Tired of all the holdown straps?

You can eliminate many of the metal holdown straps from the upper floor wall to the main floor wall by modifying your OSB wall sheathing layout.  When the OSB wall sheathing is continuous over the floor framing section or lapped with the rim board uplift loads can be transferred.

If you are utilizing prefabricated wall panels you can still have the OSB extend to the middle of the rim board.  Just have the OSB extend below/above the plates as build in the shop.  The only caution is, extra care is needed to prevent the overhanging OSB sheathing from being damaged during shipping.

This concept can also be utilized at the foundation sill plate to help reduce uplift loads that would otherwise require embedded straps such as STHD10RJs.  In that situation, cross grain bending is not desired on the sill plate as the load transfers to the anchor bolts.  The cross grain bending can be removed from the equation using mud sill anchors (MAS) attached to the exterior face of the OSB sheathing in lieu of anchor bolts.  A great solution when utilizing prefabricated walls.

Typically, when building with wood you want many smaller fasteners that distribute the load out evenly rather than a few large fasteners concentrating the load.

EVstudio | Architecture and Engineering | Denver and Evergreen

Originally posted 2009-07-31 00:01:56.

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From Fortress Stabilization Systems

EVstudio recently met with Pinnacle Construction where they introduced us to Carbon-Fiber and Kevlar Grids used to repair foundation walls.  Carbon-fiber has recently been introduced into the construction industry due to its very high tensile strength, lightweight and workability.  Sections of the grid can be adhered to the concrete surface using a high strength epoxy bonding agent.

Fortress Stabilization Systems appears to be the leader in introducing this new technology to the construction industry, applying it to many different situations from bridges to basements.  The most useful application for residential would be the Carbon Staples, Kevlar Neckties, and various shapes of Carbon-Fiber/Kevlar grids used to control cracks and provide additional strength to an otherwise failing foundation wall.

EVstudio's structural department is very excited to research more about Carbon-fiber and other applications it can be used in.  Carbon-fiber is a great alternative to commonly used steel repairs.

From Fortress Stabilization Systems

Originally posted 2010-03-02 00:01:01.

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Both Sustainability and Historic Preservation are passions for me personally, and have played a huge role in my pursuit of architecture. I believe that sustainability is much more than “green building” and must effectively balance environmental, economical & social concerns in order to be successful. As a very important social concern in the built environment, I view the practice of Historic Preservation as both the source of many important sustainability concepts, methods and strategies and also as a valuable Green Design strategy in and of itself. Not much more than 100 years ago, most buildings were built according to many of today’s “green” standards out of necessity. They were built according to long standing practices that took the natural forces, site considerations and efficiency of the building and it’s site into account because that was the only way that you could afford to build. Materials, transportation and resources were not as readily available as they are today. In addition, they were built using local materials and craftsman who were experts in using regionally important practices, a concept only added to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Rating Systems as of 2009! It is a broadly held misconception today that all old buildings are not energy efficient. It wasn’t until somewhat recently (starting in the 50’s & 60's), that buildings and their systems started becoming seriously inefficient with the widespread availability of cheap materials and energy which made it economical to build this way. Many historic buildings have terrific thermal envelopes and incorporate great green building strategies such as passive solar design & natural ventilation. Preserving an existing historic building can be a very effective sustainable design strategy for today and can preserve local cultural resources, conserve natural resources, keep tons of waste out of the landfill and often save money at the same time!

It is important, however, to approach a Historic Preservation project with sensitivity when considering incorporating green building strategies. Slapping some PV panels onto the building would be an even less successful green strategy in a historic preservation project than it is in any green building project. Depending on the intended use of the project after completion and the historic preservation goals for the project, there is a broad range of green building strategies that could be incorporated into the project. For example, beyond upgrades to the buildings equipment and fixtures, alternative power sources such as geothermal, remote wind power or remote ground mount PV installations could be considered (especially for remote or “off-grid” locations) that are hidden underground at the building site. In addition, rigid insulation and wiring can be effectively hidden behind traditional plastering methods at building interiors to upgrade the thermal envelope and systems, if necessary. These are just a couple examples of how the addition of new technologies can be incorporated into a project without compromising the integrity of the preservation goals. The important and pivotal piece of the success of the project becomes the prioritization and communication of the project goals. Effective project planning, prioritization of the project goals and a little bit of creativity and innovation can lead to a very successful and sustainable historic preservation project!

