Category Archives: Planning & Design

Indiana Tech Plans New Academic Center

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Fort Wayne, Ind. (PRWEB) July 24, 2012

Indiana Tech is planning construction of a new academic center to accommodate growth in enrollment and expansion of degree programs. The estimated cost of the project is $ 15 million, and the university has a goal of raising half that total before starting construction.

Weve been very purposeful about developing academic programs and improving our campus to attract more students, and weve been successful in doing that, said Dr. Arthur E. Snyder, president. So successful, in fact, that we now need to add classroom space and other amenities that contribute to our learning environment.

Ground-breaking for the project is tentatively planned for May 2013. Construction is expected to take about 18 months, making the academic center ready to open in January 2015.

The 60,000-square-foot building will be constructed north of the Wilfred Uytengsu Sr. Center on the Fort Wayne campus. It will have an academic wing and a library wing, joined at a rotunda area with a multi-flex auditorium and theater.

The academic wing will have two stories plus an unfinished lower level for future completion as needed. It will house Indiana Techs fastest growing college, the College of General Studies. This wing will include multimedia-equipped classrooms, as well as laboratories for the School of Education and the Center for Criminal Sciences, two of the universitys programs that are increasing the most in enrollment. The academic wing also will have student study rooms and offices for the vice president for academic affairs, and the dean and faculty of the College of General Studies.

The library wing also will have two levels. Since todays information is largely digitally based, the library will have two state-of-the-art computer facilities. It also will have technically enhanced spaces for collaborative research and learning, with a multi-functional seminar room for instruction, faculty development, and video conferencing with satellite campuses. There will be group and individual study rooms, space for traditional print media, and offices for the library director and staff.

The rotunda will accommodate gatherings, a caf

Stamps Teach! Americas Stamp Club Encourages Teachers to Bring Stamps into the Classroom

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Bellefonte, Pennsylvania (PRWEB) August 30, 2012

Stamps Teach! Americas Stamp Club Encourages Teachers to Bring Stamps into the Classroom

The American Philatelic Society helps teachers learn how to use the colorful world of postage stamps to expand students classroom experience.

Postage stamps are an easy and fun way to increase student participation in classroom activities. Stamp subjects can enhance any curriculum from poetry to physics to phys ed. They also can be used with any grade level, although they are particularly effective with elementary school children. These tiny bits of paper, and a little imagination, can bring lessons to life.

Here are a few suggestions for incorporating stamps into typical lesson plans:

History can be difficult for young students to grasp, but by engaging the class in hands-on activities, the past can become part of their world. Take the story of Lewis and Clark: how can their mission to explore the West and find a passage to the Pacific Ocean be made relevant to 21st-century students? Teachers can highlight the explorers route across a modern map of the United States, then challenge their students to follow that trail using stamps. Where did they go? Who did they meet? What did they see? Students can affix the appropriate stamps to the map or make their own illustrated diary of the trip. More activities related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition can be found in the APS booklet. The pdf is available in the sidebar of this release.

Social studies teachers often require students to prepare a report on one of the fifty states. Using stamps to illustrate the story makes otherwise dry facts become much more exciting. Over the years, the United States Postal Service has issued stamps with state flags, trees, flowers, birds, famous architecture, historic sites, notable personalities, historic events, agriculture, arts, and industry. For example, a report on Pennsylvania might include famous residents such as writer Louisa May Alcott, actor Jimmy Stewart, baseball great Roberto Clemente, and President Dwight D. Eisnhower. In addition, the student might add stamps featuring the hemlock (state tree), whitetail deer (state mammal), the Liberty Bell, the Slinky, Hershey chocolate, Gettysburg, first U.S. oil well, and Valley Forge. The APS offers 19 sets of free downloadable, full-color album pages featuring different states at http://stamps.org/Free-Album-Pages. More are in preparation.

In fact, Americas stamp club has a WHOLE SERIES of free stamp albums that can serve as excellent tools for teachers looking for new ideas. These mini-albums cover fishing, baseball, toys, national parks, holidays, movies, space, the Olympics, Black Heritage, Hispanic Americans, and more. A brief history of the story behind each stamp is included.

Many English classes ask students to keep a journal. Why not A Stamp Album About ME? Each member of the class would create a personal album using stamps to show some of the students favorite things: sports, food, hobbies, vacations, food, activities, pets, holidays, etc. The album could include separate chapters on family and friends.

Stamps are a relatively inexpensive addition to the curriculum. The local post office and mail delivered to private homes or businesses are good sources for new and used stamps. The APS has 600+ dealer members whose contact information can be found at http://www.stamps.org/Dealers (searchable by topic and geographic location). Stamp shows and local stamp clubs are two other good resources (http://www.stamps.org/Show-Calendar). Local stamp clubs often will share duplicate stamps if teachers mention that they want to use them in the classroom.

