The University of California, Irvine, awarded the UCI Medical Center Irvine project to the Hensel Phelps + CO Architects design-build team. The new medical center embraces UCI’s commitment to sustainable design and construction, incorporating recycled water in the central plant and for irrigation, green power, and the preservation of the San Joaquin Marsh Reserve.
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Denver Water announced last week that eight buildings in its Operations Complex Redevelopment project have been awarded Platinum, Gold, and Silver levels of LEED certification. “Due to climate change and future uncertainties, innovation, resilience and adaptability are necessary to serve our customers using fewer resources,” said Kate Taft, sustainability manager for Denver Water. “We serve and care for the community and environment that we live in by continually improving our operations.”
Read MoreThe Global Resiliency Dialogue published findings of its first international survey in the report, “The Use of Climate Data and Assessment of Extreme Weather Event Risks in Building Codes around the World.” The report is the first deliverable of the Global Resiliency Dialogue and provides valuable context about the current level of integration of climate science in the provisions of advanced building codes around the world.
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The Columbia Building designed by Skylab supports the City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services. The project accomplished three unique objectives in one single campus site: the creation of a vibrant and efficient workspace; clean on-site stormwater filtration; and a dynamic building that stimulates conversation about the health of the region’s watershed and rivers.
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Recently certified LEED v4 Platinum, Stockman Bank Missoula Downtown, designed by Cushing Terrell, is the most energy-efficient building in Stockman Bank’s portfolio. In addition to featuring high-performance glass and efficient lighting, energy-efficient elevators, and solar arrays, the facility achieves nearly a 70% reduction in water consumption thanks to an innovative on-site rainwater storage system providing 100% of average annual water use for toilet and urinal flushing.
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As Mainline Health requires all facilities to meet LEED standards, the Lankenau Medical Center ED in Wynnewood, Pa., was designed with LEED certification in mind. In order to achieve this, FCA outfitted the space with low-emitting furniture, finishes, and maximized indoor air quality. The facility also features a green roof for rainwater management and visual aesthetics by providing patient floors looking down onto the roof with a view of green space.
Read MoreContech Engineered Solutions recently released Void Saver, a new stormwater detention configuration that the company states increases the long-term performance of underground detention systems by protecting stone backfill from sediment contamination.
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“To begin, I believe we must start with and fully embrace the fact that the design process is not linear. It is circular. Good design must allow for questioning previous decisions and acknowledge that perhaps other ideas and methods can and should be incorporated. A circular design process enables exponential change and advancement. We must not start with just “thinking” about green building materials. The challenge really is: How do we question everything so that the design truly manifests into a sustainable project?” explains author Luis Vidal, President & Founding Partner of luis vidal + architects.
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Located in the Templeton Gap area of West Paso Robles, California, the Clayton & Little-designed Saxum Vineyard Equipment Barn rests at the toe of the 50-acre James Berry Vineyard and the adjacent winery sitting just over 800 feet away. This simple agricultural storage structure is completely self-sufficient and operates independently from the energy grid, maximizing the structure’s survivability and resilience.
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The award-winning Half Moon Bay Library in Calif., designed by Noll & Tam, LEED Platinum certified and designed to achieve net-zero energy. Sustainable features include a photovoltaic array, bioswales, recycled materials, ample daylight, a highly efficient building envelope, high performance HVAC systems, and low water use fixtures and drought tolerant planting—weaving sustainable elements through all parts of the site, building, and design.
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