Originally posted 2009-10-15 00:15:30.

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There are many conditions that determine the effectiveness of any building material to provide comfort and energy efficient performance. R-Value is only one of these factors or measurement tools.

R-Value is the measure of resistance to heat flow through the defined material. The higher the R-Value the less heat will transfer through the wall, making the system more energy efficient.

R-Value is determined by testing or by the addition of tested components. When “effective” R-value is used, it represents that at a given condition or circumstance, the system performs the same as a product with the “real” R-value.

It is important to understand the conditions at which the “effective” R-value was determined, and see if your application is the same. For example, a masonry wall may have a high “effective” R-value for a 5 hour test period, but have a very low R-value during a 24 hour test period. Where “real” R-value products will have the same R-value during both test periods.

There are several items to consider when evaluating R-Value and it’s effect on your project

Effective R-Value

An example would be masonry products. Masonry product have a very low R-Value but have a high thermal mass. Foam type products have a high R-value but low thermal mass. There is not a standard measurement or number for the energy effectiveness of thermal mass. While R-value resists the flow of heat, thermal mass delays the transfer of heat but does not reduce it. During a short period, thermal mass has the same “effective” R-value, so it is sometimes advertised with this R-value rating. It is not a real R-value but, under those conditions, an “effective” R-value. Please review other technical bulletins for more details and other related items.

Installed R-Value vs Advertised R-Value

It should be noted that R-Value of an item is the value that was tested in a laboratory and is real, but the item may not perform at the same R-value when installed. Most insulating materials obtain their insulating values from trapped air spaces, often the higher the density of air pockets, the higher the R-value. If these air spaces are compressed, a lower R-value will result. For example, batt type insulation may be rated at R-19 in its free state, but requires a 6 ½” thickness to obtain that value. When this material is installed in a 5 ½” frame cavity, the batt is compressed and the R-value is less than R-19. Likewise, putting two batts in the space for one does not increase insulating value; it might even reduce the R-value. Review the Technical Bulletin on Air Infiltration in Insulation for more related information.

Nonuniform Material

Whole wall R-value is the term used to describe the average R-value for the total wall taking into consideration variations and non-uniformity’s in the insulating material. Often, the R-value of the insulating material is advertised without stating the effect of the total system.

An example would be installing an R-19 batt insulation in a 2×6 frame wall. The resultant “whole wall R-value” is the average of the R-19 insulation and the R-5 stud. Tests have shown that the actual “whole wall R-value” of an R-19 wall system to be R-13.7, much less than the R-19 advertised. This applies to all non uniform wall systems.

The R-value of building materials may be effected or altered by the following items.

• Non uniform material
• Thermal shorts
• Material compression
• Air infiltration in the insulation
• Humidity
• Temperature swing or range of environment
• Effects of time and aging.

Along with R-Value, several other factors need to be considered to determine the overall energy efficiency of a building structure.

• Thermal Mass
• Air infiltration in the building
• Radiated heat gains
• Internal heat gains
• Latent and Sensible heat transfer

Originally posted 2010-03-05 00:01:00.

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There are techniques for doing work with frozen ground and cold temperatures, you can tent, you can change your concrete mixtures, you can use blankets to thaw frozen ground, but they do have cost premiums. At the same time, the price of waiting for the spring can also add cost to a project.

Of course the other thing that we all know about the weather in Colorado is that its always changing and hard to predict. You can have a December where the snow doesn't melt, or a March with no snow or a May where it rains almost every day. In any schedule you should plan for weather delays but you shouldn't let the winter be the deciding factor in when you build in Colorado.

Originally posted 2011-05-29 00:27:29.

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The charts below should be used to cross reference imperial grades and sizes with metric grades and sizes. Watch out because if your specs are in metric and your supplier is still using the imperial system, you may wind up with some really huge bar diameters on site. As you can see, the old #4 (1/2") bars are now being called out as #13, so be very careful here to avoid these kinds of potentially costly mistakes.

Soft Metric Bar Sizes vs. Inch-Pound Bar Sizes:

* pounds per square inch
** megapascals

For more information, please visit www.crsi.org/rebar

Originally posted 2009-08-17 17:36:51.

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I would like to go into the two basic components of solar hot water,  the collectors and the circulation system.

Collectors

Collectors are the part of the system that collects the radiant energy from the sun and transfers it into the system for use.

