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February 2008
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A new National Academy of Environmental Design (NAED) has been proposed by
a coalition of national environmental organizations.
If established, NAED would work to improve the energy performance and
environmental impact of the designed world. It would coordinate research,
generate knowledge, distribute information, and make recommendations to
policy makers on how to reduce the negative impact of cities, buildings,
landscapes, and transportation on the global climate.
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), The American
Institute of Architects (AIA), the American Society of Landscape Architects
(ASLA), the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), the
Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), and the Council
of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA) have now all endorsed the
resolution to establish NAED. More than 20 school deans and 100 school
faculty members nationwide have also signed on in support, as have the
Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) and the Architecture
Research Centers Consortium (ARCC).
“Today, the United States and the world face pressing and catastrophic
challenges, including precipitous climate change, species extinction,
epidemics affecting human health, and a wide range of toxins,”
said Kim Tanzer, AIA, President of ACSA. “The NAED will marshal
the extensive knowledge of the environmental design disciplines to help
the existing academies through the National Research Council and address
these critically important issues.”
The NAED steering committee is seeking congressional support to establish
the new academy in 2009. NAED would join the four existing national
academies: the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of
Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council.
The academies provide advice to the federal government and the public by
bringing together pro bono experts in science, engineering, and technology.
As envisioned, NAED would offer expertise in architecture, urban planning,
landscape architecture, interior design, product design, and graphic design.
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Real-Time Design: BIMstorms have hit the design industry. Hosted by Onuma Inc., the unique
concept consists of one-day, 24-hour, global charettes to redesign areas of major cities in real time with
design professionals from all over the world. The goal is to demonstrate real-time collaboration possibilities.
Criteria call for designs that meet 2030 Carbon Neutral goals. A charrette took place in January for a 30-city-block
area in Los Angeles, Calif. Other charrettes took place covering areas in Boston, Mass., and Rotterdam, The
Netherlands, late last year. A fourth is planned for New Orleans, La., this spring.
More >
Green Stimulus: As politicians discuss ways to stimulate the nation’s economy, the
American Institute of Architects (AIA) is advocating that the stimulation package include green incentives.
AIA suggests that Congress extend and deepen tax incentives for green buildings; provide for accelerated
depreciation of energy-efficient business equipment; give homeowners a green tax credit; extend the 15-year
recovery for retail improvement, restaurant, and leasehold property; and fund the construction and modernization
of green schools.
More >
Taking Wing: A new 100,000-square-foot addition will be added to the existing 6000-square-foot
National Museum for American Jewish History in Philadelphia, Pa. Designed by Polshek Partnership, the $150 million
space is scheduled to open in 2010. The design includes two four-story structures atop a street-level pedestal and
adjoining a 104-foot-tall atrium—one clad in terra cotta that houses galleries, an education center, and a
theater, and one clad in glass that houses event rooms. The two wings symbolize past and present.
More >
Precast Concrete Binder Available: A new visual and heavily referenced binder with ideas, details,
and techniques for integrating precast and prestressed concrete as part of a design solution for building structures
of all kinds is now available from the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI). Targeted to architects, the
Designing with Precast and Prestressed Concrete binder outlines components, material capabilities, fundamentals,
design techniques, and applications. Free copies of the binder are available to qualified architects by contacting
cmerydith@pci.org.
Big Easy: The go-ahead has been given to a plan to redevelop major sections of the New Orleans, La.,
riverfront. The plan, developed by the New Orleans Building Corporation (NOBC), covers 4.5 miles of the east bank of
the Mississippi River and would include the addition of riverfront parks, replacement of deteriorated wharves, wetland
gardens, a pavilion, and performance spaces. The cost is projected at $289 million.
More >
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Presentations from the PCI Annual Convention Available on CD
The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) is making available a CD containing presentations made at
PCI’s 53rd Annual Convention held in Phoenix, Ariz., last October.
The CD costs $25 and contains PDF files on 25 convention presentations, including three seminar sessions on
Kaizen, rapid improvement events, and lean manufacturing; three sessions on sustainability, the greening of
precast concrete, and sustainable precast concrete production; and three sessions on self-consolidating concrete
implementation and productivity. Also covered are sessions on standardized physical property testing, including
a proposed training program and an inspection guide for cast-in-place/precast concrete interfaces.
Other files cover presentations on:
- The use of architectural precast concrete in design-build programs
- The design of translucent concrete
- Design and behavior of the Super Hybrid System
- Joints in precast concrete parking structures
- Prevention of progressive collapse in multistory buildings
- Harnessing thermal mass with precast concrete construction
- Project management and engineering’s role in productivity
Also included are seminar presentations on laser projections, fabrication techniques, and the use of magnets
in precast plants, as well as details on a parking structure lighting study, a discussion on fire code issues,
and a case study on Centralia High School in Centralia, Ill.
As a bonus, the CD also contains a number of current PCI videos, including movies on precast concrete paving,
sustainability, wind cannon tests, the PCI Architectural Student Design Competition, and the PCI Foundation.
