In a new report from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, titled “Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Business Realities and Opportunities,” a poll shows that professionals from eight countries think that buildings give rise to an average of 19 percent of CO2 emissions, when the real figures place that number closer to 40 percent. A companion poll shows that professionals from those same countries think that it costs an average of 17 percent more to build a certified sustainable building, when in reality, the cost premiums are really only 5 percent over standard construction. To see the full report, visit wbcsd.org.
San Francisco–based Chong Partners Architecture (CPA) announced last month that it has been acquired by Stantec, a professional design and consulting firm with more than 100 locations in the United States. CPA has 175 employees and additional offices in Sacramento and San Diego.
Francis Cauffman Architects has opened a New York office. This is the fourth office for the 160-person firm, which is headquartered in Philadelphia. The firm has focused on academic, corporate, government, healthcare, and scientific projects since its founding in 1954.
The Spanish Ceramic Floor and Wall Tile Manufacturer’s Association (ASCER) is sponsoring a training course on ceramic tile applications and traditions at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. Scheduled for the 2007–2008 academic school year, the course will be led by Spanish architect Patxi Mangado, who is responsible for the design of the Spanish Pavilion at the 2008 Zaragoza Expo.
The International Masonry Institute has opened its new $30 million facility in Bowie, Md., site of the institute’s popular “Masonry Camp.” The complex, designed by Stanley Tigerman of Chicago-based Tigerman McCurry Architects, comprises a 61,000 square-foot training center and a 46,000 square-foot main building with offices, meeting rooms, and dormitories for more than 100 students.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced nine winners and 13 honorable mentions in the Lifecycle Building Challenge, an awards program conceived by a partnership of the EPA, the AIA, the Building Materials Reuse Association, and West Coast Green. The challenge, as posed to professional and student entrants, was to propose both cost-effective disassembly of existing buildings and future reuse of those materials. The winners were spread across three categories: building, component, and service. For a full list of winners, visit epa.gov/region09/lifecyclebuilding.
San Francisco–based SB Architects received the commission to design a new Hard Rock Hotel in Palm Springs, Calif., scheduled to open in 2010. The building’s 490 units will be sold as condominiums, which give access to a nightclub, a bar and lounge, three restaurants, banquet and meeting rooms, a spa and pool, and—this being California—a private recording studio.
Perkins+Will announced that the CDC Division of Laboratory Sciences, Building 110 in Atlanta is the first high-performance federal government laboratory to achieve LEED Gold certification. The design of the building offered upfront savings of nearly $850,000 over standard construction, and the annual savings in energy efficiency, productivity, and laboratory flexibility are estimated to be in the neighborhood of $1 million.
The Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture has announced the winners of its 2007 design competition for a “new media” school in Halifax, Nova Scotia. First prize: MisoSoupDesign; second prize: Studio Sphere; third prize: Vokil Design; honorable mention: Vural Architects. Go to acadia07.architecture.dal.ca for images and more information.
Paris’ City of Architecture and Heritage reopened last month after a $114 million, 10-year renovation process. The newly reopened, three-gallery, 86,000-square-foot space in the Palais de Chaillot is the largest architectural museum in the world and features exhibitions from 12 centuries of French architecture. The collection includes 350 plaster casts of ecclesiastical architecture and maquettes from mid-19th to 21st century projects. A library will eventually hold 45,000 volumes of architecture books. The long-anticipated institution hopes to attract half a million visitors each year.
