"access control systems"

1.  About the ProjectOne of the most prestigious national pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai, The German Pavilion, represented the Federal Republic of Germany's commitment to innovation and sustainability. Designed by renowned Berlin-based LAVA Architects, this 4,600 m² architectural showcase demonstrated Germany's leadership in environmental technology and intelligent building solutions through its unique "forest of steel poles" design.Project Specifications:Location: World Expo 2020 Dubai, UAEBuilding Owner: German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and EnergyArchitect: LAVA Architects, BerlinFacade Contractor: Future Glazing LLC, UAEMain Contractor: ARGE Deutscher Pavilion EXPO 2020 Dubai GbRInstallation Date: June 2021Exhibition Period: 6 months with over 3 million international visitorsTotal Pavilion Area: 4,600 m²FutureX Eclipse™ Intelligent Glazing Area: 113 m²2. The ChallengeFuture Glass was tasked with creating intelligent facade elements that would perform flawlessly in Dubai's extreme desert climate while maintaining perfect environmental control for millions of international visitors. The architects required a building envelope that could respond instantly to rapidly changing conditions including sandstorms, intense solar radiation, and temperatures exceeding 45°C.The project demanded breakthrough glazing technology that could eliminate mechanical shading systems while providing instant environmental adaptation. The design called for individual glass panels to operate independently whilst maintaining overall design coherence across the pavilion's complex geometry. Additionally, the system needed to be maintenance-free, withstand sandstorm conditions, and deliver consistent performance throughout the six-month exhibition period without any mechanical intervention.Given the prestigious nature of this international exhibition space, any failure or performance degradation would have significant reputational impact, making reliability and consistent operation absolutely critical.3. The OutcomeThe FutureX Eclipse™ installation delivered exceptional environmental control, enabling Campus Germany to maintain perfect occupant comfort for international visitors while showcasing German innovation in intelligent building technology. The electropolarization system responded instantly to Dubai's challenging environmental conditions, providing seamless transitions between maximum transparency and sophisticated solar protection in one second or less.The installation demonstrated zero mechanical shading requirements across the entire facade system, with individual 1.5-meter wide rotatable glass elements operating flawlessly throughout the exhibition period. The success of this project established new benchmarks for intelligent glazing performance in extreme climatic conditions and proved that breakthrough electropolarization technology could transform architectural vision into responsive, high-performance building envelopes.The pavilion's environmental control system impressed over 3 million visitors and received international recognition for its innovative integration of intelligent building technology with sophisticated architectural design.4. Products UsedFutureX Eclipse™ Electropolarization Switchable Glass System:Surface Area: 113 m² of intelligent glazing elementsQuantity: 61 individual switching unitsGeometry: Rectangular configurations with rotational capabilityConfiguration: 28 fixed glass panels, 4 standard doors, and 29 intelligent folding door elementsSwitching Speed: ≤1 second response timePerformance: Neutral colour throughout all switching statesTechnology: Eclipse® electropolarization switching layer with controlled electrical field modulationControl System: Individual panel control with building automation integrationEnvironmental Rating: Designed for extreme desert climate operation including sandstorm resistance

Soaring to a height of 1,776 feet (540-meters), the 2.6-million-squarefoot (242,000-square-meter) skyscraper known as One World Trade Center in the lower Manhattan district of New York City is a marvel of design and engineering. Construction of the building, previously called the Freedom Tower, began in April 2006 and at the time was the tallest building in the United States.The Challenge Sustainable design was a central theme to One World Trade Center’s development, with the Port Authority of New York/ New Jersey imposing a strict requirement for the replacement of Portland cement with recycled materials. In addition, extremely high performance concrete was necessary to meet the compressive strength requirements of the steel and concrete structural columns, which ranged from 14,000 psi (97 MPa) to 12,000 psi (83 MPa) for the lower 40 floors and 10,000 psi (69 MPa) to 8,600 psi (59 MPa) for the upper floors. The 12,000 psi (83 MPa) concrete phase of the project was the most challenging, with the engineers, owners and contractors all having their own requirements and specifications.The ResultsThrough Master Builders Solutions‘ Green Sense Concrete mixture optimization service, Eastern Concrete Materials was able to proportion an EF Technology® concrete mixture with 71% cement replacement. The mixture replaced Portland cement with the recycled materials, non-cementitious fillers and specialized admixtures to exceed all the performance targets specified by the One World Trade Center project stakeholders. This EF Technology mixture was used for the 38,000 yd3 (29,000 m3) of concrete needed for the columns through the first 40 floors. To quantify the environmental impact of sustainable concrete for the structure, an Eco-Efficiency Analysis was conducted, using a methodology validated by NSF International, to compare the specialized EF Technology mixture to a reference mixture. Some practical equivalents for these savings are: Water savings equal to 1,177,329 half-liter bottles of waterReduced carbon footprint equal to 1,835,494 gallons of gasolineFossil fuel savings equal to 29,872 barrels of oil

