Northglenn, a Denver suburb, opens a net zero, all-electric city hall with a mass timber structure

Northglenn, Colo., a Denver suburb, has opened the new Northglenn City Hall—a net zero, fully electric building with a mass timber structure. The 32,600-sf, $33.7 million building houses 60 city staffers. Designed by Anderson Mason Dale Architects, Northglenn City Hall is set to become the first municipal building in Colorado, and one of the first in the country, to achieve the Core certification: a green building rating system overseen by the International Living Future Institute.

K-12 Schools

The importance of selecting healthy materials for K-12 projects

Clark Nexsen interior designers Anna Claire Beethoven and Brittney Just, CID, IIDA, LEED Green Associate, share why it is imperative to specify healthy building materials in K-12 schools.

Industrial Facilities

UK-based tire company plans to build the first carbon-neutral tire factory in the U.S.

ENSO, a U.K.-based company that makes tires for electric vehicles, has announced plans to build the first carbon-neutral tire factory in the U.S. The $500 million ENSO technology campus will be powered entirely by renewable energy. The first-of-its-kind tire factory aims to be carbon neutral without purchased offsets, using carbon-neutral raw materials and building materials.

Government Buildings

GSA posts new RFI for enabling energy efficiency, decarbonization in commercial buildings

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, recently released a new Request For Information (RFI) focused on enabling energy efficiency and decarbonization in commercial buildings. GSA wants to test innovative technologies through GSA’s Center for Emerging Building Technologies.

Rendering: Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES)

Dec 28, 2014

Using energy modeling to increase project value [AIA course]

This course, worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW, explores how to increase project value through energy modeling, as well as how to conduct quick payback and net present value studies to identify which energy strategies are most viable for the project.

Gilbane invested $60,000 to acquire its first 3D laser scanner, the FARO Focus 3

Dec 23, 2014

5 tech trends transforming BIM/VDC

From energy modeling on the fly to prefabrication of building systems, these advancements are potential game changers for AEC firms that are serious about building information modeling.

Renderings courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects

Dec 19, 2014

Zaha Hadid unveils dune-shaped HQ for Emirati environmental management company

Zaha Hadid Architects released designs for the new headquarters of Emirati environmental management company Bee’ah, revealing a structure that references the shape and motion of a sand dune.

Dec 18, 2014

International Parking Institute and Green Parking Council collaborate with GBCI

The new collaboration recognizes importance of sustainable parking facility design and management to the built environment.

Houston's Monarch School was named the K-12 school of the year. Photo: courtesy

Dec 17, 2014

USGBC announces 2014 Best of Green Schools honorees

Houston's Monarch School was named the K-12 school of the year, and Western Michigan University was honored as the top higher-ed institution, based on environmental programs and education efforts.

Photo courtesy Anthony92931/Wikimedia Commons

Dec 12, 2014

Dunkin’ Donuts launches certification for green restaurant buildings

The company aims to build 100 new DD Green-certified restaurants by the end of 2016.

Nov 25, 2014

Behnisch Architekten unveils design for energy-positive building in Boston

The multi-use building for Artists For Humanity that is slated to be the largest energy positive commercial building in New England.

Jerry Yudelson, President of the Green Building Initiative, with Grant Seiffert,

Nov 21, 2014

STEP Foundation, Green Building Initiative Team to Promote Building Sustainability

The STEP Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing technology industry benchmarks for sustainability practices in the built environment, and the Green Building Initiative, a nonprofit organization committed to accelerating the adoption of sustainable building practices, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

Nov 12, 2014

Six new members join LEED International Roundtable

The new additions, from India, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Kazakhstan, Hungary and Mexico, bring the total number of Roundtable members up to 37.