DURHAM, NC – Duke Law School’s new Star Commons has been recognized for its highly sustainable design and operations, receiving LEED certification from the US Green Building Council. The light-filled Star Commons is highly energy-efficient, with vapor barriers for heat conservation and high-performance glazing. Great care was taken to recycle a high percentage of construction debris from the project, which also emphasized the use of materials low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The 4,000 s.f. Commons was part of a larger addition and renovation project for the law school, which included a renovation of ...[more]

The Lovett School’s Portman Middle School in Atlanta has received LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council in recognition of the school’s highly sustainable design and construction.

The project’s highly sustainable attributes include a green roof, which features an outdoor classroom and demonstration garden for water harvesting; a water collection and recycling program; the use of rapidly renewable materials; the recycling of construction waste; and a “Building Dashboard.” In addition to its LEED Gold certification, the project has earned an Energy Star rating from the US Environmental Protection Agency and ...[more]

As architects, making a positive environmental impact means being more than responsive to project needs: it means being active and deliberate in developing and applying research to make better, more energy-efficient buildings.

An important component of sustainability is the reduction of energy consumption. After all, less energy used translates to less fuel burned, which results in fewer emissions of global warming gases. In addition, less demand for energy results in a need for fewer power plants (whether coal burning or nuclear plants, or even photovoltaic arrays or windmills), using fewer natural resources for construction.

At ...[more]

ATLANTA, GA – The Portman Family Middle School was dedicated at The Lovett School today in a ceremony that drew attention to the school’s commitment to environmental stewardship. From the building’s design and operations to its students’ curriculum, sustainability is integrated throughout the 75,000 s.f. school, which opened for classes in September.

The facility provides sixth through eighth grade students with a technology-rich learning environment, including science labs, a computer lab, art and drama studios, collaborative study rooms, and a 500-seat multi-purpose room.

The school’s garden roof is an interactive learning space, with native plantings ...[more]

A prime concern in the renovation of Gallatin Hall was the preservation of existing exterior masonry while ensuring the building’s energy efficiency. The masonry had behaved consistently through the freeze/thaw cycles of the previous 80 years, and we were concerned that complying with modern energy codes and LEED standards could have an adverse effect by moving the location of the dew point. Using energy modeling programs, we were able to determine that with 1” thick spray foam insulation, we could achieve an exterior wall assembly with an R-Value of 6 that didn’t drastically move the dew point from ...[more]

NORTHBORO, MA – Saint-Gobain marked the completion of the expansion of the firm’s largest international research center in Northboro, Massachusetts, with a ceremony on July 30 attended by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and company executives from around the world.

The $15 million R&D facility, which broke ground a year ago, provides 60,000 square feet of new lab, office and meeting space for 200 scientists and engineers involved in cutting-edge research into building materials, plastics, ceramics, and abrasives, as well as the development of state-of-the-art technology to promote energy efficiency in buildings. The Northboro site is the largest of Saint-Gobain’s four worldwide research centers.

The facility, which is targeting LEED Gold certification, ...[more]

WASHINGTON, DC – Sherman Hospital has received a $956,000 award from the US Department of Energy for its geothermal lake at the hospital’s new campus in Elgin, Illinois. The hospital is scheduled to open at the end of the year. In announcing the receipt of the award today, Sherman president and CEO Rick Floyd said, “Sherman Health is honored to receive this award… Our lake is environmentally sound, and we look forward to supporting green energy initiatives in our community and throughout the country.”

The award was funded through the FY08 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, and was designated as one of 117 congressionally directed projects within the Department’s Office ...[more]

The Brody Learning Commons at Johns Hopkins University, which has been packed since its doors opened last August, has something big to celebrate this week: LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council. It’s the first new construction on the school’s Homewood campus to earn this distinction.

The Learning Commons’ sustainable strategies include:

Managing solar gain: Heat gain and loss from the glass curtain wall system was combated by high-performance glass, automated interior shades, and perimeter (hydronic) heating and cooling.
Energy efficiency: While the under-floor air distribution system ...[more]