Why use stamps in the classroom?

To promote teamwork
To teach research techniques
To build communication skills
To discover aspects of American life
To explore other countries and cultures
To encourage creativity through stamp design
T o reinforce language skills through storytelling
To increase the motivational level of at-risk students
To challenge the gifted child as he/she explores with stamps
To enhance the development of reading, writing, and math skills
And because its FUN!

The American Philatelic Society is the ultimate resource for teachers interested in using stamps in their classrooms. Visit http://www.stamps.org/education or contact Gretchen Moody by phone: 814-933-3803, ext. 239, e-mail: gretchen(at)stamps(dot)org.







HNTB Architecture Names New National, Kansas City Office Leaders

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Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) August 29, 2012

Two long-time members of the HNTB Architecture staff have been named to key leadership positions within the business unit of HNTB Corporation. Bane Gaiser, AIA, LEED, AP, has been named president of HNTB Architecture, and Christopher Migneron, AIA, has been named HNTB Architectures Kansas City office leader.

Gaiser oversees the commitment of firm resources for architecture projects in the federal, civic, aviation, transportation, convention center, sports, education and program management markets. His expertise includes the development and execution of strategies for design-build, design-bid-build, construction manager at risk, and program management projects.

He has more than 20 years of architecture experience, with more than a dozen of them at HNTB, and he holds a Bachelor of Architecture from University of Kansas and Master of Science in advanced architectural design from Columbia University.

Chris Migneron, AIA, is HNTB Architectures Kansas City office leader, responsible for the offices overall design, business and management results. He has more than 14 years of architectural experience encompassing various delivery methods, including design-build. His expertise includes federal, sports, commercial and residential projects. Prior to his role as office leader, Migneron served as HNTB assistant project director on the new National Security Center Campus in Kansas City, Mo. HNTB serves on the CenterPoint Zimmer design and construction team for the campus, which will include nearly 1.5 million square feet of manufacturing spaces, laboratories, office space and warehouses, and is designed to be LEED

Zonare Signs Agreement with Healthtrust Purchasing Group, L.P. as a Provider of Medical Ultrasound Solutions

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Mountain View, CA (PRWEB) August 29, 2012

ZONARE, the pioneer and developer of next generation ultrasound technology, announced it has been selected by HealthTrust Purchasing Group, L.P. (HealthTrust) as a provider of medical ultrasound for the 1,400 acute care facilities that HealthTrust supports. ZONARE will provide ultrasound solutions to help HealthTrusts hospital providers manage clinical compliance accountability in todays increasingly regulated health-care environment. ZONARE offers its solutions through using a sophisticated platform of evidence-based, clinical intelligence enabled by its proprietary ZONE Sonography technology (ZST).

EcoHome Announces 2012 Design Award Winners

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Washington, DC (PRWEB) July 23, 2012

EcoHome, the leading source of information about certified green building products and projects and a magazine of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), unveiled the winners of its annual Design Awards program today. The competition honors the best sustainable homes for innovative design, green building features, environmental performance, and integration with their sites and communities.

2012 Grand recipients are:

The Delafield Hotel Shining in 2012 With Prestigious Awards and Recognition

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Delafield, Wisconsin (PRWEB) July 24, 2012

At The Delafield Hotel they do everything uncommonly well and with attention to detail, from the way they answer the phone to the generously-appointed rooms. This sophisticated boutique hotel has earned a five-star reputation for personalized, high-touch service since it opened in 2006 in the heart of downtown Delafield, Wisconsin. But it hit its stride in 2012, with an ever-growing list of admirers from some of the most highly respected organizations in the country.

Its been a year of recognition and accolades for this 38-room luxury hotel. The awards come from prestigious publications – It was named the #4 hotel out of 525 hotels in Wisconsin by U.S. News and World Report magazine and one of 17 ‘Fabulous One-Stop Weekend Escapes’ by Midwest Living Magazine. It was also voted the Best Hotel of Greater Milwaukee, a highly competitive category, by WISNs 2012 Spring A-List. The most important feedback comes from the guests, however, and they consistently post glowing comments and reviews on TripAdvisor, the go-to website for travelers who look for real-life feedback and experiences at properties throughout the country.

The Delafield Hotel is also known as a location in Southeast Wisconsin for premier wedding and social events and impeccable corporate meetings, including executive board retreats, strategic planning sessions as wells as breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings.

