In addition to her volunteer efforts at the “Krafts for Kids” program at Musikfest (the annual music festival held in the City of Bethlehem); Ms. Cohen is the Heritage Patrol’s Architectural Advisor.  Recently, she was instrumental in the girl’s earning their Architectural and Environmental Design Badge.  She spent a week teaching the girls about architectural drawings and specifications, building materials, and green building design.  In practical application, the group performed a handicapped accessibility review of the Historic Bethlehem Mill building in North Bethlehem and finished the week with an Architectural Awareness walk through historic downtown Bethlehem, PA.

As the architectural professional continues to evolve, especially for women, mentoring is an important step to diversifying the field, creating more female licensed architects and women who are starting their own successful practices.   Ms. Cohen is certainly a stepping stone for these young women.

USA Architects has been hired to transform the current space from the currently dated 1970s chic and into the “Library of the Future”.  Through collaboration with the faculty and staff of Elizabeth Public Schools, the new interactive media center has emerged.  An important element of our collaborative effort involved the input from the very students who would be utilizing the new center.  The design team felt that the students’ approval was just as important as that of the faculty and staff, so we invited the “Students of the Month” to see what their new media center would look like and offer feedback; to our surprise their reaction was mixed.  The younger students were excited to see the upgrade and wanted to know all about the new technology that would be introduced into the space.  On the other hand, the seniors were more interested in keeping some books in the space.  The notion of sitting down with a good book and flipping through the pages still appeals to some, while others are just as happy sliding their finger over the glass screen of an iPad.

As the use of technology in the classroom becomes ever more prevalent, the “textbook” begins to look like a thing of the past.  Even as the faculty makes plans for the remaining books, there is no doubt that the transition to an all-technology school jettisons this district deep into the 21st Century.

Allow me to describe to all of you what is currently occurring on several of our projects, regarding slate roofing, as food for thought on your next project if it has a place for slate.  When Shyam had to specify slate roofing on the Schaefer Auditorium @ Kutztown University he contacted the Evergreen Slate Co. in Granville New York.  They own and operate a huge slate quarry that straddles the New York /Vermont border and several smaller satellite quarries in the area.  The Sales Rep. gave us a Lunch & Learn on slate which piqued my interest, even though we have never used much of it in this office due to the high cost associated with it.

Last month, I went to the Slate Company and visited the Quarry for a Continuing Education program.  While I was there I learned a lot and found a way to take advantage of the huge stockpile of material on-site that can be bought for a fraction of the cost of what would have to be specifically quarried to fill a custom order.

Slate is normally specified by color and size and shape, so an Architect/Designer can get the full range of available products from Evergreen Slate Co.  However, the cost of going into a particular section of the quarry, removing the color and quantity required is grossly exaggerated by the need to remove tons and tons of overburden (worthless material) to get to the desired material.  Once into the desired material, the quarry doesn’t

just take what it needs to fill the current order.  They have to remove much more material to make the effort worthwhile.  This additional material is cut and hand split into standard thickness, standard weight and varying widths and then stockpiled in the yard.  When I saw what thirty or forty years of this practice has accumulated in the roughly 25 acre yard, the light came on for me.  If we specified what was already on-hand, and get it reserved for the job we were about to bid, we could buy it for a fraction of the price of an otherwise custom order placed later by the Contractor.

The quarry agreed that huge savings could be realized for material that was already on hand, and it was happy to work with USA this way.  The test case would be the Additions and Renovations of the William Penn School for the Allentown School District.  Jim Petro, AIA had already done a cost comparison between real slate (through normal procurement) and synthetic slate, and decided to go with the synthetic because it was MUCH less expensive and necessary to stay within budget.  I found a mountain of slate in Evergreen’s yard that was in the grey green color blend in thickness, length and random width to match what was originally on the building.  Evergreen took our drawings, did a take-off and submitted a quote.  When we compared this quote for real slate, that will last 80 years (compared to 40 for the synthetic) we were amazed to be getting it for 1/2 the price of the synthetic slate.

