NEWSLETTER The Los Angeles CHapter of the CONSTRUCTION Specifications Institute
NOVEMBER/DecEMBER 2010 Join us WEDNEsday, November 17 Civic Park: From City Hall to the Department of Water & Power. Rios Clementi Hale Studios’ design for the Civic Park will result in a transformational urban space in the tradition of the world’s great city parks. www. LACSI. org
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Content
Letter FROM THE President
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november/decemb er
2010
I just got back from the 2010 West Region CSI Conference at the Tenaya Lodge...
VolUME 63
November MEETING & Program
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NUMber 6
LACSI Members:
Wednesday, November 17: Civic Park: From City Hall to the Department of Water & Power.
You’re invited to the Orange County and Inland Empire, CSI Chapter Holiday
Inland Empire CSI Holiday Party
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Parties.
Thursday, December 9: Annual Holiday Dinner at the Mission Inn.
September Code Seminar
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LACSI GOLF TOURNAMENT
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Feng Shui
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Buch Notes
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Curmudgeon’s Corner
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Membership News
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Orange County CSI Holiday Party
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Wednesday, December 14: Annual Holiday Dinner at the White House.
2011 Certification Classes
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TRANSFORMIT- LACSI PRODUCT SHOW 9
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L e t t e r F r o m T h e P r e s i de n t
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West Region Conference Report
chapters face every day. Membership retention, financial reporting, and member value were topics of specific importance to many attendees. Patrick Comerford, Inviting the President and Executive President Director of the Institute Board of CSI to the West Region Conference was a stroke of genius. Both Dennis I just got back from the 2010 West Hall (President) and Walt Marlowe Region CSI Conference at the Tenaya (Executive Director) were as gracious Lodge, outside the south entrance to as could be. The awards given out by Yosemite National Park. It was well the West Region CSI included several attended (a dozen or more LACSI to the LACSI Chapter. These awards members). There were excellent were mostly to individuals who did programs, events, and a lively trade commendable work on behalf of the show. The Fresno Chapter should be region, however there was one award, commended for which came as a their hard work special surprise in planning and Inviting the President and to me, given hosting such a to us for the Executive Director of the successful event. LACSI Chapter’s Institute Board of CSI to the Thank you Bob ‘electronic West Region Conference was a Seigrist, Dave newsletter’. In Willis, Eric Camin the presentation, stroke of genius. and others for it was disclosed making us all feel that our fledgling so welcome. publication was used at Institute Board Meetings as an The West Region CSI team has really example for others to follow. Congrats grown under the guidance of Craig to Laura Sellmer and her staff for a Mount and Dave Willis. The leadership much deserved citation. We will be seminars were very informative and acknowledging these awards at the timely considering the issues many October Dinner Meeting.
We had a wonderful dinner meeting in August on the plaza at the Music Center. We invited several college and university students to attend. They had their architectural designs reviewed and judged at the Institute Convention in Philadelphia in May. As award winners, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Woodbury University students got a chance to display their mock ups and mingle with professionals and industry members. The future of the construction industry is in very capable hands. We set up an Emerging Professionals committee (chaired by Josh Reed) to welcome these students as well as the young professionals in our industry. The evening had no planned program and the Board of Directors came out in force to introduce themselves and conduct informal surveys about how we Continued on page 4 3
W e s tL Re g i o n C o r n e r Continued from page 3 (the LACSI Board of Directors) can help the members get more out of CSI. Many attendees thought this was an excellent idea and told me so afterwards. We listened to your comments and are working to address many of these concerns. The weather was great and the food (as usual) was outstanding. The September Dinner meeting at The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion was a lively presentation by Patrick Quigley explaining the nuances of lighting and the value brought to any Patrick Quigley project by a lighting consultant. Thanks to Ed Buch for his leadership in getting such interesting speakers for our dinner meetings. As we look forward to 2011, your Board of Directors is intent on making the chapter governance more nimble and responsive to members needs. If you have suggestions or concerns, please contact us through the email addresses listed on the website (www.LACSI.org).
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West Region Directory By Ed Buch, CSI, AIA, West Region Secretary
By now, you have received your 2010 West Region CSI Membership Directory. Contrary to our directory in past years, this year the roster for each chapter contains only home chapter members. This is an unfortunate situation since many of us are members of multiple chapters. As a result, the person you dine with at your chapter meeting every month may be a member of your chapter even though you don’t see them listed in the directory. We sincerely apologize for this error in producing the directory. It seems the problem resulted from incomplete membership data we provided to McGraw Hill. By our agreement with McGraw Hill, it is CSI’s responsibility to provide McGraw Hill with the member data which they use to produce the directory. As we’ve done in past years, I requested the region membership spreadsheet from the Institute in May and forwarded it to McGraw Hill. In other years, this procedure has worked with only minor glitches.
The problem wasn’t brought to my attention until near the end of the proofing process when the Inland Empire Chapter noticed not all their members were shown. At that point, I wasn’t sure whether or not this was an isolated problem. It was also getting too late to do anything about it since we had a production schedule to meet with McGraw Hill. After making the relatively few changes for the Inland Empire Chapter, I made the decision to proceed with the data CSI provided to McGraw Hill. Even assuming that we could have assembled the data showing members with multiple memberships, providing it at that late date would have meant more time and more cost for West Region, since McGraw Hill would have had to start over with their data entry and formatting. This is really an unfortunate situation since the region membership directory has become such a useful member benefit. This usefulness will be diminished in 2010, along with the more important fact that each chapter’s membership will not be presented accurately. We will make every effort to avoid repeating this mistake next year.
