Archinect - News

EPA bans the last commercially used asbestos product in the United States

2024-03-20T11:49:00-04:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it will be banning the use of chrysotile asbestos, the last commercial asbestos derivative available in the United States. The ban will primarily impact the automotive industry and puts an end to the 40-plus years of reforms against its use, which has for a long time been proven to cause multiple forms of cancer.

In a statement on the ban, EPA Administrator Michael Regan told reporters: "The science is clear — asbestos is a known carcinogen that has severe impacts on public health. President Biden understands that this concern that has spanned generations and impacted the lives of countless people. That’s why EPA is so proud to finalize this long-needed ban on ongoing uses of asbestos."

CNN noted that the chrysotile type of asbestos is most commonly used to manufacture car brakes and linings and other automotive p...

The Hunters Point Library case highlights the ADA's failures to prevent inequality by design

2023-07-24T11:35:00-04:00

More than 30 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, mandating reasonable accommodations and accessibility features for people with disabilities. Yet to this day, ADA noncompliant sidewalks, crosswalks, and public transportation stops permeate U.S. cities from coast to coast.

The plaintiff in the Hunters Point Library suit against Steven Holl — disability advocate Tanya Jackson — is another high-profile case highlighting the effects of racial health inequality in design and the failures of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for Black disabled citizens, 37% of whom are experiencing poverty.

Some critics have begun apologizing for hyping certain flawed aspects of its design. Recently, the LA Times’ Carolina Miranda diagnosed it as “a structure in which architectural gymnastics have elbowed out basic function” after her own timely house call.

'Lunch atop a skyscraper' reflects how far construction safety standards have come

2023-07-05T14:49:00-04:00

Eleven men perch precariously on a metal beam, eating lunch, lighting cigarettes or drinking from glass bottles. Wearing only cloth caps as head protection, the men dwarf the hazy background of 1930s New York City and Central Park. Much has changed since workers building the 66-story, 850-foot-tall Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan posed for “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” in 1932, but it remains construction’s most iconic photograph.

The photograph, which was originally displayed in the New York Herald Tribune on October 2, 1932, was and continues to be a positive and widely admired American symbol. However, when examining what’s being depicted, it is undeniable that there is an array of problematic safety violations present, including a lack of proper footwear, personal protective equipment, and fall protection. It reflects how far safety standards have come from a time when they were nonexistent, and workplace fatalities were expected.

Previously on Archinect: Construction fatalities in New York City have reached a three-year high

As noted by Construction Dive, with today’s OSHA standards, the scene depicted in the photo could result in initial fines of approximately $155,000 per person. The photo also symbolizes the ongoing fight for continued worker protection. Construction still remains one of the deadliest industries in the U.S, with slips, trips, and falls among the most deadly hazards. Latino workers als...

Construction fatalities in New York City have reached a three-year high

2023-04-14T10:00:00-04:00

A new report from the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has shown an alarming increase in construction worker fatalities in the city for 2022.

A total of 11 deaths were recorded for the year, up from 9 the previous year and the 8 that were recorded in 2020. A total of 9 fatal accidents were the result of falls, which injured another 200 workers. Brooklyn led all five boroughs with 6 fatalities, while Manhattan led the tally of injuries at 255.

The DOB says an increase in building activity citywide is at least partially to blame.

This comes a year after the agency enacted a program of “zero tolerance” safety sweeps resulting in stop-work orders at nearly 1,500 construction sites throughout New York City. The year 2022 had a recorded decline in those orders. The report also cited the impacts of better safety equipment for workers and the increased emphasis on safety education practices.

2021 was an increasingly deadly year for construction workers in New York

2023-02-24T14:24:00-05:00

In 2021, 12.1 per 100,000 construction workers in New York state died on the job, a 9% increase from 11.1 the year before, according to a new report from the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health. The total number of workers who died in the state increased to 61 in 2021, up from 41 in 2020, reported NYCOSH, a membership organization that represents workers, unions and health and safety professionals.

The Committee also found that one-quarter of all workplace fatalities across New York state took place on construction sites, a repeat of the figure contained in the Deadly Skyline Report for 2020. Latino workers accounted for 25.5% of the deaths recorded, keeping pace with a larger grisly national trend. Overall, an average of 53.6 workers have died on job sites each year in New York over the past decade.

