Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) - Just 15 days before students head back to class, Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones is responding to a new report that finds the city's public schools need at least $35 million in repairs.

School leaders say major maintenance projects like replacing HVAC systems and crumbling buildings can't wait any longer.

"I've got grandmothers calling me begging that their grandchild doesn't get put in a basement because they have asthma and we have mold issues," says School Board member, Kim Gray.

"We have sewage issues, we have HVAC and boiler issues that we have to address right now," says Gray.

But Mayor Dwight Jones says -- while repairs are needed -- performance, enrollment, graduation and dropout rates also need to be part of the discussion when it comes to improving education.

"I agree that we need proper facilities to educate our children, and every maintenance request we have received from richmond public schools has been fully funded," says Mayor Jones.

"It's imperative that we undertake the due diligence to ensure that the money we do have and the money that we will seek is invested wisely," says Jones.

Earlier this month, the school board got a presentation about what needs to be fixed after administrators spent months inspecting every school and building.

The biggest problem they found were those failing HVAC systems. Repairs and replacements for those alone are slated at $20 million.

Another $7.5 million is needed for roofs and more than $4 million are needed for basic life, health and safety improvements.

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Richmond Mayor Responds to Public School's Repair Report

Courtesy of HOK

William Jefferson Clinton Children's Center for Fondation Enfant Jesus is designed to use local materials, have natural ventilation and be independent of Port-Au-Prince utilities, which are not reliable.

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If all goes as planned, the children of Haiti will soon have a small but powerful symbol of hope in the form of a 6,000-sq-ft building. Thanks to the largely volunteer efforts of the U.S. Green Building Council and others, the $1.2-million to $1.5-million William Jefferson Clinton Children's Center of the Fondation Enfant Jesus, which could open by the end of next year, is setting the stage for sustainable, resilient construction in Haiti, which was devastated by a magnitude-7 earthquake on Jan. 12, 2010.

"We really wanted to do something to promote sustainable design that also honors the country's culture and we wanted to empower an existing organization to carry out their mission," says Roger Limoges, vice president of organizational design for the the U.S. Green Building Council and USGBC's project manager for the children's center, which is slated to be built in Port-Au-Prince.

According to Haiti government estimates, the temblor killed 316,000 people, injured 300,000, displaced 1.3 million, destroyed 97,295 houses and damaged 188,383 in the Port-Au-Prince area and in much of southern Haiti, says the U.S. Geological Survey.

The Fondation Enfant Jesus, a nongovernment, nondenominational, apolitical charity, says there are hundreds of thousands of orphans in Haiti. FEJ's Project Haiti, of which the new center is part, provides health care and other services and offers children a pathway to adoption. The new building will replace an FEJ orphanage destroyed by the quake.

The idea for the sustainable center, which will serve 25 to 30 children at a time, belongs to Rick Fedrizzi, the USGBC's president, CEO and founding chairman. At Greenbuild 2010, USGBC announced the project. Last year, it named the center in recognition of the Clinton Global Initiative's work in both sustainability and in Haiti.

Funding is from several sources, including USGBC member companies. Donations of money, sweat equity and materials are welcome.

As designed, the main, three-story structure, which includes living space, is an L in plan with a courtyard. Kitchen and dining areas and a corner stair tower will provide safe spaces during storms. A separate tower contains training and office space. There is also a ground-level safe zone for refuge during an earthquake.

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U.S. Green Building Council and HOK Create Model for Sustainable Building in Haiti

HAMILTONLast November, long-time resident Donna Reid opened what many in Steeltown might find a really tough sell a store celebrating all the great things past, present and future about Hamilton.

Id never lived in a city before where people seemed more focused on what wed lost, rather than what we have, says Reid, who moved to Hamilton 16 years ago after stints in Toronto, Quebec City and Calgary.

Her wonderfully eclectic James St. N. shop, The Hamilton Store, is just 600 square feet. But almost every inch of its walls are lined with photos, maps, artwork, books and memorabilia chronicling a city with a rich industrial past and a rapidly evolving future.

So its somewhat ironic that the store is just a short drive or about a 12-block walk down the street from sprawling waterfront parking lots and old warehouses that could soon become the heart of some of the biggest transformations Hamilton has seen in decades.

