Daylighting - Light Archives

Byron G. Rogers Federal Building: Denver, Colo.

Modernizing Denver’s 1960s-era Byron G. Rogers Federal Building capitalized on a decision made in 1850 by the original city planners to lay out the downtown streets at 45 degrees to the four cardinal points. Without considering the solar orientation, the design respected the street orientation and the result placed the main buildings facing southwest. While this is great for watching the sun set over the mountains, the building becomes a giant solar heat collector.

Biosciences Research Building: National University of Ireland, Galway

Natural ventilation is usually not the first technique considered when designing a research lab. But the National University of Ireland, Galway, built a highly energy efficient lab at a low cost using passive strategies as the cornerstone.

Brock Environmental Center: Virginia Beach, Va.

For buildings to withstand sea-level rise, coastline erosion, and hurricanes, they need to be built to work with nature, not against it. The Brock Environmental Center is a living example of how to minimize impact on the environment while being resilient to future challenges. The triple net zero building is the latest to receive Living Building Challenge certification and is the first in the U.S. to receive a permit for drinking rainwater treated to federal standards.

Roxbury E+ Townhomes: Boston

Conceived as a replicable prototype for family-friendly, energy-efficient urban townhomes, this four-unit project in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood is proving the possibilities for market-rate, high performance housing. Traditionally, highly sustainable housing has been designed on a custom basis, available to customers willing to pay the associated cost premium. This net positive energy project proves that sustainable housing can also be affordable for homeowners, make business sense for developers and help reinvigorate urban neighborhoods.

Bullitt Center: Seattle, Wash.

Learn how the Bullitt Center is pushing the bounds of sustainable design—and how tenant buy-in is contributing to lower than expected energy use.

New Orleans BioInnovation Center: New Orleans, LA

Recognizing that the most important product of a research lab is not chemicals, but insights and innovation, designers of the New Orleans BioInnovation Center sought to maximize human performance with daylight, views to nature, and places for reflection and collaboration.

Federal Center South Building 1202: Seattle, WA

The new home of the Seattle district headquarters of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers represents a transformation both for the occupants who work in it and for the high performing building industry.

Hollis Montessori School: Hollis, NH

At the Hollis Montessori School, the school environment is a teaching tool, so it made sense to build the first Passive House certified elementary school in the U.S.

Sherman Fairchild Laboratory: Cambridge, MA

Harvard University chose to breathe new life into the existing Sherman Fairchild Biochemistry Building as a case study to develop the laboratory of the future within an existing building.

Iowa Utilities Board and Office of Consumer Advocate: Des Moines, Iowa

When it comes to designing and operating high performing buildings, occupant behavior can be one of the hardest variables to predict and control.

Zero Net Energy Center: San Leandro, CA

What does it take to transform a typical 1980s suburban office building into a modern net zero energy showcase?

Outagamie County Regional Airport General Aviation Terminal: Appleton, WI

Airports are often the face of a community, the first and last impression for the traveling public.

Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF): Golden, CO

At NREL’s Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) in Golden, Colo., scientists and engineers work to overcome challenges related to how the nation generates, delivers and uses energy by modernizing the interplay between energy sources, infrastructure, and data.

Zero Energy Building @ BCA Academy: Singapore

When the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) in Singapore needed to retrofit its three-story building on the BCA Academy campus, it decided to try to make it a net zero energy building despite the challenge of doing so in a hot and humid tropical climate.

David & Lucile Packard Foundation Headquarters: Los Altos, CA

For the David & Lucile Packard Foundation, a headquarters that operated on a net zero energy basis wasn’t enough.

PNC Net Zero Bank Branch: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Solar panel canopies covering the ATM drive-through and pedestrian walkways at the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., PNC Bank branch are the first indication that this is no ordinary bank.

SIERR Building at McKinstry Station: Spokane, Wash.

Early in the 20th century, the Spokane and Inland Empire Rail Road (SIERR) Building serviced one of the most innovative modes of transportation ...

Gateway West Sustainable I: Brookfield, WI

As a developer of commercial building controls and automation systems, Environmental Systems Inc. wanted its new headquarters near Milwaukee, Wis., to showcase the potential energy and cost savings that can be achieved through high performance design and efficient operations.