What Class A Fire Rating Means & Why It Matters The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specifies a burn test (E84) to determine surface burning and smoke generation characteristics of materials used in interior construction. A Class A fire rating represents the highest rating achievable, indicating a flame spread of 0-25 and smoke… Read more »
What is an Airborne Infection Isolation Room (AIIR)?
What is an AIIR? Commonly called a negative pressure isolation room, an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR) is a single-occupancy patient-care room designed to isolate airborne pathogens to a safe containment space. Typically used during healthcare renovation projects, AIIRs leverage negative pressure and a tight envelope, so contaminated air cannot escape to other parts of… Read more »
What is a Fire-Rated Wall?
What Comprises a Fire-Rated Wall? Designed to contain fire and smoke for a predetermined amount of time, fire-rated walls are part of a building’s passive fire protection system. Whether permanent or temporary, these walls are inspected against applicable code by the appropriate regulatory authorities, with the goal of preventing fire from spreading from one part… Read more »
Healthcare Construction Lessons Learned From 2021: Reader Favorites
Welcome to 2022! As we kick off the New Year, let’s give a quick nod to some of the most relevant topics covered over the past 12 months. Following are the Top Five blog posts that resonated most with our growing audience of commercial contractors, project managers, facilities managers, infection preventionists, and others tasked with… Read more »
California Gives Thumbs-Up to FireblockWall
In December, our FireblockWall™ solution received OPM approval from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI, formerly known as the Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development, or OSHPD). HCAI’s allowance applies to temporary construction barriers, when approved for a specific location, use and compliance.
The ‘New Unpredictability’ (And How Contractors Are Managing It)
Today’s occupied renovation contractors are experiencing a new level of unpredictability: supply chain inconsistencies and unforeseen price escalation, building owner uncertainties and schedule changes, labor shortages and unprecedented gross margin challenges. Exactly the kind of big-picture outlook you’d expect to make contractors eye small-but-meaningful changes that could take some of the sting out of their… Read more »
Inc. 5000 Honors STARC 3 Years in a Row
We did it! For the third year in a row, we’re honored to be named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America.
Why & How We Designed a One-Hour Fire-Rated Wall: Behind the Scenes
When STARC Systems launched its first product in 2014, we brought to life the industry’s most innovative, durable temporary dust barrier and containment system – RealWall™. It was an exciting time because we knew we were onto something. LiteBarrier™, our reusable modular wall system, quickly followed suit. It impressed contractors out of the gate with… Read more »
Infection Control During Occupied Healthcare Renovations: What Do Industry Experts Recommend?
Ensuring adherence to infection control precautions and prevention measures during an occupied healthcare renovation project is notoriously challenging – and critical. To help, we collected actionable advice for ICRA compliance and construction containment from industry experts. For more safety during occupied renovation expert advice, check out our recent blog post and watch our recent panel… Read more »
What Do Contractors Need to Know About Soaring Drywall Costs?
With prices for gypsum building materials rising steadily since October 2020 – and major renovations going out for re-bid as materials costs across the board continue to climb – it’s easy to understand why most contractors are concerned about soaring drywall costs.