The NYC Department of Buildings had the same year enacted “zero tolerance” safety sweeps resulting in nearly 1,500 stop-work orders. The reform efforts were added to recently in the form of the new Carlos’ Law, which will increase the financial penalties on employers in negligent death cases from $10,000 to $500,000 (to a maximum of $1 million). In New York City alone, where 20 workers died, some 89% of construction sites had some form of safety issue, according to a ...

Construction still ranks as one of the deadliest industries in the U.S., according to new survey

2022-12-21T16:24:00-05:00

Construction workers died at a rate of 9.4 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2021, the BLS reported, down from 10.1 in 2020. That rate has hovered in that threshold for at least a decade. The new per capita figures are the lowest since 2011, but still don’t break the trend. Worker death rate across all industries was 3.6 per 100,000, the highest since 2016.

Among the demographics, immigrant Hispanic & Latino workers were almost twice as likely to die than their U.S.-born counterparts, highlighting an underreported problem nationwide. Slips, trips, and falls were among the most commonly-recorded causes of death, followed by transportation accidents, exposure to toxic substances, and fatal contact with equipment. This comes after news that construction site staffing has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

“There is a temptation to see a decline in the fatality numbers as something to celebrate. It isn’t,” Brian Turmail of the Associated General Contractors of America told Construction Dive bluntly. “There is nothing acceptable about nearly 1,000 people losing their lives in our industry.”

LA halts Metro Purple Line construction over worker safety concerns

2022-10-28T17:09:00-04:00

Work on the vast expansion of the Metro Purple Line in Los Angeles has come to an abrupt stop following dozens of worker injuries and safety concerns that officials say have not been addressed. “Metro has ordered its contractor to temporarily suspend all field work on the Purple Line Extension Section 2 Project due to the unacceptable rate of serious worker injuries,” Metro said in a statement. "The safety of those building our county’s transportation projects must always be protected.”

A total of nine serious incidents were recorded this calendar year alone, with several near-misses that could have been “more serious,” according to Metro’s letter to general contractor Tutor Perini. Parts of the project had previously accelerated thanks to Covid-related street closures. According to KTLA, the Metro has issued an order to Tutor Perini to produce a revised safety plan before work on the six-station project can resume.

Survey: Nearly half of industrial workers report stress on the job

2022-10-21T14:17:00-04:00

It’s probably no surprise to those who make their career in the construction industry: Many construction workers are feeling a lot of pressure. In fact, 47% of construction worker respondents to a survey by StrongArm Technologies said they are currently stressed on the job.

The report, titled the Industrial Athlete Workforce Report, by Brooklyn-based safety technology company StrongArm Technologies surveyed more than 600 workers in construction, manufacturing, and warehouse and transport industries about their jobs. Top stressors for workers included not being paid enough, difficulty recruiting new employees, and a lack of advancement opportunities.

Additionally, about a third of workers said it’s challenging to take time off for vacation, with about the same share saying their job had negative impacts on their mental and physical health. Three key actionable takeaways were listed in the report, which include the impact workplace stress has on home life, the lack of on-job training, and the need to further prioritize worker safety.

An adaptive-reuse project in the Bronx has become New York's most notorious construction site

2022-06-07T09:00:00-04:00

This site, where an old building is being transformed into a charter school, has just distinguished itself from the 40,000 other major construction projects in New York City by having its third worker fatality in less than three years. No other construction site in New York City has had this many separate fatal incidents since at least 2003, when the Department of Buildings began keeping electronic records. But despite the pattern of deaths, the consequences have been negligible.

In full view of the Major Deegan Expressway, 20 Bruckner Boulevard, known throughout the New York area as the site of the iconic former History Channel (and later iHeartRadio) billboard, was once the ice storehouse of a former Yankees owner and is now being transformed into a charter school by developer Maddd Equities, who has had a scant $28,000 in fines levied against them in the past years despite the record-high fatalities.

Being a construction worker is one of the most lethal occupations in New York City, with rates of injury and death rising ahead of the pandemic before falling slightly owing to the economic downturn. Most of the men profiled in the Times are nonunion immigrant laborers working for $120-per-day to start, with some being recruited from homeless shelters to meet demands. An OSHA investigation revealed that some deaths were not properly reported for weeks.

Previously on Archinect: Nearly 1 in 4 workplace deaths in New York occur in construction

Multiple stop-work...

Lawmakers are calling for federal action in the wake of this month's deadly Bronx fire

2022-01-28T12:18:00-05:00

On the heels of [the] horrific Bronx fire that killed 17 people, including eight children, Senator Charles Schumer and Congressman Ritchie Torres on Tuesday unveiled a "4-point federal fire safety package" that includes addressing sprinklers, self-closing doors, heaters and federal investigation powers.

