The Portland Cement Association, which represents America’s cement manufacturers, announced new leadership for its Board of Directors after holding elections on Dec. 4 at its last meeting of 2023.

The American Concrete Institute has released its 2024 collection of concrete codes, specifications and practices.

The New York artisan returns with a new feature regarding intricate/ornate finishes for interior plaster.

How prevalent are decorative plasters in the United States?

How to make your plaster have a shiny look.

Big changes are coming to adhered masonry veneer codes with the 2022 updates to TMS 402 and 602, soon to be adopted in the 2024 building codes. The revisions introduce two design approaches — prescriptive and engineered — giving more flexibility to architects and engineers.

Huntsman Corporation has named Doug Brady as president of Huntsman Building Solutions.

A new tool that leverages the capabilities of NAIMA’s 3E Plus pipe insulation thickness calculator for commercial and industrial facilities is now available. Within just a few minutes, the 3E Estimator can give users a ballpark estimate of the energy and emissions savings from adding insulation to the piping in an industrial facility.

Knauf Insulation, Inc. announced the opening of its new, state-of-the-art facility in McGregor, Texas, bringing Knauf’s manufacturing network to eight locations across the United States.

The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry announced Oct. 2 that The 2023 End-Use Market Survey on the Polyurethanes Industry in the United States, Canada and Mexico is now available for purchase from the ACC store.

Before I speak to organizations about energy-efficient and disaster-resilient construction, I update the toll that recent storms and disasters have taken.

Chaney Enterprises, a ready-mix concrete, aggregates, custom blends, and related construction supplies provider, announced its customer, Eastern Bay Management Corporation completed the first multi-story, multi-use commercial insulated concrete form (ICF) building on the Eastern Shore in Maryland.

The Structural Insulated Panel Association announced the winners of its annual Building Excellence Awards, an off-site construction awards program that recognizes outstanding residential and commercial projects.

A K-12 school in rural Alaska, a zero-energy-ready timber-frame home, low-income housing with a high-performance shell...the winners of this year’s Building Excellence Awards are a strong testament to the benefits of SIP construction.

For the past few years here at Walls & Ceilings magazine, we’ve been considering the fundamentals of traditional plasters.

Lime plaster has a notable place in the history of art, architecture and design throughout the world, from the Egyptian pyramids to the Italian Renaissance frescos.

Construction official says “desperate” proposal won’t address root causes of higher fuel prices but will blow a huge hole in the federal highway trust fund and undermine efforts to fix infrastructure.

Westlake Royal Building Products announced that it has acquired Palight Trimboard from its long-standing partner Palram Americas. Through the acquisition of Palight Trimboard product lines, Westlake Royal will expand its portfolio of brands offered under Westlake Royal Trim & Mouldings Solutions, which provides the finishing touch for the interior and exterior of a home.

Plastic Components announced the death of its longtime president, Tom Stark, on March 6.

Westlake Royal Building Products has partnered with Operation Tiny Home to build and dedicate a custom-built tiny home to a Lummi Nation U.S. Veteran facing housing instability.

Westlake Royal Building Products has been named 2022 Vendor of the Year by Carter Lumber, one of the nation’s top building materials retailers. Despite industry shifts and challenges, the partnership has remained strong, allowing both companies to continue meeting the needs of customers.

Plastic Components now offers individual brochures for its PVC Trims and Accessories product lines, which include stucco/plaster, stone veneer, drywall, Direct Applied Systems, Exterior Insulated Finish Systems and fiber cement board trims.

I met Kevin Moyer at the national plastering contest held last year in Long Beach, Calif. I listened as he spoke of the future of the plastering industry and the need for skilled plasterers to meet the expected demand of a trade once in decline, but now on the eve of a renaissance. I asked him then if I could have the opportunity to interview him for Walls and Ceilings and recently our schedules permitted us to get together.

My journey through the inner sanctum of the USG Research & Technology Innovation center continued through one testing laboratory after another, each with its own specialty… With over 100 years of innovation and leadership in the walls and ceilings industry, there is no aspect of the business that has escaped the purview of the USG scientists.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 6 million citizens or legal residents of the United States between the ages of 18 and 64 who are actively seeking work, but who are unemployed. What happened?