One of the most common questions asked by homeowners about the installation of their steel roof is whether an underlayment is needed. The answer to this question is “yes” in most situations. The underlayment plays a critical role in controlling the migration of condensation that might develop on the underside of the steel sheet thereby preventing accumulated water entering the building resulting in costly damage.

OverviewSet in the heart of downtown Toronto, the Ontario Court of Justice is the largest courthouse in Ontario and a benchmark for contemporary institutional construction. Completed in 2024, the project brings together 63 courtrooms and 10 conference settlement rooms in a LEED® Gold certified facility that reflects modern civic values—transparency, accessibility, and sustainability.Master Builders Solutions Canada Inc. played a key role in ensuring the structural concrete met the performance demands of this high-profile project.The ChallengeDelivering nearly 48,000 m³ of ready-mixed concrete in a downtown location posed numerous technical challenges. The structural design demanded high compressive strength, consistent workability, and durability to support complex load paths, security zones, and a tall atrium enclosed by a 20-metre glass façade.The project team required concrete solutions that would:Maintain workability over long pumping distances and vertical placements,Ensure strength development for critical structural zones (such as core walls and transfer slabs),Limit thermal cracking during curing in massive pours,Integrate seamlessly with staged slipform and rebar installation schedules.These demands were intensified by the need to meet LEED® Gold sustainability targets, tight construction timelines, and high public visibility.The ResultsMaster Builders Solutions Canada Inc. partnered closely with St Marys CBM to optimize concrete performance across all phases of construction. A suite of high-performance admixtures—including water reducers, retarders, and strength-enhancing additives—was deployed to address the project’s structural and logistical complexities.Key contributions included:Enhanced workability retention for long-distance pumping and complex placements, reducing placement time and labour.Improved early- and long-term strength development, enabling faster formwork cycling and reliable performance in high-load areas.Mitigated thermal buildup in mass pours to control cracking and ensure durability over the structure’s lifecycle.Admixture compatibility with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), aligning with the project’s environmental goals.By tailoring admixture solutions to the precise performance needs of each mix design, Master Builders Solutions supported consistent quality and efficiency throughout the build.The Ontario Court of Justice now stands not only as a civic institution but also as a demonstration of what is possible when modern structural design and advanced concrete technology are brought together. The project exemplifies how Master Builders Solutions helps construction teams deliver on performance, sustainability, and long-term value.

Scope of WorkProcess, deliver and install façade cone glazing for the dome.Build Up12mm FT HST Sunguard Neutral 50 + 16mm Black Warm Edge spacer + 88.4 Clear HSProject DetailsCaspian Waterfront is the reimagined building of the original government congress centre. In 2016, local developer Pasha Construction started transforming the building into a 120,000 sq. m. retail entertainment and leisure complex. Located on the shore of the Caspian Sea, the structure opens onto the waterfront on three sides.The retail centre’s unique structure posed a challenge. The building complex has geometric shapes similar to the Sydney Opera House, with shell roofs that reflect the surrounding water. The central flame tower has an eight-angled glass façade inspired by the country’s emblem, the eight-pointed star. Since the building would resemble a place of pride, we had to ensure that our panels surpassed every quality level. Due to the unique triangular shape of the glass panels extra care had to be taken during production, delivery and installation to prevent injury, breakage and damage.At Future Glass, we always prioritise quality. Our state-of-the-art processing facility enabled us to deliver the panels on time with minimal on-site rejections. Today, Caspian Waterfront has become a national symbol of Azerbaijan.

