SUGAR LAND, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 30, 2006--Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas). National Gypsum Company (Charlotte, North Carolina) recently announced its preferred site for a new $140 million, one billion square-foot per year gypsum wallboard manufacturing plant in Arizona.

Courier SFTA Version 5.0 enables users to securely send and receive folders and files as large as 10GB with one click Palo Alto, California—June 6, 2006—Accellion, Inc., a leading provider of on-demand file transfer and data management solutions for enterprise users, announced today the release of the Accellion Courier Secure File Transfer Appliance (SFTA) Version 5.0. The updated version of the Courier SFTA allows enterprise end users to easily send and receive folders in a familiar email-like interface—the first time such a feature is available in the marketplace for corporate users without requiring interface with FTP. The key features of the Accellion SFTA Version 5.0 include: • Ability to send and receive folders – giving end users the ability to consolidate large number of files into one folder or to preserve the sub-directory hierarchy for complex data structures into one top level folder; • Ability to send and receive files and folders as large as 10GB with one click – more than 2 DVDs or 14 CDs worth of data; • Enhanced administrative control on storage usage quota. “The ability to send and receive folders without FTP is a powerful tool,” said Steven M. Erde, M.D. Ph.D., Senior Director and Chief Security Officer of Cornell University's Weill Medical College. “This allows our users to send large number of files while preserving the sometimes complex directory relationship of these files.” “Accellion is pleased to introduce Courier SFTA 5.0,” said Yorgen Edholm, CEO and President of Accellion. “Providing the ability to send and receive folders without using FTP has been a growing demand in the business user community that deal with large quantities of files, such as law firms, or need to preserve file hierarchy relationships, such as engineering and media design files. Courier SFTA 5.0 is the first solution to effectively address this demand for enterprise end users.”

HUDSONVILLE, Mich., June 26 /PRNewswire/ -- eBidservices released their next generation website for the construction industry. It offers a project plan source and online bidding service for architects, engineers, owners, construction managers, governments and contractors. The website will eliminate the waste of thousands of dollars, per project, as well as promote ethics in the bidding process. The Internet website is used to submit projects online. This includes all drawings and specifications. Projects are posted for bid as public or private (invitation only) with the due date and time determined by the owner/architect. Contractors access the projects online. They view or download the drawings free of charge and only the specific ones they require. For example, a concrete subcontractor does not have to order an entire set of plans that can cost him hundreds of dollars if he is not interested in the roofing or other drawings. "A practice in other Internet bidding is reverse auction," from "Ethics in Construction Bidding: Considering the Friedman vs. the Freeman View" by William Moylan, Ph.D., PMP, FESD, Instructor, Construction Management Programs, Eastern Michigan University. "Although not illegal, it is considered unethical and detrimental to all involved. It starts out the bid process with a fixed price and forces the contractors to keep lowering their viewable bids. Forcing companies to risk performing their work without regard to their profit potential has a serious downside. They may cut corners in their construction to avoid losing money. It destroys the partnership aspect of construction projects and creates adversarial relationships between owners and contractors."

