Contractors

Centennial Yards, a $5 billion mixed-use development in downtown Atlanta, tops out its first residential tower

dbarista — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 22:18:49 +0000

Centennial Yards, a $5 billion mixed-use development in downtown Atlanta, tops out its first residential tower

dbarista Tue, 09/10/2024 - 17:18

Centennial Yards Company has topped out The Mitchell, the first residential tower of Centennial Yards, a $5 billion mixed-use development in downtown Atlanta. Construction of the apartment building is expected to be complete by the middle of next year, with first move-ins slated for summer 2025.

Novid Parsi, Contributing Editor

At 19 stories, The Mitchell will provide 304 apartments with a full floor of amenities and 16,000 sf of street-level retail.

Mixed-Use

Contractors

Designers

Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects

Engineers

Architects

Designed by Atlanta-based architecture firms TVS and Goode Van Slyke Architecture (GVSA), the 19-story building will provide 304 modern, design-forward apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom residences. The open-layout residences will feature kitchens with premium-grade appliances, plus floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies with views of the Atlanta skyline.

The building’s full floor of residential amenities will include a pool with event lawn and grilling stations, on-site coworking spaces, dog run with pet spa, and fitness center with lounge, as well as 16,000 sf of street-level retail space.

The Mitchell is located across from Mercedes-Benz Stadium and adjacent to the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena.

Centennial Yards also expects to top out a 19-story, 292-key boutique hotel later this year. Across the street from The Mitchell, Centennial Yards recently broke ground on the sports and entertainment district that will bring about 470,000 sf of entertainment, retail, and restaurant space to a 7.5-acre site adjacent to the Five Points MARTA station, connecting the site with the rest of the city. In partnership with Cosm, an immersive technology, media, and entertainment company, Centennial Yards also plans to deliver a 70,000-sf, three-level immersive entertainment venue.

In all, the 50-acre, mixed-use Centennial Yards project will create several new city blocks, public open space, and up to 12 million sf of new retail, hotel, and residential buildings and sports and entertainment venues.

On the Building Team:
Architects of record: TVS and Goode Van Slyke Architects (GVSA)
MEP engineer: Salas O’Brien
Structural engineers: Thornton Tomasetti and Sykes Consulting
Construction manager: CIM Group

Courtesy Centennial Yards Company

The average U.S. contractor has 8.2 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of August 2024

dbarista — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 16:44:33 +0000

The average U.S. contractor has 8.2 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of August 2024

dbarista Tue, 09/10/2024 - 11:44

Contractors

Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator fell to 8.2 months in August, according to an ABC member survey conducted Aug. 20 to Sept. 5. The reading is down 1.0 months from August 2023.

Associated Builders and Contractors

Contractor backlogs dipped slightly in August from the previous month, according to Associated Builders and Contractors.

Contractors

Market Data

View ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index tables for August. View the full Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index data series.

Only the infrastructure category experienced a monthly increase in backlog among the three major segments, reflecting strength in public construction spending. Nonetheless, over the past year, backlog has declined in all three segments.

ABC’s Construction Confidence Index readings for sales, profit margins and staffing levels fell in August. The readings for sales and staffing levels remain above the threshold of 50, indicating expectations for growth over the next six months, while the reading for profit margin expectations fell below that threshold.

“As predicted, confidence among contractors is slipping,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “While ABC contractor members are still anticipating expanding sales and employment, profits margins are increasingly under pressure as project owners face high borrowing and construction delivery costs in the context of a slowing economy. Many projects have been postponed, resulting in recent backlog declines, most notably in the South.”

Fact sheet outlines benefits, challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings

dbarista — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 17:45:01 +0000

Fact sheet outlines benefits, challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings

dbarista Fri, 09/06/2024 - 12:45

Office Buildings

A U.S. Dept. of Energy document discusses the benefits and challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings. The document explains how the various types of thermal energy storage technologies work, where their installation is most beneficial, and some practical considerations around installations.

Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor

The document explains storage technologies already in market and those under development.

Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects

Geothermal Technology

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Sustainability

Sustainable Development

Sustainable Design and Construction

A U.S. Dept. of Energy document discusses the benefits and challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings.

