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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 THE ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCE FOR DESIGNING WITH FABRIC Subscribe at www.fabricarchitecture.info First in an on-going series of in-depth reports on an essential topic Wrapping up energy waste in Melbourne AIA Learning Units Green roof basics SUSTAINABLE FABRIC 101

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Page 1: fabric architecture

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008

THE ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCE FOR DESIGNING WITH FABRIC

Subscribe at www.fabricarchitecture.info

First in an on-going series of in-depth reports on an essential topic

Wrapping up energy waste in Melbourne

AIA Learning Units Green roof basics

SUSTAINABLE FABRIC 101

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Page 2: fabric architecture

KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARKwith Sunbre l la®.

Season after season, the awnings at the St. Louis Cardinals’ awesome new Busch

Stadium will welcome crowds thanks to Sunbrella® performance fabrics. With

Sunbrella you get stunning colors that are permanently embedded into the very

fiber of the fabric. This unique Sunbrella process provides vibrant colors and

designs that are guaranteed to last five years in any weather. After all, Sunbrella

has been the leader in quality fabrics for decades.

For a winning season every year, specify Sunbrella fabric on your next awning

project. It will mean less worry for your customers and ultimately less hassle

for you. For more information on our variety

of styles and colors, contact your Glen Raven

sales representative or visit sunbrella.com.

www.sunbrella.com

Sunbrella® and are registered trademarks of Glen Raven, Inc. Location courtesy of the St. Louis Cardinals. Awning installation by Lawrence Fabric Structures, Inc., St. Louis, MO.

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ON THECOVER

FABRIC ARCHITECTUREVOLUME 20 NUMBER 1

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SUSTAINABLE FABRIC 101This issue begins an ongoing focus on the topic of sustainable

design using fabric. This year, we will examine the subject from

many points of view in an effort to bring you the latest industry

information, technical data, and resources to help you address

this most important (in light of recent global warming concerns,

some would say essential) issue facing designers and society

today. This issue opens the topic discussion, subsequent issues will

address new materials and technologies, regionalism, educational

programs, and practice (see “First word” on page 6.)

36 Living lightly on the land Fabric’s sustainable future may help lead design forward. BY Mason Riddle

40 Wrapping it up Infl ated plastic bubbles enclose a shopping mall in Melbourne, Australia solving a host of problems, including energy waste. BY Mason Riddle

42 Noble endeavour Expressive canopy crowns a New Zealand home.

BY Shelby Gonzalez

COVER DESIGN BY Cathleen Rose PHOTO COURTESY Structurfl ex

PORTFOL IO32 The best of 2007 Every year we bring you the award winners of the International Achievement Awards. In this issue, the structures category winners.

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EXPERTISE PRACTICE

COMING NEXT ISSUE:Fabric Architecture (ISSN 1045-0483), Volume 20, Issue 1 is published bi-monthly by Industrial Fabrics Association International, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061. Periodicals Postage Paid at Minneapolis, MN and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to Fabric Architecture, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5.

Subscription inquiries, orders and changes contact: Sue Smeed, Assistant Circulation Manager, Fabric Architecture, 1801 County Road B W, Roseville, MN 55113-4061, Phone 800 225 4324 or +1 651 222 2508, fax +1 651 631 9334 e-mail: [email protected]. 1-year USA $39, Canada and Mexico $49, all other countries $69, payable in U.S. funds (includes air mail postage). Reprints: call 800 385 9402, [email protected]. Back Issues: call 800 207 0729, [email protected], www.bookstore.ifai.com.

20 8

FOUNDATION

FABRIC ARCHITECTUREVOLUME 20 NUMBER 1

46

16 DESIGN | Energy Let the sun (not) shine in

A new report presents hard evidence for the benefi ts of awnings in helping provide more sustainable housing.BY John Carmody, Kerry Haglund and Yu Joe Huang

20 COMMENTARY | Trend watch See the light

New technologies bring light — and the message — to fabric. BY Lou Dzierzak

26 CONTINUING EDUCATION | Green roofs Seeing green up top

A green roof primer.BY Bruce Dvorak and Marcus de la fl eur

31 CONTINUING EDUCATION | Self test/reporting form

22 ENVIRONMENT | Wind A mighty wind

Textiles are applied to revolutionize hurricane protection systems.BY Sonja Hegman

46 MATERIALS | Hospital fabrics Keeping it clean

From waiting rooms to surgical suites hospital purchasers look for fabrics that protect and promote health. BY Katherine Carlson

52 PRACTICE | Acoustics Clear sound, clean design

Fabric refl ectors make their debut at the new London Royal Festival Hall. BY Zackery Belanger

56 RE | Vision Plane Geometry

A San Antonio elementary school improves the educational experience by adding a new canopy.

58 NEW PRODUCTS | Sustainable/eco-friendly

6 FIRST WORD

8 SAMPLES

The latest examples of new work, exhibitions, conferences and design from around the world.

14 REPORT | Las Vegas

Fabric Structures 2007 Symposium

What was said, what the future holds.BY Bruce N. Wright

59 AD INDEX

60 SKETCHES | Design camp

Scaff olds, billboards and cupcakes

Teens fi nd use for recycled billboards, and learn a valuable lesson in design-build.BY John Comazzi, Anselmo Canfora and Wendy Friedmeyer

New materials and new technologies for sustainable design. We explore a number of new products and processes to help you sort out what’s what.

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Publisher Mary [email protected]

Editor Bruce N. Wright, [email protected]

Editorial Director Susan R. [email protected]

Production Manager Russell [email protected]

Art Director Marti Naughton

Graphic Designer Cathleen Rose

Promotions and Circulation Manager Mary J. [email protected]

Assistant Circulation Manager Susan [email protected]

Advertising Sales Manager Sarah Hyland [email protected]

Advertising Sales Jane Anthone, Terry Brodsky, Vivian Cowan, Julia Heath, Karen Lien, Mary Mullowney, Susan Parnell, Elizabeth Welsh

Contributing Editors Joanna Baymiller, J. Clark, Jean M. Cook, Helen Elias, Ali Heshmati, Percy Hooper, Barbara K. Hower, Robert Off , Víctor Hugo Roldán Gonzáles, Ron Shaeff er, Jamie Swedberg, Todd Willmert

Fabric Architecture Advisory CommitteeJohn Carter, J&J Carter Ltd., Basingstoke, UKDeborah W. Dalton, ASLA, CELA, University of OklahomaGerry D’Anza, Naples, ItalyBruce Dvorak, ASLA, Texas A&M UniversityNicholas Goldsmith, FAIA, LEED AP FTL, New YorkBeth Hungiville, Lightweight Structures AssociationCraig Huntington, P.E., Huntington Design AssociatesMarijke Mollaert, PhD, Free University of BrusselsErik Moncrieff , Berlin, GermanyJuan Monjo-Carrió, Universidad Politécnica de MadridNora Norby, MFC, Banner Creations, MinneapolisMatti Orpana, Tensotech Oy, Kokkola, FinlandWilliam Overton, Meridian Mfg. Corp.Michele Sahlin, Professional Awning Manufacturers AssociationGoetz Schierle, PhD., FAIA, University of Southern CaliforniaR.E. Shaeff er, P.E., Florida A&M UniversityPete Weingartner, CPP, Queen City Awning

Fabric Architecture is published by the IndustrialFabrics Association International (IFAI), a 2,000-member not-for-profi t trade association dedicated to promoting the use of specialty fabrics.

IFAI PresidentStephen M. Warner800 225 4324, +1 651 222 2508

IFAI1801 County Road B West Roseville, MN 55113USA+1 651 222 2508800 225 4324www.ifai.com

Printed in USA.

Publications Mail Agreement #40027027.

Copyright ©2008 by the Industrial Fabrics Association International.

Statement of facts and opinions are made on the responsibil-ity of the author alone and do not necessarily imply the opinion of the magazine, its advisory committee, its editors, or the association.

Fabric Architecture reserves the right to refuse any and all advertising and disclaims all responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission.

Fabric Architecture inspires and educates readers about the benefi ts of fabric as an innovative and sustainable building material.

Offi cial publication of the Lightweight Structures Association, and the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association

To submit story ideas, contact Bruce Wright, [email protected]

Those submitting manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other materials to Fabric Architecture for consideration should not send originals unless specifi cally requested to do so by Fabric Architecture. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other submitted materials must be accompanied by a self-addressed overnight delivery return envelope, postage prepaid. However, Fabric Architecture is not responsible for unsolicited submissions.

FIRST WORD

Sustainable Fabric 101Launching a continuing examination of an important—no, essential—topic that will change how you do everything

All the news media these days are talking about global warming. With Al Gore’s

2006 hit fi lm, An Inconvenient Truth, and his subsequent awarding of the No-

bel Peace Prize last year (shared with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change) for his work in bringing the issue of global warming to serious popular

attention, the topic —and all related environmental issues such as carbon footprint,

sustainability in design, green building materials and the urban

heat island eff ect — cannot be ignored, and indeed, are being dis-

cussed in a wide number of economic and social arenas.

Th e New York Times business section, on Christmas Day re-

ported that numerous university researchers across the country

are establishing, or realigning, centers for sustainable research

that cross disciplinary boundaries: “Th e problem of sustainabil-

ity cuts across economics, social elements, engineering, every-

thing,” says Nabil Nasr, director of the Rochester Institute of

Technology’s new Golisano Institute for Sustainability.

We at Fabric Architecture magazine feel so strongly about this topic that we are

devoting all of 2008 to it and will henceforth, in all future editions of FA, examine

the issues from many sides, with the goal of providing you with better resources and

material to help you design responsibly using fabric.

Here is an outline of this year’s topics, starting with this issue: sustainability and

fabric (an introduction), or what we call Sustainable Fabric 101 (SF 101); March/April:

new materials and technologies — SF 102; May/June: regionalism + sustainable de-

sign — SF 103; July/August: “school for thought” (educational programs around

the globe and software reviews) — SF 104; September/October: practice, practice,

practice (a “How to” issue) — SF 105; and November/December: Sources (the annual

Sourcing Guide) — SF 106.

In addition, our annual handy Sourcebook (the half-sized pamphlet that collects

useful information on various single topics from 20 years of FA articles) will be an

update of our year 2000 Sourcebook on sustainable design techniques using fabric.

We think you’ll want to hold onto all of this year’s issues as an offi ce guide for future

reference. By year’s end you will have received the industry’s knowledge base of green

design practices and resources for responsibly designing with fabric.

Later this year, the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), the pub-

lisher of this magazine, will address this topic at its annual Expo by hosting a “Going

Green” symposium, October 21–23, 2008 (for more information: www.ifaiexpo.com.)

We hope you agree this subject is worth all the attention. I welcome your thoughts on

any of these issues.

Bruce N. Wright, AIA

Editor

[email protected]

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Page 9: fabric architecture

800-622-2246www.birdair.com

Email: [email protected]

50 years of timeless innovation

e y e c a t c h i n g / b r e a t h t a k i n g

Birdair custom tensioned membrane structures, cable systems,

and lightweight building structures

expert design/build services, for projects large and small

progressive technical methods, premium fabrics and integrated solutions

U.S.-based specialty company with global resources

Award-winning projects in tensile architecture await you

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SAM

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Sustainable prefab debuts at West Coast Green

Ultra-green

Th e modular, prefabricated, zero-energy mkLotus Showhouse debuted to rave reviews at the recent West

Coast Green Residential Building Conference & Expo 2007.

West Coast Green, the largest green residential building conference in the country, took place in San

Francisco from September 20–22. It featured over 270 vendors and 250 presentations, including several

by mkLotus architect Michelle Kaufman.

In all, 10,782 people registered for the

conference. An estimated 8,500 attendees

toured the Showhouse, which was erected

across from City Hall, in front of the Bill

Graham Civic Center Auditorium where

the vendors and presentations were lo-

cated. At times, the line to see it stretched

across the plaza.

Designed by Michelle Kaufman Designs,

an eco-minded Bay Area architectural de-

sign fi rm, and assembled in the fi rm’s fac-

tory in Washington state, the mkLotus

boasts 62m2 packed with earth-friendly

features. One of the least visible but most

interesting of those features is the roof.

Solar panels capture enough energy to

power the home, while a carpet of native

plants reduces rainwater runoff , absorbs

carbon dioxide — the greenhouse gas im-

plicated in global warming — and reduces

the urban “heat island eff ect.”

Living roofs typically include a layer of

geotextile fi lter fabric above the drainage

layer to strain debris and stabilize the soil.

Th e mkLotus utilized a proprietary Bio-

TrayTM module system provided by Rana

Creek Living Architecture.

Th e mkLotus has a base price of

$175,000, which does not include tax,

solar panels, green roof, graywater recir-

culation, or rainwater catchment system.

Currently, it is available only in the West-

ern states.

For more information, check out www.

mkd-arc.com, www.ranacreek.com, and

www.westcoastgreen.com.

Shelby Gonzalez is a California-based freelance writer specializing in environmen-tal issues.

BY Shelby Gonzalez

Left: The mkLotus Showhouse installed temporarily for the West Coast Green Building Conference across from the San Francisco City Hall. Top: The prototype, as rendered for a single wilderness lot and in multiple clusters for a community, middle.A

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Page 11: fabric architecture

Wouldn’t it be nice to have an architectural fabric

beautiful enough to herald its arrival?

GORE™ TENARA® has redefi ned architectural fabric, so you can

create stunning outdoor designs that capture and fi lter light like no

other building material. Tenara lets in up to 40% more natural light

and folds or drapes like real fabric. Plus, with its unique, high-strength

expanded PTFE fi ber technology, Tenara won’t fail under repeated

folding and fl exing, and is weldable using any standard equipment—

so you can transform any space into a useful work of art.

From the inventors of GORE-TEXTM fabric and outerwear, W.L. Gore & Associates has over 30 years of proven product and market experience in the textiles industry.1 5 Y E A R G U A R A N T E E gore.com/tenaraaf Tel: +1.800.276.8451

GORE, GORE-TEX, Tenara and designs are trademarks of W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. ©2007 W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

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Sports fans under fabricTh e Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has released HOK Sport’s design of London’s

2012 stadium. Th e bowl-shaped stadium will hold 25,000 permanent and 55,000 tem-

porary seats, allowing for the stadium to be used as a local venue after the Games.

Th e stadium covers two thirds of the spectators with a cable supported roof and is

wrapped by a fabric curtain to ensure additional protection.

Olympics minister Tessa Jowell said, “We will ensure that the Olympic stadium

leaves a lasting legacy for London and the UK—a fl exible venue with athletics at its

heart, but also capable of multi-sport, educational and community use.”

For more information, www.hoksport.com

Green roof reportTh e American Society of Landscape Archi-

tects (ASLA) has released the fi rst perfor-

mance report since the society’s green roof

was installed in July 2006.

ASLA’s green roof retained 27,500 gal-

lons of storm water between July 2006 and

May 2007, reduced building energy costs

by hundreds of dollars a month and sig-

nifi cantly lowered outdoor air temperature

according to a report from the society. Th e

report examined various components of

ASLA’s green roof demonstration project,

in downtown Washington, D.C., ranging

from water and temperature monitoring to

individual plant performance.

