What should be the first step toward designing an energy-efficient roofing system? According to sustainability experts, it is to see roof materials and systems as an integral component of the enclosure and the building as a whole.
After reading this article, you should be able to:
1. Describe the basic criteria for green roof performance.
2. Evaluate roofing system and material options based on sustainability, energy efficiency, and durability.
3. Explain the benefits and challenges of green roofs, PV systems, and cool roof materials.
4. Define two types of vegetative planted roofs: extensive and intensive.
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A climber's dream: Rock climbing hall planned near Iran's highest peak
Forget the rock climbing wall. A developer in Iran is building a rock climbing hall. That's right, an entire building dedicated to the sport, with more than 48,000 sf of program space.
| Jan 24, 2014
First look: Foster + Partners' new home for Yale School of Management [slideshow]
Edward P. Evans Hall, the new home of the Yale School of Management, has opened for business. The 242,000-sf facility was designed by Foster + Partners, with Gruzen Samton as architect of record.
| Jan 24, 2014
Reed Expansion Index predicts widespread economic improvement for the year
Reed's December Expansion Index stood at 1.48, indicating overall construction in the United States is expected to grow over the next 12 months.
| Jan 24, 2014
Urban Land Institute, Enterprise outline issues in rental housing shortage: Report
Bending the Cost Curve: Solutions to Expand the Supply of Affordable Rentals outlines factors that impede the development of affordable rental housing – causing the supply in many markets to fall far short of the demand.
| Jan 24, 2014
ZGF announces formal partnership with Vancouver's Cotter Architects
ZGF has announced the formal establishment of a Vancouver, British Columbia, presence in partnership with Cotter Architects.
| Jan 24, 2014
Structural concrete requirements under revision: ACI 318 standard
The American Concrete Institute (ACI), an organization whose mission is to develop and disseminate consensus-based knowledge on concrete and its uses, is finalizing a completely reorganized ACI 318-14: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete.
| Jan 23, 2014
SMPS Announces Call for Entries for 37th Annual Marketing Communications Awards Program
The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is accepting entries for its 37th Annual Marketing Communications Awards (MCA) competition. The MCA program is the longest-standing, most prestigious awards program recognizing excellence in marketing communications by professional services firms in the design and building industry. The entry deadline is March 3, 2014. SMPS members and nonmembers are eligible to enter.
| Jan 23, 2014
Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill-designed Federation of Korean Industries tower opens in Seoul [slideshow]
The 50-story tower features a unique, angled building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) exterior designed to maximize the amount of energy collected.
| Jan 23, 2014
Think you can recognize a metal building from the outside?
What looks like brick, stucco or wood on the outside could actually be a metal building. Metal is no longer easily detectable. It’s gotten sneakier visually. And a great example of that is the Madison Square retail center in Norman, Okla.
| Jan 23, 2014
3 fatal flaws your architecture firm has right now
After visiting over 200 architecture firms, I was aghast that so many of them were committing these costly sins of mismanagement and miscommunication, without even realizing it. If I can stop even one more firm from shooting its own foot, then this is worth it.
