Monthly Update from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter, CSI, February, 2004

February Meeting

March Meeting

January Meeting

  


CSI Business

February 10 Meeting: Construction and Facility Showcase

The CSI/IFMA Construction & Facility Showcase is moving to the Minneapolis Convention Center this year to make more room for exhibitors. This year we joined forces with the International Facility Management Association to bring together more participants in the building life cycle.

Our theme, "Collaborating for healthy, secure buildings," will be carried through two concurrent morning education sessions, a keynote presentation by Paul Doherty, and two concurrent afternoon sessions. For more information about Mr. Doherty, see www.thedigitgroup.com/information.htm. Here is more information about this new collaboration. Here are the Seminars & Speakers. Go here to register
   

Schedule, Tuesday, February 10

8 am Registration
8:30 Two concurrent Seminars
Components of a Holistic Building Security
Why mold? How to design low-risk buildings
10:00 Exhibits
Noon Lunch, Keynote Address
2 pm Two concurrent Seminars
So You've Got Mold, Now What?
General Security Risk Assessment
3:30 Exhibits
5:00 Adjourn
Call 763-744-1424 for more information.

    
             

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March 8 Meeting:
Cutting Edge Technology & Building Design

Architects, engineers, contractors and building product manufacturers are all entering into an era of enormous change - advances in visualization and fabrication techniques are altering the way we work, new materials invite unusual usages, experimental forms require unconventional means of construction.

Renee Cheng, architect, professor and Director of Design at the University of Minnesota, will discuss innovation in architectural design and construction. She will showcase study examples from Frank O. Gehry Associates, Tripyramid Design, Arup Engineers and others.

Meeting Schedule:

  • Registration/Social Hour 5:30-6:00 PM
  • Dinner & Meeting: 6:00-6:45 PM
  • Presentation & Q/A: 6:45-8:00 PM

Location: McNamara Center, Gateway Building, Minneapolis Campus, University of Minnesota. Map

  
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January Meeting Report:
Rediscovery of the Minneapolis Pantages Theatre

The January CSI Program was a phenomenal display of the recovery of an historic masterpiece, a theater that had been forgotten and laid in disrepair for decades, brought back to life.

The Pantages Theater, on the corner of Hennepin Avenue and 7th Street in Minneapolis, was constructed in 1916 for vaudeville programs. The owner, Alexander Pantages, originally from Greece, owned theaters across the country and by 1926 he owned 30 theaters and controlled 42 others. At the young age of 27, architect Benjamin Marcus Priteca, an immigrant from Glasgow, Scotland, designed this building, ultimately designing 22 theaters for Pantages between 1911 and 1929. In 1922 Priteca partnered with the decorative painter, Anthony B. Heinsberger, from the Netherlands, in what was the first of 18 theater commissions they performed together for Mr. Pantages. They redecorated the auditorium and added a pipe organ below the stage.

Over the years many transformations occurred. For one, the lobby and entry were redesigned a few times. In 1960 it became the Mann Theatre to show movies, and the original plaster was covered and/or chipped away so as to not distract the patrons from the images on the screen. In 1984 the Mann Theatre closed and no maintenance was performed for 18 years, leading to roof leaks, plaster damage, and more. In 1999 the Minneapolis Community Development Agency (MCDA) acquired the theater, and after redevelopment, opened it once more as the Pantages Theatre in 2001.

There were many notable features exhibited on the tour. One of which was the acoustical shape of the auditorium. The cove of the ceiling and the open box area above the main floor and below the balcony improve the sound, such that microphones are not always necessary. Another was the replacement of a couple of the ornamental faces that were found broken and not repairable. Two of the key participants in the project had their faces cast into the plaster molds and now their faces hang in the theatre, forever as a tribute to their efforts on the project. And a third feature was the original asbestos fire curtain, which was encapsulated with a clear, water-based encasement system, that allowed the original painted mural, probably by Twin Cities Scenic Company of Minneapolis in 1916, to remain.

In general, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The theater is full of surprises and really must be seen for itself.

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CSI Business

The 2004 Annual CSI Show & Convention

Yes, here is another shameless pitch to register for the Convention. Just plan now to attend The 48th Annual CSI Show & Convention, April 21-24, 2004, in Chicago! The event will feature a pre-convention seminar, technical tours, Expo Education on the exhibit floor, a product demonstration area, and more than 70 education sessions! Advance programs have been mailed to all CSI members and chapter presidents. To request an additional copy of the program, contact Member Services at 800-689-2900 (M-F 8:30 am - 6 pm ET). For the most up-to-date convention information, or to register, visit www.thecsishow.com.

If you're going to the Convention...

No, this isn't just another shameless pitch to encourage our chapter members to register for the Convention - unless, of course, you haven't yet done so. It is a request that you let us know of your plans to attend so that we may keep you informed of networking and social opportunities; select chapter delegates to the Annual Meeting; and make arrangements for the chapter Hospitality Suite. So, if you are joining us in Chicago, we ask that you share the following information:

Name, Mailing and E-mail Addresses;
Daytime Phone Number;
Other Members in your Party;
Name of Hotel;
and Date of Arrival.

Please e-mail this information, as well as any questions or comments regarding our chapter activities at the Convention, to Jim Schnack at jschnack@leoadaly.com , or call direct at 612 359-4695.

Thank you in advance for helping us plan for an excellent Convention experience.

Planning to take a CSI exam? Going to Chicago?

Registration for the March 27, 2004 exam is now closed; but, registration is still open for the April 20, 2004 exam in Chicago and the July 8, 2004 exam in San Antonio. Registration for the next nationwide exam (April 2, 2005) will open this fall. You may want to go to Chicago, sit for the exam, and then attend the 48th Annual CSI Show and Convention. To register, go to CSINet (www.csinet.org) and click on "Event Registration", and, to register for the exam, click on "Certification."

