flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

By the Numbers

By the Numbers

What do ‘46.9,’ ‘886.2,’ and ‘171,271’ mean to you? Check here for the answer.


By By BD+C Staff | November 11, 2011
6: The number of sides to the Octagon House in Washington D.C., the original home of the AIA.
This article first appeared in the November 2011 issue of BD+C.

171,271
Total of LEED ACCREDITED PROFESSIONALS recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council, as of September 2011.
LEED APs with specialty – 64,060
LEED APs without specialty – 83,985
LEED Green Associates – 23,226
Total LEED Professionals – 171, 271
Source: USGBC

$200.21
The cost per square foot to build a DAYCARE CENTER in San Francisco in 2011, according to RSMeans.
Source: RSMeans

 

1.0
The approximate U-FACTOR (Btu/hr-sf-°F) of currently available aluminum frame windows and doorframes. Also the number of AIA/CES DISCOVERY LEARNING UNITS that can be obtained by studying “High- Performance Windows + Doors” and passing the 10-question exam (80% score required). Source: BD+C

72%
The percentage a GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMP can reduce energy consumption when compared to conventional HVAC system, according to the EPA. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that geothermal heat pumps can but HVAC energy demand by 50% and overall energy demand by 35%. Geothermal heat pumps are expected to gain market share as recent government mandates require newly constructed buildings to be zero net energy. Energy-efficient retrofits will also increase market demand for the pumps. Source: EPA

46.9
The September 2011 AIA ARCHITECTURE BILLINGS INDEX, following a score of 51.4 in August 2011. The monthly ABI index scores are based on a score of 50, with scores above 50 indicating an aggregate increase in billings and scores below 50 indicating a decline. In regard to September’s 46.9 score, “It appears the positive conditions seen last month were more of an aberration,” said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA. Source: AIA

420
Buildings taller than 420 feet are now required to include an EXTRA EXIT STAIRWELL OR ELEVATOR that occupants can use for evacuations, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Source: NIST

$886.2
Total put-in-place CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS in billions predicted for 2012, according to the latest FMI forecast, which calls for 2% growth in 2011, and 6% for 2012. In 2012, the construction industry will return a level of construction in current dollars that is comparable to levels recorded in 2003. Source: FMI

83%
The percentage of AIR REDUCTION possible following the installation of an air barrier system in a commercial or industrial building, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The installation of an air barrier can also shrink gas bills by more than 40%, and reduce electrical use by 25%. Source: NIST

$65,000,000
Total funds currently invested in the energy-efficiency financing initiative known as the BILLION DOLLAR GREEN CHALLENGE. The fund aims to get colleges, universities, and other nonprofits to invest $1 billion in self-managed funds to be used to finance energy-efficiency upgrades. Source: BD+C

50,000
Owners of every New York City commercial and residential buildings larger than 50,000 sf will have to post each building’s ENERGY USE ONLINE, starting with commercial buildings in 2012, followed by residential buildings in 2013. Architects and environmentalists believe the measure will prompt owners to invest in cleaner, more sustainable designs. Source: BD+C

6
The number of sides to the Octagon House in Washington D.C., the original home of the AIA. Built between 1978 and 1800, the Octagon House was designed by Dr. William Thornton, the architect of the U.S. Capitol. Adapted to an irregular-shaped lot, the design of the three-story brick house combines a circle, two rectangles, and a triangle, resulting in a six-sided structure. Source: National Park Service
--
Submit your “By the Numbers” item to: Tim Gregorski, Senior Editor, tgregorski@sgcmail.com.
You must include documentation showing the source of your entry. Readers whose items are chosen will receive credit in the magazine and a $10 Amazon gift certificate. Decision of the editors of BD+C is final.

Related Stories

| May 1, 2013

Groups urge Congress: Keep energy conservation requirements for government buildings

More than 350 companies urge rejection of special interest efforts to gut key parts of Energy Independence and Security Act

| May 1, 2013

World’s tallest children’s hospital pushes BIM to the extreme

The Building Team for the 23-story Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago implements an integrated BIM/VDC workflow to execute a complex vertical program.

| Apr 30, 2013

Healthcare lighting innovation: Overhead fixture uses UV to kill airborne pathogens

Designed specifically for hospitals, nursing homes, child care centers, and other healthcare facilities where infection control is a concern, the Arcalux Health Risk Management System (HRMS) is an energy-efficient lighting fixture that doubles as a germ-killing machine.

| Apr 30, 2013

First look: North America's tallest wooden building

The Wood Innovation Design Center (WIDC), Prince George, British Columbia, will exhibit wood as a sustainable building material widely availablearound the globe, and aims to improve the local lumber economy while standing as a testament to new construction possibilities.

| Apr 26, 2013

Apple scales back Campus 2 plans to reduce price tag

Apple will delay the construction of a secondary research and development building on its "spaceship" campus in an attempt to drive down the cost of developing its new headquarters.

| Apr 26, 2013

Documentary shows 'starchitects' competing for museum project

"The Competition," a new documentary produced by Angel Borrego Cuberto of Madrid, focuses on the efforts of five 'starchitects' to capture the design contract for the new National Museum of Art of Andorra: a small country in the Pyrenees between Spain and France.

| Apr 26, 2013

Solving the parking dilemma in U.S. cities

ArchDaily's Rory Stott yesterday posted an interesting exploration of progressive parking strategies being employed by cities and designers. The lack of curbside and lot parking exacerbates traffic congestion, discourages visitors, and leads to increased vehicles emissions.

| Apr 26, 2013

Decaying city: Exhibit demonstrates the fragility of the man-made world

Theater set designer Johanna Mårtensson built a model cityscape out of bread only to watch it decay.

| Apr 25, 2013

SmithGroupJJR hires Lise Newman as Workplace Studio Leader in Detroit

SmithGroupJJR, one of the nation's largest architecture, engineering and planning firms, has hired architect Lise Newman, AIA, as Workplace Studio leader at its Detroit, Mich. office.

| Apr 25, 2013

Colorado State University, DLR Group team to study 12 high-performance schools

DLR Group and the Institute for the Built Environment at Colorado State University have collaborated on a research project to evaluate the effect of green school design on occupants and long-term building performance.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Great Solutions

41 Great Solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors

AI ChatBots, ambient computing, floating MRIs, low-carbon cement, sunshine on demand, next-generation top-down construction. These and 35 other innovations make up our 2024 Great Solutions Report, which highlights fresh ideas and innovations from leading architecture, engineering, and construction firms.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021