flexiblefullpage



billboard
interstitial1
catfish1

Once the project is completed, the building must be managed by someone, or it cannot live up to its full functionality. Owners and facility managers are the unsung heroes of many iconic works of architecture, making sure that buildings remain in good condition and are utilized to their fullest potential.

Education Facilities | Sep 16, 2024

Hot classrooms, playgrounds spur K-12 school districts to go beyond AC for cooling

With hotter weather occurring during the school year, school districts are turning to cooling strategies to complement air conditioning. Reflective playgrounds and roads, cool roofs and window films, shade structures and conversion of asphalt surfaces to a natural state are all being tried in various regions of the country. 

3D Printing | Sep 13, 2024

Swiss researchers develop robotic additive manufacturing method that uses earth-based materials—and not cement

Researchers at ETH Zurich, a university in Switzerland, have developed a new robotic additive manufacturing method to help make the construction industry more sustainable. Unlike concrete 3D printing, the process does not require cement.

Adaptive Reuse | Sep 12, 2024

White paper on office-to-residential conversions released by IAPMO

IAPMO has published a new white paper titled “Adaptive Reuse: Converting Offices to Multi-Residential Family,” a comprehensive analysis of addressing housing shortages through the conversion of office spaces into residential units.

Office Buildings | Sep 6, 2024

Fact sheet outlines benefits, challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings

A U.S. Dept. of Energy document discusses the benefits and challenges of thermal energy storage for commercial buildings. The document explains how the various types of thermal energy storage technologies work, where their installation is most beneficial, and some practical considerations around installations.

Office Buildings | Sep 5, 2024

Office space downsizing trend appears to be past peak

The office downsizing trend may be past its peak, according to a CBRE survey of 225 companies with offices in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Just 37% of companies plan to shrink their office space this year compared to 57% last year, the survey found.

Codes and Standards | Sep 3, 2024

Atlanta aims to crack down on blighted properties with new tax

A new Atlanta law is intended to crack down on absentee landlords including commercial property owners and clean up neglected properties. The “Blight Tax” allows city officials to put levies on blighted property owners up to 25 times higher than current millage rates.

Resiliency | Sep 3, 2024

Phius introduces retrofit standard for more resilient buildings

Phius recently released, REVIVE 2024, a retrofit standard for more resilient buildings. The standard focuses on resilience against grid outages by ensuring structures remain habitable for at least a week during extreme weather events.

Construction Costs | Sep 2, 2024

Construction material decreases level out, but some increases are expected to continue for the balance Q3 2024

The Q3 2024 Quarterly Construction Insights Report from Gordian examines the numerous variables that influence material pricing, including geography, global events and commodity volatility. Gordian and subject matter experts examine fluctuations in costs, their likely causes, and offer predictions about where pricing is likely to go from here. Here is a sampling of the report’s contents.

Adaptive Reuse | Aug 29, 2024

More than 1.2 billion sf of office space have strong potential for residential conversion

More than 1.2 billion sf of U.S. office space—14.8% of the nation’s total—have strong potential for conversion to residential use, according to real estate software and services firm Yardi. Yardi’s new Conversion Feasibility Index scores office buildings on their suitability for multifamily conversion.

Adaptive Reuse | Aug 28, 2024

Cities in Washington State will offer tax breaks for office-to-residential conversions

A law passed earlier this year by the Washington State Legislature allows developers to defer sales and use taxes if they convert existing structures, including office buildings, into affordable housing.

leaderboard1