Environmental Design & Construction articles from October 2007

Environmental Design & Construction archives from October 2007

It's time for a truly Sustainable Facility.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
October 1, 2007... We've all heard the horror stories of poorly executed "green" buildings: Improperly maintained waterless urinals, unused occupancy sensors, adhesives full of VOCs on no-VOC carpet tiles, building envelopes that are just too tight, unnecessary...

Cost and benefits of LEED?(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)
October 1, 2007... Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on the excellent job you are doing as editor of ED+C. I have been receiving ED+C for many years and always look forward to reading the latest information on mainstream sustainable design and...

EPA announces Green Building design competition winners.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2007... San Francisco -- During a ceremony at the West Coast Green Conference, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator announced winners of the inaugural Lifecycle Building Challenge competition. The Lifecycle Building Challenge...

LEED awards innovation points for carbon neutral materials and certified products.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2007... Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced that projects seeking certification under the LEED Green Building Rating System can now earn an "Innovation in Design" point by using building products and materials that...

BNP media acquires professional services division of ascend media.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2007... Troy, Mich. -- Environmental Design + Construction magazine's parent company, BNP Media, announced the acquisition of the Professional Services Division of Ascend Media, which includes the Food, Beverage and Packaging Group and the Gaming Group...

NIST releases updated Green Building software.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2007... Gaithersburg, Md. -- The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability version 4 (BEES 4.0). The new version of NIST's software tool for selecting environmentally...

Survey shows green construction costs dramatically lower than believed.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2007... New York -- Key players in real estate and construction misjudge the costs and benefits of green buildings, a new study by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) reports. Respondents to a 1,400 person global survey...

Bi-Annual ISH North America show announces staffing changes.(NEWSLINE)(Jimmy Mouton)(Scott Easton)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Atlanta -- Two key staff members have been added to manage ISH North America, which takes place Oct. 1-3, 2008, in Atlanta. Jimmy Mouton brings extensive knowledge of trade events to his role as show manager. Scott Easton has been a trade show...

Material connexion, MBDC and EPEA announce partnership.(NEWSLINE)(McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry L.L.C.)(Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... New York -- Material ConneXion, Inc., McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC (MBDC) and the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA) announced a collaboration to create a global platform for developing innovative sustainable...

Eco alternative team captures 1st place.(NEWSLINE)(DLR Group)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Minneapolis -- DLR Group's Eco Alternative team met all 10 design objectives to take first place in a regional green competition sponsored by the USGBC. The USGBC's challenge was to create a buildable project that provides access to the...

LEED compliant forest products.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2007... St. Albert, Alberta -- Panel Source International (PSI) announced that it has entered into a distribution contract with McKillican American Inc. and McKillican Canadian Inc. The schedule calls for the two McKillican companies to stock the...

SFI names new chief executive.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2007... Arlington, Va. -- The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) has announced the appointment of Kathy Abusow as president and chief executive officer. Headquartered in Arlington, Va., the SFI is a forest certification program created to ensure...

CDC building 110 receives LEED gold certification.(NEWSLINE)(United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)(leadership in energy and environmental design)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Atlanta -- The Center for Disease Control & Prevention Environmental Health Laboratory Building 110 recently received LEED Gold certification. Among the sustainable practices were water-efficient landscaping, reduced site disturbance, and...

Pentagon Library and Conference Center honored.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2007... Washington, D.C. -- The Pentagon's new Library and Conference Center was named Best 2007 Rehabilitation/Renovation/Restoration Project by the National Capital Chapter of the Design-Build Institute of America. This honor recognizes the project...

LEED certification for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.(NEWSLINE)(leadership in energy and environmental design)(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Irvine and Pasadena, Calif. -- LPA, Inc. announced that the Jet Propulsion Lab oratory (JPL) has been designed to meet the LEED benchmarks. The Flight Projects Center will host a variety of environmentally-friendly features includ ing ENERGY...

New Orinda city hall offers innovative green features.(NEWSLINE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Emeryville, Calif. -- The new administrative office building for the City of Orinda received recognition during the 2007 ENERGY STAR Challenge for expected low energy consumption from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The...

Solar roof dedicated at Frederick C. Murphy Federal Center.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2007... Canton, Mass. -- Sika Sarnafil Inc. announced the dedication of the solar electric roof at the Frederick C. Murphy Federal Center. The new integrated system aims to provide watertight protection for the building contents and produce up to 50...