Andrew is already trying the same approach on the Warinanco Park Project which has historical significance and will greatly benefit from real rather than synthetic material.

The Big Egg-quation - Egg-nite to Fight Hunger 2011

Stamp Out Hunger - 2007 - Build Day

Stamp Out Hunger - 2007 - Won "Best Use of Labels"

Tackling Hunger - 2008 - Build Day

Tackling Hunger 2008 - Won "Best Use of Labels"

Bring It! - 2009 - Build Day

Bring It! - 2009 - Won "Honorable Mention"

Teaming Up Against Hunger - 2010 - Build Day

Teaming Up Against Hunger - 2010 - Won "Structural Ingenuity"

September is “Hunger Action Month” − an egg-cellent time to promote Canstruction® − a food charity that holds annual design-build competitions worldwide, resulting in fantastic, giant sized, structures made entirely out of canned food.  At the close of every competition, all of the food is donated to local food banks.

USA Architects will be making its fifth appearance in the local Canstruction® event. In response to this year’s theme, “World Famous…,” the team will be designing a Fabergé Egg – made famous by the House of Fabergé, a jewelry firm founded in 1842 in Russia known for its elaborate jewel-encrusted eggs which are regarded as artistic masterpieces.

In previous competitions, Team USA, with the help from many donors, collected and donated 12,836 cans of food. The team also took top honors in the Structural Ingenuity, Best Use of Labels, and Overall Honorable Mention award categories.

This year’s creations will be built and prominently displayed as giant art exhibits at the Livingston Mall in Livingston, NJ beginning Friday, November 18th and continuing through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. At the conclusion, the Community Food Bank of New Jersey will distribute the cans to community emergency feeding programs which comes at a critical time for many New Jerseyans this year in the wake of Hurricane Irene and the present harsh economic conditions.

The team is currently seeking charitable donations on behalf of any firm or individual to help purchase the cans to build our World Famous… Fabergé Egg. For your generous contribution, your company logo / name will be on display within the exhibit during what we anticipate to be a bustling holiday shopping week.

For more information, please email Mike at mbryson@usaarchitects.com.

Be egg-ceptional and donate to a great cause.

www.canstruction.org

www.njfoodbank.org

Where there is a high concentration of dark surfaces, such as rooftops, the air temperature in these areas rise as these surfaces trap heat. These higher temperatures, coupled with pollutants from vehicle exhaust, power and industrial plants and many consumer products; react with heat and sunlight, and resulting in greenhouse gas that increases smog and depletes the ozone – each posing its own health risks.

Cooling dark, heat-absorbing surfaces, such as rooftops, with a coating of light-colored, reflective material, counteracts the overabundance of greenhouse gases, thus improving the quality of air we breathe. The cost of such material is comparable to conventional, dark-colored roofing materials and is an easy and cost effective fix.

Another option is to install solar photovolaitic panels, either on your roof(s) or around your grounds if area is available. They provide a clean, renewable and free energy source. It is a simple system with fairly few “moving parts.” They are easy to maintain and provide a revenue stream based on the size of the system installed. The revenue stream/cost savings are provided by all energy users in the State. In addition to State revenue, the Federal Government provides additional cost savings through grants and tax incentives. The panels, if installed on rooftops, provide shade to the roof which in turn gives it longevity beyond the life cycle of the roof system if the “PV” panels were not installed. Free energy, a longer life cycle for your roof, and tax savings on top of a reduction in your carbon footprint!

Rooftop garden installations are among the fastest growing trends. It forms an insulation barrier which reduces a building’s energy consumption, and its plantings offer shade, reflect heat, and act as air purifiers by using excess carbon dioxide to produce oxygen which, in turn, improves air quality. Gardens capture storm-water which would otherwise collect pollutants and empty into sewers and they may even help extend the useful life of the roof. It is also an excellent opportunity to introduce usable leisure space that appeals to both people and wildlife alike, while adding beauty to the skyline. Its popularity is widespread from hotels, restaurants, to residential buildings and even prisons.