For more information, www.asla.org

Hightex gets high signTh e polymer membrane tensile structure producer Hightex Group PLC has won a 7 million

euro contract to provide a membrane roof that will be part of the upgrading of the First

National Bank Stadium in Johannesburg for the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup.

For more information, www.hightexworld.com

Green building moves outdoorsASLA, the Univeristy of Texas at Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildfl ower Center and the

United States Botanic Garden have announced the development of a new rating system for

sustainable landscape design called the Sustainable Sites Initiative. Th e new rating system

was created to encourage sustainable landscape design.

Th e Sites Initiative will measure the sustainability of designed landscapes of all types,

including public, commercial and residential projects. Th e U.S. Green Building Council plans

to adopt the Sustainable Sites metrics into its LEED® system once they are fi nished.

For more information, www.asla.org

Larger than lifeAmerican Spaceframe Fabricators Interna-

tional has been contracted to build a fabric

structure in Puerto Rico that, when com-

plete, will be the largest of its type in the

world. Th e company is moving its opera-

tions to Ocala, Florida.

For more information, www.asfi .net

CorrectionsTh e client for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway project featured in the Sept/Oct issue was

incorrectly listed as NASCAR (Sept/Oct, pg. 40.) Th is should have been Speedway Motors-

ports (SMI).

Th e Product Profi les section of the Nov/Dec issue (“Sourcing Guide 2008”) incorrectly

listed the contact information for Transformit (pg. 64.) Th e e-mail address should have

been [email protected], and the Web site address www.transformit.com.

We regret these errors.

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11www.fabricarchitecture.infoFERRARI TEXTILES CORP. Pompano Beach, FL, USA Tel: (954) 942-3600 - Fax: (954) 942-5555 - [email protected]

Discover our complete range ofarchitecture and solar protectiontextiles for energy reduction options(AIA classes available).

www.ferrari-architecture.comwww.soltis-textiles.comwww.stamisol.com

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com

Wolfsburg Stadium - Germany Lords' Cricket Club - UK Silver Spur - USA

Louvre Museum - France Premium Outlets - USA Glaskubus Offices - Germany

St Louis Children Hospital - USA Paul Klee Museum - Switzerland Lorenzi Hotel - Italy

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SAM

PLES Off the grid

A recent design probe from Philips called Off the grid: Sustainable Habitat 2020 is ex-

ploring the possibility of using sensitive textile skins on buildings to create energy inde-

pendent structures.

Th e probe explores the integration of electronics and bio chemical functionalities into

the inert material of the built environment. Th is future habitat shifts from the current state

where the building surfaces are benign in-

ert materials only used for construction

and shielding purposes, to sensitive func-

tional skins that are alive and act as mem-

branes to harness energy. A membrane

creates a strong link between the interior

and exterior of the habitat, used as a trans-

porter of air, water and light, taking build-

ings off the grid.

For more information, www.design.philips.com

ConferencesWinnipeg, Canada 16–18 May 2008“Fabric Formwork for Architectural Structures” Th e fi rst international conference explor-

ing recent developments in fl exible fabric

formworks for concrete structures will fo-

cus on new architectural forms, hear invit-

ed speakers from numerous countries and

hold workshop demonstrations.

For more information, www.umanitoba.ca/architecture/ff c/

Turin, Italy 1–2 July 2008“Architex”As part of the international gathering cel-

ebrating Turin World Design Capital 2008,

Architex brings professionals together

from the textile industries with architects

and designers. Tied also with the XXIII

World Congress of Architecture, this ex-

hibition and symposium will examine the

latest developments for textiles, including

phase change materials, refl ecting and lu-

minescent fabrics, color, and architectural

components for fabric structures.

For more information, http://architextorino.com/index.php?eng AF

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BernburgDessauKöthen

Hochschule Anhalt (FH)Anhalt University of Applied Sciences

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REPORT | Las Vegas

Right: Fabric sculptor Jens J. Meyer inspired and delighted attendees at the Fabric Structures 2007 symposium held in Las Vegas, last October. Opposite, above: Naturally integrated shade fi ns by KEE Architects, Madison, Wisconsin.

Fabric Structures discussed at symposium

This past year’s Fabric Structures symposium—held the day

before IFAI Expo in Las Vegas, Oct. 2, 2007—focused on a

single theme that had everyone abuzz: the future and im-

portance of sustainable practices in business. Th e day-long session

opened with a rousing call to action by noted architect and expert

on sustainable design Lance Hosey, AIA, LEED AP, partner in what

is perhaps the leading sustainability consulting design fi rm in the

world, William McDonough & Partners. Hosey touched on all the

key issues that all designers (indeed, all businesses) must address

in the near future: adapting existing materials to a more sustain-

able position, embracing aesthetics as part of successful sustain-

able designs (not ignoring aesthetics as early practitioners often

did during environmentalism’s beginnings in

the 1970s), and integrating sustainable con-

cepts into today’s built environment so that

these new sustainable-driven forms actually

enhance a building’s performance.

Hosey made the trenchant observation that much of sustainabil-

ity practice today is doing old things better. He notes that many of

the earlier environmental movement’s concepts—recycling plastics,

rainwater collection for reuse, minimizing biomass impact on eco-

systems, etc.—was right minded, just not resolved in sustainable

ways so that each concept could contribute to the greater health of

the world. He also admitted that much of what was done in the ’70s

was ugly. “It doesn’t have to look this way,” he says. “Aesthetics are

not ‘icing on the cake’ but integral with design.” However, he warned

designers that sustainable designs need to accommodate the unique

circumstances of each building—only styles that are appropriate to

a region should be used—and that across-the-board, cookie-cutter designs slapped down

without regard to local history or styles will not in the end be sustainable.

Hosey was followed by Cindy Th ompson, president of Transformit, and

a partner in the new collaborative Th e Fabric Alliance, a sustainability-

focused research group that promotes the use of fabrics and fabric struc-

ture technology as a sustainable method. Th ompson emphasized interior

applications, how they can contribute to sustainable eff orts, and how

important it is to “design for delight.” Designs can utilize new technolo-

gies, such as LED lighting and integrated photovoltaics, to increase

a building’s effi ciency and minimize its negative im-

pact on the environment, while providing

a delightful, enriching setting.

Architect Douglas Kozel discussed

several modest but highly sophis-

ticated designs for offi ce buildings

in the Madison, Wisconsin area, all

naturally integrating fabric shade

fi ns on the south sides of the build-

BY Bruce N. Wright

“Designs can utilize new technologies, such as LED lighting and integrated photovoltaics, to increase a building’s effi ciency and minimize its negative impact on the environment, while providing a delightful, enriching setting.” —Cindy Thompson, Transformit

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ings. Landscape architect and professor

Bruce Dvorak spoke about the advantages

of using green roof technology, geotextiles

and geofi lters in roof assemblies, and Jeff

Galland of S2 and Richard L. Warren of JCI

Engineering rounded out the mid-day ses-

sion with examples of applied sustainable

design in the Las Vegas metropolitan area.

To explore the future for sustainable de-

sign using fabric, structural engineer Craig

Huntington of Huntington Design Associ-

ates presented an experimental, but suc-

cessful application of photovoltaic systems

on the roof of a Las Vegas parking struc-

ture. Th e project placed refl ective tensioned

fabric sails underneath the extensive light

collectors of the rooftop system, showing

us yet another way to integrate fabric ele-

ments in cutting-edge designs. Ending the

information-packed day, German artist

Jens J. Meyer delighted and inspired the

audience with numerous examples of his

beautiful fabric sculptures, most often in-

stalled in gritty or urban settings. By day’s

end, the symposium left everyone with re-

newed energy and inspiration for a future

of sustainable design that bodes well for

the fabric structures industry.

—Bruce N. Wright, Editor, Fabric Archi-

tecture magazine

I M A G I N A T I O N & I N N O V A T I O N

I N F A B R I C A R C H I T E C T U R E

FabriTec Structures can help make your project concept a reality with virtually

unlimited design options and applications. We utilize the most advanced architectural

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www.fabritecstructures.comFabriTec Structures is a brand of USA SHADE & Fabric Structures, Inc.

www.usa-shade.com

AF

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DESIGN | Energy

The benefi ts of awnings in residential buildingsAwnings have advantages that contribute to more sustainable buildings. First, awnings re-

sult in cooling energy savings by reducing direct solar gain through windows. Th is directly

reduces the impact of global warming from greenhouse gas emissions. A second benefi t is

that peak electricity demand is also reduced by awnings potentially resulting in reduced

mechanical equipment costs. Reduced peak demand may also result in energy cost savings

in the future if residential customers are charged higher rates during peak periods. Another

outcome of peak demand reduction is the overall savings to utility companies and the pub-

lic from a decreased need to build new generating capacity.

Table 1: Summary of awning impacts on cooling energy in 12 U.S. cities

Table 2: Summary of awning impacts on peak demand in 12 U.S. cities

Let the sun (not) shine inA new report presents hard evidence for the benefi ts of awnings in helping provide more sustainable housing

NOTE: The annual energy performance fi gures shown here were generated using RESFEN for a typical (new construction) 2000 sq ft house with 300 sq ft of window area. In the fi rst case, the windows are equally distributed on all four sides of the house. Where windows are predominately on the west side, the distribution is 240 sq ft on that side and 20 sq ft on the others. Clear double

glazed windows are used in all cases. For all cities, the awning deployment shown is either a 12- month or summer only condition, whichever produces the best result. RESFEN is a computer program for calculating the annual cooling and heating energy use and costs due to window selection. It is available from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (windows.lbl.gov/software/resfen)

Editor’s note: This is the second of two energy studies conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Sustainable Building Research under the support of the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association (see FA May/June 2007, pg. 14.) Copies of the full reports can be obtained at: www.awninginfo.com.

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Cooling energy savings and peak demand reduction Tables 1 and 2 show the impact of aw-

nings on reducing cooling energy and peak

demand in 12 U.S. cities with diff erent cli-

mates. Th e cities are listed starting with

the lowest cooling energy use (Seattle) up

to the highest (Phoenix). For each city,

results are shown for two typical houses.

Th e fi rst house has windows equally dis-

tributed on all four orientations while the

second house has 80 percent of the win-

dows facing west (the case with the high-

est cooling energy use from heat gain).

Th e results in Tables 1 and 2 represent the

best case for savings when awnings are ap-

plied to clear double-glazed windows and

operated seasonally (details appear in the

full report).

Table 1 shows cooling energy savings in

all cities for all orientations, while Table 2

shows peak demand savings in most cit-

ies. In all cases, the cooling energy and

peak demand savings from awnings are

greater in the house with predominately

west-facing windows. Th e highest percent-

age savings do not necessarily produce the

highest actual savings. Th is occurs because

some of the warmer cities with lower per-

centage savings have greater actual cool-

ing energy and peak demand savings than

colder climate cities with higher percentage

savings and lower actual savings. Surpris-

ingly, there can be little or no peak demand

savings from awnings in some hot, humid

cities. Th is is due to climatic variations that

infl uence whether peak demand is driven

more by solar gain through windows or by

factors such as temperature and humidity.

It is important to remember that these re-

sults are for a 2000 sq ft house and should

be interpolated for larger houses. In addi-

tion, the energy prices may rise in the fu-

ture increasing the savings and shortening

the payback for investing in awnings.

Tables 3 and 4 show more extensive set

of impacts from awnings for two cities: a

predominantly cold climate (Boston) and a

predominantly hot climate (Phoenix). Win-

dow types shown are clear double glazing,

high-solar-gain low-E glazing, and low-so-

lar-gain low-E glazing. Shading conditions

include: no shading, awnings deployed 12

months a year, and awnings deployed in

the summer only.

Cold Climate ImpactsTable 3 shows the impact of awnings on a

typical house in Boston, Massachusetts, a

predominantly cold climate. Th e impact var-

ies depending on the type of window glaz-

ing and whether the awnings are in place 12

months per year or only in the summer.

For a house with windows equally dis-

tributed on the four sides, Table 3 shows

the annual heating and cooling energy use

and the peak electricity demand for each

combination of glazing and shading condi-

tion. Table 3 also shows the impact on the

total cost of heating and cooling. In each

case, the table shows the percent savings

compared to the unshaded condition.

As shown in Table 3, the awnings reduce

the cooling energy 23–24 percent compared

to a completely unshaded case. Th e actual

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DESIGN | Energy

NOTE: The annual energy performance fi gures shown here were generated using RESFEN for a typical (new construction) 2000 sq ft house with 300 sq ft of window area. All cases in this report assume that there are no other shading devices such as overhangs or blinds and that the house is not shaded by trees or other buildings. The costs shown here are annual costs for space heating and space cooling only and thus will be less than total utility bills. Costs for lights, appliances, hot water, cooking, and other uses are not

included in these fi gures. The mechanical system uses a gas furnace for heating and air conditioning for cooling. Electricity costs used in the analysis are $0.18 per kWh in Boston and $0.12 per kWh per in Phoenix. Natural gas costs used in the analysis are $16.20 per MBTU in Boston and $12.84 per MBTU in Phoenix. These fi gures are based on 25 year projected average costs for electricity during the cooling season and for natural gas during the heating season. All data is provided by the Energy Information Administration (www.eia.doe.gov). RESFEN is a computer program for calculating the annual cooling and heating energy use and costs due to window selection.

Table 3: Impact of awnings on a house—Boston, Massachusetts

Table 4: Impact of awnings—Phoenix, Arizona

savings are greater with the clear glass (A)

and less with the low-solar-gain low-E glass

(C). Because awnings block passive solar

gain in winter, heating energy increases by

6–9 percent if the awnings remain in place

12 months a year. By removing or retract-

ing the awnings in winter while keeping

them in place in the summer, the lowest

total energy use is achieved.

Th e total cost of heating and cooling is

about equal in Boston when awnings are

only used in the summer, but the total

cost is increased if they remain in place 12

months a year.

Table 3 also shows that awnings reduce

peak electricity demand by 17–22 percent

in Boston. Th is may contribute to the abil-

ity to downsize the mechanical cooling sys-

tem. Th e actual reduction is greater with

the clear glass (A).

Hot Climate ImpactsTable 4 shows the impact of awnings on a typ-

ical house in Phoenix, Arizona with diff erent

orientation conditions. Th e same window ori-

entation, window types, and shading condi-

tions used for Boston are applied in Phoenix.

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In Phoenix, the awnings reduce the cool-

ing energy 14–20 percent compared to a

completely unshaded case. As in Boston,

because awnings block passive solar gain

in winter, heating energy increases if the

awnings remain in place 12 months a year.

Of course, the relative importance of the

heating versus the cooling season impacts

varies by climate. In predominantly warm

climates like Phoenix, the impact of aw-

nings on reducing passive solar gain is less

of a concern.