Of course, thats assuming city officials can finally turn years of talk into action, and that developers dont do what theyve done so often in the past here, says Reid tear down the old to make way for the new, only to later abandon their grand plans, leaving yet more empty lots and broken dreams in their wake.

Hamilton is almost a laboratory of urban renewal right now, says local architect David Premi. Were in a bona fide boom.

There are many, many condominium projects on the table. We have a new GO Train station coming next year in time for the Pan Am Games. There are a lot of pieces being put into place that are really capturing the attention of developers, both inside and outside Hamilton.

The waterfront is a critical part of that.

The City of Hamilton is now in the final stages of preparing one of the last major stretches of urban waterfront in Southern Ontario more than 18 hectares over two sprawling sites for redevelopment.

In all, the city will spend about $39 million to transform two bayfront sites, some $13 million of that just in roads, sidewalks, sewers and other infrastructure to make the so-called West Harbour area in the citys once-busy shipping port shovel-ready, says Chris Phillips, head of waterfront redevelopment for the city.

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Hamilton looks to its waterfront as next great frontier

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A BEAUTIFUL tree has been saved following claims its removal would be an act of vandalism.

The huge Copper Beech at Fremington Manor care home casts a conservatory into shade but has a preservation order on it to protect it against felling.

And as Councillor Frank Biederman pointed out, The tree was there a long time before the conservatory.

The removal of the tree was refused at a North Devon Council planning committee meeting at which Fremington Parish Councils tree warden Tony Wood said the 80-year-old tree was known for its beautiful colours.

Perhaps more thought should have been given before the conservatory was built, he said.

There are very few Copper Beech trees left and its removal would be an act of vandalism.

Mr Ward reflected that he had not saved a single tree during his time as a tree warden.

Councillors were unconvinced that the tree posed a risk to persons and property, and its removal was narrowly refused with six voting for approval and seven against.

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'Beautiful' Copper Beech saved in Fremington

A man who was left a paraplegic after a tree branch fell on him at an Adelaide Baptist school sports day event is suing the school, claiming it did not act when told the tree was dangerous.

John Alexander Duthie, 49, was watching his children take part in the Cedar College sports day in September 2009 when the bough of a large ironbark gum fell in strong winds, injuring him and two others.

The school at Northgate was fined more than $100,000 for the accident.

Mr Duthie has since launched a claim for damages in the District Court, claiming the school failed in its duty of care to ensure his safety.

He claimed the school did not act on separate arborist reports in 2005 and 2007 that recommended the tree be pruned or removed.

"In or about April 2005, the defendant received a report ... which recommended that the tree had a poor structure and required pruning," the claim stated.

"The defendant did not act on that recommendation.

"In or about December 2007, the defendant received a further ... report which recommended that the tree be removed within a time frame of six to 18 months. The defendant did not act on that recommendation."

Mr Duthie claimed the school was negligent by not removing the tree when it knew it was unsafe, that it failed to prevent the use of the area around the tree and had in fact scheduled events in its vicinity.

The school has denied any negligence or liability for Mr Duthie's injuries.

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Paraplegic victim sues Cedar College over fallen tree branch on school grounds

A SLIDE presentation by tree expert Dr. Roger Guzman shows a tree in Naga City cemented onto the pavement. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CEBU CITYThe 84 trees in two cities and one town in southern Cebu province earlier diagnosed by the environment agency as diseased and rotting can still be saved, according to tree expert Dr. Roger Guzman, retired forester and now executive director of the Philippine Federation for Environmental Concerns.

Four of the 84 trees were heavily injured, Guzman said. The rest were suffering from physical injuries, he added during the presentation of his three-day assessment on the trees along the national road in San Fernando town and Naga and Carcar cities.

The presentation at the Capitol on Friday was attended by officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Central Visayas, the provincial government and civil society groups.

Guzman was asked to conduct an assessment on the 84 trees in Carcar, Naga and San Fernando after a DENR forester recommended their cutting because they were diseased and rotting.

Of the 84 trees, 37 were century-old acacia trees. The rest were gmelina, mahogany, tamarind, talisay, antipolo, jackfruit and binunga, among others.

