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.

Office Buildings

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.

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.

All photos: Harunori Noda / courtesy CTBUH

Jul 10, 2014

BioSkin 'vertical sprinkler' named top technical innovation in high-rise design

BioSkin, a system of water-filled ceramic pipes that cools the exterior surface of buildings and their surrounding micro-climates, has won the 2014 Tall Building Innovation Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

Jul 10, 2014

New tool aggregates LEED project info for over 150 countries

The U.S. Green Building Council announced the launch of an expanded online data visualization resource that will allow any user to access aggregated LEED green building project information in the more than 150 countries with LEED projects.

Rubber floor tiles in 24x24-inch modules were water-jet cut to accommodate custo

Jul 2, 2014

Emerging trends in commercial flooring

Rectangular tiles, digital graphic applications, the resurgence of terrazzo, and product transparency headline today’s commercial flooring trends.

The winning design by Bart Shaw, AIA. Rendering courtesy of AIA.

Jun 30, 2014

4 design concepts that remake the urban farmer's market

The American Institute of Architects held a competition to solve the farmer's markets' biggest design dilemma: lightweight, bland canopies that although convenient, does not protect much from the elements.

The Interlace is a 1,040-unit apartment complex consisting of 31 apartment block

Jun 30, 2014

OMA's The Interlace honored as one of the world's most 'community-friendly' high-rises

The 1,040-unit apartment complex in Singapore has won the inaugural Urban Habitat award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which highlights projects that demonstrate a positive contribution to the surrounding environment.

Jun 19, 2014

First Look: 10 Design unveils new luxury apartments plan in Dubai

The Seventh Heaven complex features a stepped form that will offer stunning views of the Dubai skyline.

Jun 19, 2014

Singapore's 'Tree House' vertical gardens break Guinness World Record

The high-rise development will have a 24,638-sf vertical garden, breaking a Guinness World Record.

Jun 18, 2014

Largest Passive House structure in the U.S. to be built in Oregon

Orchards at Orenco, a 57-unit affordable housing complex in Hillsboro, Oregon, is the first of a three-phase, three-building complex.

Jun 12, 2014

SmithGroup finishes 100th LEED-certified project

With the construction of the LEED-NC Platinum Oakland University Human Health Building, constructed in Rochester, Michigan, SmithGroupJJR recently achieved its 100th LEED certified project.