NEW YORK, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- "Green" architecture in New York City. OCV Architects is making a better New York with their 'Jacob's Place' construction, making them the continued architect firm of choice for urban revitalization. On the tour were Elliot Spitzer, NY Attorney General, and Edward Norton, actor, activist and stakeholder in the Enterprise Foundation that is one of the sponsors of the multi-site project. Mr. Spitzer and Mr. Norton champion the revitalization of blighted neighborhoods to reclaim vacant lots and rebuild condemned structures into affordable housing, youth recreation and community preservation missions. This recent initiative is part of NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's New Housing Marketplace plan to bring 165,000 units of affordable housing to New Yorkers within the next five years. 'Green' architecture has become a fashionable buzzword in NYC housing, but OCV has made it a reality with beautiful, practical, eco-friendly buildings while maintaining their long-established style of community inspired architecture. The finished work will include lush green roofs, highly durable bamboo floors and energy efficient appliances. While the designs are clean and 'green,' they also pay respect to the history, architecture and culture of the surroundings. The goal for Jacob's Place -- to revive the glorious art-deco period of the North West Bronx, as well as pay homage to local leaders like the late Astin Jacobo. According to Pat Logan of the Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation, on working with OCV's Jack Coogan, "Jack does good work. He has a good sense of design, and you can count on him to be hands-on and on-site ... an architect who's got the whole package." Jack Coogan, a New York City R.A. for over 30 years, says that OCV "likes to work within the existing fabric of the city to make a better New York through architecture." The positive impact the architect firm has had on the city dates back to the early 80's with the early Urban Homesteaders rehabilitation of the Lower East Side to completion of over 100 buildings in Bushwick, a former Brooklyn fringe neighborhood.

Study Confirms Rigid Fiberglass Duct Systems Can Save Up to Four Times More Energy Than Bare Sheet Metal Without Sealed Joints SAN FRANCISCO, June 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC) leading building materials manufacturer Owens Corning (BULLETIN BOARD: OWENQ) introduced its proprietary duct energy efficiency calculator that allows builders to quantify the amount of money consumers can save on their annual energy costs by incorporating fiberglass duct solutions, such as flexible ducts insulated with Owens Corning PINK Fiberglas(R) or EnDuraGold(R) Fiberglas(R) duct board, into a complete HVAC duct system. Owens Corning's Duct System Energy Efficiency Calculator is a sophisticated analytic tool that helps builders to identify energy efficiency issues in an area which is often overlooked -- the duct system. "Recent studies conducted by NAIMA have shown that rigid fiberglass duct systems can save up to four times more energy than bare sheet metal without sealed joints -- 1.2 times more than sealed and lined sheet metal," says Glenn Haley, business manager, air handling products, commercial and industrial Insulating Systems Business, Owens Corning. "Without a doubt, rising energy costs and the growing demand for greener, more energy-efficient homes underscore the need for builders to help their homeowner customers recapture energy wasted in their duct systems. Our duct energy efficiency calculator helps builders pass significant energy efficiency savings onto their homeowner customers and, in doing so, positively impacts their bottom line." "As a leader in home energy efficiency for over 67 years, Owens Corning's purpose is very simple -- delivering solutions, transforming markets, and enhancing lives," says Haley. "The growing awareness among builders of fiberglass duct systems as a way to conserve energy and make homes more comfortable has aided our air handling business in becoming one of the fastest growing businesses at Owens Corning. When world-class solutions like our duct energy calculator combine with best-of-class products, such as flexible ducts made with our signature "PINK" flexible duct media and EnDuraGold(R) Fiberglas(R) Duct Board, builders can develop greener, more energy efficient sustainable homes."

Universal Access to Owens Corning's Builder Energy Solutions Calculator Improves Builders' Energy Efficiency SAN FRANCISCO, June 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Leading building materials manufacturer Owens Corning (BULLETIN BOARD: OWENQ) today announced that its proprietary tool, the Builder Energy Solutions Calculator, will be available for download off the Internet starting in late July, making the tool available to the entire building industry. The Calculator helps builders design the most cost-effective way to build an energy efficient home and take advantage of tax incentives available through the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The Owens Corning Calculator has recently been certified by the Residential Energy Service Network (RESNET), and is compliant with all IRS standards for the Act. "When we first introduced the Calculator to builders at the 2006 International Builders Show the response was tremendous, which led us to create a Web-accessible version of the tool available to an even wider audience," said John Pagano, vice president of builder strategy, Owens Corning. "By offering broader access to the Calculator, we are assisting more builders in tackling the energy crisis head on by providing a tool that supports designing, and ultimately building, in higher levels of home energy efficiency."

