LEED Certified Project News & Profiles

Top Green Projects Selected by Architects

2011-04-14T05:48:00.000-07:00

The American Institute of Architects select the 2011 COTE Top Ten Green Projects
Projects showcase excellence in sustainable design principles and reduced energy consumption
For immediate release:
Washington, D.C. – April 14, 2011 –The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment. The projects will be honored at the AIA 2011 National Convention and Design Exposition in New Orleans.

You can see this press release online here: http://www.aia.org/press/releases/AIAB088729

The COTE Top Ten Green Projects program, now in its 15th year, is the profession's best known recognition program for sustainable design excellence. The program celebrates projects that are the result of a thoroughly integrated approach to architecture, natural systems and technology. They make a positive contribution to their communities, improve comfort for building occupants and reduce environmental impacts through strategies such as reuse of existing structures, connection to transit systems, low-impact and regenerative site development, energy and water conservation, use of sustainable or renewable construction materials, and design that improves indoor air quality.

The 2011 COTE Top Ten Green Projects jury includes: Joshua W. Aidlin, AIA, Aidlin Darling Design; Mary Guzowski, University of Minnesota School of Architecture; Kevin Kampschroer, General Services Administration, Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings; Mary Ann Lazarus, AIA LEED AP, HOK; Jennifer Sanguinetti, P.E. LEED AP, Smart Buildings & Energy Management, BC Housing; and Lauren Yarmuth, LEED AP, YRG New York.

The descriptions below give a brief summary of the projects. You can learn more about these projects by clicking on the name of the project/firm name. If you are interested in obtaining high resolution images, please contact Matt Tinder at mtinder@aia.org.

Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles
BROOKS + SCARPA (formerly Pugh + Scarpa)
This urban infill, mixed-use, market-rate housing project was designed to incorporate green design as a way of marketing a green lifestyle. The design maximizes the opportunities of the mild, Southern California climate with a passive cooling strategy. Together with high-efficiency LED and electric lighting, photo and occupancy sensors, and natural daylighting - energy use was minimized. 100% of the total regularly occupied building area is day lit and can be ventilated with operable windows. A combination of cool roof covered in solar panels, green roof, and blown-in cellulose insulation complete an efficient building shell exceeding California Title 24 by 47%.

First Unitarian Society Meeting House, Madison, WI
The Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc.
The 20,000-square-foot addition to the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed national historic landmark Meeting House is approximately 40% more efficient than a comparable base case facility. The new building design features recycled-content and locally-sourced materials. CO2 sensors trigger a ventilation system that provide energy savings when spaces are unoccupied. 91% of regularly occupied areas are daylit though Individual lighting controls are contained in all building areas. The addition nearly doubles the building footprint but a vegetated roof and a reduction in parking spaces actually increases the percentage of pervious vegetated surface on the property.

Kiowa County K-12 Schools, Greensburg, KS
BNIM Architects
Following the devastating tornado that destroyed their town and schools, USD 422 chose a bold strategy to combine their schools into a single K-12 facility that would align with the town's sustainable comprehensive master plan. The facilities design optimizes daylighting and natural ventilation in all classrooms, which increases student academic performance/potential and focus. The site and building design reduce the urban heat island effect on Greensburg through open area allocation and diverse landscaping. A 50-kilowatt wind turbine provides a portion of the electricity needs while the remaining power is generated at the wind farm located outside of town.

High Tech High Chula Vista, Chula Vista, CA
Studio E Architects
This public charter school serving 550 students in grades 9-12 with an approach rooted in project-based learning uses a building management system which integrates a weather station, and monitors and controls the lighting and mechanical systems of the facilities, in addition to the irrigation and domestic water systems. This optimizes thermal comfort, indoor air quality, lighting levels, and conserves energy and water. The facilities reflect the school's guiding principles of personalization, adult-world connection, and common intellectual mission. These principles permeate every aspect of life at HTH: the small school and class sizes, the openness and transparency, sustainable design attributes, and showcasing of student work in-progress.

LIVESTRONG Foundation, Austin, TX
Lake|Flato Architects
The adaptive reuse of a 1950's built warehouse transformed the concrete tilt-wall building to provide a multi-functional office space for the staff of 62. 88% of the materials from the demolition of the dilapidated warehouse were recycled and used in the new design. In order to allow for the most engaging open office environment, the team replaced the roof's center bays with north facing clerestory windows that harvest ample diffused daylight for the core workspace. No toxic chemicals are used in or around the building in accordance with green housekeeping and landscape procedures adopted by the Foundation. Achieving LEED Gold certification, the project reflects the LiveStrong mission "to inspire and empower people affected by cancer."

LOTT Clean Water Alliance, Olympia, WA
The Miller | Hull Partnership
While most sewage treatment plants are invisible to their communities and separated by a chain link fence, the LOTT Clean Water Alliance Regional Service Center is a visible and active participant in the public life of Olympia. Different strategies were utilized to control solar heat gain, improve the energy performance of the building, and introduce daylight and provide views. Methane generated from the plant's waste treatment process is used in a cogeneration plant to generate electricity and heat. The heat is used directly in the building through a low temperature water loop connected to water source heat pumps, thus eliminating the need for a boiler, cooling tower, or geothermal field.

OS House, Racine, WI
Johnsen Schmaling Architects
Occupying a narrow infill lot in an old city neighborhood at the edge of Lake Michigan, this LEED Platinum home demonstrates how a small residence built with a moderate budget can become a confident, new urban constituent. The local climate, with its very cold winters and hot, humid summers, required a careful mix of active and passive design strategies to ensure proper interior conditioning. Taking advantage of the lake breeze and the site's solar exposure, outdoor rooms were created to reduce the house's depth, allowing for maximum natural cross-ventilation and daylight to wash the inside. The house features a compact structured plumbing system with low-flow fixtures throughout and an on-demand hot water circulating pump, significantly reducing water consumption.

Research Support Facility (RSF) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO
RNL Design
With the goal of creating the largest commercial net-zero energy structure in the country, the building is meant to serve as a blueprint for a net-zero energy future and influence others in the building industry to pursue low energy and net-zero energy performance. NREL and Department of Energy's goal is to transform innovative research in renewable energy and energy efficiency into market-viable technologies and practices. Many of the integrated passive design strategies such as daylighting and natural ventilation strongly support both energy and human performance. An open office plan resulted in a higher density workplace reducing the building footprint per person.

Step Up on 5^th, Santa Monica, CA
BROOKS + SCARPA (formerly Pugh + Scarpa)
This mixed-use project provides 46 studio apartments of permanent affordable housing and supportive services for the homeless and mentally disabled population in the heart of downtown Santa Monica. The density of the project is 258 dwelling units/acre, which exceeds the average density of the Manhattan borough of New York City by more than 10%. The building is located in a transit-oriented location with access to community resources and services, providing a healthy living environment for residents and using resources efficiently. Based on California Title 24-2005 published by USGBC on this building is nearly 50% more efficient than a conventionally designed structure of this type.