The pair of lawmakers had recently joined together to push the federal government to include the Cross Bronx Expressway into the infrastructure bill. Their new fire safety plan includes a mandate on automatic space heater shutoff features. The early-January fire that killed 17 at the Twin Parks North West apartment building near Fordham University has been blamed on a device that had been left unattended for days.

Torres has been adamant about bringing the incident into the national conversation on housing inequality, pushing in Congress for punitive measures that can be affected against landlords that do not properly maintain routine building safety measures like the self-closing doors that failed in Twin Parks.

“People of color in places like the South Bronx often live in conditions that put them at far greater risk of losing everything — their homes, their families, their own lives — from a catastrophic fire,” Torres said at a press conference. “We have the tools to save lives. ...

Questions surround the deadly collapse of a 21-story tower during construction in Lagos, Nigeria

2021-11-02T16:11:00-04:00

At least 16 people have been confirmed dead after the collapse of a 21-story apartment tower which was under construction in Lagos, Nigeria. The collapse occurred on Monday, November 1st in the city’s Ikoyi district, on a construction site for luxury apartments. As of Tuesday, November 2nd, nine people have been pulled alive from the rubble with over 100 people still feared missing, many of whom are construction workers.

The apartment building had been under construction for the past two years and is one of three towers being built on the site by a private developer named Fourscore Homes. The cheapest unit to be marketed in the now-ruined structure was selling for $1.2 million. According to Bloomberg, Nigerian authorities have now arrested the owner of the building on undisclosed charges.

In June of this year, the building site was temporarily sealed off for failing to meet structural integrity requirements and to allow for anomalies to be corrected before construction recommen...

Colorado contractors sue Denver over alleged unconstitutional vaccine mandate

2021-10-06T17:10:00-04:00

Alleging that vaccine mandates for contractors are unconstitutional, the Colorado Contractors Association is suing the city of Denver for requiring workers on public contracts to get inoculated against COVID-19.

The Colorado Contractors Association, along with six other construction associations, believe the mandate violates the U.S. Constitution’s contracts clause because it substantially impairs their existing contract rights with the city. As reported by Construction Dive, the associations expect the city to fine companies up to $5,000 per day if they do not comply. The Colorado Contractors Association (CCA) argues that this is much stricter than President Joe Biden’s executive order that businesses with 100 or more employees must require vaccinations or have employees get regularly tested for COVID-19.

The CCA says its members aren’t anti-vaccine, but the city of Denver hasn’t given contractors enough time to comply because of the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy among construction workers. The CCA attributes this delay to the fact that the construction industry is largely composed of minority workers who are more reluctant to get vaccinated due to mistrust of the government.

...

Poor workmanship and value engineering are the biggest risks to buildings, says UK survey

2021-07-26T12:58:00-04:00

A survey of construction industry professionals in the UK has found that uncontrolled value engineering and poor workmanship present the biggest risks to the built environment. The study was commissioned by the British Board of Agrément (BBA), a major UK body for issuing certificates for construction products.

The survey results are contained within a new report by the BBA which focuses on risks to high-rise residential buildings; which generated over 10,000 viewpoint responses between March and June 2021.

As part of the report, respondents were asked what factors they believed were “the five most likely to cause an emerging or actual disaster in the next few years.” 79% of respondents ranked “poor construction / installation quality” in their top five risks for building safety, while 74% identified “uncontrolled value engineering.” Aspects relating to fire safety ranked a distant third and fourth, with “breaches in fire compartmentation” included by 53% of respondents, and fires fr...

Construction workers are battling the heat in unexpected regions

2021-07-24T09:00:00-04:00

Late last month, however, the Pacific Northwest saw the temperature skyrocket and break multiple records. The thermometer soared to 115 in Portland and 108 in Seattle. The heatwave caused up to 100 deaths in Oregon [...]. The usual regional temperature in June is in the high 80s. For outdoor construction work, the heat posed an unusual challenge in the region.

The potential for disruptions due to extreme weather comes as the industry was beginning to pull away from materials shortages caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Oregon has joined several other states in adopting protective labor laws. An updated OSHA protection rule is expected soon.

Construction Drive has more on the industry's response attempts to beat the heat here.

