Kaiser Borsari Hall will draw 100% of its electricity from a rooftop solar panel array. Photo courtesy Perkins&Will

Mass timber a big part of Western Washington University’s net-zero ambitions

Western Washington University, in Bellingham, Wash., 90 miles from Seattle, is in the process of expanding its ABET-accredited programs for electrical engineering, computer engineering and science, and energy science. As part of that process, the university is building Kaiser Borsari Hall, the 54,000-sf new home for those academic disciplines that will include teaching labs, research labs, classrooms, collaborative spaces, and administrative offices.

Products and Materials

Top building products for May 2024

BD+C Editors break down May's top 15 building products, from Durat and CaraGreen's Durat Plus to Zurn Siphonic Roof Drains.

University Buildings

Washington University School of Medicine opens one of the world’s largest neuroscience research buildings

In St. Louis’ Cortex Innovation District, Washington University School of Medicine recently opened its new Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building. Designed by CannonDesign and Perkins&Will, the 11-story, 609,000-sf facility is one of the largest neuroscience buildings in the world.

K-12 Schools

Inclusive design strategies to transform learning spaces

Students with disabilities and those experiencing mental health and behavioral conditions represent a group of the most vulnerable students at risk for failing to connect educationally and socially. Educators and school districts are struggling to accommodate all of these nuanced and, at times, overlapping conditions.

Education Facilities

Life at HOK | Jan 30, 2014

How reverse engineering nature can spur design innovation

It’s not enough to copy nature. Today’s designers need a deeper understanding of environmental nuance, from the biome in.

Central components to the plan include the addition of meeting, research, and te

Jan 29, 2014

Notre Dame to expand football stadium in largest project in school history

The $400 million Campus Crossroads Project will add more than 750,000 sf of academic, student life, and athletic space in three new buildings attached to the school's iconic football stadium.

Jan 28, 2014

White Paper: How metal buildings deliver long-term value to schools

A new white paper from Star Building Systems outlines the benefits of metal buildings for public and private school building projects.

The Spring Learning Centre in Hong Kong was one of two Best of Category winners

Jan 28, 2014

16 awe-inspiring interior designs from around the world [slideshow]

The International Interior Design Association released the winners of its 4th Annual Global Excellence Awards. Here's a recap of the winning projects.

Jan 28, 2014

Big Ten Conference opens swanky HQ and museum [slideshow]

The new mixed-use headquarters includes a museum, broadcast studios, conference facilities, office spaces, and, oh yeah, a Brazilian steakhouse.

Jan 22, 2014

SOM-designed University Center uses 'sky quads,' stacked staircases to promote chance encounters

The New School's vertical campus in Manhattan houses multiple functions, including labs, design studios, a library, and student residences, in a 16-story building.

The Dr Chau Chak Wing Building is Frank Gehry's first project in Sydney. All ima

Jan 17, 2014

The Starchitect of Oz: New Gehry building in Sydney celebrates topping out

The Dr. Chau Chak Wing Building at the University of Technology, Sydney, will mark Frank Gehry's debut project in the Australian metro.

The Center for Energy Efficient Design, an award-winning ZNE learning laboratory

Jan 15, 2014

Report: 32 U.S. buildings have been verified as net-zero energy performers

The New Buildings Institute's 2014 Getting to Zero Status report includes an interactive map detailing the net-zero energy buildings that have been verified by NBI.

Zahner ShopFloor Engineer Craig Long demonstrates one of the ShopFloor design to

Jan 13, 2014

Custom exterior fabricator A. Zahner unveils free façade design software for architects

The web-based tool uses the company's factory floor like "a massive rapid prototype machine,” allowing designers to manipulate designs on the fly based on cost and other factors, according to CEO/President Bill Zahner.