Vancouver Convention Centre West, Vancouver, British Columbia
Design Architect: LMN Architects, Prime Architects: DA/MCM
As the world's first LEED Platinum convention center, this project is designed to bring together the complex ecology, vibrant local culture and urban environment, embellishing their inter-relationships through architectural form and materiality. The living roof, at 6 acres it is the largest in Canada, hosting some 400,000 indigenous plants. Free cooling economizers can provide cooling for most of the busy seasons for the convention centre. The heating and cooling is provided by very high efficiency, sea water heat pumps powered by renewable hydro electricity. The interior is fitted throughout with CO2, VOC, and humidity sensors, which can be monitored in conjunction with airflow, temperature, and lighting controls to optimize air quality on a room-by-room basis.
About The American Institute of Architects
For over 150 years, members of the American Institute of Architects have worked with each other and their communities to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings and cityscapes. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct to ensure the highest standards in professional practice. Embracing their responsibility to serve society, AIA members engage civic and government leaders and the public in helping find needed solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit http://www.aia.org/

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AIA Develops Sustainable Design and Construction Guide

2011-04-12T07:50:00.001-07:00

This is a timely release from the American Institute of Architects. I am particularly interested in seeing the content about legislation that directly affects sustainable design and construction for schools and hospitals.

AIA Guide for Sustainable Projects to Provide Design and Construction Industry with Roadmap for Working on Sustainable Projects

For immediate release:
Washington, DC – April 12, 2011 –The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced that it will release AIA Document D503™-2011, Guide for Sustainable Projects, including Agreement Amendments and Supplementary Conditions("Guide"), in May 2011. The Guide is free and was developed to assist users of AIA Contract Documents in understanding contractual considerations unique to sustainable design and construction projects. The Guide also provides model language that can be used to amend or supplement key AIA Contract Documents in the A201 Family for use in these types of projects. Developed by the AIA's Contract Documents Committee, with input from industry stakeholders, theGuide provides AIA Contract Documents users with a valuable tool for creating versions of AIA standard contract documents for sustainable projects.

You can see this press release online here: http://www.aia.org/press/releases/AIAB088661

"The AIA Contract Documents program continues to revise existing documents and develop new documents and guides, as necessary, to remain current with trends and changes in the industry and law," said Ken Cobleigh, Managing Director and Counsel for AIA Contract Documents content. "The development of theGuide reflects the shifting landscape in the industry and addresses key issues of interest to all parties involved in these types of projects."

The Guide addresses the current state of sustainable design and construction, discussing issues and concepts including:

· Certification systems, codes and legislation affecting sustainable design and construction projects,

· Risks and responsibilities faced by owners, contractors and architects on sustainable design and construction projects, and

· Recommendations for model language to assist the architect in developing a scope of services and to assist all project participants in appropriately allocating risks and responsibilities.

In addition to providing model language that may be used to amend or supplement documents in the AIA Contract Documents A201 Family for design-bid-build projects, the Guide discusses the applicability of key concepts to other delivery models such as design-build, construction management and integrated project delivery.

Because the AIA believes theGuide is an important resource for the design and construction industry, it will be available in May as a free download at www.aia.org/sustainableprojectsguide.

About The American Institute of Architects
For over 150 years, members of the American Institute of Architects have worked with each other and their communities to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings and cityscapes. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct to ensure the highest standards in professional practice. Embracing their responsibility to serve society, AIA members engage civic and government leaders and the public in helping find needed solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org.

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LEED Gold Certification for McDonalds

2011-04-06T16:52:00.001-07:00

This is a very promising story about McDonald’s going green. I like the concept of making fast food chains super energy efficient if nothing else! If we are going to enjoy the mostly unhealthy food at least we can feel socially responsible knowing that it was marketed and prepared in a sustainable way.

QA Graphics Helps Green McDonald’s Tell its Story

April 6, 2011 – Ankeny, Iowa – Owners of the latest green McDonald’s® located in Riverside, California, are using an interactive display created by QA Graphics® to show customers why the new restaurant is sustainable and energy efficient.

The Riverside McDonald’s is the fourth McDonald’s restaurant in the U.S. to seek LEED® certification. This restaurant is one of nine owned and operated by Tom and Candace Spiel of McSpi, Inc. The restaurant reopened its doors in October, replacing the original McDonald’s of 44 years. It’s anticipated that the restaurant will achieve LEED® Gold status within the next year as part of the U.S. Green Building Council’s® (USGBC) LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Retail New Construction.

“We were inspired to rebuild our original restaurant according to the USGBC’s LEED-Gold standard to encourage and educate our customers on the importance of environmental sustainability,” said Tom Spiel, McDonald's owner/operator. “For us, this is a way to give back to our community,” he adds. “We hope that what we learn from this restaurant can be utilized to build more efficient and environmentally friendly restaurants in the future, which will then benefit more communities.”

As part of this certification, the Spiels looked to QA Graphics® for a fun and interactive way for their customers and team members to learn about the sustainable initiatives that make this McDonald’s restaurant ‘green’. QA Graphics, a Midwest creative firm, provided their Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard®, which is anticipated to help attain the Innovation in Design green education credit. The
Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard is an interactive application similar to a website, used to display real-time energy efficiency information and educate about sustainable initiatives.

“We were impressed with the solution QA Graphics provided, including the ability to link the display to our solar photovoltaic array and provide real-time data of the energy generated from the solar array,” said Candace Spiel, McDonald's owner/operator.

As customers walk into the lobby of the McDonald’s they see the Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard displayed on a 42-inch LCD touchscreen, which they can interact with to learn more about the sustainable features used in the construction of the restaurant. A virtual tour provides a 3D view of the outside of the restaurant, and then takes viewers inside, moving through the dining area, restrooms and back to the outside of the restaurant. During the tour, different icons can be selected to learn about the sustainable features implemented at the restaurant.

For example, visitors can see that there are photovoltaic panels located on the carports outside, and watch a demonstration to understand how the photovoltaic system works. Real-time data is also provided to show how much energy is being output by the system. Other demos explain how Solatubes, solar hot water panels and porous pavers function at the restaurant. Also shown is education about the LED lighting and signage, recycled glass tile, EcoResin panels and rapidly renewable bamboo used throughout the dining area, as well as explaining what materials are made from recycled items, like the countertops, floor tiles, and ceiling tiles.

The reaction at the restaurant has been well received. “From small children to senior citizens, this interactive display is used frequently,” said Candace Spiel, McDonald’s owner/operator. “Because it is easy to use and navigate, whatever the level of our customers’ computer skills, they are able to use the display to learn more about this McDonald’s and how they can be green in their personal lives.”

