Exposing Infrastructure in the Works

Pompidou Center - Paris

A finely constructed house or building hides the vast majority of its inner parts. Like the skin on a body, typically either a drywall or plaster are constructed to conceal a complex web of plumbing pipes and joints, electrical wiring and outlets.

Such concealment is not always common today. The ceiling components in many new stores and restaurants – once discreetly hidden by a drop-ceiling grid containing 2’ x 4’ panels – now reveal a run of girders, PVC pipes and smartly painted ductwork for the HVAC system.

Design Competition Alert: The Future Of Health Care by Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Modesto Center

Kaiser Permanente is calling on students, architects, engineers, designers, and teams of multidisciplinary thinkers from around the world to help design what could be the future of health care delivery: the small hospital. The “Small Hospital, Big Idea” design competition seeks concepts for a small, eco-conscious, patient- and family-friendly hospital.

Ireland Leads the Way in Clean Technologies

Wind Turbines off the coast

Countries such as Ireland and companies like IDA are encouraging economic green growth and advance clean technologies that need to be used throughout the world and are willing to partner with companies everywhere to get it done.

Green Building 101: Land Use, Protection and Re-use

rural1

Adaptive re-use plus brownfield reclamation are key factors in land conservation and reducing unnecessary sprawl. These are good for the economy, communities, and the environment. More plans need to be implemented and the importance stressed that this is our one chance to re-do and un-do our environmental impact so that future generations can make their choices.

BuildingRating.org Launches Today

BuildingRating logo

Today the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) jointly announced the launch of BuildingRating.org, the world’s first resource concerning energy performance rating and disclosure policies for homes and commercial buildings.