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U P C OMING M E MB E RSHI P M E E TING
NOVEMBER LACSI PROGRAM Civic Park: From City Hall to the Department of Water & Power
Wednesday, November 17, 2010 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm 7:00 pm - 7:45 pm 7:45 pm
Specifier’s Roundtable Social Dinner After Dinner Program
Reservations Rios Clementi Hale Studios’ design for the Civic Park will result in a transformational urban space in the tradition of the world’s great city parks. The park will be the most significant public component of the planned Grand Avenue Development project unifying a 12-acre linear site across four blocks in the heart of downtown Los Angeles’ civic and cultural center. The Civic Park is envisioned as an iconic destination celebrating the city’s multicultural and horticultural diversity. The design re-establishes the park’s central axis from City Hall, at the east end, to the Department of Water and Power up the hill to the west. Tree-lined perimeter promenade paths along with ”meridian” paths that connect the promenades at varied intervals, unify the site’s four distinct blocks. The landscape design preserves many of the site’s mature trees, and also establishes new patterns of both sun and shade plantings. The historic Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain will be restored and revamped to enhance its sustainability as well as its viability as a dynamic water feature for park users. Rios Clementi Hale Studios was founded in Los Angeles in 1985 as a multi-disciplinary design firm. The firm’s talent encompasses architecture, landscape architecture, graphic, interior, exhibit, and product design. The firm applies a strong interdisciplinary collaborative approach to design for a broad spectrum of clients and project types resulting in several national and local AIA and ASLA design awards.
Reservations required by 4:00, Mon., November 15. Call 213-243-6658 or reserve at www.lacsi.org Cost LACSI MEMBERS With advance reservations: FREE Without reservations: $10 NON MEMBERS With reservations: $50 Without reservations: $60 Location Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 5th Floor Banquet Room 135 N Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Enter the elevator lobby on the Grand Ave. side of the building from street level. Take the elevator to the 5th floor. Thomas Guide: Pg. 634, Grid F3. Parking Enter the garage from Grand Ave. Tell the attendant you are with LACSI. Parking is free if you arrive after 4pm. PRogram Chairman Ed Buch, CSI, CCS, AIA 5
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C SI - I n l a n d E m p i r e
THursday, December 9, 2010 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Cocktails and Social 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Dinner
Come to the Mission Inn for our Holiday Dinner
Dinner Cost
The Inland Empire Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute invites you to the Mission Inn Riverside for our Holiday Dinner on Thursday, December 9, 2010. ]oin us for a wonderful dinner at the Mission Inn which is a historic landmark hotel. Although a composite of many architectural styles, it is generally considered the largest Mission Revival Style building in the United States. Its annual Festival of Lights is well known for its nearly three million Christmas lights, and over 400 animated figures. For 125 years it has been host to seasonal and holiday functions and this year will also host ours. Meal selection
$50 per person. Reservsations required. Reservations Reservation confirmation needed by December 1st. To Register ,Send check with dinner selection to; Inland Empire CSI Chapter, c/o Jan Piccola 1515 Shadow Lane, Fullerton, CA 92831 Location Mission Inn Riverside 3649 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside, CA 92501
Appetizer California Greens EntrÊe Chicken Dijon or Honey-Garlic Chicken Dessert New York Style Cheesecake, Crème Brulee, Riverside Tiramisu, or Espresso Mousse Cake Questions:
Jan Piccola Phone: 714-936-2890 jpiccola@frazee.com
Kathy Greenway Phone: 714-396-973 kgreenway@draperinc.com 6
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C SI - O r a n g e C o u n t y
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Come to the White House for our Annual Holiday Dinner
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Social 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Dinner
The Orange County Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute invites you to the White House for our Annual Holiday Dinner on Tuesday, December 14, 2010.
$55 per person. Reservations required.
]oin us for a wonderful dinner at the Anaheim White House Restaurant in the John F. Kennedy Dining Room. A landmark jewel that was once nestled quietly among an enormous orange grove in the early 20th century, the Anaheim White House is still Anaheim’s most famous hidden treasure. This beautiful historical landmark was skillfully crafted by a gentleman named Dosithe Gervais in 1909. Converted to a restaurant the property has been restored to almost original condition and will set the stage for a memorable holiday gathering. The interior of the home was restored with most rooms retaining their original size and shape. The brick fireplace in the library (now the main dining room) and many of the windows are original. Every effort has been made to retain the appearance of the home as it was in 1909.
Dinner Cost
Reservations Reservations MUST be with your check and received at our Post Office Box by December 7, 2010. For questions, call Dana Thornburg at 714-907-3981. MAIL YOUR CHECK with your entrée choice to: OCCCSI, Post Office Box 8899, Anaheim, CA 92812. Location Anaheim White House Restaurant John F. Kennedy Dining Room 887 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92805 Valet Parking
The menu includes the Patricia Nixon Contemporary Salad and a choice of three entrees. The entrée choices are Dwight Eisenhower Whitefish, John Adams Manzo Basato (filet of beef ribs), or George Washington Vegetarian Pasta. Our dessert will be the Jacqueline O. Dessert Assortment. Sponsors of the dessert ÐÐ Omega Products International,Inc.