When visitors have learned about the different sustainable features, they can test their ‘green’ knowledge with a quiz. Information for the local community is also provided, including a weather forecast and local maps identifying area schools, bus routes, bike paths and the Metro Rail. The Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard application for this McDonald’s can be viewed online at www.greenmcdonalds.com.

This is the second McDonald’s that QA Graphics has worked with to help engage restaurant patrons and educate about the restaurant’s sustainable features. The Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard is also utilized by the third U.S. LEED-certified McDonald’s in Cary, North Carolina. QA Graphics’ solution has been named a 2010 top green building product by Environmental Design + Construction and Sustainable Facility magazines’ annual Readers Choice Awards as well as a 2010 top 10 green building product by award-winning independent news source Sustainable Industries. Learn more at www.qagraphics.com/eeed.

About QA Graphics
QA Graphics is an innovative graphic development company specializing in the green building industry. The company is an industry leader in the design of award-winning energy education dashboards used to showcase organizations’ building performance and sustainable initiatives. QA Graphics also provides comprehensive creative services including graphic outsourcing, 3D design/animation, drafting, virtual tours, multimedia solutions and other interactive content. Visit www.qagraphics.com to learn more.

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2011 Sustainable Construction Awards

2011-04-05T17:06:00.001-07:00

3rd International Holcim Awards competitions attract entries for construction projects and visions to be pursued in 146 countries on all continents

Zurich/Switzerland, April 5, 2011 – The USD 2 million Holcim Awards competitions for sustainable construction projects and visions has attracted 6,065 submissions. The number of entries and countries participating has grown strongly since the previous competition and is further evidence that sustainability has become a firmly-entrenched core topic within building and construction. Submissions will now be screened for compliance with the rules of the Holcim Awards before the evaluation by five juries of internationally-renowned architects and academics takes place.

Submissions for projects located in 146 countries show that the move towards sustainable construction is a global concern, implemented by multi-disciplinary partnerships and many international teams. The Holcim Awards competitions are conducted in parallel in five geographical regions. The greatest number of submissions were received for projects in Latin America (29%), followed by Asia Pacific (27%), Europe (25%), North America (10%) and Africa Middle East (8%). The most significant increase in participation was registered in North America (+73%), the highest number of Holcim Awards (main category) submissions was from Asia Pacific, and the largest participation in the "Next Generation" (student category) was from Latin America.

All fully-completed entries will now undergo a formal check by Berlin-based architecture and urban design consultants [phase eins]. Valid entries will then be presented to an independent jury panel in the region where the project is to be constructed (or where the project was conceptualized for the student category). Each jury will examine a broad range of between 150 and 550 detailed submissions for building and civil engineering works, landscape, urban design and infrastructure, and materials, products and construction technologies.

Jury panels of international experts

The Holcim Awards juries will each be hosted by a partner university of the Holcim Foundation and led by: Jürgen Mayer H, Founder and Principal, J Mayer H Architects (in region Europe); Mohsen Mostafavi, Dean, Harvard University Graduate School of Design (North America); Carolyn Aguilar-Dubose, Dean, Department of Architecture, Universidad Iberoamericana (Latin America); Hashim Sarkis, Principal, Hashim Sarkis Studios (Africa Middle East); and Wowo Ding, Dean, School of Architecture, Nanjing University (Asia Pacific).

The juries will evaluate entries using the "target issues" implemented by the Holcim Foundation which examine each project's contribution to sustainable construction across a broad spectrum of themes including the "triple bottom line" of environmental, social, and economic performance. An additional "target issue" applies specifically to architecture and a final element recognizes the need for innovation and transferable approaches. A full list of members of each jury is available at

-> www.holcimawards.org/jury

Celebrating the best projects around the world Winners will be informed as soon as the jury decisions are verified and the jury reports validated. The results of the regional Holcim Awards competitions will be announced at ceremonies in late 2011 in Milan, Washington DC, Buenos Aires, Casablanca and Singapore and communicated to all participants. Further information regarding the next steps of the competition as well as on the first two cycles of the Holcim Awards is available at

-> www.holcimawards.org

Global Holcim Awards 2012

Winners of the gold, silver and bronze awards from each of the five regions automatically qualify for the Global Holcim Awards in 2012 following evaluation by the global jury featuring: Aaron Betsky, Director, Cincinnati Art Museum; Mario Botta, Principal, Mario Botta Architetto; Yolanda Kakabadse, President of WWF International and Chair of the Advisory Board of Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano; Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General, IUCN; Rahul Mehrotra, Principal, Rahul Mehrotra Associates; Enrique Norten, Principal and Founder of TEN Arquitectos; Hans-Rudolf Schalcher, Professor em. for Planning and Management in Construction at ETH Zurich; Werner Sobek, Director of the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK) at the University of Stuttgart; and Rolf Soiron, Chairman of Holcim Ltd.

_____________________

Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction

The Holcim Awards competitions encourage architects, planners, engineers, project owners and university students to share their projects and visions that go beyond conventional notions of sustainable construction. The competition is an initiative of the Swiss-based Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction. The foundation promotes sustainable responses to the technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues affecting building and construction. It is supported by Holcim Ltd, one of the world's leading suppliers of cement and aggregates (crushed stone, gravel and sand) as well as further activities such as ready-mix concrete and asphalt including services. The Holcim Group holds majority and minority interests in around 70 countries on all continents.

The Holcim Foundation works closely with leading technical universities. Partner universities are: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Switzerland; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA; Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA), Mexico; Ecole Supérieure d'Architecture de Casablanca (EAC), Morocco; and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Bombay), India. Tongji University (TJU), China; Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil; and University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), South Africa, are associated universities of the Holcim Foundation.

Media contact

Dominik Baumann, Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction Phone +41 58 858 8295, Mobile +41 76 347 7901,

-> mailto:info@holcimfoundation.org

Holcim Foundation, Hagenholzstrasse 85, CH-8050 Zurich/Switzerland

-> www.holcimfoundation.org

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LEED Gold Certification for HVAC Factory

2011-03-31T14:18:00.000-07:00

This Carrier plant runs roughly 37 percent more efficiently than similar factories. The addition of skylights and the night power outage plan seem to be very common tactics that save energy in very quantifiable amounts. LEED Gold is a nice accomplishment!

Carrier Corp.’s Mexico Factory First HVAC Factory in the World to Receive LEED® Gold Certification
MONTERREY, mexico, March 31, 2011 – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recognized Carrier Corp. for its commitment to environmental sustainability, awarding the Monterrey, Mexico Commercial factory with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®)* Gold certification. The Carrier facility is the first heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) factory in the world to receive LEED Gold certification. LEED is the preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Carrier Corp., a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), is the world’s leader in high technology heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) solutions, improving the world around us through engineered innovation and environmental stewardship.

