Nature as the city: Why it’s time for a new framework to guide development

NBBJ leaders Jonathan Ward and Margaret Montgomery explore five inspirational ideas they are actively integrating into projects to ensure more healthy, natural cities.

K-12 Schools

World's first K-12 school to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum

A new K-12 school in Washington, D.C., is the first school in the world to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum, according to its architect, Perkins Eastman. The John Lewis Elementary School is also the first school in the District of Columbia designed to achieve net-zero energy (NZE).

K-12 Schools

Fully electric Oregon elementary school aims for resilience with microgrid design

The River Grove Elementary School in Oregon was designed for net-zero carbon and resiliency to seismic events, storms, and wildfire. The roughly 82,000-sf school in a Portland suburb will feature a microgrid—a small-scale power grid that operates independently from the area’s electric grid.

Mass Timber

Bjarke Ingels Group designs a mass timber cube structure for the University of Kansas

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and executive architect BNIM have unveiled their design for a new mass timber cube structure called the Makers’ KUbe for the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design. A six-story, 50,000-sf building for learning and collaboration, the light-filled KUbe will house studio and teaching space, 3D-printing and robotic labs, and a ground-level cafe, all organized around a central core.

Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023

NIBS report: Decarbonizing the U.S. building sector will require massive, coordinated effort

Decarbonizing the building sector will require a massive, strategic, and coordinated effort by the public and private sectors, according to a report by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).

Once completed, the all-electric 1 Java Street property in Brooklyn will be the largest residential project in New York State to use a geothermal heat exchange system

Geothermal Technology | Mar 22, 2023

Lendlease secures grants for New York’s largest geothermal residential building

Lendlease and joint venture partner Aware Super, one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, have acquired $4 million in support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to build a geoexchange system at 1 Java Street in Brooklyn. Once completed, the all-electric property will be the largest residential project in New York State to use a geothermal heat exchange system.

Gresham Smith prefabricated McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital exterior at night

Modular Building | Gresham Smith | Mar 20, 2023

3 ways prefabrication doubles as a sustainability strategy

Corie Baker, AIA, shares three modular Gresham Smith projects that found sustainability benefits from the use of prefabrication.

Sustainability | Mar 16, 2023

Lack of standards for carbon accounting hamper emissions reduction

A lack of universally accepted standards for collecting, managing, and storing greenhouse gas emissions data (i.e., carbon accounting) is holding back carbon reduction efforts, according to an essay published by the Rocky Mountain Institute.

Three multifamily projects that had challenges to overcome

Affordable Housing | Mar 14, 2023

3 affordable housing projects that overcame building obstacles

These three developments faced certain obstacles during their building processes—from surrounding noise suppression to construction methodology.

Science, computer lab with class windows

Laboratories | CannonDesign | Mar 9, 2023

5 laboratory design choices that accelerate scientific discovery

Stephen Blair, director of CannonDesign's Science & Technology Practice, identifies five important design strategies to make the most out of our research laboratories.

Taking the next step overview of decarbonization, net-zero energy goals

Sustainability | LPA | Mar 2, 2023

The next steps for a sustainable, decarbonized future

For building owners and developers, the push to net zero energy and carbon neutrality is no longer an academic discussion.

Architecture 2030 launches carbon calculator for retrofit projects

Sustainable Design and Construction | Feb 28, 2023

Architecture 2030 launches free carbon calculator for retrofit projects

Architecture 2030’s Carbon Avoided Retrofit Estimator (CARE) tool allows project teams and building owners to accurately quantify the carbon “savings” in retrofit or reuse projects versus new construction.

Michel Baars founded New Horizon Urban Mining to have a bigger impact on recycling materials from demolitions for new construction in The Netherlands. Photo: New Horizon

AEC Innovators | Feb 28, 2023

Meet the 'urban miner' who is rethinking how we deconstruct and reuse buildings

New Horizon Urban Mining, a demolition firm in the Netherlands, has hitched its business model to construction materials recycling. It's plan: deconstruct buildings and infrastructure and sell the building products for reuse in new construction. New Horizon and its Founder Michel Baars have been named 2023 AEC Innovators by Building Design+Construction editors.