What is Oil-Canning? Oil-canning is associated with all thin sheet metal products and occurs in the wide flat portions of the cladding profile. It is seen as a series of standing waves, or regular bumps and hollows alternating along the flat length of the panel. This waviness, when viewed under certain conditions, can be undesirable aesthetically and may not meet with the owner’s expectations. The CSSBI wants to help avoid this situation. The cladding manufacturers are aware of the potential for oil-canning in the cladding profiles and can help minimize the effect. It is important for the proper steps to be taken during manufacturing and installation to produce a quality finished product; therefore, specifiers should insist on product from a reliable, experienced cladding manufacturer, like a CSSBI member company. Quality control, however, cannot end on the shop floor. The building project needs the cooperation and knowledge of everyone involved to enhance the quality of the finished job. Oil-canning is a phenomenon that can be managed if the following factors are considered at the beginning of a project.

Introduction Sheet steel roofing and siding (cladding) is available in a wide variety of profiles, colours and paint systems. The modern prepainted systems used on Canadian-made products will provide decades of beautiful performance before there are any visible signs of deterioration of the paint surface. However, an important component of the cladding system is the fastener used to attach it to the structure. This fastener is not simply a screw; it is part of the roof or wall assembly and should be expected to provide the same long-term performance. This performance is not simply the capacity to safely hold the cladding in place, but also to match the colour and durability of the paint system. The selection of the correct screw for the job is the first step in the creation of a cladding system that will provide long-term performance. The next step is the installation. Installing screws in sheet steel cladding is commonplace and can be done very efficiently. The tool manufacturers have developed a wide range of options for installing fasteners into any type of substrate. Selecting the most appropriate tool will help the installation process.

Sustainability, durability, fire resistance, structural performance and cost-effectiveness are some of the strongest reasons for using structural steel or cold-formed steel framing in mid-rise building construction. As a dependable, noncombustible material, steel-framed structures provide a wise investment for builders and the occupants who live and work in them. Steel structures provide long-term, consistent performance. • Steel framing will not rot, warp, split, crack or creep. • Steel framing is not vulnerable to termites. • Steel framing does not expand or contract with moisture content. • Steel framing is produced in strict accordance with national standards, with no regional variations. Steel is a noncombustible material and will not contribute to the spread of a fire. • Because steel is noncombustible, it reduces the fire risk to occupants, firefighters and property/business owners. Steel framing improves design efficiency, saves time, and reduces costs. • Steel framing provides a significantly greater strength-to-weight ratio than wood. • Steel framing allows for larger bays and wider frame spacing than wood construction. • Increased flexibility in bay spacing and framing layout maximizes usable floor space for owners and tenants. • Steel is typically fabricated off-site, reducing on-site labor, cycle time and construction waste. • Shorter construction time results in earlier occupancies and lower financing costs. Steel structures perform well during earthquakes and other extreme events. • Steel is a resilient material, with reserve strength and ductility that result in significant advantages in natural disasters such as hurricanes and earth- quakes, and in other extreme events like fire and blast. • Steel construction is engineered to provide a reliable, consistent load path. • Steel construction employs quality control and quality assurance procedures to ensure that the project requirements are met. Steel framing provides environmental benefits and complies with sustainable building standards. • Steel framing results in less scrap and job site waste than lumber. • Structural steel is continually recycled with a current recycling rate of 98 percent, meaning that these steels will still be in use hundreds of years from now, lessening impacts on future generations. • Steel, when recycled, loses none of its inherent properties and can be recycled into different products such as cars, bridges, cans, etc. • Steel can be used to comply with the requirements of sustainable design standards such as the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), ASHRAE Standard 189.1 (Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings), and the National Green Building Standard (ICC-700). Steel can also provide credit points for green building rating systems like the USGBC’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and the Green Building Initiative’s ANSI/GBI-01 (Green Building Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings).  

