Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

What Is Feng Shui? Use Welcoming, Calming Colors Position Your Bed With Care

In feng shui, the "commanding position" for the bed is as far away from the bedroom door as possible, but in a spot which still allows you to keep an eye on the room's entrance. "This gives you a sense of safety and protection while you rest," says Jayme. The corner of the room diagonally opposite the door is usually best, since it distances you from the door while keeping the bed out of direct alignment with the room's opening, which is conducive to sleep, relaxation and healthychi.

Headboards, especially solid ones made from wood, are considered good feng shuibecause they provide additional strength and support behind your head. Footboards, on the other hand, are seen as blocking forward progress in life.

Make sure your feet don't point out the door while in bed. In traditional Chinese culture, this is called the "Death Position" because the deceased are carried out feet first. Practitioners believe sleeping this way can drain your life force. If you can't avoid it, use a footboard or a substantial trunk or other piece of furniture at the foot of your bed to act as a buffer (this is the one exception to feng shui's normal "no footboard" rule). Finally, leave enough room around the bed for energy to flow freely, and for each partner to get up with ease.

"Less is more" also applies to the closet. According to experts, clutter behind closed doors can be just as depleting as clutter that's in the open. "If you feel irritated, confused and overwhelmed when you open the closet door, organizing your closet will help give you a sense of control over your life," says Terah. Ruthlessly weed out clothes that are unflattering, out-of-style or no longer worn, then sort by color and season. Install organizers to hold shoes, belts, scarves and other accessories, and move everything else choking your closet to another spot. Better yet, give it away!

Instead, if you're single and don't want to be, "decorate your bedroom as if a partner is already there," Terah says. Symmetry is key, so position nightstands and lamps onbothsides of the bed. Accessorize in pairs or multiples, too: Place a bunch of flowers in a vase and hang art depicting romance and unity, which feng shui gurus say creates a "couples' energy" as well as a sense of balance and abundance in the room.

In the feng shui "map" of the bedroom, called thebagua, the far right corner is the "love center." Whether you're single or coupled, consider building a "shrine to love" in that spot. Accessorize a table, dresser or shelf with a photo of you and your mate (or other art that depicts a happy couple), a pair of candles, a book of romantic poetry and a heart-shaped box. "It becomes an environmental affirmation of your relationship goals," Terah says. A thriving plant with rounded, not spiky, leaves is another nice addition. Silk plants or flowers are OK, according to feng shui practitioners, but never keep a sickly specimen or dried foliage here, since their symbolism is obvious.

Another feng shui no-no: king-sized beds. Not only do they create a physical chasm between you and your mate, but they "are split down the middle by two box springs, which creates a symbolic dividing line between partners that can affect their unity," David Daniel Kennedy, a feng shui teacher and consultant in Berkeley, Calif., and author of "Feng Shui for Dummies" explains. If you're not about to trade in your beloved California King, even for the sake of yourotherbeloved, a red sheet placed over the box springs will help unify the two separate halves.

In addition to creating a room that's beautiful to look at, take time to appeal to your other senses as well, by filling your bedroom with things you love to smell, touch, taste and hear. "Make the bedroom your sensory treasure box," says Terah.

More:
Feng Shui Your Bedroom | HGTV

FROMthe perspective of Chinese Metaphysics, when it comes to the Feng Shui assessment of a property, the priorities for a homebuyer and an investor may differ.

For homebuyers, there are more aspects they need to look at to determine whether the property or unit is suitable for them, said Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics founder Datuk Joey Yap during TheEdgeProperty.com Facebook Live show on July 23, aired in conjunction with the recent Malaysia Virtual Property Expo 2017. The FB Live talk was on Feng Shui for homebuyers.

For property investors, the most important areas to consider when buying a property are the direction and condition of the main door and balcony (if any) as they wont be occupying the unit for the long term. The same theory applies to those who are purchasing commercial units.

The whole idea of Feng Shui assessment is to identify and harness the good flow of energy in the environment, which is also known as Qi flow. The flow of energy determines the prosperity and vibrancy of the particular place. This is the reason why certain places are vibrant and attract crowds, while others in the same area may not, Yap opined.

Five areas to look at

For homebuyers, finding the property that matches well with their individual destiny chart based on Feng Shui can be achieved by assessing:

1) The main door2) The bedroom3) The balcony4) The kitchen5) The study

The main door represents the entrance for the flow of energy. Its like a persons mouth. A property with good Feng Shui elements should be one that does not obstruct energy flow coming in from the main door. So the main door must face open spaces that encourage good energy to flow in and around, thus contributing to wealth improvement, Yap explained.

