Fire, what do you think about it? If I ask you to close your eyes right now for few seconds and think about FIRE……………. What comes to your mind? I am sure most of the time it is smoke, heat, people running, panic, fire brigade, etc. But why all these bad thoughts comes to our mind. Have we ever thought that fire is a blessing that has happened to mankind since it is discovered and we can’t live without it? It’s been 800,000 years, we’re the only beings on the planet who light fires, who cook our food over fire, who use fire to light our way. Why we all think negative about this powerful, mysterious force? The reason: Fire is a very good slave but a very bad master, when it is out of control it becomes a monster and that’s how we remember it. Fire protection is a...

It was February 12, 2005, when an electrical fault on the 21st floor of the Windsor building in Madrid started a small fire. The building was unoccupied and the fire was undetected for quite some time before the city’s fire officials were notified. By the time they arrived, the magnificent 32-story structure was essentially lost. All that firefighters could do was to try for the next 18 hours to keep the fire from spreading to adjacent structures. There was no impact from a jumbo jetliner, and this fire lacked the thousands of gallons of jet fuel that so readily accelerated the World Trade Center fires. It was just a little electrical problem. So how could this fire spread so uncontrollably that it consumed eleven higher floors and turned the fourth largest structure in Spain’s capital to rubble? Unfortunately, we may not be able to avoid such disasters where the perimeter...

With the advent of digital printing technology, façades today have become a large size canvas for creative designers. Façade customization by direct digital printing is a different and creative way to apply corporate logos and large-format images to a building, and it also allows decorating façades with optical effects of materials and textures, custom designs etc. Possibilities are almost unlimited. FunderMax individual décor panels give life to an architect’s dreams. They not only enable high-quality digital printing on the panel itself but also ensure that the panel does not lose its other attributes including optimal light fastness. The result is a high-quality, durable product that not only grabs all the attention but is also maintenance free. Such a product can not only be used for façade claddings, but can be used for other applications such as balconies, tables, furniture, cubicles, kitchen or other applications. For more details on the product,...

  Tell us about your experience in business and in the market I have 10 Years of experience into manufacturing of HPL - 4 Production lines producing over 125 Lac square feet of material per month. Please brief on the generic organizational profile and structure of your company Cedar Decor is a Private Limited Company with two company owned depots in Delhi and Chandigarh. We have over 60 distributors who in turn have over 10,000 authorized dealers selling our product pan India. Internationally we have distributors in Nepal, Russia, Singapore and Dubai. We also export routinely to Kenya and Bahrain. What are the main line of products manufactured and marketed by your company pertaining to façade & fenestration? For facades we have Exterior Grade Compact Laminates. All our exterior products are certified from Germany by EPH. We offer 10 year warranty on “All Our Exterior Products are Certified from Germany...

The possibility of a fire in a tall building is always an emotive subject as the potential for loss of life is that much higher. There is a long history of fatal fires in tall buildings dating back well over 60 years. In 1946 a fire in the Winecoff Hotel, Atlanta GA cost 119 lives, many as a result of jumping. Other notable disaster such as the Joelma Building¹ in São Paulo, Brazil (179 deaths), Hotel Dupont Plaza¹ in San Juan, Puerto Rico (97 deaths) and the Garley Building¹ in Hong Kong (41 deaths) have made those responsible for building codes and regulations around the world sit up and take note. India has also suffered its fair share of high rise fires. Mantralaya is the administrative headquarters of the state government of Maharashtra in South Mumbai and in 2012 a faulty electrical circuit led to a fire in the 7...

All buildings are susceptible to fire and this aspect needs to be considered during design since it impacts the safety of human life. There has been an enormous increase in buildings of all classifications consequent to socio-economic progress made in the country over the last two decades. In the 1990s came the DotCom revolution and stalwarts of Silicon Valley started creating new townships and workspaces in India. This demand encouraged the construction of high-rise buildings without clear anticipation of the associated infrastructure requirement of cities. The challenges and risks that high-rises face due to fire hazards have also increased manifold. These hazards have caused heavy losses to life and limb, throwing up challenges to planners, architects, and fire protection services for evolving better and improved methods of design and fire protection in order to mitigate such losses. Over the years, fire safety in buildings has seen major improvements. The issue...

