MMM – NASA’s Johnson Space Center

Magnificent Metal Monday (MMM) takes us to Houston, Texas, to take a look at the new home of NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) Biomedical Research & Environmental Sciences Division, a facility responsible for enhancing and studying astronaut and human health. Approximately 20,600 square feet of CENTRIA‘s metal panels provided the design solution for the “space age” building.

As featured in the April 2 issue of DesignandBuildwithMetal, Dennis Patrick, Architectural Discipline Leader and Professional Associate with HDR, the firm responsible for the building design, commented that “CENTRIA’s panels were the right fit for our needs.” “We needed a product that was able to resist material distortion from excessive solar heat and hold up to the tough Houston weather, including UV exposure and coastal marine corrosion.” CENTRIA used their Concept Series CS-220 and CS-260 single-skin rainscreen panels feature concealed fasteners and a common-lock joint that allows the panels to be integrated with each other. The panels can be installed vertically or horizontally and have an unbroken appearance that further adds to the product’s aesthetic versatility.

CENTRIA innovations in architectural metal wall and roof systems are helping building teams around the world envision metal as the future of the building envelope. Based in the Pittsburgh area, CENTRIA metal architectural systems are the perfect combination of science and aesthetics, offering advanced thermal and moisture protection technology, the broadest spectrum of design options, truly integrated components, and superior sustainability. CENTRIA is a Cornerstone Building Brands company.

METALCON is thrilled to welcome CENTRIA back as an exhibitor at METALCON 2019. Be sure to visit them in Booth #747 on the show floor. For a little pre-planning, check out METALCON’s floor plan. Partner publication, DesignandBuildwithMetal.com, will also be at this year’s show and once again be the sponsor of the cash prizes for the Innovation Stations Scavenger Hunt.

SUBSCRIBE to METALCON and be the first to know when registration is open. METALCON 2019 will take place in Pittsburgh, October 16-18.

MMM – Architect I.M. Pei Dies at 102

I.M. Pei Dies at 102; photo courtesy of ArchDaily

Magnificent Metal Monday honors arguably the greatest member of the modernist generation of architects today. I.M. Pei died last week at the age of 102.

The Chinese-American architect was born on April 26, 1917 in Suzhou, China, grew up in Hong Kong and Shanghai and then moved to the United States to study architecture. When he received his Pritzker Prize in 1983, the jury citation stated that he “has given this century some of its most beautiful interior spaces and exterior forms.” His most notable work is the Louvre Pyramid in Paris, France.

Steel Tariffs — Hot Topic at METALCON 2019

Although imposed over a year ago, steel tariffs are still making headlines in today’s news. How have they affected your business this past year? Earlier today, Bloomberg News reported that after one year since the tariffs were imposed that it’s had mixed results. They are reporting that while the steel industry saw some growth in job creation, it was at a cost of approximately $900,000 per job to the taxpayer. And while American steel producers of materials like nuts and bolts saw significant gains in sales as a result of increasing their prices, large American steel companies like NUCOR and U.S. Steel saw their overall shares slump in the past year.

MMM – Top Metal Builders of 2018

Credit: Metal Construction News

Metal Construction News just published their comprehensive report on the Top Metal Builders of 2018 based on steel tonnage usage. Overall they reported 2018 to be a strong year for metal builders based on both tonnage and square footage. Over the last 9 years, the tonnage of steel used annually by the largest metal builders has trended upward except for a slip in 2016 and 2017.

Overall, the reported use of steel jumped from 1,801.4 tons in 2017 to 2,495.8, which is more than a 36 percent increase. The size of the buildings constructed jumped more than 19 percent from 509,475 to 606,551 square feet. According to the report, CDMG, located in Canonsburg, PA, had the largest ranking increase in both tonnage and square footage.

Labor shortage still remains the number one challenge that the industry faced in 2018 and is still facing in 2019.

Courtesy of Metal Construction News

To read the full report, click HERE.