As the trend toward carbon-neutrality continues, building owners are benefiting from tax incentives, as well as increased resale values of properties that offer green technologies, like solar and garden roof systems, as we become a more earth-conscious society. Consult with a licensed architect to get started with implementing these eco-friendly cost-saving measures.

This article will appear in Product Periscope which is the official newsletter of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.

USA Architects has recently been contracted by Millersville University to provide design services for renovations to the existing Pennsylvania Academy of Music building.  Renovations include new catering kitchen, new post production studio, classroom conversions, and other health and life safety upgrades. The University recently purchased the building in order to expand and augment its fine arts curriculum, as well as provide performing venues, cultural programming and special events for the region.

The building itself is notable as it was the last design of famed 20^th Century Architect Philip Johnson.  Mr. Johnson “played an enormous role in both understanding and creating the urban skylines of the country. As historian, curator, and practicing architect, he has had a formative effect on generations of architects.”¹

The now defunct, non-profit Pennsylvania Academy of Music commissioned the design of the performing venue and educational facility in the early 2000’s.  Mr. Johnson’s initial designs were highly controversial and were modified significantly before being approved for construction.  The 74,516 sq.ft. building was completed in 2008.  Philip Johnson died before construction was completed.  However, Millersville University considers the building a landmark and intends on upholding Johnson’s original design intent.

1 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/philip-johnson/about-philip-johnson/635/

It has been 20 years since the Department of Justice adopted revised Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards. On July 26, 2010 the Obama Administration announced the adoption of the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design. The adoption of the 2010 Standards is a victory for Americans with disabilities who have struggled to navigate spaces designed many years ago but has created a somewhat complex path for business owners, facility operators and designers in their understanding of the implications of the new Standards.

The Basics

There are two parts to the revised 2010 Standards for Accessible Design which includes the rules of Title II and Title III and the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). Title II applies to local, state and federal governmental entities, while Title III applies to public accommodations such as recreational facilities and commercial facilities. These rules require facilities to upgrade, as necessary, to accommodate persons with disabilities. There is a “safe harbor” ruling for facilities that fall under Title II and Title III rules, which allows for design components that complied with the 1991 Standards to remain in place until these facilities are subject to planned alterations. However, this safe harbor ruling does not allow for design components that were not covered under the 1991 Standards to remain in place. To determine whether the facility is covered under this safe harbor ruling, an analysis of all necessary design components must be conducted on a case-by-case basis by a licensed professional.

The ADAAG is developed by The Access Board, an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. The Board develops and maintains design criteria (known currently as the 2004 ADA/ABA Accessibility Guidelines) and enforces accessibility standards at federally funded facilities. These Guidelines set the groundwork for the 2010 Standard for Accessible Design published by the Department of Justice – the same department that enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Rules Title II and Title III created by the Department of Justice are currently in effect, however compliance with the ADAAG is not required until March 15, 2012, which regulate newly constructed as well as altered facilities.

How the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design Apply to You

The 2010 Standards for Accessible Design is the law while local Barrier Free requirements are the code. Councils such as the International Code Council (ICC) used the ADAAG in originally creating the current Barrier Free codes implemented by Local Jurisdictions. Local Jurisdictions require and inspect per the code, not the law, nor are they allowed to inspect per the law. Therefore, if your facility was built or altered following your local Barrier Free Code, your facility is most likely compliant. However, if your facility was not required to follow local codes, or if your facility falls under rules Title II or Title III, it is the owner’s; facility operator’s; and designer’s obligation to assure these buildings are compliant with the law. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs recently addressed this issue in their Construction Code Communicator and hopefully other states will follow suit.