Clark Nexsen project receives Silver LEED certification.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2007... Norfolk, Va. -- Two new barracks buildings for the U.S. Army Europe at Camp Ederle in Vicenza, Italy, recently achieved a LEED Silver certification from the USGBC. The buildings were designed to consume 37 percent less energy than typical...

New + notable.
October 1, 2007... BREATHABLE, BIODEGRADABLE WALLCOVERING 1 New York -- Valencia embraces the traditional look of raffia but is made from 100 percent cellulose fibers. Valencia is breathable, biodegradable and made from sustainable, plant-based materials,...

Enter the 2008 Excellence in Design awards.
October 1, 2007... ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN + CONSTRUCTION MAGAZINE IS SEEKING COMPLETED PROJECT ENTRIES FOR THE SIXTH-ANNUAL EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AWARDS. BUILDINGS MUST CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO GREEN BUILDING AND SUSTAINABLE DESIGN. [ILLUSTRATION...

Greenbuild: what's your idea?(GREENBUILD)
October 1, 2007... This year's Greenbuild conference and expo should prove to be full of ideas, because it's expected to be the largest ever! More than 20,000 people from all over the world will descend on Chicago for three days of outstanding educational...

ED+C and others sponsor Greenguard pub night.(GREENBUILD)
October 1, 2007... GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) will be hosting its 4th Annual Pub Night at Greenbuild 2007 in Chicago. Please drop by Fado's Irish Pub (100 West Grand Avenue) on Wed., Nov. 7 from 6-9 p.m. and enjoy traditional Irish music, great food...

Don't miss these products at Greenbuild 2007.(GREENBUILD)
October 1, 2007... HEMP CARPET PRODUCTS City of Industry, Calif. -- The Hemp Collection from Bentley Prince Street is hip and eco-conscious while being beautiful in style and feel, the company reports. Five hemp patterns are available for a variety of...

Sustainability meets security: balancing worker health, environmental stewardship, historic preservation and life-safety at the Pentagon.
October 1, 2007... RECONNAISSANCE One hundred sixty-thousand square feet of green roof, cork floors, bamboo wall coverings, construction waste recycling, sustainably harvested wood and a Universal Space Plan (USP) within 6.5 million square feet and 17.5...

2007 excellence in design awards: government category.(EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AWARDS)
October 1, 2007... Gwinnett County has been one of the fastest growing counties in the country. Recognizing that this growth would place tremendous strain on water resources, county officials created the Gwinnett Environmental + Heritage Center (GEHC) to improve...

Greening the government from the top down: green roofs top several federal agencies in Washington, D.C.
October 1, 2007... The greening of the government has been underway for nearly 10 years, but the latest trend is to start with the roof. Several federal agency headquarters in Washington, D.C., now have or will soon receive green roofs. [ILLUSTRATION...

Reinvesting in the nation's architectural legacy; LEED-certified Howard M. Metzenbaum U.S. Courthouse exemplifies restoration success.(REINVESTING IN ARCHITECTURAL LEGACY)
October 1, 2007... The reuse of community assets, for instance the recycling of an existing structure, can be a key strategy in green building design. The application of sustainable design principles while pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design...

Army green: not just for camouflage anymore.
October 1, 2007... You might not expect the United States Army to employ sustainable construction practices. But in fact, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) adopted the LEED Green Building Rating System in 2002. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The military...

National Guard targets green: innovative design at the new Army Aviation Support Facility blends function and aesthetics while achieving a sustainable goal.
October 1, 2007... Located along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, the Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF) ties its styling and material makeup to the physics of aerodynamics, the craft of constructing and maintaining aircraft, as well as the regional...

Environmental correctional facility design: the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, N.C., became the first federal prison project to earn LEED certification.
October 1, 2007... When the need for a new federal correctional facility arose, the Federal Bureau of Prisons decided to focus on improving building performance and minimizing environmental impact. As a result, Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) #3 in Butner,...

Justice for the environment: new juvenile detention and court facility highlights government leadership in Green Building; Alameda county facility offers integrated services to at-risk youth.
October 1, 2007... In the late 1990s, Alameda County, Calif., government leaders decided to consolidate youth services with the goal of providing an integrated therapeutic environment for the community's at-risk population. Replacing an aging, seismically...