Th e total cost of heating and cooling is

reduced 13–18 percent in Phoenix when

awnings are only used in the summer. Table

4 also shows that awnings reduce peak elec-

tricity demand by 9–12 percent in Phoenix,

potentially contributing to the ability to

downsize the mechanical cooling system.

Th e actual savings are greater with the clear

glass (A) and less with the low solar-gain

low-E glass (C).

In comparing Tables 3 and 4, it is clear

that the impacts of awnings are diff er-

ent depending on the building location

and whether the awnings are deployed

year-round or only in the summer. A very

important consideration in assessing the

benefi ts of awnings is window orientation.

A house in any climate with the windows

predominantly facing to the east, south,

and west will have greater cooling energy

use and cooling peak demand than the

equal orientation case. Th is is particularly

true with peak demand in the west orienta-

tion. Generally, this means energy and cost

savings from using awnings is greater with

predominantly east, south, and west ori-

entations than when windows are equally

distributed. Specifi c energy and cost sav-

ings multiple orientation conditions can be

found in the full report.

John Carmody and Kerry HaglundCenter for Sustainable Building Research, University of Minnesota

Yu Joe HuangLawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

December 2007

Copyright © 2007 Regents of the University of Minnesota. Used with permission.

AF

800 387 2764 I www.naizilcanada.com I [email protected]

Helping you cover the world.

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Businesses operate on a 24-hour clock today. Capturing the attention of customers

once the sun goes down requires ingenuity, creativity and staying abreast of new

technologies. Since commerce after dark is too big of a market to ignore, new cutting

edge technologies are off ering new solutions to traditional backlit fabrics.

Oracal USA, Black Creek, GA recently introduced two vinyl fi lm products certifi ed by Cee-

Lite LLC that use the company’s cutting edge LEC (light-emitting capacitor) technology.

CeeLite LEC panels can turn any surface into a light source. Th e paper-thin LEC panels

do not generate heat and require very little power for illumination. CeeLite panels use a

LEC structure with Sylvania phosphors placed between a series of electrodes. Powered by

AC voltage, the electricity generates a changing fi eld within the phosphors that causes the

phosphors to emit light.

Craig Campbell, product applications manager at ORACAL sees tremendous opportu-

nities ahead, “Th e growth potential is truly immeasurable. By providing the only CeeLite-

certifi ed inkjet media that is currently available, our Orajet Series 3880 is generating

interest on a global scale. Projects using the combination of these technologies has al-

lowed graphic providers to think outside the box and put illuminated images where never

thought possible.”

Blue Ocean Worldwide, a creative services and production fi rm in New York, NY

has used CeeLite technology to create illuminated Absolut Vodka bus vehicle wraps, sig-

nage for the Washington Redskin’s Fedex Field and indoor billboards for the Westin Hotels

on display in New York’s Grand Central Station subway.

David Stadler, ceo of Blue Ocean states, “I truly believe this product will completely

change the industry. It’s such a versatile product that can do so many things.” Blue Ocean

uses litho, screen or digital printing to apply graphics. Limitations are few but include ad-

dressing size limitations if seams are needed.

Stadler often has to calm overly enthusiastic customers after they see CeeLite presented.

“Once that is panel on, people’s minds take off and they have lots of ideas. You have to

sometimes slow them down a little bit.”

Lou Dzierzak is a freelance writer/editor who covers technical topics on a regular basis for nu-merous trade journals.

See the light

COMMENTARY | Trend watch

BY Lou Dzierzak

Top: CeeLite LEC panels were used to create a gi-ant 160m2 interactive display illuminating fi ve two-story high images of Madonna to produce a fully interactive fashion show that lights up New York’s Fifth Avenue. Opposite, below: CeeLite technology also was used on indoor billboards in the Grand Central Station subway for Westin Hotels.

CONTACTS

Herculite Products Inc.www.herculite.com

Oracalwww.oracal.com

CeeLitewww.ceelite.com

Blue Ocean Worldwidewww. blueoceanworldwide.com

New technologies bring light—and the message—to fabric

“Using the combination of these technologies has

allowed graphic providers to think outside the box and

put illuminated images where never thought possible.”

Craig Campbell, product applications manager ORACAL

AF

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Page 24: fabric architecture

ENVIRONMENT | Wind

A mighty windTextiles are applied to revolutionize the capacity of hurricane protection systems

The hurricane barrier/protection in-

dustry started about 50 years ago.

Initially, only wood planks were

used to board up windows, and the more

well-to-do homeowner used wood shutters

with iron clasps to keep out the elements.

“Now, wood shutters are commonly used

for decoration,” says Dennis Grubb, found-

er of Wave Guide Technologies in Jackson-

ville, Fla.

As technology marched forward, alumi-

num became the popular choice for protection,

Grubb said, but it was cumbersome and expensive. Aluminum was generally used as a

manual shutter that had to be closed using a fastener. Eventually, aluminum was replaced

with roll down products [that were] originally developed and used in Europe, Grubb says.

“Th ey were used to control heat loss or heat gain. In World War II, roll downs were used

as security.”

Th e roll-down technology was brought to the U.S. about 20 years ago, and it was devel-

oped and sold—in either motorized or manual form—as a hurricane protection product.

But, Grubb says, these products were still expensive. “About fi ve years ago, I decided that

needed to change,” he said.

So Grubb developed a product that was more aff ordable and easier to deploy that used

industrial fabrics: the Clearlar system, which is designed to custom fi t to the window using

an aluminum mounting system that works manually or motorized. Made from an industri-

al/military grade of super reinforced polymer-based fabric, Clearlar is coated with multiple

layers of an ultraviolet- and mildew-resistant PVC coating material. It is certifi ed by the

National Accreditation & Management Institute Inc. for installation in any hurricane prone

area, as it complies with the state of Florida’s hurricane protection building codes. When

tested by the state of Florida, Grubb claims that Clearlar withstood winds of 330km/hr; it’s

guaranteed up to wind speeds of 282km/hr by Grubb’s company. “It has never failed me on

a test,” he says.

Fending off fl ying debrisTh ough Dr. Patrick Hook’s company doesn’t manufacture products specifi cally for hurri-

cane protection, Auxetix Ltd. has developed preventive fabrics that stretch and can contain

fl ying debris. As managing director of the company in Witheridge, Devon, England, U.K.,

BY Sonja Hegman

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Page 25: fabric architecture

Hook played a part in creating ZetixTM

blast-mitigation fabrics designed to be used

in any environment where it is necessary

to ameliorate the eff ects of high-pressure

blasts. Th ese blasts could arise from terror-

ist strikes, mineshaft disasters, or natural

events such as hurricanes or typhoons.

Th e fabrics are made from fi bers com-

posed of elastomeric cores around which

high-strength fi bers have been helically-

wrapped. When these fi bers are stretched,

they deform into a spiral shape, according

to Hook. Th is causes a large number of

pores to open up across the fabric’s surface

when the material is stretched. Th e cre-

ation of extra surface area in this manner

also makes the material thicker and wider.

Th e working principle is that the Zetix

materials are anchored above and below a

window or other opening that needs pro-

tection. When a blast front hits the mate-

rial, it stretches into a curved shape. “Th is

opens the pores and allows the blast to

pass through without damaging the fabric,”

Hook says. Any fl ying debris, however, is

caught by the high-strength wrapping fi -

bers. “Th is is extremely signifi cant, as it is

airborne fragments of glass and metal that

cause 80–90% of deaths and serious inju-

ries in a blast-related event.”

One of the most important factors with

the Zetix fabrics, however, is that they

are multiple-use materials—conventional

blast-fi lms and safety curtains no longer

provide any protection once they have been

deployed, Hook notes.

Tests performed by the British govern-

ment involving large quantities of high

explosives have shown that an excellent

degree of protection is provided by Zetix

fabrics, Hook says.

“Th e tests were done using large quantities

of high explosives which showed an excellent

degree of protection,” he explains. “Th ey con-

tinue to provide this protection, even after

being subjected to substantial blasts. Con-

sequently, they would provide excellent de-

fenses for buildings in hurricane zones where

sustained protection is necessary.”

Rolling right alongAmy Berckman is starting to see more fab-

ric than she has in the past. As co-owner of

Coastal Awnings and Hurricane Shutters

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Top: This screen porch project by Wave Guide Technologies affords some protection against fl ying debris and water damage—a simple form of barrier protection applied in warmer climates. Above: Protection against strong winds and tropical storms can be obtained using innovative fabric applications, as this system by Wave Guide Technologies demonstrates.

WAV

E G

UID

E TE

CH

NO

LOG

IES

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in Morehead City, N.C., Berckman says hurricane protection was

always a part of her business plan. She’s following in Grubb’s foot-

steps by off ering fabric-based high wind and hurricane protection.

Her company off ers fabric barriers made out of a trampoline-type

material, and has for the past seven years. A combination of fabric

and roll shutter might be used, based upon the customer’s request.

Although North Carolina’s coastline is prone to hurricane ac-

tivity, the awareness of diff erent products isn’t always obvious,

she observes.

“If people don’t see [hurricane protection products], they don’t

know there are options,” she says.

Caribbean Awning Production Co. Ltd. manufactures two types

of shutters for hurricane protection. In 1998, the company ex-

panded its operations from awnings to indoor treatments and hur-

ricane/security shutters, says Paula Calderon, managing director of

the St. Lucia-based fi rm. Th e company has spent large amounts of

money promoting and educating the general public in the Eastern

Caribbean about hurricane shutters over the past nine years.

Calderon recommends rolling shutters and accordion shutters.

“While we can off er storm panels and bahama shutters, we do not

feel that these are as practical as the rolling and accordion shut-

ters,” she explains. Rolling shutters are designed to allow the blade

to roll up inside its hood capacity. Th e result is a clean and attrac-

tive look, an important consideration for a home’s or business’ ex-

terior appearance.

Aluminium slats are fi lled with either foam or extra hard resin—

or extruded aluminium for tougher applications. Th e blades are

ENVIRONMENT | Wind

Top: In the Carribbean, rolling shutters and the more traditional wooden shutters often are combined defenses that soften the blow of West Indies’ notorius “Hurricane Alley.” Above: Some-day, Auxetix Ltd.’s Zetix blast-mitigation fabrics (originally designed for bomb blasts) may be used to thwart the impact of dangerous weather condi-tions as well. Left: A special weave—composed of elastomeric cores around which high-strength fi bers have been helically wrapped—causes the Zetix fabric to deform into a curved shape when impacted. The pores open and allow the blast to pass through without damaging the fabric.

CA

RIBB

EAN

AW

NIN

G P

ROD

UC

TIO

N C

O.

AU

XETI

X LT

D.

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vented to allow in air and light. Th e shut-

ters can be motorized with a manual over-

ride system in the event of power failure.

Accordion shutters are manually oper-

ated. Every shutter comes with its own

high-security locking device, “a sure nui-

sance to any prowler as well,” Calderon

says. “After hurricane Ivan hit the island

of Grenada, there was a sudden hunger for

hurricane/security shutters, both for the

protection of homes and businesses and

the security against looting,” Calderon

adds. Th is brought a wider appreciation

and understanding of the products her

company provides.

For Larry Batz, manager of Awnair Ad-

justable Awnings in Belleview, Fla., hurri-

cane barriers became a necessary product

for his company three years ago. Before

that, Awnair sold only awnings.

Awnair sells three main panels as hurri-

cane protectors: clear, aluminum and steel.

Like Caribbean Awning, Batz sells roll-

down shutters, accordion shutters (that

are permanently mounted on a building,

in clear or aluminum), and storm shutters

(that look primarily like decorative shut-

ters). Ease of use is important because the

many retirees that live in the area need to

be able to deploy the products—or make it

easy for a neighbor to do so.

When Hurricane Charley hit in 2004,

Batz says that it didn’t aff ect his area of

Florida much because it’s in the middle of

the state; but Hurricane Frances, which

hit that same year, knocked out power to

Batz’s business for nine days.

WindfallSo far this year, hurricane barriers have ac-

counted for 30 to 40 percent of Batz’s sales,

compared to last year’s 20%. “A lot of it has

to do with the storm season,” Batz said. “Last

year we had only one [tropical] storm.”

Amy Berckman also says that a “signifi -

cant percentage” of her company’s sales

come from hurricane barriers. Awnings

and blinds represented Caribbean Awning’s

largest earnings until Hurricane Ivan in

2004, Calderon says. After that, sales of

shutters increased from 22–63% in 2006,

with 32% representing exports to the other

Caribbean islands.

Caribbean Awning’s greatest profi ts are

generated from the awnings and blinds in-

dustry, Calderon adds. Th e shutter industry

poses problems with the diff erent styles of

homes built in the islands—the poor con-

struction of houses; the lack of understand-

ing of the products and their uses, and the

discrepancy of the architects’ fancy designs

with the practical aspects of building for the

use and installation of shutters.

“Customers have to make a choice be-

tween the fancy architecture and the pro-

tection of property, family and business,”

Calderon says. “Th e lack of education about

these shutters in the region among archi-

tects, contractors and builders, as well as

banks and insurance companies, is hinder-

ing the protection of homes.”

Banks and insurance companies, she

observes, should encourage the placement

of shutters in homes because the shut-

ters protect their investments. “Shutters

should be incorporated in the design of

buildings, and this is far from the case in

the region,” she says.

With the change in weather patterns

and the prediction of increased hurricane

activity over the next 10 years, it is im-

AF

portant for professionals in the building

industry to re-examine the way homes are

constructed and designed, Calderon says,

“taking into full consideration the cus-

tomers’ needs.”

Sonja Hegman is a freelance writer based in St. Paul, Minn.

SOURCES

Auxetix Ltd., Devon, England, UKwww.auxetix.com

Awnair Adjustable Awnings, Belleview, Fla.+1 352 347 7240

Caribbean Awning Production Co. Ltd., St. Luciawww.caribbeanawning.netfi rms.com

Coastal Awnings & Hurricane Shutters, Morehead City, N.C.crystalcoastalawnings.com

Wave Guide Technologies, Jacksonville, Fla.www.clearviewus.com

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BY Bruce Dvorak and Marcus de la fl eur

Chicago City Hall’s green roof includes semi-intensive gardens.

Seeing green up top

Green roof technology has come a long way from sod houses and grassed, meadow-like roofs grazed by

goats or sheep. It is rapidly moving forward with all expectations of transforming the way urban ecology

is legislated, designed, and maintained across the country. Architects and engineers are running toward

an understanding and mastery of this “green” design tool, a multi-disciplinary fi eld centered within the realm of

landscape architecture. With a basic understanding of this emerging culture, designers not only can participate in

this rising market, they can help shape it and take the lead.

Green roof technology Th e phrase “green roof technology” is a term broad in meaning that includes many types of greened roofs, the

products used to create them, and design techniques available to construct them. Broad categories place blurred

CONTINUING EDUCATION | Green roofs

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AIA/Fabric Architecture Continuing EducationTo earn one AIA/CES Learning Unit, read this article; then answer the questions on page 31 and follow the instructions for reporting.

Learning objectivesAfter reading the article you will be able to:1. Explain the importance of

proper, regular cleaning to the life-span of a fabric structure or awning.