LEED Gold certification represents one of the highest levels of environmental achievement within the LEED program. “This certification further demonstrates our natural leadership. Carrier is committed to providing energy efficient building solutions to our customers to help reduce their costs and minimize the impact on the environment. We apply those same standards internally to produce green products in green factories,” said Geraud Darnis, president of Carrier Corp. Darnis noted that the plant is also the first industrial facility outside of the U.S. to achieve LEED® Gold for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance™ certification.

Carrier conducted a number of initiatives to achieve LEED Gold certification, including a comprehensive energy audit to assess its overall energy performance. New energy saving opportunities and subsequent investments resulted in an improved energy performance that was 37 percent better than similar factories. Key projects included converting factory lights to high efficiency, low mercury content bulbs, saving 408 MWh annually and providing a payback of less than two years. The factory’s energy consumption from lighting is also reduced by the use of skylights for the factory floor, which provide daylight for over 65 percent of regularly occupied spaces. To optimize load sharing, large compressors were replaced with smaller compressors, cutting energy waste and resulting in annual savings of about 115 MWh.

In addition to the investments, Carrier also took advantage of free behavior- changing ideas to drive energy savings, such as instituting a night power outage plan, shutting down power in all circuits not used during evening hours. This common sense idea saved approximately 160 MWh per year, with no capital investment.

Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chairman, USGBC congratulated Carrier saying, “Carrier demonstrates continuous leadership in sustainability and the built environment. This recent accomplishment is another example of that leadership and Carrier’s belief that green products must start in a green company. We believe that every manufacturing employee should work in a green facility, and we remain single-mindedly committed to delivering on our vision of green buildings for everyone within a generation.”

The Monterrey certification broadens Carrier’s portfolio of green buildings, further demonstrating the company’s commitment to advancing sustainable buildings across the globe. In 2009, Carrier factories in Charlotte, N.C. and Huntington, Ind. received LEED® certification, and in 2010, Carrier’s Shanghai offices were awarded LEED® for Commercial Interiors™ Silver certification.

*LEED is a registered trademark of the U.S. Green Building Council

About Carrier Corp.Carrier Corp. is the world’s leader in high technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions. Carrier experts provide sustainable solutions, integrating energy efficient products, building controls, and energy services for residential, commercial, retail, transport and foodservice customers. Founded by the inventor of modern air conditioning, Carrier improves the world around us through engineered innovation and environmental stewardship. Carrier is a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. Visit www.carrier.com for more information.

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LEED Certification for University of the District of Columbia, Student Center

2011-03-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CANNON DESIGN AWARDED STUDENT CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

BUFFALO, NY—March 28, 2011—After winning a design competition that studied three proposed sites and schemes, Cannon Design, in association with Marshall Moya Design, was commissioned to provide planning, architectural, interior design, graphics, construction and related services for the facility, the university’s first major building project in more than a quarter-century. Sustainably designed, the 90,000 sf, $35 million project supports the university’s global initiative for sustainable stewardship and will be the third building in the DC area to achieve Platinum LEED certification.

“This highly visible and accessible building will create a new gateway and public face for the university, engage and support students academically and socially, improve student retention, and integrate the campus with the neighborhood to create an urban community,” said Roland G. Lemke, AIA, LEED AP, principal, Cannon Design.

In addition to spaces for student government, campus life, career services and other student support functions, the building includes mixed-use retail, grab-and-go dining services and a bookstore serving both the university and the surrounding residential community. The building will also house a 10,000 sf fitness and wellness center and a conference center and ballroom suitable for use by the wider community.

The University of the District of Columbia, Washington’s only public higher-education institution, was formed in 1977 by the consolidation of three community colleges. Set back from the street, sparsely windowed 1970s-era architecture, the university’s campus is undistinguished. Although the student body has historically consisted of commuting students, a recent initiative to build a residential community on campus has led the university to focus on quality of campus life and on strengthening connection with the local neighborhood, which includes apartment buildings, office buildings and retail. A new student center is a crucial ingredient in this renewal.

Cannon Design is an Ideas Based Practice, ranked among the leading international firms in planning and design for healthcare, research, education, corporate, sports and government clients. At present, the firm employs a staff of over 1,000, delivering services in 17 offices throughout North America, as well as abroad in Shanghai, China, and Mumbai, India.

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Energy Efficiency "Goes to School"

2011-03-29T07:51:00.001-07:00

OHIO SCHOOL WINS NATIONAL AWARD

Energy Shield, Inc. and New Milkovich Middle School Recognized for Excellence in Building Materials

Pontiac, MI (March 29, 2011) Energy Shield, Inc., a small, family-owned company based in Pontiac, Michigan, won top honors for their work on a new, energy-efficient school in suburban Cleveland, Ohio. The Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance awarded Energy Shield a prestigious Crystal Sculpture award in the Commercial Wall category. The award recognizes the overall value and quality of the spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation Energy Shield installed at the New Milkovich Middle School in Maple Heights, Ohio.

The New Milkovich Middle School was part of $109 million effort started in 2008 to improve all schools throughout the Maple Heights City School District. District administrators chose SPF for the middle school project as part of their sustainability initiative and to reduce annual facility operational costs. “Leaky” buildings are a primary cause of energy loss and a significant contributor to building failure. The Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) has determined that approximately $500 million is spent annually due to premature deterioration of buildings, and most of these expenditures result from a failure in the building enclosure’s air/vapor barrier system. SPF has been recognized by ABAA as the only material that will provide a seamless air/water vapor barrier and at the same time, completely insulate the building perimeter.

Maple Heights Superintendent Charles Keenan, as quoted in the Garfield-Maple Sun, said the building of schools represented an "awesome opportunity" for Maple Heights City School District and a "victory for the children."

The New Milkovich Middle School is a 2-story 130,000 square foot facility that will be LEED registered. Architecture firm Fanning Howey designed the building enclosure to meet stringent ABAA standards to eliminate uncontrolled air flowing in or out of the building. Energy Shield worked closely with construction manager Heery International and masonry subcontractor Crowe Masonry to install the SPF onto the entire 60,000 square feet of perimeter masonry walls. Once applied, the SPF formed a seamless insulated R-14 air barrier totally encapsulating the entire perimeter. ABAA conducted three separate field inspections of the SPF, with only days to spare before the exterior brick building surface was scheduled to be laid.

“This was a challenging project due to the schedule and the strict ABAA requirements,” Dave Fritzinger, President of Energy Shield said. “We were practically joined at the hip with Crowe Masonry, but by working so closely together, the school district got a finished product that will ultimately save them considerable money in operating costs. Plus, the indoor air quality of the new school will be much healthier for the students, teachers and staff.”

About Energy Shield, Inc.

Since 1978, Energy Shield, Inc. has been installing Spray Foam Insulation, Spray Foam Roofing, Roof Coatings and Spray Fiber Insulation in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Energy Shield’s commitment to quality Employees, Materials, Equipment and to its Customers has allowed the company to prosper in a highly competitive market. Energy Shield is a proud member of the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance. Visit www.energyshield.net or call 1-800-968-9907 to learn more.