February 24, 2004; March 2, 9 & 16, 2004: Review Sessions for Exams *
March 27, 2004: Nationwide Exams *
*Times and Locations forthcoming

List your Certification Study Course on CSINet

Get the word out! Have your chapter's certification study course listed on CSINet. Simply complete and submit the online form found at www.csinet.org (and click on Certification).

Do you have expertise or experience to share with your colleagues?

A 2005 Call For Topics is now open. Are you a leader within the commercial construction industry? Do you have expertise or experience to share with your colleagues? Demonstrate your industry know-how at premier CSI events. CSI is accepting education session submissions for 2005 events including The 49th Annual CSI Show* & Convention and 2nd CSI University Annual Conference. Proposals must be submitted electronically by April 30, 2004. For the online submission form or for more information visit www.csinet.org/callfortopics

2004 CSI University Annual Conference

In June 2003 the CSI University Annual Conference got off to a great start with rousing support and great attendance! Now it's time to save the date for the next conference! Mark your calendar for a visit to San Antonio July 8-10, 2004! The CSI University Annual Conference proved itself to provide leadership development programs that empower participants to be leaders in their professions and CSI. Education sessions will focus on leadership, interpersonal skills and current technical issues to help CSI members become masters in their responsibilities. These skills will help you as you become involved in leadership at the chapter level and beyond. New this year, we've revamped Region Chairmen training and added courses that are targeted to the specific needs of chapter leaders. Registration opens in March 2004. Visit www.csinet.org/csiuniversity for details as they become available.

Product Representatives Academy (PRA)

The 2003 Product Representatives Academy (PRA) was a sell-out success! This event gave product representatives the skills they need to support the design team. They learned how a construction project unfolds and where they fit in to the process from architects, specifiers, and contractors. They also learned how to be better representatives from experts in their field. In 2004, CSI will add more courses on topics that interest experienced representatives. Mark your calendars and plan to attend the PRA October 27 - 29, 2004 at the Marriott Denver City Center, Denver, CO. Stay tuned for more information on the 2004 PRA. Visit www.csinet.org/prainfo for updates as they become available!

Prospective Member Packages Now Available

Thinking about joining CSI? Or do you know someone who might be?

The Membership Committee now offers Prospective Member Packages with general information about CSI, benefits of membership, and certification programs, and a membership application form.

The packages also have information about the Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter, including our award-winning Desktop Reference, which has contact information for chapter officers and committees, and a list of monthly meetings and programs. Prospective Member Packages are available from:

Prospective Member Packages will also be available at chapter meetings.

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Passive Compartmented Fire Protection and Sprinklers

The Firestop Contractors International Association, (FCIA) a not for profit group of specialty firestopping contractors from the US, Canada and the United Kingdom, was saddened with the rest of the country to hear about the loss of life at the high rise County Building in Chicago recently.

FCIA is not part of the investigation and has seen no official report on the causes for the loss of life. However, we've all heard and read in the media that deaths occurred due to smoke inhalation in stairwells while people were trying to escape the blaze and smoke. Stairwell areas are usually known as "havens of safety" in the fire protection industry. In this case, stairwells were death traps as they became smoke filled for reasons yet unknown, and had locked doors for security purposes, causing entrapment.

As a response to this tragedy, there has been a loud cry for "one solution " to prevent future loss of life ranging from installing sprinkler systems to suppress the fire in the area where it started ("room of origin"), to building occupants wearing a single use oxygen mask to escape fire and smoke safely. Although one "miracle cure" would be great, the reality is there is no "one thing" that may have prevented the disastrous loss of life. Here are some fire protection features the expert fire investigation panel should consider to prevent future tragedy:

If the fire’s "room of origin”.......
...had a fire resistance rated assembly around the room with appropriate fire doors, fire and smoke dampers and firestopping systems, the fire and smoke may not have traveled from the room of origin (storage room).
...pipe, cable and other penetrating items through fire resistance rated assemblies were properly firestopped, and had air leakage ratings, the smoke from the fire may not have traveled from the room of origin.
...was equipped with sprinklers, the fire might have been limited to the room of origin.....but the smoke might still have traveled.
As a forensic analysis of this tragedy continues, we shouldn't limit the conclusion to a single solution of sprinkler suppression systems. Sprinklers, while an effective way to limit the spread of fire, are not the only solution. An active fire suppression sprinkler system may not be perfect. Also, as a sprinkler system is containing the fire to the area of origin, it creates smoke. Passive fire protection features can limit the spread of both fire and smoke. As seat belts and air bags are most effective when used together, so are active and passive fire protection systems.

Passive Fire, Smoke and Life Safety systems, such as fire and smoke resistance rated assemblies, sealed with firestopping systems, fire and smoke dampers, fire doors, sprinkler suppression systems, may have helped make "havens of safety", truly areas of refuge during fire and smoke egress conditions.

Dr. Gene Corley, Team Leader for the World Trade Center Building Performance Study, stated in a recent Chicago Sun Times Article, “Fire safety cannot be an “either or” proposition. Buildings for which sprinklers are appropriate should also have fire-resistant construction for better fire protection. Anything less puts occupants and emergency responders at risk”.
There are many fire prevention and protection systems, in addition to egress and security systems that should be considered as a result of this fire. Passive compartmentation fire protection systems and active suppression sprinkler systems are those that directly defend the building from fire. These same passive compartmentation fire protection systems and active suppression sprinkler systems may have prevented the loss of life at the County Building in Chicago. Maybe our call to action as a result of this tragedy should be “Why not have both?”

Firestop Contractors International Association
1257 Golf Circle
Wheaton IL 60187
630.690.0682
info@fcia.org Email
www.fcia.org Website

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