BD+C

JANUARY 2, 2013

Institutions of higher learning are investing heavily in new facilities—student unions, dining facilities, residence halls, and the like—that address the non-academic side of campus life. They rarely serve just one purpose; more often than not, they offer a variety of physical spaces where students can eat, socialize, network, study, and relax. This is partly due to the need for cost effectiveness, but it’s also driven by a desire to integrate the academic with the social, a holistic approach th

Students 108

Students Space Engineering Engineering 108

EntreArchitect

JANUARY 27, 2013

We need to talk. This may be uncomfortable, but we need to talk about money. Are you making enough to finish each month with a profit? Are you making enough to live comfortably? Are you making enough to simply pay the bills? So many architects I know are not making ends meet. We architects are notoriously horrible business people. My mission is to change that.

Architect 52

Architect Client Clients Firms 52

BD+C

JANUARY 23, 2013

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its annual list of the top 10 states for new LEED certifications in 2012, highlighting those regions that are transforming buildings and communities across the country. The per-capita list is based on 2010 U.S. Census data and includes commercial and institutional buildings certified under LEED, through which approximately 2.2 billion sf has been certified worldwide through 2012. read more.

Commercial 89

Commercial Building IT Sustainability 89

BD+C

JANUARY 22, 2013

The Virginia State Police will soon begin driver training in a new $27.4 million complex set on 680 acres near Fort Pickett, just outside the town of Blackstone. Designed by Dewberry and constructed by KBS Inc., the facility includes 4.5 miles of urban, rural, and interstate roadway courses that simulate Virginia topography; a three-story, 52,000-sf training and dormitory building; an observation tower; and a vehicle maintenance garage.

Construction 84

Construction Construction Building Government 84

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A new industry study conducted by Architizer on behalf of Chaos Enscape surveyed 2,139 design professionals to understand the state of architectural visualization and what to expect in the near future. We asked: How are visualizations produced in your firm? What impact does real-time rendering have? What approach are you taking toward the rise of AI?

Visualization

BD+C

JANUARY 2, 2013

The global market for building information modeling products and services for 2012 was predicted to hit $1.8 billion, according to market intelligence firm Pike Research (now part of Navigant). Sales of BIM software and services—such as training, support, and project management—are expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 17.3%, to a market value of $6.5 billion in 2020.

Management 82

Management Information Firms Building 82

BD+C

JANUARY 31, 2013

Stephen Oliner, a UCLA professor doing research for the Federal Reserve Board, has made the first-ever estimate of planning times for commercial construction across the United States. Drawing upon 82,000 projects nationwide, he found that the average planning time nationally is about 17 months. But it’s a lot longer in some places and shorter in others. ( [link] ).

Commercial 77

Commercial Construction Construction Estimating 77

BD+C

JANUARY 7, 2013

Green building and sustainability consultant Jerry Yudelson, PE, LEED Fellow, has released his annual list of “Top 10 Megatrends” for the green building industry. read more.

Building 76

Building Consulting Industrial Sustainability 76

BD+C

JANUARY 29, 2013

Thornton Tomasetti, the international engineering firm, announces that Leigh Mires has joined the firm in the newly created position of chief learning officer. Ms. Mires, who has more than 20 years of experience, is charged with advancing the firm’s organizational development and training initiatives. She will be based in the firm’s New York headquarters. read more.

Engineering 74

Engineering Engineering Firms Development 74

BD+C

JANUARY 4, 2013

The deal in Congress to avoid going over the so-called fiscal cliff "should encourage many businesses to go ahead with projects they have held in reserve," said Ken Simonson, chief economist of the Associated General Contractors of America. Simonson said he expected construction spending in the next few months to see double-digit gains. ( [link] ).

