NEW WEBCAM OFFERING CITIZENS ONLINE A VIEW TO A BUILD COMPUTER USERS CAN WATCH 'GREEN' CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer VALENCIA - A Webcam (WEB CAMera) A video camera that is used to send periodic images or continuous frames to a Web site for display. Webcam software typically captures the images as JPEG or MPEG files and uploads them to the Web server. is offering computer users a bird's-eye view bird's-eye view Noun 1. a view seen from above 2. a general or overall impression of something bird's-eye view n → vista de pájaro as crews complete the city's new ``green'' transit headquarters - a environmentally friendly Environmentally friendly, also referred to as nature friendly, is a term used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment.[1] facility that includes offices erected from straw bales, officials said Monday. Still images of $24 million Transit Maintenance Facility - slated to open this summer - began streaming online last week after a hiatus of more than a year, said Gail Ortiz, a city of Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, spokeswoman. ``Construction is at a point where it's moving faster and it's a little bit more exciting now,'' Ortiz said. The camera had documented the project's early phases, but was taken offline until building progressed further, she added. The complex, built on an 11.8-acre lot in the Rye Canyon Business Park, includes a 20,000-square-foot office building, a bus maintenance depot and a compressed natural gas Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a substitute for gasoline (petrol) or diesel fuel. It is considered to be an environmentally "clean" alternative to those fuels. It is made by compressing natural gas (which is mainly composed by methane (CH4 station that's opened to the public. The complex has been under construction since 2003. It's the second time a Webcam has been deployed to monitor a building project since the city completed the Aquatics Center in fall 2003, Ortiz said. ``This is a multimillion construction project,'' she said. ``It's one of the city's largest capital projects. We want the public to know the progress that's been made.'' City leaders have touted the facility's energy-efficient office building, which is built with 2-feet-thick rice straw bales skewered by rebar re·bar n. 1. A rod or bar used for reinforcement in concrete or asphalt pourings. 2. A group of such rods forming a grid. [re(inforcing) bar.] and reinforced with steel cables. The farm byproduct by·prod·uct or by-prod·uct n. 1. Something produced in the making of something else. 2. A secondary result; a side effect. Noun 1. - known for high insulation ratings compared with drywall - has been used in construction in the Midwest since at least the 1800s. California adopted building codes for the material in 1995. ``It'll be a fantastic thing when it's done (jargon) When It's Done - A manufacturer's non-answer to questions about product availability. This answer allows the manufacturer to pretend to communicate with their customers without setting themselves any deadlines or revealing how behind schedule the product really is. ,'' said Heather Merenda, the city's sustainability planner. ``It'll be designed to educate people on 'green' building standards. We'll be doing tours and things through it.'' The facility also includes seven maintenance bays, an automated bus wash, a diesel and natural gas fueling station and a 150-space parking area. The city's transit operation - currently divided between four separate locations - will be consolidated there. ``It's going to be very exciting for our transit division,'' she said. ``It's going to enable us to expand our transit service.'' The Webcam can be accessed at www.santa-clarita.com/video/webcam/tmf/ Eugene Tong, (661) 257-5253 eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Bales of straw can be seen forming the walls of the new $24 million Transit Maintenance Facility under construction in Valencia. The straw provides a natural insulation and a nature-friendly building material. (2) An extra bale of straw sits near the new transit headquarters being built in Valencia. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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