SPECTRUM

Newsletter of the Puget Sound Chapter CSI

 $35 members, $40 non-members, $25 students

Social Hour 5:05-6pm, Dinner 6-7pm, Program 7-8pm 

After Midnight Monday, January 6, tickets will cost an additional $10  

My pre-CSI phase

Vicki Long, CSI

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Have you made any resolutions? I'm sure there are the usual for many of us: lose weight, stop smoking, start exercising, eliminate sugar/carbs/fat, be more organized... you know the routine.  And, if you're like most, it lasts maybe a week, maybe two.  

I have a modest proposal that's easy, does not require a huge time commitment and provides results: PARTICIPATE in your Puget Sound CSI Chapter by joining a committee. You may not drop pounds but you'll gain plenty of friends and opportunities to advance your skills and knowledge. This chapter is full of experienced, intelligent professionals who are glad to share with others and provide networking contacts. The biggest bonus - you'll have a good time!

Make PARTICIPATION your new, doable and positive resolution for 2014.

The New Year promises more interesting seminars and programs as well as the ever popular ProSpec event. Those tables are filling very quickly so expect another SOLD OUT sign going up soon. Mark your calendars - we have two more lunch meetings coming up; one in February and the other in May. And don't forget  that we'll be taking nominations soon for the 2014-2015 year. This would be a great way for you to PARTICIPATE! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as President and my time on the Board as President Elect. Come on in! The water's fine!

Thanks to all who attended and participated in the Silent Auction to benefit Northwest Harvest last month. Dick Owen announced that we were able to donate over $1700 to this worthy local cause. It was a great way to end 2013.  

Let's go out and put together a great 2014!

Cost: $20 members, $40 non-members,

free for students.

Time: 3-5 pm

Title: Exploring Net Zero

Description: Join Panelists Jim Hanford, AIA, of The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP, and Ed Clark, LEED AP BD+C and Vikram Sami, BEMP, LEED AP BD + C, of ZGF Architects, LLP as they explore energy efficient strategies at two of Seattle's most impressive Net Zero capable buildings: the Bullitt Center and Federal Center South Building 1202.  

They will discuss how early decisions about Net Zero capability changes the design process, emerging trends in Net Zero buildings, and which energy efficient strategies they would like to see used in future buildings. Ample question and answer time will be allotted for those energy questions you've always wondered but never had the chance to ask.

Brian Nielsen of WSDOT gave a presentation about Bertha, the tunnel boring machine creating the passage that will eventually replace the SR 99 viaduct.

In addition to fun facts, Nielsen described the process, unique engineering challenges, and current progress. Also discussed were the benefits of using the Design-Build delivery method, such as allowing for selection of a pre-qualified contractor, accelerated schedule, innovation, risk distribution and control, and price certainty.  

Click here  for more information and to follow updates on Bertha's progress!

Northwest Region Conference 2014 

Building Bridges To The Future                   

May 8th-10th, 2014
Downtown Portland Hilton 

The Portland Chapter welcomes you to Oregon as host of the 2014 CSI NW Region Conference. Our agenda is packed with amazing presentations sure to enlighten and entertain.Please click here to view the conference schedule.

The following are some of the presentation highlights:

Architectural Models: How do they do that?

Learn about the new innovation's in architectural model building, the incorporation of today's electronic data to develop physical models of a project.

Optimizing Building Performance through Commissioning:

Commissioning and building verification are essential for quality construction and operation in new and existing buildings. It assures owners that building systems are installed and functioning properly. Plus it's cost-effective, providing energy savings as well as non-energy benefits.  

Nick Marcyan, CxA, CCP, Commissioning Authority at Interface Engineering, will provide an overview of the commissioning process, what to look for in an agent, and how commissioning can improve building performance.

The Living Building: "A Visionary Path to a Restorative Future"

Learn about the two rules of LBC and Scale Jumping and where does your project fit in the program? And what is required for a 'Living' Certification?

Visit the Portland Chapter website for more information or to register early. 

You should plan to attend the Portland Chapter's premier event the "Industry Forum" Thursday evening. Free ticket provided with full registration to conference and CEU credits available for both events.

You do not have to be a member of CSI to attend - our educational seminars & networking opportunities are for everyone. 

Watch for the CSI Portland Chapter newsletter, "The Predicator", for details on speakers.

As a professional association, CSI primarily serves the construction industry by providing a vibrant network of experts that share ideas, educate, and strive to continue and improve the quality of our role with our peers and our community. By doing so, it also serves the greater public good.  

CSI's service to the public is demonstrated by its voluntary commitment to upholding critical standards, facilitating continuing education, and partnering with a myriad of construction industry professionals across many disciplines.  This in turn, is of value to public interest and deepens the connection with our built environment.  We honor the blood, sweat, and tears of those that came before us in CSI, by carrying this responsibility forward.  

