PLANO, Texas — The Greenguard Environmental Institute has certified Smith System’s entire product portfolio of desks, chairs and library furniture.
GEI is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air quality. The certification program was created to recognize companies that have products that meet or exceed requirements for low chemical emissions.
DURHAM, N.C. — A new medical research facility at Duke University is the latest building on campus designed to meet LEED certification, a requirement for all new construction projects at the university.
The $64 million Medical Science Research Building II, designed by Hillier Architecture of Princeton, N.J., was designed to meet LEED silver certification. It posed a challenge for designers because lab spaces don’t typically allow for efficient use of daylighting, or water or air circulation, according to the firm.
BRIGHTON, Mass. — Officials are hoping a renovated office building that was converted to serve as the main component of the new home for the St. Patrick School will be awarded LEED silver certification.
In addition to the 36,000-square-foot former office building, the new $10 million campus for first through eighth graders includes a new 14,000-square-foot gymnasium and a 6,000-square-foot lab and studio.
Teachers at the school, which opened in September, will incorporate many of the building’s sustainable design components into course curriculum.
DUBAI — O-14, a twenty-two story commercial tower perched on a two-story podium, is slated to break ground during the first week of December 2006 in the heart of Business Bay in Dubai. The building, which will contains 300,000 square feet of space, is a collaboration between RUR Architecture of New York and developer Shabah Lutfi. O-14 will be located along the extension of Dubai Creek, occupying a prominent location on the waterfront esplanade.
PITTSBURGH – Assisted by $1.25 million in seed money from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and The Heinz Endowments, the Green Building Alliance has launched the Green Building Products Initiative, an economic development program created to position Western Pennsylvania as the national center for green building innovation, production and utilization.
There was recent news about the discovery of 200 marine dead zones all over the world. These dead zones occur when water becomes devoid of oxygen because algae have consumed it. The algae create the oxygen deficit because of their ability to prosper in polluted water that kills off all other marine life but them. With no competitors or predators to curb their numbers, the algae are free to grow uncontrolled and consume oxygen.
LOS ANGELES — Since 2002, the American Institute of Architects has held the International Presidents’ Forum at each of its national conventions. The forum was created to provide opportunities for informal, broad-reaching consultation and information-sharing among the leaders of the international architecture community.
PORTLAND, Ore. – Columbia Forest Products has launched a new line of cost-competitive formaldehyde-free hardwood plywood panels called PureBond™.
“PureBond panels are cost-neutral with urea formaldehyde-manufactured plywood, and they offer better moisture resistance,” Columbia President of Plywood and Veneer Brad Thompson said. “We’re currently producing PureBond full-time in our three standard veneer-core facilities and are converting the rest of our plants to do the same. All should be completed by year-end.”
