The University of New Mexico’s Science & Mathematics Learning Center in Albuquerque was dedicated on March 4, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and building tour. University Regent Carolyn Abeita and President David Schmidly were joined by political and community leaders and senior administrators for the event.

“I’m very excited to see the vision of the Center come to life,” said Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Brenda Claiborne. “Not only does the center provide fully equipped teaching labs and classrooms aimed at engaging freshmen and sophomores in science and mathematics, but it ...[more]

Eckstein Hall, the new home to Marquette University’s Law School, has received LEED Silver certification from the US Green Building Council just months after the building’s completion.

Marquette and the project team were committed to constructing an energy-efficient building and receiving LEED certification.

“As we began the process of designing Eckstein Hall, our first priority was to build a facility that would enable us to provide an exceptional legal education,” said Joseph D. Kearney, dean of the Law School. “But as we began talking to alumni, students, and others, it ...[more]

Construction is now underway for the new residence hall and dining complex for Xavier University in Cincinnati. With 535 beds in four residence halls, the 240,000 s.f. project will have a dramatic impact in alleviating significant overcrowding and constraints the university has faced in its on-campus student housing. Its 800-seat dining center will replace Xavier’s existing Hoff Marketplace. A green terrace on the dining hall roof will provide recreation space for students. The location of the complex at the heart of the campus puts students close to the student ...[more]

Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven Hospital and Sherman Hospital are among five healthcare facilities recognized for their environmentally responsive design in “Code Green: Examining the Prognosis for Sustainability in Healthcare,” in the August issue of Eco-Structure magazine.

Sherman Hospital opened its new healthcare campus in Elgin, Illinois, in December. The hospital’s 15-acre geothermal lake, which is expected to save the hospital more than $1 million annually over conventional heating and cooling costs, was a creative response that began with the need to manage storm water runoff for the 15-acre site and ...[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]

There’s been a lot of discussion lately about changes to LEED. Are new credentialing requirements too complicated and cumbersome? Are the efforts of the USGBC to focus on energy efficiency in the new version of LEED enough to ensure green buildings are truly green? Everyone seems to be waiting to see what changes recently introduced by the USGBC mean for the future of LEED. Let’s step aside from all of that for a moment and look an outside influence that may be more important.

A draft of the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) ...[more]

Shepley Bulfinch was one of 30 charter firms to sign up for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2030 Commitment Program, which was launched today at the AIA National Convention in San Francisco. The national initiative targets carbon neutrality in the built environment.

Shepley Bulfinch and other firms are working with the AIA to address the fact that buildings are the largest single contributor to the production of greenhouse gases. The AIA 2030 Commitment’s signatories make a pledge, develop multi-year action plans, and implement steps to advance the AIA’s goal of carbon neutral buildings by the year 2030.

Being among the first firms to sign up for the AIA 2030 Commitment is ...[more]