MarketScale Manufacturing

Joe Fong, AIA, a Senior Architect at Tamlyn, is quick to point out that an architects design doesn't simply plan for “walls, windows, and a roof," but takes into account a variety of considerations, including air filtration, water leakage, heat resistance, and even light and noise. While this seems like common knowledge within the industry, what often gets left out of the conversation is how all these design detials work together.

For example, it's hard to ignore when your cold glass of beer forms condensation when brought into a warmer room. Those same processes affect buildings and homes in dramatic ways. Fong explains that most people think of moisture as being water, and that it comes in the form of rain or snow -- so many are quick to waterproof simply by filling in holes or cracks. He points out that just as in the constructs of weather, moisture is actually carried through the air, and can travel anywhere that air can travel. When the air can no longer hold the amount of moisture, it can turn to liquid, causing damage.

"We try to maintain control over the environment of the uncontrollable outside," Fong said.

On the podcast, Fong encourages everyone building to not save all of their money on just the interior contents of a piece of property, but on the exterior as well-- for, if there’s an external fault, it will ruin all of the beautiful interior contents.

This is a MarketScale Careers Podcast, where we showcase some of the most cutting edge positions at market-leading companies in your industry.

Today’s Careers Podcast explores the position of Design Engineer at Fibrebond; we speak with Stephanie Jordan, Director of Marketing & Employee Development at Fibrebond to learn more about the hands-on, creative and personable role. Along with the basics, you'll get to hear Jordan: describe why Tony Stark would flock to this job, compare Fibrebond to a film's opening sequence, and highlight what makes Fibrebond stand out among its competitors.

The Design Engineer would be responsible for the design of custom enclosures for generator sets, switchgear motor controls, and power control equipment for use in mission critical power generation (oil and gas, energy/utility sectors). You can read the full job description here.

Interviewees should prepare for a panel interview, which can of course be intimidating, but rest assured the panel is composed of people who want their employees (and potential employees) to succeed. If you have a BS in Mechanical Engineering and three to five years’ experience, desire a fast-paced hands-on design position, and are curious, creative, and motivated—click here to apply, or head to Fibrebond.com and click Apply Now in the top right hand corner.

Extreme weather is one of the inevitable struggles of life. The recent polar vortex that swept across the United States really brought that into focus. The second feature of today's episode of the MarketScale AEC podcast deals with how the industry can cope with extreme weather from a design perspective.

Our first feature on this week's show takes a look at how the UK Research and Innovation Group is funding the future of technology for the construction industry.

“The engineering and construction industry is at the cusp of a new era, with technology start-ups creating new applications and tools that are changing how companies design, plan and execute projects,” the report's authors write.

They point to significant investment in construction technology as a sign of what's to come. In this episode of Marketscale AEC, we explore McKinsey's report, how the UK is investing millions in technology, and how AEC company leaders can take the first steps to join this tech revolution happening.

It’s clear. Technology is the shiny new tool that's making complex construction projects not just possible, but more productive, on time, and on budget.

On this episode we’re joined by Dr. George H. Berghorn, Professor of Construction Management at the School of Planning, Design and Construction at Michigan State University and he breaks down the different dynamics of insulation, efficient building exteriors, and optimal thermal design in the residential and commercial markets. He also explains the variables that need to be accounted for during the planning phase and about the kind of innovation we can expect in the near future.

"Sorta the new rule of thumb if you talk to energy auditors and very energy efficient builders, they'll tell you that the only thing that should go in an attic is insulation," he says. "Don't use it for storage. The reason being is that you want to get as much insulation into that attic as you possibly can, so you minimize heat loss out through the roof of the house."

For decades, concrete pavers have been a great way to add a new dimension to the outdoor aesthetic of a home or business. Recently, they've been moving indoors to create a unique look to a homeowner’s living space, and manufacturers are hopping on the trend. With proper care and maintenance, concrete pavers can stay beautiful and in good condition for many years; consumers are seeing it as a valuable investment.

Corey McDonald is the Marketing Manager at FireRock Building Materials, and his company aims to provide only the best quality paver with careful attention to specified needs for the installation of each type.

McDonald joined us on the podcast to detail best practices in installation, including issues of material thickness, correct mortar beds to accommodate a concrete product, differences between dry cast and wet cast products, and utilizing the necessary application procedures specific to the materials, all to ensure the long life of the paver.

"That's one of the uniquenesses of a wet cast product, that durability over time and the ability to blend into the natural environment," McDonald said.