Introduction Prefinished sheet steel building products, such as wall and roof cladding, liner sheet, flashing, and associated items, have experienced an enviable growth record during the past twenty years or so. Coil coated prefinished sheet steel in a variety of colours and paint systems has greatly enhanced the appearance of thousands of industrial, commercial, institutional, recreational, residential and farm buildings, providing an economical, durable and attractive alternative to traditional materials. As with all materials, a little care and maintenance pays off handsomely in terms of longevity and repair costs. The recommendations which follow have been learned at first hand and represent the collective industry experience with thin-film paint systems applied to metallic coated sheet steel by the coil coating process. In this publication the term “thin-film paint system” refers to a modified silicone polyester or a fluorocarbon type having a coating thickness about 25µm. When the guidelines listed below have been observed, thin-film paint systems have been used successfully for all types of environments other than severe industrial atmospheres which require special consideration. The guidelines are not intended for barrier coatings, laminates, and new formulations which have different characteristics than the thin-film paint systems on which these guidelines are predicated. 

For BART's Doolittle Maintenance Facility at the new Oakland Airport connector, SAFTI FIRST® provided 60 minute, fire resistive wall openings in the exterior using SuperLite® II-XL 60 insulated with low-e glazing in GPX® Framing with a clear anodized finish. SAFTI FIRST® engineered a connection that allows the structural elements of the GPX® Architectural Series Framing System to support an integral sunshade system, instead of being hung in front of it. The Doolittle Bart Station is one of the first installations of the GPX® Architectural Series System with sunshade connections, which also include SLCC New Instruction and Administrative Building in Salt Lake City, UT.

This Fact Sheet has been written to describe some of the factors that affect the cost of prepainted sheet steel cladding products. The most significant factors are: colour, paint system, order quantity, Fabricator's inventory and profile selection. Recognition of the impact of these factors can help you select a prepainted sheet steel cladding system to fit the aesthetic and durability requirements of your project, and still stay within a budget. 

The 1890s-era Midtown Community Court in New York City—a New York Historic Landmark—is currently undergoing a five year, $18 million renovation that includes a 9,650-square-foot addition for a new elevator, lobby and stairwell featuring fire resistive glass and curtain wall. The system consists of SAFTI FIRST®’s SuperLite® II-XL 120 IGU in GPX® Curtain Wall System.

MAPEI’s Mapeheat™ radiant floor-heating system adds an extra touch of luxury to a five-star lodge.

Introduction Prefinished sheet steel is used on many building products from wall cladding, to architectural roofing to interior panels. Prefinished sheet steel has been used in Canada for over 30 years and there may be sites were the paint surface is in need of repainting. This bulletin is intended to give some guidance on repainting prefinished panels. Due to the diversity of factory applied prefinished systems, and the diversity of potential field applied repaint systems, it is impossible to offer one comprehensive repaint procedure for all possible situations. However, it is possible to offer a set of guidelines to be considered in every potential situation.

An independent assessment of the life cycle cost for various low slope roof systems revealed that steel roofing had the longest life span, no leaks due to material failures, and the lowest overall maintenance cost.

1. SCOPE 1.1 The following specifications shall apply to hot-dipped metallic-coated sheet steel prefinished with colours of proven durability and suitable for exterior exposure as delivered from the coil coater. Proven paint systems for building products have been designed for vertical applications whose surfaces are no more than 30° to the vertical and non-vertical applications whose surfaces ranging from 5° up to 60° to the horizontal. It is not recommended for aggressive atmospheric exposure. 1.2 The prefinish system shall consist of a primer and topcoat continuously applied and cured within the paint manufacturer’s specifications on cleaned, pretreated, metallic-coated substrate. The pretreatment specified shall be zinc phosphate for galvanized steel and metal oxide pretreatment for aluminum-zinc alloy-coated steel, applied in accordance with the pretreatment manufacturer’s specifications.

This new 120,000 square foot, state-of-the-art convening center features a 1,000-seat auditorium that is large enough to host the entire MBA class. The glass atrium floods the multi-purpose lobby with natural light, as well as provides a visual connection between the interior of the building and the outdoor environment. To maximize transparency, SAFTI FIRST® met with the architects during the design phase to create a large, 2-hour, glass wall that separates the lobby from the auditorium while providing a visual connection between them. Since this 2-hour glass wall also serves as the entrance to the auditorium, deciding on a 90-minute door system was of upmost important. SAFTI FIRST®’s in-house engineering department provided design assistance, system details, engineering calculations and support from the planning phase all the way to the submittal process.

