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Sven Pirkl of Redondo Beach, Calif. has literally built on the idea of reuse, using shipping containers as the foundation for his family’s home.

In partnership with Manhattan Beach, Calif., architecture firm DeMaria Design Associates, Pirkl has set out to build an environmentally friendly home with a construction bill that comes in at roughly half the cost of a traditional home, which is estimated at $200 per square foot in Southern California.

The home also takes advantage of other unique construction materials, including acrylic sheet products from CYRO Industries/Degussa of Parsippany, N.J., that were used in a number of interior and exterior applications from windows to noise-absorbing walls. The modern home has a final price tag of $135 per square foot.

The home is built from eight shipping containers that have been painted white. To further lighten the space, the Pirkls and DeMaria wanted storefront windows in the 8-foot-by-8-foot container openings. Because of the oddly sized container frames, stock windows could not be used and a custom option was needed. The architects chose CYRO’s Acrylite FF acrylic sheet for the openings, which would provide UV-filtering capabilities as well as shatter-resistance.

More information on the project is available from DeMaria Design Associates at www.demariadesign.com.

The OmniSource ferrous scrap yard in Fort Wayne, Ind., has been awarded the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) Star Award from the Occupational and Safety Administration (OSHA).

OmniSource received the Star Award from the state of Indiana’s Commissioner of Labor for exhibiting exemplary occupational safety and health management.

This is the first time a Star Award went to a ferrous scrap yard; however, it’s not the first time OmniSource was recognized. One of the company’s nonferrous scrap yards was previously recognized.

A total of 1,160 companies are currently VPP companies.

The Voluntary Protection Programs promote effective worksite safety and health programs. Through the VPP, management, labor and OSHA establish cooperative relationships at workplaces that have implemented comprehensive safety and health management systems.

Approval into the VPP is OSHA’s official recognition of employer and employee efforts to achieve exemplary occupational safety and health programs in the workplace.

The Northern Ohio Chapter of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. (ISRI) has scheduled its third annual Hoops Hysteria event for Tuesday, March 13, 2007.

The event takes place at Quicken Loans Arena (the "Q"), home of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, and features a full day of events for scrap recyclers and members of their families.

In the afternoon, participants can play on an NBA court at the "Q" Arena. In the evening, they can stay to watch LeBron James and the Cavs take on the Sacramento Kings. Tournament players and other attendees also can enjoy dinner and cocktails in a private dining area from 4:30 p.m. through the end of the third quarter of the Cavs game.

A portion of the cost of the event is a tax-deductible donation to Northern Ohio ISRI’s college scholarship fund.

In March of 2006, eight teams from throughout the Great Lakes Region competed in the afternoon tournament.

In this year’s tournament, teams will try to dethrone the 2006 championship team from Lakeside Metals of Cleveland. According to event organizer Michael Eisner, teams had to register for the tournament by Dec. 20, 2006.

Eisner also says that, because more floor time is available, two additional teams may be able to compete this year.

Funds are also being raised through sponsorships and a raffle, with Eisner noting that the recycling firms Aleris International, Lakeside Metals and Metals Conversions have been generous donors in the past. This year, Bob Wallens and Midwest Steel & Alloy Corp., Cleveland, donated two Cavaliers tickets that that were auctioned off at the Vendors Night event near Youngstown, Ohio, Jan. 31.

All registration and waiver forms for the 2007 Hoops Hysteria event are available online at www.isri.org/hoops.