A recent guest from Idaho shared her experience, saying:

We cannot thank the hotel staff enough for the five star service we received while we were guests at The Delafield Hotel The rooms were wonderful, loved the spa tub and shower, the food was great, but the service was beyond measure.

No one is more pleased to see the hotel and its dedicated, hard-working staff receive praise than owner Scott Rookus and 616 Hospitality, who took over The Delafield Hotel in September 2010. Supported by General Manager Philip Lane, who came to the hotel in early 2011 with several decades of hotel management background, theyve elevated the hotels well-known excellence to new levels. Lanes experience allowed 616 Hospitality and The Delafield Hotel to take over all aspects of hotel operations, signaling the end of the hotels relationship with IDM Group, the previous management company based in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.

We have been fortunate enough to draw hoteliers from around the country. Having these newer staff members blend with the excellent existing staff members we already have has brought The Delafield Hotel a number of accolades in 2012, says Lane.

The exceptional experience begins with The Delafield Hotels setting, in the heart of Wisconsins Lake Country, an area west of Milwaukee that is dotted with clear, clean lakes that lend beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities to the area. The hotels spire rises above the heart of Delafields historic downtown, which is known for its decidedly Williamsburg-style architecture, upscale boutiques and shops, gourmet and more casual restaurants – all within an easy walk of the hotel.

Appealing to guests seeking a more organic, outdoorsy experience, The Delafield Hotel is minutes from some of the finest hiking and biking trails in the state – the Kettle Moraine State Forest and the Glacial Drumlin Trail – and rentals are as close as the bike shop next store.

However, The Delafield Hotel has earned top honors from its guests for whats inside the hotel. Its led them to share their excellent experience with friends and family and return themselves time and time again. Inside its doors, this modern boutique hotel exudes old world charm. The 38 rooms are exquisitely appointed oversized between 500-1,500 square feet. No detail has been missed, particularly in the beautiful Kohler spa bathrooms that have top-of-the-line fixtures, whirlpool tubs, and multi-jet showers that literally bathe you in luxury!

When guests do decide to leave their rooms, they are wowed by the attention and out-of-the-ordinary effort displayed by the staff. Everyone from the front desk to the bartenders and wait staff in Andrews, the hotels gourmet restaurant, radiate genuine, friendly Midwest values, with a desire to exceed their guests expectations. Theyre privileged to be part of many special occasions, from intimate anniversary celebrations to large corporate events, a testament to the trust guests have in their service excellence.

Our mission is to focus on what we do best and that is to serve our guests with warm genuine hospitality from the heart, says Lane.

The Delafield Hotel is located at 415 Genesee Street in downtown Delafield, Wisconsin. For reservations, including special getaway packages, or to book a special event or corporate meeting call 800-594-8772 or visit thedelafieldhotel.com.

Watch a YouTube video of the hotel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMD1Ra2KZ5Q







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capSpire Announces Gravitate 2.0

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Tulsa, OK (PRWEB) July 24, 2012

Earlier this year, capSpire unveiled Gravitate, a customer web portal that streamlines communication between wholesale commodity marketers and their clients. Using secure, Web 2.0 technology, Gravitate enables wholesale marketers to more effectively communicate with customers by providing them with instant, 24/7 access to vital information. Six months after the initial Gravitate launch, further innovation and customer feedback has led capSpire to create and release the next generation of Gravitate Gravitate 2.0.

According to capSpire co-founder Mike Scharf, Gravitate 2.0 takes the core Gravitate platform and incorporates additional functionality to give customers greater information access and communication options.

We wanted to put more power in the hands of our customers to help them meet their changing business needs, Scharf says. Gravitate 2.0 extends the products architecture so that users can tie into other systems and add their own functionality.

Gravitate was developed in response to the need for wholesale marketers to communicate more effectively with their customers. Gravitate delivers dashboards and real-time prices while providing quick access to contract data, bills of lading, and invoices. This allows commodity organizations to offer a higher level of customer service and improve customer interactions.

Before Gravitate, the customer would contact wholesale marketers via phone, email, text or fax to discuss pricing, deals, activity or commodity offerings, Scharf says. Gravitate allows information to be streamed live to all parties; making it accurate, timely and always available.

For more information about the capSpire Gravitate solution click on link.

About capSpire:

capSpire is a global consulting and solutions company serving the Commodity Trade and Risk Management sector of the energy industry. Headquartered in the growing technology hub of Fayetteville, Arkansas, with an office in Tulsa, Oklahoma, capSpire has served over two dozen clients across North America and Europe. capSpire provides its clients with deep business and system expertise to simplify and streamline its commodity management functions for crude, natural gas, refined products, NGLs, coal, iron ore, agriculture and freight. Chief among its service offerings are IT strategy and planning, system selection, bespoke software development, implementation services, systems integration and ongoing support.







