Al-Farooq Corporation Heads to BAU 2019

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Al-Farooq Corporation’s engineers have been invited to attend BAU 2019 in Munich, Germany next month. The world’s leading trade fair for architecture, materials, and systems is a magnet for the global trade audience.

The giant convention covers the entire building industry and all its trades, making it the most important sector gathering for all those involved in the world of planning and construction. Attracting more than 2,100 exhibitors from 45 countries in 2017, the upcoming edition of BAU is expected to be even larger with more than 49 acres of exhibition space within 19 halls.

BAU 2019 will take place from January 14 to 19. Will you be attending? Let’s connect!

Fort Lauderdale’s Tallest Tower is Completed

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At 499 feet tall, 100 Las Olas is not only Fort Lauderdale’s tallest tower, but it’s also the first hotel to be built on Las Olas Boulevard in more than 80 years. The tower features a 238-room Hyatt Centric hotel on the first 15 floors and residential condominiums on floors 16 to 46.

Al-Farooq Corporation is proud to have been a part of the process. We served as the main glazing consultant and were retained by All American Windows & Doors to offer engineering services for all exterior glazing facades including windows, doors, storefronts, and curtain walls.

We also prepared shop drawings and calculations, field conditions and calculations, and value engineering services by optimizing reinforcement and glass type.

 

Jalal Farooq Hosts Live Webinar with Architect’s Newspaper

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Al-Farooq Corporation principal, Jalal Farooq, P.E. has partnered with Architect’s Newspaper to host a live webinar on Thursday, December 13th. The intermediate-level course will provide industry professionals with information on how to determine the impact requirements for projects in different regions.

The one-hour AIA-credited online course titled Understanding Window and Door Hurricane / Impact Requirements will provide participants with a high-level overview of impact requirements. Once completed, attendees will be able to determine what ASTM tests and test levels are applicable for their region for impact and hurricanes (if applicable). Participants will also be able to analyze test reports or product approvals to determine what has been tested, what to look for, and which items are critical for test reports; and determine if the product information provided meets the minimum requirements for a specific project.

If you’re an architect or AIA member be sure to join in on Thursday, December 13th at 1:00 PM EST. Click here to register.

 

AFC Attends Zak’s World of Facades

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Last week, AFC’s engineers traveled to New York City for Zak’s World of Facades – the region’s premier conference on façade design and engineering. Now in its 52nd edition globally and its first in NYC, the conference covered the latest innovations and challenges in the construction industry pertaining to the building envelope and showcased some of the latest technological solutions.

The one-day event featured engaging panel discussions from more than 45 industry experts including architects, façade consultants, fire consultants, façade engineers, and structural consultants.

The North American conference was sponsored by Schüco, one of the leading suppliers of high-quality window, door and façade systems around the world; and organized by Zak, a pioneer in promoting technologies in the domain of glass processing, facades, and fenestration through their exhibitions and conferences.

 

AFC’s Engineers Assess Hurricane Damage in Puerto Rico

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Al-Farooq Corporation recently traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Maria. Their team of expert engineers were invited to the island to consult on glazing damage made to several dozen luxury high-rise residential towers.   

During inspections alongside local insurance adjusters, the engineers discovered several issues. While Puerto Rico is in a high-risk hurricane zone, code enforcement in regard to exterior glazing products is inconsistently implemented. As a result, many of the buildings assessed by AFC, which were less than 30 years old, sustained significant damage during the storm. 

Al-Farooq Corporation is now partnering with a team of Puerto Rican engineers to bring legislative action to improve glazing manufacturing, permitting, code compliance and installation processes. The firm’s next step is to present its inspection reports to the associations and adjusters, help them proceed with their claims, and make informed decisions for future replacement. 

 

Jalal Farooq Presents at Facades+ AM Miami

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This month Jalal Farooq represented Al-Farooq Corporation at Facades+ AM, the premier conference on high-performance building enclosures. The program included three panel discussions covering issues unique to the South Florida region, including innovative building skins, high-performance facades, and some of Miami’s newest projects.   

