Drew Ballensky

Drew Ballensky is general manager of Duro-Last Roofing, Inc.’s central U.S. facility in Iowa and company spokesman for Duro-Last’s cool roofing, sustainability and architectural education programs. He is past-president of the Chemical Fabrics and Film Association and chairman of CFFA’s Vinyl Roofing Division. Drew earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from the University of Northern Iowa and master’s degree in business administration from Florida State University. Drew has over 29 years experience in business and industry in various engineering and managerial capacities. He has worked in the U.S. and Canadian operations for a major international manufacturer of pre-engineered steel buildings, was a financial analyst with a major athletic apparel manufacturer and was an owner of a general contracting company.

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Posted on August 08, 2012 by Drew Ballensky

Amtrak plans $7 billion makeover of Union Station in D.C.

Amtrak recently unveiled a plan for a $7 billion overhaul of Union Station in Washington, D.C. It includes the addition of a train shed, construction of new passenger concourses and street entrances, as well as commercial, retail, and residential spaces. Amtrak said the renovations will make it...

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Drew Ballensky

Three ways to stimulate demand for energy efficiency retrofits

Financing energy efficiency building retrofits continues to be challenging for owners. Experts offer three private sector strategies that could boost the retrofit market in this article. One would have energy-service companies (ESCOs) purchase the equipment and pay for retrofit activities while...

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Drew Ballensky

Voltaic Solaire retrofits old New York City building to city’s first net-zero structure

After a retrofit, a dilapidated 3,000 sf building in New York become the city’s first net-zero energy structure. Green developer Voltaic Solaire outfitted the building's facade with thin-film PVs and solar thermal tubes for hot water, and installed a roof awning with solar panels. The solar thermal...

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Drew Ballensky

Washington Monument could be closed and covered in scaffolding into 2014 during rehab

Repairs due to earthquake damage will require the 555-foot Washington Monument to be closed and shrouded in scaffolding into 2014. The $15 million project will necessitate the temporary removal of part of the granite plaza surrounding the monument, and the bracing of huge stone slabs that now rest...

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Drew Ballensky

Former Oakland Army base redevelopment plan moves forward

A plan to transform Oakland’s former US Army base into a warehousing and logistics center serving the nearby port passed a crucial hurdle when a city council committee recently voted in favor of the proposed project. After four years of negotiations and environmental studies, the city and...

Posted on July 05, 2012 by Drew Ballensky

Natchez, Mississippi’s ‘Taj Mahal’ has its prominent cupola restored

The cupola of the historic Longwood house, which some locals refer to as “our Taj Mahal,” in Natchez, Miss., has been repainted and restored. Repairs included plugging holes in the dome, repainting the structure, and replacing wooden spindles surrounding the cupola. Crews had to do some of the...

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Drew Ballensky

New York’s massive Penn Station expansion, renovation about to kick off

After 20 years of starts and stops, a massive expansion of New York’s Penn Station is set to begin. The $270 million first phase will expand a concourse and add entryways on the western end of the station. Work is scheduled to be finished in 2016. The expanded concourse will relieve pedestrian...

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Drew Ballensky

Filene's store in Boston, designed by Daniel Burnham, to be renovated, new skyscraper added

The former Filene’s department store, a longtime landmark in Boston’s Downtown Crossing neighborhood, will be renovated and set against a new 606-foot-tall glass skyscraper. The design by Handel Architects will renovate the property’s original 1912 building—conceived by noted architect Daniel...

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Drew Ballensky

University of Michigan building boom includes over a half-billion dollars in renovations

A building boom at the University of Michigan including current and upcoming construction at the Ann Arbor campus will surpass $1 billion. The school is undertaking $460 million in current construction projects—including a $163 million retrofit of the old C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Von...

Posted on June 05, 2012 by Drew Ballensky

Renovated Boston warehouse reborn as a living lab for sustainable energy research

A 100-year-old former tannery warehouse in Boston is undergoing a major renovation to remake the structure as a living laboratory for sustainable energy and energy efficiency research. The $22 million project will allow researchers at the Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems(CSE) to...