CSI’s MasterFormat™ 04 and its Impact on Our Work
March 1, 2004
The current status is that late in 2004 the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) will formally publish the new MasterFormat™ layout. Over the last few years the MasterFormat™ Task Team has been working on the first major update in 38 years.
Quiet Floors
February 1, 2004
Floor systems in multifamily housing are getting thinner and lighter in weight. Both of these work against a successful acoustical design. To overcome this we are constantly looking at and reviewing new products. Something that has caught our eye is
Riverside County Boardroom Replacement Project
February 1, 2004
Due to the explosive growth of the county of Riverside a larger County Building was required to support the needs of the county taxpayers. Part of the new County Building included a new County Boardroom. The new Boardroom functions were,
Making Audiovisual Systems Easy to Use
February 1, 2004
As technology evolves it seems that it becomes harder to operate and control. Manufacturers are giving us features and options that while useful at some level are not needed most of the time. Control systems are what make systems easier
Noise Criteria (NC) vs. Room Criteria (RC)
February 1, 2004
Quite often we are asked why does Thorburn Associates Inc. use Noise Criteria (NC) as opposed to Room Criteria (RC) during our mechanical system noise calculations. Both NC and RC are measures of mechanical system noise in a room. Noise
Loudspeaker Technology
January 1, 2004
Over the past few years, thanks to digital signal processing, audio designers have been able to develop arrays of loudspeakers. By grouping loudspeaker boxes with special signal processing the coverage area can be changed and controlled. This type of design
UNCA Highsmith Student Center
January 1, 2004
University of North Carolina – Asheville, Highsmith Student Center, Asheville, NC Architect: Lee Nichols Clark Patterson Located in Asheville, NC is the new 73,920 square foot Student Center for the University of North Carolina – Asheville. The project is a
Presenting the Perfect Picture
January 1, 2004
Think about the last time you were at a presentation where it was difficult to see the images being displayed. While there was nothing wrong with the presentation equipment or the quality of the installation, something was still not quite
Speech Privacy Within Hospitals Meeting the New HIPAA Standards
January 1, 2004
Confidentiality between a patient and the health provider is one of the basic principles of modern health care. Without confidentiality, the effectiveness of the health care system decreases, due to patient fear of having their medical records revealed and possibly
Acoustics and LEED / Sustainable Building
December 1, 2003
As many of you know, the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. It emphasizes state of the art strategies for five broad categories: sustainable