Synergis' mechanical, electrical and plumbing customers to benefit from Gehring's expertise QUAKERTOWN, Pa., June 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Synergis(R) Technologies Engineering Design Solutions Division announced today that Peter Gehring, the director of its Building & Infrastructure group, successfully completed Autodesk's difficult Building implementation certification course and exam covering the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing specialty. Gehring, who has more than 25 years of experience using, implementing and teaching Autodesk applications, is one of a small group of technical experts in the country to earn this high-ranking status. Synergis Engineering Design Solutions architecture, engineering and construction customers who have the intricate challenge of collaborating with building and plant equipment manufacturers will certainly benefit from this achievement. They can fully rely on Synergis for both expert training and successful implementations of the Autodesk 2D and 3D software solution set that allows their cross-functional teams to collaborate and thrive. "Collaboration between the building industry and its manufacturers has been difficult, if not sometimes impossible. But Synergis has the expertise to help our customers successfully integrate Autodesk's applications and make cross-industry collaboration a problem of the past," said Kristen Tomasic, vice president of the Engineering Design Solutions division of Synergis Technologies. "Our goal is to continually hone these skills which allow us to help our customers avoid costly errors and lost productivity that can result from improper software implementation and use. The fact that Peter's expertise helped him pass this rigorous exam with flying colors makes us very proud." "Synergis is a great example of an Autodesk value-added reseller who recognizes that advanced training and certifications are critically important and offer them and their customers a distinct advantage," said Harry Cook, director, Support Readiness & Planning at Autodesk. "Peter's extensive training and industry experience are noteworthy and will ensure our joint customers reap the benefits."

Multimedia Museum Exhibition Grand Opening June 17, 2006 INDIANAPOLIS, June 17 /PRNewswire/ -- This summer, Bob the Builder and his can-do crew invite aspiring builders and their families help to get the job done, as the first-ever hands-on Bob the Builder - Project: Build It traveling museum exhibit debuts at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. This 2,000 square-foot multimedia exhibit is sponsored nationally by Indianapolis-based Delta Faucet Company and inspired by HIT Entertainment's top rated television series, Bob the Builder - Project: Build It. It will replicate elements from Bob the Builder's world in Sunflower Valley, inviting exploration, inspiring teamwork and bringing environmentally friendly building themes to life for children and families. "The Children's Museum is excited to create and debut Bob the Builder's first traveling exhibit, offering children a learning experience that encourages Bob the Builder's signature can-do attitude, problem solving skills and teamwork," said Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. "Following the grand opening, Bob the Builder - Project: Build It sponsored by Delta will begin its national tour at The Children's Museum of Manhattan in New York and The Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton, Canada, and it will visit 30 venues during the next five years." "This is a great opportunity to reach the community with important messages about conservation, as well as what goes into building and maintaining a home," said Reinhard Metzger, president of Delta Faucet Company. "Bob the Builder is a great partner for the Delta brand because he embodies the combination of a can-do attitude and concern for the environment that our company was built upon. We are pleased to partner with The Children's Museum to help educate young visitors on these ideas."

ST. LOUIS, June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Your home is a reflection of your own unique style and personality, but customizing your home goes beyond the color you paint the walls and the furniture you buy. Your floors are a big part of your home decor as well, and today's homeowners increasingly are demanding more personalized flooring options. You can achieve total flooring customization with job-site installation of real wood floors. With job-site installations, every aspect of the flooring installation occurs in your home, from installation of the wood, to sanding, to applying the finish. What makes job-site installations appealing is that you can completely customize your floor, from choosing among a variety of wood flooring species, to including decorative borders, to incorporating metal, stone or leather inlays, to designing intricate medallions that are one-of-a- kind, like a family crest. No matter what your imagination, you can achieve it with job-site installation of real wood floors. Advances in sanding systems make job-site installations more appealing than ever before. New dust containment sanding systems eliminate much of the dust associated with job-site installations, reducing airborne dust by up to 95%. This means that homeowners can enjoy the benefits of a job-site installation, without the usual mess. Want to know more about the customization options available with real wood floors? Visit the National Wood Flooring Association's web site at http://redirect.aecdaily.com/s18122/www.woodfloors.org/ , and click on "Specialty Design Elements" under the "Why Wood Floors" menu option.

