 |
REBUILDING BEAUFORT
Just north of London, off the M25 highway, a single large wind turbine reaches into the air and turns steadily above the bucolic English countryside. The turbine serves to generate power, and also as an emblem of the headquarters of the wind energy company Renewable Energy Systems (RES), set among the hedge rows and rolling hills of Hertfordshire. Published 2008.0116
 |
 |
HOUSING TANGO
Eight vibrantly colored steel and glass towers dance around a landscaped courtyard, exposing most of the living rooms to the outdoors, with a wall of bedrooms wrapped around three sides of the block. Each of the 27 apartments has a unique character, the block is self-sufficient in energy, and many functions — from heating to door locks — can be individually controlled by personal computer. Published 2007.0425
 |
 |
SWEETWATER CREEK
Like many other buildings that receive the coveted Platinum-level LEED certification, the Sweetwater Creek State Park Visitors Center, near Lithia Springs, Georgia, features numerous energy conservation measures and has a roof full of photovoltaic cells to generate electricity. Published 2007.0418
 |
 |
HOUSE ON RED HILL
The abstract expressionist painter Robert Motherwell once said, "Art is much less important than life, but what a poor life without it." Those words convey the inspiration behind much of the work of Christopher Harty and Chris Botterill. Published 2007.0411
 |
 |
TEACHING CLIMATE
On February 20, 2007, architects and students worldwide demonstrated en masse that they are ready to go to work to stop global climate change. Their "gathering" was virtual, however, as schools, firms, and individuals from 47 countries tuned in to the 2010 Imperative Teach-In webcast.
During several hours, a panel of three experts from different disciplines discussed the building sector's impact on global warming. Their presentations are available online. Published 2007.0314
 |
 |
BUILDING POTENTIAL
In the rolling hills just east of Austin, Texas, a small compound of experimental buildings makes up the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems (CMPBS). Here, Pliny Fisk III, his partner Gail Vittori, and a cadre of researchers and interns explore the depths of sustainable building. Published 2007.0131
 |
 |
PREFAB PLATINUM
On a cloudy day in April 2006, a crowd of curious onlookers gathered on a hillside street in Santa Monica, California, to watch the installation of the first LivingHomes prefabricated house. Over the course of eight hours, 11 modules were hoisted by crane onto a concrete slab in a dramatic departure from traditional residential construction. Published 2006.1206
 |
 |
OREGON ENGINEERING
Engineering students today face a different future from that of their predecessors. As design professionals develop new approaches to sustainability in architecture, old ideas about technology and mechanical controls as the ultimate solution are flying out the window. Published 2006.1115
 |
 |
STONE GREEN
Architects Busby Perkins+Will and KEEN Engineering, which is now part of Stantec, combined multiple green strategies within a single project to achieve Canada's first LEED Gold certification for new construction for the City of White Rock Operations Building in British Columbia. Published 2006.1101
 |
 |
LEED WINERY
The histories of fine wine and of fine winery architecture have intertwined over the centuries. The design of the winery building can be central to the quality of the wine produced as well as to the winemaker's marketing image. In addition, as a new Canadian winery demonstrates, a good design can reduce energy consumption and waste during production. Published 2006.0906
 |
Solar Design page: [