Guzman said he noticed that the bases of several trees were covered in cement from the road improvement, thus obstructing the natural growth of the trees.

Some branches, he added, were not pruned properly, allowing diseases to set in. Nearby residents also threw or burned garbage at the base, making the trees sick.

Guzman recommended that the trees undergo proper pruning and tree surgery, especially those with deep cuts on the trunks, as well as the removal of cement to provide tree bases sufficient space for girth growth.

But the DENR in Central Visayas doesnt have budget for tree surgery, which costs at least P9,000 for each tree, said its spokesperson, Eddie Llamedo.

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84 trees in Cebu can be saved, says tree expert

Anaheim, California (PRWEB) August 18, 2014

Aquatic the leader in innovative and inspired bathware today announced that its DuraCore(TM) subway tile tub-shower has been named to the 2014 100 Best New Products list published by Professional Remodeler, one of the leading business resources for the remodeling and home improvement market.

Each year, editors at Professional Remodeler evaluate thousands of new residential construction products introduced in the past 12 months from windows and doors to roofing and flooring, and everything in between in search of those that are the most innovative and/or represent breakthrough technologies. The magazine identifies the 100 best new products and publishes a list of them in its August print issue as well as online.

Were thrilled to have this prestigious publication recognize our subway tile tub-shower as one of the best new products of the year, said Tom Kobel, Product Manager -- Everyday, Aquatic. At Aquatic, we take pride in being in touch with lifestyle and industry trends so we can develop products that meet the needs of plumbing professionals, specifying designers and end-users and also give them something to be excited about. Winning this award tells us that were doing just that.

This is the third year in a row that Professional Remodeler has included Aquatic products on its annual best products list. The magazine included Aquatics Starla hydrotherapy tub on its 2013 list. Also last year, Professional Builder, a sister publication, selected Aquatics exclusive DriftBath(TM) tub for its annual best new products list.

Available in three sizes, Aquatics one-piece DuraCoreTM subway tile tub-shower provides the timeless, classic look of ceramic subway tile but with easy installation and low maintenance at an attractive cost. In addition to the tub-showers, Aquatic offers a low-threshold, 36 x 36 x 80 subway tile shower, with more models in development.

Aquatic was inspired to develop these products because ceramic subway tile first introduced in New York Citys subterranean train stations in the early 1900s never goes out of style and has been experiencing resurgence. The new tub-showers and shower are another way to get the same great look without the expense and work required for installing and maintaining tiles and grout. They also enable builders to differentiate their offering from those of competitors and appeal to homeowners who want a striking yet easy-care bathroom.

Designed with comfort and safety in mind, these products can be ordered with reinforcement for later installation of grab bars or with factory-installed grab bars in compliance with FHA and ADA requirements. All subway tile units come with slip resistant flooring and are available in Aquatic stock and premium colors, including the signature DuraCoreTM, ultra-bright, glossy Aquatic White. For more information on the subway tile series, see Aquatics earlier product news release.

About Aquatic

Aquatic offers the largest and most innovative selection of tubs, showers and bathware accessories. The companys world-leading Hydrotherapy, Everyday and Accessible lines include more than 300 products for virtually every need all inspired and made in America. Based in Anaheim, California, Aquatic serves distributors, builders, plumbing professionals, architects, designers and consumers through a nationwide network of state-of-the-art facilities for manufacturing, distribution and support. For more information, visit http://www.aquaticbath.com.

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Aquatic Subway Tile Tub-Shower Named to 2014 Best New Products List

First responders are investigating a fire alarm at One Technology Place at the corner of First and Chestnut streets and have closed off the surrounding block. (Andrew Dye/Journal)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. A building-system malfunction was to blame for a fire alarm at One Technology Place on Sunday, according to Eric Tomlinson, president of Wake Forest Innovation Quarter.

About 4 (p.m.) today there was a report of a loud booming noise. An investigation has shown that there was a building-system malfunction, probably in the sprinkler system, Tomlinson said.

He said the problem was in the basement. It appears that a sprinkler pipe broke and caused a booming noise, he said.

Tomlinson said just after 6:30 p.m. that the fire department was permitting reoccupancy of the building.

