Colleges and universities that are looking for ways to improve energy efficiency and resulting cost savings are realizing that some habits start from the ground up, as discussed in “How to achieve a tight building envelope,”� which appears in the June 2012 issue of College Planning & Management.

In the article, Jonathan Baron talks about the value to owners of investing in building component mock-ups and building commissioning, as well as the importance of evaluating the compatibility of different materials used in creating the building envelope.

Jonathan’s remarks on building ...[more]

As a response to the ongoing quest to reduce energy consumption, chilled beams are experiencing a surge in popularity, according to “Chill Out: A look at passive and active chilled-beam systems,” which appears in the current issue of eco-structure magazine. In the article, Shepley Bulfinch’s Jonathan Baron discusses the importance of understanding a building’s thermal dynamics and the environments for which chilled beam systems are best suited.

In his interview with writer Judith Stock, Jonathan talks about strategies for addressing potential condensation issues, as well as the need for close coordination with ...[more]

Who says building science can’t be a competitive sport? Shepley Bulfinch, which has set the standard for building enclosure design for more than a decade, came out on top in the Air Barrier Challenge organized by the Boston Society of Architects’ (BSA) Building Enclosure Council to design and test a window installation in a wall.

Shepley Bulfinch fielded one of nine teams from architecture firms, consultants, and manufacturers’ representatives in last month’s competition. The goal was for each team to design and install a successful window-to-wall interface, perhaps the most ...[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]

ELGIN, IL – The innovative geothermal system at Sherman Hospital, now under construction in Elgin, Illinois, is drawing national and regional press attention this month.

The operational and economic value of the geothermal system, as well as the technology behind it, are discussed in July’s Healthcare Design feature, “Running Hot and Cold”, by Shepley Bulfinch Principal Jonathan Gyory. Shorter pieces have run in the Chicago Tribune and other regional press.

The project is the world’s largest geothermal hospital project currently under construction. The 154-acre site includes a 15-acre manmade lake with a geothermal “net” at the bottom. Installation of the geothermal system, which carried a first-cost price tag of $4.5 million when ...[more]

ELGIN, IL – Sherman Hospital celebrated the mid-December opening of its new campus with a gala event last night., where Sherman administrators, community leaders, donors, and architects celebrated the imminent completion of the hospital.

The hospital is hosting community tours today. The ‘Tree of Life”, in the atrium (pictured here), and hospital’s 15-acre geothermal lake, are among the features that visitors will see. The use of the geothermal lake is expected to save the hospital $1 million annually over conventional heating and cooling costs.