Metal Construction News has been a long-standing METALCON Partner Publication and will be on hand at METALCON 2019 in Pittsburgh, October 16-18, 2019. Make plans today to join us at the only event focused on the use of metal in design and construction. Your Total Experience awaits you.

Construction Safety Week 2019

The Construction Industry Safety (CISI) group, comprised of more than 70 national and global construction firms, and the Incident and Injury Free CEO (IIF) Forum have joined forces with a single aim: to inspire everyone in the industry to be leaders in safety. The Construction Industry Safety Initiative (CISI) includes twelve major contractors who come together every other year for a two-day meeting to discuss only one thing – SAFETY. CISI holds a Safety Summit that includes over 30 major contractors in the United States. The CEO Forum is led by a group of senior construction industry leaders who are committed to sharing Incident and Injury-Free™(IIF™) safety best practices. They have met bi-annually since 2009 with the objective to both sustain and recreate their present IIF™ journeys while at the same time creating the possibility of an industry-wide safety transformation.

MMM – Home of First Aluminum Building

Alcoa Building, Pittsburgh; photo courtesy of Historic Pittsburgh

We all know that Pittsburgh carries the moniker “Steel City,” but, did you know that Pittsburgh was the first city to build an all aluminum building? According to “Historic Pittsburgh,” the Alcoa Building, located at 425 6th Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh, used aluminum wherever possible including aluminum furniture, aluminum piping and wiring, and aluminum air-conditioning ducts. Its thirty-story tower is lighter and more efficient than buildings of comparable size at the time of its construction.

MMM – Steel Veils are Decorating Buildings

From Mexico City to North Carolina to Minnesota, metal panels are serving as artistic veils for buildings.

Check out this amazing facade on an office building in Mexico City! As reported in The Architects Newspaper, “Profiles is a six-story commercial building draped in a diaphanous and perforated carbon-steel veil that partially resembling a stylish extraterrestrial ship landed in the heart of the city.” The primary function of the carbon-steel veil is to serve as an exterior-shading device, and to this effect, the design team used a digital script to randomly distribute the perforations.

Technology will be Key in Rebuilding Notre Dame Cathedral

Laser scanned 3D image of Notre Dame; Andrew Tallon/Vassar College via National Geographic

Thanks to cutting-edge image technology, the daunting task of rebuilding a near 900 year old building will be possible. According to an article published last week in Futurism, “Thanks to the meticulous work of Vassar art historian Andrew Tallon, every exquisite detail and mysterious clue to the building’s 13th-century construction was recorded in a digital archive in 2015 using laser imaging. These records have revolutionized our understanding of how the spectacular building was built — and could provide a template for how Paris could rebuild.”

MMM Celebrates Earth Day

On this Earth Day, Magnificent Metal Monday (MMM) turns to our friends at Metal Roofing Alliance to see how metal stacks up against other roofing materials in being environmentally friendly. According to MRA, metal is considered the most environmentally friendly and sustainable roofing material available based on its sustainability, energy savings and value. Metal roofs are 100% recyclable and are made with a minimum of 25% recycled material, depending on the type of metal. Metal roofs can also often be installed over an existing roof, eliminating the environmental impact of disposal.

MMM – Robotics Headquarters Features All-Metal Aesthetic, Building Envelope

Innovation First International headquarters; photo courtesy of DesignandBuildwithMetal.com

Magnificent Metal Monday (MMM) travels to Greenville, Texas, to check out the new high tech headquarters for Innovation First International. As reported by our friends with DesignandBuildwithMetal.com in March, “The company behind the popular HEX BUG micro robotic toy line was founded on the belief that product and technological innovation are vital to success, so it’s no wonder the company turned to a state-of-the-art, Metl-Span building envelope for its new, 63,500 square-foot headquarters.”

Ice Ice Baby – Pittsburgh Fever!

PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA; Photo courtesy of The KMA Group

It’s a sports lovers week! First the NCAA Basketball Championship Game and now onto the Stanley Cup ice hockey playoffs. Why would we cover this for our METALCON readers you ask? If you haven’t already heard, METALCON 2019 is headed to Pittsburgh in October for the first time in its 28 year show history. There are a lot of factors that go into the decision of where the show will take place year over year. Given Pittsburgh’s illustrious history in the steel industry, along with the ongoing development of its downtown and convention district, selecting it for the 2019 show was an easy decision.

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The NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game tips off tonight with third ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders going up against #1 ranked Virginia Cavaliers. This is Texas Tech’s first appearance in the Championship Game, and could be Virginia’s first win in school history depending on the game’s outcome. After doing a little digging, both schools have some interesting architectural and steel facts!

New Report Suggests Growth for Metal Roofing is based on Climate Changes

Photo credit: Metal Roofing Alliance

According to the latest figures from the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA), metal roofing is growing in popularity, especially in states that experience severe climate conditions. The report identifies the top five states for interest in metal roofing are Florida, Pennsylvania, California, New York and North Carolina, with Texas close behind.

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A spiral staircase cuts through the “collaboration core.” Photo credit: Curbed Atlanta

The world’s tallest spiral staircase opened last month in Atlanta, Georgia! No April Fool’s Day joke here – it’s true! World-renowned and late Atlanta-based architect John Portman Jr. scores again for his ingenuity with the opening of his Coda Building located in Midtown Atlanta near the Georgia Tech University’s campus. This is the first of three new John Portman and Associates-designed office towers set to open. Although he didn’t get to see it finished before he passed away last year, Portman at least knew that his vision for Coda, a futuristic hub for entrepreneurs at Georgia Tech, his alma mater, would become a reality.

A Fresh Look at Stone Coated Steel Tiles

Gerard stone-coated steel-tile roof – Barrel Vault Profile; photo credit Roofingcalc.com

Dating back to the days of World War II when the British demanded a stronger roofing product to protect themselves against bombings, stone coated steel roofing tiles have played an important part of roofing history. It wasn’t until a few years ago that the industry saw a surge in their popularity and usage.

Several important industry announcements …

HOUSING IS OPEN FOR METALCON 2019!

Make plans now to attend METALCON 2019, October 16-18, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and make your hotel reservations today. Housing is officially open and Globetrotter Travel, METALCON’s ONLY travel partner, is ready to make your guaranteed reservation. Select from hotels in walking distance from the Convention Center at competitive hotel rates.

Sustainable Steel – Roadmap into the Future

FF Journal’s March issue brings us an in-depth look at how structural steel is at the core of eco-friendly building projects. The structural steel market is poised to play a significant role in adopting a new project delivery model. The article examines how changing the traditional steel supply chain model would help advance the industry into a more efficient and greener one.

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Santiago Calatrava’s designed IST Building at Florida Polytechnic University near Orlando, Florida

This past weekend included a road trip to Florida’s “mecca land,” Orlando. With two “tweens” in the car, I was essentially the hired “uber” driver so had plenty of time to take in the sights during the drive. While driving along Florida’s Interstate 4, the main highway that runs between Tampa and Orlando, amidst the vast flatness of the landscape, there, positioned between cow fields, an unmistakable work of art appeared. After further research, it turns out to be Florida Polytechnic University’s flagship building, the Innovation, Science, and Technology (IST) Building, designed by none other than the world-renowned Spanish architect Dr. Santiago Calatrava.

MCA Presents Distinguished Service Awards

As announced in this week’s issue of DesignandBuildwithMetal.com, “The Metal Construction Association (MCA) proudly presented its annual Patrick R. Bush Volunteer Service Award to Jonathan Rider, and Larry A. Swaney Award to Mark James. Both Rider and James have been long-standing and significant contributors to the METALCON show. The prestigious awards were given during MCA’s winter meeting January 15th in Key Largo.