61 people “died in buildings the city knew were firetraps” since 2014, says Chicago investigation

2021-04-26T10:40:00-04:00

An investigation by the Better Government Association (BGA) and the Chicago Tribune has found that, since 2014, at least 61 people have died in Chicago buildings where city officials were aware of fire safety problems. Buildings where the deaths occurred, 23 of which were children under the age of 17, included apartments the city knew lacked smoke detectors, abandoned buildings the city was supposed to demolish, and homes where tenants had complained to the city about heating problems.

Of the 42 deadly fires, nine contained unaddressed fire safety issues previously reported to city officials, which were later noted as potential causes of the fires. These include fires started by stoves or space heaters in buildings that the city knew had no central heating, or faulty wiring and electrical issues unaddressed by the city for years. In 24 fires, the city was warned about fire mitigation measures that were not properly provided, such as missing smoke detectors, that would have saved liv...

Construction Casualties: The Deadly Cost of Skyscrapers for Immigrant Laborers

2021-03-22T16:35:00-04:00

Across the United States, construction workers were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Not to diminish the hardships and sacrifices of other essential workers and industries affected by the pandemic, Susannah Jacob of the Atlantic highlights the ongoing dangers and overshadowed accounts of construction laborers, specifically immigrant laborers.

Along with support from the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, her piece "The Dark Side of America's Gleaming Skyscrapers" expands on working conditions and on-site casualties. "Immigrant laborers have been dying tragic, sometimes grisly deaths on construction sites across the country. These deaths rarely make news, but they tell the story of an industry indifferent to the lives of its workers."

Photo by Daria Sannikova from Pexels

Within her coverage, she recounts the stories of Eric Mendoza, Nelson Salinas, Gregory Echevarria, Juan Chonillo, Carlos Moncayo, and Mario Salas Vittorio. How their deaths, along with countless others, are examp...

Cushing Terrell develops approach for adapting standard hospital patient rooms into negative pressure zones

2020-07-09T12:21:00-04:00

Multidisciplinary design firm Cushing Terrell has developed a solution for air circulation and ventilation in patient and operating rooms to prevent the spread of infection. The solution, developed by the firm's mechanical engineering team, enables standard hospital patient rooms to be converted from positive pressure to negative pressure.

Mode 2: Normal operations / 50% outside air.

"Negative pressure rooms are designed to contain a patient’s breathing within the room, helping to prevent the spread of airborne viruses and disease. When a patient who is suspected to have, or is diagnosed with COVID-19, the availability of rooms like these becomes critical to protecting other patients in the hospital," said Shawn Murray, Principal at Cushing Terrell who leads the mechanical engineering group.

Mode 3: Normal operations / 100% outside air.

In developing this response to existing ventilation issues, the team began with collaborating with Billings Clinic facility staff to assist them in co...

What will the future hold for libraries as they reopen?

2020-06-23T12:59:00-04:00

As restaurants and business across the nation plan to reopen, skepticism towards the long-term safety of these initiatives continues to grow. Although many in the U.S. approach these coming changes with forethought and understanding, several individuals throw caution to the wind and believe the virus is no longer a "serious issue." Be that as it may, public institutions like libraries are planning for their reopening, yet the nature of "going to the library" may be forever changed.

In a piece written by The New York Times writer Elizabeth A. Harris, she discusses how libraries across the U.S. are planning to provide modified services to the community. These public institutions foster a safe space to learn, sit, and participate in community-led activities for children, adults, and seniors alike. However, as safety precautions and social distancing initiatives increase demands on these "community living rooms," as Harris puts, they may change forever.

"Libraries around the country are...

COVID-19 should lead to lasting design code improvements of public bathrooms, experts say

2020-05-05T14:31:00-04:00

Public health experts, designers and architects say the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed fundamental flaws in the design of public toilets that risk spreading a second wave of coronavirus, and possibly even new pandemics. [...] Some of the suggested innovations include a greater uptake of sensor taps, fully self-cleaning cubicles, designing exits that don’t require human contact, and having bathroom attendants.

The Guardian laying out suggestions from health experts on how to improve hygiene standards in public restrooms, not only in light of the current pandemic but in preparation of the next one.

"We’ve almost got this little opportunity from the pandemic where people are going to listen and going to change," one respondent explained in the article. "What we do now to fix public bathrooms, people will actually follow."

Coronavirus fears fuel remote work trend

2020-03-02T17:15:00-05:00

With some overseas cities shut down and companies in the U.S. urging those returning from high-risk areas to stay away from the office, workers world-wide are hunkering down for what might be a new normal [...] powered by technology like videoconference services and workplace-collaboration software, many members of the new remote workforce say they are finally able to get some work done without constant interruptions from open-office setups or days packed with in-person meetings.

