Newshttp://www.wakelyaia.com/index.htmlFrom Wakely Associates, Inc. / ArchitectsenWakely Associates, Inc.Copyright 2007 Wakely Associates, Inc. / Architects2007-09-20T15:14:00-04:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:17:59 -0400Fraser Schools building green roof to save energy, teach environmentalismWakely Associates, Inc.News2007-09-20T15:14:00-04:00http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/8679d552f290d7f83a0ede9192a4a300-5.html#unique-entry-id-5http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/8679d552f290d7f83a0ede9192a4a300-5.html#unique-entry-id-5
School officials anticipate that the district's operations and maintenance building's new green roof will reduce heating and cooling expenses while helping teach its students about sustainability. If the project works out as expected, school officials say more green roofs will be headed their way.

"We look at it as a possible resolution to our roofing needs," says John Thompson, director of operations and maintenance for Fraser Public Schools. "Absolutely we would consider using green roofs again."

The benefits of green roofs have become a favorite axiom among environmentalists. Unlike traditional tar roofs, the plants that make up its surface soak up stormwater runoff, keep roofs at air temperature (tar roofs can double in temperature on hot days), reduce cooling costs and help insulate buildings during cold weather.

Fraser Schools new 3,000-square-foot sedum roof --which means the plants aren’t strong enough to walk on-- promises to do all of those things when it's finished this week. Covering 60 percent of the roof, officials intend to consider replacing the remaining traditional tar roof (updated 9 years ago) once it becomes older.

Construction includes a rooftop deck along with walk ways set between the trays of sedum so students can study how the green roof system works. They will also measure how much energy it saves the building over the first few years.

"It will be a living lab for students of environmental studies," Thompson says.

Local businesses – Avri Group, JD Candler, Carlisle Syntec, Wakely Associates and Barton Malow – are donating the materials and installation services for the $60,000 roof. Although installation is more expensive than a traditional tar roof ($35,000), a green roof has a life expectancy of 60 years --three times as long!

Source: John Thompson, director of operations and maintenance for Fraser Public Schools
Writer: Jon Zemke

The full article is available here.]]>Meeting the futureWakely Associates, Inc.News2006-04-18T12:07:26-04:00http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/59deec1ee19176bb78ec8850381f1480-0.html#unique-entry-id-0http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/59deec1ee19176bb78ec8850381f1480-0.html#unique-entry-id-0
By Kristyne E. Demske for C&G Newspapers; photograph by Erin Sanchez

Read the article here.

CG
From left: Dominic Abbate, Ronald Syme, and Dominic Grecki]]>$93 million price tag put on jail expansionWakely Associates, Inc.News2005-10-14T02:39:39-04:00http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/81cbc702feafae95634345c1cef4076e-1.html#unique-entry-id-1http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/81cbc702feafae95634345c1cef4076e-1.html#unique-entry-id-1From The Macomb Daily

"The price of ending the chronic overcrowding at the Macomb County Jail, which has resulted in the early release of 1,000 inmates this year, is a $93 million expansion of the Mount Clemens facility.

...The proposed jail expansion could take four years to complete, putting the opening on a 2009 timeframe when most of the 304 new beds will be immediately filled."


Read more at the Macomb Daily

Read more at the Detroit Free Press (Archive copy available for purchase.)]]>Fire station salutes the past, welcomes the futureWakely Associates, Inc.News2005-05-16T02:40:23-04:00http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/0caeee89bcf55c5f5fd599c1398332e6-2.html#unique-entry-id-2http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/0caeee89bcf55c5f5fd599c1398332e6-2.html#unique-entry-id-2The Macomb Daily Online Edition

Clinton Township's new fire station on Gration near Harrington not only boasts an array of modern high-tech equipment, it also makes a respectful salute to the fire service of the past.

The station was designed by SDA Architects of Warren, along with Wakely Associates. Eric Salswedel of SDA said the custom brick design, pitched metal roof and stone cornice overhangs "maintain the historic value and flavor of the original station and brings back some of the 1940-period details."