This means one should avoid a unit that has the main door facing a pillar or has something that blocks its entrance.

The same theory applies to the balcony. If the balcony faces or is close to another building, the flow of Qi is disrupted. A balcony should be spacious, preferably facing a water body or hill so as to invite good energy into the property.

For people hoping to improve family harmony or relationships, or who want to improve their health, the bedroom should be their focus as it is where people sleep and rejuvenate themselves.

With good sleep and self-healing, a person will have good temperament and patience. This could help in building good relationships with others, he said.

The kitchen is another area that one should assess as it is related to the health and safety of the occupants in the house. Based on the house owners destiny chart, if the kitchen is situated in an unfavourable direction for its owner, it will cause negative energy flow, thus causing health problems to the owners or residents.

Health problems in the family could arise if the kitchen is in the wrong place and the energy flow there is being intercepted with negative energy or vibration. However, if one seldom cooks or eats at home, the kitchen element can be ignored, he said.

For people who want to excel in life and grow to their fullest potential as a student or in their careers, the study room is definitely the room they have to give priority to.

Watch the entire talk on http://www.theedgeproperty.com.my/edgepropertytv on a video entitled Feng Shui and you by Dato Joey Yap.

If you have any feng shui-related questions for Yap, please go to the Tips section of TheEdgeProperty.com.

Datuk Joey Yap is the worlds leading Chinese Metaphysics consultant and bestselling author of more than 160 books which have sold over four million copies worldwide. He is chief consultant of the Joey Yap Consulting Group and founder of Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics. His nearly two decades of professional consultancy includes working with Microsoft, Sime Darby, UEM, Prudential and Citibank. He has students in more than 30 countries.

This story first appeared in TheEdgeProperty.com pullout on Aug 18, 2017. Download TheEdgeProperty.com pullout here for free.

The rest is here:
Feng Shui helps in finding the home that suits you - The Edge Markets MY

IF you have a balcony that has sharp shapes, corners or edges, there are a few things you could do to remedy it and generate positive energy for your home.

One of the most common is placing tall and healthy plants.

It is recommended that you opt for a plant or a flower that has vibrant colours and can be easily taken care of. Avoid spiky or pointed ones like a cactus as it might prevent positive qi from entering the house.

According to Feng Shui masters, green plants in the balcony will not only energise and greet you every morning, but also welcome you back in the evening from all your outdoor activities.

It is wise that you keep the balcony free from unnecessary items like old shoe racks or cupboards, empty pots or vases, dead plants, bottles and newspapers.

According to Chinesehoroscop-e.com, putting a window box on the window sill will fill the house with the wood energy of growing plants.

By using the Bagua, we can choose the colours of the plants, flowers and window boxes which correspond to the direction facing our balcony.

The direction facing the balcony is also important.

A balcony with the view of a river, mountain or other greenery is said to be very auspicious compared to one facing a busy road and the walls of another building.

It is best to avoid choosing a house with a balcony that has certain objects, structures and buildings adjacent to it as it can cut off the positive energy meant to flow into your home.

Meanwhile, having a door that faces a balcony will create problems for the occupants, especially if they have children.

The children may be drawn to elope from the house and may under-perform at school.

Parents may also not have their heart at home, causing a strife in their relationship and creating issues at work.

To prevent all these, try installing a partition or any forms of wall structures between the door and the balcony to make the space less parallel.

Read more:
Feng Shui: Positive energy at balconies - New Straits Times Online

By Lucy Fry

Crapemyrtles are unquestionably the most popular ornamental trees in the Southern landscape, offering something for every season colorful flowers in summer, brilliant foliage in autumn and interesting brown exfoliating bark in winter.

And they cope with Mother Natures heat indexes of 110 and drought conditions by producing huge fragrant panicles of crinkled white, pink, red and lavender flowers.

A drive around town reveals how much Fort Smith loves its crape myrtles. They are everywhere in parks, along highways, in small yards and large estate landscapes, on campuses and in front of businesses.

But lurking behind this beautiful summer display is a threat its called crape myrtle bark scale. It begins as tiny white or gray felt-like encrustations on small twigs and even large trunks often near pruning wounds or in branch crotches on older wood. Then it gives off sticky honeydew and finally turns into a black sooty mold on the bark. (Although it is sometimes mistaken for a severe aphid problem, it is not.)