Magnificent Metal Monday

Photo courtesy of Construction Dive, December 21, 2018

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home of METALCON 2019, may be seeing a $700 million city enhancement project come to fruition in the near future. According to Construction Dive, local developer Millcraft Investments provided more information last week about the Esplanade, its planned $700 million, 15-acre mixed-use development along the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Metal Roofing in the Spotlight

Metal Roofing Ezine

DesignandBuildwithMetal.com has issued their inaugural Metal Roofing Edition. This issue features some of the most outstanding metal roofing projects showcased on their website over the past 12 months, along with a number of supporting articles dealing with related technologies and ancillary products. The cover features a fire station in Florida that doubles as a hurricane command center. The building showcases metal roofing from Petersen, illustrating both the aesthetic qualities and performance attributes that have made metal the first choice for such projects.

Recycling Makes the Heart Grow

A recent article in Metropolis Magazine asks, “When a building comes down, where do its materials go?” Recycling five essential materials—steel, concrete, drywall, glass, flooring—turns up different challenges, but architects can be part of the solution. As the environmental crisis worsens, we must ask: Can we reduce our demand on new resources? The article

Protecting Metal Building Materials during Winter

Deicing now uses chemicals that can be harmful to metal building materials. Image:Wikimedia.

Seeing this recent “polar vortex” create record breaking frigid temperatures, here is a relevant article about protecting metal building materials from corrosion caused by severe weather. Metal Construction News’ recent article, “Tarping Loads During Winter Months,” explores the changing needs of transporting metal building materials during harsh winter conditions.

Metal Industry Awards – Vote Today!

Cast your vote!

With it being award season for film, music and more, why should the metal industry be any exception?

Metal Construction News is running several contests and would like you to cast your vote!

Metal Construction Hall of Fame

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  Taipei Performing Arts Center; Photo courtesy of Dezeen

ArchDaily presents the most anticipated architectural projects of 2019. Some that made the list include two long awaited projects in Taipei include a new Performing Arts Center and a new Pop Music Centre. Closer to home, the “Vessel,” a 15-story tall sculpture comprised of 154 intricately interconnecting flights of stairs, and The Shed, a new cultural venue, are scheduled to open sometime this year at the New York City Hudson Yards.

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  Photo Courtesy of Curbed NY

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  Photo Courtesy of Curbed NY

Let it Snow!

As winter weather officially sets in and reports of snow and ice storms appear in the news on a more regular basis, thanks to our friends at MCA, you will be well prepared. MCA has released a technical bulletin concerning snow retention and the proper design and use of snow retention devices when a metal roof is involved called Qualifying Snow Retention Systems for Metal Roofing.

What will 2019 look like?

Where’s the crystal ball when you need one? Without crystal balls, tarot cards or other mind-reading methods, we turn to the industry trades to help us “see into the future.”

Magnificent Metal Monday

Citic Tower in Beijing; photo courtesy:  The Skyscraper Center

The 528-meter (1,732 ft) Citic Tower in Beijing was the tallest building completed anywhere in the world this year. It has 108 floors above ground and ranks as the fourth-tallest building in China as well as the eighth-tallest worldwide. CITIC Tower will be the flagship building of Beijing’s comprehensively planned central business district core measuring close to 75 acres.  

Best of the Best of 2018

Grand Award winner in the 2018 Metal Construction News Building & Roofing Awards; photo courtesy of pod architecture + design, Rabbit Hole Distilling, and Prodigy Construction

You know it’s nearing the end of another year when “best of” lists for everything from music to toys to movies to fashion begin popping up everywhere.  The construction and roofing industry is no exception.  Here’s a round-up of some of the industry’s “best of the best” from 2018:

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Photo courtesy of Construction Dive

Construction begins on Texas Border Gates

Despite resistance on behalf of many lawmakers to commit to additional funding and also risking a possible government shut down later this month over this issue, construction on the border wall between Texas and Mexico is ongoing.  Construction Dive recently reported, ” U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), along with the Army Corps of Engineers, announced the start of construction at another section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, with the latest contract worth up to $5.7 million.”