2. List the available options for fabric maintenance.

3. Describe alternative for fabric protective coatings.

lines between three types of greened roof systems, which include extensive, intensive, and

semi-intensive systems. Th e extensive system falls at one end of the spectrum and is

most frequently referred to as a green roof, living roof, or “eco-roof.” Th ese systems are

thin in profi le, between 50 to 102mm thick, weigh 49 to 122 kg/m2, are least diverse in

vegetation, and are not likely to demand much design time. Th ough they can do much to

absorb rainwater, they rarely require much direct design eff ort from landscape architects,

other than a competent understanding of their vegetative needs and ecological benefi ts.

Even if they lie low in profi le, they can provide signifi cant contributions to the design of

sustainable projects and can eff ectively address improvements to urban ecology and wild-

life corridor creation. It would be the landscape architect’s role to integrate these indirect

design applications.

At the other end of the spectrum lies the intensive green roof system. Th e intensive

system includes public or private roof gardens. Th e roof garden is where landscape archi-

tects can make signifi cant direct contributions to buildings by the transformation of bare

roofs into beautiful and functional space. Where the green roof is a thin profi le, roof gar-

dens can be lushly planted with trees, shrubs, and perennials in as little as 152 to 457mm of

growing medium, at only 381kg/m2. In comparison, 457mm of topsoil might weigh 586kg/

m2. Th ough green roofs require little maintenance and no irrigation, roof gardens need as

much care as gardens at grade. Th e selection of vegetation and source of irrigation water can

make signifi cant diff erences in the degree that they are self sustaining. Intensive systems

are typically placed on fl at roof decks. Extensive and semi-intensive systems, however, can

be placed on either fl at roofs or on roofs with slopes up to 30 degrees.

Urban ecology and natural processes Green roofs can do much for urban ecology, in part because they replicate natural processes.

Green roofs mimic the natural water cycle as moisture falls, is slowed and intercepted by

vegetation, absorbed into the growing medium, used by plants, and transpired back into

the atmosphere, as it moves slowly through the sub-grade and drainage system. On an an-

nual basis, green roofs can reduce stormwater runoff from rooftops up to 70 percent. Com-

munities across the globe take advantage of these benefi ts, give credit for reductions in

stormwater detention, and save money on downsized conveyance systems.

Just as plants intercept solar radiation on the ground, so also do green roofs intercept

solar radiation and cool the air at the surface of the green roof. Green roofs can cool the

surface by up to 50 percent and actually cool the air temperature just above plants between

two to three degrees. Heating and ventilating (HVAC) systems can be scaled back to accom-

modate the lower air temperature at intake valves.

Green roofs also score points within the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design

(LEED) rating system. Th ey are included because of their stormwater benefi ts and insulat-

ing nature, which help keep heating costs down and allow for the downsizing of cooling sys-

tems. Green roofs also provide for lush views, extend the life of a roof, and provide bird and

butterfl y habitat. Additional benefi ts include an increase in property values and a reduction

in the urban heat island eff ect.

Model green roof design process A green roof system may be designed as a retrofi t to an existing building or a new installa-

tion to a planned building. Both options require nearly the same principal design processes.

Th e model design process begins with the selection of and inclusion of an interdisciplin-

ary design team. All green roof system benefi ts, whether ecological, aesthetic, or economic,

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CONTINUING EDUCATION|Green roofs

CDF green roof cross section with granular drainage layer.

CDF green roof cross section with drainage management fabric.

can be applied eff ectively only if the design

team starts working and thinking about

the installation from the beginning of the

project. Treating the green roof as an after-

thought translates into lost opportunities

and increased costs.

Th e design team typically consists of

architects, landscape architects, and struc-

tural and mechanical engineers. Architects

and mechanical engineers are required to

design and certify drawings that consist

of design elements or modifi cations to

waterproofi ng, parapets, and utility rout-

ing. Structural engineers design and stamp

structural plans and improvements.

Certify architects should lead and coor-

dinate the design process. Th ey will need to

furnish information on required height of

the parapet, best location for the roof drain,

needs and locations of utilities, and other

details. In addition they should design the

green roof to function like a natural system

within the region.

Treated as an integral part of the build-

ing and site design, the green roof should

provide numerous benefits, as outlined

above. To maximize these benefits, sev-

eral principal design steps are required.

The design team has to gather base in-

formation without which the green roof

system, whether extensive, intensive,

or semi-intensive, can not be designed.

Items that must be included in that in-

formation set are:

1. Th e planned/existing dead and live

load capacity of the roof, which should lead

to a decision as to which additional rein-

forcement in a retrofi t scenario is needed

and if it is economical.

2. Analysis of the planned/existing

drainage points, their location, size, and

distribution.

3. Analysis of planned/existing utility

needs, location, and their routing.

4. Identifi cation of probable irrigation

needs and water storage opportunities for

irrigation.

5. Identifi cation of aspect, exposure, and

wind impact to the site/roof in question.

6. Energy objectives (ambient air tem-

perature reduction and insulation factor of

diff erent systems).

7. Review of the local stormwater ordi-

nance and analysis of how it may aff ect the

green roof system design.

8. Review of land use needs and restric-

tions:

a. Determine if the green roof should

provide retention to maximize the avail-

able square footage at grade for other uses.

b. Determine if restrictions at grade

require additional garden space or land-

scape that should be located on the roof.

An evaluation of the base information al-

lows for a selection of an appropriate green

roof system and development of a program

that is compatible with existing restrictions

and the project objectives. To select the

most suitable system, an integrated analy-

sis of multiple factors is necessary:

1. Determine detailed stormwater objec-

tives and which system would best meet

them:

a. Design of growing and drainage

media thickness and appropriate material

selection.

b. Design of water harvesting, storage,

and reuse for irrigation.

c. Coordination of sizing of conveyance

systems and at-grade stormwater treatment.

2. Determine the energy objectives and

which system would provide the best heat-

ing/cooling benefi ts.

3. Determine how aspect exposure and

wind impact of the given site would aff ect/

limit vegetation cover, irrigation needs, and

ultimately the green roof system required.

Following this analysis and the selection

of a green roof system, landscape architects

can select and design eff ectively the desired

garden style and vegetation that best mimic

natural systems. Th e analysis allows them

further to determine access and design the

appropriate amenities for the given user

patterns. Landscape architects also need to

fi nalize utility needs and locations and to

coordinate their routing.

Case studies Th e suggested model for the design of green

roofs and roof gardens is explored with two

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case studies: the Chicago City Hall Urban Heat

Island Initiative and the Illinois Environmen-

tal Protection Agency (IEPA) Conservation

Design Forum (CDF) Green Roof Monitoring

Project. Both of these projects are retrofi ts

that follow the model process.

Chicago City Hall urban heat island initiativeTh e Chicago City Hall green roof project was

initiated for two purposes: 1) to study the heat

reduction eff ects of green roofs in urban

environments and 2) to experiment with a

diversity of vegetation that is adaptable to

growing on rooftops in Chicago’s climate.

As a retrofi t green roof, the design process

followed the above outlined model.

Th e project began with an analysis of

the roof structure and its loading capacity.

Originally designed for another fl oor, the

11th-fl oor roof deck was meant to support

an additional load of 146.5 kg/m2. Wear and

re-roofi ng reduced the additional capacity

available for the green roof. Th e design pro-

cess included two design iterations due to the

complexity of the existing roof deck and de-

sign program. Th e fi rst design stemmed from

the existing loads, without additional struc-

tural support. Extensive gardens comprised

a majority of the total area. Semi-intensive

gardens were small in area and placed on the

deck through excavation of old roof layers.

Two intensive areas were 1.83m in diameter

and situated over interior columns.

Inasmuch as the roof excavation process

proved to be expensive after the initial bid-

ding, the demonstration garden was com-

pletely redesigned. Th e new design required

structural reinforcement of abandoned sky-

lights to include semi-intensive gardens. Th is

change allowed the semi-intensive areas to be

greatly increased, which added to the diver-

sity of vegetation and value of the garden.

With this structural analysis and green

roof system design in place, the program

and layout of the garden followed. Simple

symmetrical pathways linked maintenance

paths to access points and allowed for ac-

cess to all three systems. More than 150

species of plants were selected and planted

within the three zones.

IEPA CDF green roof monitoring project Th is project was funded through a grant by

the IEPA to test two variables: 1) the eff ects

of growing media thickness on runoff char-

Chicago City Hall rooftop garden plan shows extensive garden plots and footpaths.

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acteristics and 2) the runoff characteristics

of diff erent drainage management systems.

Th e project site is located at Conservation

Design Forum’s offi ces in Elmhurst, Ill. Th e

building has three roofs, all with diff erent

structural characteristics. One roof accom-

modates an additional 83 to 97.6kg/m2.

Another roof was rebuilt to accommodate

a roof garden at 488.2kg/m2. Th e third roof

couldn’t accommodate additional loading

but was replaced with an ultra-light green

roof system at 44kg/m2.

Th e design followed the structural load-

ing. Panels were created which hydrologi-

cally separate segments of the green roof,

each of which has a diff erent drainage

system, including drainage boards, reten-

tion boards, lightweight gravel, and modu-

lar systems. Th ese drainage designs were

tested at 51mm and 76.2mm thicknesses

of growing media. Monitoring equipment

records both the volume and rate of rain-

water runoff . Vegetation was held consis-

tent among the extensive panels. A roof

garden was designed with a 203.2mm- to

304.8mm profi le to monitor runoff charac-

teristics of thicker systems.

Conclusion Green roof technology is fi nding its way into

the growing market for “green” and sustain-

able design. Its benefi ts such as improved

stormwater management, urban ecologi-

cal enhancement, urban heat island reduc-

tion, and energy conservation, make it an

attractive tool for designers, developers,

and legislators. Landscape architects could

shape and lead this rising market with an

understanding of this technology and the

design process. It is their role to assure that

a green roof system is an integral part of the

design process from the very beginning, and

not added as an afterthought. Landscape

architects should maximize the green roof

system benefi ts and associated cost savings

through a thorough design process that leads

to full integration into the building and site

design. Following the proper design process,

landscape architects can assure successful

green roof system design and be successful

participants and leaders of the emerging cul-

ture of green roof technology.

Bruce Dvorak, ASLA, is assisstant profes-sor of landscape architecture at Texas A&M University with expertise in green roof design and is a former associate of Conservation De-sign Forum, under whose aegis this report was produced.

Marcus de la fl eur is an associate with Con-servation Design Forum.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This paper was fi rst published in FA in the July/Aug 2004 issue.

RESOURCESBruce D. Dvorak, ASLATexas A&M [email protected]+1 979 458 0628

Conservation Design Forumwww.cdfi nc.com

Green Building Council(Administrators of the LEED rating system)www.usgbc.org

Conservation Design Forum’s own roof-monitoring project, where several different drainage systems are being tested.

AF

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test/reporting |CONTINUING EDUCATION

AIA/Fabric Architecture Reporting Form(Use to report learning unit for this article only)AIA Provider #G455—Program #FA0108Program title: “Seeing green up top” Fabric Architecture JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008, pp. 26–30.

Directions: Circle the answer for each question above. A minimum score of 70% is required to earn credit.

Participant information required:

Last name: First name: Middle initial or name:

Firm name:

Address: City: State: Zip:

Tel: Fax: E-mail:

AIA I.D. number: Completion date (M/D/Y) / /

I hearby certify that the above information is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and that I have complied with the AIA Continuing Education Guidelines in the submission of this credit.

Signature: Date:

Check one: ❏ $10 payment enclosed. (Make check payable to IFAI and mail with a copy of this form to: IFAI, SDS-12-2108, PO Box 86, Minneapolis, MN 55486 02108.

Charge my: ❏ Visa ❏ American Express ❏ Mastercard ❏ Discover Card #

Card holder’s name: Card holder’s i.d.# **(Am.Ex: 4 digit # on front of card/Visa, MC, Discover: 3 digit #on back of card)

Signature: Exp. date:

Mail or fax this form to IFAI/Fabric Architecture, 1801 West County Rd. B, Roseville, MN 55113, Fax +1 651 631 9334.Do not send to AIA. Note: checks are sent to a different address. Accounting code: 45200.130.1.1310

INSTRUCTIONS1. Read the article “Seeing green up top,”

(pg.26).2. Read the questions, then fi ll in the answers

below each question.3. Fill out the AIA/CES education report-

ing form (below) or download the form at www.fabricarchitecture.info and follow the instructions for reporting to receive one AIA learning unit.

QUESTIONS1. Extensive type green roofs

include what of the following

defi ning elements?

A. A relatively thick profi le (152–457mm) B. A thin profi le (50–102mm) C. Diverse vegeta-tion mix D. Limited vegetation mix E. B & D only F. All of the above

2. Th e authors’ defi nition of an intensive

roof system includes a 152–457mm

layer of growing medium?

T F

3. Intensive systems can be placed on

either fl at roofs or roofs with slopes

reaching 30 degrees?

T F

4. Green roofs can reduce the rooftop

runoff of stormwater by up to?

A. 30% B. 50% C. 70% D. 90%

5. Green roofs can cool the surface of

roofs by up to 50 percent and cool the

air temperature above plants. Th is

reduction can also help reduce HVAC

loads.

T F

6. Green roofs provide stormwater and

insulating benefi ts. Th ese benefi ts may

also include which of the following?

A. Extended life of a roof B. Reduced heat island effect C. Increased property values D. All of the above

7. When designing a green roof system,

a plan should include which of the fol-

lowing?

A. Stormwater objectives B. Dead & live loads of the roof C. A vegetation plan D. All of the above

8. An eff ective green roof information

set would include review of the local

stormwater ordinance?

T F

9. In the Case Study for the Chicago City

Hall, one of the prime objectives of the

green roof system installed was:

A. Changing the City’s public perception of the government B. Adding diversity to the plant population C. Reducing the effects of heat islands D. None of the above

10. Th e cost of a green roof

system should:

A. Have an impact on the decision to select between alternatives of green roof system B. Have no impact on the deci-sion to select between alternatives C. Be taken in combination with analysis of stormwater objectives D. Impact the heat reduction effects of green roofs in urban environments

AIA/Fabric Architecture Continuing Education Self Test

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PORT

FOLIO

Tensile structures, under 930m2 (10,000 sq. ft.)

2007 International

� Outstanding Achievement AwardPerformance venueLima, PeruCommercial Industrial Delta S.A.Lima, Peru

Th is is a scene for culture and art, situated in Alameda del Rio Park, neighboring the Government Palace. Proposed by Lima’s Town Council, it is part of the “Amusement and Culture Area,” along the Rimac River. Th e scene’s base is a circular platform, over which a covering with posts, cables and membranes has been designed. Th e primary challenge was to convey a variety of feelings to the users, achieved here through the lightness of this building, the shape of the membranes, and the rhythm with which they were organized. Th e result is fairly fl uid, with coverings resembling sails’ movements, harmonizing with the fl ow of the river.