CHICAGO, June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- A brand new wholly owned subsidiary called Thermique Technologies, LLC, will take control of all heated glass projects, products and technologies from Engineered Glass Products. Thermique Technologies will concentrate on the development, sales and marketing of Thermique(TM) heated glass, allowing EGP to remain focused on its core business of heat-reflective glass in kitchen appliances. Thermique(TM) heated glass is a proprietary technology developed by EGP to uniformly heat a pane of glass with precise control. The creation of Thermique Technologies as a separate company is designed to streamline the operations of both companies for greater efficiency and customer service. Patrick Earley, CFO of Engineered Glass Products, has assumed the role of CEO at Thermique Technologies. Earley will bring with him Peter Gerhardinger, who led the engineering team that developed Thermique(TM) heated glass. Gerhardinger holds ten US patents as well as one in Mexico. He will serve as chief technology officer. "We have developed a technology that is entirely new and revolutionary," said Earley. "Thermique(TM) glass has countless advantages over competing sources of radiant heating -- including efficiency, style, convenience, simplicity and attractiveness. The range of applications for this new technology is almost limitless." Thermique Technologies is developing commercial products for the kitchen and bathroom, as well as heated architectural windows for the home and office. Among the first is a heated glass towel warmer, which has won numerous awards since it was first introduced to the market less than 18 months ago. The Thermique(TM) towel warmer was voted Best New Bath Product at the KBIS 2005, an international kitchen and bath industry tradeshow, and won a 2005 GOOD DESIGN(TM) Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture & Design. The Thermique(TM) towel warmer is comprised almost entirely of glass, which makes it a stylish addition to any bathroom, in a custom home or luxury hotel. Towels, sheets, and other linens are simply draped across an elegant pane of heated glass that is mounted to the bathroom wall. The unit is so attractive it "could double as wall art," according to Woman's Day: Home Remodeling & Makeovers magazine, which named the Thermique(TM) towel warmer among the best New Bath Products in the 2006 HR Awards Thermique(TM) technology works by safely conducting an electrical current across a specially coated pane of glass. The electrical resistance of the glass causes it to heat up uniformly across the entire surface, and a proprietary control module allows the user to adjust the glass temperature with precise control. Popular Science magazine named the technology among the Best of What's New for 2005. All Thermique(TM) components are UL(R) Listed, while the towel warmer and architectural window units are UL(R) Approved.

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 9, 2006--Johns Manville (JM) today announced that its complete line of Formaldehyde-free(TM) fiber glass building insulation received the Home Safety Council (HSC) Commendation Award for Product Innovation for Consumer Safety at the HSC's Salute to Home Safety Awards Dinner on June 8, 2006, in Washington, D.C. The award is given to manufacturers for their contribution in helping consumers maintain a safe home environment by reducing home injury risks through innovative product design and development. To view a video highlighting JM's commitment to home safety, go to: www.jm-builder.com. A diverse and independent technical advisory committee comprised of national leaders from the areas of public health, fire and life safety, and injury prevention reviewed Johns Manville's nomination for its complete line of Formaldehyde-free fiber glass building insulation. The committee selected Formaldehyde-free fiber glass building insulation to acknowledge JM's efforts to develop safer products with a proactive consumer safety program that is the industry model for others to follow. Sensitive to the need to create environmentally responsible building products, Johns Manville revolutionized the fiber glass insulation industry when it introduced a complete line of formaldehyde-free fiber glass building insulation products in 2002. Of the two million homes built annually, 90 percent contain fiber glass insulation making fiber glass the most commonly used insulation in residential construction. Today, Johns Manville is still the only fiber glass insulation manufacturer to offer a complete line of formaldehyde-free fiber glass insulation. Since doing so, several public health and environmental bodies have made important decisions, classifications and recommendations related to formaldehyde: -- International Agency for Research on Cancer: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) organized a working group of distinguished medical doctors, toxicologists and other experts who reviewed the most recent science, including new studies from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health showing a link between formaldehyde exposure and cancer. After the review, IARC changed the cancer hazard classification of formaldehyde from Group 2A probable carcinogen to Group 1 known human carcinogen in June 2004. All JM insulation undergoes rigorous testing at the Johns Manville Technical Center to ensure products perform properly and are safe for installation in homes. JM's line of Formaldehyde-free building insulation includes products such as the Spider(TM) Custom Insulation System, MR(TM) Faced Batts, ComfortTherm(R), EasyFit(R) and ClimatePro(R). While converting to formaldehyde-free, JM's product line has also maintained its industry-leading post-consumer recycled glass content of 20 percent.