ÐÐ Centria, Inc.; Henry Company
ÐÐ Thompson Building Materials
ÐÐ Parex USA, Inc.
ÐÐ Pacific Polymers International, Inc.
ÐÐ Smalley & Company 7
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E D U C ATION C OMMITT E E
CSI certification Classes Los Angeles, CA 90089CSI Certification Exams
For the 5th consecutive year, LACSI is offering the following certification preparation classes for: ÐÐ Architects
ÐÐ Manufacturer’s Representatives
ÐÐ Specifiers
ÐÐ Construction Managers
ÐÐ Engineers
ÐÐ Others interested in continuing their professional development.
ÐÐ Contractors
The CSI certification program is an excellent, industry-recognized way to enhance your professional skills and to gain increased recognition in the design and construction community. Certification demonstrates a superior level of understanding, professional commitment, credibility, knowledge, and experience in construction documents. • CEUs • C
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EDUCATI
Saturdays, Jan 22 - Mar 12, 2011
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Certification Preparation Classes for CDT, CCS, CCCA & CCPR exams
The CDT, CCS, CCCA and CCPR Certification Exams are offered nationwide only at Prometric test centers during the first week in April 2011. For more information on these exams and to register online, go to www.csinet.org under Certification/CSI’s Certification Exams. Registration and payment for all exams must be done directly with the Institute. Early and Final Exam Registration Deadlines have not yet been announced, but are typically in late January and late February respectively.
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9:00 am – 12:00 Noon
Plus the Review of AIA 201 offered for all 4 exam prep series, Saturday, March 26.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR LACSI PREP CLASSES Register online at www.lacsi.org
Mock Exam for CDT, CCS, CCCA and CCPR: Saturday Mar 19, 2011, 8:00am – 12 Noon All classes are taught by architects, specifiers, and product representatives who have passed the exams. Location: All Prep Classes and the Mock Exam will be given at University of Southern California, Capital Construction Development, 3434 S. Grand Ave. (at the intersection of Grand & Jefferson Blvd.)
Each class will earn 3 AIA CEUs/LUs per session (and .3 CSI CENs)
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u pc o m i n g E v e n t- F e b r u a r y Mee t i n g
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Sep t e m b e r 2 5 C o de Se m i n a r
LACSI hosted a half day seminar at the University of Southern California on the upcoming changes to the California Building Code. The seminar discussed the nonstructural changes that will take effect on January 1, 2011. Other topics included new provisions in the code for fire separations, means of egress, life safety and accessibility.
Patrick Comerford (left) and Steven R. Winkel, PE, FAIA, CASp (right)
Monique Birault, AIA, USC
The Saturday morning seminar was filled to capacity.
The seminar covered how code is developed and what is changing in 2011.
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About The Presenter Steven R. Winkel, PE, FAIA, CASp, of The Preview Group, an architectural consulting firm specializing in building code consulting and regulatory issues was the presenter. Steve is serving his third term as the architect member of the California Building Standards Commission. He is the author of Building Codes Illustrated and Residential Codes Illustrated, published by John Wiley & Sons. Mr. Winkel served for two years as chairman of the AIA National Codes and Standards Committee. He was President of the AIA East Bay Chapter, then of the AIA California Council, before serving for three years on the AIA National Board. 10
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G o lf T o u r n a m e n t, Oc t. 15
Matt Stephen, Lorena Arce, Mark Hauck and Eddy Viola
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CSI-USGBC FALL ClASSIC Annual Golf Tournament
Brookside Country Club & Golf Course
Luis Peris, Lote Kinney, Raj Patel and Ken Finch Mako
Greg Talarico, Tod Fritts, Roy Males and Paul Phillips
Lee Chan, Robert Burns, Kathleen Burns and Robert Campos
John Rutter, Patrick Comerford, Rich Wild and Max Morgan
Matt Oda, Richard Hernandez and Greg McAloney 11
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Larry Muth, Paul Morgan, Pat Intindola and Scott Hardwood
Tom Klawiter, Lisa Cooper, Kevin Kavanagh and Mark Hopkins
Mike Harris, Carl Bage, Brandon Matloff andToby Pugh 12
G o lf T o u r n a m e n t, Oc t o b e r 15
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Your lab project has a lot of complex requirements You need an experienced partner to provide the right details.
