Alexandria Real Estate Equities becomes first real estate investment trust to be named a First-in-Class Fitwel Champion

In addition to being the first company to receive Fitwel certifications for its buildings, Alexandria Real Estate Equities recently announced it has become the first and only real estate investment trust to be named a First-in-Class Fitwell Champion. Among the company’s buildings that have received Fitwel certifications, five have earned a three-star Fitwel rating, the highest rating achievable.

Fitwel is an evidence-based building standard developed by experts in the fields of public health and design, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the General Services Administration. Fitwel’s purpose is to foster positive impacts on building occupant health and productivity by improving workplace design and instituting new workplace policies. The ratings program is operated by the Center for Active Design.

When undergoing a Fitwel certification evaluation, every aspect of the building and office environments are taken into consideration, such as proximity to public transit, access to fitness facilities, the design of outdoor spaces, indoor air quality, and healthy food options.

Research from the CDC has shown buildings that promote occupant health through programs, policies, and environmental changes can not only improve and support employee health, but also increase productivity and garner potential savings in healthcare costs.

Samuel S. Unger, RA, MCR, SLCR, MBA, is the Americas Real Estate Leader for Ernst & Young, LLP, Atlanta. He also serves as president of the CoreNet Global Atlanta chapter. In addition to managing 6.8 million square feet of real estate in North and South America, his responsibilities include real estate strategy for area practices, management of external professional alliances, requirements definition, business case development and approval, real estate negotiation and lease development, and oversight of construction projects for the portfolio. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College, an MLA and MArch from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from Temple University.

| Oct 19, 2011

Another drop for Architecture Billings Index

Positive conditions seen last month were more of an aberration.

| Oct 17, 2011

THOUGHT LEADER: Allan Bilka, Senior Staff Architect and Secretariat to the IGCC

Allan Bilka, RA, is a Senior Staff Architect and Secretariat to the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) with the International Code Council, based in the ICC’s Chicago district office. He also serves as staff liaison to the ICC-700 National Green Building Standard. He has written several ICC white papers on green building and numerous green-related articles for the ICC. A registered architect, Bilka has over 30 years of combined residential design/build and commercial consulting engineering experience.

| Oct 17, 2011

Austin's newest urban apartment complex under construction

Complex sits on a four-acre waterfront site along Lady Bird Lake with spectacular city and lake views, and is slated to open spring 2013.

| Oct 17, 2011

Big D Floor covering supplies to offer Johnsonite Products??

Strategic partnership expands offering to south and west coast customers.

| Oct 14, 2011

AISC develops new interoperability strategy to move construction industry forward

AISC is working to bring that vision to reality by developing a three-step interoperability strategy to evaluate data exchanges and integrate structural steel information into buildingSMART's Industry Foundation Classes.

| Oct 14, 2011

University of New Mexico Science & Math Learning Center attains LEED for Schools Gold

Van H. Gilbert architects enhances sustainability credentials.

| Oct 14, 2011

BD+C Survey on Building Information Modeling: The Good, the Bad, and the Solutions

In a recent survey conducted by Building Design+Construction, more than 75% of respondents indicated they currently use BIM or plan to use it. Respondents were also asked to comment on their experiences with BIM, what they liked and disliked about BIM, and what BIM-related advice they would give to their peers.