The legacy of the Olympics’ buildings and infrastructure
With the Tokyo Olympics set to start next week, there are a host of logistical issues, including construction and infrastructure challenges, that accompany such a massive event.
Earth Day 2021: Five events worth watching
With Earth Day coming up next week on April 22, today, the Architrends blog takes a look at some upcoming events worth keeping an eye on.
Examining energy use in commercial buildings
On average, 30% of the energy used in commercial buildings is wasted due to inefficiencies, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Regenerative design: Going beyond sustainability
Regenerative design has the goal of producing buildings that have a net-positive impact on their surroundings – restoring or improving their locales rather than aiming for less harm.
Recent developments in sustainability initiatives for commercial buildings
Energy efficiency, reduced carbon output and sustainability measures have been targets for those designing and operating commercial buildings for some time. Now, with Net Zero – where a building emits zero or less emissions through reduction measures - the goalposts are shifting even further.
Achieving energy efficiency with glass exteriors in commercial buildings
New technologies have allowed glass exteriors to reach new heights in energy efficiency.
How sustainable campus design affects students and operators
Potential students have no shortage of choices for post-secondary education, and ensuring sustainability is part of the campus culture and design is increasingly top of mind.
Assessing the sustainability of building products
Product specifiers in building design have an increasingly complex task in trying to discern what a sustainable building product is and deliver it to end users. So, where does one start?
How EPDs work with the LEED ratings system
EPDs can now garner credits under the LEED v4.1 ratings system, giving building product specifiers a tool to further enhance green building initiatives.
What is an EPD, and how is one created?
Putting the definition of an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) into layman’s terms is a bit of a challenge, with a plethora acronyms to get one’s head around.
Circular economy in building design and construction
There is ample buzz surrounding the term circular economy of late. Also referred to as circularity, the building design and construction industries are looking at reshaping operations to apply this new way of thinking, which appears on the surface a monumental task.
Using recycled building materials
Using recycled building materials or materials that contain recycled content is a straightforward step to sustainability for building designers and construction professionals.
Reducing embodied carbon in building materials
Reducing the operational carbon output of buildings has long been an important topic of discussion, but drilling down even further, the architecture, engineering and construction industries are now turning an eye to embodied carbon. Embodied carbon of building materials refers the amount of carbon that is emitted to produce and transport building materials before they hit the jobsite.
