Kitchens

My latest bit of unsolicited advice for civil engineers and other land development professionals is simple: go play in the rain. Alternatively, if you feel you have gotten too old (never!) to play in the rain, at least get out and watch it. The typical human tendency is to stay inside when it rains, and going out to check on the site of your proposed, ongoing, or completed construction project is probably one of the last things that you want to do, but it can be a tremendous learning experience.

Michel Theriault understands the working environment that facility managers face daily – the technical challenges and opportunities within their facility management organizations and additionally the relationships and business dynamic beyond the facilities management staff. Many facility management resources offer the latest technical insights and maintenance strategies, but Theriault’s book takes on facilities management business aspects not often addressed in this field. Managing Facilities & Real Estate clearly stands out in this regard. It offers rare and valuable business advice for facility managers using practical and easy-to-read terminology and graphics.

Design schedules always seem to be pressed for time, which is the result of two primary factors. The first factor is that owners always want to move their projects forward as quickly as possible, so they pressure design teams into abbreviated design schedules. The second factor contributing to compressed design schedules is much less obvious than the first. It is human nature. People of all professions have a tendency to procrastinate in their duties. This is why design teams routinely accelerate their pace in the final weeks of the design phase, as opposed to progressing at a constant pace from start to finish. In the end, issuance of incomplete design documents is the recurrent and regrettable result of these two unfortunate factors. (In fairness to design professionals, it should also be noted that human nature is a contributor to why the final weeks of construction always seem to be quite hectic as well.)

Tile floors are an extremely durable, long-term investment that should be regularly cared for to preserve both their appearance and value. In fact, a well cared for tile floor can last a lifetime. According to the Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components, which was prepared in 2007 by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the average life expectancy of a ceramic tile floor is 75 to 100 years, while natural stone such as marble and granite can last more than 100 years.

Tile flooring can be installed in a variety of locations. Prior to buying tile for your flooring project take the time to answer a few questions: Is the tile going to be located indoors or outdoors? What is the room going to be used for? Is the tile going to be installed in a wet area? How much foot traffic does the room experience on a daily basis? Identifying answers to these questions will define a floor tile that will have the specific characteristics to meet your needs.