MCA staff is gearing up for METALCON 2014 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, from October 1-3, 2014. Be sure to stop by our booth (#1542) and say hello. We’ll have MCA technical directors Scott Kriner and Andy WIlliams in the booth to answer any technical questions you may have. And the 2014 MCA Chairman’s Award Winners will be announced at the end of the day on October 1st, and will be featured in our booth for the remainder of the show. Click here to view past winners.
We hope to see you there! And be sure to visit these MCA Members at METALCON 2014, or visit MCA’s Product Locator:
Technically speaking, it’s a façade. But either way, this eye-catching western exterior of Regions Field in Birmingham, AL, sends a clear message of civic pride to passersby, locals and visitors alike, who are driving along a nearby elevated highway.
The city has reason to be proud. First, its new minor-league stadium, clad in metal by CENTRIA, was named Ballpark of the Year by Baseballparks.com. Second, the Birmingham Barons Double-A baseball club just capped off its inaugural season in the new ballpark by winning its division title.
According to an upcoming feature article in Metalmag, available mid November, the towering letters are cut with a unique, inside-out effect. Upper panels were cut to outside parameters; lower panels were cut to the inside parameters. CENTRIA’s EcoScreen® perforated screenwall helps limit sunlight exposure to the interior and creates an interesting aesthetic effect.
Birmingham baseball fans love the façade, of course.
Other design elements of the 245,000-sq-ft, 8,500-seat stadium include CENTRIA single-skin metal panels on a mixed-medium exterior. Among other features, the metal panels help promote the southern city’s industrial heritage and complement brick, ironwork, and steel buildings in the surrounding area.
Wondering about a possible defect in the Metal Composite Material (MCM) panels you’re installing, such as a deflection or bow, a surface imperfection, or a problem with the finish or color? While these instances may be rare, a new white paper by the Metal Construction Association (MCA), available at no charge, can help you determine whether a MCM panel or system is not meeting current code and industry standards.
It’s vital that installers, architects and designers know acceptance criteria for painted metal surfaces. However, “questions concerning visual appearance often arise during the architectural walk-through on a project,” says Andy Williams, MCA’s director of codes and standards. “This white paper highlights many real-life situations so that architects and designers can understand what to expect. More knowledge at the beginning of a project prevents problems from developing later in the process.”
