Hotels are expected to spend $5 billion on improvements this year, 33% more than in 2011, says Bjorn Hanson, a dean at NYU’s Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management. Most of that windfall will go into new bedding and flat-screen TVs, but a lot will go toward room renovations, lobby upgrades, additions, and new construction, including sustainably conceived projects.
For the Sheraton New York, Stantec oversaw a $153 million renovation that addressed energy waste and guest discomfort (due primarily to an wayward HVAC system) in the 53-story hotel. All 1,754 guestrooms were completely renovated with new systems that returned comfort control to guests. New central plant systems and 15 miles of hydronic piping were installed, cutting energy consumption by 14%.
A different approach to sustainability was taken by design firm Stonehill & Taylor for the recently completed $25 million renovation of the 533-room Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. Here, the emphasis was on the use of local materials and services whenever possible. Stone from a nearby quarry was used for bathroom countertops. Guestrooms feature works by local artists. About 80% of the furniture, fixtures, and equipment were produced in the U.S. and Canada. +
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Permanent tribute to Daniel Burnham and his Plan of Chicago proposed for Grant Park Museum Campus
The first-place winner of a design competition for a public memorial celebrating Daniel Burnham's impact on Chicago will be announced at a news conference Wednesday, July 8, at 10am CDT. The proposed site for the memorial is on the Museum Campus just north of The Field Museum. The announcement comes after nearly two years of planning by Chicago's architecture, design and urban planning community about how to best honor the legacy of Burnham and the Plan of Chicago he co-wrote with Edward Bennett.
| Aug 11, 2010
Arup, SOM top BD+C's ranking of the country's largest mixed-use design firms
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| Aug 11, 2010
Architecture billings index takes turn for the worse
After showing signs of stabilization over the last three months, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) plunged nearly five points in June. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the June ABI rating was 37.7, far lower than the 42.9 the previous month.
| Aug 11, 2010
International Living Building Institute established to advance 'living buildings'
The idea of a Living Building, a high-performance building that produces its own power and cleans and reuses all of its water, is gaining momentum around the world. In an effort to oversee the global development of Living Buildings, the International Living Building Institute (ILBI) has been established.
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Populous selected to design 'crystalline skin' stadium for 2014 Winter Olympics
Russian officials have selected global architect Populous to design the main stadium for the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia. The 40,000-seat stadium will feature a crystalline skin that "engages with its surroundings by day and provides an iconic representation of the color and spectacle of the games when illuminated at night," said Populous senior principal John Barrow.
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M&A deal volume down 67% in engineering/construction sector: PricewaterhouseCoopers
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Three Opus Corporation companies file for bankruptcy
Opus Corporation, a developer headquartered in Minnetonka, Minn., filed for bankruptcy in three of its five regional operating companies: Opus East, Opus South, and Opus West. CEO Mark Rauenhorst said sharp declines in commercial real estate values and tight credit markets caused difficulties in refinancing assets and restructuring lending agreements.
