Piezoelectric hits the road

Recent efforts in piezoelectric research have focused on converting mass friction from roads and highways into an alternative energy source. In December 2015, the Texas Department of Transportation awarded the University of Texas at San Antonio a $1.32 million contract to design and develop a system to collect energy created by vehicles moving over state roadways and convert it to low-cost renewable power.

Last November, the California Energy Commission invested $2 million to study whether PZ crystals installed under asphalt could be used to capture the energy created by cars rolling over congested freeways and pump it into the grid.

Three years ago, astrophysicist Ilan Stern, PhD, helped launch PZ research at Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Aerospace Transportation and Advanced Systems Lab. GTRI recently got the OK from the Georgia Department of Transportation to test embedded PZ material supplied by Tencate in a stretch of road and rest stop surfaces at West Point, Ga. The Tencate geosynthetic reinforcement material can be rolled onto the road before asphalt is poured.

GTRI Principal Research Scientist Kevin Caravati has been in contact with the California Energy Commission about using this material to help generate piezoelectric energy from two lanes of traffic. This energy would electrify a third lane equipped with Qualcomm Halo charging pads that could charge the batteries of electric vehicles in the third lane.

The Edes Building, a two-story art gallery and wine bar in the Silicon Valley community of Morgan Hill, will prominently feature mass timber. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glulam posts and beams were specified for aesthetics, biophilic properties, and a reduced carbon footprint compared to concrete and steel alternatives.

Engineers | Jun 5, 2023

How to properly assess structural wind damage

Properly assessing wind damage can identify vulnerabilities in a building's design or construction, which could lead to future damage or loss, writes Matt Wagner, SE, Principal and Managing Director with Walter P Moore.

27 important questions about facade leakage, Photo: © Bob Perzel

Cladding and Facade Systems | Jun 5, 2023

27 important questions about façade leakage

Walter P Moore’s Darek Brandt discusses the key questions building owners and property managers should be asking to determine the health of their building's façade.

Sixteen-story office tower will use 80% less energy than an average NYC office building

Office Buildings | May 15, 2023

Sixteen-story office tower will use 40% less energy than an average NYC office building

This month marks the completion of a new 16-story office tower that is being promoted as New York City’s most sustainable office structure. That boast is backed by an innovative HVAC system that features geothermal wells, dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units, radiant heating and cooling, and a sophisticated control system to ensure that the elements work optimally together.

AEC Tech Innovation | May 12, 2023

Meet Diverge, Hensel Phelps' new ConTech investment company

Thai Nguyen, Director of Innovation with Hensel Phelps, discusses the construction giant's new startup investment platform, Diverge.

St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at St. John’s University will feature geothermal heating, cooling

University Buildings | May 5, 2023

New health sciences center at St. John’s University will feature geothermal heating, cooling

The recently topped off St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at St. John’s University in New York City will feature impressive green features including geothermal heating and cooling along with an array of rooftop solar panels. The geothermal field consists of 66 wells drilled 499 feet below ground which will help to heat and cool the 70,000 sf structure.

Gensler-designed Framework @ Block 10 building will be Houston’s first mass timber commercial office building. Courtesy of Hicks Ventures

Mass Timber | May 3, 2023

Gensler-designed mid-rise will be Houston’s first mass timber commercial office building

A Houston project plans to achieve two firsts: the city’s first mass timber commercial office project, and the state of Texas’s first commercial office building targeting net zero energy operational carbon upon completion next year. Framework @ Block 10 is owned and managed by Hicks Ventures, a Houston-based development company.

AEC Tech | May 1, 2023

Utilizing computer vision, AI technology for visual jobsite tasks

Burns & McDonnell breaks down three ways computer vision can effectively assist workers on the job site, from project progress to safety measures.

Design Innovation Report | Apr 27, 2023

BD+C's 2023 Design Innovation Report

Building Design+Construction’s Design Innovation Report presents projects, spaces, and initiatives—and the AEC professionals behind them—that push the boundaries of building design. This year, we feature four novel projects and one building science innovation.