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For further information on your lab project , visit www.isecinc.com, email SCRMktg@isecinc.com or call 714.761.5151. architectural woodwork l laboratory furniture l laboratory & medical equipment general trades l ornamental metals l specialties l doors, frames & hardware
Dave & Luis from Romanoski Glass Jerry L. Pozo, BS ,CSI, CDT Architectural/Technical Consultant
Cell: 408.595.2031 Phone/Fax: 530.885.6828 E: jpozo@bmi-products.com www.bmi-products.com
Brandon Matloff
BMI Products of Northern California, Inc. 990 Ames Avenue Milpitas, CA 95035-6303 Tel: 408.293.4008 Fax: 408.293.4103
¤ Stucco ¤ 690 Plaster ¤ Tile Mortar ¤ Masonry Mortar ¤ Acrylic Finishes
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The Island Art of Feng Shui By Susan Foster, Parex USA, Inc
Recently, American Women in Architecture (AWA) offered an opportunity for architects in the region to participate in a seminar on The Art of Feng Shui Design, which proved to be a very informative and enlightening gathering. The fundamentals of Feng Shui were highlighted during a tour of a beautifully crafted Feng Shui home. No detail was left without careful consideration and implementation. How amazing to know that the size and dimensions of each step were engineered to meet specific Feng Shui criteria! I began pondering what elements of Feng Shui design I have encountered during my travels and most notably, during my recent journey to Tahiti. Though not aware of the dynamics of Feng Shui design during our visit, as I reflect back it is easy to recognize how many aspects of this practice we encountered. The Tahitian resorts are designed with large, open expanses for the entryways & lobbies that are well balanced and suited to welcome new guests, foster new relationships and generate wealth. They blend the Five Elements of fire, earth, metal, wood and water almost effortlessly.
The wood and water are integrated in the construction of the wooden huts over water and incorporating glass table tops and a multitude of windows to infuse the interior environment with “life” – rejuvenating “life energy” for those who enter and experience the clear, flowing beauty of the sea. Properties are positioned to gain the fullest exposure to the earth surrounding, and many are directly beside or built into a mountain – a very prosperous influence in Feng Shui design. The landscape architecture is designed to provide gentle symmetry that creates a relaxing environment with ‘channels’ that allow an abundant flow of positive energy throughout the properties. Developers work hard to ensure prime properties are positioned away from infrastructure areas to ensure they are removed from the negative energies that surround the more developed areas. For these lush properties, boats are used as the only means of access. Various textures are expertly crafted throughout the designs in the furniture
materials contrasted with smooth, light fabrics that accent. Flora is incorporated gently and subtly, using a wide selection of Earth Plants that embody stability and peace. And light is abundant, contributing to a wonderful ambiance of energy and balance. Tahitian resorts’ design and construction techniques exhibit wonderful energy and peace and depict the beautiful balance maintained within their unique culture as well. There is no shortage of Feng Shui in the enchanting designs and experiences of Tahiti. It is a place that will undoubtedly restore your mind, body, soul & spirit and encourage a more balanced life perspective upon your return! For those interested in additional information on Feng Shui design, please contact Feng Shui Master Ms. Jenny Lui at (626) 862-1788 or jenny@liu-fengshui.com. (714) 319-3186, susan.foster@parexusa.com
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Ed Buch, CSI, AIA, West Region Secretary This is the second article in a two part series on sources of information on construction materials and technology. In the last issue of BuchNotes, I reported on seven trade magazines I find informative. In this column I will describe twelve more, all of them available free of charge. As I noted previously, The Construction Specifier magazine continues to be the most consistent source for a broad range of authoritative articles on recent developments in construction materials and products. The two mainstream architectural journals, “Architect Magazine” and “Architectural Record”, for the most part, have not had regular articles on building materials and technology since the mid-1990s. The Construction Specifier and the trade magazines listed here fill this void nicely. Building Design & Construction www.bdcnetwork.com BD&C stopped regular publication earlier this year. It was relaunched in Sept. 2010
NO V e mb e r / d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 0 Useful resources with its customary blend of AEC industry news, technical information, featured building projects, and their trademarked, “Industry Giants”, ranking, by size, of design and construction firms. The Sept issue includes their 2010 Building Team Awards winners. Professional Roofing www.professionalroofing.net Published monthly by the NRCA, this magazine is aimed at roofing contractors but also includes technical articles on roof related materials for architects and specifiers. Completed projects are used to illustrate different types of roofing applications.
Excellent photos and some drawings are used to illustrate recent projects. Useful for architects, interior designers, and specifiers to understand the different types of stone and their applications. Architectural Lighting www.archlighting. com Published seven times a year by Hanley Wood, this is a great magazine for anyone who wants to understand architectural lighting or who just enjoys photos of beautiful lighting projects. It’s an excellent source of information on lighting fixtures, the lighting industry, and lighting projects. A well written blend of technical and design articles accompanied by useful advertisements. Archetype
Stone World www.stoneworld.com Published monthly by BNP, it contains stone industry news for stone suppliers and fabricators.
www.woodworkinstitute. com The Journal of the Woodwork Institute includes technical and design articles along with Continued on page 16 15
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High Performance Buildings
Eco-Structure
www.architecturalwest.com Published by Dodson Publications six times a year, it has an emphasis on roofing products and projects. It includes a good legal column each month.
www.hpbmagazine.org Published quarterly by ASHRAE, it focuses on the HVAC aspects of energy efficient building design. Energy concepts are presented in laymen friendly terminology. Each issue uses recently completed project to demonstrate the theme of the issue. In the Summer 2010 issue, Energy Usage Intensities are compared between various standards including ASHRAE 90.1, California Title-24 Part 6, and others. Lots of interesting HVAC equipment advertising is also included.
www.eco-structure.com Published seven time a year by Hanley Wood, Eco-Structure provides thoughtful, in depth articles on various aspects of sustainability. The Jul/Aug issue had an article on indoor air quality in addition to presenting several projects. The Sept. issue included an article on “LEEDigation” along with several interesting projects including one about renewable energy strategies employed on a school in Hawaii.
