2012
The University of Michigan’s C.S.Design-Build Institute Announces Annual Awards
The Design-Built Institute of America recently announced several of its 2012 national award winners, given to projects that successfully embrace the design-build principle of a construction management firm taking the lead on a project from day one and guiding it from the initial proposal through to completion.
President Increases Efforts to Prevent Suicide Among Veterans
The federal government doubled down on its commitment to mental health care for veterans in September, when President Barack Obama signed an executive order calling for increased access to behavioral health care. The goal of the initiative is to reduce the rates of suicide and untreated mental health disorders affecting veterans and active duty troops. Mental health is increasingly becoming a more recognizable and less taboo topic among veterans over time, as the long-term impacts of serving one’s country become more obvious and accepted over time.
Arkansas Begins Controversial Health Care Program
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe is about to conduct an experiment intended to lower his state’s health care costs and make insurance more affordable for its residents. Arkansas ranks relatively low among its fellow states in terms of its citizens’ overall health and income, while simultaneously being on the higher side when it comes to rising health care costs, which have doubled in the last ten years. This creates a difficult situation for the state, its low-income residents and the hospitals they cannot afford to pay.
Antibacterial Finger Protection for Doors
The BioWall antibacterial infused rubber from Zero International is designed to protect against bacteria, fungi, and mold for a safer and cleaner facility environment. Using non-toxic rubber technology, the unit can withstand abrasion, harsh chemicals, and UV radiation, according to the company. Durable enough to resist wear and tear for long-lasting performance, the BioWall system is developed to provide finger protection gasketing, ideal for classrooms.
Health Care Compliant TV Interface
The health care compliant TV interface system from Paradigm Multimedia allows the use of varied sizes and brands of standard consumer TVs by utilizing a small HC20 interface box, which is added behind the television. According to the company, health care facilities can gain up to a 70-percent energy savings over standard CRT TVs. The system takes a command from the pillow speaker controls and translates that into an infrared signal that the TV can understand. It then takes the audio output from the TV and sends that back to the speakers.
J.C. Castner
J.C. Castner has been named the executive associate and health care design manager at architectural, design and engineering firm, Heery International. In his new role, Castner will lead the company’s Philadelphia health care design studio, responsible for strategic direction, marketing and operations for all of the studio’s health care projects.
St. Louis Hospital Renovates MRI Facilities
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis University Hospital recently completed a renovation of the MRI facility at its TenetCare outpatient diagnostic testing center.
AIA Annual Health Awards Announced
WASHINGTON — The American Institute of Architects Academy of Architecture for Health recently selected its national health care design award recipients.