annually. Failure to file a report incurs a fine of 50 cents per building square foot per month, and a report found to be false constitutes a misdemeanor and carries a $500,000 fine. All of which is to say, the law has teeth.

How Are Owners Going to Pay for This?In early July 2019, NYC legislators tripled the property tax abatement for green roofs from $5.23/sf to $15/sf and extended the abatement to 2024 (see NY State Senate Bill S5554B). That will help owners recoup some of the cost of green roofs mandated by Local Laws 92 and 94.

Local Law 96 establishes a sustainable energy loan program, Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE), to provide low-interest, fixed-rate loans for renewable energy systems and efficiency retrofits. Tied to a property, rather than to an owner, the repayment obligation is transferrable when a property changes ownership, so those planning to sell a property before energy savings recoup initial costs can still implement upgrades.

What Else Is Included in the Climate Mobilization Act?Besides the green/solar roof mandate, the building emissions cap, and the PACE program, the legislative package also includes Local Law 95, which changes the way Energy Efficiency Grades for buildings are determined. Many more buildings will now be labeled with a grade of D, the lowest, though a few more may now see an A grade under the new distribution.

Also included are Local Law 98, establishing design and maintenance standards for large wind turbines, and Local Law 99, a mandate to evaluate the feasibility of replacing in-city, gas-fired power plants with battery storage systems powered by renewable energy sources.

To improve availability of information on vegetated roofs, Local Law 93 requires the NYC Office of Alternative Energy to post green roof resources on its website.

What Should Building Owners Do Now?Look for Energy Leaks. Before investing in expensive HVAC overhauls to drive down emissions, owners should conduct an assessment of the building enclosure to determine where performance improvements can be made. Upgrading heating and air conditioning before making changes to windows, exterior doors, roofs, and other building envelope systems may mean spending more on oversized HVAC equipment thats not really needed. If heating and cooling are literally going out the window, the system must work harder to keep the building comfortable.

Factor in New Green/Solar Roof Requirements. For those planning roof assembly or roof deck replacements, building expansions, or new construction projects, the new roof may need to comply with the mandate on vegetated and/or solar photovoltaic assemblies. Owners should check with a design professional to determine what may be required.

Investigate Financing Options and Incentives. To determine what options are available to cover the cost of mandated upgrades, owners can begin exploring PACE financing, green roof tax abatements, and other incentives.

Keep Abreast of Changes in the Law. As the new Office of Building Energy and Emissions Performance is established, new guidelines and clarifications will likely be issued. The best thing owners can do at this point is to stay in contact with their architect/engineer, energy consultant, and financial and legal advisors to keep tabs on how the evolving Climate Mobilization Act will impact their buildings.

ResourcesNYC Council web page on the Climate Mobilization Act: https://council.nyc.gov/data/green/NYC Office of Sustainability FAQs on Local Laws 92 & 94: https://be-exchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/20191001-LL92.94-Sust...Building Energy Exchange Climate Mobilization Act Overview: https://be-exchange.org/insight/the-climate-mobilization-act-int-1253/Urban Green Council guide to NYC Building Emissions Law: https://www.urbangreencouncil.org/content/projects/all-about-nycs-histor...New York City Retrofit Accelerator: https://retrofitaccelerator.cityofnewyork.us/

For more information, contact Hoffmann Architects at (800) 239-6665 or visit http://www.hoffarch.com.

Founded in 1977, Hoffmann Architects specializes in the rehabilitation of the building envelope. The firms work focuses on the exteriors of structures, resolving deterioration within parking garages, facades, roofs, windows, plazas, and historic/landmark structures. Our technical professionals investigate and correct damage resulting from time and weather, substandard construction, design defects, material failures, poor workmanship, structural movement, and stress.

Material provided in this bulletin is for informational purposes. Before taking action, consult a design professional.

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What building owners and AEC teams need to know about New York's Climate Mobilization Act - Building Design + Construction

Ingersoll-Rand (NYSE:IR) was downgraded by Zacks Investment Research from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, Zacks.com reports. They presently have a $138.00 target price on the industrial products companys stock. Zacks Investment Researchs price objective indicates a potential upside of 7.74% from the companys previous close.

According to Zacks, Year to date, Ingersoll-Rand's shares have outperformed the industry. The company believes that stellar sales generated from the Commercial and residential HVAC markets will bolster revenues in the quarters ahead. Further, an effective operating system, pricing actions, investments on innovation and the Precision Flow Systems buyout are expected to boost profitability. For 2019, it expects adjusted earnings per share of $6.40. The company anticipates revenue growth of 5.5-6.5% for the year. However, material cost inflation, tariff-related woes and high debts will likely affect its performance in 2019. Interest expenses from senior notes offered in March 2019 are predicted to be $60 million ($47 million will be incurred in 2019). In the past 60 days, earnings estimates have declined for the fourth quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020.