New Architectural Resources
PCI Certification >
Precasters: Share Your Tips >
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To Russia with Love – Two architect/developer teams have submitted proposals to reconstruct Apraksin Dvor, a dilapidated section of St. Petersburg, Russia. The proposal from English architect Chris Wilkinson (shown) and developer Glavstroi-Spb calls for removing parking spaces and some buildings, creating a glass roof over the passage between buildings, and constructing a new bridge over the Fontanka River with a removable glass roof at a minimum cost of $400 million. The second proposal is from architect Norman Foster, Moscow-based Renaissance Apraksin Dvor, and Swedish-based developer Ruric AB.
More >
Up and Comers – The American Institute of Architects has announced the ten recipients of the 2008 AIA Young Architects Award. The award honors individuals who have made significant contributions early in their architectural careers. Winners include: Victoria Beach, AIA; David Gamble, AIA, LEED-AP; Emily A. Grandstaff-Rice, AIA; Kelly Hayes-McAlonie, AIA, MRAIC, LEED-AP; Grace H. Kim, AIA; Samuel Lasky, AIA; Michael J. Meehan, AIA; David Montalba, AIA; Robert Pasersky, AIA; and Tim Schroeder, AIA.
More >
Hitting a High Note – Italian architect Renzo Piano, a proponent of the high-tech style of architecture and co-designer of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France, has been awarded the 2008 Gold Medal by the American Institute of Architects. Piano and his firm, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, also designed the Rue de Meaux Housing in Paris, the Kansai International Airport in Japan, the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany, and the headquarters for Herme Japan in Tokyo, Japan.
More >
Going Green – Moshier Studio, Pittsburgh, Pa., has been hired to design the new Human Resources Development Commission facility in Cumberland, Md. The 20,000-square-foot structure will be designed to achieve LEED Silver certification. Completion of the structure is scheduled for December 2009.
More >
Off to Venice – Aaron Betsky, director of the Cincinnati Art Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been appointed director of the 11th International Architecture Exhibition at the 2008 Venice Biennale in Venice, Italy. The 2008 exhibition is titled “Out there—Architecture Beyond Building” and plans to emphasize the fact that architecture does not work in isolation. Art, literature, film, landscaping, and other design disciplines influence how we think about and live in buildings. The Venice Biennale alternates between a focus on art and one on architecture, film, theater, and dance, and will open to the public from September 14 through November 23, 2008.
More >
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“Because the design and construction
industry accounts for nearly one in ten
dollars of U.S. GDP and creates millions
of jobs….Congress and the president
should help this vital sector put people
back to work and provide solutions to
lower energy costs.”
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Andrew Goldberg, AIA senior director,
federal affairs, on current economic
stimulus efforts.
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The precast/prestressed concrete industry offers a wide range of AIA/CES approved box lunch programs.
Find out more >
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Shell Game – The RCI International Convention, February 28–March 4,
in Phoenix, Ariz., covers energy-efficient roof design, waterproofing techniques, and building envelope systems.
More >
Going Pro – The AIA CES Firm Leadership Symposium to be held March 5–7
in Charleston, S.C., will deal with adaptive strategies for professional development.
More >
BuildingEnergy08 – This conference by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
is scheduled for March 11–13 in Boston, Mass. Featured are workshops on climate change, carbon
stabilization, high-performance buildings, green design, and solar applications.
More >
Cityscapes – To be held March 27–30 in Cleveland, Ohio, the Cityscapes
conference is designed to examine intersections of the urban environment, the humanities, and social change.
More >
Auto Be Green – The Building Automation Green intelligent buildings conference takes
place April 2–3 in Baltimore, Md. The program includes case studies and discussions on new technologies,
open protocols, and integrated applications.
More >
Ecocity – The Ecocity World Summit will address ecological cities and towns from the
perspectives of people, nature, sustainable development, economies and technologies, and incentives and
support structures. The summit will be held April 22–26 in San Francisco, Calif.
More >
Climate Confab – Strategic developments in energy and climate security, the future
for both conventional and renewable power sources, energy finance, and environmental investment will be the
topics at the Alliance to Save Energy, Global Climate & Energy Security conference, May 5–7 in
Athens, Greece.
More >
AIA – The AIA Convention is scheduled for May 15–17 in Boston, Mass. Focus
will be on our place in the world—where we live, where we work, how we come together, and our place
on the land.
More >
High On Green – EcoBuild America: Sustainable, Green and High-Performance Solutions
for the Built Environment, takes place May 19–22 in Anaheim, Calif. The program covers sustainable design,
energy efficiency, renewable resources, green building practices, products, and service innovations.
More >
Parking – The International Parking Institute show, the largest parking show in North
America, will be held June 1–4 in Dallas, Tex. It draws 2500 parking and transportation executives, city
and county commissioners, suppliers, engineers, architects, and parking consultants. The theme for 2008 is
“Creating a Sustainable Future.”
More >
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