Retro Vibes

Advantages and Challenges of Retrofitting and Renovating

When it comes to the choice between tearing down and building new or retrofitting, renovating or remodeling, we’ve been told by professionals that the greenest building is the one that’s already built. But does it make financial sense? Are there real energy savings? We take a close look at the benefits and challenges of retrofitting, renovating, and remodeling, and the exciting possibilities they afford home and building owners.

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CURRENT ARTICLES

Metal’s Main Event
METALCON

by Claire Suttles

METALCON is the only annual tradeshow exclusively devoted to the application of metal in design and construction. This year’s event will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) in Atlanta from October 30 to November 1, 2024.

Buildings That Work Where Most Buildings Won’t
Makloc

by Robert Hoshowsky

For over 50 years, Alberta-based Makloc has served the building needs of customers in oil and gas, commercial and industrial, and the renewable energy sector. Known for quality, customer service, and on-time project delivery—no matter how far-flung the project—Makloc is a one-stop shop for both modular and field construction projects.

Chemical Capabilities: NCFI Gets the Job Done
NCFI Polyurethanes

by Allison Dempsey

Enhancing comfort levels for more than 50 years for everything from floors and ceilings to wall insulation, industry-leading NCFI Polyurethanes has dedicated itself to making the world safer, more convenient, and more comfortable thanks to its formulation and production of rigid and flexible polyurethanes.

The Experience of Architecture
NYC’s Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation

by Karen Hawthorne

While architecture can truly wow us, it also often fades into the background as we go about our lives. We stroll in and out of buildings all the time and we may not think much about how building design can influence our mood, and, if we spend a lot of time in one for work, our learning or even our health and well-being.

Artistry and Skill That Bring Awe-Inspiring Projects to Life
COST

by Jessica Ferlaino

Chances are, most people have been to a zoo, museum, or amusement park and have been blown away by the detail and accuracy of the artificial habitats, exhibits, or experiences within. The finer details of these settings elevate the user experience by transporting them to a different place or time, and more likely than not, COST is behind some of the best artistry of this kind—art that mimics reality.

This Aquatic Engineering Firm Stands for High Standards and Big Fun
Cloward H2O

by Nate Hendley

Based in Lindon, Utah, Cloward H2O has brought its aquatic engineering skills to water parks, aquariums, splash pads, fountains, white water rafting sites, and the world’s deepest swimming pool, among other recreational water facilities for over 45 years.

Old-Fashioned Values Make Modern Masterpieces
Craft-Maid Handmade Cabinetry

by Pauline Müller

There’s much to be said for time-honored craftsmanship surviving the onslaught of 21st-century fast fashion, whether that’s on catwalks or in kitchens. With a sleek new website and a premium portfolio, Craft-Maid Handmade Cabinetry understands that true, enduring appeal is layered into the details of good design.

Continuous Improvement in a Lean Environment
Great Northern Cabinetry

by Allison Dempsey

For Tim Ford, owner of Great Northern Cabinetry, the concept of lean is widely misunderstood in both the general population and the business media. Often used interchangeably with Six Sigma and other forms of continuous improvement or productivity, for him it simply means creating a better, stronger, and safer company.

Optimizing Soil to Enhance Construction
Menard Canada

by Nate Hendley

Menard Canada uses innovative equipment and treatments to enhance, strengthen, and stabilize soil at construction sites prior to building. The company’s ground improvement solutions reduce settlement, prevent liquefaction, and increase support and the bearing capacity of buildings without the need for deep foundations. Based in Brossard, Quebec, with offices across Canada, the company also offers measures to address seismic risk in earthquake-prone areas.