This insect arrived in Arkansas via Texas and last year invaded the river valley with a vengeance that many crape myrtle growers remember all too well.

Several neighbors and friends have already spotted it this year and are considering topping their trees so that they can reach and clean the nasty little scale. This sounded so desperate that an imminent email to Plant Doctor Sherrie Smith (her real title is University of Arkansas plant diagnostician) was necessary for any new recommendations or remedies for controlling this pest.

As expected, she replied immediately: We have not added anything new. If the grower uses one of the systemic insecticides recommended, there is no need to top the crape myrtle.

Here are the UA Cooperative Extension Services recommendations:

It does not appear that crape myrtle bark scale will be easy to control, though soil-applied neo-nicotinoids do provide significant suppression. Our current best suggestions for control include:

For heavily infested plants, wash the trunk and reachable limbs with a soft brush and mild solution of dishwashing soap. This will remove many of the female scales and egg masses and make insecticide control more effective. Also, washing will remove much of the black mold that builds up on the bark on infested trees.

Horticultural oil has not yet been shown to be effective against this insect; however, a winter application of dormant oil to the bark and crotches of the plants where scales shelter may be beneficial. Be sure to use sufficient volume to allow for penetration behind loose bark and into cracks and crevices. Winter is an especially good time to treat for scales because a higher (winter) application rate can be used without damaging the plant. Thorough coverage of the tree is especially important when treating with oil.

Application of systemic insecticides as a drench applied to the root zone has shown the most promise in tests to date. Imidacloprid (Merit or Bayer Advanced Garden Tree and Shrub Insect Control), thiomethoxam (Meridian) and dinotefuran (Greenlight Tree and Shrub Insect Control with Safari) have shown best control when applied between May and July. When drenching the soil with a systemic insecticide, allow several weeks for the product to be distributed throughout the plant. Additionally, acetamiprid and clothianidin, also neonicotinoids, have demonstrated good control.

Lady beetles should be preserved, as the twice-stabbed lady beetle is an efficient predator of this scale.

Twice-stabbed lady beetles (black with two red spots on their backs) are a gardeners friend thanks to their ability to hunt and consume plant-harming bugs, primarily scales, at an astonishing rate.

If fact, your garden will benefit from plants that attract friendly beetles and ladybugs that consume aphids with a vengeance. These plants include dill, cilantro, wild carrot, angelica, cosmos, yarrow, geranium and (most gardeners will hesitate before using this one) dandelions.

So, to all you desperate crape myrtle fans: Leave your chainsaw in the garage, pull on your gloves, scrub and treat your trees and pray for an invasion of the twice-stabbed lady beetle.

Next week, the topic will be: saving the pollinators one stamp or one plant at a time.

Lucy Fry of Fort Smith is a level 4 Master Gardener and writes the area Master Gardener newsletter. Her column, Gardening for the Record, runs weekly in the Times Record. Send questions to gardeningfortherecord@gmail.com.

Read more:
Gardening for the Record: Protect crape myrtles; bark scale is back in town - Times Record

Cercis uncertainty

In the last four to five days my Judas tree has developed a patch of browning, dying leaves, mysteriously on one side only, with no sign of an obvious cause. Rosemary Whitt, via email

The picture you sent showed amature Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum), one of whose two stems seems, as you fear, to be dying. This sudden collapse is possibly due to verticillium wilt to which this cercis is susceptible. Various wilts are responsible for all sorts of tree and shrub deaths: cotinus is notoriously prone and I have a friend whose mighty Eleagnus Quicksilver went this way, a branch at a time.

It is hard to be sure about wilts. If you chop off an affected branch, there may be a telltale brown/black stain running trough the wood which would indeed indicate that it is the cause of the problem, but if this is not obvious it is tempting to think that there may be something else wrong that will miraculously right itself. You could try to stay ahead of the game by removing the dying half of the tree. You might just save it, while leaving it a rather strange shape from which it might recover in time. I presume you have already taken a good look at the tree at ground level, to see if it one of its trunks has somehow been injured realistically, the only other cause of the problem.