The masonry goes on over the SPF, within just days.

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LEED "Gold" is "Goal" for Historical Iowa Building

2011-03-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

Design Firm Helps Historical Dubuque Iowa Building Promote Sustainable Awareness

Ankeny, Iowa – March 2011 – QA Graphics®, creator of award-winning sustainable education solutions, has provided an educational dashboard to be displayed in Dubuque, Iowa's newly renovated Roshek building to promote sustainable awareness among building occupants and the community.

The Roshek Building Redevelopment is the largest sustainable project ever completed in the city of Dubuque. The historic Roshek building, located downtown Dubuque, was built in two halves from 1929-1931, with its rehabilitation beginning in early 2009. The major redevelopment was driven by IBM, the largest of several tenants now residing in the renovated building. When choosing Dubuque as the new location for its new global delivery center, IBM's decision was influenced by the city's sustainability initiative, which matched their corporate philosophy.

As Mike Daniels, senior VP of IBM Global Technology Services stated in 2009, "[We looked at] the strong positive public-private partnership within the city, its competitive business and the talent and skills that Iowa and the Midwest have to offer. We continue to invest in IBM's future and recruit the skilled persons we need to grow our business. The Dubuque Service Delivery Center is a model for creating new opportunities, and we look forward to working with the City and the State of Iowa to accomplish great things together."

IBM worked with Dubuque Initiatives, a nonprofit development company dedicated to downtown revitalization to find a location. In following sustainable initiatives, it was decided to rehabilitate the Roshek building rather than building new, as redeveloping an existing structure is one of the most sustainable choices that can be made for a project of this magnitude. The almost three hundred thousand square-foot building was renovated according to the U.S. Green Building Council's® LEED® (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) green building rating system, requiring almost $43 million for the updates. The building is on target to receive LEED Gold status this spring. As part of the certification process, QA Graphics' solution, the Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard®, was used to help achieve the Innovation in Design Education LEED credit.

"Building owner, Dubuque Initiatives chose to use a dashboard as part of the educational avenue, in order to help citizens of Dubuque and visitors become more acquainted with LEED," said Bill Callahan, president of the Dubuque Initiatives. "We also wanted to have it made known the events happening in Dubuque, and collaborated with the Chamber to help bring to light all that Dubuque has to offer."

QA Graphics created an Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard (EEED) application to serve as an educational tool to demonstrate Roshek's sustainable features with occupants and the community. Through education, occupants and visitors can understand how they too can be more sustainable and make an efficient impact on the building. The EEED is an interactive solution, similar to a website. Displayed on a 32-inch touchscreen in the lobby, it provides information explaining what LEED is, as well as what sustainable features are in place to meet the LEED green building certification requirements. Details about the rehabilitation are shared, explaining what features were restored, like the handrails and hardwood floors, as well as materials that were recycled or reused. Also described are other sustainable features throughout the building, including an energy-efficient mechanical system, reflective roof, water-efficient fixtures, and awnings to reduce solar heat gain.

"Providing a public display such as this allows us to share what makes a sustainable building, and it gets everyone motivated to change their actions towards sustainability," said Jeff Rusch of Gronen Properties, Facilities Manager of the Roshek building.

The Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard is complimented by interior signage throughout the building with building tours to follow to encourage everyone to embrace sustainable practices. The dashboard also serves as an overall building display, providing a live weather forecast, history of the building and a business directory. It also connects visitors with other important community resources, such as information about the City of Dubuque, the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce and the Dubuque Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"We're happy to have been a part of the Roshek Rehabilitation Project, helping ensure that education is available for Roshek occupants as well as the residents and visitors of the Dubuque community," said Dan McCarty, president of QA Graphics. "By demonstrating the building's sustainable features, viewers will be motivated to continue sustainable initiatives in their own lives."

Dubuque welcomes the public to visit the Roshek building and reacquaint themselves with the services it has to offer, as well as the educational technology that the building now embraces. To learnmore about the Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard and how such a solution helps organizations promote sustainable awareness, visit www.qagraphics.com/eeed.

About QA Graphics
QA Graphics is an innovative graphic development company specializing in the green building industry. The company is an industry leader in the design of award-winning energy education dashboards used to showcase organizations' building performance and sustainable initiatives. QA Graphics also provides comprehensive creative services including graphic outsourcing, 3D design/animation, drafting, web development, virtual tours, multimedia solutions and other interactive content. Visit www.qagraphics.com to learn more.

This blog post was approved by www.iGreenBuild.com

LEED Gold at University of Texas

2011-03-22T14:23:00.001-07:00

NEW STUDENT ACTIVITY CENTER OPENS AT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS

Designed by Overland Partners Architects, the student-centric facility is anticipated to be the first LEED Gold building on campus

AUSTIN, TEXAS, March 22, 2011 – The new Student Activity Center (SAC) at the University of Texas campus in Austin is of the students, by the students, and for the students. The SAC is the result of almost 60 years of student lobbying for another dedicated social and cultural center on campus. Located in the heart of the campus, this 149,000 square foot facility is designed to serve as the “campus living room” – it is a place for students “to see and be seen”. The facility should earn a LEED Gold certification, a first for the campus.

Extensive student input and design workshops generated the main project goals, which were easy accessibility, more activity spaces and overall sustainability. Overland Partners Architects of San Antonio, TX and associate architect WTW Architects of Pittsburgh, PA responded with a contemporary building on the East Mall of campus, the primary pedestrian point of entry to the campus. The new SAC is geographically and functionally complementary to the existing student union on the West Mall, and important in serving the growing student body.

To meet the student goal of dedicated activity spaces, the SAC includes a 5,000 square foot ballroom, a 500-seat auditorium, a black box theatre, 12 student conference/meeting rooms, student organization offices, and a student government chamber. The ballroom is already booked for months with events like comedian Zach Braff, a 3-D Gaming tournament, and a concert by Chuck D. and Common. There are also ample group study lounges and informal individual study areas scattered throughout the facility. An indoor food court featuring regional fast food favorites and a coffee bar sits adjacent to more than 46,000 square feet of landscaped outdoor gathering space, substantially increasing the seating and providing an enjoyable dining experience in the moderate Austin climate.

The new SAC has struck a powerful chord at the university in response to project goals.

“I have to say that a mark of any successful building is how it makes one wonder how we managed without it,” Juan González, Vice-President for Student Affairs, said. “It is truly a major enhancement to not only the area, but the whole campus environment. It is especially rewarding to see so many students embrace the facility from the moment we opened the doors.”

The SAC is a modern take on the traditional campus architecture. The simple forms and clean lines of the SAC distinguish it, yet the limestone walls and red tile roofs unify it with the existing campus buildings. Tucked behind a mature oak grove, abundant windows throughout the building bring in ample daylighting and take advantage of the surrounding landscape. There is an accessible rooftop courtyard with an adjacent green roof, and a cistern that collects and recycles rainwater for landscape irrigation.