Modern Steel Construction
Environmental Design & Construction
featured projects to highlight architectural woodwork, cabinetry, and wood doors. It’s written for architects, specifiers and millwork professionals. Architectural West
www.modernsteel.com Published monthly by the American Institute of Steel Construction, this is an excellent source of information on steel for both structural and architectural applications. Written primarily for structural engineers, each month several projects are presented highlighting innovative or unique uses of steel.
www.edcmag.com Published monthly by BNP Media. It reads like a publication of the USBGC since nearly every article includes some reference to LEED. Along with LEED projects each month, the advertising emphasizes products’ sustainable qualities.
ProAV www.proavmagazine.com Published six times each year by Hanley Wood. Anyone who wants to stay current with the latest in audio visual equipment and systems would do well to take advantage of this publication. Whether you’re working on conference rooms, or classrooms, or complicated theaters, ProAV will help you understand what your clients and your AV consultant are talking about.
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S u s ta i n a b i l i t y MATT E RS
Verifying Green Building Product Claims by Kelly McArthur Ingalls, CSI, CDT, LEED® AP
Including green building products are a key element in the design and construction of sustainable building projects. The interest in resource-efficient, sustainably harvested, and least-toxic building materials has also been coupled with concerns about potential liability issues. The Los Angeles Chapter of CSI sponsored a “Legal Issues” seminar in 2009, which addressed the risks of going green. This seminar will be included on the CSI Nite agenda in February 2011. An article, “The Hidden Risks of Green Buildings,” which appeared in The Construction Specifier March 2010 issue states: “Indeed, proliferation of new products and innovative building approaches related to green development is challenging the design/construction community in such a dramatic fashion. These changes virtually guarantee an increase in building failures and lawsuits. Experience indicates many of these failures will be predictable and some are likely to be catastrophic.”1 These authors expressed their support of sustainability. The article mainly addressed indoor air quality issues, such as mold that may result from introducing increased air
into a building. It mentioned use of risky “carbohydrate-based” building products as opposed to more reliable “carbon-based” and argued for tried and tested building materials over unproven green products.
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Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Greenguard, and Green Seal are some examples. Some key third-party organizations or evaluation platforms include: CSI GreenFormat According to its website, “GreenFormat is a web-based CSI format that allows manufacturers to accurately report the sustainability properties of their products. It provides designers, constructors and building operators with basic information to help meet ‘green’ requirements.
In addition to product failure, the prospect of “greenwashing,” or a manufacturer’s misrepresentation of a product’s green attributes has also been raised in legal issues discussions. This article will examine how a manufacturer’s green product claims “Manufacturers report can be verified and the attributes of their Major carpeting manufacturers documented. It products through have revolutionized their flooring will discuss how a a comprehensive, products and manufacturing manufacturer can online questionnaire. process to include post-consumer provide sufficient Their entries are then recycled content, improved VOC product data to allow emissions, and VOC content of displayed through www. a designer to evaluate carpet adhesives. greenformat.com where and select a green designers, constructors building product. and building operators Subsequent issues in this column will can search for products that fit their projects. address the broad field of green building “GreenFormat’s questionnaire for risks that are being raised such as Owner’s manufacturers references specific industry risks. standards wherever possible, and allows Independent Third Party Product individual manufacturers to report additional Evaluation and Reports information at the end of each entry. Sustainability claims are verified by relating Manufacturers may have their green questions to standards and certifications building product claims evaluated by a benefiting both manufacturers and designers. bevy of third-party organizations. The Continued on page 18 17
S u s ta i n a b i l i t y M at t e r s
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Continued from page 17 For manufacturers, the direct link between question and verification delivers a clearer understanding of the intent of the questions. For designers, having that substantiation and verification means less concern about “green-washing” or misleading information.” Visit
programs.” The SCS website includes a list of certified green products that have recycled content, meet Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) criteria, are biodegradable, or free of added urea formaldehyde. An example of an SCS-certified product is a glass tile with 50% pre-consumer recycled content. The product certificate can be downloaded with the product information, SCS registration number, and the dates that certification is valid. Visit the website, www.scscertified.com for more information. Carpet and Rug Institute
Scientific Certification System
CRI is an industry product-specific organization that provides technical information as well as sustainable design criteria for flooring products. According to its website, “The Carpet and Rug Institute
SCS is a third-party evaluation service. According to its website, “(SCS) is a global leader in independent certification and verification of environmental, sustainability, stewardship, food quality, food safety and food purity claims...SCS offers Material Content Certification and assessment services to manufacturers of carpet, textiles, ceramic tile, building products, wood products, insulation, flooring, cleaning agents...that can help.product[s] qualify for LEED and environmentally preferable purchasing
(CRI) sponsors scientific research and gathers data from independent sources to help professionals and the public make
GreenFormat.com for more information.