FireRock is the only company to manufacture a 7-piece random pattern set for those customers, and they tout that their product’s compression strength is triple that of their competitors. In tandem, they are designed with specific sizes that allow pavers to appear more aesthetically pleasing. The design also allows for heat resistance and comfort for walking on in the hot summer months. With their special texturing and four-color options, their look is unique to the brand. FireRock aims to manufacture a product that, at its core, is not only visually appealing and strong but becomes connected with the way people want to live.

Wool is common natural fiber. Its applications range widely; it’s a staple of the clothing and textile industries, and it has the ability to absorb odors as well as sounds. You can even use it in making compost. There’s also other surprising uses for wool, namely: building insulation.

Andrew Legge is the CEO of Havelock Wool and his goal is to bring awareness to builders and homeowners that wool can be a natural, alternative insulation. On the podcast, he highlighted the history of synthetic fibers, leading to the rise in fiberglass insulation, and he detailed the many practical and health related benefits that wool insulation offers.

"There used to be a lot more sheep in the US than there are now," Legge said. "There's a better return and a more predictable one if you make your own fibers."

As people are driving toward more all-natural, organic, green, and local goods, Legge expressed optimism that buyer awareness will increase, and lead consumers to make more evaluations and informed decisions on the materials that get used to make their homes.

"I think we all need to stop and think...about the net embodied energy of the creation of the materials that we're using," Legge said.

Keeping a finger on the pulse of the challenges and trends facing an industry can be vital to the success of a business. On this episode of the MarketScale AEC Podcast, we take a look at the biggest issue facing residential construction and break down some of the emerging trends in 2019.

MarketScale has been following infulential members of the AEC community through our Faces of Design series, chronicalling architects, designers, and influencers who set an example of excellence. For our final episode of season 1, we profiled Eric Edelson, the CEO of Fireclay Tile, who took a dying company during the 2008 recession and breathed life back into it. Now, it's worth several million dollars, and is growing at an unprecedented rate.

Rejoined by AEC contributor Bryce Stuckenschneider on this supplementary podcast to our main video on Edelson, we pull the curtain back and get more insight on his journey into the AEC industry, an industry he knew nothing about before joining the Fireclay team. His lack of experience but success regardless is a testament to the power of focused, thoughtful leadership. We analyze that methodology for leadership, how Edelson identified the issues at Fireclay, and the initiative he had to take to deliver bad news. But most importantly, Edelson explains to us how powerful software was the single most important change he brought to Fireclay, and why it saved the company.

Daniel Litwin: So obviously bringing technology into the picture helped revolutionize what Fireclay could do and I know you had some specific softwares that you were gung-ho about that, “Hey, look, we have to implement this into our daily operations because it’s going to empower us in ways that you don’t even imagine.” So that includes stuff like Salesforce, Asana, Zenefits. Tell me a bit about how you implemented those technologies and what your thought process was for, “Okay, why does this company need blank? Why does it need blank and how did it turn the company around?”

Eric Edelson: Yeah. So to paint the picture back in 2009, it was really bleak for this company. Sales were cratering. There was no money in the company, owed quite a bit of money to a variety of vendors and banks. So there was really nothing. We did a pretty quick immediately layoff. One of the things I really like about Paul is he acted quickly. So pretty much my first day we shut one of two factories that the company had down and had to lay off about eight people, which was really a struggle but at the same time it was absolutely necessary because there was no money.

And for the first six months, had Paul kind of structure our agreement. I said, “You know, when there’s money, I’ll pay myself what you’re paid,” which literally wasn’t very much money. Because I just felt like, “You know, any dollars to me in Day 1 wouldn’t really help the business.” So I took all of that money and really deployed it at software. So really quickly we took what they already had which is an old file maker process and they have this outdated accounting software. There’s a whole story about his accountant who quit about two weeks after I joined. It turned out she’s been embezzling about $30,000 behind Paul’s back.

Often it can feel like new technology does nothing but make our lives more complicated, but on today's episode of the MarketScale AEC Podcast we're going to take a look at two innovations that are making the lives of AEC professionals easier.

New materials and new technology have shaken up the AEC industry and pushed development forward. For Ian Daniels, Director of Architectural Products at Tamlyn, these new materials and challenges are opportunities to develop creative solutions.

When architects come with a design that presents a challenge, that's when the fun begins. "We'll dive into it, use our expertise to know what capabilities we have, and we'll see if we can make it," says Daniels.

Modular and prefabricated buildings have been around for a long time, but Daniels says they're making big strides in style and in the multi-family realm. "A ton of our work has been multi-family, for the most part. And now, we're starting to see a shakeup in multi-family doing some more prefabricated stuff," he says.

Whatever come's next, Daniels is confident that in their ability to adapt to the challenges. "If we all didn't enjoy what we were doing we wouldn't be here," he says. "I think we all have a zest to see what's coming next and that's what keeps pushing all of us forward."