We are proud to have an excellent relationship with Firehouse. The information they share with the fire community is invaluable and we are happy to have written many articles pertaining to our niche in the industry. A few days ago they gave us a shout out on their website and shared some information about some of TCA’s achievements in our 55+ years as a firm. We are honored to be considered a respected and valued resource in the fire community and look forward to serving our current and future clients with the rich foundation of knowledge and experience we have fostered in the our 55 years of service and in the many years to come.
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Graphic by Design in Public
Seattle Design Festival Block Party | AIA Committee on Homelessness
"The Seattle Design Festival Block Party is a two-day street fair celebrating the powerful ways design affects our lives. This fun outdoor event is an opportunity for the design community and the public to come together and interact through large-scale design installations, performances, and design activities all centered around the Festival’s 2018 theme, TRUST. The installations are designed to be enjoyed by people of all ages, sizes, and abilities. Families are welcome and encouraged."
As the Seattle homeless population continues to be on the rise, TCA would like to be involved in the conversation surrounding how a design and architectural skillset can be utilized to affect positive change in our Seattle community. TCA is proud to be sponsoring the AIA Committee on Homelessness + Real Change installation entitled "To House". The installation will be a part of the SDF 2018 Block Party with a focus on breaking stereotypes about homelessness and sharing the stories of those who have experienced being without housing. Information on this installation can be viewed here.
You can also check out the event flyer below.
Zero NET Energy Fire Station - The First in the Country
We are thrilled to have served as Fire Station Specialty Architects on the fantastic team who brought this project from concept to reality for Salt Lake City. When designing fire facilities, we always want to keep in mind how a new civic facility will contribute to its community, in terms of emergency response, resiliency and sustainability. Seeing the first Zero Net Energy Fire Station in the country operating as anticipated is a huge accomplishment for the team and the industry as a whole. As the article below explains, operating at Zero Net Energy means "it will produce as much energy as it consumes on an annual basis. It's also expected to become certified as LEED Gold, which means it meets a range of holistic sustainability benchmarks, including material management, waste diversion, water conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and more." This not only raises the standard for future designs it also opens the door to the possibilities of even greater advancements as we continue to design forward thinking stations.
Check out this full article on SLC Greenblog for more information on this station
Seattle Residential Architect : Waterfront House Design
Seattle Waterfront
This blog post will kick off a new series highlighting some of our favorite project elements from different projects and spaces. One thing we love as architects is the uniqueness of each site, and the opportunities and challenges they present. We play to the strengths of the site location and consistently design a unique home that caters to our clients' lifestyle.
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TCA Architecture's Month of Conferences
Each year at TCA we make a continued effort to remain an active voice in the Fire community. These efforts are in addition to our active fire station projects and are something we always enjoy taking part in. The Principals at TCA Architecture frequently write articles for Firehouse and offer lectures to share some of the knowledge we have gained over the course of 250+ fire stations design projects. Additionally, this month TCA Architecture is participating in two annual conferences being held in Texas and Washington State.
Last week, Eric, Forest, and Paul flew into Texas to attend the Fire House Conference and had a great time connecting with Fire Chiefs we have previously worked with, as well as Chiefs on some of our current fire station projects. An equally important component for us is meeting new folks. We are part of a four-firm team that offers what we have started calling "one-on-ones". It's an opportunity for Fire Chiefs to schedule a time to sit down one-on-one with an architect and ask any questions they may have. Our team also participates in leading one hour breakout sessions that focus on a specific topic.
After a few days of working back at the TCA Architecture office here in Seattle, Eric, Forest and Sarah will be leaving Monday morning to attend the Washington Fire Chief Conference being held in Kennewick, WA on Tuesday, May 22nd. As is true each year, these annual conferences continue to be an opportunity for us to actively participate and contribute to the larger dialogue of the Fire community. If you're planning to attend we'd love to connect, make sure to swing by and chat with us for a few minutes. If you're interested in attending the conference next week, you can find all conference related information here. We'd love to see you!
TCA Architecture + Planning Attends State and National Fire Conferences
Graphic courtesy of AIA Seattle
AIA Seattle - Ask An Architect : Navigating Your Building Project with TCA Architecture
Ask An Architect
AIA is hosting an upcoming "Navigating Your Building Project" on April 14th, from 9:00am - 11:00am at the Center for Architecture & Design in Seattle. The venue is located at 1010 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98104.
Stephen Rising of TCA Architecture will be there to share his expertise on navigating a residential project. If you've been gearing up for a large remodel or a new home design & build, this is an excellent opportunity to come with questions and learn more from industry experts about how to approach your project.
