As participants in numerous engineering and professional organizations, TA understands the importance of interaction with colleagues in improving knowledge, expertise, and cooperation.  We are pleased to provide support for professional affiliations like the American Institute of Architects, including participation in the following conferences:

-     AIA National, Las Vegas, NV
-     AIA South Carolina, Columbia, SC
-     AIA North Carolina, Richmond, VA
-     AIA California Council, Monterey, CA
-     AIA Virginia, Richmond, VA

This opportunity to support the architectural community is a reflection of our commitment to provide the very best in Acoustical and Technology Engineering services. 

It is our goal to make sure that Thorburn Associates is your single point of contact for all of your acoustical and technology engineering services.

In assisting with master planning, we typically meet with the client on several occasions and develope an audiovisual program that represents their requirements for standards based AV classroom spaces that can be used throughout campus.  We then specify equipment that meets their current needs while maintaining acceptable standards for maintenance, reliability, and cost.  Once these decisions are approved, we generate CAD drawings and an AV specification document listing all of their requirements for all of the room types used throughout campus. 

Issues that should be considered include how the data is sent (compression method) and the data transfer rate, which affects the amount of time lag before the image on screen is updated. 

Compression Method: Currently all wireless projection which use a wireless card within the laptop and the projector use some type of proprietary compression method to send the screen information to the projector.  Because of the proprietary compression, the software that does the compression must be loaded on each computer before it can talk to the projector.  Most manufacturers provide the software driver for free from their website.  NEC, Sanyo, Epson and Infocus all have this type of solution.  The alternative is to use a stand-a-lone box at each end that performs the compression. This avoids proprietary software, but these boxes must be connected to the monitor connector at the computer and projector and therefore don't provide the best portable solution.

As you may know, government agencies have enacted laws, ordinances and regulations to achieve air quality.  An air quality analysis must indicate, in quantitative terms, whether a proposed project will cause pollutant levels to exceed the air quality standards.  Although emissions from the proposed project may not exceed the standards, the total emissions from the proposed project and other sources in the project environment may produce degradation in air quality sufficient to exceed the standards.  Air impacts at air sensitive receptors can be computed using air quality models.  These models require the input of accurate emission factors, meteorological data, such as wind speeds and directions, mixing heights, stability classes, and air chemistry information.

The first step in developing an air impact assessment is understand the existing air quality environment.  Monitoring ambient air quality at the project site, reviewing current air quality regulations, and determining existing and future air sensitive receptors achieve this. 

The second step is to understand the air impacts during the construction stage.  The most likely air impacts from construction activities are dust nuisance and gaseous emissions from construction vehicles.  If the total air impacts exceed the statutory requirements, then appropriate mitigation measures are recommended.  These can include water sprays to control dust emissions from the construction site, buffer distances between construction activities and air sensitive receptors, avoidance of simultaneous dust emission activities, reduction in the numbers of equipment operating in critical areas, etc.

The third step is to understand air impacts after the project is completed.  Air quality models can predict air impacts at existing and future air sensitive receptors.  Most air quality models can calculate the 1-hour, 24-hour and annual air quality levels.  If the total air quality impacts exceed the statutory requirements, different mitigation measures should be recommended, such as effective buffer distances between the project site and the air sensitive receptors, suitable stack heights for industrial plants, appropriate land use planning, etc.

The forth step is to evaluate the economic benefits of all the recommended mitigation measures, and choose the most cost-effective mitigation measures.  The final report is then submitted for agency approval.

Honored as a “master of department store reinvention”, Federated embraces change and is determined to prove the vitality of the department store concept.  They are currently striving to establish the country’s first national department store brand.  This includes converting all of its regional name plates (Bon Marche, Burdines and Lazarus, Goldsmith’s, Rich’s) to the Macy’s brand, which is now over 400 stores strong.  The recently approved $17 billion aquistition of the May Co. brands (Foley’s, Filene’s, Famous-Barr, Kaufmonn’s, Marshall Fields, Lord & Taylor) adds approximately 500 locations. 

Throughout it all, Federated continues to evolve, always staying focused on the customer, while looking for ways to improve.  It is this innovative, forward thinking, that helped Federated earn this award.

At TA, we’re proud to be a part of the Federated team, providing technology design for over 60 projects.