Year: 2015

October marked the completion of the Tower at PNC Plaza.

Congratulation to the teams involved, on an incredible design and construction accomplishment in Pittsburgh.

This tower stands as an example before other tall buildings on innovation in design and collaborations of design teams. … read more

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) will complete in 2016, occupying the last available space on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

The museum was presented with a common problem found in commercial building design; “How to connect rooftop equipment while avoiding thermal bridging and rooftop moisture issues.”

Construction at this site was similar to the Kimbell Art Museum and Contemporary Art Center in that they are especially sensitive to the concerns of air quality and humidity control due to the collections and various objects that are protected within.  … read more

Millennium Tower Boston is setting the bar high, creating a new level in standards for multi-use residential projects in Boston.
The luxury residential tower is rising 60-stories at 1 Franklin Street . Schӧck was on-site to provide guidance with installing Isokorb® structural thermal breaks in terrace slabs for each penthouse unit. … read more

A new project in Chicago is breaking ground and Schӧck is pleased to be part of it.

The six-story, 79-unit building on the North-West corner of Cicero and George in Chicago, Illinois is part of the Hispanic Housing Development Corporation. The residential building is for seniors age 55 and over whose income meets the needs for affordable housing. The project will utilize Schӧck Isokorb type CM structural thermal breaks in the concrete slab connections of 16 balconies.

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Sainte-Germaine-Cousin is a project for the community. Located in Quebec, the church of Ste-Germaine-Cousin has come a long way, overcoming an asbestos closure in 2005.

Today, the revitalized church building stands central with a new addition, a curvy, s- shaped structure, of affordable housing with 126 affordable (PAPA type) units and intermediate housing for seniors.

Asbestos within Ste-Germaine Cousin Church presented a considerable financial challenge. After the closure of the church building, it was 7 years later in which construction began with asbestos removal and groundwork for the new addition. However, perseverance has proven successful, providing an exceptional building of great heritage value.

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Schock Isokorb® structural thermal break’s primary function is improving energy efficiency, yet equally important to building performance is building safety. As the Vancouver construction market continues to strive for new heights in building performance, Schock Isokorb® thermal break installations increase.

A recent installation of structural thermal breaks in Surrey at 3 Civic Plaza  initiated an evaluation of the Division 3 Part B of BC Building Code 2012  by fire code experts GHL Consultants LTD.

The results of the report  by GHL Consultants confirm that Schock Isokorb® structural thermal breaks will meet the BC building code requirements. … read more

Building envelope thermal performance is greatly affected by thermal bridging, or localized areas of increased heat flow through walls and roofs. Mitigating the impact of thermal bridging is not only necessary to reduce energy consumption but is also an important consideration for minimizing the risk of condensation on cold surfaces and for maintaining occupant comfort.

As part of new Building Envelope Thermal Bridging (BETB) Guide, various construction details have been analyzed to evaluate traditional thermal bridges and various solutions provided by Schöck Isokorb. Please find the report here.

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Our latest project installing in Canada is leading Surrey’s transformation from an agricultural and bedroom community into a city with an urban core.

It is as shocking as it is impressive, say urban planners from across North America-via Vancouver & BC business news, people, data & events | Business in Vancouver.  … read more

The NMAAHC is making monumental progress towards their goal to open in the Fall. Here is an image taken by S2N Technology on the current progress.

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On St. Patrick’s Day, we visit Ireland to share the Garden Still House, one of the most modern distilleries in the world.

Irish Distiller, Pernod Ricard produces well know beverages such as Jameson Irish Whiskey, Malibu, Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate and Mumm. Yet they reached production capacity at 33 million liters of pure alcohol per year. With an increase in international demand, an investment of $135 million for a production plant was planned to double capacity.

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Condominiums and apartment buildings can be designed with corner, wrap around balconies to provide dramatic views. These corner balconies are most commonly cantilevered concrete balconies which are a slab extension from the building’s interior slab surface.

Corner balconies provide heightened aesthetics designs as well as ensure optimal sun exposure on the balcony. This is especially important when your balcony faces east, to allow a corner section on the south to provide additional sun exposure during the day. In dormitories, balconies are often used as loggia walkways around the building as an evacuation scenario for a fast and secure escape.

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ASU’s new Arizona Center for Law and Society broke ground in October 2014 for their 260,000 square-foot facility in downtown Phoenix. The new building is planned to accommodate a projected growth in student population of 20-30% over 10 years,  and will house the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics and the McCain Institute for ­International Leadership, and the ASU Alumni Law Group.

The ASU project will be using Schӧck Isokorb® structural thermal breaks in their structural steel beam connections to offer thermal protection and alleviate condensation issues at the building envelope. Structural thermal breaks will be one of the many energy saving features of the building.

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For the past two years, ENR’s Annual Construction Image Contest has featured projects which include Isokorb® structural thermal breaks selected in the winning images.

2014 Winner- Tower at PNC Plaza

The most recent 2014 winners include an image of the Tower at PNC Plaza in Pittsburg, photographed by Mark Beckett of Century Steel Erectors.

The Tower at PNC Plaza is currently under construction, yet the final steel beam was installed this week.

Mark Beckett was onsite at the ceremony of the final beam erection.

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