Renowned international artist James Turrell is designing a skyspace installation for the SAC opening in fall 2012. The enclosed rooftop space will have an opening in the roof surrounded by LED lights that will affect the viewer’s perception of the sky.

The project has only been open since January, yet students are already using every available inch of space. Early student reviews of the SAC are glowing.

“I went to peak at the new structure, and OH MAN. It’s awesome. Though we have the Union, academic center, and library, UT always lacked a central place where students could take a break between places, grab a bite to eat, nap, cram for a test, or hold student org meetings. The SAC provides all of the above and with style,” according to one UT student blog.

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ABOUT OVERLAND PARTNERS

Overland Partners Architects, founded in 1987 in San Antonio, Texas, is the realization of a vision to bring together a wide range of talents in architecture and planning in order to provide comprehensive design services. Sensitive to the environmental and aesthetic contexts of its projects, the firm strives for a thoughtful integration of technology, art, and craft through highly sustainable solutions. Overland Partners offers its clients the ultimate goal of creating beautiful, functional and enduring designs through a collaborative process that inspires long-term relationships. In addition to the Student Activity Center at the University of Texas the firm is currently working on the university’s new College of Liberal Arts. The firm completed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas in Austin, winner of more than 10 regional and national design awards. Other higher education projects within the firm’s design portfolio include the new Business School Building at Baylor University in Waco, Texas; the new Academic Building at the University of North Texas at Dallas; the new Continuing Education Center at Rice University in Houston; and the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www .overlandpartners .com.

Interviews upon request.

high-resolution images available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/40948653@N07/sets/72157626198159557/

Facebook.com/overlandpartners

Twitter.com/OverlandPartner

This blog post was approved by iGreenBuild.com.

Hotel Receives LEED Certification

2011-03-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

March 18, 2011

INCHEON HOTEL RECEIVES LEED CERTIFICATION

INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification to the Sheraton Incheon Hotel, the first hotel in Korea to receive this certification of sustainable design.

The Sheraton Incheon Hotel, located in the Songdo International Business District (IBD), is a five star-rated 319-room hotel owned by the Daewoo E&C and operated by Starwood Hotels and Resorts. The hotel opened August 1, 2009.

A development of New Songdo City International Development, LLC (a joint venture of Gale International & Posco E&C), Songdo IBD is a private development of more than 350 buildings on 570 hectares (1,400 acres) in the Incheon Free Economic Zone in South Korea. Songdo City was planned and designed by architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and Kunwon. The project was mostly designed in the U.S. and built by Korean contractors. More than 80 percent of Songdo City, representing more than 250 buildings, will be designed and built to achieve LEED certification.

Arup is LEED Facilitator and Parsons Brinckerhoff serves as LEED Coordinator for the Sheraton Incheon Hotel and other buildings in Songdo City, including the Songdo Convensia, which is the first convention center in Asia to receive LEED certification.

The introduction of LEED for Songdo City provides opportunities for environmentally sensitive design, construction materials and methods, and building operation, including energy cogeneration, graywater management and pneumatic waste collection systems. Water conservation initiatives in the Sheraton Incheon Hotel alone save more than 3.4 million liters (793,000 gallons) of potable water annually.

Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) is a leader in developing and operating infrastructure around the world, with 14,000 employees dedicated to meeting the needs of clients and communities in the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia-Pacific regions. PB offers skills and resources in strategic consulting, planning, engineering, program/construction management, and operations for all modes of infrastructure, including transportation, power, community development, water and the environment. Parsons Brinckerhoff is part of Balfour Beatty plc, the international infrastructure Group operating in professional services, construction services, support services and infrastructure investments (www.pbworld.com).

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Bruce Ross Associates Inc.
1501 Broadway, Suite 1401
New York, NY 10036
212/768-1155

LEED Silver Certification for Iowa University

2011-03-17T19:25:00.000-07:00

Eastern Mennonite University uses QA Graphics' Dashboard for Sustainable Education

March 16, 2011 – Ankeny, Iowa – Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), a liberal arts Christian college in Harrisonburg, VA, uses QA Graphics'® sustainable education display to show students and visitors the campus' real-time energy use and educate about the new green residence hall.

Eastern Mennonite University completed construction of Cedarwood the campus' new environmentally friendly 35,000-square-foot residence hall in 2009. EMU has a number of sustainability initiatives in place throughout campus and when the time came to construct the new residence hall, it was decided to build following the U.S. Green Building Council's® LEED® (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) green building rating system's guidelines. EMU is anticipating LEED Silver certification for Cedarwood. This is the first building on campus anticipating LEED certification. As part of the certification process, EMU collaborated with QA Graphics to develop an Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard® (EEED) to help attain an Innovation in Design education credit.

QA Graphics' Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard is an award-winning educational tool used by organizations to inform building occupants and the public about efficient resource use and sustainable building practices. The educational solution is an interactive application designed similar to a website, which students can conveniently view online or on an interactive display located in the residence hall lobby. Here they can learn about the campus' sustainability initiatives by viewing the residence hall's real-time energy use, as well as information about what makes the new building environmentally friendly. Through this education, students and visitors can better understand how they too can be more sustainable and help make the campus more efficient.

"Community education is important to EMU, both because it earns us a LEED credit, but more importantly because we want to share ideas about how to live and build more sustainably," said Andrea Wenger, director of marketing and communications at Eastern Mennonite University. "The dashboard provides a way for visitors to learn about the building as well as students living and visiting there to be aware of how their lifestyles impact the environment. This is a living and learning community...telling the story of Cedarwood's construction and building use fits in with our mission as a university committed to sustainability."

Viewing the display, students and visitors can learn about the many green features that were taken into consideration when building the new residence hall. For example, over 85 percent of Cedarwood's construction waste was sorted and recycled, and some of the green features in the building include natural daylighting, low- flow water fixtures, a bioretention filtration system to manage stormwater runoff, reflective roofing and more. An animated demonstration also illustrates how the solar panels help heat over 50 percent of the building's hot water. Currently, the display provides easy to understand real-time energy use information, with plans to also display real-time solar hot water and water use details.

"The display has potential to be a great learning tool," said Jeremy Good, of information systems at Eastern Mennonite University. "We've made an investment in the back-end infrastructure that allows us to display nearly any building statistic that's monitored around campus. Then some effort is needed to display them in a way that's palatable to the general public, which is where QA Graphics comes in."

QA Graphics' Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard solution is used by universities, schools, restaurants, commercial businesses, government organizations and others. It has been named a 2010 top green building product by Environmental Design + Construction and Sustainable Facility magazines' annual Readers Choice Awards as well as 2010 top 10 green building product by award-winning independent news source Sustainable Industries. The solution can help earn green building certification points, contributing towards satisfying the U.S. Green Building Council's® Innovation in Design Green Education and Innovation in Design School as a Teaching Tool credits under LEED®, and a variety of points under The Green Building Initiative's™ Green Globes® green building rating and assessment system. To learn more, visit www.qagraphics.com/eeed.