Preverco, a leading manufacturer of high-end, hardwood flooring, announces its Original Series. Preverco’s Original Series of hardwood flooring utilizes the latest production techniques, resulting in floors with unequalled performance and wear resistance. Preverco’s Original Series is manufactured with a unique pre-drying stage, gradually reducing humidity in each plank to maintain the dimensional stability and surface integrity of the wood. During the drying stage, ultra-modern computer-controlled dryers maintain precise temperature and humidity to ensure an extremely stable wood product. Preverco’s highly advanced manufacturing techniques produce wood strips with perfect surface smoothness and precise tongue and groove accuracy. The strips are manufactured with a constant thickness and width that guarantee a floor of superior quality and appearance. Using Preverco’s Sigma™ finishing, the Original Series offers hardwood flooring that is unmatched in durability and hardness, as well as high wear resistance. Sigma finishing offers UV resistance, anti-bacterial protection and extraordinary surface smoothness. The Original Series grading system separates wood into different categories based on color intensity and other characteristics. Preverco’s grades reflect the criteria chosen to classify the wood, rather than the level of quality or appearance. Preverco’s Original Series of hardwood flooring is available in six grades, ten wood species and one of the largest selections of stains on the market.

WILMINGTON, Del., and PITTSBURGH, June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DuPont and Alcoa (NYSE:AA) have collaborated to develop a new product for the commercial building and construction market that provides protection against the damage of hurricane wind-borne debris. DuPont and Alcoa are introducing an innovative new product that incorporates both companies' science and technical expertise in high-strength materials technology. Called Reynobond(R) with Kevlar(R), it is a durable architectural panel system designed to withstand wind-borne debris and wind speeds common in hurricanes up to a Category 3 storm. (Category 3 hurricanes have wind speeds up to 130 mph.) Reynobond(R) made with Kevlar(R) brand fiber acts as a safety net by helping to protect the facades of buildings from hurricane-propelled debris, frequently the main cause of hurricane damage. Reynobond(R) with Kevlar(R) combines the weight and flexibility benefits of Alcoa's Reynobond(R) aluminum composite material with the impact-resistant strength of DuPont(TM) Kevlar(R) fiber. "Partnering with DuPont provided Alcoa the opportunity to enhance our lightweight, widely used Reynobond(R) aluminum composite material to a new level of usage by inserting DuPont's ultra strong Kevlar(R) fabric into the architectural panel," said Eric Bassel, president of Alcoa Architectural Products. Reynobond(R) with Kevlar(R) is a lightweight aluminum composite material that helps provide protection for a building structure with a superior strength to weight ratio further enhanced by the extraordinary high strength of DuPont(TM) Kevlar(R) brand fiber, which is five times stronger than steel on an equal weight basis. Kevlar(R) is used around the world as the life-saving material in bullet-resistant vests and body armor. In this application, Kevlar(R) provides superior impact resistance, similar to how it works as a protective barrier around jet turbine blades and luggage containers for aircraft to help shield passengers from flying debris, should an explosion occur. http://redirect.aecdaily.com/s18122/www.alcoa.com

