California Contractor’s Skills Tested In Dramatic Academy Of Science Museum Project

Aerial photo showcases the living roof with the "Seven Hills of San Francisco" and BMS operable windows/portals for natural ventilation and light.

The mechanical skills of a SMACNA contractor, Control Air North Inc. of Hayward, Calif., were tested by the challenging work on the mechanical system for the dramatic new California Academy of Science in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.

Designed by the innovative architect Renzo Piano, the spectacular 410,000-square-foot museum, which opened in September 2008, includes an aquarium, planetarium, tropical rain forest, and research facilities, all underneath a living green roof.

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HVAC Contractor’s Commitment To The Environment Results In LEED-Platinum Building

The new green WPUDA building has reduced energy consumption by 60 percent.

Sunset Air Inc. of Lacy, Wash., recently completed an innovative HVAC project on the distinctive new Washington Public Utility Districts Association (WPUDA) office building in Olympia, Wash. – the first LEED Platinum building in the state of Washington.

Sunset Air served as LEED consultant and mechanical and design-build HVAC subcontractor on the two-story, 20,200-square-foot “green” building, which was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification, the highest possible rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

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HVAC Contractor Takes Ductwork Back To Alma Mater

Exterior of Building 8. MEP coordination of music classrooms on the north side included 15 inches of sound-absorbing insulation on top of the ceiling.

Providing the new ductwork for West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Fla., was especially meaningful for Daniel Lapin, project manager of Lapin Sheet Metal Company Inc., of Orlando, Fla. Mr. Lapin graduated from West Orange High School and returned to his alma mater as the HVAC contractor on this project to install the HVAC ductwork on the school’s nine separate buildings – from the gymnasium to the auditorium.

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UL Certification Of First Sheet Metal Duct Manufacturer

SMACNA member Walsh Mechanical Contractors of Abington, Mass. is the first to receive the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) third-party certification for the listing and labeling of sheet metal air duct under their new product category Sheet Metal Air Ducts.

Walsh principals, father and son, Paul LeBel Sr. and Jr., committed to participate in a pilot project under a partnership between the SMACNA Testing and Research Institute, Inc. (STRI) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to work through the details of the new certification program.

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Visit SMACNA’s New BIM Web Page

SMACNA is creating another valuable service to give SMACNA members the advantage they need – a Web site for members only dedicated exclusively to Building Information Modeling (BIM). The new Web site, available in June, will feature useful member resources on BIM in legal/contracts and member education. It also will include outside resources and Web links.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Tech News

• LEED Version 3 Provides Opportunities For SMACNA HVAC Contractors
• UL Certification Of First Sheet Metal Duct Manufacturer

Industry Related

• Building A Business Case For Green Building

Education

• Two New HVAC Manuals – HVAC Systems Basics And Building Project Coordination
• SMACNA’s “Guide To Cost Recovery For Sheet Metal And HVAC Equipment” Now Available
• ITI Releases New Curriculums For HVAC Contractors

Contracts Bulletin

• Contracts Bulletin: What’s New For 2009?

Featured Topics

• Your HVAC Projects Wanted!
• California Contractor’s Skills Tested In Dramatic Academy Of Science Museum Project
• HVAC Contractor Takes Ductwork Back To Alma Mater
• Visit SMACNA’s New BIM Web Page
• HVAC Contractor’s Commitment To The Environment Results In LEED-Platinum Building

Annual Convention

• 2009 Convention Sessions Specifically For HVAC Contractors

Safety and Health

• Watch For Enforcement And Standards From OSHA