The document explains how the various types of thermal energy storage technologies work, where their installation is most beneficial, and some practical considerations around installations. Among the benefits are:

Can integrate with on-site renewable energy
Can function as a buffer for variable energy generation
Allows for optimal use of renewable energy
Adds resiliency for temperature control and occupant comfort
Allows for integration with other distributed energy resources

Technologies currently available include:

Ice storage with central chiller
Ice storage in rooftop unit (RTU)
Chilled or hot water storage
Ceramic brick heating storage system
Phase change storage for commercial refrigeration systems
PCM ceiling panels/passive storage
Heat pump water heater (HPWH)

The document also discusses tax incentives for implementation of this technology.

Office space downsizing trend appears to be past peak

dbarista — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 18:24:14 +0000

Office space downsizing trend appears to be past peak

dbarista Thu, 09/05/2024 - 13:24

Office Buildings

The office downsizing trend may be past its peak, according to a CBRE survey of 225 companies with offices in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Just 37% of companies plan to shrink their office space this year compared to 57% last year, the survey found.

Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor

Just 37% of companies plan to shrink space this year versus 57% last year.

Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects

The office space downsizing trend may be past its peak, according to a CBRE survey of 225 companies with offices in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.

Just 37% of companies plan to shrink their office space this year compared to 57% last year, the survey found. In addition, more companies plan to expand their office space over the next several years with 38% planning to do so, compared to 20% a year ago.

Some companies may have trimmed too much space in recent years, CBRE says.

“An 18-percentage-point, year-over-year increase in companies anticipating expansion of their office footprints is a significant step toward a return to growth,” says Manish Kashyap, CBRE Global President of Advisory & Transaction Services. “It bodes well for a U.S. office market, which has faced many challenges in recent years. There remains a segment of demand where companies are opting to renew their leases to forego the costs of moving, but there is now a change in sentiment favoring expansion.”

Most companies say office attendance is holding steady. Companies looking to relocate are interested in upgraded space, such as a better location, better quality space or improved employee experience.

Atlanta aims to crack down on blighted properties with new tax

dbarista — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 19:29:12 +0000

Atlanta aims to crack down on blighted properties with new tax

dbarista Tue, 09/03/2024 - 14:29

Codes and Standards

A new Atlanta law is intended to crack down on absentee landlords including commercial property owners and clean up neglected properties. The “Blight Tax” allows city officials to put levies on blighted property owners up to 25 times higher than current millage rates.

Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor

Blighted property owners would pay up to 25 times higher

Hotel Facilities

Industrial Facilities

Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects

Reconstruction & Renovation

A new Atlanta law is intended to crack down on absentee landlords including commercial property owners and clean up neglected properties.

The “Blight Tax” allows city officials to put levies on blighted property owners up to 25 times higher than current millage rates. The city wants to incentivize owners to revitalize or sell their properties.

The program will not apply to any occupied property to avoid displacing residents. Blighted properties subjected to higher taxes that are remediated and returned to productive use can be eligible for a discounted tax rate after the work is finished.

Large-scale properties such as former industrial sites that significantly impact neighborhoods would be singled out. Before redevelopment, those property owners would first have to agree to a development plan that addresses neighborhood objectives such as connectivity, transportation, and public amenities.

Phius introduces retrofit standard for more resilient buildings

dbarista — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 19:21:50 +0000

Phius introduces retrofit standard for more resilient buildings

dbarista Tue, 09/03/2024 - 14:21

Resiliency

Phius recently released, REVIVE 2024, a retrofit standard for more resilient buildings. The standard focuses on resilience against grid outages by ensuring structures remain habitable for at least a week during extreme weather events.

Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor

The standard aims to ensure structures are habitable for at least a week during extreme weather events.

Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects

Reconstruction & Renovation

Resiliency

It also addresses common indoor air quality concerns, such as mold, radon, and poor ventilation. Where necessary, it also fortifies buildings against site hazards such as hail, wildfire, and high winds.

The standard was designed to encourage widespread adoption of Phius passive building principles, which are suitable for buildings in all climates. REVIVE 2024 uses advanced software to develop customized retrofit solutions for each project.

Key components of REVIVE 2024 include:

Resilience-focused planning: Emphasizes resilience as a critical safety feature, particularly in adapting to extreme weather events.