With a view to transform our urban centres into smarter and high-performance habitats, the GRIHA hosted a summit from 16 to 20 February, 2016 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Many interesting discussions took place over four days on vital sustainability issues including energy and water management, innovation in transport and recovery of waste at buildings. On the inaugural day, the welcome address was delivered by Dr Ajay Mathur, Director General,TERI and President, GRIHA Council. He said that dovetailing between Bureau of Energy Efficiency(BEE) and GRIHA’s work has given us examples of good, clean, and liveable buildings. Considering that two-thirds of infrastructure that will exist in 2030 is yet to be built, it presents us with a huge opportunity to ensure that all new buildings are ‘green’, he added. Dr A K Tripathi, Senior Director, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India congratulated the GRIHA team for...

Uniquely designed and strategically located ThaneOne Business Park is a corporate real estate with iconic office space. It is spread over 6 acres in Thane and built to LEED Platinum standards. Designed by Bentel Associates Realty Design Consultants, ThaneOne has bagged the coveted “Best Office Architecture 2013” recognition at the Asia Pacific Property Awards, Malaysia. The project features high speed elevators, 24-hour facility management, next-generation energy efficiency standards, Seismic Zone 3 earthquake resistance and it is designed along the proven intricacies and fundamentals of Vastu. ThaneOne prides in itself with unparalleled benefits of structural elegance, high level of security, all-encompassing amenities and seamless connectivity that add to its 360 degree appeal. Besides the top-notch features, its design incorporates lush green terrace gardens, water bodies, green zones to offer an unmatched balance of productivity and tranquillity to corporate executives. The project is structured to impress with a grand double height entrance...

WFM: Please give us a brief introduction of your firm and a few of your recently completed important projects. ZC: Bentel Associates is a leading Architectural practice formed as a joint venture between ICS Group, India and Bentel Associates International, South Africa. We are a dynamic international design team, offering a full range of cutting-edge specialist design skills including master planning, architecture, interior design, graphic design and store planning. Some of our recently completed projects include – PVP Square in Vijayawada, Pacific Mall in Dehradun and Acropolis Mall in Kolkata. WFM: You have been working with international architectural firms like RTKL and SOM earlier in Madrid, Dubai, etc. How different it is to design and work on projects in India? ZC: There are always cultural differences that can create obstacles to a quick understanding of what clients want and price sensitivities which vary globally. What doesn’t change however in our...

  Turner, a North America-based international construction Services Company, is known for working in diverse markets undertaking complex projects. The company has more than 5,200 employees who work on more than 1,200 projects each year that vary from design/build to procurement services Face to Faceto building information modeling to lean construction. Turner Group´s project management consultancy, Turner International, completes 50 years of its global presence. The Company has been serving the Indian market since the last eight years and is involved in few major projects in Delhi, Mumbai and Gujarat. [caption id="attachment_38402" align="alignright" width="192"] Mark A. Boyle (Senior Vice President & Chief Procurement Officer, Turner Construction Company)[/caption] WFM interviewed Abrar Sheriff (President & CEO, Turner International LLC), Jairam Panch (Managing Director of Turner India and Vice President of Turner International LLC, USA) and, Mark A. Boyle (Senior Vice President & Chief Procurement Officer, Turner Construction Company) at an event celebrating...

When you walk towards the majestic Oval Room at The Mansion, your eyes will undoubtedly stop at the striking bronze-shimmered glass panels enveloping this beautiful architecture. What started out as a wildly imaginative design concept, now stands as the country’s largest metal-incorporated glass façade. But there’s more to these glasses than their spectacular appearance - they also very effectively diffuse sunlight and provide a massive reduction in solar heat gain, two inherently important but often overlooked requirements in such free-standing structures. This case study elaborates on the design features of these glass panels and its journey from concept to reality. Hyatt Regency Delhi’s Oval Room at ‘The Mansion’ is its newest event space designed to host conferences, seminars, weddings and corporate meetings. Spread over 1,400 sq m, it is an opulent pillar-free space that can accommodate up to 1,000 guests with an open kitchen setup that translates Panelslive cooking into...

