Building Design & Construction articles from July 2008

Building Design & Construction archives from July 2008

gkkworks designs $73 million California high school.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern An existing, three-story steel frame from a discarded medical center project provides a portion of the structural support for a planned $73 million high school in Granada Hills, Calif., designed by gkkworks...

Future central business district planned for Abu Dhabi.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern Goettsch Partners, Chicago, has been commissioned by Mubadala Development Company of Abu Dhabi to design the 3.1-million-sf Sowwah Square in Abu Dhabi, recently dubbed by the city's framework plan as its...

Health insurance company going green with Providence headquarters.
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern Designed by Symmes Maini & McKee Associates of Cambridge, Mass., and currently under construction by Dimeo Construction of Providence, R.I., the new Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island headquarters is...

Nanotech lab under way in Portugal.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern Plano, Texas-based M+W Zander is designing a nanotechnology center on the campus of the University of Minho in Braga, Portugal, for the Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory. Straying from traditional research...

Nonprofit organization's headquarters to give downtown Newark a boost.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern Downtown Newark, N.J.'s redevelopment efforts will get a boost with the expected 2009 completion of the 44,000-sf headquarters of one of the area's largest nonprofit community organizations. The two-story,...

Luxury hotel-condo towers under construction in Bal Harbour, Fla.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern Vertical construction has begun on the three all-glass towers that will comprise the St. Regis Resort & Residences in Bal Harbour, Fla. The 2 million-sf oceanfront towers, designed by South Miami's Sieger...

Florida school seeking LEED Gold.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern The School District of Indian River County, Fla., will welcome the addition of North County Middle School "BB" in 2009, a $37 million, 167,500-sf complex in Vero Beach designed by SchenkelShultz Architecture...

Office towers set to join Kuwait City skyline.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern The Kuwait City skyline will welcome two distinct additions by 2010, when the Kuwait Business Town Towers, designed by KEO International Consultants, Safat, Kuwait, open. The $108 million project will feature...

Beware of hype on the value of green buildings.
July 1, 2008... Robert Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief Two new reports on the investment value of green buildings raise some concerns about green hype. The first found that "rents for green offices are about 2% higher than rents for comparable buildings located...

Strong natural lighting system.
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern Wall system combines Kalwall's Translucent Window System with Centria's three-inch Formawall Dimension Series insulated metal wall panels, creating a strong, lightweight wall that provides diffused daylight,...

Water-based fire suppressant.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern Traditional CO2 fire suppressant systems in special-hazard environments have proven to pose environmental and health concerns, resulting in a push for water-based systems. The Ansul Aquasonic water-atomizing...

Rainscreen-based façade system saves aesthetics.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern Hunter Douglas Contract has introduced a line of façades based on the principles of the rainscreen system, which reduces energy consumption and prevents water damage by using a double wall, or...

Get a door in four weeks.
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern The new STC 43 Sound Control Door and Frame system from the collaboration of Ingersoll Rand's Steelcraft division and Overly Doors Co. establishes a new lead-time benchmark for STC 43-rated openings. By...

Government Report.
July 1, 2008... Staff Only single-digit growth for government building projects Construction spending for government buildings, excluding housing, education, and healthcare, expanded an estimated 18% in the fiscal year ending June 2008--a slight...

Healthcare Report.
July 1, 2008... Staff Healthcare finally feeling the pinch from sluggish economy Healthcare construction spending increased just 6% during the last 12 months but is expected to resume expanding at a 10%-plus pace in 2009. Healthcare starts,...

Hotel Report.
July 1, 2008... Staff Destination boom keeps outlook bright for hospitality market Hotel construction just keeps booming. Job site spending has more than quadrupled since the beginning of 2004 and is 42% above a year ago. However, Reed...

K-12 Schools Report.
July 1, 2008... Staff High schools, K-5 facilities lead the growth in K-12 sector High schools led the growth in K-12 construction spending during the last year with peak enrollment now in the 10th grade. Middle school construction spending fell 15%....

53,341 LEED APs and Counting.
July 1, 2008... Lenora Jane Estes During the past year, more than 13,300 design and construction professionals in the U.S. earned their green stripes by becoming accredited through the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Accredited Professionals program....

Mixed-Use Report.(Company rankings)
July 1, 2008... Staff Top 20 mixed-use design firms (2007 billings in $ millions) ---------------------------------------------- Company Billings 1. Arup 154.00 2....

Multifamily Report.
July 1, 2008... Staff Job site spending for apartment, condominium projects dips 15% Multifamily housing starts are 6% above a year ago, but job site construction spending is down 15%. This discrepancy comes from builders having slowed construction...

Office Sector Report.
July 1, 2008... Staff Office construction spending forecast for growth through 2009 The office sector is the strongest commercial market because the rollover of leases negotiated in 2001-03 kept office rental rates rising 4-5% early in 2008. ...

Reconstruction Report.(Statistical table)
July 1, 2008... Staff Top 20 reconstruction design firms (2007 bill- ings in $ millions) ----------------------------------------------- Company Billings 1. Jacobs Engineering Group 786.97...

University Report.
July 1, 2008... Staff Higher ed sector still strong, but double-digit growth may end Higher education construction spending is currently 18% higher than a year ago, but the year-to-year gain will slide down to near 10% for most of 2008-09. Public...