The 11,000-square-foot building, formally dedicated last week, replaces a drafty cement-block fire station constructed in 1945.

"It's a really beautiful building," said Operations Chief Michael Phy of the Clinton Township Fire Department. "We feel very blessed to have such a nice facility. It makes you want to come to work in the morning."

Read the full article here. ]]>Tsunami fundraiserWakely Associates, Inc.News2005-02-10T02:40:59-05:00http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/6fdf525e864b5d3028f5300fcc4498c5-3.html#unique-entry-id-3http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/6fdf525e864b5d3028f5300fcc4498c5-3.html#unique-entry-id-3The Macomb Daily Online Edition

A special "casual Thursday" by Macomb County employees has raised more than $14,000 to aid victims of the Asian tsunami disaster.

In addition to the $14,082 raised by the workers, the county has also secured $5,000 worth of matching donations from three contractors who have done business with the county: Anderson, Eckstein and Westrick, a Shelby Township engineering firm; Wakely Associates Inc., a Warren architectural firm; and Project Control Systems Inc., a Livonia construction management company.]]>Plenty of work ... in Middle EastWakely Associates, Inc.News2005-01-28T02:41:38-05:00http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/d5a1b28d85051abbe9b994a9bec2c7dd-4.html#unique-entry-id-4http://www.wakelyaia.com/news/files/d5a1b28d85051abbe9b994a9bec2c7dd-4.html#unique-entry-id-4The Macomb Daily Online Edition

By Dan Heaton
Macomb Daily Business Editor

Macomb County is working to put the word out on opportunities for business -- even opportunities that exist halfway around the world.

County governmental leaders and a dozen or so members of the business community met in Mount Clemens Thursday morning, but the focus was on the Middle East.

"I would like to go there and get work, bring it back here and hire Macomb County people to do that work. With the Internet you can do it," said Dominic Abbate, an architect and president of Wakely Associates, Inc., in Warren.

Abbate was part of a party of government and business leaders who traveled to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Egypt late last year in a trade mission sponsored by the Arab American Chamber of Commerce. Thursday's meeting at the County Administration Building was part of an effort to share what was learned on the trip with local businesses, said Nancy White, chairwoman of the county board and a member of the delegation.

"I see tremendous opportunity for a service type business -- finance, construction planning, engineering, architecture -- to do business" in Dubai or Doha, Qatar.

White, Abbate and others who were on the trip spoke almost in awe of the level of construction activity taking place in those two cities. In Dubai alone, community leaders are planning to build some 200 high-rise buildings, just over the next two years -- plus all the infrastructure that goes with it.

Abbate said he could envision his firm getting a piece of work -- most of which would be done at the company's Warren office on Van Dyke.

White, and others, stressed the feeling of safety they had during the 11-day visit, the cleanliness of the cities, and the many Michigan connections they encountered.

Steve Cassins, economic development director for the county, said he had reservations about traveling to the Middle East -- fears, he said, which were quickly alleviated.

"We could not have been treated better," he said.

Cassins also related a story about a meeting with a key oil minister in Qatar who is also a leader in the OPEC organization.

"It ended up that we lived in dorms across the street from each other at Michigan State in the 1970s," Cassin said.

Many of the business and governmental leaders in Dubai and other Middle East countries were educated in the U.S. and have a preference for dealing with U.S. firms when possible.

In addition to acquiring work from the Middle East, Cassin said that area of the world is a prime area for exporting possibilities.

The county has a person on staff who is available to help local companies get into the export business, Cassin said, adding that additional information on possible business opportunities for local firms is available through his office at the county.

"There's a tremendous opportunity there. It would require some work, but the opportunities are there," he said.

For more information on Middle East possibilities, exporting assistance, or other business training programs, contact the Macomb County Planning & Economic Development Department at (586) 469 - 5285. ]]>