Parametric analysis software: Introduces new tools for conducting parametric studies to identify optimal solution packages that meet resilience standards while minimizing life cycle costs.

Carbon emission goals: Aims for zero operational carbon emissions and considers embodied carbon, aligning with broader sustainability objectives.

Enhanced quality assurance: Implements a robust quality assurance process to ensure all retrofit measures are executed as designed.

More than 1.2 billion sf of office space have strong potential for residential conversion

dbarista — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 14:31:58 +0000

More than 1.2 billion sf of office space have strong potential for residential conversion

dbarista Thu, 08/29/2024 - 09:31

Adaptive Reuse

More than 1.2 billion sf of U.S. office space—14.8% of the nation’s total—have strong potential for conversion to residential use, according to real estate software and services firm Yardi. Yardi’s new Conversion Feasibility Index scores office buildings on their suitability for multifamily conversion.

Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor

New tool assesses building characteristics to determine suitability for conversion

Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects

Reconstruction & Renovation

More than 1.2 billion sf of U.S. office space—14.8% of the nation’s total—have strong potential for conversion to residential use, according to real estate software and services firm Yardi.

Yardi’s new Conversion Feasibility Index scores office buildings on their suitability for multifamily conversion. Building scores are based on multiple factors, including building age, location, total square footage, building depth, mid-block location, use type, number of stories, floor plate shape, ceiling height, green-building certifications, walkability, and transit accessibility. Buildings’ scores are then categorized into three tiers, with Tier 1 being the most suitable to conversion.

Although the pool of potential conversions is large, many projects may have a tough time penciling out, Yardi says. To address that issue, local governments have implemented incentive plans for owners.

For example, New York City’s Office Conversion Accelerator, which expedites zoning and permitting processes, has enrolled dozens of buildings so far. Washington, D.C.’s Office-to-Anything Program offers a 15-year tax freeze for eligible projects. Chicago has offered generous subsidies to convert downtown offices into over 1,000 apartments.

Bjarke Ingels' Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art conceived as village of 12 pavilions

dbarista — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 13:23:28 +0000

Bjarke Ingels' Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art conceived as village of 12 pavilions

dbarista Thu, 08/29/2024 - 08:23

Museums

The 60,000-sm Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China recently topped out. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the museum is conceived as a village of 12 pavilions, offering a modern interpretation of the elements that have defined the city’s urbanism, architecture, and landscape for centuries.

Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor

BIG's design for the art museum takes visitors on a journey through art, nature, and water

Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects

Architects

Building Owners

The museum is part of the city’s development of Jinji Lake and reimagines the traditional garden ‘lang,’ a line that traces a path, framing gardens with outdoor art installations and coalescing as pavilions. The museum design showcases Suzhou’s garden tradition and takes visitors on a journey through art, nature, and water.

The museum’s main design element is the ribbon of the roof, which extends into a pattern of eaves that double as sheltered walkways through the site. Knots in the thread of walkways frame pavilions, and as a result, the museum’s architecture entwines through the landscape. The draping walkways further extend out into Jinji Lake, which can be appreciated from above on the Suzhou Ferris wheel.

Bjarke Ingels' design for the art museum connects the city to the lake

The overriding design concept is a Chinese garden of pavilions and courtyards. Individual pavilions are woven together by glazed galleries and porticoes, creating a network of interconnected sculpture courtyards and exhibition spaces. “Weaving between the Ferris wheel legs, the museum branches out like a rhizome, connecting the city to the lake,” says Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Creative Director, BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group.

“The result is a manmade maze of plants and artworks to get lost within. Its nodular logic only becomes distinctly discernible when viewed from the Ferris wheel’s gondolas above,” Ingels adds. “Against the open space of the lake, the gentle catenary curvature of the roofs forms a graceful silhouette on the waterfront. Viewed from above, the stainless-steel roof tiles form a true fifth facade.”

Defined by sloping roof eaves, each pavilion’s façade is made of rippled and curved glass, as well as warm-toned stainless steel that reflects the garden colors. The pavilions are connected above and underground via bridges and tunnels, offering the museum flexibility to plan exhibition flow according to seasons and exhibited art pieces. The paths leading through the site will be covered with natural stone.

