For building professionals accustomed to watching carbon emissions climb with every new project, the idea of a building that actually removes carbon from the atmosphere has felt like science fiction. That fiction may soon become code-ready reality. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has spent the past year refining the Urban Sequoia NOW concept, a carbon-absorbing […]
The completion of LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B redevelopment in Queens, New York, marks a significant milestone in sustainable infrastructure construction. Spanning nearly six years, this project demonstrates how large-scale public building projects can achieve ambitious sustainability benchmarks while maintaining continuous operations during construction. The transformation involved one of the largest public-private partnerships in the United
How the CSI National Conference Is Shaping Innovation and Workforce Development Across the AECO Industry The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) National Conference has long served as a gathering point for professionals across the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) community. The 2022 event in Denver, Colorado, brought together industry leaders under a “Future Ready” theme,
Roof drainage failures rank among the most common and costly building enclosure problems, yet they often stem from seemingly minor detailing oversights. When designers focus only on typical roof geometries and standard gutter configurations, they can miss the critical transitions where water concentrates unexpectedly. A thorough understanding of roof drainage principles, particularly at built-in gutter
The shift toward hybrid work has fundamentally changed how commercial office spaces are planned, designed, and constructed. Building professionals now face the challenge of creating environments that serve both in-person and remote employees while integrating advanced technology into the physical fabric of the workplace. This transformation goes beyond adding video conferencing equipment; it requires rethinking
Understanding Moisture Risks in Tall Wood Buildings As the construction industry embraces mass timber for taller structures, managing moisture has become a critical concern for building professionals. Tall wood buildings offer significant environmental and aesthetic benefits, but they also introduce unique challenges related to moisture control that differ substantially from low-rise wood frame construction. The
The $20 billion Intel Ohio project in New Albany, Licking County, represents one of the most ambitious industrial building construction programs in United States history. When Phase 1 completes, the site spanning nearly 1,000 acres will house two semiconductor manufacturing facilities totaling 232,258 square meters (2.5 million square feet), including 55,742 square meters (600,000 square
The Buffalo AKG Art Museum expansion represents one of the most significant cultural building projects in the United States, bringing together the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) and Cooper Robertson to redefine how art museums engage with their urban and natural surroundings. Stretching alongside Frederick Law Olmsted’s Delaware Park in Buffalo, New York, the expanded
The Biden-Harris Administration has introduced the first-ever Federal Building Performance Standard, setting an ambitious goal to cut energy use and electrify equipment in 30 percent of federally owned building space by 2030. For building owners, developers, and contractors, this marks a significant shift in how buildings will be designed, retrofitted, and operated. Understanding these new
Loyola Marymount University (LMU) has completed two new structures on its Westchester campus: a School of Film and Television facility and an outdoor performance stage, both designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). These buildings embody a minimalist architectural approach that prioritizes functionality while using rich materials to create inspiring spaces for arts education. The