Battalion Chief JS Henley said all Wake Forest Baptist calls come from that building and 20 employees inside heard an explosion on the fourth floor.

Henley said the fourth floor is a chemical company which is why they dispatched their Hazmat team for precaution.

Henley is not sure of the name of the chemical company and owners could not be contacted. Maintenance workers came out to fix the sprinkler system.

We actually determined there was a break in the sprinkler line in the basement, which allowed air to get into the system and when that happens it causes what we call water hammer in a building and it shook, Henley said.

Employees with a Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center call center had been evacuated to a nearby building while firefighters and a hazardous materials team swept the building at 200 E. First St.

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Fire alarm at Wake Forest Innovation Quarter attributed to building-system malfunction

Dusti Ridge leans on her cane and waits patiently for her number to be called at Bread for the City, a food bank in southeast Washington, D.C. When she hears "56," she steps into the nonprofit group's pantry to find out what she'll be eating for the next week.

Kale, green peppers, yellow tomatoes, and dried cherriesperfect for a favorite brown rice recipego into her shopping bag. So does a whole chicken. But she passes on canned green beans; too much salt, she says.

Ridge, 62, has been coming to the food bank once a month for more than a decade, and takes pride in choosing "exotic" foods that some of the charity's clients avoidlike the venison that was donated recently after deer in a local park were culled.

Ridge is typical of millions of Americans who rely on food banks to survive: She is in poor health and lives on disability payments as she undergoes chemotherapy treatments for ovarian cancer. But as a nationwide study released Monday by the nonprofit group Feeding America makes clear, the number of people who rely on food pantries, soup kitchens, school lunch programs, senior citizens' Meals on Wheels deliveries, or other food initiatives to supplement their daily diet is a complex and growing mosaic that cuts across the nation's demographic lines.

About one in seven Americansmore than 46 million peoplerely on such programs to get by, according to the study, which involved confidential surveys of more than 60,000 recipients of food aid from groups affiliated with Feeding America, a network of 200 food banks that distribute donated food to programs in all 50 states.

The ranks of the hungry include 12 million children and 7 million seniors, plus millions more among the working poor, military families, the unemployed, and young college graduates. Those in each group said their reliance on food aid stemmed from a daily struggle to put healthy and nutritious food on the table when all that many can afford is inexpensive processed food that fuels a cycle of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

NG Staff. Source: Feeding America, Hunger in America National Report 2014.

The study, called Hunger in America 2014, comes nearly a year after the U.S. government reported that a record number of low-income Americansmore than 47 millionwere receiving food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The study by Feeding America found that just 55 percent of those who get aid from its affiliated programs also received food stamps. One in five said they had never applied to the federal food stamp program because they believed they wouldn't be eligible for such help.

The study's suggestion that perhaps 20 million or so people are receiving local food aid but are not getting federal food stamps indicates that the scope of America's hunger problem is likely well beyond the enrollment figures reported by any one aid programand could touch about one-fifth of the nation's population.

"Feeding America is feeding more people than ever before," said Maura Daly, a spokeswoman for the group. "The public-private partnership in addressing hunger in America is essential."

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Study Sheds Light on Broadening U.S. Hunger Problem

NEW YORK (The Deal) -- As part of its promise to streamline operations, Cameron International (CAM) said Monday it agreed to sell its centrifugal compression business to Ingersoll-Rand (IR) for $850 million.

The unit makes and provides services for centrifugal compressors in several industries around the world. It generated almost $400 million in sales last year and was expected to have Ebitda of $80 million next year. It employs 850.

Swords, Ireland-incorporated Ingersoll-Rand, which has its executive offices in Davidson, N.C., said separately that the acquisition will immediately boost earnings per share, Ebitda margins and return on invested capital and expand its compression offerings into air separation, petrochemicals, chemicals and process gas. It plans to fund the deal with cash on hand and debt.

"Cameron's centrifugal compression division offers complementary product, manufacturing and engineering strengths as well as financial synergies that make it a natural fit into our core business and will provide meaningful value to our shareholders," Ingersoll-Rand chairman CEO Michael Lamach said in a statement.

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Cameron Sheds Centrifugal Compression Business