One of India’s premier stone companies, Classic Marble Company (CMC) has announced the launch of a new collection of porcelain tiles from its TECHLAM range. The imported range of tiles has been aptly christened the ‘Steel Collection’ because of its metallic look and finish. The Steel Collection has three varieties viz. Corten, Dark and White, which are specially designed to give buildings ‘and large projects’ exterior facades a touch of distinction. The TECHLAM range of tiles that are popular for their slim dimensions will be a feature of the Steel Collection also and will be available in a wide variety of formats ranging from 1x3 m to 30x50 cm pieces, weighing 7.1   kg/m2     “The Steel Collection is perhaps the most unique collection of porcelain tiles available in the market today. The Steel Collection has been created to satisfy the needs of an increasingly competitive market. This new...

Although we like to be outside as much as possible, people are still spending an average of 85 to even 90 per cent of their time indoors: in schools, on the working floor, in offices, but most of all in our own houses or apartments. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to take into account these aspects that influence the inner climate, such as fresh air. As the interest in insulation and airtight construction is growing, the importance of a good ventilation is also increasing. Air circulation, replacing polluted indoor air by fresh outdoor air, leads to a healthy and comfortable indoor climate. A topic to really think about … Each day, the indoor air is polluted by a number of sources; occupants (breathing, sweating), their activities (cooking, showering, heating, smoking, etc.) but also by the building itself and its furnishing (radon, volatile organic compounds, paint, glue, varnish, detergents, etc)....

Bangalore Protech collaborated with one of India’s leading architectural firms based in Bangalore, Gayathri & Namith Architects (GNA) to deliver to the Educational community a world class building which is the cutting edge of design. To meet Navodaya Education Trust’s requirement that its state-of-the-art building be highly appealing and well as conform to the latest green building standards, The design for the facade was conceived keeping in mind the climatic conditions of Raichur which are hot and dry. The aim was to achieve energy efficiency while maintaining the use of natural light and views that were integral to the design. The constraining parameters that were taken into account in the early design stage were: Climate (solar radiation, outdoor temperature) Site and obstructions of the building (latitude, daylight availability, atmospheric conditions, exterior obstructions, ground reflectance) Use of the building (operating hours, occupant’s tasks) Building and design regulations The façade system for...

Taking the advantage of important features of galvanized steel, (Galvanized steel’s elastic modulus is 3 times higher and thermal conductivity 4 times lower than aluminum alloys), NCL - the largest manufacturer of sustainable and energy saving windows in India, launched Secco Plus an exclusive range of GI windows and doors in wood texture of high quality. The systems are backed by world’s best technology, research and 25 years of industry experience. Secco Plus systems complement modern architecture and the latest contemporary design with door, window and curtain wall systems of all kinds, which are characterized by slender profiles. Elegance of Secco Plus Systems further enhance the style of the interiors. Secco Plus GI Windows are the latest systems in the evolution of Seccolor GI windows used in fenestration, and delivers extremely high performance in terms of thermal and acoustic insulation, remarkably long maintenance-free life and flawless functionality that lasts. Secco...

The 7th edition of the Zak Aluminium Extrusions Expo, 12th edition of Zak Doors & Windows Expo, and 13th edition of the Zak Glass Technology Expo took place from 10 - 13 December 2015 at MMRDA Exhibition Centre, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai, bringing together thousands of professionals from the Glass, Doors & Windows, and Aluminium to network, learn and do business. Zak Glass Technology Expo 2015, India’s and South Asia’s leading fair for glass and glazing technologies, was held on 10 - 13 December 2015 at MMRDA Exhibition Centre, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai. With 13 years of development, the event constituted 3 concurrent fairs — the 7th Zak Aluminium Extrusions Expo, the 12th Zak Doors & Windows Expo, and the 13th Zak Glass Technology Expo. This grandest event in the Asian glass industry report was organized by the Zak Trade Fair and Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd., one of the leading tradeshow and exhibition...