Construction 74

Construction Construction Contractor Project 74

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Aerial imagery has emerged as a necessary tool for architecture, engineering, and construction firms seeking to improve pre-construction site analysis, make more informed planning decisions, and ensure all stakeholders have access to an accurate visualization of the site to keep the project moving forward. Download our guide and take a deeper look at how aerial imagery can be leveraged to drive project efficiency by reducing unnecessary site visits and providing the accurate details required to

Site

BD+C

JANUARY 10, 2013

The JAGG Group, a consulting and publishing company dedicated to the architecture, engineering, environmental and construction industries, ranks the apartment market as the hottest for AEC firms working in the United States in 2013. The company’s 270-page report – The 2013 Guide to the U.S. AEC Markets – ranks 40 separate market sectors served by AEC firms within seven broader categories: residential, commercial, institutional, transportation, water/wastewater, environmental and power. read more

Transportation 71

Transportation Consulting Commercial Engineering 71

BD+C

JANUARY 24, 2013

Historically, high-performance industrial coatings were used to protect large-scale infrastructure. The coatings safeguarded elements, such as bridges and industrial concrete floors, from corrosion, abrasion, and chemicals. Now the architectural coatings market is demanding more sustainable architectural coatings with the durability and protection properties of proven industrial coatings. read more.

Industrial 68

Industrial Architecture Sustainability 68

BD+C

JANUARY 2, 2013

Kalwell Corporation has developed a daylight engineering service, unveiled at Greenbuild 2012 in San Francisco, to help design/build professionals validate effective daylight plans when utilizing Kalwall translucent building systems. DaylightModeling.com is an informative new website, with sample 3-D renderings, videos, and reports available, along with information about services and technologies that allow architects and building designers to demonstrate the impact of daylighting designs and "w

Utilities 68

Utilities Information Client Clients 68

BD+C

JANUARY 31, 2013

In 2012, Philadelphia joined several other U.S. cities in passing a requirement that large buildings use Portfolio Manager, the Environmental Protection Agency’s energy management tool, to measure and report energy performance. Other cities are expected to adopt similar rules in 2013, as the requirement costs building owners nothing and is likely to lead to improvement. ( [link] ).

Management 65

Management Cities Building Regulation 65

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In the dynamic world of architecture, design, and construction, creative problem-solving is crucial for success. Traditional methods often fall short in effectively conveying design intent to clients. Real-time visualization empowers you with a solid decision-making tool that smooths the design process. Discover the power of real-time visualization: Effective Communication Convey your vision clearly and align with clients.

Visualization

BD+C

JANUARY 31, 2013

Newforma, a project information management (PIM) software company improving building and infrastructure project delivery, today announced that a new version of its design project management software, Newforma Project Analyzer, has been validated by leading architecture and engineering firms and is now commercially available. read more.

Project 63

Project Commercial Management Engineering 63

BD+C

JANUARY 23, 2013

Hardin Construction Co. recently completed construction of Ella at Encore, an upscale, seven-story, 160-unit apartment complex for seniors in Tampa’s (Fla.) Tempo District near the city’s downtown. Named in honor of jazz artist Ella Fitzgerald, Ella at Encore is the first building to rise from plans to develop a mixed-use, mixed-income urban village, Encore, aimed at spurring public-private reinvestment in the area.

Inspiration 63

Inspiration Construction Construction Development 63

BD+C

JANUARY 15, 2013

Hill International has been awarded a contract from the Saudi Egyptian Construction Company to provide project management services in connection with construction of the Secon Nile Towers. The three-year contract has an estimated value to Hill of approximately $1.5 million. The Secon Nile Towers will feature two 23-story buildings: one five-star hotel tower and one residential and retail tower.

Contract 59

Contract Estimating Management Residential 59

EntreArchitect

JANUARY 20, 2013

In Session 002 , we developed our business and personal life plan. We dreamed big, defined our vision and identified our mission. Today we’re going to put all that information to work. Today we are going to tell some stories, or in the jargon of the business world, we are going to do some marketing. Marketing, at its most basic definition, is simply telling our story… to our market.