Leading window and glass manufacturer will use Green Building Studio's Product Placement Advisor to highlight product energy performance on actual building designs LOS ANGELES, June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- AIA 2006 -- Green Building Studio, Inc., the leading sustainability analysis software and services company in the architectural, engineering, and construction industry, today announced that PPG Industries has selected Green Building Studio's custom Product Placement Advisor web service (GBS PPA), a first-of-its-kind product application engine, to promote their Solarban 70XL glass product line to building designers. The Product Placement Advisor is a new feature of the widely available, award-winning Green Building Studio web service. It is the first and only solution for building product manufacturers to promote their products to active building design projects and design teams. It instantly applies products to the design to determine its energy and resource use benefits. Solarban 70XL glass, by PPG, is one of the highest performing glazing products on the market that enables a design team to maximize natural lighting opportunities while minimizing the required cooling equipment with a clear glass aesthetic. The Green Building Studio web service is the first web service specifically designed for architects to use at the earliest phase of their design to fully understand the cost-effective opportunities to maximize their building's sustainability. The Product Placement Advisor engine is a first of its kind for this industry. The Product Placement Advisor specifically targets a manufacturer's product to the building designs they identify as their ideal market and allows building designers to automatically have the product applied to their building design for immediate determination of the possible energy and resource benefits. Green Building Studio, Inc., the leading sustainability analysis software and services company, provides the architectural, engineering, and construction industry with packaged and custom building energy and resource analysis tools and web-based solutions for sustainable building designers and product manufacturers.

New Release Enables Unprecedented Sustainability Design Support and Energy Measure Comparisons for Architects at the Earliest Stages of Building Scheme Selection LOS ANGELES, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- AIA 2006 -- Green Building Studio, Inc., the leading sustainability analysis software and services company in the architectural, engineering, and construction industry, today announced the general availability and release of Version 2.0 of the Green Building Studio web service. This release includes significant new functionality designed to support sustainability design decisions and make detailed comparisons between different building design and equipment measures. Version 2.0 improvements have been based on feedback on requirements from hundreds of architects involved in sustainable design. The development of these new features has been funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the California Energy Commission, and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, in order to provide the tools necessary to evaluate even greater sustainable building design options for today's architects. The Green Building Studio web service continues to be the first and only web service specifically designed for architects to use at the earliest phase of design to fully understand the cost-effective opportunities to maximize their building's sustainability. The new features, called "Design Alternatives," enable architects and engineering teams to quickly analyze various changes to their building design including orientation, glazing options, envelope constructions, lighting technologies, and HVAC technologies. Further, manufacturer products can now be applied with a simple click to understand how specific building products perform when included in an actual building design. EnergyPlus capabilities and single-family homes are now enabled in the service as well. These features are the enabling technologies necessary to meet the aggressive energy and resource goals being asked for by today's building owners and the AIA. Jean Lupinacci, Director of the US EPA ENERGY STAR Commercial and Industrial Branch, states, "Energy Efficiency is a critical step to a green building, and the Green Building Studio web service is the type of tool that makes it easy to integrate top energy efficiency into the critical design phase of new buildings. We look forward to many more new buildings earning the ENERGY STAR and helping to avoid emissions of greenhouse gases while costing less to operate due to the Green Building Studio web service."