Start at the foundation where the loads imposed by a steel frame are up to 50% less than those of a concrete alternative. There is evidence in the field and through third-party case studies and comparative cost studies that steel building systems offer significant cost benefits over competitive building materials when the total cost of construction is considered.

Because the Sapphire Towers' south facing elevation was in close proximity to the adjacent property, code regulations required the south façade to either be solid, which was contrary to the design, or to have openings with a minimum fire protection of 45 minutes. SAFTI FIRST® engineered a system that met the uniform design demands and performance requirements for the windows and balconies in all 32 floors in the south-facing elevation.

When the people of Canada’s capital region seek relief from city life, they often retreat to the serene, natural beauty found in Quebec’s Gatineau hills. Here, where temperatures can drop to -38°F (-39°C) and snow falls seven months out of the year, heated flooring is a practical luxury. To help recreate a Scandinavian-style getaway for the Groupe Nordik Lofts du Village project, specifiers chose one of MAPEI’s Mapeheat floor-heating systems.

The David Eccles School of Business on the University of Utah campus features a 28- x 18-ft 2 hour interior glass wall with a 90 minute full-vision door in an exit enclosure/stairwell. The architects selected fire rated glass to meet fire rating requirements while providing maximum visibility and natural daylighting in the space. The project’s specifications also required the fire rated glass to have the same optical clarity as the adjacent non-rated glass systems.

Codes required fire wall separations between parking garages and businesses, markets, homes and other uses. Architects can replace entire walls with glass to open up buildings like never before. For example, SuperLite® II-XL in GPX® Architectural Series Framing by SAFTI FIRST® is a USA-made fire resistive transparent wall system that blocks radiant heat and meets the same stringent ASTM E-119/ UL 263/ NFPA 251 code requirements that any opaque fire rated wall must meet.

The Salt Lake City Public Safety Building in Utah is the first U.S. Public Safety Building to achieve both a net-zero rating and LEED Platinum status and designed to survive a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and remain fully functional afterwards. This ensures that the city’s emergency operations center can survive and help the city recover in the event of an earthquake or a similar disaster. Fire rated glass contributes to achieving sustainable design goals by maximizing daylight penetration deep within a building and shared artificial lighting between spaces. It also ensures that occupants can exit the building safely in the event of an earthquake, which can damage sprinkler systems and render them ineffective.

Designers and builders have long recognized steel for its strength, durability and functionality. An important aspect of steel’s story is its high recycled content and end-of-life recovery rate. Both attributes are recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) green building rating system, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), but steel construction products can contribute to many other LEED credits as well, either directly or indirectly. USGBC’s latest version, LEEDv4, includes a completely revised and expanded Materials and Resources section, with new credits in the areas of life-cycle assessment (LCA), environmental product declarations (EPDs), and overall product transparency

Four Key Components Constitute Prefinished Sheet Steel Prefinished sheet steel for construction consists of four major components: the sheet steel itself, a metallic (zinc or aluminum-zinc alloy) coating, chemical pre-treatment and primer, and a top coat. Each performs an important role in providing designers with a high quality, aesthetic, cost competitive and corrosion-resistant material. The backbone of the system is sheet steel, an ideal material for covering large surface areas because of its economy and high strength-toweight ratio. Protection against the demanding Canadian environment is provided by the metallic coating, one of the most effective methods of protecting bare steel from corrosion. Both zinc and aluminum-zinc alloy provide a tough, non-porous coating

Buildings have a profound impact on our natural environment, economy, health and productivity. In North America, the built environment accounts for approximately one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions, energy, water and material consumption and generates similiar proportions of pollution. Indoor air quality is regarded as one of the top environmental health risks today, affecting the well-being, productivity and performance of many people. As concerns increase about sustainability in building design and operation, there is a need to develop a framework for assessing and quantifying buildings so that questions such as, “What is sustainable design?” and “How green is this project?” can be addressed. In response to this, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system was developed to provide such a framework for North America. This document explores how the use of steel structures and components can contribute to achieving a LEED certificate for a building.