
Project FROG designs and custom- fabricates modular classrooms and other commercial buildings that feature high-performance envelopes, natural daylighting, high-efficiency mechanical systems, healthy materials, and green components. Built using central “spines,” different-shaped wings, porches, and mechanical rooms, these modular units come in a wide range of price points, from relatively affordable trailer alternatives to state-of-the-art, net-zero-energy,...

As media from around the world descend upon Vancouver, B.C. for the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games, they will experience in the Games’ broadcast media center an unparalleled model of sustainability. Designed by Seattle-based LMN Architects, in collaboration with Vancouver-based MCM and DA, the Vancouver Convention Centre West (VCC) has just been awarded LEED® Canada Platinum certification, the first convention centre project in the...

Entech Solar, Inc. announce the launch and immediate availability of its new Entech™ Tubular Skylight, a state-of-the-art tubular skylight developed based on Entech Solar’s patented Solar Collimator™ technology. This proprietary Solar Collimator is designed to provide superior optical efficiency, increase lumen output, and improve light distribution over conventional tubular skylights, providing enhanced all-day illumination in desired areas....

CircleBath is Foster + Partners’ first hospital and the first in a programme of new independent hospitals which offer a radical departure from orthodox approaches to hospital planning. After a period of commissioning, CircleBath is expected to open to patients in February. The compact design encourages a sense of community and well-being with facilities more comparable to a luxury hotel rather than a traditional hospital. The three-storey hospital...

The Hot Springs Intermediate School, located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, may appear to be an everyday, two-story school. But in taking a closer look at the aluminum, glass and brick building it is apparent that there is much more to the building than meets the eye. Sustainability was a key factor in creating the new school. It was important that the Intermediate School incorporate solutions that help provide a healthy, productive learning environment,...

It’s not surprising that designers are starting to embrace the concept of green, or living, roofs as the industry moves to meet the increased demand for environmentally conscious buildings. In addition to the obvious benefits of providing a habitat for many small animals and insects, they also work effectively as giant air filters, removing pollutants and putting oxygen back into the atmosphere. They can also make a significant contribution to reducing...
The new, freestanding reception building at OSRAM Opto Semiconductors’ head office in Regensburg (Germany) shows the variety of applications of light-emitting diodes (LEDs); all the lighting functions – workspace, general room, effects and outdoor lighting – are handled by LEDs. In contrast to conventional lights LEDs make completely innovative lighting designs possible while saving energy too – for example, 35 percent alone in the case of...

The ‘Sliced Porosity Block’ will be located just south of the intersection of the First Ring Road and Ren Min Nan Road. Its sun sliced geometry results from minimum daylight exposures to the surrounding urban fabric prescribed by code. Porous and inviting from every side, five vertical entrances cut through a layer of micro-urban shopping before leading to the elevated public ‘Three Valley’ plaza. A great urban terrace on the...

A global model in sustainability, the Vancouver Convention Centre West in British Columbia celebrates its grand opening this week. Designed by Seattle-based LMN Architects in collaboration with Vancouver-based MCM and DA, the project represents a whole new direction in convention center design. It is on track to achieve LEED Canada Gold certification, and substantially raises the bar for “green” convention centers around the world. Located on...

Laminated architectural glass is being used increasingly to meet modern safety codes and save energy through added daylighting and solar design. It also adds anti-intrusion security, sound reduction and protection from UV rays. Two common types of interlayer for laminated glass are films made of polyvinyl butyral, also called PVB, or DuPont™ SentryGlas ionoplast. The latter, developed especially for structural elements in architectural glazing,...