Fabrication: Commercial Industrial Delta S.A.Fabric: Flexilona 2000 by Sansuy

� Outstanding Achievement AwardPerformance arenaBeilun district, Zhejiang, PRCBeijing N & L Fabric TechnologyBeijing, PRC

A small-scale membrane structure in the city plaza, the purpose of this project is to glorify this scenic spot and to meet the needs for performances and parties. Th e project, situated in the Beilun district of Ningbo, Zhejiang province, China, is a structure with a unique look and delicate nodes and components.

Fabrication: Beijing N & L Fabric TechnologyFabric: FGT 250 by Chukoh Chemical Industries Ltd.

� Award of Excellence“Tempo”, roundpoint landmarkHusnes, NorwayLEAD Inc.Husnes, Kvinnherad, Norway

Th is 10m-tall installation is a monument marking the history of an aluminum manufacturing plant, as well as an engaging piece of public art. Th e high-tech installation is a combination of two complementary structural systems. Th e tensile fabric structure stabilizes the system in a static equilibrium and becomes a projection screen for the sunlight. During the dark winter hours, 216 LED lights illuminate the screen.

Architect: LEAD Inc.Engineer: Leicht Bau KunstFabrication: Textile Bau GmbHProject Manager: Sør-Norge Aluminium ASInstallation: Textile Bau GmbH and LEAD Inc.Fabric: Tenara by W. L. Gore & Assoc. Inc.

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Achievement AwardsTensile structures, 930–2,790m2 (10,000–30,000 sq. ft.)

� Outstanding Achievement AwardCovered walkway, O2 domeGreenwich, United KingdomArchiten Landrell Assoc. Ltd.Monmouthshire, United Kingdom

A covered walkway leading from the Queen Elizabeth II Pier to the newly refurbished O2 (formerly the Millennium Dome), this 150m walkway is created from PVC-coated polyester, tensioned over a curved steel frame to form a weatherproof entrance for VIP guests. Two additional inverted umbrella canopies are located on the pier, as well as three further inverted cone canopies on the bank side. An interactive system lights the walkway in an array of vibrant colors, using the latest color-changing LED and control systems.

Architect: Barr GazetasEngineer: Tony Hogg DesignsFabrication: Architen Landrell Assoc. Ltd.Subcontractor: Metafab SolutionsFabric: PVC-coated polyester from Ferrari S.A.

� Outstanding Achievement AwardShopping center coverLima, PeruCommercial Industrial Delta S.A.Lima, Peru

Th is covering extends over three corridors and four squares in a shopping center in Lima, Peru, to protect customers in the corridors and shops against rain, UV rays, strong winds and dust. Th e carrying structure is a tri-articulated triangular porch resting diagonally over each corridor’s module on the fi rst-fl oor roof. Four vertical poles hold the 5m-diameter rings and support the carrying structure, which is designed to be easily moved after the building is enlarged. Fabrication: Commercial Industrial Delta S.A.Fabric: Flexilona 2000 E by Sansuy

� Award of ExcellenceGrand Pavilion, Royal Melbourne Show GroundMelbourne, Victoria, AustraliaOasis Tension Structures (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. Braeside, Victoria, Australia

Among the new facilities at the Royal Melbourne Show Ground in the State of Victoria is the Grand Pavilion, a year-round facility for sports, exhibitions and formal functions. It is a large tensile-membrane structure; a fl at concrete slab almost 100m2 forms the base. Soaring over that area is a tensioned membrane roof made of long-life synthetic fabric. Inclined masts transfer wind from the surface network of cables to perimeter foundations, via high-strength steel stay cables. While the perimeter wall blocks winter’s cold winds, summer’s heat is shed from the structure by natural convection of hot air through each of the six central masts.

Architect: Darryl Jackson Pty. Ltd.Engineer: Tensys Engineers Pty. Ltd.Fabrication: Atkins Fabrication (Australia) Pty. Ltd.Fabric: FR1000, PVDF from Gale Pacifi c Ltd.

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PORT

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Tensile structures, more than 2,790m2 (30,000 sq. ft.)

� Award of ExcellenceSydney Wildlife WorldSydney, AustraliaUFS Australasia Pty Ltd.,Kingscliff , New South Wales, Australia

Sydney Wildlife World is a new attraction showcasing Australia’s unique fl ora and fauna in the heart of Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia. Local and international guests can experience an up-close encounter with Australia’s bizarre fl ora and fauna. Visitors weave through this natural attraction via air-conditioned walkways separated only by glass panels, creating an all-weather facility. Th e transparency of the Zoomesh allows for the animals to encounter the day-to-day climatic variations, so tourists can observe them in their natural habitats.

Architect: Misho & Assoc., and RIHS ArchitectsEngineer: Wade Consulting; S2 Corp.Fabrication: Fabric Shelter SystemsSubcontractor: Steel Structures AustraliaMaterial Selection: Misho & Assoc. and RIHS ArchitectsFabric: Zoomesh from Koch-Otto York; Ferrari 10025 by Ferrari Textiles Corp. from Innova

� Outstanding Achievement AwardKuwait StadiumSafat, KuwaitBirdair Inc., Amherst, N.Y., United States

Kuwait Stadium, formally known as Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, is a 64,000-seat football (soccer) stadium in Safat, Kuwait. Th e client requested a unique design that made a statement for the stadium, while providing exceptional comfort and shading for seating. Th e stadium design features an extremely large, single-cable net structure. Th is structure integrates a steel ring design that creates an appearance of pillowed fabric. Th e resulting tensile-fabric membrane roofi ng structure resembles a series of sand dunes, echoing the country’s surrounding natural environment.

Architect: Weidleplan Consulting GmbHEngineer: Schlaich Bergermann und Partner GBRFabricator: Birdair Inc.Fabric: Sheerfi ll II

� Outstanding Achievement AwardFoshan StadiumFoshan City, ChinaBeijing N & L Fabric Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing, China

Foshan Stadium, a large cable-membrane structure, is the landmark of Foshan city. Th e stadium has a total membrane area of around 71,000m2, and membrane coverage of approximately 53,420m2. Its roofi ng structure is composed of 40 membrane units, with an area of 901m2 each. Th e overlaid design of the membrane fully utilizes the entire bearing capacity of the structure’s foundation with great mechanical effi ciency.

Architect: GMPEngineer: Architectural Design Research Institute, Institute of Technology of South China and Beijing N & L Fabric Technology Co. Ltd.Design: Architectural Design Research Institute, ITSC, and Beijing N & L Fabric TechnologyFabrication: Beijing N & L Fabric TechnologyFabric: Précontraint 1302T2 from Ferrari S.A.

IAA08-FG_FP.indd 1 11/13/07 11:55:26 AM

AF

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Page 37: fabric architecture

The International Achievement Awards unveil new design achievements and technically superb work.

Your project could be next!Winners receive extensive media coverage. Entries will be on

display to over 8,000 participants at the IFAI Expo 2008 in Charlotte, N.C.

For more information contact Christine Malmgren at 800 225 4324, +1 651 225 6926; e-mail [email protected], or visit www.ifai.com.

Create.Enter.Inspire. Enter by July 15, 2008

IAA08-FG_FP.indd 1 11/13/07 11:55:26 AM0108FA_p26-p35.indd Sec3:350108FA_p26-p35.indd Sec3:35 1/15/08 1:11:14 PM1/15/08 1:11:14 PM

Page 38: fabric architecture

Living lightly on the

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Page 39: fabric architecture

It hasn’t always been this way for fabric.

Th at is, being the messenger — if not

the message — for a more sustainable

future. In the past, designers who used

tensile fabrics were not nearly so concerned

— or impressed — with its modest carbon

footprint, minimal post-construction refuse,

daylighting and water-harvesting capabilities,

and relative ease and low-cost of replacement.

While fabric’s daylighting potential was always

a no-brainer, its unique position to contribute

signifi cantly to a more sustainable built envi-

ronment, both micro and macro is still under-

appreciated but growing.

Enter the 21st century, with its acute global issues of over-popu-

lation, loss of natural habitat, carbon emissions and pollution of

all kinds — in a nutshell the specter of diminishing resources and

climate change. Today, heeding the clarion call of environmental

sustainability many architects and designers agree that fabric struc-

tures have an important role to play in creating an eco-friendly fu-

ture. Fabric structures, permanent and temporary, large and small

are rising up across the international landscape like exotic mush-

rooms (and sometimes as colorful) on a forest fl oor.

Examples include Herzog + de Meuron’s retina red 2006 World

Cup Allianz Arena in Berlin made from recyclable ETFE; the here-

today-gone-tomorrow temporary Adidas Arena that provided com-

fort for 10,000 fans at the same event; a public artwork in Husnes,

Norway, made of aluminum struts and PTFE fabric, designed by Ali

Heshmati of LEAD Inc.; and closer to home Pittsburgh’s David L.

Lawrence Convention Center designed by Rafael Vinoly Architects,

a Gold-LEED structure which in 2003 was ranked as the largest

“green” building in the world.

To better understand fabric’s potential I consulted with Larry

Medlin, professor and director of the School of Architecture at the

Fabric’s sustainable future may help lead design forward

BY Mason Riddle

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“ University of Arizona; his colleague, Jason

Vollen, a leader in the school’s Emerging

Material Technologies area; Nicholas Gold-

smith, FAIA LEED AP and senior principal

of FTL Design Engineering Studio, New

York City; Th omas Fisher, Dean of the Col-

lege of Design at the University of Min-

nesota; and David Abramowitch, of Giant

Infl atables in Melbourne, Australia.

All agree: the future for fabrics is bright.

Particularly if designer and client can re-

align and expand their ideas of what consti-

tutes a viable building or structure. Accord-

ing to Fisher, “Living lightly on the land is

a key principle of sustainability, and fabric

allows for that more eff ectively than almost

any other material.”

To anyone in the industry, it is no se-

cret that building construction negatively

impacts global and environmental condi-

tions on a grand scale. Tons upon tons of

materials from every construction site con-

tribute to the scale of the carbon footprint,

whether it is how these materials are man-

ufactured, the cost of transporting them to

a site, or the plethora of post-construction

refuse that needs to be disposed.

“We have an obligation to solve this,”

states Goldsmith. “We must fi nd ways to

reduce the carbon footprint, reduce fuel

consumption in both fabricating materials

and shipping them to a site. Th ere are light-

weight materials such as infl atables, tensile

fabrics and cable that use far less materials

— and energy resources.”

Goldsmith notes tepees and Bedouin

tents as ancient solutions to problems of

sustainable structures. “We need to recon-

sider these structures in solving our cur-

rent problems,” he states. “Societies have

had long relationships with lightweight

structures; there is no reason why we can

not revisit these ideas. One question is how

can fabric structures be used in relation-

ship to diff erent climates.”

Vollen concurs. “Fabric is an important

player in the future of sustainable living.

As systems become more complex, diff er-

ent uses and types of fabrics will emerge,”

he says. “Like 3-D woven fabrics, and lay-

ered building skins, that is, building skins

made of multiple, lighter layers that shade

intermediate spaces (between indoor and

outdoor) and create livable micro-climates

that allow for larger living areas with re-

duced conditioned space.”

Incorporating fabric components into

a building is also one path for satisfying

LEED requirements. It can be a compo-

nent in a passive solar system, contribute

to increased daylighting in buildings, be

the tensile structure for renewable energy

sources such as photovoltaic panels and

provide shade to keep buildings cool in hot

climates. Fabric can also reduce light pollu-

tion. Goldsmith cites the rediscovered use

of window shades and canopies as impor-

tant passive solar systems. “Window cano-

pies have been forgotten in a big way,” says

Goldsmith. “But there seems to be a rebirth

— shading windows from the sun can pro-

vide huge savings when cooling a building.

Brise soleils, fabric canopies and curtain

wall cladding systems, made from silicone

glass fabrics, have huge potential.”

Issues? Th ere are many. With regard to

sustainability, one is the fabrication pro-

cess and actual material make-up of a ten-

sile fabric. How fabrics are made and coated

to withstand the elements and whether

they are recyclable needs to be scrutinized.

“We need to look at the full cycle of the life

of the material,” explains Goldsmith. “We

need to perform a ‘cradle to grave analysis’

to really determine fabric viability in terms

of sustainability.”

Fisher agrees. “Th e issues of sustainabil-

ity have more to do with the source — how

the material is made, what resources it re-

quires, what carbon is released into the at-

mosphere by its manufacture and its ship-

ping to site,” he states. “We also need to

understand the life of the material — how

long will it last and future uses,

beyond its current use.”

In short, manufac-

turers and sup-

pliers must

identify where,

by whom, and

under what con-

ditions fabrics are

manufactured. Th ey also

need to provide informa-

tion on the product’s carbon

“We have an obligation to solve this. We must fi nd ways to reduce the carbon footprint, reduce fuel consumption in both fabricating materials and shipping them to a site. There are light-weight materials such as infl atables, tensile fabrics and cable that use far less materials — and energy resources.”

Nicholas Goldsmith, senior principal FTL Design Engineering Studio

“Fabric’s multiple capabilities — from catching water, trellising plants, daylighting, and providing shade for cooling — are being looked at seriously. Fabric can contribute to a regenerative landscape. This is important. It can’t be overlooked.”

R. Larry Medlin, director School of Architecture, University of Arizona, Tucson

“Living lightly on the land is a key principle of sustainability, and fabric allows for that more effectively than almost any other material.”

Thomas Fisher, dean, University of Minnesota College of Design

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” ”footprint and if and how it can be recycled.

“If they don’t have these answers,” says Gold-

smith, “they should be losing customers.”

Another consideration is that prefabri-

cated structures made from tensile, engi-

neered fabrics require more upfront de-

sign and detailing than traditional, brick

and mortar structures. All issues and

components need to be fleshed out prior

to actual construction, which increases

initial costs.

With regard to LEED certifi cation, Med-

lin underscores that it is not just about de-

signing a structure but about “totally fi gur-

ing it out — ahead of time.” He notes that

not all architects are well versed in work-

ing with fabric. For example, steeper roofs

are required to shed snow in cold climates.

“One hurdle is to integrate hardscape ele-

ments into the fabric structure,” says Med-

lin. “It requires some fi nesse and skill to do

this. It also requires a more sophisticated

design process than sticking stucco to box-

es.” Also, adapting fabric to building code

requirements may make fabric prohibitive-

ly expensive for more common uses, resi-

dential for example.

Although fabric structures can be more

expensive and time consuming to design

then traditional structures, for Medlin

these considerations ultimately yield long-

term sustainable benefi ts. Vollen corrobo-

rates this by identifying two approaches to

fabric’s sustainability: manufacturing fab-

ric so durable that it needs no replacing for

the lifetime; and/or making biodegradable

fabric that returns to the earth and can be

replaced cheaply and easily.

All of Vollen’s projects address sustain-

ability (www.binarydesignstudio.com). “We

design to take advantage of thermal fl ows,

drafting, high insulation and properly

tuned shading devices, ones that delicately

touch the ground and so forth,” he says.

“Unfortunately most sustainable work is

limited by budget.”

