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The [acronym] online blog is the public sector’s complete source of up-to-the-minute news and information about computer-aided design and related digital design technologies for the fields of AEC, manufacturing, and GIS.
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Tag Archives: Sustainable Design
Improving Air Quality in Pohnpei – Volunteers and Civil 3D Fix an Environmental Need
This is the third in a series of blogs that shares the extraordinary and sometimes life-changing stories and experiences of a group of CAD, AEC, GIS and BIM experts who have chosen to share their knowledge with under-served communities and nations. These volunteers work hand-in-hand with KnowledgeWell, a non-profit organization whose goal is to transform the barriers faced by under-resourced nations into opportunities for successful business enterprise and public sector programs. From Moscow to Micronesia and beyond, KnowledgeWell helps these communities to become more self-sufficient, increase their visibility in the global marketplace and create awareness of sustainable, environmentally friendly business practices. Continue reading
3 Free Online Workshops that Explain the Fundamental Elements of Sustainable Design
Almost 10 years ago now, Jason McLennan writing in his book “The Philosophy of Sustainable Design” laid out a compelling vision of sustainable design with the goal of eliminating “negative environmental impact completely through skilful, sensitive design”.
In the abstract, sustainable design has a poetic feel to it. But the essential component parts are very real and very impactful not only to the environment but to society at large, and to our collective pocket books.
The General Services Administration (GSA), for example, oversees 500,000 government buildings, spends $30 billion per year on federal construction and has energy costs totaling approximately $7 billion per year. That’s a lot of tax payer money and represents an enormous opportunity to transfer sustainable technologies and practices on a large scale which GSA is currently undertaking. Continue reading
Arlington County to Put Energy Labels on Buildings.
Arlington County is at the forefront of an environmental trend that puts energy labels on county buildings. The Department of Environmental Services plans to label each building with energy efficiency information. The labels will be part of the county’s Community Energy Plan which hopes to make Arlington one of the leading counties in the reduction of greenhouse gasses. Arlington may have gotten the idea from the 2009 American Clean Energy and Security Act which included suggestions for building labeling, but died in the Senate. The plan will likely be implemented sometime this year but the details about what the label will look like and the information to be displayed are still undetermined.
The goal of this program is to raise awareness about energy use and how to implement conservation. They also hope it will inspire private owners to apply energy labels on their own buildings. The labels may be similar to what the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, or the “Building EQ” label the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers produces. Arlington may also be taking cue from the practices Europe has put into place. Continue reading
Two Upcoming Webcasts on BIM and Sustainable Design
Next Tuesday is a busy day for anyone in the AEC industry involved in sustainable design projects. Here are two upcoming webcasts that provide insight on how to accelerate sustainable design projects and comply with federal energy performance standards:
BIM Webcast: Accelerating Sustainable Design with BIM
Improving Federal Energy Performance, Part 2 Continue reading
Improving Federal Energy Performance: Two Webcasts to Look out for this Month:
If you’ve got time to take a break from those never ending holiday pot luck lunches this month, why not join two live webcasts on the topic of Improving Federal Energy Performance.
Hosted by DLT Solutions and Autodesk, Industry experts John Sullivan and Angela Chan will discuss how Autodesk BIM Solutions inform energy-efficiency improvement decisions by enabling you to rapidly create and analyze models of new and existing buildings and systems. Continue reading
Green Building Retrofit & Renovation SmartMarket Report – Building a Case for the Benefits of “Green” Construction
Green building has been a hot topic for a while, but new building projects aren’t the only thing getting attention. In fact, according to the Green Building Retrofit & Renovation SmartMarket Report, only 1.5% – 2.5% of building stock in the U.S. is new each year. To add to that, green building comprises 5-9% of current building projects and that number is expected to increase to 25% -30% in the next five years. The report, found here, details data collected from market research and qualitative case studies (there are 20 highlighted in this report) showing the highly positive trend of green building projects, even in the government sector. Continue reading
Empire State Building Sustainability Project
The Empire State Building in New York City is one of the most iconic modern buildings of our time. Built in 1930, the height of the building and speed of construction made it one of the seven wonders of the modern world. However, the engineers and architects of the 1930’s did not exactly consider such things as sustainability or carbon footprint. Continue reading
The Experts Weigh In: Getting to Green
Got questions? We’ve got the answers. Each issue oOur team of experts weighs in on a variety of topical issues relevant to public sector digital design. The summer 2008 issueWe’ve asked our experts about what it takes to support “green” mandates in digital design.
“What three things should I take into consideration before embarking on digital design initiatives in support of green / sustainability mandates and regulations?”
Continue reading
Getting to Green: Sustainable Building Design and BIM
Building information Modeling (BIM) adoption plays a significant part in supporting the creation and maintenance of green buildings. [acronym] shows how three examples highlight where BIM can help you design greener buildings today.
For several reasons, not the least of which is global climate change, sustainable building has become a practice of critical interest. ‘Sustainable’ buildings minimize the use of resources such as energy, water, materials and land through optimal design. Green buildings are designed and operated to create healthier and more productive work and living environments through natural light and improved air quality. Sustainable buildings can also reduce long-term operations and maintenance expenses. Continue reading