By perceiving the whole picture you can began to understand that CSI is greater than the sum of its parts. It's a personal, professional, and public service with a rich history.

Take a moment to reflect on the benefits CSI has opened up for you, your business, and your projects.  Think about the projects you've touched that made for stronger, healthier, and better sustainable places for people to live, work and play.

 Be a proud CSI member.        

This Is What's Wrong With This Spec

Beth Stroshane, CCS, LEED AP

In November, we asked readers to read a specification for Louvers and Vents and tell us what was wrong with it. Here are some responses we received:

• I would be suspicious that it was picked by someone convinced that a "maximum performance storm class louver" would keep the firm out of trouble.
• Seismic design vs. specified model number and missile impact: Louver model and missile impact requirement are specific to South Florida Building Code. Miami has the lowest earthquake hazard rating in the US. On the other hand, if this project was in Guam or South Japan or elsewhere in the tropics and on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", then both requirements might be applicable.
• Delete galvanized steel and associated ASTM, none in spec.
• Airolite louver should be specified as "basis of design" with C/S as additional acceptable manufacturer.
• Add Article 3.2 ADJUSTING AND CLEANING after 3.1.C.
• 'Building maintenance fall arrest force'....there is no louver that I've seen tested for window cleaning swing stage impact.
• The louver performance rating for free area and wind driven rain are for a 6 inch deep louver. However, a 10 inch deep louver model is specified, and ironically its performance rating might not meet the specifications.
• Listing both bird screen and blank off panels, which are almost never shown on the drawings, would indicate both are required, when often it's one or the other.
• Never seen bituminous paint used for material separation with louvers, and wonder if this has been passed down from generations of spec writers.
• Under "Materials", galvanized aluminum??
• For "Periodic Maintenance-Equipment Loads", typically we do not hang a human from a louver. Very unusual.

Capital Idea!

In "Worst case", I said it is time to stop using uppercase font on drawings. Let's continue that discussion, this time looking at specifications. Not that we should be using one set of rules for drawings, and another for specifications; the same rules should apply to both. With a few exceptions, text should use sentence case - capitalizing only the first word of a sentence and proper nouns. This seems reasonable, but, as we will see, it rarely happens.

Let's start with the exceptions. Section titles, Part titles, and article titles typically are presented in uppercase, and though it's not necessary, it has little effect on readability or comprehension, as these elements have few words. In addition, we're accustomed to it, as it's common in many other publications to use uppercase in those locations.

Beyond that, however, use of capital letters is unnecessary, and can be misleading. The AIA (and other) general conditions state, "Terms capitalized in these General Conditions include those that are (1) specifically defined, (2) the titles of numbered articles or (3) the titles of other documents published by the American Institute of Architects." Those are reasonable criteria for capitalization, though I'm not sure why (3) is included, as it's common practice to capitalize titles of all documents. As written, this statement addresses only the use of capitalization within the general conditions. Read more... 

NEW MEMBERS

Mr. David Cinamon, CSI, AIA, The Miller Hull Partnership LLP

Mr. Jason Chadley Foster, CSI-S

RENEWING MEMBERS

Ms. Monica Baillie, CSI, CCS, LANDMARK ARCHITECTURE LTD., 13 years

Mr. Steve Eugene Fischer, CSI, AIA, 1 year

Mr. Carl Dale Fjelsted, CSI, The Sherwin-Williams Company, 1 years

Mr. Terry E. Kastner, CSI, Northwest Wall & Ceiling Bureau, 6 years

Mr. Hugh N Kuyper, PE, CSI, CCCA, PE, LEED AP, Reid Middleton, Inc., 21 years

Mr. Eli Lemanski, CSI, CDT, 6 years

Mr. Ralph E. Maier, PE, CSI, CCS, 23 years

Mr. Joel Niemi, CSI, 31 years

Mr. Fernand M. Ricard, CSI, CDT, LEED AP, Callison Architecture, Inc., 11 years

Mr. Chris P. Rogstad, CSI, CDT, Window Tech, Inc., 26 years

Mr. Joe Russo, CSI, RRC, Malarkey Roofing Products, 6 years

Mr. Robert W. Simmons, FCSI, CCPR, CEO, BS, R.W. Simmons & Associates Inc, 25 years

Mr. David A. Smith, CSI, AHC, ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions, 2 years

Mr. Ross M. Whitehead, CSI, AIA, LEED AP, Schreiber Starling & Lane Architects, 6 years

LAPSED MEMBERS

Mr. Chad Edward Brickner, CSI, CDT, RRO

Mr. Mike Costello, CSI

November 2013

Volume 53 Issue 5