spaces/learn
TermoBuild
RIGHT: The elements of thermal storage. a. Precast hollow core planks store the air. B. air is funneld into the supply-trunk duct. C. air circulates from the trunk duct through small pipes. D. air diffuser ventilates air into room. a D C B
“Mechanical systems could clash with each other by having heating and cooling running at the same time, but with this technology there is no need for that. It’s like conducting an orchestra.” —Jack Laken, Owner
the University of Windsor in Ontario, is raising eyebrows as well. The company partnered with B+H Architects to craft the $160 million Centre for Energy Innovation, which utilizes smart floors and ceilings so that Windsor engineering students can use the very structures around them as their text to learn about thermal storage. “It’s a largely educational process because we’re not introducing new technology, we’re not introducing new building materials, we’re not introducing new equipment,” Laken says. “We believe a lot of students will be able to learn hands-on and carry out a lot of sustainable initiatives.” The company is integrating these puzzle pieces into real-world application. “We managed to assemble the confusing bits and pieces that were available in mainstream literature and handbooks in a way that it makes sense,” he says. “Then we translated that into practical buildings.” Laken, who began a career in engineering consultancy back in 1979, has shifted his focus in the new millennium toward specialized and integrated solutions. You wouldn’t send a patient with a brain tumor to a family doctor, so why should you send a client who needs an integrated thermal solution to a general engineer? In Laken’s mind, you wouldn’t. You’d send the client to TermoBuild. This fall, Laken plans to launch a net-zero energy plan for homes, which will employ radiant temperature control without wet systems to heat, cool, and provide residents with fresh air for a better night’s sleep—all of which can be manipulated at the touch of a smart phone’s button. Not quite the Stone Age anymore. gb&d
ETE CONCR G& COOLIN G HEATIN OLOGY TECHN
We’re Redefining Your Green ROI
Learn How. Contact greenteam@termobuild.com or call: 347.905.0865 (USA) or 416.993.5225 (Canada)
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7/15/11 10:05 AM