Water play
Program brings healthy drinking water to neighborhoods
Halsey Taylor. The PlaNYC 2030 Initiative, a sustainability plan for the city's future, is a collaboration among the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, the Department of Education and the non-profit The Trust for Public Land. The PlaNYC "Schoolyards to Playgrounds" program aims to increase the amount of open space in underserved neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs of New York City and ensure that all New Yorkers live within a 10-minute walk of a park or playground.
To achieve this goal, they have identified 266 public schoolyards that ultimately will be transformed into more than 200 acres of new parkland within walking distance of about 400,000 children and their families. Along with the improvements and additions, many will be updated with custom outdoor drinking fountains from Halsey Taylor. New Endura Steel Wall-mount Drinking Fountains, customized with a specially designed "nyc water" logo and blue color, were installed in many of the newly created parks throughout the city.
The fountains have heavy-gauge, cold-rolled steel construction and are manufactured using the E-coat Immersion process, which coats the fountain for corrosion protection. Many of the models specified for the project feature an optional freeze-resistant valve system, which ensures that the fountain will function despite weather conditions.
Select the July 2009 issue RSN number 158 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.
Cutting campus crime
Camera systems installed in parking lots protect students and staff
ADT Security Services. The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has enhanced security in three of its largest parking lots with the addition of video-surveillance systems from ADT Security Services. The installation includes cameras, transmitted via a wireless mesh system, that monitor a 600-space remote parking lot about a quarter-mile from the university's main campus.
"The wireless system was the most effective way to get data from such a far-away area without the cost and environmental impact of trenching associated with a wired system," says Daniel Pena, UTSA assistant police chief.
The system already has helped solve several break-ins and auto-theft cases, according to campus police. The success of the wireless mesh system, which has been operational since early 2007, led the university to recently install more wired cameras in two other parking lots.
The wireless cameras enable the security team to capture video as cars come and go from the university's largest parking lot. The team looks for suspicious activity, such as cars circling past open spaces and people lingering near parked vehicles. If a suspicious activity is identified, cameras enable officers to zoom in and capture license-plate numbers of cars entering and exiting the lot. The cameras also have helped campus police identify suspects.
"We are generally able to identify offenders as they exit the lot. We capture the license plate and we've got them. The system has been an invaluable tool for identifying suspects and shutting down theft rings," says Pena.
Select the July 2009 issue RSN number 159 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.
Prefabricated booth
B.I.G Enterprises. The Vista, a new booth design, serves as a welcoming interface for visitors, while providing the design features for high-volume ticket sales. The booth has a stucco facade exterior and a standing-seam roof, and can accommodate several workers. It comes with electrical, including provisions for data, communication and security camera systems, stainless-steel shelves and high-output commercial HVAC.
Select the July 2009 issue RSN number 150 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.
Green seating
Biofit Engineered Products. The full line of seating, including chairs and stools designed for educational use, recently earned compliance under the IAQ requirements set forth by Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association (BIFMA) Furniture Emissions Standards. Subsequently, specifiers of the seating products for use in schools, universities and other training facilities now are eligible to receive credits under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program.
Select the July 2009 issue RSN number 151 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.
Recessed down lights
Nora Lighting. An innovative series of energy-efficient LED recessed down lights has been introduced for new construction and renovations. Three 120V models are featured: a 4-inch-diameter aperture fixture (11W), and 5-inch- and 6-inch-diameter aperture fixtures (15W). The fixtures integrate the warm white color of incandescent lamps with long-lasting, high-output LED technology. They are rated for 50,000 hours at 70 percent lumen maintenance.
Select the July 2009 issue RSN number 152 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.
Access control
Corbin Russwin Architectural Hardware. The Access 700 lockset with PERSONA Campus software is an intelligent, one-card solution for economical and effective campus access control. The Grade 1 quality lockset — available with keypad and magnetic stripe, or magnetic stripe-only versions — is a battery-operated lockset with on-board memory. The software technology provides seamless database integration and software interfacing with enterprise, transaction and housing systems. Locks can be programmed to define unlimited access, extended-hours access or no access.
Select the July 2009 issue RSN number 153 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.
Recycling program
Roppe Corporation. The IMPACT rubber products recycling program encourages building professionals to Rethink + Reuse + Recycle = Responsibility. Products are gathered at the jobsite and palletized for return to a recycling partner, and are made into many different products, such as municipal landscaping mulches, playground surfacing, and rubber crumb for athletic fields and other applications.
Select the July 2009 issue RSN number 154 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.
Roofing accessories
Firestone Building Products Company, LLC. The UltraPly TPO custom accessory program has been added to the company's accessories product line. The program offers UltraPly TPO Pipe Boots and Curb Flashings, which are available in white, tan or gray. Custom Pipe Boots are available in round, square and conical configurations to provide flexibility to meet project flashing needs. Custom Curb Flashings are available in four designs for a variety of curb sizes.
Select the July 2009 issue RSN number 155 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.
Data collector
Videx. The iBR9000 is the newest addition to the data-collection family. Small and lightweight, the iBR9000 portable, handheld data collector is a miniature-sized reader of iButtons. This tough data collector measures 2¾ inches in length, weighs less than 2 ounces, and easily fits on a keyring or in a user's pocket. It can store at least 9,000 reads before the next download of data.
Select the July 2009 issue RSN number 156 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.
Occupancy sensor
Watt Stopper/Legrand. The new HB350W high-bay occupancy sensor is engineered specifically for wet locations. The sensor is IP65-rated, as well as UL-rated raintight (UL244A and UL508). The line voltage sensor offers two different and interchangeable lens options and is part of the company's offering of fixture-integrated lighting controls. When the sensor no longer detects occupancy in a controlled space, it automatically turns lighting off. The device features sealed and gasketed lenses, as well as a raintight enclosure to ensure wet or damp conditions do not impair sensor performance.
Select the July 2009 issue RSN number 157 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.