I am planning to plant an ornamental birch in my garden in the autumn and have been looking around at the many different ways other people support their trees. What do you recommend? Anita Oliver, via email

Researchers have found that young tree trunks will thicken up more quickly where they are allowed to bend slightly in the wind, so depending on the size of your tree and on how sheltered your garden is, it may not need staking at all. However, if necessary, a short, slanting stake is recommended for container-grown trees, while a short straight one is suitable for those that are planted bare-rooted. The reason is logical: it would be easy to damage the roots of a container-grown tree by banging a stake right through the middle of the root ball. However, a stake driven in at an angle after the tree is planted avoids this risk. The top of a slanting stake should face into the wind, and a straight stake should be on the windward side, too, with 2ft (60cm) of the stake below ground and about the same above.

Tree ties are often wrongly fitted. You can see exactly how this bit of kit is used on YouTube look at Sue Beesleys demonstration How to fit a tree tie. Ties should be checked and adjusted annually. After three years the tree should have made enough new roots to become stable, and stakes can then be removed.

Read the rest here:
Helen Yemm: plum problems, wilting Judas, support for trees - Telegraph.co.uk

Tools and Materials Needed for the Project:

All of these materials should be available at your local hardware or home improvement store. Its usually a good idea to gather everything needed prior to starting the project.Utility knifes are very sharp always guard against injuries when cutting your ceiling tiles tiles should be secure and on a flat surface when trimming.

Styrofoam ceiling tiles can be installed on ceilings and walls covered with drywall, lime, lime-cement, dry plaster, chip-board, aerated concrete, masonry, silicates, and popcorned or textured ceiling finishes. When installing over any existing ceiling material, the surface should be dry, stable, even, hard, and free of any dust or debris.

Do NOT attempt to apply Styrofoam ceiling tiles over a popcorn ceiling that is soft or unstable. If the surface falls into these categories or is questionable, always remove the popcorn before installing the tiles simply soak the popcorn with water and scrub it off the surface.

Before installing decorative Styrofoam ceiling tiles on any surface, it should be cleaned of any dust, grease, wax, or any other dirt that may be present. If the surface displays any cracking or other defects, these defects should be corrected with filler prior to proceeding with the tile installation cracking or flaking paint should also be removed.

Whether youre an experienced DIYer or attempting your first project, installing decorative ceiling tiles is a job where planning is just as important as the actual installation -- taking a little extra time in this phase can result in a more attractive ceiling.

Starting in the center of your room with your Styrofoam decorative tiles normally provides the most appealing layout in many cases you may already have a ceiling fan or light in this spot, but if not, use the string method to determine the rooms center. Stretch two strings across the ceiling at a diagonal from opposite corners and where they cross should be the center finish nails can be used to secure the ends of the strings or ask a helper to lend a hand. Draw two perpendicular lines where the strings cross to divide the ceiling into four quadrants.

The mastic is applied to the backs of your tiles in small 1 to 1 inch thick mounds. If you happen to have a porous surface such as popcorn, you may want to increase the thickness of the adhesive, but a hard flat surface such as sheetrock or plaster may take a little less use the first several tiles to determine the ideal amount needed for your ceiling. The mastic should be placed in mounds approximately two to three inches in diameter and located at each corner of the tile, in the center, and a few other spots as needed. It isnt necessary to spread the mastic as pressing the tile into place on the ceiling should take care of that task try to keep the adhesive in from the edges enough so that it doesnt flow past the tile when installed.

Measure across the ends of your room and make a mark on the ceiling at the center of each wall taking into account any offsets or unique situations that may affect the measurements. Use your chalk line to snap a line through the exact center of the room previously marked to perimeter wall centers this should provide square lines to guide the installation of your first tile and those that follow. Before installing any tiles stand back and inspect the lines to ensure they appear correct.Place adhesive on the back of your first tile and press it into place with one corner in the marked center of the room. Make sure the edges follow your chalked lines.

Press each tile into place with enough force to spread the mastic evenly, but be careful of damaging the tile surface.

Tiles should be installed in parallel rows taking care to keep the edges as close together as possible. You may find it helpful to snap additional ceiling lines based on the width of the tiles, but take care not to get chalk on the surfaces of the tiles already installed. Trim tiles at the perimeter of the room as needed for a good fit be careful when cutting!

When you have completed your tile installation, use your caulking gun to apply a bead of caulk at all tile seams paying particular attention to where gaps exist. This helps to ensure a seamless and solid appearance for your Styrofoam decorative ceiling tiles. If youre an inexperienced caulker, you may want to practice on a few spare tiles before starting on your finished ceiling.

