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Article
2008 May
- Becoming certified under a green building standard is a growing national trend for public schools and other government buildings.
- Under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED, using CFS trusses can earn one or two points for a project under credits 4.1 and 4.2.
- Verifying that CFS supplied for a job qualifies for LEED points is not tedious for CMs.
Article
2008 May
- TPI 1-2007 will be referenced in the 2009 International Building Code and International Residential Code.
- The TPI 1 Project Committee consisted of about 50 individuals representing the industry.
- The changes that have been made to TPI 1 will make for a more user-friendly document.
- The mandatory net section lumber limit on tension introduced into a wood member was replaced by a non-mandatory user note recommending a limit of 2300 pounds/inch.
Article
2008 May
- Jerry Koskovich, an inventor of automated solutions for truss plants, retired from the industry this year.
- Koskovich’s first automated component saw was installed at Villaume Industries in 1985.
- Koskovich is grateful to many people in the industry and will continue to consult for The Koskovich Company.
Article
2008 May
- TTW online presentations offer affordability and convenience for professionals in the building community.
- Architect Mike Koehl found the TTW on fire assemblies very useful.
- Engineer Tom Jank said his bracing questions for a project he was working on were answered by the online TTWs he viewed.
- Professionals can view TTWs at no charge; quizzes for CEU credit cost $25 per presentation.
Article
2008 May
- Quality assurance is process oriented while quality control is product oriented.
- Essentially, QA/QC is a proactive effort to protect and sustain your company name, your company products, and your company profit margins. Think of a QA/QC program as a firewall against defects.
- You can begin by establishing “Perfor-mance Criteria” required by each department to complete a given task.
Article
2008 May
- In 2008, WTCA has made some difficult budgetary and staffing choices to weather the housing downturn.
- Qualtim, Inc.’s fiscal management of WTCA has allowed the association to stay within budget.
- A WTCA “sales committee” has been formed to raise the sales associated with BCMC exhibiting and attendance, WTCA products and services and SBC advertising.
Article
2008 May
- Cataracts are the most common eye disorder associated with excessive sun exposure.
- Sun over-exposure and damage accumulates over time.
- If possible, limit employees’ sun exposure at your facility.
- Use safe sun practices to keep you and your employees on the right track for preventing sun-related health risks.
Article
2008 May
- Two common conditions that impact drywall are known as cracking and ridging.
- These conditions can be caused by temperature and humidity changes or insufficient framing techniques.
- The Gypsum Association and the Drywall Finishing Council have provided guidelines for trades working with gypsum board.
Article
2008 April
- The stories on pages 26 and 30 illustrate why SBCRI is vital to the advancement of the industry.
- Decide whether you should go green with the article on page 48.
- Turn to page 54 to get the inside scoop on ITW’s acquisitions and the new president of its Building Components Group.
Article
2008 April
- Many exhibitors choose to reveal new products at BCMC because it is the best place to reach component manufacturers.
- Over three-quarters of BCMC attendees list seeing “new equipment” as the primary reason for attending the show.
- The steady flow of attendees on the show floor gives each product maximum exposure to its target market.
Article
2008 April
- Some former component manufacturers that have joined WTCA staff now see that there are many more programs and services available than they realized.
- The engineering, technical and code assistance offered by staff for WTCA members are among the most valuable and time-saving for CMs.
Article
2008 April
- Single element component testing does not accurately portray the way components resist forces and transfer loads.
- SBCRI was built to test and analyze the flow of loads through an entire structure, not just through a single component.
Article
2008 April
- The vast resources of SBCRI have the ability to give us more answers than ever before about the nature of structural performance.
- In one case, SBCRI helped provide a timely and cost-effective solution to a structural problem that benefited everyone.
- In this situation, the analysis done at SBCRI allowed the building to remain open to the public while a structurally sound solution was executed.
Article
2008 April
- Appraising the performance of new hires is helpful in determining whether that person is a good fit for your operation.
- Your hiring process should balance securing the right amount of labor and finding the right worker for a particular job.
Article
2008 April
- There are two major green standards for commercial building, and two for residential construction are in the works.
- Before you can decide whether green is good for you, it’s important to understand the standards and the system.
- To become authorized to handle certified lumber, evaluate proper identification of certified material, segregation of certified material, processing of certified material and thorough record keeping.
Article
2008 April
- ITW formed its Building Components Group (BCG) following the 2006 acquisitions of Truswal and Alpine.
- Jim James heads the BCG, and brings a fresh perspective to the company.
- ITW believes the building components industry is poised to streamline parts of the construction process.
Article
2008 April
- SBCRI is a one of a kind world-class testing lab located in Madison, WI dedicated to testing building components.
- TPI and WTCA have committed to investing almost $2 million in the next several years for industry testing projects.
- Take advantage of your WTCA membership by using the products and services developed for component manufacturers.
Article
2008 April
- Going to see and learn something first hand from an expert is an effective way to learn about a topic.
- Plant tour attendees at an Illinois manufacturer’s TTW event were awed by the custom engineering and code compliance involved in component design and manufacturing.
- A plant tour in New Hampshire led to an invitation for one manufacturer to present further component education for a local fire department.
- WTCA staff can assist manufacturers setting up a plant tour in many ways: compiling targeted handouts, providing signage
Article
2008 April
- A written HazCom plan is the first step to creating a safeguard against chemical hazards.
- Each hazardous material in the plant must have a current Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) accessible to all employees.
- Educating employees and contractors about dangerous substances will prevent chemical related injuries and illnesses.
Article
2008 April
- To add insulation into a tested assembly, an equivalent or greater plenum space should be maintained and the insulation held up and away from the gypsum surface.
- Increasing the depth of an assembly does not adversely affect its fire endurance rating.
Article
2008 March
- Find out what qualities to look for in a good safety leader in Safety Scene.
- Understand your jobsite liability and what to do to minimize it from Kent Pagel on page 28.
- The story of how one manufacturer saved themselves nearly $40,000 in fines and citations by inviting OSHA into its facility.
Article
2008 March
- At association tradeshows, attendees tend to be more attentive and dedicated.
- BCMC is a channel to providing better customer service through connections made at the show.
- Regardless of the state of the housing market, exhibitors will find value in coming to BCMC.