The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s BetterBricks initiative congratulates the Seattle AIA 2010 What Makes It Green Award winners and the Seattle AIA and Seattle COTE for an outstanding program and process. The program culminated in the 11th annual awards event held in Seattle on June 2^nd…. This came

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A groundbreaking new research effort reveals how hospitals, which account for four percent of all energy consumed in the U.S., can achieve a 60 percent reduction in energy utility use by redesigning the way they use energy. A newly constructed, code-compliant hospital in the Northwest following the process and employing strategies

Another great opportunity to hear from a leading European practitioner presents itself for Portland area building professionals and students.
David Cook of Behnisch Architekten, and currently the Pietro Belluschi Distinguished Visiting Professor in Architecture… at the University of Oregon School of Architecture, will be speaking at the U of O White Stag

A recent DesignIntelligence… blog post has an interesting posting relating icebergs to buildings. This is particularly apropos to energy efficiency in buildings. DesignIntelligence is the Design Futures Council’s bi-monthly report.
“Like buildings, icebergs come in all shapes and sizes. They can be beautiful and also a little mysterious. On average,

The building envelope is an essential component and area of opportunity in the design, engineering and operation of ultra-low energy buildings.  Rather than serving as a static enclosure, it has the potential to redirect and filter daylight, provide natural ventilation, manage radiant heat transfers, and create visual and physical connections…

The fifth annual Puget Sound BetterBricks Awards wrapped up a few weeks and ushered in a new batch green building overachievers.  The aim of these Awards are to both recognize energy efficiency achievements in commercial buildings as well as inspire others to embrace high performance buildings.
This year’s Award winners…

Three years of hard work, characterized by widespread building industry collaboration, has resulted in the first comprehensive U.S. commercial green building standard accredited by the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) and intended for adoption into local codes. The Standard may also be used by utility programs and green building rating…

Ten years ago, BetterBricks brought leading architecture firm  SRG Partnership together with the University of Oregon’s Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory… to design a high performance building using a research based approach.  The team’s single-project collaboration has now evolved into a lasting partnership that’s transformed the firm’s design leaders and