Batch collectors:

This collector consists of a dark colored tank or a series of tubes within an insulated box. The water then remains in the system tank until there is demand for the water. This system can overheat if there is low demand so a release valve should be part of the system. There is also another valve often know as a tempering valve that mixes in cold water as needed in order to avoid scalding.

This system is not recommended in climates where freezing occurs. Also by definition it is incompatible with a closed loop system discussed below.

Flat plate collectors:

This is a flat insulated box that is faced in tempered glass and backed with a panel that is painted flat black. In the middles are a series of parallel pipes that are connected on each end with inlet and outlet manifolds.

Sizing varies on climate and family size. In the Denver area 65 SF of collector combined with a 120 gallon tank is a good starting point for a family of 4.

Evacuated tube collectors:

This is the most high-tech collector solution. In this collector there is a series of glass tubes. Each glass tube contains water or glycol and is then surrounded by another glass tube. The air between the two is vacuumed out which insulates the tubes from heat loss.

This collector is the most efficient currently available. It can work in overcast conditions and temperatures of up to 40° below zero.

Circulation

Circulation is how the hot water from the collector gets into home so it can be used. Circulation is a combination of direct/indirect and active/passive.

Active:

An active system uses pumps to circulation the water or glycol through the system. This is the most reliable system but requires energy to operate the pump.

Passive:

This circulation system relies on the natural convection of hot and cold water known as thermosiphon. This relies on the tendency of hot water to rise and cold water to sink. This can be unreliable due to air entrainment and in sufficient temperature gradients.

Direct:

In a direct system the water circulates through the collectors and then either stored in a tank or used immediately. This water is directly used so that the water in the system is the same water that is used to wash clothes or take a shower.

Indirect:

Indirect, also known as closed loop, are the best systems for use in climates where freezing occurs. Here the system circulates a water and glycol solution that does not freeze. The mixture then circulates through a heat exchanger in a storage tank in order to provide hot water.

When used in the correct way, solar hot water can be a great way to provide hot water and reduce our dependency on fossil fuels as energy sources. It is also a good way to reduce energy bills and conserve water. When we know there isn’t limitless hot water in the tank people tend to use water more efficiently.

Originally posted 2010-02-27 00:01:09.

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This is a must see for architects, real estate agents, housing property managers, and owners of rental housing. In addition to the free lecture DORA provides stacks of detailed brochures and other materials you can take and hand out at your office to build awareness.

The material covered in this presentation includes an overview of the many levels of fair housing regulations, how they overlap and how to be sure you comply. Fair Housing regulations cover a broad range of classes and vary at the Federal, State and Local level.

Federal Law requires that one can not discriminate based on:

• Race
• Color
• Religion
• Sex
• Handicap (disabilities)
• Familial Status
• National Origin

Colorado State Law adds:

• Marital Status
• Creed
• Ancestry
• Sexual Orientation

Local Ordinances (City and County of Denver) add yet again:

• Age
• Military Status
• Gender Variance

Keeping in mind that fair housing covers many different protected classes the most common issue for architects is disability. Many of the discussions I have had with clients that must provide accessibility in their buildings revolve around the loss of square footage in a living room or bedroom due to more space required in bathrooms and kitchens. Of course, if these requirements are carried out within the building it could result in very costly alterations in the future in order to comply. During this lecture you are given clear ideas of how to communicate why these requirements are necessary.

Educating architects, real estate agents, developers and owners on this topic is one way to ensure we are preventing future noncompliance. This key for the DORA Civil Rights Division because currently the division is a reactionary or complaint-driven agency. Meaning, the division needs to improve its education and outreach to transform into a more preventative department.

The more we can educate our clients the more we can provide fair housing! The next FREE lecture is June 1st 9:30 am-11:30 am offered at 1560 Broadway, Conference Room 110 B (first floor), Denver. The following two lectures are offered September 7, 2010, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and November 2, 2010, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at the same location.

Another helpful organization to check out is Fair Housing Accessibility First. This site gives you a detailed look at design and construction requirements with regard to accessibility.

Originally posted 2010-04-13 00:01:57.

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Below is an exhibit which shows the existing church and parking lot and the proposed lecture hall, retail retail area, and infrastructure improvements:

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As shown in the above detail, the web of the I-joist rafter should be reinforced with plywood to increase it’s stiffness at the bearing edge. As always, blocking should be provided between rafters as well as a mechanical clip (such as the Simpson H2.5) to counteract uplift forces.

Originally posted 2010-10-25 00:01:45.

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