VCollab software breaks down communication barriers between engineering disciplines, suppliers, and global teams and supports end-to-end visual collaboration for product development Visual Collaboration Technologies Inc. today announced VCollab(TM) 2006, a suite of software that delivers high-performance visualization of multidisciplinary product engineering data using a single lightweight viewing technology. The new software provides the first common platform for viewing and manipulating 3D digital product design, analysis, and manufacturing information authored in different engineering formats. With VCollab, individuals and groups throughout product development can share and interact with complex computer-aided-design (CAD), computer-aided-manufacturing (CAM), and computer-aided-engineering (CAE) files without having to access the native applications. VCollab 2006 extends the opportunity for product visualization far across the spectrum of engineering disciplines, from the creation of 3D digital product geometry to finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and manufacturing assembly simulation. "Effective collaboration among distributed groups of experts is crucial for competitiveness in product development today," says Vijaya Kalimi, business relationship manager for Tata Consultancy Services. "Because our customer base is multinational and crosses many industries, we are always looking for tools that improve communication. With VCollab we can easily create simple 3D documents and presentations with embedded finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics simulations, and then share this complex product data efficiently with clients all over the world." "Our customers have to communicate sophisticated 3D engineering information among their local and global teams and with upstream OEMs and downstream suppliers," says Prasad Mandava, CEO of Visual Collaboration Technologies. "Many product development teams expend a great deal of time and effort accomplishing this, and they often end up juggling a constellation of viewing tools. VCollab 2006 is a significant step forward for industry because it is a multidisciplinary solution. Manufacturers can use VCollab to share valuable data and results easily from all of their 3D CAD, CAM, and CAE activities." VCollab allows individuals and groups throughout global manufacturing supply chains to interact with 3D engineering details that have traditionally been difficult to communicate. The software combines powerful graphics tools with a compression technology that reduces file size while preserving engineering content. VCollab files can be embedded into Microsoft(R) Office applications or opened directly within Internet Explorer. Team members can then view embedded CAD, CAM, and CAE product data with laptop or desktop computers, or on graphics clusters in immersive environments, without needing the native engineering software.

Nanogel(R) Aerogel Daylighting Products on Display at AIA 2006 Trade Show Booth #3923 BOSTON, June 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cabot Corporation (NYSE:CBT) announced today that its Cabot Aerogel business and Wasco Products, Inc., a leading manufacturer of commercial skylighting systems, have developed two new commercial skylight products, incorporating Nanogel(R) translucent aerogel, the world's lightest, highly insulating, light transmitting, solid material. The Wasco skylights and other Nanogel-filled daylighting systems will be on display at the AIA 2006 conference, June 8-10th in Los Angeles, at Cabot Booth # 3923. (Logo: http://redirect.aecdaily.com/s18122/www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000323/CABOTLOGO ) The new Wasco skylight systems with Nanogel(R) aerogel provide outstanding lighting and thermal performance for both new construction and replacement applications. With increased awareness and demand for energy efficiency, these systems more than double the thermal performance of standard skylights, while minimizing glare and heat gain. Additionally, the new Wasco skylight systems with Nanogel resist condensation, prohibiting the growth of mold and mildew. "Nanogel has special appeal to both architects and builders because of its unique quality of soft, warm light and superior insulation and sound absorption properties," said James Satterwhite, global business manager for Nanogel Construction segment. "Working with Wasco Products, we are now able to offer another exciting daylighting alternative." For the Wasco skylight systems, Nanogel is used to fill the cells or flutes in polycarbonate sheets positioned under an acrylic dome. Wasco skylight systems, in combination with Nanogel aerogel, bring a wide range of benefits to commercial architectural applications, including: * Improved thermal and acoustic insulation of the building structure * Transmission of diffused light to building interiors, eliminating glare and shadows * Resistance to condensation, moisture, and associated mold and mildew growth * Increased comfort and productivity for occupants