The Wall Street Journal takes a look at the sudden rise in remote working arrangements as the world economy grapples with the spreading coronavirus threat.

The report touches on the situation faced by Texas-based designers Jing Johnson of Prism Renderings and her husband Warren Johnson of STG Design. The two underwent a 14-day self-quarantine period following a business trip to China and relied heavily on remote working approaches to stay on top of their work.

Museums in northern Italy stay closed amid new coronavirus fears

2020-02-25T13:23:00-05:00

An unprecedented shutdown of museums is taking place in Venice, Turin and Milan as private and public institutions close their doors in the wake of the coronavirus (Covid-2019) outbreak across northern Italy. Seven Italian regions have now been instructed to close museums and implement various restrictions: Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Trentino-Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

The coronavirus (Covid-2019) outbreak that started in Wuhan, China is affecting more and more regions worldwide as a sharp rise in reported cases in South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Iran, and Italy is making headlines this week.

According to The Art Newspaper, all museums in seven regions throughout northern Italy have been ordered to close, including high-profile cultural institutions such as Museo Correr, the Palazzo Ducale, and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice as well as Milan's Fondazione Prada venues, the opera house La Scala, and the city's famed cathedral.

Quarantine has been ordered for towns in the Veneto and Lombardy regions to stop the dangerous virus from spreading further.

With the opening of the 2020 Venice Biennale Architecture Exhibition on May 23 quickly approaching, it remains to be seen if or how the new health and safety measures will impact preparation and visitor numbers.

Workplace protections falter as climate change makes outdoor work more hazardous

2020-01-23T12:30:00-05:00

In 2018, 60 workers died due to temperature extremes, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data on workplace fatalities. Though the climate crisis is creating conditions where workers are facing hotter temperatures on a more frequent basis, there are no federal safety protections for workers in extreme temperatures, and only three states, California, Washington and Minnesota, have heat stress workplace protection standards.

The Guardian's Michael Sainato takes a look at the increasingly dangerous nature of outdoor work as climate change makes extreme heat a greater danger for people who labor outside.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 783 workers in the United States died and more than 69,000 workers were injured due to heat exposure while on the job between 1992 and 2016, though the actual figures are likely higher due under-reporting.

According to Sainato's report, federal oversight over workplace safety, especially for outdoor workers, has decreased sharply under the administration of President Donald Trump despite the fact that global temperatures are going up and the number of "dangerous heat days" is expected to double over the next 30 years.

Engineered quartz countertops pose hazards for material fabricators

2019-12-02T18:47:00-05:00

workers have gotten sick, and even died, after cutting this engineered stone and breathing in its dangerous dust, public health officials say. Overseas, some are even calling for a ban on selling engineered quartz for countertops.

NPR takes an investigative look at some of the workplace safety issues that have arisen amid explosive growth in the engineered quartz industry over recent decades.

The report looks into the incidence of silicosis—a debilitating and progressive lung disease caused when someone inhales silica dust in large and regular quantities—among engineered quartz workers. Silica is a major component of many engineered stone varieties, including in Cosentino's Stone System and Silestone product lines, which are highlighted in the report. The report delves into the company's hit-and-miss efforts to reduce and eliminate the creation of the toxic dust particles that cause the disease by replacing "dry cutting" and "dry grinding" processing operations with water-mediated techniques.

The general public strongly supports licensure standards for architects

2019-11-08T19:08:00-05:00

The general public supports existing licensing requirements for architects.That's what a recent study commissioned by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has concluded, according to an NCARB news release.

The study, conducted for NCARB by Benenson Strategy Group, surveyed 1,000 American voters on a variety of topics, including what value the respondents placed on licensing standards, the distinction between "occupations" and "professions," and other particularities of architectural work. All told, the general public strongly supports licensure for architects, with 89-percent of respondents agreeing that architects should meet rigorous testing standards due to the profession's role in making sure "buildings are safe and structurally sound."

Further, the more respondents learned about the rigor involved in attaining licensure—a process that, as many designers know, includes experience qualifications and continuing education initiatives, as well as the ab...

Legislation seeks to create national design-focused school safety database

2019-09-25T12:45:00-04:00

The United States Senate has taken up consideration of The School Safety Clearinghouse Act, a measure that would create a centralized database holding information on school safety measures.