educated flooring choices.” CRI administers the Green Label Plus (GLP) program, the website provides a list of currently certified manufacturers and GLP products. Typical listings include broadloom, carpet tiles, carpet adhesives. Visit the website, www.carpet-rug.org for more information. Manufacturer Product Data Sheets, MSDS, and Test Reports Designers rely on product data sheets that include both technical product information and green product data. For example, painting or coating materials may include information describing the product, its application, composition (i.e. pigments, weights, and measurements), and finish (i.e. “semi-gloss, sheen @ 60%). In addition, the product’s volatile organic compound (VOC) levels are expressed in grams per liter (gr/L). How does the manufacturer arrive at the technical and green product data that it publishes? I asked one manufacturer about what goes into a company’s product data sheets, particularly for the VOC levels that they publish. The manufacturer obtains VOC data for each of the raw materials and resins that is included in the paint or coating compound. The VOC levels of those materials have been provided by their suppliers. The combined VOC data is calculated in equations that are prepared by the manufacturer’s technical staff. The results Continued on page 19 18
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Continued from page 18 are the VOC content, which in California must comply with South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule 1113 for Architectural Coatings in order to be manufactured and sold within the state. For purposes of LEED compliance, the coatings must also comply with Green Seal Standard GS-11, or with SCAQMD Rule 1113, depending on how it is applied within the building. Both standards are based on VOC content, or the weight VOC. To comply with National Painters Institute criteria, the manufacturers will submit their products for testing by independent testing labs, which will issue their own reports on the VOC levels and other product technical compliance. To comply with the California High Performance Schools (CHPS) program, the manufacturer will submit materials to an independent indoor air quality testing lab, such as Berkeley Analytical in California, or Air Quality Sciences in Atlanta, Georgia. The IAQ test labs will conduct chamber testing and issue reports based on the emissions of VOCs, rather than VOC content. Official Website Information Like product data sheets and Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), current
green building product data can be obtained from manufacturers’ websites. Product sustainability data is becoming increasingly more sophisticated as manufacturers have responded to the need for sustainable building products and to the requirement for product-specific information. Designers, construction professionals, and LEED practitioners are able to access this information on line, which assists not only in product selection but also in verification. Often, the website will post, or the manufacturer will provide, LEED or other green product data (i.e. CHPS compliance) in a tabular form that addresses its sustainability attributes. Avoid overly generic information that merely describes LEED credits or CHPS requirements, but does not list productspecific green data. When in doubt, obtain a signed letter from the manufacturer, as discussed below. Manufacturer’s Letters Because product data sheets, MSDS, and official website information may be somewhat generic, a letter from the manufacturer’s technical services or LEED representative may be the best way to verify green product information. Avoid outdated, generic letters. At a minimum, the following information should be included on the manufacturer’s
confirmation letter: Company name/contact; date of letter; specific product trade name(s); reference to the specific project for which it is being specified/submitted; green product data (i.e. recycled content percentages, VOC levels); manufacturing plant location, and the signature of the company representative. Note that a phone conversation or e-mail is not sufficient backup documentation for LEED. Conclusion One of the key strategies for LEED and other green building initiatives is to achieve transformation of buildings, building products, and the manufacturing process. Manufacturers have responded to this need by improving product design, re-tooling their manufacturing processes, and making green product information clearly accessible to industry end-users. For example, major carpeting manufacturers have revolutionized their flooring products and manufacturing process to include post-consumer recycled content, improved VOC emissions, and VOC content of carpet adhesives. These particular products are from mainstream manufacturers, listed under the CRI Green Label Plus Program, and probably would not be described as “risky” or posing a great threat or having a history “failures.” Indeed, adhesives, sealants, paints, and coatings manufactured and sold in California Continued on page 20 19
S u s ta i n a b i l i t y M at t e r s
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Continued from page 19 must comply with SCAQMD regulations, so it is hard to argue that they are not “tried and true.” This does not mean that all green products are safe and free of risk. The “Hidden Risks of Green Building” authors state, “Perhaps the most dramatic of new product failure examples were some of the early exterior insulation finish system (EIFS) products, which experience pervasive problems until certain enhancements were made to reduce the potential for rainwater intrusion.” The architect is always the responsible party for evaluating the suitability for a product, and will weigh product performance with its potential green attributes.
building documentation is meaningless; rather we are seeing a commitment from manufacturers to evaluate their products and processes to make them more environmentally sensitive, while still providing industry-standard materials to meet the technical requirements that will avoid failures. Being green is also a matter of staying competitive within our economically impacted building industry. Clearly, if one product manufacturer touts its green product attributes, its competitors are sure to follow. That is one of the key strategies for “market transformation.”
This author has completed over fifteen (15) major LEED projects over the last eleven (11) years as an independent LEED consultant firm. I am not aware that there have been a great deal of “risky” new products specified or installed on these projects - and fortunately no “catastrophes.” Industry-ready mainstream products with documented LEED attributes have been the norm. In some cases, materials have not really been modified from their “standard” alternative, but rather we have just needed to track products for LEED compliance. For example, road base and structural steel have recycled content regardless of LEED or other green building platforms. This does not mean that LEED and green
J. David Odom, AHRAE, Richard Scott, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, and George H. DuBose, CGC, “The Hidden Risks of Green Buildings,” The Construction Specifier, March 2010. Kelly McArthur Ingalls, CSI, CDT, LEED AP is the chair of the LA/CSI Sustainability Committee. He is the president of KMI Building Industry Consulting, Inc., which specializes in LEED consulting, green specifications, and green building public education. Visit the website, www.kmibuilding.com for more information.