About QA Graphics
QA Graphics is an innovative graphic development company specializing in the green building industry. The company is an industry leader in the design of award-winning energy education dashboards used to showcase organizations' building performance and sustainable initiatives. QA Graphics also provides comprehensive creative services including graphic outsourcing, 3D design/animation, drafting, web development, virtual tours, multimedia solutions and other interactive content. Visit www.qagraphics.com to learn more.

About Eastern Mennonite University
Eastern Mennonite University offers a rich academic experience shaped by faculty with global experience in a progressive Mennonite context. Core values of peacebuilding, creation care, community and service to others are key to all levels of program from traditional undergraduate to graduate programs with international acclaim. People from all faith traditions are welcome in EMU's diverse, caring community where cross-cultural study is emphasized and students enjoy 1:1 mentoring with professors. A seminary and Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, along with graduate programs and a Center for Interfaith Engagement, provide a well-rounded learning community. Read more at www.emu.edu.

This blog post approved by www.iGreenBuild.com.

KKE's design wins Gold in 50+ Housing competition

2008-06-10T21:46:00.001-07:00

KKE’s design for Santa Barbara Palms wins Gold Award
in 2008 NAHB 50+ Housing competition

MINNEAPOLIS -- KKE Architects, Inc. won a Gold Award in the 2008 NAHB 50+ Housing Council for its design of Santa Barbara Palms, an affordable, energy-efficient, multi-housing property for seniors being built in the Las Vegas area. Held May 20th in New Orleans, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Best of 50+ Housing Awards are considered the premier design and marketing competition for the seniors housing industry.

Winning in the Multifamily “On the Boards” Income Qualified Rental category, the Santa Barbara Palms is configured into two three-story units, with a total of 120 one- and two-bedroom apartments. With total construction costs estimated at $20 million, the 120 units with rent-restricted, affordable leases are anticipated to start at $352/month when the property opens in August 2010.

Located in a mature Nevada neighborhood, Santa Barbara Palms enables residents to “age in place” near family, friends and familiar services. According to AARP, more than 84% of people age 50 and older want to stay in their homes as they age. NAHB’s research supports this and reports, “With 10,000 people turning 50 every single day and 50+ consumers accounting for more than one quarter of all new home sales, it's the fastest growing segment of the housing industry.”

A 2007 NAHB poll of housing-minded consumers found energy efficiency was a top concern. Helping Santa Barbara Palms conserve financial and environmental resources, the residential complex is designed in adherence with ENERGY STAR requirements. To earn ENERGY STAR certification, these homes must include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20% to 30% more efficient than standard homes and save up to 15% on energy costs. Toward this goal, Santa Barbara Palms showcases high-performance windows, reversible ceiling fans, a solar-heated outdoor pool, and water-conserving zeroscape desert landscaping.

To enjoy the natural setting, all apartments will provide residents with a patio or balcony. Additional amenities will include a 5,000-square-foot clubhouse that features a full kitchen, media/library room, computer/business center and Internet access, crafts room, billiards room, piano bar, laundry rooms, health room and fitness center, and a spa.

Architect Steve Rogers of KKE’s Las Vegas office noted that one of his major design challenges on the Santa Barbara Palms project was the site’s shape: “The challenge with long and narrow sites is trying to achieve the necessary density, while also maintaining comfortable open spaces for residents to dwell, both interior and exterior. By successfully marrying the two, Santa Barbara Palms creates an attractive appeal for the residents, and makes an affordable development live and feel like an upscale resort. It was very rewarding to design this project, pull it off, and be recognized for it.”

George Gekakis, Inc., the developer/builder of Santa Barbara Palms, has been building affordable senior housing in the Las Vegas Valley since the mid-1990s. “It is our commitment to provide a development of quality and safety for our residents; one that will be an asset to the neighborhood, and will be a force in the process of relieving the problem of affordable housing in Las Vegas,” said Gekakis.

“The caliber of competition was high this year, both in the active adult and service-enriched categories, and the marketing entries clearly reflect emerging trends,” added Doug Van Lerberghe, the 2008 chairman of the Best of 50+ Housing Awards Committee. “It’s obvious that builders, architects and marketing professionals better understand what today’s mature buyers want, and how to communicate with them.”

About the 50+ Housing Council
Since 1989, the 50+ Housing Council has served the special needs and interests of NAHB members and others in the housing industry that build for the growing 50+ market. The 50+ Housing Council provides information, education and research to its members and offers advocacy support to NAHB members on key 50+ housing issues

About KKE Architects, Inc.
KKE Architects, Inc. is a full-service firm providing a wide range of architectural, interior design and comprehensive planning services. Founded in 1968, this award-winning company has grown to become one of the Top 50 architectural firms in the country.

LEED Gold For Fraternity House

2008-05-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

San Luis Obispo, CA - The new 3-story, 8,830 square foot building includes 16 bedrooms, an apartment for fraternity house parents, and a library. The building orientation takes advantage of the southern exposure for daylighting as well as passive solar heating and natural ventilation. Additional sustainable design features include photovoltaic and hot water solar panels on the roof, pervious pavers to minimize runoff, drought tolerant landscaping and building materials, and finishes that minimize the projects carbon footprint.

Learn more about this green building project on iGreenBuild.com.

Wausau supports green goals, award-winning design for Riverpoint Center

2008-04-07T17:33:00.001-07:00

Wausau’s Window System Contributes to Riverpoint Center’s Green Goals, Southwest Style, Award-Winning Design

Wausau, Wis. -- Apollo Group, Inc.’s employees have begun moving into Riverpoint Center, their new corporate campus in Phoenix. Along with celebrating the desert region’s natural colors and materials, Apollo’s design-assist team challenged Wausau Window and Wall Systems to help control the Southwest sun and reduce energy consumption, while maximizing daylight.

Riverpoint Center’s first 200 tenants moved into their offices during November 2007. More than 6,000 people now work on site. Half work for Apollo’s corporate headquarters and half are employed with its online operations supporting the University of Phoenix and other educational programs throughout the world.

Rick Mason, director of construction for subsidiary Apollo Development Corporation says that his co-workers’ response to their new offices has been very positive. “It’s a beautiful building and a nice place to work.” Industry and community leaders seem to agree: The project was nominated for a “Best of NAIOP” award for Outstanding Build-to-Suit project of 2007, and the American Institute of Architects’ Nevada honored the project as one of only seven built projects to earn a 2007 Merit Award.

Taking an active role in shaping the project’s success, Apollo selected a joint venture design team composed of Carpenter Sellers Architects (CSA) of Las Vegas and SmithGroup of Phoenix. Sundt Construction was chosen as general contractor, responsible for the overall budget estimated at $107 million.