Caulking the ceiling tiles is much the same as applying grout to ceramic tiles work it down into the gaps along the entire length of each tile. Be careful not to apply too much and promptly smooth the bead out with a clean finger. Excess caulk can be wiped off with a damp sponge remember to rinse the sponge often and wring it thoroughly to remove excessive water and avoid smudging the tiles.

If youre planning on painting your tiles, white caulk can be used, but if the tiles are pre-finished, a matching or clear caulk is normally your best choice. Excess caulk should always be wiped off before it has a chance to dry or it may become very difficult to remove.

Hopefully these instructions will help with your ceiling installation, but if you have any questions, please feel free to contact use if you have any questions..

Hand Painted Styrofoam Ceiling tiles

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Styrofoam Ceiling Tiles Installation

The television screen is an ever-expanding thing literally. These days you can easily find a high quality and reasonably priced 65-inch TV, and some of the best TVs you can buy are also quite reasonably priced. But if you want a true cinematic experience, a projector is the way to go. Projector screens easily reach beyond 120 inches, and some projectors now support 4K UHD resolution and cover impressively wide color gamuts, just like their 4K TV counterparts.

So should you buy a projector? Well, projectors are a bit more complicated than TVs and require a little extra work and consideration. There are five major factors that will determine whether a projector is right for you.

The first consideration in deciding if a projector is right for you is room lighting. Projector brightness (or lack thereof) was once an issue that required an entirely dark room, but todays projectors are brighter and less expensive than ever before. Its easier to find a model that can handle moderate ambient light or even well-lit rooms thanks to better technology, including screens that reject ambient light.

Still, the darker the room the better the picture quality. When it comes to contrast, a projector needs darkness to make an image that looks bold, not washed out. This will also help make any required color calibrationeasier. Basements are popular for projectors because they tend to be dark by nature, but you can put a projector in a room with windows so long as you can effectively block out that light, usually with curtains. If youre willing to put up black-out curtains or shades, nearly any room in your home can work for a projector.

You are going to need both the space and the means to install a screen. There are a few ways to do this. First you can mount a manual or motorized drop-down screen from your ceiling. You could also mount a fixed screen to your wall, so long as youre willing to sacrifice the space. Or could paint your wall with a special projection-screen paint.

Make sure you have enough space for the screen, plus the speakers and furniture you want to put around it. There are a number of online calculators that can give you exact height and width measurements for any given 16:9 screen size.

There are two distances you need to think about: throw distance the distance between the projector and screen and viewing distance how far it is from your seat to the screen. Thanks to short throw projectors, you can reliably get a 100-inch diagonal widescreen image from as little as three and a half feet away, but many projectors require at least 10 feet for the same size image. Ultra-short throw projectors can achieve a 100-inch image from as little as 1.85 feet away, but are significantly more expensive.

Youll want to use a throw distance calculator online to determine if you have enoughspace for the projector you are considering. Viewing distance has to do with how far you should sit from an image of a certain size, and there are online calculators for this as well. Typically, experts recommended that you sit 10 feet from a 110-inch screen.

The previous steps have dealt with factors that affect the screen, but the projector itself needs special consideration, too. Specifically, you need to determine if you are able to place the projector at an ideal distance and angle from the TV. Ideally, the center of the projectors lens should align with the horizontal center of your screen, although some projectors do allow for offset installation. If for whatever reason you cant have your projector dead center, be sure to look for projectors with a lens-shift features. This allow for some adjustments should you need to place the projector a little off to the left or right. Theyre handy, but do keep in mind that the best image quality will come from a centered projector.

Of course, youll need to make sure you can to cleanly run at least one HDMI cable and power to this installation location. This is more easily done if the projector is going to sit on a table or in a cabinet than with an in-ceiling installation, as that will require wires to run along either the inside or outside of the wall and ceiling. If any of this sounds confusing, dont worry: Our projector installation guide will help you do it like a pro.

A good A/V receiver is an important part of any home theater, and because projectors often have fewer connection ports than TVs, theyre a natural fit for projector setups. If you plan to connect just a single device to your projector and have a sound system you can connect to it, be that a Blu-ray player or game console, then you dont necessarily need any additional equipment. But since most projectors have only one HDMI input, youll need an A/V receiver to connect multiple devices. An HDMI switcher is also an option, but an A/V receiver is better: it will also provide sound to your speaker system and you definitely want a sound system of some sort, because projectors have very weak speakers, if they have them at all.

