Articles

In the developed world, mechanical systems such as perimeter heating, compensate for shortcomings in envelope performance to provide a thermally comfortable environment. However, with an increased interest in maximizing energy efficiency and façade transparency, as well as providing healthy spaces for occupants, this model is due for reconsideration.

The open-plan office spaces now ubiquitous across many industries are a source of annoyance for some people, especially those who prefer freedom from distractions, and for those who want to control their interactions with others. Generally speaking, research suggests that people in open-plan offices are less happy with their workspaces overall, and may be more likely to call in sick.

The philosophy of “form follows function” guided architecture for much of the 20th century. Now, even in a time when building performance is being scrutinized as never before, architects and developers are paying a great deal of attention to buildings’ form. Building science often is cloaked in a great deal of art.

Kurgo Dog Products repurposed its existing warehouse, shipping containers, wood logged in the 1800s, and even an old canoe to create its new dog-friendly HQ.

As the 2016-17 season for the National Football League opens, sustainability is increasingly becoming an important player in the on-field experience for the teams and their fans. Implementing and promoting sustainable features in stadiums is also a way for team and stadium ownership to save money and generate goodwill in an environment where stadium-building costs are skyrocketing and often, local taxpayers have to foot a least part of the bill.

Buildings are increasingly no longer just containers for life. Through technology, buildings are gaining lives of their own. With the amount of data that can be accessed about everything from occupancy, to airflow rates, to energy use, it is almost as if buildings are nearing sentience. And, as in science-fiction accounts of inanimate things achieving sentience, it spreads rapidly.

The Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) SkyLab, the world’s first high-rise rotatable laboratory for the tropics, and the Academic Tower, a dedicated experiential learning facility and living lab for the built environment sector, opened in recent ceremonies at the BCA Academy in Singapore.

The Renwick Gallery was built in 1859, and in the 1960s Jacqueline Kennedy led a successful campaign to restore the building’s use as a museum. Fast forward to the 21st century and the building’s comprehensive two-year renovation program significantly reconfigured building mechanical space to address improved access for maintenance, while reducing energy and water use.

Wood is increasingly being touted as a viable building material for tall towers. In fact, a “race” of sorts is under way as the title of “World’s Tallest Wooden Skyscraper” changes hands among new buildings around the world.

A primary driver of—and deterrent to—green building is “green.” Money. As in most other ventures, costs and benefits are key factors in the decision to build sustainable, high-performance buildings.