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In an effort to accelerate the development of cost-effective, sustainable concrete, Masdar, the developer of the planned carbon and waste-neutral Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, is holding a concrete mix design competition. The first prize is $150,000, for a sustainable concrete production method. The second prize is $50,000 for the lowest-carbon- footprint concrete mix. This is the first of several competitions to help Masdar, an initiative of the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co., achieve its goals for sustainability at Masdar City, says Omar. M. Waqfi, Masdar's specifications manager. "We are pushing and challenging people on all aspects [of sustainable development],
It costs on average $4.01 per sq ft to get a building certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system for green buildings, according to recent market research. That figure translates to $830 million in LEED-related construction spending from 2000 to 2008, says a study by USGBC and consultant Booz Allen Hamilton. The 52-page “Green Jobs Study” estimates $12.5 billion in LEED-certification-related spending will occur over the next five years, an amount that would sustain 230,000 jobs. In the same period, energy savings are expected to total $6 billion, with $4.8 billion directly
An investigation has been launched into why 1,000 sq m of roof was blown off Indira Gandhi International Airport’s six-month-old domestic terminal during a storm on Aug. 21 that had winds of over 90 kilometers per hour lasting 10 minutes. The section comprised about 5% of the 20,000 sq m high-tensile steel roof on the $100-million terminal. Photo: Manoj Kumar Investigators want to find out why new terminal roof section succumbed to wind. Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL), the concessionaire that holds a contract to develop, manage and operate the airport, has formed a team to look into whether there
A California inspection and testing firm has agreed to a six-month ban imposed by Clark County, Nev., from seeking new work in the southern part of the state for submitting false inspection reports on the Harmon Hotel & Spa, one of six large building projects in Las Vegas’ $8.5-billion CityCenter development. Converse Consultants’ failure to disclose defects has prompted the owner to shrink the planned building to 28 stories from the 49 originally planned. Photo: MGM Mirage Inspection firm is temporarily banned from state work for reports on tower (front, right). Hired by owner MGM Mirage Inc. to inspect the
Though green-building experts and construction lawyers laud the good intentions of the U.S. Green Building Council about its popular Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green-building rating system, many have serious concerns about at least one new requirement in the latest version of LEED, which went into effect on July 1. The requirement, a “precondition” of certification for all buildings under LEED Version 3, says owners must commit to sharing building energy and water-usage data for at least five years after a new building is occupied or an existing building is certified. Another change sending shudders down the spine of
T here is a movement afoot called landscape urbanism, and it is quietly pulling the rug out from under the traditional design hierarchy. Proponents of the notion argue that principles of ecological landscape design, rather than architecture or urban planning, are more capable of organizing and enhancing the city. Related Links: Landscape Architecture Rising “Landscape is usurping architecture’s historical role as the basic building block of city- making,” says Charles Waldheim, chairman of landscape architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and the coiner of “landscape urbanism.” As a result, cities are starting to hire landscape architects to lead
If a new professional designation catches on, designers and contractors involved in sustainable buildings could soon be seeking still another set of initials to put after their names. Early last month, Toronto-based Green Roofs for Healthy Cities launched a green-roof professional accreditation exam. The 100-question, multiple-choice test was offered on June 5 for the first time at the group’s annual International Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities conference, in Atlanta. The exam focuses on knowledge areas such as green-roof design, contract management and maintenance. These topics are covered in four full-day workshops offered by the sponsoring group. Though completion of the
A new study from the National Academy of Sciences predicts that the growing use of so-called “green” refrigerants being phased in to replace ozone-depleting ones could contribute to the global equivalent of up to 45% in carbon-dioxide emissions by 2050. > Photo: Tudor Van Hampton Engineers prep for R-22 ban at recent HVAC conference. Related Links: View the National Academy of Sciences Study The use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), such as R-404a, R-410a and HFC-134a, are set to grow exponentially as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), such as R-22, continue phasing out under the Montreal Protocol. In the 1990s, HCFCs replaced more-damaging chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
Need to stop flooding or reduce stormwater runoff and sewer overflows? Looking to ease demand on treatment plants and avoid the cost of expansion? Seeking cleaner air or water? Interested in recharging an aquifer, rebuilding a shoreline or remediating a brownfield? Trying to stem highway pollution? Need to rebalance a watershed or ecosystem? Slide Show Photo: SWA Group Houston’s buffalo bayou transformation turns derelict channel into urban paradise Photo: SWA Group The city’s Buffalo Bayou project involves re-engineering banks, stabilizing soil, anchoring rock and more. The park is designed to withstand natural periodic flooding. Related Links: Landscape Architects Invade Big
While the owner of the 2.6-million-sq-ft Empire State Building gears up for a $500-million renovation, designed to cut energy costs by 38% and be a model for other green office-building retrofits, a construction firm that recently moved into its green ESB offices is releasing hard data on the 24,000-sq-ft retrofit. Skanska USA Building, which moved into its 32nd-floor space in November, reports it has reduced its energy bill by 46% over its smaller, previous offices elsewhere. Photo: Guy Lawrence / ENR Building landlords target $4.4 million in yearly savings. This fall, Skanska expects to be awarded LEED Platinum status for