Workplace accidents are no laughing matter. Countless occur every year, resulting in injury to workers and damage to client and company property. However, many of these accidents are ultimately preventable when employees take the necessary precautions and plan ahead for potential problems. Keep some of these common construction site accidents in mind and remember that […]
USI Blog
Why green building is so important
The term green building, which is otherwise known as sustainable design, is a construction practice that focuses on increasing the overall efficiency of the building itself. Goals include optimizing the way the building uses water, energy and internal materials while reducing the building’s impact on the local environment and human health. Such goals are planned […]
Garage doors installation and effect on curb appeal
Curb appeal is critical when you are planning on selling your property. If you do not have any real estate transactions in mind, it does not hurt to have high curb appeal to just enjoy the outside appearance of your home. Many people focus on manicured lawns and beautiful driveways when they decorate for curb […]
Improving Indoor Air Quality of Office Buildings
People spend a lot of time indoors. As such, it comes as no surprise that the quality of the indoor air can play a significant role in determining the comfort and health of occupants. Commercial locations, in particular, are susceptible to poor indoor air quality. Fortunately, it can be easy to improve your building’s indoor […]
Trends in Rainwater management – How builders use and install gutters
Rainwater management has become an important factor in commercial building and urban planning for a number of reasons. In regions with drought, water conservation has become especially important. In coastal freshwater and saltwater communities, stormwater runoff must meet a certain quality standard to be safely returned to this delicate ecosystem without harming wildlife. Because of […]
What are building enclosures responsible for doing?
Building enclosures, also known as building envelopes, are a design concept that is used to make it easier to heat and cool the area inside a building, manage water and control the flow of air. They consist of different features above, below and along the sides of the house. This is not the same as […]
What is the difference between a structural insulated panel (SIP) and an insulated concrete forms (ICF)?
Builders and property owners are increasingly interested in energy-efficient green construction techniques like those using structural insulated panels or insulated concrete forms. Therefore, it is important to establish the difference between a structural insulated panel (SIP) and an insulated concrete form (ICF). Structural Insulated Panels A structural insulated panel (SIP) consists of two structural facings […]
Can using the proper insulation actually impact the environment?
Commercial property owners are motivated to update insulation for a number of reasons. While some are economic in nature, the environmental impact of various insulation options is important as well, particularly in this era of green building awareness. For example, one of the easiest ways to garner LEED credits is to upgrade a structure’s insulation. […]
What does building science have to do with building safety?
Building science is a discipline that combines elements of architecture, engineering and physics for the purpose of creating protocols to improve building performance. In essence, building science studies phenomena that affects the efficiency of a building as it relates to the good use it should provide to occupants, tenants, visitors, and neighbors. One of the […]
Knowing the different types of polystyrene and why it matters
Polystyrene, often abbreviated as PS, is a plastic that is naturally transparent when it is developed. It is used in all types of applications, both as a solid material to be used with larger systems and as a foam material that can be applied in a number of different industries. It first became popular in […]