Protecting Buildings and People with Coiled Wire Fabric

 
Sponsored by Cascade Architectural
By Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify and recognize accepted principles associated with designing for the safety of people and the integrity of buildings.
  2. Assess the durability and safety performance aspects of wall and glazing systems that require security and blast protection.
  3. Explain the capabilities of coiled wire fabric in protecting people and property from damage and harm in both common and severe security conditions.
  4. Determine ways to incorporate the principles presented of public safety and security design into specific buildings as shown in case studies.

Credits:

HSW
1 AIA LU/HSW
IDCEC
1 IDCEC CEU/HSW
ICC
0.1 ICC CEU
IACET
0.1 IACET CEU*
AIBD
1 AIBD P-CE
PDH
1 PDH*
AAA
AAA 1 Structured Learning Hour
AANB
This course can be self-reported to the AANB, as per their CE Guidelines
AAPEI
AAPEI 1 Structured Learning Hour
MAA
MAA 1 Structured Learning Hour
NLAA
This course can be self-reported to the NLAA.
NSAA
This course can be self-reported to the NSAA
NWTAA
NWTAA 1 Structured Learning Hour
OAA
OAA 1 Learning Hour
SAA
SAA 1 Hour of Core Learning
 
This course can be self-reported to the AIBC, as per their CE Guidelines.
As an IACET Accredited Provider, BNP Media offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard.
This course is approved as a Structured Course
This course can be self-reported to the AANB, as per their CE Guidelines
Approved for structured learning
Approved for Core Learning
This course can be self-reported to the NLAA
Course may qualify for Learning Hours with NWTAA
Course eligible for OAA Learning Hours
This course is approved as a core course
This course can be self-reported for Learning Units to the Architectural Institute of British Columbia
This test is no longer available for credit

Building components like glass, glazing, and even opaque assemblies can be subjected to forces from man-made events that require protection and security. At the same time, architects and interior designers don’t want a purely industrial or harsh appearance to be the dominant feature of that protection. Rather, the goal is to find a solution that respects the overall design of a building while still providing the ability to be protected and resilient. This is particularly true where blast protection is part of the building design criteria as is the case in many government buildings and other public facilities. Recognizing these concerns as a design issue is the first step in determining an appropriate design response. Therefore, in this course, some of the basic issues of different degrees of security related to different building situations are reviewed. Then, some specific strategies are explored using protective, coiled wire fabric as a design solution to create buildings that can remain resilient in the face of identified security threats and challenges.

Protecting Buildings

Photo @Fred Golden

The El Paso Federal Courthouse in Texas used coiled wire fabric to provide the required blast protection with an attractive, light shading solution for the building designed by Antoine Predock Architect.

 

Cascade Architectural Cascade Architectural, a division of Cascade Coil Drapery, Inc., has over 30 years of experience designing, engineering, and manufacturing coiled wire fabric systems for use in architectural applications worldwide. Cascade Architectural coiled wire fabric systems are environmentally sustainable and made in the U.S.A.

 

Originally published in June 2022

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