National Delegation of Senior Level Building Professionals to Convene August 13-15th in San Diego, CA NEW YORK, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- CraigMichaels, Inc. the leading producer of senior level business summits, announced today that key building professionals across all industries will convene August 13-15th at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines Resort in San Diego for the Sustainable Facilities Summit. "In the past decade, we have become increasingly aware of our obligation to develop buildings that are environmentally responsible," said Craig Lehmann, President of CraigMichaels. "Buildings are among our largest users of energy and natural resources and we believe that we must educate the industry on how to deliver facilities that are more efficient and leave less of a negative impact on the environment." The Sustainable Facilities Summit will provide those responsible for overseeing the nation's largest building programs with the solutions to incorporate sustainable principles into their future projects, as well as learn how best to implement these strategies into their existing facilities. Confirmed Presenters include some of the nation's foremost experts on green buildings and hail from such organizations as: Ford Motor Company, Wal- Mart Stores, United States Green Building Council (USGBC), Kaiser Permanente, Duke University, Starbucks, Los Angeles Unified School District, City of Seattle, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). These presenters will share their collective knowledge with a diverse delegation comprised of real estate and facilities decision makers from sectors including Healthcare, Government, Education, Retail, Commercial and Industrial. Collectively these professionals have the power to develop strategies to advance the industry and develop buildings that will positively impact the quality of life of those in our cities, schools, hospitals, offices and retail stores. The executive conference program addresses the most challenging issues related to the development and operations of sustainable buildings such as: Analyzing Costs Associated with Developing Green Buildings, Renewable Energy Solutions, Greening Existing Buildings, Sustainable Master Plans, Improving Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), and Water Efficiency.

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 31, 2006--DUX, Inc. today announced the immediate availability of three innovative spray guns offering the first technological advances to industrial coatings equipment in over 80 years. "For decades industrial spray painters have had to endure old spray technology; heavy, difficult to use equipment; and hazardous work environments due to excessive overspray and paint booth fog," said Kevin Kelley, DUX, Inc. President and CEO. "The High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) systems on the market today are still employing outdated technology that is not as efficient as the DUX guns. The industry suffers from massive amounts of wasted material and wasted money due to the poor air flow technology, while sending unnecessary pollution into the air. "Today that all changes," Kelley continued. "DUX was founded on the premise that the spray finishing industry deserves better, and we're committed to giving our customers a superior product that saves them money while improving their finish quality and working environments for their painters." DUX products are built on advanced airflow technology originally developed to optimize the performance of Formula Three racing engines. This has produced the first improvements to spray gun technology in decades. "The DUX Gun is the first truly new gun the industry has ever seen," said Larry Boville, Jr., owner of Boville Industrial Coatings, Inc. in Smithville, OH, one of the first to adopt the DUX technology. "Every other gun on the market is simply a modified version of a previous design. While other manufacturers seem to be trying to cut corners to cut their own costs, DUX is putting out a truly high-end product that so far has saved us between 15-30% on our coating usage."

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 31, 2006--In anticipation of another potentially devastating hurricane season, the Tile Roofing Institute (TRI) is offering homeowners tips to help them protect homes from hurricane damage. TRI is issuing these tips in response to many meteorological experts' predictions that the imminent 2006 hurricane season will either equal or surpass the previous two years' in both number and strength of storms. Homeowners can find additional valuable information at TRI's Web site, www.tileroofing.org. Hurricanes are among nature's most devastating natural disasters, posing both wind and flood damage potential, but homeowners can take steps to reduce the chance of major property damage and injury to family members. Ideal protection for a home prevents wind from damaging the home in a way that allows water to enter. "Although tile provides more protection than other roofing materials, a hurricane can affect every home on or near the southeastern coast, and we want to be sure people have enough information to protect themselves and their homes." THE ADVANTAGES OF TILE ROOFING Tile's durability has been clearly demonstrated by how well it has withstood the test of time, weather and natural disasters. Today's tile roofing is better than ever: stronger, more energy-efficient, Class A Fire rated, able to withstand high winds, hail and earthquakes better than any other roofing material. Along with beauty, tile can insulate and add safety to any home or building, assuring long-term value. Homeowners can find more roof protection tips and information on the advantages of tile roofing by visiting www.tileroofing.org.