A number of other research analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets set a $145.00 price objective on Ingersoll-Rand and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Barclays reissued a buy rating and issued a $134.00 target price on shares of Ingersoll-Rand in a research note on Friday, October 4th. Stephens cut Ingersoll-Rand from an overweight rating to an equal rating in a report on Monday, October 7th. Deutsche Bank lowered Ingersoll-Rand from a buy rating to a hold rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $137.00 to $135.00 in a research report on Tuesday, October 29th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Finally, KeyCorp lifted their price target on Ingersoll-Rand from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $135.25.

Shares of IR opened at $128.09 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $30.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.83, a PEG ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 1.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 1.28. Ingersoll-Rand has a fifty-two week low of $85.15 and a fifty-two week high of $132.42. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $126.33 and a 200-day moving average price of $122.97.

Ingersoll-Rand (NYSE:IR) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The industrial products company reported $1.99 EPS for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of $1.91 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $4.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.30 billion. Ingersoll-Rand had a net margin of 8.38% and a return on equity of 21.72%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.75 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Ingersoll-Rand will post 6.4 earnings per share for the current year.

In other news, SVP Keith A. Sultana sold 7,010 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.00, for a total transaction of $876,250.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 19,608 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,451,000. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Marcia J. Avedon sold 7,450 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.00, for a total value of $961,050.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 99,075 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $12,780,675. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.71% of the companys stock.

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. FDx Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Ingersoll-Rand in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $226,000. Whittier Trust Co. lifted its position in Ingersoll-Rand by 3.3% during the second quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 4,770 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $604,000 after buying an additional 154 shares during the period. Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft FI lifted its position in Ingersoll-Rand by 133.0% during the second quarter. Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft FI now owns 5,143 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $651,000 after buying an additional 2,936 shares during the period. Quadrant Capital Group LLC lifted its position in Ingersoll-Rand by 103.3% during the second quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 1,813 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $224,000 after buying an additional 921 shares during the period. Finally, Greenleaf Trust boosted its holdings in shares of Ingersoll-Rand by 5.0% during the 2nd quarter. Greenleaf Trust now owns 2,938 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $372,000 after buying an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. 78.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Ingersoll-Rand

Ingersoll-Rand Plc designs, manufactures, sells, and services industrial and commercial products. The company operates through Climate and Industrial segments. The Climate segment offers air conditioners, exchangers, and handlers; airside and terminal devices; auxiliary power units; chillers; coils and condensers; gensets; furnaces; heat pumps; home automation; humidifiers; hybrid and non-diesel transport refrigeration, and ice energy storage solutions; indoor air quality; industrial refrigeration; motor replacements; refrigerant reclamation; thermostats/controls; transport heater products; and water source heat pumps.

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Dealing with T- Junctions is a common topic of discussion in the practice of Feng Shui. So, why do homes located on a T-Junction get such a bad rap? In the shortest of responses, the energy rushes down the street so quickly, its slams into the home, potentially making the occupants feel uncomfortable, while also allowing for an accumulation of negative energy to build up over time. The T-Junction is said to have a few symbolic names, including "tigers eyes," "poison arrow," "sha energy," and "cross roads." It's important to note, there are different degrees of T-Junction situations that could affect the home. To know which is which, it requires a bit of investigation and keen observations.

Below is a quick gauge:

Essentially, the less traffic along the T-Junction street and slower the pace of the cars, the better off you are.

The image above is of a case study with a home located in Los Angeles, CA, which happens to be on a very busy T-Junction Street. This house falls into the every 2-5 minute traffic pattern of movement.

The image of the same home from ground level. As you can see, the white car is turning left, but if something were to go wrong, the speed and force of that car would move toward the yellow house, even if they try to turn suddenly. Not to mention, at night the car headlights (Tigers Eyes) are facing directly into the home. This is a very high level of sha energy hitting into the home.

The Feng Shui recommendations for this particular home to block and protect the occupants was to build a separate wall with a door from the actual home's structure.

Above are quick highlights for the observed Feng Shui recommendations in plain sight for this particular home.

Keep in mind, with all these small changes to deflect the T-Junction, the owners still made it easy to access the actual front door and 'see' the home.

Feng Shui Manhattan Official Website

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Feng Shui and T-Junctions - Patch.com

Winter camping can be a challenge. It often requires specialized gear, lugging a heavier pack, and contending with the constant threat of cold, wet, miserable nights. However, keeping comfortable when the mercury drops is not about packing more, but packing smarter. Heres how to stay toasty warm in the backcountry, even in the dead of winter.

Most campers know that cotton is the worst material for hiking and camping. It can be downright lethal if worn in winter, especially when sweat is a factor. Once wet, it takes forever to dry and loses most of its heat retention properties as well. Merino wool is far superior or, if you prefer, there are many great synthetic alternatives as well.

Its tempting to blindly pile on the layers to keep warm. This can be effective, but it pays to consider each layer individually. Wear fitted, but not tight, layers that dont restrict blood flow. Sock liners and a cap that keeps you warm without making you sweat are essential. Fingerless gloves can be a great option as they allow for better hand dexterity without having to completely remove them for essential tasks like cooking or pitching a tent.