I stood along the rail of an upper tier at the Nashville Convention Center, home of the 2009 AWCI Convention and Intex Expo trade show. I watched two middle-aged men approaching each other on opposing escalators, one going up, the other going down.

As the director of a national training program for plasterers, I help develop and implement training criteria and curriculum materials for young people just entering the trade. So, nothing gives me greater pleasure than to witness young men and women, who’ve got a few years under their belt, excelling at the craft-especially in a down economy! 

 Over the past 15 years, building information modeling has developed into the undeniable future of the architecture and design industry.  

Right in the center of New York’s historic theatre district, lies Foxwoods Theatre, home of the popular Broadway production Spider-Man. 

This is one sustainable renovation that is built with energy efficient materials, timeless design and healthy alternatives. 

Canopy walkway connections with structural thermal breaks support LEED Certification and contribute to an estimated annual energy cost savings of $300,000.

Elias Vavaroutsos, AIA, is the Design Principal with Goettsch Partners in Chicago.

Asheshh Saheba, RA, is a Principal for Steinberg Architects in San Francisco.

T. Ashby Gressette, AIA, is principal and director of architecture at Stevens & Wilkinson, an architecture firm in Columbia, S.C.

York Flashings announced the release of Wicked Good Flashing, a new product innovation that replaces traditional rubberized asphalt. The product is set to redefine the flashing industry by providing better puncture resistance, a watertight bond and six-month UV protection at a comparable price.

On Sept. 4, Werner introduced the new LevelSafe Pro, the easiest and most effective way to level a ladder. Working on uneven ground is a common challenge for the industry. The new Werner LevelSafe Pro system provides an easy and precise way to level a ladder.

TYPAR is introducing the industry’s first clear acrylic flashing. This game-changing product was developed in response to evolving builders’ needs and emerging building code changes requiring better visibility of the nail and screw-fin patterns on windows during window installations and inspections.

Siplast, a leader in advanced building envelope systems, introduced the WALLcontrol Monolith VP Adhered AWB, an addition to its existing WALLcontrol air and water-resistive barrier systems portfolio. The WALLcontrol Monolith VP Adhered AWB is a self-adhered, vapor-permeable air- and water-resistive barrier.

Lucinda and Emily are joined by the outgoing chief of the RSPCA

Lucinda and Emily are joined by the outgoing chief of the RSPCA

Ian Theodoreson, who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in 2019, wrote that he ‘had lived a good life’ in a blog post posthumously published on 27 October

Vicky Browning succeeds Ndidi Okezie, who is stepping down after five years at the charity’s helm

Five projects on which ATAS International products were installed have been selected as winners of the 2024 Metal Construction Association Design Awards. The MCA Design Awards are among the most prestigious awards in the metal construction industry and recognize member-companies involved in the construction of outstanding building projects that use metal in significant and innovative ways.

On Sept. 6, Simpson Manufacturing Co., Inc., the parent company of Simpson Strong-Tie, rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange in celebration of the company’s 30th anniversary as a publicly listed company.

For the first time, the Metal Construction Association’s annual MCA Market Study is available for purchase by non-members. Previously only available to members, it is the most comprehensive study of the metal construction industry.

ClarkDietrich announced on Oct. 1 the acquisition of Studs Unlimited, effective immediately.

Technical Glass Products has a new architectural services manager role to support glazing design along the East Coast of the U.S. and in the Ontario and Quebec territories of Canada.

The Metal Construction Association is reinvigorating its MCM System Fabricator Certification program. Through the program, companies that fabricate metal composite material panels for architectural use can earn certification by meeting requirements for experience, services, MCM system performance and financial strength.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. S-5! is donating $5,000 to two amazing charities to support breast cancer patients and their families. S-5! is asking people in the industry to join the company by purchasing its “Give Cancer the Boot” t-shirts.

The eighth annual Lehigh Valley Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls was held this summer in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. ATAS has been a supporter of this camp from the beginning, with monetary and material donations, along with several employees who helped in the planning and execution of the camp.