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.

Mass Timber

5 lessons in water mitigation for mass timber projects

Sustainability leaders from Skanska, RDH, and Polygon share five tips for successful water mitigation in mass timber construction.

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.

Mar 12, 2012

Improving the performance of existing commercial buildings: the chemistry of sustainable construction

Retrofitting our existing commercial buildings is one of the key steps to overcoming the economic and environmental challenges we face.

JJCs Facility Services Building is part of a $220 million master plan aimed at

Mar 6, 2012

Joliet Junior College achieves LEED Gold

With construction managed by Gilbane Building Company, Joliet Junior College’s Facility Services Building combines high-performance technologies with sustainable materials to meet aggressive energy efficiency goals.

Bomel Construction Co. and IPD designed and built two adjoining garages, a socce

Mar 1, 2012

Bomel completes design-build parking complex at U.C. San Diego

The $24-million facility, which fits into a canyon setting on the university’s East Campus, includes 1,200 stalls in two adjoining garages and a soccer field on a top level.

Feb 26, 2012

Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin’s Chen LEED certified

Chen works closely with property owners to ensure that their properties meet and exceed all industry standards, and also provide long-term energy savings.

The building is 27% more energy efficient than similar buildings, uses 21% less

Feb 22, 2012

Siemens earns LEED certification for Maryland office

The Beltsville facility, which also earned the ENERGY STAR Label for energy performance, implemented a range of energy efficiency, water conservation and sustainable operations measures as part of the certification process.

Feb 21, 2012

PV America West conference showcases solar growth market

Solar industry gathers March 19-21, 2012 in San Jose to discuss technology, market development and policy.

Feb 20, 2012

Comment period for update to USGBC's LEED Green Building Program now open

This third draft of LEED has been refined to address technical stringency and rigor, measurement and performance tools, and an enhanced user experience.

Four types of sustainable roofing systems from Tremco Roofing and Building Maint

Feb 17, 2012

Tremco Inc. headquarters achieves LEED Gold certification

Changes were so extensive that the certification is for new construction and not for renovation; officially, the building is LEED-NC.

Feb 16, 2012

Big-box retailers not just for DIYers

Nearly half of all contractor purchases made from stores like Home Depot and Lowe's.

Feb 15, 2012

Code allowance offers retailers and commercial building owners increased energy savings and reduced construction costs

Specifying air curtains as energy-saving, cost-cutting alternatives to vestibules in 3,000-square-foot buildings and larger has been a recent trend among consulting engineers and architects.