This fall a team of environmental and computer scientists, along with architects and natural resources specialists at the University of Michigan, will launch a research project to design, test, and build a new smart system for building envelopes. The system combines the use of sensors, novel construction materials, and utility control software in an effort to create technology capable of reducing a building’s carbon footprint.
Buildings account for about 72% of American electrical consumption—despite technology that could enable many structures to give back more power to the electrical grid than they draw through features such as solar panels, according to researchers Jerome Lynch and Geoffrey Thun.
Thun said building systems can become more dynamic and responsive to changes in light by adding temperature, light, and humidity sensors that are linked to digital control systems. BD+C
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Nothing dinky about these residences for Golden Gophers
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Sustainable history center exhibits Fort Ticonderoga’s storied past
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Library planned for modern media enthusiasts
The England Run Library, a new 30,000-sf glass, brick, and stone building, will soon house more than 100,000 books and DVDs. The Lukmire Partnership, Arlington, Va., designed the Stafford County, Va., library, the firm’s fourth for the Central Rappahannock Library System, to combine modern library-browsing trends with traditional library services.
| Jan 21, 2011
Virginia community college completes LEED Silver science building
The new 60,000-sf science building at John Tyler Community College in Midlothian, Va., just earned LEED Silver, the first facility in the Commonwealth’s community college system to earn this recognition. The facility, designed by Burt Hill with Gilbane Building Co. as construction manager, houses an entire floor of laboratory classrooms, plus a new library, student lounge, and bookstore.
| Jan 21, 2011
Upscale apartments offer residents a twist on modern history
The Goodwynn at Town: Brookhaven, a 433,300-sf residential and retail building in DeKalb County, Ga., combines a historic look with modern amenities. Atlanta-based project architect Niles Bolton Associates used contemporary materials in historic patterns and colors on the exterior, while concealing a six-level parking structure on the interior.
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Research center built for interdisciplinary cooperation
The Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, in Houston, the first basic research institute for childhood neurological diseases, is a 13-story twisting tower in the center of the hospital campus.
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Music festival’s new home showcases scenic setting
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GSA Recognizes the Best in Public Architecture
The U.S. General Services Administration recognized the best in public architecture and civilian federal workplaces at the 2010 GSA Design Awards in Washington, D.C. This year's 11 award winners showcase the federal government's commitment to cutting-edge architectural design and its focus on sustainability.
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Houston Dynamo soccer team plans new venue
Construction is scheduled to begin this month on a new 22,000-seat Major League Soccer stadium for the Houston Dynamo. The $60 million project is expected to be ready for the 2012 MLS season.