Mission critical facility goes green, below budget: state of Oregon central computer facility infuses daylighting and sustainability into a LEED silver processing center.(CASE STUDY)
October 1, 2007... The State of Oregon's Central Computer Facility in Salem, Ore., consolidates 12 independent data centers into one that is highly reliable and available, with greater security and redundant infrastructure to support data processing. There are...

Gut decision: many owners incorporate green despite lack of cost and performance data.(STUDIO)
October 1, 2007... With approximately 900 LEED-certified projects in the United States, sustainable design and construction professionals (and more importantly, our clients) would assume that quantifiable evidence is mounting to support the argument that...

AIA: cap greenhouse gas emissions.(STUDIO)
October 1, 2007... AIA POSITION The built environment is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated in the United States. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) believes that the threat of climate change is real and that government...

New media will transform your business.(GUEST COLUMN)
October 1, 2007... We understand. You are overwhelmed with information and nonstop technology. Every day you are bombarded with options. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You need help. As a customer-focused media company, we are committed to delivering information...

Energy Star products.(PRODUCT FOCUS)
October 1, 2007... ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices. According to...

Soy-based alternatives.(PRODUCT PROFILE)
October 1, 2007... The United Soybean Board (USB) released the findings of a study that shows while American consumers' knowledge of biobased products is weak, their interest is strong. The nationwide research conducted by NuStats for USB also found that the...

Why FSC? And why should the Green Building community care?
October 1, 2007... One of the most powerful forces in dictating the pace of forest destruction and mismanagement is the marketplace (both legal and illegal) for timber products. Yet most conservation tools and approaches work outside or at odds with the forest...

How FSC certification actually works; why certification translates into trusted value in the marketplace.
October 1, 2007... Under the FSC system there are two types of certifications--forest management and chain-of-custody. Forest management certification applies to the actual forestland. This certification applies the FSC Principles and Criteria (the...

FAQ's about FSC and Leed.(Interview)
October 1, 2007... Many architects and builders are using FSC-certified wood in their projects as a means of demonstrating their own commitment to the environment. The LEED Green Building Rating System and other types of green building programs around the country...

The designing + building with FSC Award: advancing forest conservation through recognizing outstanding use of FSC-certified wood building products.
October 1, 2007... Last November, FSC-US awarded HKP Architects, based in Mount Vernon, Wash., with its second annual Designing + Building with FSC Award for its work on the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center in Diablo Lake, Wash. The Designing +...

FSC house demonstrates Green Building with certified wood, on display at Greenbuild.
October 1, 2007... Portland, Ore. -- The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) House project has been developed by Forest Products Solutions to provide homebuilders, architects, developers, remodelers, homeowners and other building professionals with a venue to learn...

Environmental performance throughout Lifespan[TM].(INFORMATIONshowcase)
October 1, 2007... Fletcher Wood Solutions (FWS), headquartered in Annapolis, Md., is a part of the Tenon Limited group of companies. FWS operates pine-manufacturing facilities in Taupo, New Zealand, and is the largest manufacturer of defect-free radiata pine...

FSC flooring in new England hardwood species.(INFORMATIONshowcase)
October 1, 2007... HomeGrown Wood[TM] introduces FSC-certified hardwood flooring eligible for multiple LEED credits. Seven native hardwood species are quality tongue-and-groove milled with character effects to reveal the beauty of the native forest. All the wood...

FSC-certified Fire-Retardant Lumber.(INFORMATIONshowcase)
October 1, 2007... Sterritt Lumber Co. is one of the largest stocking distributors of FSC-certified Dricon Fire Retardant Lumber in Plywood in the USA. Only Urea formaldehyde-free panels are used and all thickness and grades are available for immediate shipment....

Unique collections of hardwood flooring.(INFORMATIONshowcase)
October 1, 2007... Model Hardwood Inc. is specialized in the production of prefinished hardwood flooring. The company offers distinctive collections and a wide choice of vibrant colors to create a contemporary trend-setting decor. Model has taken steps to be...

FSC hardwood flooring and lumber.(INFORMATIONshowcase)
October 1, 2007... With 22 million acres of forest land under FSC-certified management, Tembec is the largest producer of FSC-certified forest products in the world. We produce: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * FSC-certified softwood lumber * TemProFJ -...

Beauty with a conscience[TM].(INFORMATIONshowcase)
October 1, 2007... Kahrs' Swedish engineered wood flooring performs! We perform in places like Dubai, the Caribbean, China, Scandinavia, India, Canada, the United States, South America and Europe. We perform in hotels, condos, retail, schools, airports and...