January 2010
Mutual Benefit
Not long ago, there was trouble, right here at River City High School. The campus in West Sacramento, a suburb of California’s capital nestled near the banks of the Sacramento River, was serving nearly twice as many students as it was built to accommodate.
Sun Shades
Tubelite Inc. recently introduced MaxBlock Sunshades to reduce solar heat gain by shading vision glass areas while allowing natural daylighting. Use of the sunshades can help lower building cooling costs and energy use attributed to air-conditioning. The sunshades are designed for use with Tubelite 200 Series and 400 Series curtainwalls and are available in a variety of styles. Finishes are available to match or contrast with the company’s curtainwall framing.
Flooring
Freudenberg Building Systems Inc. introduces noraplan environcare 3.0mm for educational facilities. It absorbs sound, contributing to improved classroom acoustics, and provides a soft underfoot for teachers who are on their feet all day. The flooring is slip- and wear-resistant and can withstand heavy traffic and indentations from classroom furniture.
Architectural Wall
KI’s Genius architectural walls are designed to offer a balance of aesthetic appeal, functional flexibility, acoustic privacy and environmental integrity. Manufactured using more than 70 percent recycled aluminum, Genius walls are 99 percent reusable and 96 percent recyclable. Genius walls are approved by the Greenguard Environmental Institute.
With a thickness of 3.5 inches and 22-gauge steel shells, Genius walls provide a sound transmission rating of 48. Increased functionality and VOC emissions reductions can be achieved by varying paint selection.
Modular Classroom
The Iguana modular classroom from Modtech is a relocatable classroom that features environmentally friendly materials. It features formaldehyde-free batt insulation, high-recycled content metal framing and wall coverings, agrifiber composite-paneled casework, acoustic ceiling tiles with 25 percent recycled content, and a daylight control sensor.
Prince George’s to use mobile speed cameras in school zones (Washington Post)
After winning a protracted battle last year for the right to use cameras to ticket drivers for speeding, Prince George’s County Executive Jack B. Johnson now says a plan to install fixed cameras in dozens of school zones will be scrapped.