coated copper sheets placed on bat- tens. For the deck roof, the centre portion is finished with vitrified mosaic tiles while the outer portion is finished with gravel,
CURTAIN WALLS
All exterior perimeter walls enclos- ing office areas are covered entirely with a curtain wall of anti-glare heat absorbing gray glass on gray anodis- ed aluminum frames manufactured by Henry Hope & Sons, Ltd. of England. This was the first building in the Philippines to use this type of peri- meter wall. Frolm the third floor level to the bottom of the deck roof. twenty horizontal (four to each floor) gray aluminum sun baffles, four feet wide go around the outside of the building to protect the in- terior of the building against the sun. No direct sun rays can enter the building until late in the afternoon when it is no longer very warm. broad aluminum catwalk is provided at each floor level along the entire outside perimeter of the building for ease in cleaning the curtain wall and sun baffles.
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An integral part of the curtain walls are the solid glass exterior entrance doors which are electrically controlled. Different from the usual "magic eye" device which needs ugly and cumbersome railings along the door, these doors are operated by electrical devices which are tripped into operation by pressure on the floor as a person approaches.
FOAM GLASS INSULATION
A big amount of heat is generated at the basement by the numerous motors installed there. The hot air is drawn out by exhaust fans through ducts to the roof. However, to insure that the heat will not affect the air- conditioning of the ground floor above, the basement ceiling is insulat- ed with a three inch thick layer of foam glass pasted to it and finished with one-inch cement mortar plaster. All perimeter curtain walls that have solid Narra wood panelling on the inside are lined with two inch foam glass insulation to insure a un- iformly cool interior despite sharp changes in outside temperature.
CEILINGS
The elevator lobbies, toilets, kit- chen and cafeteria have travacoustic ceilings hung on metal frames with recessed direct or diffused lighting. The light is evenly distributed along The entire area eliminating glare. All
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the thousands of flourescent tubes are of special manufacture with instant start ballasts. Unlike the ordinary flourescent tubes that flicker for few seconds after switching on the instant-start ballast lights up the tubes immediately the switch is flicked.
Speakers are distributed evenly. through the building for background music to break the monotony and enliven the working time of the em- ployees. The sound system will also be used as a paging system. Electronic IBM clocks are also installed along strategic locations at the corridors. lobbies and offices.
In case of sudden power failure a "standby" generator was installed. There is also an incinerator to burn all the trash and waste paper that may become a nuisance and a fire hazard if not disposed of properly.
ELEVATORS AND DUMBWAITERS
The upper floors of the building are serviced by a bank of three automatic gearless elevators with a speed of 500 feet per minute at the eastern side up to the seventh floor and one passenger elevator at the western side from basement to fifth
THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER -- VOLUME 19 NUMBER 1
▲ The interior partitions are of ply. wood and glass panels supported by aluminium frames. They are de- signed for quick re-arrangement.
floor. On the eastern side, there is also a freight elevator from the base- ment to the seventh floor. Still another freight elevator is located at the southwestern corner serving the basement and ground floor. This last elevator is for hauling supplies and equipment to the basement and printing press area. Aside from these six elevators there are two dumb- waiters. one from the kitchen to the promenade deck and another at the office of the cashier on the ground floor down to the basement to carry cash and documents to the base- ment vault. All passenger
eleva. tors have stainless steel cars, doors, and door frames. The gearless eleva- tors have electronic controls and can be operated either manually or auto- matically. They have an intercom system which allows the operators to talk to each other and know where each is at any time and what floors have to be serviced.
A special feature, the first of its kind in the country, is the "vertical conveyor." This is an electronic con- trolled mechanical
messenger that brings papers, correspondence. etc..
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