Sundt recommended KT Fabrication of Chandler, Ariz., as the project’s glazing contractor. Together, Sundt and KT drew on past experiences with Wausau to complete the curtainwall and window system team. KT was involved from the earliest stages of design conception through construction completion. “KT has past experience working with both Sundt and the architects,” says Mason. “They were a great fit for the project. Their input was helpful and influential. And they thought Wausau’s systems would be right for our job.”

Following KT’s referral, Mason and other key members of the Riverpoint Center building team traveled to Wausau, Wisconsin and met with the company’s executives and engineers, and toured the fabrication facilities. “[Wausau’s Vice President] Gary Houdek was a gracious host. We were quite impressed with their operations and their people,” says Mason. He adds, “Throughout the entire process, we remained very pleased with the team. In fact, we were able to finish the project on time and under budget.”

Martin Hedlund, Sundt’s senior project director who led the construction team’s efforts through design and construction, also notes, “We were going through design and pricing during a period of unprecedented volatility in the labor and material market. One area that was steadfast in conformance to budget was the window system. It was really a testament to team commitment and open communication throughout the three and half year process.”

“We’ve been growing so fast that we’ve been grabbing property all over the Valley and signing short-term leases just to put bodies at desks,” says Mason. “It’s nice to have one central campus where we are all in one place. And, it’s in a great location right off I-10, which is convenient and provides extremely good signage visibility.”

As on owner-occupant, Apollo found the 37-acre site ideally suited to its needs, although it required constructing three new buildings encompassing 630,000-square-feet to fit the company’s sizable staff and growth. One 10-story building, two six-story buildings and two structured parking garages were added.

Apollo’s design-assist team gave thoughtful consideration to the productivity and comfort of its workforce, as well as for the performance demands and natural aesthetic of its Arizona climate. “The land is actually an old, old riverbed, so the flow of the buildings is like the flow of the former river. We also incorporated the Southwestern flavor using a lot of copper on the building. After all, we are the copper state.”

CSA and SmithGroup designed the buildings along the site’s east-west axis maximizing natural light into the open office spaces. Each building’s façade responds to its own exposure: On the west and east, shading is accomplished with narrow, deep-set vertical windows and small apertures that allow views to the outside, while minimizing the amount of exposure to the low sun. On the south, KT fabricated the horizontal sun shades that shield the openings from harsh summer sunlight, while positioned to invite solar light and warmth in winter months. On the north, glazing areas are maximized to welcome year-round daylighting, significantly reducing reliance on artificial illumination and its associated energy costs.

Meeting the performance and aesthetic needs of the building, Wausau manufactured a total of 186,000-square-feet of window systems ranging from 4.75- to 8.75-inch depths. The majority was factory-fabricated in Wisconsin as vertical silicone-glazed curtainwall, then shipped to KT as knocked-down framing members for installation on site. Bob Thiede provided estimating and design assistance from Wausau and notes that pre-assembled units also were provided for the lower levels, punched openings, vertical strip, and glazed wall system.

Each of Wausau’s systems meets the industry’s most stringent requirements for air infiltration, water resistance and structural integrity. High-performance insulated glass from Viracon was used throughout Riverpoint Center mitigating unwanted solar heat gain and the adjacent freeway noise. Furthermore, Thiede says, “The project was required to meet a typical wind load of 23.5 psf.” Complementing the systems’ high-performance, all of the aluminum was finished in durable, clear anodize by Linetec.

“The materials were there when they were suppose to be, so everything could go in and up as planned.” Mason praises, “KT and Wausau did an outstanding job for an outstanding project.” For Sundt’s part, Hedlund summarizes, “We specialize in delivering value to our customers through a team-based project model. It works extremely well when we have great team members like Apollo, KT Fabrication and Wausau.”

Nationally recognized for its innovative expertise, Wausau Window and Wall Systems is an industry leader in engineering window and curtainwall systems for commercial and institutional construction applications. For more than 50 years, Wausau has worked closely with architects, building owners and contractors to realize their vision for aesthetic beauty and lasting value, while striving to maintain the highest level of customer service, communication and overall satisfaction.

Wausau is a part of Apogee Enterprises, Inc., a publicly held, U.S. corporation. For more information on Wausau Window and Wall Systems, please call 877-678-2983, or visit http://www.wausauwindow.com.

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Wausau Window and Wall Systems’ Media Contact: Heather West, 612-724-8760 phone, heatherwest@earthlink.net
http://www.wausauwindow.com/resources/pressReleases/AZ_Riverpt0308.pdf

LEED Gold Awarded to Harvard Library Project

2008-01-29T22:34:00.000-08:00

Harvard University's new Library Services Building, designed by Leers Weinzapfel Associates and Samuel Anderson Architects, demonstrates that a sustainable building can be constructed despite the challenges associated with a small urban site, an extensive public approvals process, and strict temperature and humidity requirements.

Read the full project profile on iGreenBuild.com.

Green Building Project Spotlight

2008-01-09T01:25:00.000-08:00

American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Headquarters - Washington, DC

When the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) wanted a high profile location to best demonstrate how landscape architects play a central role in green roof design and construction, it needed to look no further than atop its own headquarters building. And, when ASLA wanted an engineered assembly that would allow it to show how environmental and aesthetic benefits of a green roof can best be maximized, it needed to look no further than the Garden Roof® Assembly from American Hydrotech.

Read the full project profile in PDF format on iGreenBuild.com here.

Olson Homes Earns LEED® Ceritification In CA

2007-12-21T03:10:00.000-08:00

Olson Homes, a pioneer in sustainable building practices and a leader in California's move towards in-town, urban living since 1988, is the first attached, new-home community in California to earn LEED Certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and attain a Silver rating. The model homes at Depot Walk feature green construction materials, eco-smart interiors and solar efficiencies.

Read the complete article on iGreenBuild.com.

Berkeley City College Gets LEED Silver Rating

2007-12-20T23:37:00.000-08:00

"Berkeley City's LEED Silver status is a tangible demonstration of our commitment to eliminating greenhouse gases and building a sustainable future," said Nicky González Yuen, a Peralta Community College District trustee and chair of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability. Berkeley City College is the winner of the Community College Facility Coalition's 2007 Professional Design Award of Merit and the East Bay Business Times' 2006 Structures Award.

Read the full LEED project profile at iGreenBuild.com here.

Geothermal School in Michigan

2007-12-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

The new 150,000-square-foot high school, which opened in August 2006, is one of the first high schools in Michigan to achieve LEED® certification (Silver). Among its many sustainable features, a geoexchange system for heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) includes 67 McQuay water source heat pumps. The 430-ton HVAC system delivers conditioned air to classrooms and other spaces, helping to reduce energy costs by an estimated 35 percent compared to a conventional system.

Read the complete LEED project profile on iGreenBuild.com here.