Medlin asserts that society is suddenly

— and fi nally — ready to consider solu-

tions to environmental problems. “Fabric’s

multiple capabilities from catching water,

trellising plants, daylighting, and provid-

ing shade for cooling, are being looked at

seriously,” he says. “Fabric can contribute

to a regenerative landscape. Th is is impor-

tant. It can’t be overlooked.” Medlin also

explains that using fabric structures is one

way to bring the indoor outside, as in the

Edith Ball Center, a project that required

re-conceptualizing with a more innovative

approach. Instead of being enclosed, the

Center’s three community pools — lap,

therapy and swimming — are under a dy-

namic, open fabric system that can be ad-

justed to season and climate.

Abramowitch, who recently designed

a huge, removable infl atable wall (IFAI

award-winning project, see page? ) envi-

sions fabric’s future as off ering temporary

shelter to increasingly mobile societies.

“Such structures are incredibly effi cient

in manufacture and

can be designed to

be energy effi cient,”

he states. “Th e con-

tinued development

of new materials that are

strong, light and easy to manipu-

late, and have the advantage of relatively

low-tech construction methods, will in-

form the structures with greater meaning

in the sustainable, sensitive future.”

What about aesthetics? Can fabric be a

sustainable, functional solution and still

encompass a variety of successful aes-

thetic strategies? Most fabric structures

seem to follow a curving and arching de-

sign template. Is this all there is? “Most

importantly, sustainable architecture

must develop into a recognizable typology

so the public can put the image with the

content,” explains Vollen. “Without this,

sustainable building will remain second-

ary. Every movement in architecture has

an associated typology; sustainability has

been so much about performance, rather

than form, that it has remained on the

outside as a formal movement.”

For Abramowitch, “Th e real challenge is

not in the creation of such a solution but

in the education of the ‘end user’ that such

technology is mature enough to meet re-

quirements for function and aesthetic.”

Mason Riddle writes frequently on design and architecture. Her piece on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway appeared in the Sept/Oct issue.

Fabric’s future will be to offer temporary shelter to increasingly mobile societies. “Such structures are incredibly effi cient in manufacture and can be designed to be energy effi cient. The continued development of new materials that are strong, light and easy to manipulate, and have the advantage of relatively low-tech construction methods, will inform the structures with greater meaning in the sustainable, sensitive future.”

David Abramowitch of Giant Infl atables, Melbourne, Australia

“Fabric is an important player in the future of sustainable living. As systems become more complex, different uses and types of fabrics will emerge, like 3-D woven fabrics and layered building skins that create livable micro-climates that allow for larger living areas with reduced conditioned space.”

Jason Vollen, team leader in the University of Arizona School of Architecture’s Emerging Material Technologies center

AF

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BY Mason Riddle

Entering Melbourne’s Fed-

eration Square through an oddly

shaped opening that pierces a giant in-

fl atable wall must be something akin to Alice tum-

bling down the rabbit hole. But unlike Alice, where home

turf is no longer visible after her fall, visitors to Fed Square, (as

it is referred to locally), can keep an eye on the exterior world from

the inside through the transparent structure.

Fed Square is a sprawling complex or “cultural precinct” com-

prising art galleries, a museum, auditoria, cinemas, cafes, bars and

retail all organized around two public spaces, one covered and one

open to the sky. As civic-minded as the space is, it is not functional

all 12 months of the year. Th e challenge? How to close off the en-

trance to the atrium area during the winter months in order to

make the space more effi cient and user-friendly.

Giant Infl atables, an Australian company, recently won an IFAI

Achievement Award for its creative and sustainable design solu-

tion to Fed Square’s many vexing requirements: the wall needed to

provide eff ective daylighting; improve the interior, ambient sound

quality; be self-supporting since the existing overhead structure

was not designed to carry any loads; provide public access and ex-

pandable access for vehicles; reduce energy use during the winter

Infl ated plastic bubbles enclose a shopping mall in Melbourne, Australia, solving a host of problems, including energy waste

months; be lightweight enough to be removable, even on short no-

tice; be storable during warm months; be installed in a very short

period of time; refl ect the radical design aesthetic of the original

structure; and, cost no more than $30,000.

Traditional bricks, mortar and glass were never a consideration

due to the weight load and mobility issues, and the only acceptable,

alternative method of closure was a foldaway, glass structural door

system that was bid at $187,250 prior to detailing, and was esti-

mated to take 26 days to install.

Enter Giant Infl atables. Th eir solution? To fabricate a multi-cellu-

lar, geodesic-looking infl atable wall manufactured from a transparent

PVC material that could be installed quickly. According to Giant Infl at-

ables designer, David Abramowitch, “We came in signifi cantly under

budget, and the infl atable was installed in nine ‘after hours,’ when Fed

Square was closed at night.”

WRAPPING IT UP

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PROJECT DATA

Client: Federation Square managementArchitect: lab architecture studio, MelbourneFabricator: Giant Infl atablesFabric: Transparent PVC

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“Th e value and huge advantage of designing and installing a

self-supporting structure of this nature over a conventional so-

lution of ‘hard’ structure is clear,” states Abramowitch. “Th e ad-

ditional costs of a structural engineer, architects and modifi ca-

tions of the existing structure were all eliminated. Also, it is so

effi cient having a ‘temporary’ self-supporting structure for this

kind of requirement.”

Additional advantages of Fed Square’s giant infl atable wall are

many. Its very presence created a sense of place or enclosure during

the winter months, increasing retail traffi c and allowing for more

active, year round use of the space. Reduced energy costs for heat-

ing the space are considerable and there is noticeable improvement

in ambient sound.

In spite of all of its success, the actual aesthetic design of the

wall on the front end was challenging. “Th e radical geometry of

the existing building produced some extreme production consid-

erations,” explains Abramowitch. “We were exploring new terri-

tory with the material we were using and the manner in which we

were using it. Seam lines and the material join position had to be

exact in order to achieve the required architectural result. We had

to incorporate the dual concerns of function and aesthetic within

the stringent requirements. We were fortunate that the client

was open-minded and understood that only unconventional solu-

tions would meet their basket of requirements.”

In the end both the client and Fed Square visitors have been im-

pressed. “Th ere were positive outcomes for the client beyond their

expectations,” confi rms Abramowitch. “Th at is the reality of infl at-

able products. Th e end user, the client, is always surprised at the

positive outcomes beyond their original vision.”

Mason Riddle writes frequently about design and architecture.AF

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Noble endeavourExpressive canopy crowns a New Zealand home BY Shelby Gonzalez

PHOTOS COURTESY Structurfl ex

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The canopy that crowns Noble House on New Zea-

land’s Great Barrier Island invites poetic compari-

sons — a wind-carved dune, a sea-polished shell,

a gull in swooping fl ight — but its form was born

strictly from function.

Designed and now inhabited by architect Greg Noble

of GeorgiGregg Ltd., the 186m2 Noble House overlooks a

beach at the mouth of a tidal estuary on large but sparsely

inhabited Great Barrier Island. Native bush surrounds it.

Th e site presented a laundry list of challenges. “Severe expo-

sure to wind and salt spray,” says Murray Higgs, managing

director of fabric engineering and design fi rm Structurfl ex

NZ, the company that engineered the tensile membrane

canopy. “No road access across the estuary. No public sup-

ply of electricity, water or gas. Sometimes impassable with high tides or storms.”

To top it all off , during the time the house was being built (January-November 2003), the site had no phone

links or cell phone reception.

Despite its fantastical appearance, the canopy was an eminently practical choice for the demanding site. A German-

made PV/PES membrane, the fabric roof is lightweight, rolls into a small bundle for easy transportation, is able to with-

stand the stresses of wind, water and salt, and allows a high level of diff used sunlight into the house.

“Th e membrane’s ability to tension-fi t was also of assistance,” says Higgs, “in meeting the compound curves of

the building’s hemispherical form and as a monolithic covering without problematic joints or openings.”

According to Higgs, the most diffi cult part of the project with regards to the membrane structure was prefabri-

cating the structural steel frame. Th e frame included large spans rolled to both constant radial curves and elliptical

curves, all fabricated to the tight tolerances necessary to ensure problem-free assembly.

Th is diffi cult task was fulfi lled “brilliantly” (says Higgs) by ACME Engineering of Wellington, with the support of

Auckland-based fi rms D.J. Shilton and Compusoft, specializing in structural and membrane engineering, respec-

tively. Th e frame cost $130,000 and took three weeks to assemble.

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Local builders Off shore Homes Ltd. built the conventional lower portion of the house. Structurfl ex designed the

building and made arrangements for local engineers, products, and services from its offi ce in the UK, where the

company was based at the time. “Our arrival on site coincided with the building’s arrival on the island by barge.”

Th e barge was only the beginning of the transportation process. “Unloading it, getting it to the beach and across

the sand dunes and tidal estuary to the site was a feat of local ingenuity. Better still was leading the site operation

through a two-or three-week period of total disbelief that any three-dimensional form could result from a bundle of

steel and a sack of ‘tent’ cloth,” says Higgs.

Th e membrane cost $110,000, including all fi ttings and structural steel hold-downs. Installation took four

days and went off “without a hitch or a ripple or a seam out of place,” said Higgs, “thanks to Harry Klein and

Structurfl ex Auckland.”

“To see the rise of the fi rst self-supporting steel ribs,” he continued, “and fi nally to see the membrane being ten-

sioned to such an expressive dynamic — this was by far the best bit of the project.”

Shelby Gonzalez is a U.S.-based freelance writer specializing in environmental issues.

PROJECT DATA

Client/architect: Greg Noble, GeorgiGregg Ltd.Structural engineering: D.J. ShiltonCutting software/calculations: ACME EngineeringMembrane engineering: CompuSoftFabrication: Structurefl ex, Auckland, NZFabric: FR 1000 PV/PES membrane by Mehler TexnologiesPhotos: Courtesy Structurfl ex

AF

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Keeping it cleanFrom waiting rooms to surgical suites and beyond, hospital purchasers look for fabrics to assist in protecting and promoting health

BY Katherine Carlson

At North Memorial Medical Center, a Level 1 trauma center in Robbinsdale, Minn.,

value analysis teams meet routinely to evaluate new health-care products suggest-

ed by clinicians or distributors. Project administrator Ann Roberge, who purchases

textiles, lists fi rm criteria for fabrics used in the hospital’s furnishings.

“We want to create a home-like environment for patients, and fi rst impressions are im-

portant,” she says. “We want fabrics that are cleanable, durable and fi re retardant. Lately,

we’re interested in environmental aspects of products. When products are fi re retardant

or antimicrobial, we want those qualities not applied, but integrated into the fabric.”

North Memorial uses no fabric window treatments or wall coverings, since cleaning

them can be problematic and time-intensive. Roberge prefers upholstery fabrics that ex-

ceed the base durability level (60,000 double-rubs) at 100,000 double-rubs. Because reno-

vation of the 518-bed facility takes place in stages, textile colors, patterns and styles must

be consistently available.

Diff erent hospital settings require diff erent fabric properties. In waiting areas, preoc-

cupied families spill coff ee or soda, and stain resistance is key. In patient rooms, soothing

colors and textures, cleanability and antimicrobial properties rise to the top of the list. In

a surgical suite, stringent infection control, one-use disposable products and comfortable

staff work wear might be the priorities.

“Price is only one factor we take into account,” says Richard Mencel, director of

materials management at North Memorial. Mencel suggests

that in institutions like hospitals that

never close, durable is

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MATERIALS | Hospital fabrics

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beautiful. “In offi ces, people use furnish-

ings eight hours a day,” he says. “In a hos-

pital, we use them 24 hours a day.”

Cutting a swathCompetition among health-care providers,

whether hospitals, managed-care clinics,

specialty offi ces or long-term care facili-

ties, stimulates an ongoing search for in-

novation: high-tech equipment, new drugs

and treatments, stylish interiors and prod-

ucts that speed healing, hurt less, protect

more or just feel better.

Fabric innovations could trigger a quiet

revolution in health-related products and

furnishings. Imagine, for example, linens

that prevent infection, eliminate odors or

reduce pressure sores; staff wearing masks

that resist viral infection and durable uniforms that don’t irritate skin; furnishings that

welcome visitors but not their germs or spills; and disposable plastics created, used and

incinerated without toxic chemical emissions.

Th is healthy vision can’t occur too soon: In 2004, the most recent year for which the U.S.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has fi gures, 16% of the United States’

Gross Domestic Product was spent on health care—$1.9 trillion or $6,280 per person.

Fabric products aren’t a big-ticket item in the whopping health-care budget; still, health

facilities are a consistent and lucrative market. Novation, an Irving, Texas, contracting

company with 11,500 members in health-related group purchasing organizations (GPOs),

helped buy a record $31.6 billion in supplies, devices, drugs and services in 2006.

New textile products could both succeed in the marketplace and leverage big health-care

savings by helping to reduce costs associated with hospital-acquired infections, furnishing

replacement, waste management and housekeeping.

Cleaning upEvery surface in a hospital, clinic or long-term care facility gets cleaned—over and over

again. Walls, carpets, fl oors, linens, scrubs, towels, chairs and surfaces collect germs, and

patients already depleted, stressed or fragile can’t fi ght off infection. According to the CDC,

20–30% of those admitted to hospitals already have an infection. Two million patients each

year get a hospital-acquired infection (HAI), costing the health-care system an estimated

$30.5 billion. It gets worse. Th e CDC estimates that 70% of HAI bacteria are resistant to

one or more of the drugs used to treat them. Th at’s a good reason why material distributors

selling to health care voice “a recurring demand for products that provide antimicrobial

protection,” according to Fred Schecter, vice president of Sommers Plastic Products, Clif-

ton, N.J.

In the antimicrobial fabric world, it’s good to be silver. Silver is a naturally occurring ele-

ment with three impacts on microbes: disrupting cell metabolism, respiration and reproduc-

tion. Bacteria, mold and mildew aren’t happy in the presence of silver, so fabrics with applied

or integrated silver resist odors, breakdown and bacteria growth. Th e only open question is

whether bacteria can become resistant to silver and develop into untreatable “super-bugs.”

Sommers has partnered with AgION® Technologies Inc., Wakefi eld, Mass., to introduce

AgUARDIAN™ interior design materials with silver-based antimicrobial compounds incor-

porated into vinyl, plastic and polyurethane fabrics. “We are excited that [Sommers has]

incorporated our antimicrobial technology into the products and materials used to furnish

and decorate doctors’ offi ces and waiting rooms, nursing homes, ambulatory and acute-care

facilities,” says Ladd Greeno, president and CEO of AgION.

Top: Fabrics that look great and perform well in hard-use environments could become popular for home use. Opposite: Different hospital settings re-quire different fabric properties. In waiting areas, where preoccupied families spill coffee or soda, stain resistance is key.

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48 www.fabricarchitecture.info

Other manufacturers of silver-based fab-

ric or products include SmartSilver™ from

NanoHorizons Inc., State College, Pa.; Sil-

vertec, a fabric application, from AccuMED

Technologies, Buff alo, N.Y.; Silverlon® wound

dressings, Cardwell Medical Inc., Marietta,

Ga.; and Silver3 mattress coverings, Gaymar

Industries Inc., Orchard Park, N.Y.