Architect 52

Architect Client Clients Small Firm 52

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Don’t let water wash away all your hard work. When specifying concrete waterproofing, you need a solution that’s reliable and permanent. Without it, your concrete waterproofing is at risk of failing and letting water erode and corrode the concrete that it was supposed to protect. Reduce the risk of waterproofing failure by reading through our latest free specification e-book, which will take you through the four key components to better concrete waterproofing specification.

Design

BD+C

JANUARY 31, 2013

LaCantina Doors has been awarded "Best Of Houzz" 2013 by Houzz, the leading online platform for residential remodeling and design. The innovative folding company was chosen by the more than 11 million monthly users that comprise the Houzz community. read more.

Remodeling 56

Remodeling Residential Innovation Windows 56

BD+C

JANUARY 8, 2013

PC Construction is promoting Kevin McCarthy to president and chief executive officer, effective April 1, 2013 when Peter Bernhardt steps away from the day-to-day leadership of the company. McCarthy, who joined PC Construction in 1998 and currently serves as executive vice president, will become a member of the employee-owned company’s board of directors and a trustee of the employee stock ownership plan. read more.

Construction 56

Construction Construction Contractor 56

BD+C

JANUARY 4, 2013

The 13-floor, 415,000 sf La Jolla Commons II office tower in San Diego will be the largest building in the U.S. built to the net-zero standard upon completion in 2014, according to real estate firm Hines. Energy will be generated from directed biogas and onsite fuel cells. Bloom Energy's cells will generate a projected 5 million kilowatts of electricity annually, equivalent to about 1,000 homes.

Real Estate 56

Real Estate Building Firms Home 56

BD+C

JANUARY 2, 2013

We’re not in the habit of recommending books in these pages, but we could not ignore two recent noteworthy publications. (Both are available on amazon.com.). Net Zero Energy Design: A Guide for Commercial Architecture is an in-depth, 441-page exploration into the practical problems of designing and building net-zero buildings. The author, architect Tom Hootman, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is Director of Sustainability at RNL, the Denver-based design firm. read more.

Commercial 55

Commercial Sustainability Firms Building 55

Speaker: Pedro Clarke – Principal Architect at A+ Architecture, In Loco Program Director

Sustainability begins with a conversation, and acquiring customer buy-in is entirely dependent on how the conversation is framed. Clients may not see sustainability as a priority out of fear of operational costs and quality. While these are legitimate concerns, it is our responsibility as architects to listen and foster a collaborative culture that answers client issues while also reducing our carbon footprint.

Architecture

BD+C

JANUARY 25, 2013

Plug loads—the energy consumed by what building user plug into a socket rather than the energy it takes to heat or light a room—illustrates how much end-users impact overall building energy use. To be able to achieve a Net-Zero Energy Building, the ‘plug load problem’ should be incorporated into early energy modeling for the building. In addition, creating an education process whereby end-users (if known) understand the effects of their actions on overall building energy use is a key step toward

Education 51

Education Building IT 51

BD+C

JANUARY 25, 2013

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority has proposed building three tunnels to help manage sewage overflows. It now proposes suspending construction of the tunnels while it conducts an eight-year study on green infrastructure to see if there are more sustainable options. Greener alternatives may include tree planting, bio-retention facilities, rain gardens, green roofs, and infiltration basins. read more.

Project 51

Project Management Roofing Sustainability 51

BD+C

JANUARY 2, 2013

Total mergers and acquisitions in the AEC industry hit 171 in 2012, up slight from the 169 deals in 2011, according to consulting firm Morrissey Goodale, Newton, Mass. ( www.morrisseygoodale.com ). read more.

Firms 51

Firms Consulting Industrial Contractor 51

BD+C

JANUARY 25, 2013

The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) has released five revisions to the ANSI/BHMA Standards that have recently been approved by ANSI (American National Standards Institute) pertaining to: · Materials and Finishes. · Strap Hinges, Tee Hinges, and Hasps. · Delayed Egress Locking Systems read more.

Manufacturing 49

Manufacturing Finishes Materials 49

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