November 2015
Wyndham Headquarters Becomes N.J.’s Most Energy-Efficient Building
PARSIPPANY, N.J. — The corporate headquarters of hospitality giant Wyndham Worldwide in Parsippany earned 99 out of 100 points from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star rating.
The Benefits of Building Envelope Retrofits
John Bendt, vice president of building retrofit strategy for Minneapolis-based Apogee Enterprises Inc., believes that many buildings are undergoing retrofits before owners and teams have considered all critical building aspects, especially the build
UC Santa Barbara Lab Still One of Nation’s Greenest
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The U.S. Green Building Council recognized 15 LEED-certified projects in celebration of its 15 years as an organization earlier this year. The projects were chosen based on versatility, value and staying power.
CDCR Honored for Green Efforts
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In October, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) accepted the Cool Planet Award from the Los Angeles-based environmental nonprofit Climate Registry and Rosemead, Calif.-based electrical company Southern California Edison (SCE).
UN Agency in Rome Receives LEED Platinum Certification
ROME — In 2009, the United Nation’s (UN) International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome began to work towards making its building more energy efficient, first seeking a LEED certification for sustainability. These efforts were prompted by the UN’s Greening the Blue initiative. On Nov. 16, IFAD announced in a statement that the existing buildings had been awarded LEED Platinum certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) for operations and maintenance.
Kavinder Singh
Kavinder Singh was recently named executive vice president of KMD Architects in San Francisco. Prior to his new appointment, Singh served in numerous positions at Turner Construction Company, including as vice president and general manager in the firm’s San Francisco office, and as vice president and country manager in Hyderabad, India. Prior to that, Singh was the manager of business development for Turner, focusing on the Oakland East Bay Area of California.
Shawn Hurley
Skanska AB recently named Shawn Hurley president and CEO for Skanska USA Commercial Development, which has invested $1.5 billion in sustainable developments since 2009. Hurley succeeds Mats Johansson, who has served as the president and CEO of the unit since its launch in the U.S. in 2009, and will assume his new role on Jan. 1.
LED Luminaire
Architectural Lighting Works — an international manufacturer of high-performance, commercial luminaires designed for use in office, retail, hospitality, civic and academic environments — announced the release of its Lightplane 1 Round luminaire. Measuring a mere 1-inch in diameter, Lightplane 1 Round is a sleek and slim luminaire that virtually disappears into the architectural environment.
Medical Ceiling Panels
ROCKFON Medical stone wool ceiling panels offer cleanliness, aesthetics, performance and sustainability. The panels provide a surface that is easy to clean and disinfect, while meeting health care facilities’ design goals, sustainability objectives and stringent performance requirements. The product is made from basalt rock, which provides noise reduction coefficients, fire protection with UL/ULC certification for Flame Spread and Smoke Development and dimensional stability at up to 100 percent humidity.