Thornton Tomasetti appoints Hofmeister and Zhu to board of directors

International engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti announced that Kansas City Senior Principal W. Steven Hofmeister, P.E., S.E., LEED AP and Shanghai Senior Principal Yi Zhu have been elected to one-year terms on the firm’s board of directors. The addition of Hofmeister and Zhu brings the number of directors to 10.

Hofmeister manages the firm’s Midwest U.S region, overseeing the Kansas City, Chicago and Denver offices. He has more than 25 years of structural design and project management experience. He has been with Thornton Tomasetti since 2004 and has worked on such high-profile projects as MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y., CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. and Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa.

Zhu oversees the firm’s operations in China and helped to establish the Shanghai office in 2002. He has more than 24 years of experience in design, construction and seismic research of structures worldwide. He joined Thornton Tomasetti in 1994. His notable projects include Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Taipei 101 in Taiwan and Shanghai Tower in China. +

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has unveiled a new medical education building, Roper Hall. Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM) and Flad Architects, the UNC School of Medicine’s new building intends to train new generations of physicians through dynamic and active modes of learning.

Sustainability | May 10, 2024

Perkins&Will’s first ESG report discloses operational performance data across key metrics

Perkins&Will recently released its first ESG report that discloses the firm’s operational performance data across key metrics and assesses its strengths and opportunities.

MFPRO+ News | May 10, 2024

HUD strengthens flood protection rules for new and rebuilt residential buildings

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued more stringent flood protection requirements for new and rebuilt homes that are developed with, or financed with, federal funds. The rule strengthens standards by increasing elevations and flood-proofing requirements of new properties in areas at risk of flooding.

Government Buildings | May 10, 2024

New federal buildings must be all-electric by 2030

A new Biden Administration rule bans the use of fossil fuels in new federal buildings beginning in 2030. The announcement came despite longstanding opposition to the rule by the natural gas industry.

Sustainable Development | May 10, 2024

Nature as the city: Why it’s time for a new framework to guide development

NBBJ leaders Jonathan Ward and Margaret Montgomery explore five inspirational ideas they are actively integrating into projects to ensure more healthy, natural cities.

Mass Timber | May 8, 2024

Portland's Timberview VIII mass timber multifamily development will offer more than 100 affordable units

An eight-story, 72,000-sf mass timber apartment building in Portland, Ore., topped out this winter and will soon offer over 100 affordable units. The structure is the tallest affordable housing mass timber building and the first Type IV-C affordable housing building in the city.

Architects | May 8, 2024

Ivan O’Garro, AIA joins LEO A DALY as a vice president

Integrated design firm LEO A DALY welcomes Ivan O’Garro, AIA, as a vice president and managing principal of its Atlanta studio.

K-12 Schools | May 7, 2024

World's first K-12 school to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum

A new K-12 school in Washington, D.C., is the first school in the world to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum, according to its architect, Perkins Eastman. The John Lewis Elementary School is also the first school in the District of Columbia designed to achieve net-zero energy (NZE).