The Department of Energy breaks ground on the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center

In Princeton, N.J., the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has broken ground on the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center (PPIC), a state-of-the-art office and laboratory building. Designed and constructed by SmithGroup, the $109.7 million facility will provide space for research supporting PPPL’s expanded mission into microelectronics, quantum sensors and devices, and sustainability sciences.

Office Buildings

10 spaces that are no longer optional to create a great workplace

Amenities are no longer optional. The new role of the office is not only a place to get work done, but to provide a mix of work experiences for employees.

Office Buildings

New Gensler report calls for workplace design that responds to employees’ ‘human emotions’

High performing offices are linked to how well they leverage amenities.

Adaptive Reuse

Hotels now account for over one-third of adaptive reuse projects

For the first time ever, hotel to apartment conversion projects have overtaken office-to-residential conversions.

Office Buildings

No longer marked by gray, uniform rows of cubicles, offices have become more personalized and employee-centric than ever, giving people a more comfortable place to spend their working hours. New approaches to office customization and the way employees interact are breathing new life into the workplace.

Aug 11, 2010

Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council Program Place Project
Houston, Texas

The Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council Program Place is the headquarters for the largest Girl Scout Council in the U.S., with 63,000 scouts. The building houses the council’s administrative offices, a Girl Scout museum, and activity space. When an adjacent two-story office building became available, the council jumped at the chance to expand its museum and program space.

Aug 11, 2010

Oregon office building earns highest green globes rating

Columbia Square, a 313,000 square foot office building and flagship property in the Melvin Mark Companies real estate portfolio, has been awarded 4 Globes by the Green Building Initiative (GBI) for achievements in green design and sustainable operations. The building was rated under the Green Globes environmental design and assessment tool and the 4 Globes designation is the highest possible rating.

Aug 11, 2010

Turner Building Cost Index dips nearly 4% in second quarter 2009

Turner Construction Company announced that the second quarter 2009 Turner Building Cost Index, which measures nonresidential building construction costs in the U.S., has decreased 3.35% from the first quarter 2009 and is 8.92% lower than its peak in the second quarter of 2008. The Turner Building Cost Index number for second quarter 2009 is 837.

Aug 11, 2010

Turner, Structure Tone top BD+C's ranking of the 50 largest office contractors

A ranking of the Top 50 Office Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants

Aug 11, 2010

AGC unveils comprehensive plan to revive the construction industry

The Associated General Contractors of America unveiled a new plan today designed to revive the nation’s construction industry. The plan, “Build Now for the Future: A Blueprint for Economic Growth,” is designed to reverse predictions that construction activity will continue to shrink through 2010, crippling broader economic growth.

Aug 11, 2010

PCL Construction, HITT Contracting among nation's largest commercial building contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report

A ranking of the Top 50 Commercial Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants

Aug 11, 2010

NBBJ selected to design Russell Investments’ Seattle headquarters

NBBJ has been hired by Russell Investments as the architectural firm to design the interior space of its new global headquarters at 1301 2nd Avenue, a building also designed by NBBJ.

Aug 11, 2010

Webcor, Hunt Construction lead the way in mixed-use construction, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report

A ranking of the Top 30 Mixed-Use Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants

Aug 11, 2010

Report: Fraud levels fall for construction industry, but companies still losing $6.4 million on average

The global construction, engineering and infrastructure industry saw a significant decline in fraud activity with companies losing an average of $6.4 million over the last three years, according to the latest edition of the Kroll Annual Global Fraud Report, released today at the Association of Corporate Counsel’s 2009 Annual Meeting in Boston. This new figure represents less than half of last year’s amount of $14.2 million.

Aug 11, 2010

AAMA developing product-based green certification program for fenestration

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association is working on a product-based green certification program for residential and commercial fenestration, the organization announced today. AAMA will use the results of a recent green building survey to help shape the program. Among the survey's findings: 77% of respondents reported a green certification program for fenestration would benefit the product selection process for their company.