Richmond Based Acoustical Solutions Contributes to CEDIA Recognized Home Theater

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Richmond, VA (PRWEB) August 28, 2012

A home in Southport, England included a large, unique cinema and games room. But after the current residents lived there for ten years, the layout, design, and technology were out of date. They contacted Matt Wayne, a Design Consultant at the UKs Finite Solutions Home Technology Specialists. Wayne came up with an extensive redesign and technological upgrade, using acoustical products from Acoustical Solutions, Inc.

The acoustical treatment, and “key feature” of the room according to Finite Solutions, is the SoundSuede material from Acoustical Solutions. Black SoundSuede Fabric was installed along the walls, covering the nine new speakers and subwoofers creating a hidden surround sound system. SoundSuede Acoustical Panels were then installed intermittently along the walls in the color Boysenberry to increase sound quality and intelligibility. SoundSuede Acoustical Panels are a common treatment in top-of-the-line home theaters, are available in 55 colors, and have a Noise Reduction Coefficient of .85 to 1.15.

The completed project was entered into the CEDIA Awards for best home cinema, where judges applauded the aesthetics and acoustical clarity, choosing the theater to be a finalist in its category. CEDIA, the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association, is a not-for-profit trade organization founded in 1989. The CEDIA Awards were established in 2006 to recognize and promote high quality home AV design, installation and integration. Each category is judged by an expert panel comprising building industry professionals and journalists from the interior design, architectural and AV worlds.

I was really pleased with the cinema as was the client and [ASI Architectural Sales Rep] Blake Hall’s assistance was particularly useful, said Wayne, upon completion of the room the client had purchased a healthy selection of new films to enjoy in the cinema and after a few simple demonstrations the client was absolutely blown away with the sound and picture quality.

Finite Solutions said the cinema provides the comfort, warmth and perfect acoustic environment to get the best performance from the equipment.

About Acoustical Solutions, Inc.:

Since 1989 Acoustical Solutions, Inc. has provided the detailed expertise needed to serve the noise control community. Acoustical Solutions, Inc. works with a wide variety of customers from commercial and residential development to worship facilities, recording studios and home theater designers. Acoustical Solutions, Inc. offers the industry’s most comprehensive selection of noise control and soundproofing products, including a full line of indoor and outdoor industrial, commercial, environmental and architectural noise control products. For more information please visit http://www.AcousticalSolutions.com, call 1-800-782-5742, or see our media kit.

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aecKnowledge Announces Knowledge Partnership with the National Organization of Minority Architects

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San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) July 20, 2012

aecKnowledge, a leading provider of advanced online continuing education (CE) for architects, engineers and construction professionals, announces a new knowledge partnership with The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). The partnership was formed based on a shared mission to promote professional development and excellence.

We are very excited about this partnership and about sharing aecKnowledges content with our members, stated Kathy Dixon, 1st Vice President, NOMA. By joining forces we are not only able to strengthen our organization, but also enrich the knowledge of our members and elevate the profession.

Our partnership with NOMA is another step in furthering our mission to transform how members of the AEC community collaborate with and learn from one another, stated Michael Strogoff, FAIA, President, aecKnowledge. We look forward to a vibrant partnership that includes highlighting NOMAs thought leaders and adding new perspectives to our Editorial Board.

aecKnowledge continuing education courses are approved for continuing education units by AIA/CES and/or GBCI. The courses are also accepted by many states to fulfill mandatory CE requirements for ongoing licensure. Additional materials, including free course previews, written transcripts, course descriptions, learning objectives and presenter biographies are also available.

About aecKnowledge

aecKnowledge, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is an established web-based, peer-reviewed knowledge sharing platform for the AEC industries. aecKnowledge enables members of the architecture, engineering, construction and land use planning industries to share unbiased knowledge and to leverage their collective intellectual capital. With a mission to transform how design and construction professionals throughout the AEC industries collaborate with and learn from each other, aecKnowledge targets the more than 6 million professionals and tradespeople across the fragmented AEC industry, and provides a venue for allied professionals and knowledge providers to strengthen their presence among a large and engaged audience. Visit http://www.aecKnowledge.com for more information.

About NOMA

The National Organization of Minority Architects was founded in 1971 as a means to foster communications among minority architects and to fight discriminatory practices. Its mission is to champion diversity within the design professions by promoting the excellence, community engagement, and professional development of its members. NOMA and its professional and student chapters have been instrumental in supporting minority architects, interns, and underrepresented communities for the past forty years. To learn more, visit http://www.noma.net/.