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The election is over and there may be one more chance to pass crucial clean energy legislation before the 111th Congress adjourns. Over the next few weeks, the Senate will consider extending a number of popular tax credits. We believe there may be a chance during this debate to extend the critical 1603 Treasury Grant Program that has supported 20,000 jobs and hundreds of megawatts of clean solar energy over the past two years. More information on the grant program is available on SEIA's website.
What does the 1603 program do?
The 1603 Treasury program provides solar and other renewable energy projects with a cash grant instead of the 30% federal investment tax credit.
Why is it important to extend 1603?
The program will expire at the end of next month, December 2010. Because the financial markets have not fully recovered from the Wall Street meltdown, developers aren't able to find enough tax equity to use all the tax credits available for their solar projects. Extending the 1603 Treasury Program for two years will keep solar incentives working until developers can use the tax credits again. This is the single most important policy to keep solar growing and creating jobs over the next two years.
Web Exclusive: Brady Metal Framing System Wins CFSEI Award
March 11, 2009
The CFSEI Cold Formed Steel Engineers Institute recently awarded Brady Innovations with an Innovative Design Award. Mr. Brady was recognized for the innovative use of cold formed sheet steel in the Century Tower Project, Century City, Calif.
Todd Brady, founder of Brady Innovations, has developed a superior metal stud framing system for interior and exterior door and window rough openings. Now being offered in the market for its third year, it is quickly becoming the industry standard.
The ProX Header replaces multiple piece (stud & track) built-up headers hand-made in the field.
Examples on how to Install Metal Headers for Doorways and Windows.
ProX Header offers superior strength, it is faster to install, provides a better quality finish and uses less steel to accomplish equal header spans so it is (LEED CREDITS) an environmentally friendly choice too.
The ProX Header meets the requirements of the International Building Code (IBC) 2006 and the California Building Code (CBC) 2007 including tough OSHPD California Hospital - Title 24 Standards.
A CASE STUDY
Cold-formed steel innovators Brady Innovations, LLC and Ficcadenti Waggoner & Castle, consulting structural engineers, submitted "ProX Header" for the award of innovative product design.
Specific use of Building: "Luxury Condominium Residences"
An elliptical masterpiece designed by world-renowned Robert A.M. Stern Architects ascends 42 stories into the skies of Century City. The Century boasts panoramic views stretching from downtown, to across the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
The Century is registered with the US Green Building Council with anticipated LEED Silver Certification, the benchmark for high-performance green building, which encompasses energy efficiency, sustainable building materials, water conservation and indoor environment quality.
Project Requirements and Solutions: Several challenges faced the cold-formed metal stud components and the installers (metal stud framers) on this project. For this report we will focus on five key challenges:
1. WIND STUDY and COMPLIANCE a. Project Requirements: Due to the buildings 42-story height and elliptical configuration a wind study was required and was performed by Cermak, Peterka and Petersen (CPP Inc.) Wind Engineering and Air Quality Consultants (PH: 970-221-3371). The results of the wind study required that the cold-formed metal stud framing components and assemblies withstand wind pressures up to 80 pounds per square foot. Keeping in mind the towers elliptical shape, it was especially difficult to [efficiently] design a jamb and header system at the door and window openings through out the tower.
b. The Solution: The tower framing was designed to withstand wind pressures up to 80 pounds per square foot at designated locations. Efficiencies were gained by tailoring the designs of the exterior framing system to match the various wind pressure requirements around the building. At the towers (double glass siding doors) terrace openings Tom Castle designed radius'ed ProX Headers. The ProX Headers innovative design not only solved design and engineering limitations it also solved constructability (installation) and finished quality problems.
c. For material saving due to innovative product design see item 5 (i)
2. THE BUILDING'S ELLIPTICAL SHAPE a. Project Requirements: The building was designed with an elliptical shape. This shape makes a beautiful building. However, cold-formed metal stud framing components are manufactured in straight pieces. b. The Solution: Every framing component that installs horizontally must be radius'ed to match the building's contour. The radius changes depending upon location in the egg shaped building. This includes all exterior top and bottom tracks and header components. The ProX Headers used on the building exterior were radius'ed to match the building contour at various locations. The ProX Header innovative design does not require assembly, contrary to traditional built-up box headers, after it is "stretch formed" which solves many constructability (installation) and finished quality problems.
3. HAND-SET STONE OVER SPANDREL FRAMING a. Project Requirements: Exterior "Low Rise" Spandrel Framing at the first 3 levels. The first (3) three levels of the tower are clad in hand set stone over structural steel spandrel framing, vertical tube steel and cold-formed metal stud infill framing was designed to support the weight of this 4 inch thick stone as well as wind and seismic loading while maintaining a strict deflection criteria.
b. The Solution: ProX Header was used at the top and bottom of the spandrel framing to carry the in-fill metal stud framing from the structural steel tube support to steel tube support. This application of the ProX Header replaced two (5) five piece traditional box headers. The ten (10) pieces were replaced with two ProX pieces, which resulted in significant time and material savings.