This is less about feng shui and more about flattening your sleep space and minimizing heat loss in the night. If camping in the snow, find a campsite early. Flatten the ground beneath your tent or sleeping bag as early as possible. Once the snow thaws and refreezes, its next to impossible to smooth out. Carve out a small trough thats roughly the size of your sleep pad to serve as a bed platform. This helps minimize the ambient space around you, which in turn maximizes heat retention in the night.

Some four-season tents are only rated down to around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Pack a tent designed for the surrounding climate. Theres no need to go overboard, but a 20-degree tent whether its billed as four-season or not isnt going to cut it when youre camping in Montana in February. Consider the size of your tent as well. Sizing up (e.g., buying a two-person tent for your solo outings) for extra square footage in the backcountry might seem tempting. However, all that dead space forces your body to work harder to heat it. Use gear backpacks, jackets, even pets to line the perimeter of your tent and act as insulation. If camping with a buddy, arrange your sleep pads as close together as is comfortable. Two warm bodies can maintain collective heat much faster than one.

Sleeping on cold ground is one of the fastest ways to lose body heat. Winter sleeping bags help keep you warm and insulated from the cold air but do little to stop conduction heat loss between your body and the earth. Consider an insulated, closed-cell foam sleeping padlike those from Therm-a-Rest. Theyre durable, lightweight, and comfortable. Most importantly, however, they can be a literal lifesaver when the mercury dips well below freezing.

Non-insulated stainless steel bottles are incredibly versatile in the backcountry. Fill one with hot water at night to create a makeshift sauna stone, then place it in your sleeping bag. This trick is incredibly effective, especially if the bottle is placed strategically near your core or femoral artery. Depending on how cold you sleep, the bottle will keep warm for hours. Unless youre in a survival situation, dont attempt this with a plastic water bottle(even BPA-free bottles), however, as harmful chemicals could leech into the water.

Fuel (i.e., food) generates heat. Downing a snack or meal just before bed can rev your bodys engine to help keep you warm. Choose high-calorie foods rich in fat and carbs. Peanut butter, nuts, cheese, and Clif bars are all great options. Dont hesitate to grab a similar midnight snack as well.

Even with a door cracked, frost can form in your tent in the morning. This can quickly melt once the sun rises, and all that water will likely fall onto and dampen your gear. If youre an early-riser, sweep the frost away before it becomes an issue. Stowing gear overnight under a tarp or in a garbage bag can also help.

Most of us carry at least a smartphone and a camera when hiking. While its something we dont often think about, all electronics are designed to work within a safe operating temperature. Most outdoor gear like GPS devices and weatherproof cameras work within a wide range, so this likely isnt an issue. But, its worth double-checking the limits of your gear. Charging or operating your gadgets outside of these limits could cause irreparable damage.

Originally posted here:
How to Keep Warm While Winter Camping - The Manual

MOVING into a new home is everyones dream, but packing a lifetimes worth of stuff can be daunting and we all dread thinking about whether it will all fit. Developers are getting their thinking caps on to consider the needs of storage. Take the Kings Ridge scheme, providing basement space for those bulkier items, White City Livings hidden interlocking and clever storage, and Postmarks generous walk-in wardrobes. In dire need of more space? Here are some new homes with great storage solutions.

This mixed-use scheme (pictured top) with 24-hour concierge, residents cinema and rooftop terrace in Farringdon will boast 681 one, two and three-bed apartments. Theres pigeon-hole storage inspired by the sites postal heritage in the bathrooms and kitchens, huge walk-in wardrobes in the master bedrooms, plus more space in the hallway to jam in your clutter. From 1.32m for a one-bed apartment, postmarklondon.com

St James has launched its first onsite show apartment at White City Living, designed by Jigsaw Interior Architecture with feng shui in mind. Theres interlocking cupboards with double storage capacity. From 1.04million for a two-bed Mulberry Collection apartment, berkeleygroup.co.uk

The kitchens in these striking one, two and three-bed apartments and three and four-bed houses have lots of cupboard space, with further units in the hallways of each flat, or under the stairs in the houses. Bedrooms have floor-to-ceiling wardrobes, theres allocated parking and much-desired open space. From 225,995 with Help to Buy available, countrysideproperties.com

Part of a regeneration project in Harrow, the collection of one, two and three-bed apartments plus three and four-bedroom houses come with plenty of storage solutions, as well as a residents gym and landscaped parklands. Apartments have fitted wardrobes, two large cupboards off the hallway, one on the terrace plus a bin store better than most two-bed homes. From 345,000 for a one-bed apartment, with London Help to Buy available, barrattlondon.com

This stunning collection of 12 apartments overlooks the 18th green of the prestigious Camberley Heath Golf Club. All have separate utility rooms, large cupboard spaces in the hallways and access to private basement storage areas. Many apartments also have a balcony or patio area. And its 34 minutes direct to London Waterloo from Farnborough station, just three miles away. From 510,000, millgatehomes.co.uk

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Launch pad: Five new homes with closet space to burn - Metro Newspaper UK