Silver isn’t the only antimicrobial op-

tion. Milliken & Company, LaGrange, Ga.,

recently introduced BioSmart™, antimicro-

bial technology based upon chlorine bleach.

Other fabrics earn points for being resistant

to bleach fading and discoloration, allowing

health-care facilities to use this cheap and

plentiful disinfectant.

Creating an environmentA fabric’s environmental impact—during

production, throughout its life and after

its disposal—is increasingly important to

architects and designers, according to Cliff

Goldman, president of Carnegie Fabrics

Inc., Rockville Centre, N.Y. Carnegie devel-

ops fabrics for wall coverings, upholstery,

cubicles, windows and custom applications.

Design considerations still dominate

Carnegie’s fabrics, and Goldman never for-

gets that good looks and functionality rule.

“Health-care end users are looking to create

a style and ambience, much like the hospi-

tality industry,” Goldman says. “In health

settings, textiles have to meet certain basic

criteria. Th ey must be fl ame retardant, du-

rable, cleanable, stain resistant and able to

stand up to high-temperature washing and

bleach.” Designers creating a great look for

healthy spaces want functional, attractive

and, increasingly, “green” fabrics.

“Th e health-care industry has really wo-

ken up to the fact that products made with

toxic components aren’t always good for

patients,” Goldman says. He cites a growing

trend among hospitals moving away from

vinyl manufactured with polyvinyl chlorides

(PVCs). When incinerated, PVCs can produce

dioxins, a group of known cancer-causing

chemicals, but disposal isn’t the only prob-

lem. Manufacture of fabrics with hazardous

chemicals can expose already sick patients as

the chemicals migrate into the air.

Carnegie’s Surface iQ wall coverings are

PVC-free, use only water-based inks and

coatings, exceed Type II vinyl performance

criteria, and earn Leadership in Energy and

Environmental Design (LEED) points. Sur-

face iQ was one of Building Magazine’s “Ed-

MATERIALS | Hospital fabrics

In health settings, textiles must be fl ame retardant, durable, cleanable and stain resistant. At the same time, there is a growing trend among hospitals to move away from vinyl manufactured with PVCs.

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49www.fabricarchitecture.info

For more information please contact us:

Phone: +1 651 225 6952 or 800 209 1810

E-mail: [email protected] • www.lightweightstructures-ifai.com

Lightweight StructuresAssociation

The mission of the Lightweight Structures Association is to promote the use

and growth of lightweight structures and to represent the interests and

concerns of the lightweight structures industry in the Americas.

Our Mission

LSA is dedicated to our members' success.Increase the use of lightweight structures by increasing general awareness and by influencing the design, engineering and academic communities.

Identify issues of common concern to members and to industry and take a proactive role in seeking solutions for those concerns.

Seek relationships with other organizations serving this industry.

itor’s Choice: Top Product Picks” in 2007. Th e company’s Xorel wall

covering is rugged, cleanable, fade resistant, stain resistant, certifi ed

as in compliance with air-quality emission limits and won’t support

the growth of mold or bacteria.

Th is isn’t the same as being antimicrobial. Goldman is wary of

fabrics with antimicrobial claims, and he isn’t alone. Kaiser Perma-

nente, Oakland, Calif., the largest not-for-profi t health plan with

8.7 million members, issued a December 2006 memo with this bot-

tom line: “Review of current scientifi c literature reveals no evidence

that environmental surface fi nishes or fabrics containing antimi-

crobials assist in preventing infections.”

“I’d beware of infl ated claims,” Goldman says. Good staff hygiene

and eff ective housekeeping are proven methods of reducing infec-

tion. Goldman predicts that health-care facilities will be exploring

green fabrics and cleaning solutions, rather than germ-killing fur-

nishings, in the future.

Getting covered and comfyWhen a fabric’s main function is to protect an emergency room

nurse from exposure to blood or body fl uids, meeting safety stan-

dards is job one. “Performance is critical in our products,” says Fer-

nando Marin, senior global director of medical business for Poly-

mer Group Inc. (PGI), Charlotte, N.C.

Th e wide range of single-use products developed from PGI fabrics

includes drapes, gowns, protective wear and wound-care fabrics.

Along with performance, PGI focuses on comfort. “Often, single-use

garments are worn for an extended period,” Marin says. “Th e fabric

needs to allow users to perform their duties in comfort. Our fabrics

are soft, fl exible and breathable, even those synthetics that usually

feel stiff . We make fabrics that are rugged without losing the benefi t

of comfort.”

PGI’s newest fabric, MediSoft® Ultra™, possesses all the comfort

features, while exceeding the Association of the Advancement of

Surface iQ from Carnegie Fabrics was one of Building magazine’s “Editor’s Choice: Top Product Picks” in 2007 for environmentally friendly wallcovering.

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• Provide energy savings• Protect historic windows and masonry

from the elements• Enhance the building facade by introducing

color and shape• Create outdoor eating and living spaces• Are aff ordable

Get more facts at www.awninginfo.com

Medical Instrumentation gown and drape

industry standards. Th e fabric is produced

at PGI’s plant in Suzhou, China, a new

state-of-the-art facility with meticulous

standards of cleanliness, according to

Marin. PGI has seen steady growth in both

the health-care and industrial markets,

and Marin sees potential for the fabric in

other applications: homeland security, law

enforcement and industries where a single-

use garment sees many hours of use.

“We’re looking at ways to improve our

fabrics, seeking advances in existing raw

materials and exploring biodegradable ma-

terials,” Marin says. “We’re also trying to

reduce the weight, so products are more

comfortable”—and can be shipped and

stored economically.

For patient-care products, comfort may

dictate how compliant people are—and

how well they heal. AccuMED Technolo-

gies Inc., Buff alo, N.Y., off ers a patented

material, Breathe-O-Prene®, used in or-

thopedic braces, sleep apnea head gear, leg

bags, back supports, fetal monitoring and

other applications. According to AccuMED

marketing manager Julie Sentiff , Breathe-

O-Prene supports the user with superior

moisture wicking and breathability, but

is also latex- and adhesive-free, reducing

skin irritation.

Th e European Pressure Ulcer Advisory

Panel estimated that pressure sores aff ect

approximately 7% of adult hospital patients

and 17% of long-term care residents. Pres-

sure sores are related to immobility, diet and

skin irritation. Fabric products that breathe,

wick moisture or prevent irritation could be a

growth market as the U.S. population ages.

Recognizing opportunitiesBack at North Memorial, the value analysis

teams assess new products for purchase.

Scientists (and medicine is a science) want

data, and claims of health benefi ts for in-

novative fabrics must be backed up with

credible studies.

Other health-care trends that off er op-

portunities for fabric innovation include:

• Increased focus on hospital-acquired in-

fections, which now must be reported in 15

states and soon may be mandated in more.

Fabrics and products that are attractive,

easy to clean, non-irritating and resist mi-

crobes, as well as single-use items that are

protective and comfortable, could become

more interesting to health purchasers.

MATERIALS | Hospital fabrics

Silver-based fabrics like SmartSilver™ are being used in health-care facilities to resist odors, breakdown and bacteria growth.

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51

• Competition among health-care pro-

viders, spurring redesign of facilities to

make them more comfortable, stylish

and functional.

• Demographic changes in the population

and the proliferation of senior-care services,

such as long-term care, assisted living, se-

nior day care and home health care. Fabric

products for these markets with features

comparable to those for hospitals and clin-

ics make sense for elder-care facilities.

• Environmental awareness, with more

purchasers examining product life cycles,

regulatory burdens, impacts on patients

and waste disposal costs. For example,

Hospitals for a Healthy Environment, a

partnership between the American Hospi-

tal Association and the EPA, set a goal of

50% waste reduction by 2010.

• Attention to the disabled, who are living

longer because of improvements in health

care, including veterans with severe inju-

ries returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Clean, comfortable, single-use and non-ir-

ritating fabrics and products are used daily

by the disabled.

• More complex and sophisticated pur-

chasing, including improved data manage-

ment, procurement “playbooks” that guide

staff looking for products and teams like

North Memorial’s scrutinizing the benefi ts

of new products.

North Memorial’s Roberge predicts an-

other trend for fabrics that look great and

perform well in hard-use health-care envi-

ronments. “People will be using these fab-

rics in their own homes,” she says. “Th ey’re

designed to make people feel better.”

Katherine Carlson is a freelance writer and editor based in St. Paul, Minn.

SOURCES

AccuMED Technologies, Buffalo, N.Y.www.accumedtech.com

AgION Technologies Inc., Wakefi eld, Mass.www.agion-tech.com

Carnegie Fabrics Inc., Rockville Centre, N.Y.www.carnegiefabrics.com

North Memorial Medical Center, Rob-binsdale, Minn.www.northmemorial.com

Polymer Group Inc. (PGI), Charlotte, N.C.www.polymergroupinc.com

Sommers Plastic Products, Clifton, N.J.www.sommers.com

AF

COLOR ME CALM

Calming fabric colors, patterns and textures create an ambiance much desired in health-care settings, from surgery waiting rooms to newborn intensive care to psych units. Ever since a 1985 study that showed that a specifi c color, Baker-Miller pink, reduced aggression among prison inmates and patients in mental-health institutions, designers have been seeking a look that soothes and subdues the stressed.

The Luscher Color Test was devised by psychologist Max Luscher in 1969, and it has been a marketing and advertising staple ever since. (Take the test at www.viewzone.com/luscher.html.) When the book “Color Me Beautiful” by Carole Jackson overtook offi ce romance as a hot topic among women, “spring, summer, fall and winter” shades were claimed to infl uence, enhance and generate emotional well-being.

Selecting colors to calm isn’t easy, especially in international markets, where colors may connote different meanings. In general, blue is thought to reduce mental excitability, signify trustworthy characteristics and suggest cleanliness, most likely for its associations with water. However, green is considered cooling, healthy and natural in western cultures, but has vary-ing vibes in France, China and the Middle East. Muted or dulled colors are calming, reduce stress and expand space, according to Expression Décor, Los Angeles, Calif.

Louise Russell, a designer working with Carnegie Fabrics Inc., Rockville Centre, N.Y., touts her new Fresh Air fabric collection as possessing such healing powers. A proponent of vibrational medicine, Russell sees her fabrics as “emitting an energetic fi eld that … would help to bring harmony within yourself.” She worked with serene nature photographs to develop the seven Fresh Air patterns, seeking a visual way to stimulate healing vibrations in clinical spaces.

“Everything in the universe is mere vibration,” Russell says. “I’m creating a product that will infl uence the environment and that will have an infl u-ence on the individuals within the environment.” It’s one new option for health-care facilities seeking to color their patients’ world.

www.fabricarchitecture.info

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PRACTICE | Acoustics

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Clear sound, clean designFabric refl ectors make their debut at the reopening of London’s Royal Festival Hall

BY Zackery Belanger

The Royal Festival Hall (RFH) opened on London’s South

Bank in 1951 as a part of the Festival of Britain. On the heels

of the devastation brought to the city by World War II, the

Festival was a showcase for modern design, a spirit of rebuilding,

and progress into the second half of the 20th century. Unfortunate-

ly, from the outset RFH suff ered from poor acoustics. Th e original

design overestimated the hall’s ability to support sound energy and

added multiple sound-absorbing and grounding features — from

the lightweight wooden panels which grace the hall’s side walls to

the projective geometry of its stage — resulting in an environment

in which cross-stage musician communication was diffi cult and re-

verberation was less than inspiring.

More than 50 years later, a long awaited renovation was launched

with a design team consisting of RFH and SouthBank Centre lead-

ership, Allies and Morrison, architects; Carr and Angier, theater

consultants; Max Fordham, mechanical services; and Kirkegaard

Associates, architectural acoustics consultants.

Th e renovation was complete in June 2007 and celebrated with

a public opening after more than a two-year shut down. Work to

the hall’s interior was extensive, with removal, alteration, and re-

placement of nearly every surface in the room. Changes to the hall’s

visual character were subtle and meant to update, but maintain the

vision of the original modern design.

A key detriment to the hall’s original acoustics was its above-

stage acoustic canopy: a triple monolith of wooden blades span-

ning nearly the entire width of the space. With the exception of

one narrow strip on each, the blades were angled to direct energy

into the sound absorbing audience. Th is diverted scarce energy

from musician ears and closed off the volume above the canopy,

stopping it from becoming energized — something important for

the reverberation needed for orchestral music. A complete replace-

ment of this canopy was undertaken, and instead of resorting to

the acoustics industry standard of arrays of small, hard refl ectors,

the design team looked for a new approach, ultimately replacing the

three wooden refl ector blades with three stretched fabric blades.

Monolithic hard canopies, such as in the original hall, tend to

stifl e concert halls, and arrays with voids can cause interference

problems which are perceived as overly bright to discerning listen-

ers. Fabric turns out to be a viable alternative solution to this chal-

lenging balancing act, as long as its properties are carefully tuned

to the needs of the room. Th e large, continuous fabric blades are

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PRACTICE | Acoustics

reminiscent of the original wooden blades, but are reshaped to pro-

vide continuous refl ection coverage to musicians as well as audi-

ence members. Geometrically speaking, this approach would cut off

the upper volume just as the old canopy did, but the carefully-tuned

weight and air permeability of the fabric allows middle and low fre-

quency sound to travel straight through to the volume above.

Many acoustic fabrics have been developed to maximize sound

absorption, or to maximize transmission, but the world of critical

concert hall acoustics has been largely devoid of fabrics which are

designed to maintain a balance of absorption, transmission, and

refl ection. Th e fabric was developed by Kirkegaard Associates with

the help of James Watson and the College of Textiles at North

Carolina State University (NCSU), from an idea born primarily of

positive experiences at the Benedict music tent in Aspen, Colorado, and even memories of a temporary refl ector of

canvas duck above stage at New York City’s Carnegie Hall, probably originally meant as a cover for a hole once cut

in the ceiling.

Th e fi rst round of development was, in fact, based on a standard 18 oz. sample of canvas duck, which proved the

most promising in rounds of testing of off -the-shelf fabric. Canvas was not a viable fi nal choice, however, because

of its lack of fl ame resistance and its tendency to sag over time.

Flame resistance was of concern from the beginning. Allies and Morrison were drawn to the potential of Nomex

fi ber—an inherently fl ame retardant synthetic fi ber manufactured by DuPont—and initial fabric prototypes from

NCSU confi rmed the visual and tactile appeal of the material. Although Nomex tends to discolor when exposed to

UV light, the lack of any natural light within Festival Hall allayed any concerns. Getting the right weight and air

permeability was a bigger challenge, the solution to which took many iterations of custom fabric woven by NCSU.

Each of the iterations was followed by a long string of Kirkegaard-performed acoustic tests for absorption, refl ec-

ALL

IMA

GES

: KI

RKEG

AA

RD A

SSO

CIA

TES

Section through performance hall.