c. For material saving due to innovative product design see item 5 (ii)
4. MORE THAN 4,000 DOOR and WINDOW OPENINGS a. Project Requirements: Interior "Door and Window Framing." Being a luxury condominium tower means thousands door openings throughout the building floors. The best quality finish is a must at the building interiors. There are approximately 100 door and window openings on every floor. The original plans called for built-up (stud and track) headers and jambs, which not only require excessive materials and man-hours of labor, but also prevent a superior quality finish.
b. The Solution: Brady Innovations and Martin Brothers/Marcowall designed upgraded 2-inch wide flange single jamb studs and ProX Headers at each of these 4,000 openings. This rough opening design provides the best quality framing substrate for the drywall and finishing crews, which results in a superior finished product for the buildings owner. The ProX Headers innovative design also eliminates countless hours of cutting which results in a safer work environment. Less cuts means less risk.
c. For material saving due to innovative product design see item 5 (iii)
5. GREEN BUILDING EFFORTS –(LEEDS) a. Project Requirements: The Century is registered with the US Green Building Council with anticipated LEED Silver Certification, the benchmark for high-performance green building.
b. The Solution: Installing ProX Header in several of the above applications the overall construction realized a substantial savings in material usage. LESS raw materials, LESS manufacturing energies, LESS Trucking, LESS material cutting and handling and Better Safety too.
i. At the Exterior Tower: ProX Header vs. Built-up stud & track headers—640 studs were eliminated from this project by using ProX Header.
ii. At the Exterior Low Rise: ProX Header (2 pieces.) replaced built-up (10 pieces) stud & track headers—1,440 studs were eliminated from this project by using ProX Header.
iii. At the Interior: ProX Header replaced built-up stud & track headers saving 2,000 studs—2-inch wide flange single jamb studs replaced double jamb studs saving an additional 8,000 studs = 10,000 studs were eliminated from this project by using ProX Header.
The ProX Header is Better by Design:
The ProX design has saved countless man-hours of time and solved many issues of constructability on this project alone. The ProX design offers Better Production, Better Safety, Better Quality and it's Better for the Environment too.
Sidebar: PROJECT DETAILS
The ProX Header was use extensively in both the interior and exterior of the Century Tower.
Project Name: "The Century" Location: Century City, Los Angeles County, Calif. Construction Schedule: April 2007 through August 2009 Project (Structural) Engineer: Magnusson Klemencic Associates, 1301 Fifth Ave. Suite 3200 Seattle, Wash. 98101-2699, (206) 292-1200 Project Architect: HKS Architects, Inc., 9441 West Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills, Calif., 90212, (310) 788-7700 Project Owner: The Related Companies, 60 Columbus Circle, New York, N.Y. 10023, (212) 421-5333 and/or The Related Companies, 18201 Von Karman Ave., Suite 900, Irvine, Calif., 92612, (949) 660-7272
General Contractor: WebCor Builders, 550 South Hope Street, Los Angeles, Calif., 90071, (213) 239-2800 Consultants and their Roles: Ficcadenti Waggoner & Castle, Consulting Structural Engineers 3100 Oak Road, Suite 390 Walnut Creek, Calif., 94597, (925) 280-0098; Tom Castle S.E., Principal Design of Cold Formed Steel Components Cold-Formed Metal Stud Framing Contractor: Martin Brothers/MarcoWall Inc., 17104 South Figueroa. St., Gardena, Calif., 90247, (310) 532-5335 Bryan Mac - Project Manager Cold-Formed Steel Manufactures: Dietrich Metal Framing (under license from Brady) Brady Innovations LLC, 13969 Aubrey Road, Beverly Hills, Calif. 90210, (818) 288-1188 – Todd Brady, President
Sidebar: Specific Uses of Cold-Formed Steel in Construction
Figure 1
The specific use of cold-formed steel for the purpose of this application is focused on the innovative design and construction installation of the ProX Header as described above. Please see the attached photos as evidence of it production, safety and quality efficiencies. As you can see, the ProX design has these benefits designed right into it's innovative shape.
Figure 1: The Century Tower 18 of 42 Floors under Construction – Date: May 2008
Figure 2
Figure 2: ProX Header at exterior radius'ed spandrel. This application shows a ProX Sill (Header installed upside-down) and replaced a five-piece built-up assembly. The bottom of the spandrel frame also uses a ProX Header.
Figure 3
Figure 3: ProX Header At exterior terrace framing. These locations were also radius'ed at the egg shaped ends of the building. Most ProX Headers were scheduled as single 16 gauge pieces. However, at longer spans it is sometimes necessary to use the ProX Insert too.
Figure 4
Figure 4: ProX Header at the exterior side of the Towers Terrace walls shows how nice and flat the trims lay for a superior quality exterior plaster finish.
Figure 5
Figure 5: Aluminum reveals intergraded into the lath and plaster system install flush and flat with out shimming which is traditionally required due to framing material build-up at the header to jamb connection.
Figure 6
Figure 6: Exterior Radius'ed window rough openings at the low-rise portion of the project was completed with radius'ed ProX Headers and sills in-lieu-of built-up (stud and track) sections, which are nearly impossible to radius.
