Greenbuild 2013 Report - BD+C Exclusive

As the AEC industry braces for the changes posed by LEED v4, we examine the state of sustainable design and construction through an exclusive BD+C trends survey and analysis of green building in nine key building sectors.

Architecture firm trends

Exclusive survey: Architects balance ideals, skepticism regarding green strategies

Architects are seeking affirmation that the complex array of programs, systems, and tools at their disposal actually do result in more sustainable buildings, according to a recent survey of architects by Building Design+Construction. Read the article.

Healthcare sector

LEED for Healthcare offers new paths to green

LEED for Healthcare debuted in spring 2011, and certifications are now beginning to roll in. They include the new Puyallup (Wash.) Medical Center and the W.H. and Elaine McCarty South Tower at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas in Austin. Read the article.

Data centers

Facebook, Telus push the limits of energy efficiency with new data centers

Building Teams are employing a range of creative solutions—from evaporative cooling to novel hot/cold-aisle configurations to heat recovery schemes—in an effort to slash energy and water demand. Read the article.

Government/military sector

Government work keeps green AEC firms busy

With the economy picking up, many stalled government contracts are reaching completion and earning their green credentials. Read the article.

Multifamily sector

Net-zero bellwether demonstrates extreme green, multifamily style

The 10-unit zHome in Issaquah Highlands, Wash., is the nation’s first net-zero multifamily project, as certified this year by the International Living Future Institute. Read the article.

Higher education sector

Halls of ivy keep getting greener and greener

Academic institutions have been testing the limits of energy-conserving technologies, devising new ways to pay for sustainability extras, and extending sustainability to the whole campus. Read the article.

K-12 schools sector

Net-zero movement gaining traction in U.S. schools market

As more net-zero energy schools come online, school officials are asking: Is NZE a more logical approach for school districts than holistic green buildings? Read the article.

S+T sector

S+T buildings embrace 'no excuses' approach to green labs

Some science-design experts once believed high levels of sustainability would be possible only for low-intensity labs in temperate zones. But recent projects prove otherwise. Read the article.

Hospitality sector

Green hotel trends: Industry expands its sustainability focus beyond laundry

There’s more to creating a green hotel than saving water and power by asking guests to reuse their towels. Read the article.

Office sector

Can Big Data help building owners slash op-ex budgets?

Jones Lang LaSalle set out to answer these questions when it partnered with Pacific Controls to develop IntelliCommand, a 24/7 real-time remote monitoring and control service. Read the article.

The editors of Building Design+Construction present 10 “Great Solutions” that highlight innovative technology and products that can be used to address some of the many problems Building Teams face in their day-to-day work. Readers are encouraged to submit entries for Great Solutions; if we use yours, you’ll receive a $25 gift certificate. Look for more Great Solutions in 2012 at: www.bdcnetwork.com/greatsolutions/2012.

Rainscreen system installed at the west building envelope expansion of the University of Arizona’s Meinel Optical Sciences Center in Tucson, with its folded glass wall and copper-paneled, breathable cladding over precast concrete.

| Dec 10, 2011

Energy performance starts at the building envelope

Rainscreen system installed at the west building expansion of the University of Arizona’s Meinel Optical Sciences Center in Tucson, with its folded glass wall and copper-paneled, breathable cladding over precast concrete.

| Dec 10, 2011

Turning Balconies Outside In

Operable glass balcony glazing systems provide solution to increase usable space in residential and commercial structures.

| Dec 10, 2011

BIM tools to make your project easier to manage

Two innovations—program manager Gafcon’s SharePoint360 project management platform and a new BIM “wall creator” add-on developed by ClarkDietrich Building Systems for use with the Revit BIM platform and construction consultant—show how fabricators and owner’s reps are stepping in to fill the gaps between construction and design that can typically be exposed by working with a 3D model.