The federally funded and held archive would provide a vetted "resource where officials can find best practices for school security and design," according to Senator David Purdue of Georgia, one of the sponsors of the bill. According to the American Institute of Architects, who lobbied Congress on behalf of the bill, the legislation would provide state and local officials with "unbiased information for making their schools safer through design."

In a statement reported by The Hill, Senator Perdue added, "As an engineer by trade, I believe the first step to improving school security is addressing the structural safety of schools. Our bill would simply create a resource where state and local officials can find best practices for school security and design."

Information held within the database, wh...

New app identifies construction design hazards

2019-08-12T14:30:00-04:00

Researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland have introduced a multimedia app for architects and designers that identifies construction hazards related to building design elements using video and images.

Led by Professor Billy Hare of Glasgow Caledonian University, the team of researchers tested the application among a pool of 40 designers that included "an even mix of experienced and novice architects and engineers." The team asked the group to review a set of CAD drawings for design-related hazards. Half of the participants used the app and the other half used the internet.

"Those using the app identified 599 hazards, or three to five times more incidences by architect and engineers, respectively, than those using just the internet," writes Kim Slowey of Construction Dive.

Why are so many construction workers dying in Texas?

2019-07-28T13:36:00-04:00

In 2017, the last year for which data are available, 183 people died in Texas in occupations relating to construction, installation, repair, maintenance and extraction, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s one every two days. This rate may underestimate the scale of the problem, as the deaths of workers without papers may not be reported to authorities.

A report from Global Construction Review delves into troubling data coming out of Texas, where official construction-related deaths number in the triple digits.

One potential reason for rising deaths in construction and related industries could lie in lax inspections.

According to Global Construction Review, the Occupational Heath and Safety Administration (OSHA) conducted only 40 crane inspections across all of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana over a nine month period starting in October 2018.

That record comes as the number of crane-related fatalities Texas exceeds those in all other states. 50 people died between 2011 and 2017 while operating cranes, according to the report, more than three times the number of deaths that occurred in the state with the next highest toll.

Julián Castro unveils national lead abatement plan

2019-06-13T14:32:00-04:00

In response to the ongoing toxicity crisis gripping the town of Flint, Michigan, 2020 Democratic presidential contender Julián Castro has unveiled a nationwide lead abatement plan.

Last week, Castro, former Housing and Urban Development secretary under President Barack Obama, became the first presidential candidate to visit the ailing town, where a slow-motion environmental disaster has been playing out since 2014.

(For a thorough breakdown of the Flint water crisis, see this informational story from CNN.)

Castro proposes to establish a presidential task force on lead “charged with eliminating lead poisoning as a major public health threat” while asking Congress to allocate $5 billion per year for a decade to replace lead pipes around the country. The funding would also go toward abating lead contamination in household paint and in soil "in areas of highest need." In addition, the plan would allocate $100 million per year toward lead poising prevention efforts. Castro told BuzzFee...

The trials and tribulations of the 3D printer

2018-11-21T17:26:00-05:00

For one, there is no such thing as a 3D printer that doesn’t emit concerning microparticles into the air. Even industrial models that appear sealed, complete with fans and filters, put out measurable particulates.

Ask any architecture student, 3D printing can be one of the best and worst things about the design studio. Architectural drawings and renderings are necessary, but in order for the concept to really come to life 3D scale models have acted as catalysts for translating the vision. Physical scale models go hand in hand with architecture. However, just as architecture has developed over time so has the technology.

3D printers have changed the way architects and architecture students alike have communicated their ideas. Ranging in size and capacity, 3D printers can be found in almost every university, institute, and studio. Sci-Arc EDGE student, Laure Michelon, states printers are running "24/7. Everyday. Pretty much everyone has one. There are about 10 printers in our studio." Besides it taking up space, the trials and tribulations of getting the machine set and ready is a whole other ordeal. However, besides the tedious fabrication process, does the 3D printer pose a different kind of...

Fire safety reform: Australian state government to audit, replace and ban flammable cladding

2017-08-02T13:46:00-04:00

The state government will audit the use and ban the supply of the potentially flammable building cladding that led to London's deadly Grenfell Tower inferno, in what it styles as Australia's toughest fire safety reforms. [...] Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean said the government had undertaken an audit sample of about 180,000 residential and commercial towers constructed in NSW since the 1980s. About 1000 of those buildings "may have [unsafe] cladding", the Minister said.

"The [New South Wales] state government said it would introduce reform that would identify buildings encased in unsafe cladding," the Sydney Morning Herald reports, "require them to be inspected and force building owners to foot the bill for replacements and ban the sale and supply of unsafe material."