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AF

tion, and transmission. At two crucial steps in the development, full-scale mockups were conducted, complete with

live orchestras, within the pre-shutdown hall.

Using the information learned through the development process, the fi nal fabric for RFH was woven and fi nished

by British weavers John Heathcoat & Company, who used a calendering (high temperature pressing) process to re-

duce its off -the-loom air permeability to acceptable levels. A stain treatment process was applied to combat soiling

in the coming years.

RFH is used as both an orchestral venue and amplifi ed venue, so the fabric blades are tiltable and retractable

(see section above, opposite) to optimize their position for amplifi ed events, as well as to tune the hall for a

variety of acoustic performances. Th e material is beautifully backlit and, with its natural off white color, is well

suited for use as a projection screen when needed.

On a cautionary note, fabrics have a tendency to resonate like a drum when stretched too tightly, so installation pro-

ceeded with a minimum of tension, just enough to maintain the desired refl ector geometry.

Initial reactions to the performance of RFH are very positive, and while it is diffi cult to completely separate the

contributions of individual elements such as the new fabric canopy, every indicator points to its success at its in-

tended goals: improvement of musician communication on stage, pleasant refl ections to musicians and audience,

and increase of reverberation time. As audiences enjoy the obvious improvements brought by the renovation, RFH

managers and musicians are hard at work learning its new character, and honing their skills to take full advantage

of what the hall has to off er. As such a prominent part of the hall, the Nomex fabric refl ector will be given every

chance to prove itself as a viable acoustic element for years to come.

Zackery Belanger, is part of the Room Acoustics Group at Kirkegaard Associates, Chicago, and takes a particular interest in innovative geometry and materials.

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RE | Vision

This page facilitated by

www.awninginfo.com

Plane geometryA San Antonio elementary school improves the educational experience by adding a new canopy

For health and safety reasons, the independent San Antonio,

Texas, school district needed to provide sun and rain protec-

tion for the children waiting to board school buses at Sky

Harbor Elementary. Looking for all the world like a row of giant

folded paper airplanes, this new canopy not only provides protec-

tion it lends a bit of whimsy to the entry promenade, and one would

like to think that children begin their school day with a more joyful

demeanor after passing under the canopy.

Designed by G H

Cox, of Th e Chism

Co., after a sugges-

tion by the school’s

architects Pfl ueger

Associates of San

Antonio, the Sky

Harbor canopy is

a series of plane

geometric prisms

meant to imply the sails of sailboats in allusion to the school’s ma-

rine-themed name. “Th e entry was the brainchild of two young ar-

chitecture interns working at Pfl euger Associates,” say Cox. “Th ey

came up with the idea of sails. I helped them fi gure out how to con-

struct it.”

What may look simple in execution is actually a bit of subtle shape

manipulation. Each “sail” form is in fact irregular with one side of

the prism taller than the other, creating a steeper angle at the back.

Fabric is attached to the pipe framing in three panels per sail —

front, back and end — using a staple-in method made popular by

Steel Stitch. Cox drew up the forms in CorelDRAW in scale working

back and forth between three-dimensional forms and plan to fi t the

superstructure onto the existing steel columns the architects had

already designed and had in place. Pfl ueger’s designs for the school

were part of a recent complete renovation of a dark, 1980s-era el-

ementary school that was a monolithic concrete pile rammed into

a hillside with few windows and little natural light. Now inside and

outside are signifi cantly lighter, if even metaphorically.

“Th e project was fun to work on,” says Cox, “and the client is very

satisfi ed.” —BNW

PROJECT DATA

Client: Independent School District, San Antonio, TexasArchitect: Pfl ueger Associates Architects, San AntonioFabricator: The Chism Co.; project designer G H CoxFabric: Ferrari 502

BEFORE

AFTER

AF

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Page 59: fabric architecture

WHY YOUR GREEN PLAN SHOULD INCLUDE FABRIC:

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Fax: +1 651-631-9334Mail: IFAI, SDS-12-2108, PO Box 86, Minneapolis, MN 55486-2108Offer ends Dec. 31, 2008. Please allow 4-6 weeks for shipment of fi rst issue. Offer valid for new subscribers only.

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Fabric Architecture has the latest information on using fabric for sustainability.

www.fabricarchitecture.info

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❶ Intelligence to goVictor Innovatex off ers Eco Intelligent® Polyester fabrics that are Cradle to Cradle™ Gold

certifi ed from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC). Th e fabrics are safely

and perpetually recyclable and are produced with 100% renewable energy. Th e fabric is

manufactured as antimony-free polyester and uses fully optimized dyes and chemicals. Th e

products are free of chlorine and PBTs.

For more information, www.victor-innovatex.com.

❷ Green fabrics3P InkJet Textiles AG off ers a full line of eco-friendly value fabrics for inkjet printing. Th e

textiles contain no heavy metals, PVC resins, phthalates or fungicides. Made of 100% poly-

ester, the fabrics have an excellent print-performance ratio, universality for various subli-

mation, solvent and UV-curable inks and eco-friendliness, and can be used for soft signage,

fl ags and banners, displays and interior design. Value textiles are produced according to the

environmental management system EN ISO 14001 and the quality management standard

EN ISO 9001.

For more information, www.3p-inktextiles.com.

❸ Mesh functions Mesh systems by Cambridge Architectural off er form, function and economy in one

design. System applications include façade, space sculpting,corporate branding, secu-

rity & safety, solar, ventilation and landscape interiors.

A façade system visually diff erentiates a building exterior while a space sculpting system

defi nes space within open interior or exterior areas. Corporate branding systems present

and showcase corporate identity. Th e primary function of security & safety systems is to

provide aesthetically pleasing methods of protection for people and property, such as fall

protection, security, wind abatement and blast mitigation. Solar systems shade sun and re-

duce light pollution, and ventilation systems facilitate airfl ow. Landscape interior systems

broadly feature metal fabric within expansive interiors.

For more information, www.cambridgearchitectural.com.

❹ ShhhhhhhA series of high-performance, low-density, nonwoven acoustic absorbers called Th insulate™

Compressible (TC) Series High Performance Acoustic Insulation is available from 3M. Th e

acoustic absorbers are recommended for novel designs in traditional applications because

they are cavity-fi lling, compressible and comfortable.

Components made with the TC Series compress readily, improving acoustic perfor-

mance. Also, the designer is able to overcome typical sound package design restraints,

such as clearance or tolerance, using a single component. Th e nonwoven absorbers

off er half the density and a 25% better noise reduction coeffi cient (NRC) at an

economical price.

For more information, www.thinsulate.com.

❺ PVC-free fabricsDecoprint© from DHJ International off ers a wide range of versatile coated

textile fabrics for both the indoor and short-term outdoor markets. Th e fabrics

off er a range of features for digital inkjet printers (solvent, eco

solvent and UV curable) and transfer printers (dye sublimation)

aimed at meeting the rigorous demands of the sign and advertis-

ing industry. Decoprint uses no PVC resins in its coatings, and has

launched two new “green” products, which are formaldehye free

(Skin FF and High Drop FF) for the indoor market. Th e company

also off ers a new lightweight non-PVC-coated media for the out-

door market (Crystal).

For more information, www.decoprint.eu.

NEW PRODUCTS| Sustainable/eco-friendly

AF

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Page 61: fabric architecture

ADVERTISER INDEX

The overall mission of this association is to pro-mote the use and growth of lightweight structures and to represent the interests and concerns of the lightweight structures industry in the Americas. LSA strives to continue to educate the design commu-nity on the use of lightweight structures.

For more information about LSA contact Beth Hungiville, Managing Director, +1 651 225 6952, or e-mail [email protected]

The advertisers highlighted in color are exhibitors at IFAI Expo 2008.

Plan to attend and visit their booths. October 21–23, 2008 Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, NC. For more information on IFAI Expo 2008, please visit www.ifaiexpo.com or contact Exhibit & Registration Coordinator Tracie Coopet at +1 651 222 2508; or email:[email protected]

PAMA's mission statement is to establish PAMA and its members as the preferred first source for awning and awning related products and ser-vices to end users. PAMA provides educational programs to advance the awning industry, identi-fies issues of concern and seeks solutions, and provides a central source for the dissemination of information.

For more information about PAMA contact Michelle Sahlin, Managing Director, +1 651 225 6948, or e-mail [email protected]

When you contact an advertiser in this issue, please tell them that you saw their ad

in Fabric Architecture. For advertising rates and information call Sarah Hyland at 800

319 3349. Please note that many of our advertisers are members of IFAI divisions,

which are described below.

Air Structures American Technologies800 247 2534www.asati.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25Member of LSA

John Boyle & Co. Inc.800 438 1061orders.johnboyle.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cv4Member of LSA, PAMA

Birdair, Inc.800 622 2246www.birdair.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Member of LSA

Dazian Fabrics LLC877 232 9426www.dazian.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

FabriTec Structures877 887 4233www.fabritecstructures.com . . . . . . . . . . . .15Member of LSA

Ferrari Textiles+1 954 942 3600www.ferrari-architecture.com . . . . . . . . . . .11Member of LSA, PAMA

Glen Raven Custom Fabrics www.sunbrella.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cv2, 1Member of PAMA

W.L. Gore & Associates Inc.800 276 8451www.gore.com/tenaraaf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Member of LSA, PAMA

Graboplan USA Inc.+1 716 853 1170www.graboplanusa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Hightex Americas LLCwww.hightexworld.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Mehler Texnologieswww.mehler-texnologies.com. . . . . . . . . . .13Member of LSA, PAMA

Naizil800 387 2764www.naizilcanada.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Member of LSA, PAMA

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics800 451 6101www.sheerfill.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Member of LSA

Structurflex LLC+1 816 889 9000www.structurflex.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cv3

Transformitwww.transformit.us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Member of LSA

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SKETCHES | Design camp

Scaff olds, billboards and cupcakes

In July, 2007 a group of eager high school students from around

the country descended upon the Twin Cities for an intensive

week of project-based learning at the University of Minnesota’s

sixth-annual Design Camp. Organized through the Design Institute

with support from the Target Corp., the diverse group of design

teams focused their skills on reworking the environments (both

large and small) within which high school students learn. Along-

side, sporting, gearing, parading, gaming and telling, this year’s

architecture group “Schooling” set out to rethink ideas about what

might constitute an active learning environment and the eff ective

means to achieving knowledge. Like any design project, the process

was non-linear and often unpredictable, but the results provided a preview of the role that

design will play in the future of education.

Early discussions with students revealed assumptions and biases about the spaces

deemed worthy of the designation educational. Attempting to recast those assumptions, we

challenged the students to examine spaces long considered secondary to classrooms as vi-

able spaces for learning. Cafeteria, gymnasia, playgrounds and parking lots were scrutinized

as spaces that off er sources of interaction on which learning could be modeled in a design-

based curriculum. With food acknowledged as a universal social condenser, the cafeteria

and acts of preparing, displaying and consuming food became the general programmatic

charge for the Schooling team of students and faculty.

Knowing that the fi nal day of camp entails a celebration and review of all work produced

within the respective groups, the Schooling team set out to design the celebratory culmina-

tion of the day that centered on the consumption of 400 cupcakes by students, parents, crit-

ics and faculty. Th e team worked for four full days deliberating, strategizing, designing and

building an all-encompassing experience centered on the notion of becoming cupcake. In the

end, the design and implementation of the cupcake pavilion (as it came to be known) was

really a delivery system (or excuse) for smuggling a range of purposeful instructions and les-

sons through the collaborative processes of design. Our project-based curriculum leveraged

the problem-setting skills and scenario planning methods critical to design thinking, and

synthesized such diverse skill sets as arithmetic, creative writing, programming, journalistic

interviews, video editing, art history, physics, digital visualization and static structures.

Having committed early to a small footprint of our group’s eff orts in the assembly of

our pavilion, we chose to minimize waste and maximize fl exibility in our design by using

construction scaff olding as our basic building block for the cupcake pavilion. Donated for

the week by Scaff old Service Inc. (St. Paul, Minn.) the system required a relatively low-level

of construction skills to handle and all materials were returned at the end of the Camp. Re-

cycled highway billboards provided the team with an adaptable and durable material to clad,

skin and surface the scaff old structure. Salvaged from Franklin Outdoor Advertising (Clear-

water, Minn.), the used billboards were removed from the waste stream and transformed

into building materials that can be stored and reused by future Design Camp teams.

John Comazzi is an assistant professor of architecture in the School of Architecture, University of Minnesota; Anselmo Canfora is an assistant professor of architecture in the School of Architecture at the University of Vir-ginia; and Wendy Friedmeyer is Educational Programs Coordinator at the Design Institute, University of Minnesota.AF

Teens fi nd use for recycled highway billboards, and learn a valuable lesson in design-buildBY John Comazzi, Anselmo Canfora and Wendy Friedmeyer

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Page 63: fabric architecture

Engineering | Tensile Fabric | ETFE Systems | Structural Steel | Build

Auckland Kansas City Dubai Kuala Lumpur www.struc tur f lex .com

101 Central Park Drive

Private Bag 93-113

Henderson, Auckland

New Zealand

Tel +649 837 2350

Fax +649 837 2354

140 Walnut Street

Suite 201

Kansas City, Missouri 64106

United States of America

Tel +1 816 889 9000

Fax +1 816 889 9003

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Page 64: fabric architecture

Main Street®, a Fire Marshal’s friend, is also America’s favorite fabric for awnings and

canopies. Main Street combines uptown style with outstanding resilience and value.

Available in a stunning selection of colors, this acrylic coated polyester features a

very durable surface to enhance its good looks and provide superior resistance to

dirt, mildew and abrasion. Main Street is easy to fabricate, heat sealable and

ideal for graphics. What’s more, its inherent flame retardance* endures through

rain and sun. You can shop for Main Street at orders.JohnBoyle.com or at any

John Boyle and Company location.

*Flame Retardant to the standards of the California State Fire Marshal, F-121.8; CPAI-84 (top, sidewall, flooring); NFPA-701-99TM2; MVSS-302; ASTM-E-84, Class A.

Distribution Centers: California (800) 786-7604, (800) 786-7607, (800) 841-0555 • Colorado (800) 786-7609 • Florida (800) 432-5321, (800) 786-7605 • Georgia (800) 786-7606, (800) 699-9336

Illinois (800) 786-7608 • Missouri (800) 786-7603, (800) 325-7092 • New Jersey (800) 786-7602, (800) 544-3675 • North Carolina (800) 438-1061 • Ohio (800) 786-7601 • Pennsylvania (800) 245-4840

Rhode Island (800) 556-7254 • Texas (800) 786-7610, (800) 221-1038 • Canada: Trican Corp. (800) 387-2851 • Mexico: Tunali Tec, Morelos 777-362-0636, Jalisco 333-657-3660,

www.tunalitec.com • www.astrup.com • www.johnboyle.com

Distributors: Vaughan Brothers, Inc., Portland, OR (503) 233-1771 • George N. Jackson, Ltd., Winnipeg, MB, Canada (204) 786-3821 • Orli, Guadalajara, Mexico 33-3268-0400

A Fire Marshal’s Friend

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