Zebra mussels, a small shellfish indigenous to Russia and Ukraine, have been causing big problems in North American waters.

Think of how you shop today, or really, purchase just about anything — even online. Nearly everything you buy brings with it the ability to “opt-in” to receive special coupons, and in many cases, the vendors offer loyalty or “reward” cards.

The skinny dimensions of the 150-foot (45.7 m) tall, 12-foot (3.7 m) diameter smokestack, however, posed unique challenges from the standpoint of both access and aesthetics. Fortunately for the client, one creative coatings contractor was ready to pencil in solutions.

But despite the historic and cultural significances, the exterior of the building was in a bit of disarray. In particular, the building’s crown jewel — its emerald-colored dome — was leaking.

When it came time for the final inspections of visual appearance and dry film thickness, everyone on the project was amazed. The structural steel looked like a spotted cheetah!

We asked five experts — contractor, inspector, investigator, manufacturer, and specifier — to answer a few questions pertaining to the past, present, and future of the coatings industry.

The Beatles performed two sold-out shows there. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali defeated Floyd Patterson there. Led Zeppelin was supposed to wrap up its 1970 North American tour there (they had to cancel after lead singer Robert Plant fell ill).

This cleaning process, though, creates its own “dirt:” It leaves behind residual chemicals that can potentially corrode the carbon steel (CS) flush tanks at the facility

Asphalt roofing remains an important part of today’s construction industry, and in terms of installed roof inventory, remains the largest segment. Asphalt is a classic roof material, offering an economical solution with a long service life and good water resistance.

"The existing pond was not in good shape for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was age. It was not restorable so it was gutted, the concrete was removed, and new concrete was poured.”

According to Jeff Kennedy of Applied Coatings and Restoration, the relatively new building was showing substantial cracking throughout the concrete concourse ring above the arena floor and also in the ticketing and main entrance area. “The concrete deck was extremely cracked; it looked like a road map.

Consider the plight of the commercial building owner with multiple tenants under an aged and failing roof. On a rainy day, the owner waits in fear for the phone to ring from an irate tenant saying that the roof is leaking

The pressure for organizations to go “green” is increasing daily, and some companies fear it will hinder their ability to compete. However, many companies are finding with the right approach that it could actually help them become more productive and profitable

These concrete bar tops are certainly a focal point of the establishment and were painstakingly poured, coated, stained, and sealed by the four-man Genesis Concrete Concepts crew.

All of this combined intelligence, academic prestige, and venerable history was not going to help one Ivy League campus, which wishes to remain unnamed, when one of its cooling tower systems started leaking