Arriving at the museum, the visitor will be faced by an expansive, welcoming plaza in front of the visitor center—the entry point to the museum. From there, visitors will be able to proceed inside or along the exterior, through the gardens and to the water bank. Visitors can follow a continuous path through the museum’s interior or wander depending on the aim or weather conditions of the visit. The facility will also house a theater in one of its pavilions.

The museum is scheduled for completion in 2025.

Client: Suzhou Harmony Development Group Co. Ltd
Design Architect: BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group
Architect of Record: ARTS Group
MEP Engineer: ARTS Group
Structural Engineer: ARTS Group
General Contractor/Construction Manager: Suzhou Erjian

Bjarke Ingels-designed Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art. Diagram courtesy BIG / Bjarke Ingels Group

Cities in Washington State will offer tax breaks for office-to-residential conversions

dbarista — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:12:36 +0000

Cities in Washington State will offer tax breaks for office-to-residential conversions

dbarista Wed, 08/28/2024 - 10:12

Adaptive Reuse

A law passed earlier this year by the Washington State Legislature allows developers to defer sales and use taxes if they convert existing structures, including office buildings, into affordable housing.

Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor

New guidelines are expected to be unveiled this month.

Designers / Specifiers / Landscape Architects

The law passed almost unanimously in the legislature. The state’s Department of Revenue has said that it expects to have preliminary guidance for local jurisdictions in August. Cities could launch a tax deferment program for conversions after that.

Cities and towns will be able to issue their own resolutions for sales and use tax deferrals, but they will have to follow the guidance from the Department of Revenue. To receive a deferral, a project must consist of multifamily housing units with at least 10% considered affordable, and a project must be located on what the city considers underutilized commercial property.

If a project retains those qualifications for at least 10 years, owners would not have to repay sales and use taxes. City councils in Seattle and Spokane have already indicated support for the new law.

UK-based tire company plans to build the first carbon-neutral tire factory in the U.S.

dbarista — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 14:37:32 +0000

UK-based tire company plans to build the first carbon-neutral tire factory in the U.S.

dbarista Wed, 08/28/2024 - 09:37

Industrial Facilities

ENSO, a U.K.-based company that makes tires for electric vehicles, has announced plans to build the first carbon-neutral tire factory in the U.S. The $500 million ENSO technology campus will be powered entirely by renewable energy. The first-of-its-kind tire factory aims to be carbon neutral without purchased offsets, using carbon-neutral raw materials and building materials.

Novid Parsi, Contributing Editor

ENSO, which makes tires for electric vehicles, will build a $500 million campus, powered entirely by renewable energy, that will produce five million EV tires annually by 2027 and 20 million at full capacity.

Industrial Facilities

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Energy-Efficient Design

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Sustainable Design and Construction

ENSO, a U.K.-based company that makes tires for electric vehicles, has announced plans to build the first carbon-neutral tire factory in the U.S.

The $500 million ENSO technology campus will be powered entirely by renewable energy. The first-of-its-kind tire industrial campus aims to be carbon neutral without purchased offsets, using carbon-neutral raw materials and building materials.

In its first phase, the factory will produce five million EV tires annually by 2027 and create 600 jobs. The factory will expand to 2,400 jobs when built out to its full production capacity of 20 million tires, which ENSO says is 8% of the total annual U.S. tire market. To accelerate and scale innovation, the ENSO technology campus will integrate research and development production under one roof.

Most tires sold in the U.S. today are imported, ENSO reports. The factory aims to reduce U.S. reliance on imports and enhance domestic production. Possible factory locations include Colorado, Georgia, Nevada, and Texas, among other states.

“The U.S. is the best place for ENSO to establish its first carbon-neutral tire factory,” ENSO CEO Gunnlaugur Erlendsson said in a press statement. “With strong regulatory support and a significant market opportunity, we are committed to bringing our innovative, low-emission, low-cost tires to American consumers. This factory will make tires more affordable, reduce tire pollution, create great jobs, and drive sustainability in the U.S. tire industry.”

ENSO says it has signed a letter of interest with the Export-Import Bank of the United States to establish the factory in the U.S. Technology partner Rockwell, development firm Arup, and investors 8090 Industries and Galway Sustainable Capital are also supporting the project.