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Cu r mugeo n’s co rn er
The Price of Gold by Sheldon Wolfe, RA, FCSI, CCS, CCCA
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of this year, when Joy Davis notified me that a collection of three CSI medals - for President, Past President, and Fellow were being auctioned off on e-Bay. Putting on my Sherlock Holmes hat, I tried to deduce who the medals had belonged to. The ad indicated that all of the medals were from 1985 or earlier, so I started with the list of past presidents. An obvious first step was to delete those whose presidency or Fellowship came after 1985; I then eliminated those who were not Fellows (there are a few), and, assuming that a living member would not sell those medals, limited my search to those Fellows who had passed away.
One of my CSI hats is History of Fellows Chair for CSI’s College of Fellows. As such, I search for background to create or update the biographies that are on the Fellows’ website, at www.FCSInet. org. This often is a difficult task even with new Fellows, who either can’t find The result was a short list of twenty-two the time, or are too bashful to write their names. I was able own biographies. to determine from Getting information the ad that the seller grows more difficult “A medal awarded to you is was in Missouri, as time goes on, only worth the honor that goes but it wouldn’t and becomes a real with it. A medal purchased necessarily follow challenge for those isn’t worth the metal it was that the original Fellows who are no made from.” Gilman Hu owner also was longer with us. from Missouri, While my search so I set that aside generally moves for the moment. along at a pace dictated by work at office However, because the advertised collection and at home, some events, such as each of medals did not include an Honorary year’s elevation of new Fellows, notable Member’s medal, I made a fatal mistake, achievements of a current Fellow, or the and eliminated Honorary Members from passing of a Fellow, inspire greater effort. the list, which was reduced to seven One such incidence occurred in February names.
I was tempted to put in a bid, but decided it would be better if an officer of the College of Fellows did the bidding, and started a conversation with Jim Robertson, College of Fellows Chancellor, Bob Kenworthy, COF Bursar, and Dick Robinson, COF Chancellor. We agreed that Bob would submit bids on behalf of the College of Fellows, and that, rather than raise interest by bidding early, he would not place a bid until just before the auction ended. I sent an e-mail to the seller, asking whose medals they were, and was told that they belonged to Robert Vansant. (Vansant was an Honorary Member, but for some unknown reason, that medal was not included in the collection offered for sale.) The seller’s response was especially interesting to me, as Robert Vansant is one of the names I remembered from my early days as an architect. He wrote a monthly article titled “Vansant’s Law” in A/E Concepts in Wood Design, which was always interesting and educational. As I recall, each month’s article discussed a limited subject and Continued on page 22 21
Cur mugeo n’s co rn er
Continued from page 21 how it was presented in specifications or drawings. Robert Vansant is an example of one meaning of FCSI - “future continued service to the Institute.” He didn’t hang it up after becoming a Fellow, but went on to serve as Institute President, and wrote many articles to help others better understand legal concepts related to construction. In addition to A/E Concepts in Wood Design, his articles also appeared in the Construction Specifier, Consulting Engineer, the AWPA Reporter, and Water and Wastes Engineering. An engineer and attorney at Black & Veatch in Kansas City, Vansant was a charter member of the Kansas City Chapter, which was formed in 1959. He became a Fellow of the Institute in 1970, served as president in 1973-74, received CSI President’s Plaques in 1971 and 1972, and was made an Honorary Member in 1986, the year after his death. Robert Vansant and Glen Ablanalp were instrumental in establishing the Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC). Vansant also worked with the American Water Works Association, and served as chair of the AWWA Standards Council, and he received the National Society of Professional Engineers’ PEPP Award in 1987.
Meanwhile, back at the auction, we saw a sudden flurry of bidding as the deadline approached. As it turned out, one of the bidders was our own Dennis J. Hall, who had seen the medals on e-Bay and didn’t want them to be lost to CSI, but he said he had bid as much as he was going to, and dropped out of the bidding. Bob Kenworthy submitted the final bid just before the deadline, winning the auction. Afterward, he contacted the seller to ask about the missing Honorary Member’s medal; alas, it seems to have disappeared. Bob mounted the rescued medals in a display case, which was exhibited at the CSI booth in Philadelphia. The medals have since been donated to the Institute, and will soon be on display at CSI’s main office, in Alexandria, Virginia. One of the many interesting things about this treasure hunt was learning what metals are used for CSI medals. What are those metals? Silver for Fellows, copper for presidents, bronze for former presidents, and gold for distinguished or honorary members. However, as former Institute president Gilman Hu said, “A medal awarded to you is only worth the honor that goes with it. A medal purchased isn’t worth the metal it was made from.” © 2010, Sheldon Wolfe. Follow me at http://swconstructivethoughts.blogspot. com/, http://twitter.com/swolfearch
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Membership News May, June, July & August
NEW Members Welcome to all these new members! We look forward to meeting you at chapter activities: ÐÐ Curtis Cormane, CSI, Architect ÐÐ Marie Malone, CSI, Co Architects ÐÐ R.D. McDonnell, CSI, McDonnell Group ÐÐ Jeffery Friedlander, CSI-S, Student ÐÐ Bill Horton, CSI, Brand X Metals, Inc. ÐÐ Eric Jurus, CSI, Kingspan Insulated Panels ÐÐ Matthew Stephens, CSI, Triton Building Products
More than 40 Years Ago:
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ÐÐ Patricia Smith, CSI, CCPR, PS Consulting, July 2005
ÐÐ Lorne Bell Jr., CSI, Member Emeritus, Woodwork Institute, May 1965
ÐÐ David McAfee, CSI, Perkins & Will, August 2005
ÐÐ Charles Denisac, Jr., FCSI, CDT June 1965
ÐÐ Bruce Konschuh, CSI, CDT, HDR Architecture, Inc 2005
More than 30 Years Ago: ÐÐ Young Johnson, CSI, CDT, July 1971 ÐÐ Sam Drucker, CSI, Member Emeritus, CDT, July 1973 ÐÐ J. Richard Fare, CSI, CCS, July 1973 ÐÐ Russell Hobbs, CSI, Member Emeritus, CCS July 1974
20 Years Ago: ÐÐ Nathan Battle, CSI, CDT, July 1990
10 Years Ago: Member Recognition Congratulations to all these members who joined in May, June, July or August and have maintained continuous membership.
