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Small but mighty: Berkeley public library’s net-zero gem
The Building Team for Berkeley, Calif.’s new 9,500-sf West Branch library aims to achieve net-zero—and possibly net-positive—energy performance with the help of clever passive design techniques.
The Building Team for Berkeley, Calif.’s new 9,500-sf West Branch library aims to achieve net-zero—and possibly net-positive—energy performance with the help of clever passive design techniques.
Situated on a tiny, quarter-acre lot along bustling University Avenue, Berkeley, Calif.’s, new West Branch library may not be large in stature, but it’s one of the most significant library projects of the year.
Due to open in August, the 9,500-sf facility will join a handful of libraries across the country that are net-zero energy performers. And, if all goes as planned, the facility will achieve net-positive energy performance—supplying power back to the city’s electrical grid—and have a carbon-neutral footprint.
Shenzhen projects halted as Chinese officials find substandard concrete
State inspectors in Shenzhen, China, have found at least 15 local plants producing concrete with unprocessed sea sand. Thirty-one companies have been cited for violations, and eight were ordered to suspend business for a year. Construction on multiple projects in Guangdong Province—including the 660-m Ping'an Finance Center—has been halted during the inspection. (Only 80 meters of the Ping'an building has been erected so far; China Construction First Building Group Corp. Ltd. is the primary contractor.)
Projects affected by the shutdown include Ping'an Finance Center, set to become China's tallest building.
Construction on multiple projects in Guangdong Province—including the 660-m Ping'an Finance Center—has been halted after inspectors in Shenzhen, China, have found at least 15 local plants producing concrete with unprocessed sea sand, which undermines building stabity.
Will Google Glass revolutionize the construction process?
When Google introduced its wearable computer glasses, called Google Glass, last year, it opened many people's eyes (pardon the pun) to the power of augmented reality (AR)—where a person's view of the physical world is overlaid with a computer-generated sensory input, such as graphics or data.
Of course, AR has been around for years, and many tablet computer and smartphone apps utilize the technology, mostly for entertainment and gaming purposes.
An Australian architect is exploring the benefits of augmented reality in the design and construction process.
An Australian architect is exploring the benefits of augmented reality in the design and construction process.
World's tallest data center opens in New York
Sabey Data Center Properties last week celebrated the completion of the first phase of an adaptive reuse project that will transform the 32-story Verizon Building in Manhattan into a data center facility. When the project is completed, it will be the world's tallest data center.
The 32-story Verizon Building is being transformed into a mega data center.
Sabey Data Center Properties last week celebrated the completion of the first phase of an adaptive reuse project that will transform the 32-story Verizon Building in Manhattan into a data center facility. When the project is completed, it will be the world's tallest data center.
Boston mayor’s energy efficiency disclosure rule under fire
A proposed ordinance in Boston mandating energy audits is coming under criticism from the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and others as being too costly and intrusive. The rule would cover existing commercial buildings larger than 25,000 sf and residential buildings with 25 or more units. Owners would be required to use the EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager to track their buildings’ overall energy use and that of their tenants. The information would then be converted into an energy performance rating on a scale of 1 to 100.
A proposed ordinance in Boston mandating energy audits is coming under criticism from the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and others as being too costly and intrusive.
8 cool cultural projects in the works
In each issue of Building Design+Construction, we feature the latest new construction and renovation projects in a section called, On the Drawing Board. Here, we have assembled eight of the most notable cultural facility projects currently in the works. They include a soaring opera center in Hong Kong, a multi-tower music center in Calgary, and a massive expansion to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. Check them out below.
Learn which AEC firms are behind some of the most notable performing arts, library, and museum projects.
A soaring opera center in Hong Kong and a multi-tower music center in Calgary are among the latest cultural projects.
How to win more work from community colleges
The nation’s thousand-plus community college districts can be a steady source of income for your Building Team—provided you appreciate the special needs of this important sector of the higher education market.
The nation’s thousand-plus community college districts can be a steady source of income for your Building Team—provided you appreciate the special needs of this important sector of the higher education market.
The editors wish to thank Arlen Solochek, AIA, District Director of Facilities Planning and Development, Maricopa County (Ariz.) Community College District, for serving as Special Technical Consultant for this report.
Best Firms to Work For: Enermodal Engineering is green to the core
At Enermodal Engineering, there’s only one kind of building—a sustainable one.
At Enermodal Engineering, there’s only one kind of building—a sustainable one.
When it comes to corporate mission statements, it’s hard to beat Enermodal Engineering’s for its deft combination of altruism and personal satisfaction. It goes like this: 1. Save the world energy and resources by creating green buildings. 2. Have fun doing it. 3. Make enough money to continue to do 1 and 2.
Are charter schools killing private schools?
A recent post on Atlantic Cities highlights research by the U.S. Census Bureau's Stephanie Ewert that shows a correlation between the growth of charter schools and the decline in private school enrollment.
Private school enrollment in the U.S. dropped by 11% during the last decade (2002-12) to 4.7 million, and the share of children attending private schools dipped to 10% in 2010.
As charter school networks grow, private school enrollment declines, according to research.
A recent post on Atlantic Cities highlights research by the U.S. Census Bureau's Stephanie Ewert that shows a correlation between the growth of charter schools and the decline in private school enrollment.
Architecture Billings Index up again in February
With increasing demand for design services, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) is continuing to strengthen. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending.
The new projects inquiry index reached its highest mark since January 2007.
The American Institute of Architects reported the February ABI score was 54.9, up slightly from a mark of 54.2 in January. This score reflects a strong increase in demand for design services.