If youre in the middle of new construction or are renovating your entertainment room, finding the proper space and installing a projector in conjunction is easier than putting one into a finished room. But if youre not in the process of remodeling, its more complicated. The best way to answer the question is to appraise your room using the criteria discussed above.

That said, if youve gone through this guide and still arent sure if a projector is right for you, check out our detailed explanation on the differences between projectors and TVs. If you get all of those pieces in place and are ready to make the jump to Team Projector, congrats! Youre well on your way to a home theater that will have your friends and neighbors knocking down your door. Enjoy!

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What you need to consider before buying a projector - Digital Trends

This Architectural Installation Reconnects With the Senses Through Suspended Bricks

Adesign by Ashari Architectsforan architectural installation in Iran is a direct response to the need to reconnect with the senses.

The project, a pavilion built from a cube that holds a suspended brick volume, shows the potential of the use of this material by creating distinct atmospheres.

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From the Architects.Our response to the challenging architectural installation competition near one of the most important historic gardens Afif Abad Garden in Shiraz, Iran was PAUSE.

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PAUSE is the childish adventure feeling and inspiration that we have not experienced since the childhood. PAUSE tries to revive the feelings that we have been ignoring. Feeling of brick texture tactile; hearing the sound of our steps on the metal sheets, looking at the sky which we pass under of it every single day without any attention to it, not even trying to pause to enjoy it.

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Listening to the water features at the site," PAUSE from the outside is a cube that holds a suspended brick volume. This is adequate enough to incite the adventure and curiosity senses. By passing the brick wall entrance, we reach a dark closed space which cant hear anything except the sound of metal sheets under our steps. We continue our journey by touching the brick textures.

This concludes inciting and emphasizing our auditory and tactile senses which lead to follow our only possible guide that is the brick texture to move forward while our eyes are constantly searching to find a light beam or an opening. The mirrors and the light reflections gradually inform us about an occurrence that is about to happen. A little light beam is reveled and suddenly a stunning source of light from above lightens the space. We find ourselves under the sky which is framed and surrounded by mirrors and define the border between us and the environment.

As to respect the maximum allowed space which is 4m X 4m X 4m, the effort was on implementing our concept in the exactly defined space. Creating a moving knot in circlesof the space led us to initiate a circular volume in a cubic volume. By extruding the circle to create a cylinder and from cylinder to cone to create difference volume radiuses achieving the spatial diversity between the floor and ceiling and as a result drawingattention to the people above.

In order to incite peoples curiosity sense, we covered all around the interior cone inside the cube structure with metal sheets. Afterward, the entrance/exit space was defined by changing the material and creating a brick wall that invites the visitors.

To increase safety, 80 cm at the bottom part of the cone is omitted to supervise the people movement which led us to suspend the cone and that ended up as an interesting challenge of structure for us.

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All of the bricks that are used in the pavilion are cut in half and installed with the designed straps. The mirrors density in the inside increases as you move your eyes toward the upper part of thecone. Finally, to prevent the direct sun light and control the light the ceiling is covered by metal sheets. A hole has been cut out from the ceiling in order to push everyone's focus to the above space.

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Architects:Ashari ArchitectsLead Architects:Amirhossein AshariProject location:Shiraz, IranCompletion Year:2017Gross Built Area:16 square metersOther participants:Zahra Jafari, Ayda Bazoobandi, Mostafa Yektarzadeh, Sahar GharayiPhotography:Amir Ali Ghafari

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This Architectural Installation Reconnects With the Senses Through Suspended Bricks - ArchDaily

ANDERSON No action was taken by Madison County officials following an asbestos survey in 2016 because there was no reason for concerns.

The problem surfaced when work was started on the replacement of the heating and cooling system in the courthouse, which prompted an air-quality test in July.

An informational meeting concerning asbestos discovered in the Madison County Government Center has been rescheduled.

The question-and-answer session will take place at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the council chambers of the Madison County Government Center, 16 E. Ninth St.

The asbestos in the building, constructed in 1973, was first discovered in October 2016 in a survey report completed by HydroTech Environmental Consulting & Engineering at the request of former property manager Denny Williamson.

Williamson said Monday that Human Resources Director Melinda Neeley requested the survey for compliance through Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA.

He said the survey results were provided to Neeley and Dan Dykes, county administrator.