More than 50 Years Ago:
ÐÐ Scott Ferguson, CSI, Dunn Edwards, June 2000 ÐÐ Scott Gudineer, CSI, Flewelling & Moody, July 2000
5 Years Ago: ÐÐ Ronald Brown, CSI, CCS, Metropolitan Water District, May 2005
ÐÐ Robert Meyerhof, CSI Member Emeritus, June 1955
ÐÐ Kay Melcher, CSI, CCS, STV Incorporated, June 2005
ÐÐ Gayle Pace, CSI June 1959
ÐÐ Stephen Leighton, CSI, CDT, Perkins & Will, July 2005 23
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Me m b e r s h i p C o m m i t t ee New s says Craig set a really high bar for the prize. Vince, Joe and Craig would be glad to share some of their membership recruitment ideas with you - just ask. Valerie Harris, FCSI CCPR
Need a membership badge? Many thanks to Vince Overmyer and Melissa Higgins of Merlex who have taken on the challenge of ordering name badges. If you ordered a badge, please check at the registration table at the next monthly membership meeting. Or contact Vince at Vincent.Overmyer@verizon.net.
And the Winner is… Vince Overmyer has won the “The Joe Back Invitational” Membership Contest. Vince brought in the most new members between November 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010. Joe has personally selected a couple of bottles of wine to be presented at a dinner meeting. Joe Back won the first membership invitational “The Craig Mount Invitational” and
Certification: It can make your membership in CSI more valuable Many members who have studied for and received their CSI Certifications have found the information learned invaluable in doing their jobs better and more easily. The CSI Project Resource Manual(PRM) is the basic source material for the exam. It takes you through a building project from conception to design, then construction, its useful life, and then reuse or demolition. The PRM sets out a unified set of principles for project documents that will help make the building processes more understandable and work together to improve the project communication and project quality. It helps increase your understanding of the procedures and concerns of the other people working with you on a project. If is a great resource for Architects, Engineers, Product Reps, Contractors, Facilities Owners anyone involved in the construction process and the life of a building. You may purchase a PRM from LACSI for a limited time at www.lacsi.net.
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Information about the CSI Certification program, exam dates, costs and much more can be found at www.csinet.org. The 2011 Spring National Exams will take place over a 2-week period: March 28 - April 9, 2011. Registration for the Spring exams will open in October. The early registration deadline will be January 28, 2011. The final registration deadline will be February 26, 2011. The Los Angeles Chapter will be offering classes to help you study for the exam in the winter in time for the Spring exam dates. Watch for information in the newsletter and at www.lacsi.org.
Ideas! Do you have an idea for something that the chapter could do to make membership even more valuable? We’d love to hear about it. valarieh@pacbell.net We can always use more help. Our chapter is all volunteer. To help, or to share your ideas, just contact our President, Patrick Comerford, or Membership Chairs, Valarie Harris, FCSI, CCPR and Teena Santiago, CSI, CDT.
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MISSION
Did you know?
LACSI is a member of USGBC? As an LACSI member, you can take advantage of our USGBC Membership and enjoy the benefits by registering on the USGBC.org website or e-mailing us at lacsi.green@gmail.com. Sign-in or register on www.USGBC.org, click onto “membership” under “your account” and connect with LA CSI. Request the connection and receive USGBC benefits: ÐÐ Discounts on reference guides, study guides, LEED Implementation guides, USGBC Education webinars and online courses, LEED exam ÐÐ Access to USGBC Member Directory ‘USGBC’ and related logo is a trademark owned by the U.S. Green Building Council and is used by permission.
Knowledge for Creating and Sustaining the Built Environment National website: www.csinet.org Los Angeles Chapter: www.lacsi.org
The Mission of the Los Angeles Chapter of The Construction Specifications Institute is to provide its members the opportunity to share information about materials and methods of construction, and to promote improved preparation, delivery and use of construction documents. The Chapter fosters the professional development of its members and provides service to the construction industry by promoting education, research, certification, recognition of outstanding accomplishments, and networking opportunities within the Chapter, Region, Institute, and construction industry.
Newsletter Editors Laura Sellmer: Lsellmer@isecinc.com Steve Taylor: steve@woodinst.com THE LOS ANGELES CHAPTER
Designed by Tarvin Commercial Art THE LOS ANGELES CHAPTER
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