WASHINGTON — Several associations that develop the construction codes and standards used to create green buildings are working together to bring consistency to high-efficiency structures.
The groups include the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
The Heavy Utility Gate (HUG) is a completely self-contained, solar-powered gate that can be instantly deployed for short- or long-term use as a security checkpoint or access gate to protect personnel, equipment and restricted areas during construction. Useable in all kinds of weather, the HUG has numerous options for allowing access, including remote control key fobs, key pad, wireless intercom or manual wired pendant. Standard features include a reflective arm for night duty, adjustable levelers, security anchor points and enclosed battery boxes.
HGA Architects and Engineers announced the hiring of Kaveh Amirdelfan, AIA, LEED AP BD+C as the new associate vice president and principal at the firm’s Los Angeles office. In this new role, Amirdelfan will direct client relations and new business development for the arts, community and higher education practice group. Amirdelfan was previously a principal with DLR Group in Santa Monica, Calif., serving as that firm’s higher education sector leader.
ONTARIO, Canada — Firms are finding business value and opportunities from green building, including the opportunity to develop new environmentally responsible products, according to McGraw-Hill Construction’s latest SmartMarket Report in partnership with the World Green Building Council (WGBC).
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new LED lighting system for The Big Four Bridge in Louisville will help power the structure in an energy-efficient way.
OAKLAND, Calif. — The University of California (UC) has become the first university in the world to sign the Montreal Carbon Pledge, the school confirmed on Feb. 19. The pledge is a commitment from asset owners and investment managers to measure and publicly disclose the carbon footprint of their investment portfolios on an annual basis.
CHICAGO — Tenants are happier with buildings that make an effort to be sustainable, researchers at Chicago-based DTZ, a real estate and property investment company, have concluded.
Allison Porter, DTZ’s vice president, sustainability services, and DTZ Economist Rebecca Rockey evaluated responses to a tenant survey developed by Kingsley Associates, a research organization for the real estate industry that’s based in San Francisco. The company provides surveys for building tenants, among others.
New York City-based Thornton Tomasetti announced that Gunnar Hubbard, AIA, LEED Fellow, a principal and the firm’s sustainability practice leader, has been elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architecture (AIA). Fellow candidates, vetted by a jury of industry experts, must be members of an AIA chapter for at least 10 years.
Hubbell Lighting announced a new control device that gives lighting owners a simple way to save on energy costs: Beacon Products’ Energeni. The compact product offers an easy-to-use platform to control dimming and automatically dim the lights during unoccupied hours, and with two flexible setting options, the control system allows users to either dim based on the time of the night or on hours of operation.
CHICAGO — The $45 million Johnson Center for Science and Community Life at North Park University in Chicago was recently awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
