Architecture: Materials

• AEC info: Architecture Engineering Construction

  Construction methods and products
• Demosite - Exhibition Center for Photovoltaic Integration

  How the building envelope produces solar electricity... an international exhibition and demonstration centre for photovoltaic building elements
• EcoSpecifier

  an Australian website which provides information and links to over 6000 eco-prodcts, materials, technologies, and resources.
• EPA

  Lists of regulations and manufaturers supplying recovered and recycled materials.
• Green Seal Certified Products

  products certified by Green Seal (a nonprofit organization) to be environmentally safe
• Natural Building Resources

  Information on straw-bale construction, cob, adobe, bamboo, and other techniques
• Southwest Housing Traditions: Design, Materials, Performance

  Full text of 2005 publication, which assesses the relevance of traditional Southwestern building designs and materials for the contemporary housing needs of low-income residents
• Sustainable Sources

  Text, directory information, links in a variety of categories including water, energy, and materials
• Used Building Materials Exchange

  Listings of wanted/available materials

• Bellacor Lighting and Home Furnishings
• Lightsearch

  Lighting products and lighting design, with an emphasis on energy efficiency. Directory of lighting companies, searchable product databases, photo gallery of hot products, lighting design case studies, and provisions of the Energy Policy Act (EPACT)
• Ledalite
• The Lighting Center

  Manufactuers and product information

H-MAC System Calculators

• Ivanka Beton Design - custom concrete
• Meld USA - eco-friendly custom concrete designs
• Paver Art - Concrete Pavers

• American Metal Fabricators

  Information on metal materials, the fabrication process, terms, and estimation quotes
• Brassfinders

  Brassfinders is a leading architectural and construction industry supplier of solid brass, copper, chrome and stainless steel railing and tubing products for restaurants, hotels, casinos, architects, contractors, retail stores, commercial buildings and residences.
• Constructalia - Steel Construction Website

  Products, trends, case studies, and other information on steel building.
• Design and Build with Metal

  Metal construction industry information and resources
• Twentinox - Architectural Woven Fabric

  Metal woven fabrics for architectural or other use

• Rumford Fireplaces

  Product information and specifications regarding masonry fireplaces
• Select Stone

  quarry-direct supplier of masonry stone; product information
• Stone Contact: International Builders Marketplace

• Reynolds Polymer

• Tensile Fabric Structures
• Avanti Systems - modular wall systems

Material ConneXion

Note: This should be accessed from within the University’s internet system. If accessing from home, you should access the database from the Libraries Search page, the above hyperlink (you will need your SU NetID). If you have problems accessing the database, please speak with our librarian, Barbara Opar.

• This database is particularly useful for students in Advanced Building Systems and Comprehensive Studio, looking to select specific materials or commercial products, and obtain drawings, specifications, and installation data about particular materials or products.
• This database recently upgraded its interface, and now is very similar to Google, in that you simply enter a search term (for example “translucent concrete”) and you will be provided with item info that matches your search criteria.
• There are powerful filters to refine your query, or perform an advanced search.
• Each material item contains several illustrative photographs, explanations of the material’s fabrication process, general sizes available commercially, typical installation uses, and the ability to continue on to the websites of manufacturers providing specific commercial products similar to the material you have searched.

Materials Lab at the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture

• This resource is most useful if used as an inspirational source during the initial phases of a design process, to explore unique material possibilities.  It does not offer the in-dept physical information that Materials ConneXion offers.
• This is an online index of a physical materials collection at UTSOA. 
• Materials may be searched according to Composition, Form, Process, Properties, and Applications. 
• Each material is accompanied by an illustrative photograph, and in most cases, physical properties of the sample stored at UTSOA.

• 4specs.com

  links to manufacturers' websites
• ARCAT The Architect's Libraries Search

  CAD details and general manufacturers' directories
• archello
• ArchitectureWeek web directory
• BuildingOnline: the Search Engine

  general product and manufacturer search engine
• ebuild

  From the editors of Building Products - source with links for building products, materials, and tools. Includes products, manufacturers, catalogs, news, and articles.
• McGraw Hill Construction - Sweets Network

  Comprehensive resource database of products and manufacturers