Green Power.
July 1, 2008... By C.C. Sullivan and Barbara Horwitz-Bennett Sustainable Building Techniques and Technologies There are many ways to be green, but three energy-related technologies stand out for their potential to positively impact the planet. As...

Survey says contractors are connected, secure.
July 1, 2008... By Jeff Yoders, Senior Associate Editor More owners and executives of construction firms are using information technology to stay connected to their work, improve security, and manage their projects than they did two years ago, according...

Abandoned warehouse turned into LEED Gold boathouse, office complex.(Group Mackenzie)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Lenora Jane Estes, Editorial Intern A former warehouse on Portland's Willamette River, which was redeveloped as RiverEast Center, has been awarded LEED Gold certification. The team of architects and engineers at Group Mackenzie...

Omniplan completes second phase of Watermark Church master plan.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Lenora Jane Estes, Editorial Intern Architecture firm Omniplan completed phase two construction of a 2,100-seat worship center for Watermark Community Church in Dallas. The expansion will accommodate worship services on an 11.5-acre...

Minnesota energy headquarters seeks LEED Platinum.(Perkins and Will Inc)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Lenora Jane Estes, Editorial Intern Architecture firm Perkins+Will's Minneapolis office recently completed a new corporate headquarters for Great River Energy in Minnesota. The four-story, 166,000-sf building is being registered for...

Green River Community College celebrates science and sustainability through design.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Lenora Jane Estes, Editorial Intern The Marv Nelson Science Learning Center, designed by DLR Group, Omaha, Neb., and Seattle-based S.M. Stemper, is one of the latest additions to Green River Community College in Auburn, Wash. Built to...

Milwaukee Intermodal Station receives Mayor's Urban Design Award.
July 1, 2008... By Lenora Jane Estes, Editorial Intern Mayor Tom Barrett honored the Milwaukee Intermodal Station, designed by Greg Uhen of Eppstein Uhen Architects, Milwaukee, with a 2007 Mayor's Urban Design Award in the "Best Face Forward" category....

Seismic design experts assess earthquake building codes for high-rise structures.
July 1, 2008... Lenora Jane Estes, Editorial Intern The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat announced in Dubai that current codes of practice around the world are inadequate for the seismic design of tall buildings and has called for a more...

News Briefs.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Staff - Despite $4 billion in upgrades, U.S. embassies are still not secure. Despite an intensive $4 billion drive to protect U.S. embassies against violence, at least 150 American missions abroad still fall short of security standards put...

Excitement brews as Dunkin' Donuts goes green.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Lenora Jane Estes Dunkin' Donuts, the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world, broke ground in May and aims to open its first LEED Gold-certified restaurant in St. Petersburg, Fla., in September. Designed by Oliveri...

Clarification.(Correction notice)
July 1, 2008... Staff In our April 2008 story on Rice University's bathroom pods (p. 12), we neglected to mention the architecture firms that were responsible for designing the modular bathroom units for the student residence halls. The design team...

Letters.(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2008... Staff There's more to getting joint-use schools right Congratulation to the design teams and communities that have worked so hard together to realize the benefits of joint-use K-12 facilities (BD+C June 2008, p. 32). One of the key...

Alaska high school finds natural feel in panels.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern Robert Service High School in Anchorage, Alaska, is named after the famous poet and author who wrote of the wilderness and wonder of the area in the early 20th century. When the school district renovated the...

Modular method gets facility up in a hurry.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern DaVita Inc., the largest independent provider of renal dialysis services in the U.S., decided the growing region around LaGrange, Ky., northeast of Louisville, would be an ideal opportunity to expand its...

Gas station turns to LED.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... By Sam Oches, Editorial Intern In order to make his gas station more attractive to customers, Tom Tousis, owner of the Better Day BP gas station in Racine, Wis., wanted to provide a well-lit outdoor area for a safer feel as patrons fueled...

Architects.
July 1, 2008... Staff [TABLE OMITTED]

Architect/Engineers.
July 1, 2008... Staff [TABLE OMITTED]

Engineers.
July 1, 2008... Staff [TABLE OMITTED]

Engineer/Architects.
July 1, 2008... Staff [TABLE OMITTED]

Contractors.
July 1, 2008... Staff [TABLE OMITTED]

Construction Managers.
July 1, 2008... Staff [TABLE OMITTED]

Index.
July 1, 2008... Staff Adolfson & Peterson Construction C 68 AECOM Technology Corp. EA 3 Affiliated Engineers E 6 Alberici Corp. C 41 Albert Kahn Associates AE 44 Alter Construction Group CM 15 Anshen+Allen A 17 ...

Giants 300 Methodology.(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Staff BD+C 's annual Giants 300 list consists of U.S. firms that designed or constructed the largest volume of commercial, institutional, industrial, and multifamily residential buildings in 2007. Each spring, the editors survey the...

'You can't dump Western models on Chinese soil'.(Interview)
July 1, 2008... Staff Gary Lawrence is a principal with Arup's Seattle office and the firm's global leader for sustainable urban development. Previously, he served as city manager of Redmond, Wash., and planning director of Seattle, where he led the...