'Show You're Green' Award for Thorburn Associates

Castro Valley, CA (PRWEB) March 29, 2007

Thorburn Associates, Inc (TA) helps San Francisco's Plaza Apartments win "green" award. The American Institute of Architecture (AIA) honored the design team with a Merit Award for "Show You're Green," Affordable Green Housing Projects.

Designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects in association with Paulett Taggart Architects, the Plaza Apartments recently opened with 106 low income housing units. The Plaza boasts sustainability elements such as solar panels, recycled building materials, bamboo floors and paneling made with recycled wood products, and plenty of natural light and ventilation.

The eight-story building was constructed as a model for the San Francisco Health Department's Direct Access to Housing Program. The mixed-use building contains a reception area, offices, kitchen pantry, community room, courtyard and a lounge with deck. Plans also include a credit union and non-profit theatre in the basement.

Thorburn Associates conducted acoustical measurements and provided the acoustical design for the project. Recommendations included exterior window and wall constructions to isolate traffic noise. Ceiling and floor sound abatement materials were specified to decrease noise transmitted between the units. Mechanical noise due to heating and air conditioning units was also addressed.

The "Show You're Green" award declares this a successful project -- congratulations to everyone on the team.

Acoustics is important to the success of all multi-family housing projects regardless of if it is luxury, market rate or affordable housing.

Issues common to all types of housing include plumbing noise from other units; footfall noise from units above; and neighbor noise from stereos, TV's and kitchen appliances. "Proper attention to acoustical detailing can help assure the acoustical success of multi-family housing," states Steve Thorburn, Principal and co-founder of Thorburn Associates. "Without it, even the best project will fail to meet owner(s) expectations."

Thorburn Associates is a full service design and engineering firm specializing in acoustic and technology related systems design in both new construction and renovations.

Headquartered in Castro Valley, CA, with regional offices in Los Angeles and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, TA works in all industries including commercial, corporate, leisure, public, residential and retail.

"We have been recognized as the leading firm in the acoustics and technology design industry," states Lisa Thorburn, President of Thorburn Associates. TA projects have received multiple awards from the International Communications Industry Association, Themed Entertainment Association and the American Institute of Architects.

Thorburn Associates: 15 Years of Designing Quality Environments.
http://www.ta-inc.com/

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