Go reconfigure with modular power
Convia is a modular, programmable electrical and data infrastructure system for building interiors that delivers power anywhere within a space without requiring the hardwiring of devices or switches. Plug-and-play electrical power allows devices to be instantly and wirelessly associated with another object, such as a switch, without changing hardwire configurations. Convia's system uses infrared technology and a secure, remote control “wand,” to allow electrical signals to be moved wirelessly through its devices. Users can install, upgrade, or relocate electrical devices (such as lighting fixtures, security cameras, electronic displays, thermostats, and speakers), switches, or sensors quickly. A study by the Weidt Group, an engineering consulting firm in Minnetonka, Minn., concluded that a standard office building using programmable infrastructure would gain 6-30% in annual energy savings.
Convia, a Herman Miller Co.
Input No. 300 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse
New barrel roofing tile
A new barrel tile has been added to the Decra line of stone-coated steel roofing products. The interlocking tile panels provide a weather-tight barrier to ensure low maintenance and long-term performance. The steel panels resist freeze-thaw breakage that can occur with traditional roofing tile. With its stone coating, the product will not crack, burn, split, or rot.
Decra
Input No. 303 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse
Looks and feels like real silk
The Silk flooring line was created from 2,000 photographic images of fabrics and colors from village weavers in Thailand. Silk is available in both broadloom and tile applications. Tile products in the Silk collection use EcoWorx, a certified cradle-to-cradle backing that contains 40% recycled content. The manufacturer guarantees it will pick up the backing at the end of its life, at no charge to the customer, and recycle it.
Shaw Contract Group
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No steel reinforcement necessary
TAM-Rail, a new low-maintenance white railing system, has triple-layer technology, which encloses a blend of foamed wood composite material between two layers of PVC. The system has thick walls for stiffness and rigidity, yet remains lightweight. TAM-Rail systems don't require a metal reinforcement to meet building codes.
Tamko
Input No. 301 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse
Give old brick a new life
ReCote is a remodeling coating for older masonry walls. It is designed to be sprayed onto an existing surface to provide a watertight surface five times as strong as a regular paint application. It can be applied in one coat and has a 10-year manufacturer's guarantee.
Boral Brick
Input No. 305 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse
Control system links many different shading devices
The Sivoia QED Roller 200 CW controls up to six shade panels from one drive unit. For commercial projects with large banks of windows, this means it is not necessary to install multiple individual drives, thus reducing energy usage. The shade system offers near-silent operation (44dbA at three feet) and control through keypads, infrared remote controls, or integration with Lutron lighting control systems.
Lutron
Input No. 306 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse
A dry wall in any season
DryRight insulation prevents moisture from entering a wall cavity and allows moisture to escape. The fiberglass insulation is combined with MemBrain, an advanced vapor retarder and facing that changes its permeability based on seasonal relative humidity conditions, keeps heat inside wall cavities during winter, and lets moisture out in hotter months. DryRight's molecular-scale pores close under dry conditions to block vapor transmission and keep moisture out of the wall cavity. They open to allow moisture to escape under moist conditions. DryRight is Greenguard-certified and reduces the risk of mold and mildew.
CertainTeed
Input No. 304 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse
NFPA adopts changes for sprinkler hose fittings
For the first time, the National Fire Protection Association's “NFPA 13: Installation of Sprinkler Systems” includes code language that clarifies the use of flexible sprinkler hose fittings and provides applicable guidelines. The new language appears in the 2007 edition of NFPA 13 and states that flexible fittings supported by a suspended ceiling do not have to be independently supported.
Tested in an earthquake simulation at the State University of New York, Buffalo, FlexHead's flexible sprinkler hose fittings have been certified against the International Code Council's seismic qualification testing criteria, a first for a flexible sprinkler hose fitting.
FlexHead
Input No. 308 at BDCnetwork.com/quickResponse