Figure 7
Figure 7: Interior rough openings were accomplished using 20-gauge by 2 inch wide flange single jamb studs and 20 gauge single piece ProX Headers. The ProX Clip is internal for a smooth flush drywall finish. At double doors a single piece 16-gauge ProX Member was used, the gauge was upgraded for the additional span.
Figure 8
Figure 8: The drywall installed over the cold-formed metal stud framing and behind the (HMF) Hollow Metal Frame to create a 1-hour fire rated wall assembly.
Figure 9
Figure 9: With traditional headers the thin rips of drywall in corners like these almost always fractures and causes excessive rework. The quality of this corner with the drywall installed over ProX Header is superior in many ways.
Visit the website at www.proxheader.com.
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Scott's Contracting installs metal framing for your Eco Friendly and Sustainable Construction Projects for the St Louis Region.
Anyone Interested in Comparing today's green and eco friendly automobile choices try out the Electric Car Calculator at the below link, Easy to use with many driving scenarios, tailor to your needs, Co2 Reduction stats, Gasoline Prices, useful information to help you find the car that best fits your needs.Scotty
Electric, diesel or hybrid car? Cost and CO2 calculator helps consumers choose
Nov 15, 2010
Los Angeles Times
By Susan Carpenter
Nov. 15, 2010 (at http://www.befrugal.com/tools/electric-car-calculator/)(McClatchy-Tribune News Service delivered by Newstex) -- As the Environmental Protection Agency struggles with how to accurately label passenger vehicles for fuel economy and greenhouse-gas emissions, a new online cost and CO2 emissions calculator has launched to help fill the void."Electrics, hybrids, plug-ins, all these alternative powertrain cars are a hot topic these days, but there's not a good way to look at the bottom line of what it costs to own one of these," said Jon Lal, founder of BeFrugal.com, a frugal-living website that offers tools to help consumers save money, including its new calculator.
The calculator (at http://www.befrugal.com/tools/electric-car-calculator/) allows consumers to first determine which type of alternative-drivetrain vehicle best suits their driving needs based on what state they live in, how many city and highway miles they drive, how many road trips they take each year (and at what distance) and fuel costs in their state, whether it be electricity, gas or diesel.Using its database of 64 vehicles (four electric, eight diesel, 13 hybrid and 39 popular gas-powered cars) the calculator then allows users to make side-by-side comparisons using EPA miles-per-gallon data, manufacturers' suggested retail prices and other factors.Electric car operating costs are translated into an mpg equivalent, or MPGe, using individual states' electricity costs as calculated by the U.S. Department of Energy. Electric cars' upstream carbon dioxide emissions are also calculated using DOE data on the electricity source for each state.According to BeFrugal.com, Washington, Idaho, Kentucky, West Virginia and Arkansas are the states with the lowest electricity rates, making electric cars most economical on a cost-per-mile basis. Vermont, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and New Hampshire are the best states in terms of electric cars' lowest upstream CO2 emissions per kilowatt-hour.The top two states for electric cars' lowest operating costs and greenhouse-gas emissions: Idaho and Washington.___
International Energy Agency Projections of the world's liquid energy sources to 2035.
Peak oil is not just here — it's behind us already.
That's the conclusion of the International Energy Agency, the Paris-based organization that provides energy analysis to 28 industrialized nations. According to a projection in the agency's latest annual report, released last week, production of conventional crude oil — the black liquid stuff that rigs pump out of the ground — probably topped out for good in 2006, at about 70 million barrels per day. Production from currently producing oil fields will drop sharply in coming decades, the report suggests.
The agency does not see energy doom on the horizon, however. By its estimation, after a short dip in production, crude production will reach an "undulating plateau" of about 68 million barrels per day between 2020 and 2035.
Yet strong demand growth from China, which the report estimates is now the world's largest energy user, and elsewhere will require liquid energy supplies to not just hold steady, but to climb by more than 20 percent.
Meeting that additional demand will fall entirely on unconventional oil sources like Canada's tar sands as well as increased production of natural gas liquids. A major boost in these energy sources should be able to meet demand, but that is far from certain, Nobuo Tanaka, the agency's executive director, told reporters in London, according to the Associated Press.
"Recent events have cast a veil of uncertainty over our energy future," Mr. Tanaka said.
The I.E.A.'s stance that 2006 will be the year global supplies of conventional oil reached their ultimate peak is a more pessimistic take than its previous assessments. In 2008, the organization projected that conventional oil production would continue to slowly climb for several more decades.
Its current estimate that enough new oil will be found to keep the oil supply roughly steady for the next 25 years is hardly ironclad, however, a point the report acknowledges in the executive summary. "Will peak oil be a guest or the spectre at the feast?" its authors ask.
"The size of ultimately recoverable resources of both conventional and unconventional oil is a major source of uncertainty for the long-term outlook for world oil production," it concludes.
Over all, oil prices should continue to climb in coming decades, reaching $135 per barrel by 2035, a price level that some economists believe contributed to the global economic collapse of 2008.
Some experts found the report's projections troubling.
"It's a perfect storm headed our way — a steady rise in global demand for oil crashing up against an increasingly limited supply of economically recoverable oil," William Chameides, professor of environmental science at Duke University, wrote on his blog.
