New office building features largest solar panel system in New Orleans

Woodward Design+Build announced the opening of its new, multi million-dollar headquarters located in New Orleans. Entirely designed and built by the Woodward team, the 45,000 square foot facility showcases Woodward’s fully integrated design and build process as well as the latest advances and techniques in the field.

Woodward crafted its headquarters with a goal of attaining LEED Silver Certification. A total of 235 solar panels sit atop the building’s roof making it the largest solar energy system in New Orleans.

The panels help supply 20% of the building’s energy needs by sending surplus energy back into the grid. Another energy efficient feature is the highly reflective roof coating, which minimizes the full impact of the midday sun. Even the building’s orientation to the street was designed relative to the sun, optimizing northern day lighting to provide plenty of natural light in workspaces. BD+C

The editors of Building Design+Construction present 10 “Great Solutions” that highlight innovative technology and products that can be used to address some of the many problems Building Teams face in their day-to-day work. Readers are encouraged to submit entries for Great Solutions; if we use yours, you’ll receive a $25 gift certificate. Look for more Great Solutions in 2012 at: www.bdcnetwork.com/greatsolutions/2012.

Rainscreen system installed at the west building envelope expansion of the University of Arizona’s Meinel Optical Sciences Center in Tucson, with its folded glass wall and copper-paneled, breathable cladding over precast concrete.

| Dec 10, 2011

Energy performance starts at the building envelope

Rainscreen system installed at the west building expansion of the University of Arizona’s Meinel Optical Sciences Center in Tucson, with its folded glass wall and copper-paneled, breathable cladding over precast concrete.

| Dec 10, 2011

Turning Balconies Outside In

Operable glass balcony glazing systems provide solution to increase usable space in residential and commercial structures.

| Dec 10, 2011

BIM tools to make your project easier to manage

Two innovations—program manager Gafcon’s SharePoint360 project management platform and a new BIM “wall creator” add-on developed by ClarkDietrich Building Systems for use with the Revit BIM platform and construction consultant—show how fabricators and owner’s reps are stepping in to fill the gaps between construction and design that can typically be exposed by working with a 3D model.