As one of three panelists covering Commercial Facades: Approaches to High-Performance Envelopes in the Tropics, Jalal joined industry veterans Ray Crawford of Crawford-Tracey Corporation, Josh Gelfman of Terranova Corporation, and Allan Shulman of Shulman + Associates. The group presented timely industry issues, how they’ve overcome them, and showcased relevant projects across South Florida.  

During his presentation, Jalal discussed some engineering challenges behind projects Al-Farooq Corporation has worked on including the University of Miami School of Architecture and the Lennar Foundation Medical Center. He also detailed the unique engineering methods essential to meet specific code requirements for the Arthrex office tower in Naples. The crowd of architects even got a behind-the-scenes look into what impact product testing is like for manufacturers like Crawford Tracey and engineers like Al-Farooq Corporation.   

The panel presentation ended with a Q&A session where attendees learned more about the different ways buildings can be engineered to avoid flood damage and provide for fall protection. 

 

AFC Designs Hurricane Resistant System for Monad Terrace

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Working alongside Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Jean Nouvel of Atelier; Kobi Karp Architecture, JDS Development Group, and Building Envelope Systems, Al-Farooq Corporation has designed a one-of-a-kind hurricane resistant system for the highly anticipated Monad Terrace project in Miami Beach. 

Using innovative problem-solving techniques, such as robust three-dimensional wind flow study with the help of Finite Element Analysis, Al-Farooq Corporation has compiled a comprehensive approach to gauge the effects of wind on the cladding components and the unique planter design. 

The building’s façade has been designed to include these planters around the exterior balconies. Designed by AFC’s team of engineers, the planters are the only such system able to withstand hurricane force winds. The building’s unique honeycomb glass technology is also designed to reflect direct sunlight away from each residence while preserving views in all directions. 

The luxury bay-side residential tower is currently under construction and is expected to be completed summer 2019.  

 

 

Miami Beach Convention Center

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For more than two years, the Miami Beach Convention Center has undergone a $620 million restoration and expansion that is soon to be completed. Al-Farooq Corporation was hired by Enviralum Industries Inc., a Miami-based manufacturer, to provide test plans and prepare one-time approvals for specially customized hardware configurations for the project’s in-swing and out-swing doors. 

The project consisted of more than 300 custom door leaves that totaled $400,000.00. Al-Farooq Corporation worked closely with Enviralum and city officials to complete the project. The newly updated Miami Beach Convention Center is expected to be fully open later this year.  

Al-Farooq Corporation Launches Western Window Systems Product Line

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Al-Farooq Corporation has completed the planning and product approvals of six initial high-end products for Arizona-based Western Window Systems and is set to complete the testing and approval of seven more window and door systems over the next few months.  

Western Window Systems approached AFC to provide design reviews and preliminary calculations for their existing line of products. The engineers at AFC suggested modifications and adjustments for the products in order to meet South Florida’s higher structural demands. A testing program was then implemented, and AFC provided support to make instant adjustments. Once testing was completed, AFC created drawings for product approvals, provided necessary calculations, coordinated with third-party validators, quality assurance agencies, and the State of Florida. 

The Al-Farooq Corporation-approved line of products will join a select group of high-performance, high-energy efficient residential impact-rated products that are also available in large sizes and flexible configurations.  

The products, consisting of the 7600 Multi-Slide, 7630 Fixed Window, 7660 Awning Window, 7670 Casement Window, 7675 Set Sash Window, and the 7680 Hopper Window, have been optimized by AFC to meet Florida building codes and come in a variety of sizes and configurations.  

Jalal Farooq Discusses how Al-Farooq Corporation is preparing for 2018 hurricane season

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With storms Irma and Maria on their minds, CEOs preparing for 2018 hurricane season

Q: Are you doing anything differently to prepare your business for this hurricane season, following last year’s season?

 

As a business, the most important thing to make sure is that our data is secure, and we’ve done that. Al-Farooq Corporation specializes in engineering for impact-resistant windows, doors and building envelopes, and I would remind everyone that South Florida has the toughest hurricane codes in the country. With that in mind, if I were in an older building, I would have it checked out by a structural engineer.

