Aegis has opened a new facility in Bellevue, the Bellewood, which offers a rich array of amenities for its senior residents. Some of the more unusual offerings include organic gardening; a natural, whole and organic food program; nutrition classes; and alternative medical treatments such as eastern medicine, aroma therapy and massage therapy. Bellewood provides a high quality of assisted living care, which includes around the clock care managers, medication managers, and a licensed nurse to monitor health care needs. For…

Construction was completed on the PSE Factoria Service Center this January, a feather in the cap of Magellan Architects, one of our long time favorite clients. On the heels of this handsome project, PSE has employed Magellan to design the remodel of their Georgetown Operating Base, and Abossein will be providing mechanical and fire protection design. We have had the good fortune to work with Magellan on many projects over the past 8 years, always with pleasure and pride. In…

The new Washington State Energy Code will be effective July 1st, 2010, and has significant changes you might want to be aware of. Here is a short list of some of the highlights: General – The default tables have changed in regards to metal framed buildings. Default tables regarding glazing U-factors have changed. Expanded tables have been added to the default values.   Residential Code – Table 6-1 and 6-2 now applies only to single residences and not Multi-Family projects.…

Anthony’s Home Port in Anacortes is currently on the boards, and due to be built early next year. Anthony’s Restaurants owns and operates a family of 24 waterfront restaurants in 19 locations throughout the Pacific Northwest. The first Anthony’s Home Port was opened in 1975, in Kirkland. Abossein has been privileged to be the MEFP design team for Anthony’s Restaurants for the last decade. We’ve enjoyed a long and productive relationship with Jeff Arnot, their construction manager, and the architects,…

Potala Village is a multistory mixed-use building with 108 three star green built apartments and 15,000+ square feet of retail and restaurant space. Named after the Potala Palace, one of the greatest monuments in Tibet, the Everett structure is designed to be the embodiment of peace and harmony. The ground floor commercial space is suitable for a large sit-down restaurant, fast and casual eatery, and a coffee shop. The new complex will serve as a magnet of activity in the…

Fuel economy is on everyone’s mind these days, which has lead to a rise in some pretty interesting companies entering the fuel station market. Major chains such as Costco, Safeway, and Kroger are building new stations around the country and giving their clients effective incentives to stay and fill-‘er-up, rather than going down the street to the more traditional stations. This presents some exciting new opportunities for architects and engineers. At Abossein, we just completed this new fuel facility for…

Whether you’re working on a LEED project or just trying to conserve resources; waterless urinals can go a long way toward saving water, but they may not be right for every project. Some things to consider when looking at waterless urinals are: What is the maintenance schedule of the facility? Waterless urinals can be a good choice for restaurants or similar facilities that clean their restrooms daily.  Odors can be a concern for facilities like offices which may be on…

We are excited to be a part of this innovative new building by . The hallmark of this project was the sense of collaboration and commitment by all the people involved, from the kick of charette, to the filing of the final documents for LEED certification. The building not only has energy efficient HVAC and lighting, but outdoor features as well, such as a green roof and a drought proof landscape. The interior includes an underfloor HVAC system, 100 %…

There are many benefits to rainwater harvesting; some are more obvious than others. When coupled with other water saving techniques it can dramatically reduce the size of water bills.  It can also help garner credits for projects seeking LEED certification.  As well as conserving resources reducing water usage can help stave off the need for costly infrastructure upgrades keeping costs down for everyone.  But there are equally important benefits that aren’t as apparent. In areas that use a combined storm…

The only thing that might be more gratifying than working on a medical facility, where life and limb are at stake, is working on a Naval medical facility, where our public servants come for support and care, while they serve our country. In conjunction with JKT, general contractor and Blue Mountain Electric, electrical contractor, Team Abossein proudly offered engineering and quality control for the renovation and replacement of the electrical and fire alarm systems at the Naval Hospital at the…