Next Steps in Remaining Compliant

The framework of the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design is providing a much needed examination of federal facilities. However, without proper analysis, your facility might be non-compliant. Being non-compliant with the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design may lead to a complaint with the Access Board to lawsuits for non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. How do I know if my facility is compliant? Does my facility fall under “safe harbor” ruling? Is my facility a newly regulated facility under the new Standards? What do I do if my building is not compliant? Your local jurisdiction “can allow, but cannot — and will not – require, compliance with Federal law1” and therefore will not be able to spot items non-compliant per the Standards. In analyzing your facility start by reading the Standards alongside your local Barrier Free Code.

If this sounds like a daunting process, contact a design professional, like USA Architects who can expertly provide the proper course of action. A walkthrough of the facility will flag any non-compliant items and allow the creation of a list rated by priority. Design professionals are aware of your local code requirements and can help you understand your facility needs – both immediate as well as long-term.

1: NJ Construction Code Communicator Volume 23, Number 1 Spring 2011

 Mr. Peter C. Campisano, AIA,  a Partner of USA Architects, talked about the revenue generating part of the proposal, stating that unlike projects in the private sector, a public school district is an extremely safe investment for developers and financiers, and as the beneficiary of reduced risk will pass along an equal savings to the school district. A win-win for private and public alike. That is if they want to be the successful developer. The competition is very high.

More to come after the opening of proposals, set for April 20^th.

SafeStart, a nationally funded Early Head Start-Child Welfare collaboration with the Lehigh and Northampton County Children and Youth Departments, serves drug/ alcohol-affected, abused/ neglected infants and toddlers, ages 0-3 and their families, to overcome health problems, developmental delays, and emotional trauma. The program strengthens families to stop the cycle of abuse. With early, intensive intervention, their future can change from failure and costly consequences to success.

With funding from ARRA, US Department of Health and Human Services, the Children and Youth Departments of both Lehigh and Northampton Counties, and an aggressive capital campaign, CSC contracted with USA Architects of Easton, PA and Spaces for Children to design the new 12,000 sf Infant Toddler and Family Development Center – the region’s only therapeutic classroom program for abused infants and toddlers.

The program provides a therapeutic-based setting, six hours per day, five days per week for infants and toddlers to receive individualized loving, high-quality care and developmental services. Low therapeutic teacher-to-child ratios support the physical and emotional needs of the child. Specialized therapies to lessen symptoms of drug impact and consequential developmental delay such as occupational, physical, sensory, speech/language and feeding therapies are provided onsite, as needed. Psychological observation and consultation are made available on a weekly basis to all children. Daily transportation, all meals, and care giving materials are provided for each child.

The one-story building with sloping roofs and residential appeal includes classrooms, therapy rooms, mental health related spaces, parent-child greeting room, preparation kitchen, laundry facilities, indoor play area, administration offices and storage. The design features clad wood windows surrounding the building, and cupolas along the length of the roof to maximize natural lighting conditions. Construction is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2011.

Located in Allentown, PA, CSC is a local administrator for Head Start and Early Head Start/SafeStart programs that serve more than 35,000 children and families in the Lehigh Valley, as well as 11 other counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Using TRENWYTH ASTRA-GLAZE SW+®, Miller was able to color match the school mascot’s signature blue, creating a striking exterior and encouraging school spirit while also attaining Silver LEED certification. ASTRA-GLAZE SW+ by TRENWYTH contributes to LEED credits in recycled content, energy efficiency and regional production.

The state-of-the-art 107,000 square foot facility is designed to host the high school’s 800+ ninth graders and contribute to the ever growing school community. With a modern design that includes a completely green vegetated roof, the Ninth Grade Center represents a giant leap into the future for the largest school in Allentown, PA.

Architect Firm: USA Architects, Planners + Interior Designers
Principal Architect: Armand Christopher, Jr., AIA
Project Manager: James Petro, AIA, CDT
Associate/Director of Specification: Mitch Miller, AIA, CCS
General Contractor: Alvin H. Butz
Masonry Contractor: Eshbach Brothers
Project Team: Joy Cohen, AIA, CDT; Eric Delong, AIA; Nathan Fehnel; Ray Boyce, CDT; Severine Rennie, LEED, AP