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Firehouse Article Contribution : Confronting Fire Department Diesel Exhaust Exposure Concerns - Part 6: Air Testing & Communication of Exposure Results
"Throughout the first 5 parts of this series, we have considered the risks of exposure to diesel exhaust, management of personnel exposures, the spread of diesel exhaust through the fire station, and strategies for mitigation.
In Part 6, we will consider air testing, appropriately documented, which is ultimately how we verify employee safety when there is an airborne hazard.
Testing Challenges
Although diesel exhaust has an odor and may be irritating to some people at higher exposure levels, your sense of smell is not an accurate method for determining the concentration of diesel exhaust components to which personnel may be exposed. Yes, you may be able to say that there is some diesel exhaust in the area, but you cannot say with any reliability that it is present at either a safe or a hazardous level.
In truth, it is challenging to answer this question even with air testing. One of the reasons for this was discussed in Part 1 of this series. Diesel exhaust is not a simple workplace air contaminant but is a complex composition of dozens of compounds including both gases and particles.
Often people do not realize that there is no test method, Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL), or other reference exposure level for diesel exhaust as a whole. (Unfortunately, we don’t yet have a Star Trek tricorder that will tell us how much diesel exhaust we have and whether it is dangerous to life or health!) We must consider the individual components.
On its Chemical Sampling Information page for Diesel Exhaust, OSHA states that it has no sampling method for diesel exhaust, but instead recommends sampling for several of its components: acrolein, benzene, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. For each of these, there is a method of sampling and analysis available from OSHA or the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). There is also an OSHA PEL for each of these compounds, so that interpretation of results can be relatively straightforward and meaningful.
In addition, OSHA refers the reader to NIOSH Method 5040, for measuring diesel particulate matter (DPM) as total carbon (with both organic carbon and elemental carbon reported by this method)."
-Featured on Firehouse Magazine
Further reading:
Firehouse Article Contribution: "Confronting Fire Department Diesel Exhaust Exposure Concerns - Part 5: Maximizing Your Resources"
"In Part 5 of this six-part series, we will look at mitigating strategies and current systems on the market that attempt to "close the door" on exposure pathways within your station as discussed in Part 4 of this series. Following the analysis and categorization of exposure pathways, more than likely your happy bubble (that everything is fine) has been popped. You probably have some work that needs to be done.
Whether you have an existing station or are planning a new station, the next step in the evaluation process is to conduct a detailed survey and assessment of what mitigating measures are in place, or can be put into place, at each potential exposure pathway. These may consist of administrative protocols, installed or planned building systems, and existing or new building design considerations (or some combination thereof). Think of this effort as the next step in a strategic planning process that starts with your current baseline, establishes prioritized objectives for improving the situation, explores alternative strategies to achieving those objectives, and recommends a hierarchy of tasks and necessary timeline, as budget allows.
Your existing ventilation systems to consider may include dilution ventilation, source capture and downdraft. For each, consider the effects of air currents or disruptions to airflow, the effectiveness of protocols for use, firefighter acceptance, operational costs, and maintenance requirements and resources. Focus on the potential weak points in each system—failure to follow exhaust management procedures, poorly serviced apparatus, broken, rapidly changing or new equipment, reserve apparatus and move-ups, propping open doors, and delayed service calls. Even a mindset that it is someone else’s problem should be considered."
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Firehouse Article Contribution : Confronting Fire Department Diesel Exhaust Exposure Concerns - Part 4 : Evaluating Exposure Pathways
"In Part 4 of this 6-part series, we will be looking at the concept of Exposure Pathways and Routes of Exposure as a prelude to discussion in Part 5 of your department’s options to minimize chemical concerns, especially as they pertain to diesel exhaust, fire-related carcinogens, and the handling of hose and turnout gear.
After thoroughly cataloguing equipment and identifying potential contaminant sources, as outlined in Part 3 of this series, the next step is to begin documenting the spread of these contaminants within your facility, to determine your mitigation needs and opportunities. Be mindful that transparency in your inspection and hazard identification process will go a long way toward building trust in your department, as you address potential exposure risks though procedural change and/or facility adaptation. Key to this effort is the systematic identification of possible exposure pathways associated with each contaminant source, and routes of exposure by which individuals may be exposed to chemical contaminants."
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The News Tribune Article Feature : Central Pierce Fire and Rescue Station 60
At TCA, we love seeing the way our projects have a positive and lasting impact on the community. Recently, The News Tribune wrote an article featuring one of our projects and the benefits it's having on Central Pierce Fire & Rescue Station 60 and the surrounding areas in Pierce County.
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