Fabric Structures – Page 6 – Specialty Fabrics Review

Energy efficiency and sustainability

November 1, 2013 | Awnings & Shades, Fabric Structures, Feature, Sustainability

Is more heat in a home or office a good thing? It depends on the season, of course. As more people turn to solar and geothermal systems to heat and cool their homes and places of business, ambient heat gain can be a challenge—one that can, to some extent, be addressed by well-designed shade struct…

Building business with LEED

November 1, 2013 | Awnings & Shades, Fabric Structures, Feature

Awnings and solar shades can boost energy performance and contribute to LEED certification points. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a family of rating systems that recognizes building or renovation projects for improvements in energy efficiency, water conservation, habitat…

Fabric, flexible, photovoltaic

November 1, 2013 | Awnings & Shades, Fabric Structures, Feature

Solar energy-collecting fabric products offer major potential to impact energy use—and make businesses in the industry hugely successful. Coal and oil have superbly fueled and helped enable the extraordinary growth of modern civilization. Their supply is reaching its peak, though, and will soon st…

Responsive textiles vs. reactive façade systems

November 1, 2013 | Fabric Structures, Feature, Projects

Research illuminates the possibilities for creating textile second building skins that can be “controlled” by the environment and user preferences. Structures are designed and built to offer people protection and comfort. New research seeks to change views concerning how people may interact with…

Positively portable structures

November 1, 2013 | Fabric Structures, Projects, Tents

High-performance cladding makes transportable fabric structures unique—and practical. Native Americans have known for eons about the virtues of lightweight, flexible fabric-wrapped structures, long before Europeans arrived in North America in the 15th century. Camping enthusiasts have appreciated …

The great(er) outdoors, all year

November 1, 2013 | Fabric Structures, Projects

When the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), needed to enclose a very large courtyard to be able to use the space all year long, they turned to J. Miller Canvas Inc. of Santa Ana, Calif., to make it happen. The solution: a motorized, sliding panel roof system, engineered to be covered or…

Over-the-top remake for historic train station

November 1, 2013 | Fabric Structures, Projects

The Salzburg, Austria, Central Train Station is a major transportation hub, connecting nearly 15,000 people to surrounding towns and bringing tourists to admire the breathtaking mountain views. The original station, built in 1908, consisted of a building with an arched marble hall and an arched two-…

Beating the heat with shade

November 1, 2013 | Awnings & Shades, Fabric Structures, Projects

Temperature extremes in Japan are leading to greater reliance on fabric shade structures. By Kikuko Tagawa Japan has been experiencing extremely hot summers in recent years. The summer of 2013 was especially fierce, according to a statement issued by the Tokyo Climate Center (TCC) Advisory Panel on …

Googling from great heights

October 1, 2013 | Fabric Structures, Projects

Rural, remote and developing areas of the world may soon have access to the Internet, if a promising pilot project recently launched by Google takes flight. Google is working with Raven Industries Inc., Sioux Falls, S.D., on a plan to use high-altitude balloons with equipment that will provide high-…

Civic center sets sail in Newport Beach