Author: ayres

How to Minimize the Impact of Urban Heat Islands

Many city dwellers flee to the countryside to cool off when summer’s heat hits – and for good reason. Urban areas tend to be hotter than the surrounding countryside because of the “urban heat island” effect. Urban heat islands occur in urbanized areas where vegetation and trees have been greatly reduced or eliminated and there… Read More »

Crews Installing 36 Miles of Geothermal Pipes to Heat/Cool Event Center

A 36-mile circuit of geothermal piping is being installed under what will be the parking lot of the County Materials Complex in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The massive Ayres-designed event center will be heated and cooled through the geothermal system comprising a grid of 190 geothermal bore holes – each 500 feet deep and laterally spaced… Read More »

Factors Affecting the Lifespan of Paved Roadways: Construction Materials, Temperature Extremes, and Drainage

Across the country, one-third of our highways and major streets are in poor condition, according to TRIP, a nonprofit transportation research group. Persistent potholes and recurring ruts wreak havoc with our commutes, impose financial burdens from automobile repairs, inflict significant injury, prompt contentious lawsuits, and account for roughly one-third of deaths occurring annually on American… Read More »