Jalal Farooq, principal, Al-Farooq Corporation

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While Community Care Plan was well prepared for last year’s hurricane season, for this hurricane season, we implemented full redundancy in all of our critical operating systems through the use of cloud technology. Where we are preparing differently is for disasters that occur on an everyday basis. With the tragic shootings that happened this year at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, we learned that as a healthcare company, we need to be prepared to deal with aspects beyond operations, including the physical, mental, and emotional issues that our employees and members might deal with, on any day.

John Benz, president, CEO, Community Care Plan

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We have always had a strong hurricane season protocol, but this year we are probably going to enhance it even more. We can operate for a week on our generator system without having to refuel. We purchase emergency supplies, water, and plywood for our employees to be able to maintain them at work, yet we want to make sure that their homes and loved ones are kept safe as well. We have an entire step by step program of all that has to be done in the event of a storm.

Armando Caceres, CEO, founder, All Florida Paper

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When dealing in the international marketplace, we cannot allow local issues, like hurricanes, to interfere with our ability to service our clients. By relocating our operations to a site with a backup generator, securing redundant internet service from multiple providers and switching to a cloud-based software system, we are now better prepared to face the consequences of a natural disaster.

Ralph De La Rosa, president, CEO, Imperial Freight

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Yes, we recently launched our new Business Continuity program on June 1. This effort is part of our One Community One Goal initiative to support community resiliency during and after the hurricane season. According to FEMA, 40 percent of small and medium size businesses do not survive the economic impact of a severe storm. This initiative has been created to provide the necessary tools for businesses to prepare prior to the storm and continue operating after the storm has passed.

Michael A. “Mike” Finney, president, CEO, Miami-Dade Beacon Council

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Just as we do every year, the University of Miami has comprehensive plans in place to protect our students, faculty, and staff should a hurricane reach our area. As soon as hurricane season begins, we ensure that everyone in our community receives the most up to date information through a variety of mediums to help them prepare for a possible storm.

Dr. Julio Frenk, president, University of Miami

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Yes, this season we are stocking up on more merchandise from our factories because if a hurricane hits Central America or the Caribbean, it takes the region quite a long time to recoup and not being prepared could negatively impact our inventory.

Kaizad Hansotia, founder, CEO, Gurkha Cigars

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I think we had all gotten a bit complacent when it came to hurricane season and Irma was a rude awakening. Needless to say, we’ve gotten an early start in examining our preparedness plans.

Javier Holtz, chairman, CEO, Marquis Bank

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We are negotiating contracts and pricing with top restoration firms in advance of storm season in order to have the needed emergency personnel on sites following any damage. We are also in the process of designing flood panels for some of our sites to reduce future water damage, where appropriate. In addition, we are continuing to improve our policies and procedures with the goal to prioritize the safety of our employees, residents, guests and properties.

Camilo Miguel Jr., founder, CEO, Mast Capital

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As a lifelong Florida resident and someone who huddled in a bathroom with my four small children during Hurricane Andrew, I take every hurricane season seriously. This year will be no different.

Noreen Sablotsky, founder, CEO, Imalac

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The museum has a very detailed and extensive Hurricane Preparedness Plan that we just completed reviewing as we do each year prior to hurricane season. We follow the Miami-Dade County Evacuation Plans and remain open as long as possible to serve our families. Being in contact with all of our team members is very important through the evacuation and recovery, so we keep our telephone tree updated with at least two numbers per person.

Deborah Spiegelman, CEO, Miami Children’s Museum

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Like most South Florida companies, hurricane preparedness is a normal part of what we do, and we look to minimize impact to our business, our customers and our employees. As an organization that provides home protection and warranty services to customers across the country in times of need, Cross Country Home Services (CCHS) has made hurricane preparedness a way of life. And with call center operations being a significant part of our business, we have learned to look at preparation differently and more efficiently to ensure less wear and tear on our business and our people. With a well-documented Business Continuity Plan that’s tested and enhanced regularly, we have been able to continue normal business operations during the major storms with no noticeable impact to our customers.

Steve Upshaw, CEO, Cross Country Home Services

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