ENSO’s mission is to make EVs more successful and reduce tire pollution, which is responsible for 6 million tons of particulate matter emitted globally, per the statement. The company says its tires increase EV range by 10% and reduce particulate matter emissions by 35%. ENSO plans to phase out all fossil fuel-based raw materials from its products by 2030, replacing them with bio-based renewable and low-carbon alternatives.

Rendering courtesy ENSO

Here is the full press release from ENSO:
ENSO, the tire technology company that makes better tires for electric vehicles (EVs), has signed a Letter of Interest (LOI) with the Export-Import Bank of the United States (U.S. EXIM Bank) to establish a groundbreaking carbon-neutral tire factory in America. U.S.-based technology partners Rockwell, global sustainable development firm Arup and US-based investors 8090 Industries and Galway Sustainable Capital, are supporting ENSO.

The first-of-its-kind tire factory will be carbon-neutral without purchased offsets, utilizing carbon-neutral raw materials, building materials and 100% renewable energy. In its first phase, the factory will produce 5 million EV tires by 2027 and create 600 jobs, rising to 2,400 jobs when built out to full production capacity of 20 million tires – 8% of America’s total annual tire market. The ENSO technology campus will integrate research and development with production under one roof to accelerate and scale innovation.

Announced at the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington DC, potential factory locations include Colorado, Nevada, Texas, and Georgia, with other states in consideration. The U.S., particularly California, has a significant EV consumer base and is leading efforts to regulate tire efficiency and emissions, making the U.S. the ideal market for ENSO.

ENSO CEO Gunnlaugur Erlendsson said, "The U.S. is the best place for ENSO to establish its first carbon-neutral tire factory. With strong regulatory support and a significant market opportunity, we are committed to bringing our innovative, low-emission, low-cost tires to American consumers. This factory will make tires more affordable, reduce tire pollution, create great jobs and drive sustainability in the U.S. tire industry.”

Rendering courtesy ENSO

The U.S. regulatory environment strongly supports ENSO’s move to America. Initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act have transformed the automotive sector and enabled more ambitious EPA (Environment Protection Act) emissions standards, paving the way for similar advancements in the tire industry. Programs such as the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Replacement Tire Efficiency Program and the California Environmental Protection Agency’s (CalEPA) efforts to control toxic chemicals such as 6PPD in tires align with ENSO's goals, by setting out minimum efficiency and environmental standards for both new and aftermarket tires.

Tires are critical to keeping America’s economy moving. Without tires, all 275 million vehicles in the U.S. would grind to halt. Currently, the majority of tires sold in the U.S. are imported. This factory will help reduce America’s reliance on imports, enhancing domestic production capabilities. There is a big consumer appetite in the U.S. for ENSO’s tire innovation. Nearly half (47%) of Americans would be more encouraged to buy a set of tires if they were made in the U.S., 46% if they used fewer toxic materials, 43% if they produced fewer emissions, and 41% if they were made from recycled materials.

ENSO’s mission is to make EVs more successful and reduce tire pollution, saving costs for every American. ENSO’s tires already increase EV range by 10% and reduce particulate matter emissions by 35%. By producing fewer, longer-lasting tires with better technology, ENSO aims to cut tire pollution.

Tire pollution is a significant issue, responsible for six million tons of particulate matter emitted globally each year. Tire pollution is a major contributor to ocean microplastic pollution and local air pollution, while tire production is carbon intensive and creates huge amounts of waste at the end of life. ENSO, a finalist in the ‘Clean Our Air’ category of The Earthshot Prize, the prestigious annual environmental award established by Prince William, is leading the way on environmental standards in the tire industry. ENSO is leading efforts to decarbonize the tire industry and is committed to completely phase out all fossil fuel based raw materials from its products by 2030, replacing them with bio-based renewable and low-carbon alternatives.

The U.S. has a major market opportunity to lead the transformation of the tire industry and to incentivize EV adoption. America doesn't make enough tires, and ENSO’s factory will be a major step toward achieving these goals, ensuring economic benefits and environmental sustainability for American consumers. This factory therefore represents a significant investment in setting a new standard for the future of American tire manufacturing.

Rendering courtesy ENSO