BUILDER'S GUIDE TO PERIMETER SLAB INSULATION

The foundation of a house is a somewhat invisible and sometimes ignored component of the building. It is increasingly evident, however, that attention to good foundation design and construction has significant benefits to the homeowner and the builder, and can avoid some serious future problems.

Good foundation design and construction practice means not only insulating to save energy, but also providing effective structural design as well as moisture, termite, and radon control techniques where appropriate.

A TECNOPOD FOR MANY USES

The architecture firm ZLG Sdn.Bhd., of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has developed a prototype for a lightweight, movable building called the "tecnopod." The main criteria for its design were that it be modular, easily transportable, and able to be erected within a day.

NEW SCHOOL EMBODIES ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CONCERNS

Editor's Note: In this story, Wissam Jabr describes the approach taken by his firm to this substantial school project.

In creating an educational environment for "mentally challenged" children and young adults, as architects we faced a few challenges of our own. Beirut's new Abdel Hadi Debs School for Mental Development was to function as both home and school for 575 students plus staff, with a restricted budget but high ambitions for energy conservation.

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