They knew asbestos was found in the building, Williamson said of the 2016 report. It was up to them to do a follow-up.

Neeley said Monday the 2016 survey was done as part of a Voluntary Protection Plan and the county was working with OSHA.

We wanted to be pro-active in providing a healthy workplace, she said.

Neeley said she received the HydroTech survey in late 2016 or earlier this year.

I was told we didnt have an asbestos concern, she said.

Dykes said he saw the report for the first time last week. Since the 2016 survey found no reasons for concerns, no follow-up took place, he said.

That survey found the presence of asbestos on sprayed-on fireproofing material. The inspection determined the fireproofing material was considered to be friable, which can become airborne if disturbed.

The fireproofing material was sprayed on structural steel beams and columns throughout the building, located on ceilings and walls in various rooms and on plumbing pipes above the dropped ceiling tiles.

The Madison County commissioners said last week that during the installation of the new heating and cooling system, asbestos insulation was detected in crawl spaces above some of the ceilings.

The county hired Micro Air in July to measure the level asbestos fibers in the courthouse.

The Micro Air report showed that no asbestos was present in any air samples collected in the Government Center, the statement said. Further, Micro Air believes that airborne asbestos contamination is currently not an area of concern.

Remediation of the asbestos will have to take place before the installation of the new heating and cooling system can be completed.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.

If you go

What: Question-and-answer session on asbestos in the courthouse

Who: Madison County Board of Commissioners

When: 11 a.m. Wednesday

Where: Council chambers, Madison County Government Center, 16 E. Ninth St.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 640-4863.

More:
2016 asbestos survey raised no concerns in courthouse - The Herald Bulletin

Born in Chester in 1966, Richard Woods graduated from the Slade School of Art in 1990. He has become known for his architectural installations characterised by cartoon-like decorative surfaces, bold patterns and vibrant colours, which he has said are inspired by his parents garish 1970s home and were once described by the Guardian as beguilingly simple and wickedly clever. In the past, Woods has turned a New York gallery into a mock-Tudor building, and created a wall-to-ceiling installation of geometric patterns at Londons Alan Cristea gallery. For his latest project, Holiday Home part of this years Folkestone Triennial (2 Sept to 5 Nov) Woods has created six colourful bungalows, situated in unexpected locations around the town.

How did you get the idea for the project?I was in Folkestone 18 months ago and got given this strange leaflet saying, Have you thought about turning your property into cash? basically, give up your house so someone can buy it as a second home. The idea grew out of that: to make six identical bungalows and install some in very desirable locations, some not, but keeping it very open-ended. Theres been equal [numbers of] people coming up to me and discussing the second home issue, and immigration.

What kind of concerns did they have?Theres one house in the harbour, floating around somebody heard through gossip in the town that it was going to be floated to Calais and back again. Some people are genuinely interested in whether boat people will move into the houses. But then lots of people in the town completely get the project.

What can Folkestone tell us about wider trends across the country?Its a compressed version of the UK: all those issues that are prevalent everywhere are kind of heightened. On a clear day we can see Calais when you see where abroad is, it makes it more terrifying in a way. Folkestone has very broad, different economic groups and because of its proximity to London people are moving here wanting a second home. People have asked if the homes are going to be available for local residents or just people from London.

But the houses dont exactly look like you could live in them...Well no, they dont have any windows, theres no glass, theres no front door. My work is cartoon my desire was to make something that was a motif of a building, but with nothing else that would lead the viewer to think they could live in it.

You live and work in London what do you make of its housing situation?Ive got three kids growing up and its hard to see how they can stay in London, so thats a big discussion at our house. If we end up living in a place where the creative youth have to move out and basically its just old people and people who work in Canary Wharf, thats not going to be a fun place to live.

In 2014 you created your own studio/home as a work of art. How did that go?It was hard work but we did it: we built a wooden house and studio in Bethnal Green with this company called dRMM. Its just made of timber, with no painted surfaces, and its completely self-sufficient. Im passionate about bringing wood back into the city centre, as it were. But its a strange thing because, having done that, Im part of the problem, arent I? Building big glamorous buildings in Bethnal Green...

You were once described as the man who would probably decorate Dr Seusss dream homeWell Im a fan of bright colours, so yeah, Id probably take the job on!

The Folkestone Triennial runs from 2 September to 5 November

See more here:
Richard Woods, artist: 'I made six identical bungalows and installed them around Folkestone' - The Guardian