Portable toilets are needed on every construction site, and in lots of other places too. Generally speaking, though, they are not pleasant spaces. But that doesn't seem to be the case in Switzerland. I just discovered a Swiss company called Kompotoi. They make high-quality portable toilets out of spruce, and they have made a commitment to composting as much human waste as possible.
But the really unique feature that I had never seen before is that each toilet comes equipped with a bin of wood shavings ("litter"), which you are supposed to sprinkle over your poop once you're done. This serves two important functions. One, it dries out the waste which greatly reduces any smells. I can attest that the toilet I used smelt just fine. And two, doesn't it just look better to go into a toilet and see wood shavings as opposed to poop?
This might be an instance of "yeah, only in Switzerland." The retail price for their classic toilet model is CHF 5,966. That works out to about C$9,500 once you covert it to our painfully weak dollar.
The province of British Columbia made the following announcement this week:
The Province has updated the BCBC to remove the [building] code requirement for a second egress, or exit, stairwell per floor in buildings up to six storeys. This change will make it possible to build housing projects on smaller lots and in different configurations, while allowing more flexibility for multi-bedroom apartments, more density within areas of transit-oriented developments and the potential to improve energy efficiency in buildings. Previously, the BCBC called for at least two egress stairwells in buildings three storeys and higher.
This is meaningful progress. And BC is the leading the way in Canada. But from a global perspective, we are not leading the way. This is us catching up.
As part of this building code change, the province commissioned a report on single egress stair building designs. In this report, they looked at various jurisdictions from around the world:
Their non-exhaustive findings:
There are at least 30 jurisdictions with SES building design requirements that permit midrise buildings with a building height of at least 5 or 6 storeys. In addition, the Center for Building in North America (www.centerforbuilding.org) reports that 8 US states have passed legislation into law, or are reviewing possible options for doing so, to allow larger SES buildings when their Building Code is next revised. In most cases these revisions are intended to allow SES buildings of up to 6 storeys.
For example, Seattle already allows up to 6 storeys. Belgium, New Zealand, and Australia allow up to 9 storeys (driven by a maximum height in meters). And Finland allows up to 18 storeys, according to the report.
Though keep in mind that building codes are complicated and often have frustrating gray areas. There may be other requirements that need to be met in order to achieve these heights.
It's great to see BC making these moves. Now watch for other provinces to follow suit.
Portable toilets are needed on every construction site, and in lots of other places too. Generally speaking, though, they are not pleasant spaces. But that doesn't seem to be the case in Switzerland. I just discovered a Swiss company called Kompotoi. They make high-quality portable toilets out of spruce, and they have made a commitment to composting as much human waste as possible.
But the really unique feature that I had never seen before is that each toilet comes equipped with a bin of wood shavings ("litter"), which you are supposed to sprinkle over your poop once you're done. This serves two important functions. One, it dries out the waste which greatly reduces any smells. I can attest that the toilet I used smelt just fine. And two, doesn't it just look better to go into a toilet and see wood shavings as opposed to poop?
This might be an instance of "yeah, only in Switzerland." The retail price for their classic toilet model is CHF 5,966. That works out to about C$9,500 once you covert it to our painfully weak dollar.
The province of British Columbia made the following announcement this week:
The Province has updated the BCBC to remove the [building] code requirement for a second egress, or exit, stairwell per floor in buildings up to six storeys. This change will make it possible to build housing projects on smaller lots and in different configurations, while allowing more flexibility for multi-bedroom apartments, more density within areas of transit-oriented developments and the potential to improve energy efficiency in buildings. Previously, the BCBC called for at least two egress stairwells in buildings three storeys and higher.
This is meaningful progress. And BC is the leading the way in Canada. But from a global perspective, we are not leading the way. This is us catching up.
As part of this building code change, the province commissioned a report on single egress stair building designs. In this report, they looked at various jurisdictions from around the world:
Their non-exhaustive findings:
There are at least 30 jurisdictions with SES building design requirements that permit midrise buildings with a building height of at least 5 or 6 storeys. In addition, the Center for Building in North America (www.centerforbuilding.org) reports that 8 US states have passed legislation into law, or are reviewing possible options for doing so, to allow larger SES buildings when their Building Code is next revised. In most cases these revisions are intended to allow SES buildings of up to 6 storeys.
For example, Seattle already allows up to 6 storeys. Belgium, New Zealand, and Australia allow up to 9 storeys (driven by a maximum height in meters). And Finland allows up to 18 storeys, according to the report.
Though keep in mind that building codes are complicated and often have frustrating gray areas. There may be other requirements that need to be met in order to achieve these heights.
It's great to see BC making these moves. Now watch for other provinces to follow suit.
Tadelakt is a plaster surface that you will find all throughout Moroccan architecture. It is used on floors, walls, sinks, showers, and more. It is made from lime plaster (sand, water, and lime). And it gets applied in stages with, as I understand it, wooden floats, trowels, and mechanical polishers. The last step is to apply a sealer, which then gives it a waterproof finish. This is why it is suitable for bathrooms and exterior walls. From the sounds of it, it’s a labor-intensive process, but apparently the result is a very durable finish. I also think it lends a modern feel because it’s a continuous application that can wrap corners and follow curves.
Tadelakt is a plaster surface that you will find all throughout Moroccan architecture. It is used on floors, walls, sinks, showers, and more. It is made from lime plaster (sand, water, and lime). And it gets applied in stages with, as I understand it, wooden floats, trowels, and mechanical polishers. The last step is to apply a sealer, which then gives it a waterproof finish. This is why it is suitable for bathrooms and exterior walls. From the sounds of it, it’s a labor-intensive process, but apparently the result is a very durable finish. I also think it lends a modern feel because it’s a continuous application that can wrap corners and follow curves.
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