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  • 2010 AIA COTE winner Manitoba Hydro Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, designed by Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects and Smith Carter Architects and Engineers.

    Top Honors

     
  • Vast Enterprises Composite Pavers Vast Composite Pavers are now available in a 4-inch-by-8-inch size, making them better suited for commercial hardscapes, such as parking garages, walkways, and plazas, says the company. The composite blend is made up of 95-percent recycled car tires and plastic containers. The new pavers weigh less than 9 pounds per square foot and come in a new grid system, made from the same material as the pavers, that enables contractors to more easily align and set the pavers. According to the company, the new pavers reduce the number of pieces needed per square foot by 44 percent, compared to Vasts original 3-inch-by-6-inch pavers. vastpavers.com; 612.234.8958.

    Vast Enterprises Composite Pavers

    Vast Composite Pavers are now available in a 4-inch-by-8-inch size, better suiting them for commercial hardscapes.

     
  • Coalesse Freestanding Topo Collection Designed by EOOS, the Topo office system is now available with freestanding components to allow for greater flexibility. The new additions are made with sustainable materials including Steelcases water-based topcoat Clarity, which is SCS Indoor Advantage certified, VOC-free adhesives, and recyclable powder-coated steel or clear anodized aluminum. All of the components are designed for easy disassembly and end-of-life recycling, and contribute to LEED points for recycled content, regional materials, and low-emitting materials. coalesse.com; 866.645.6952.

    Coalesse Freestanding Topo Collection

    Coalesse expands its Topo office system with freestanding components to add flexibility.

     
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    Shaw Contract Mix It Up

    Shaw's Mix It Up collection of carpet comes in broadloom and tile varieties.

     
  • Architectural Area Lighting Largent Architectural Area Lightings (AAL) Designer SSL series includes an LED version of the Largent, one of the companys most popular designs. The outdoor area light is equipped with the companys MicroEmitter LED technology encased in a post-top luminaire. MicroEmitter control and beam angle are designed to limit glare while maintaining wide pole spacing, resulting in 50 percent less glare, according to AAL. LED upgrade kits are available to those already employing Largent, and include a full EmitterDeck assembly with drivers and 20 LED MicroEmitters (60 diodes). The Designer SSL series also includes LED versions of AALs Providence and Universe lights. aal.net; 626.968.5666.

    Architectural Area Lighting Largent

    AAL's new Designer LL series includes an LED version of its popular Largent area luminaire.

     
  • Kimball Office Campos Campos is an ergonomic seating option that includes features often found in high-end office chairs, but at a lower price point. The BIFMA e3-certified Campos incorporates a synchronous mechanism and tension adjustment for a seat slider or backrest. The chair also includes large casters, backrest height adjustment, a choice of 2D or 4D armrests, and a polished aluminum or black plastic base. Nine Interstuhl upholstry options are available. Campos is certified SCS Indoor Advantage Gold and 98 percent of its materials can be recycled. kimballoffice.com; 800.482.1818.

    Kimball Office Campos

    Kimball's Campos chair is an ergonomic option with features often found in higher-end office seating.

     
  • KI Lyra The Lyra collection is KIs newest offering in lounge seating. A modern take on a classic design, Lyra uses a combination of low-VOCemitting wood, steel, and fabric to accommodate a variety of settings and qualify it for Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certification. The foam cushioning material is made from a blend of 15 percent pre-consumer soy product, while the wood is FSC certified. A variety of sustainable fabrics are available. ki.com; 800.424.2432.

    KI Lyra

    The Lyra collection from KI is made of low-VOC materials and a soy-blend product.

     
  • Filtrexx BioSoxx BioSoxx is Filtrexx Internationals first 100-percent biodegradable cotton material for compost-sock and filter-sock applications. Designed for erosion control and other landscaping projects, the mesh replaces traditional plastic or burlap sacks. Over time, BioSoxx naturally dissolves, eliminating the need to return to the site and remove the netting. filtrexx.com; 440.926.2607.

    Filtrexx BioSoxx

    BioSoxx is a 100-percent biodegradable cotton mesh for erosion control.

     
  • ETwater Systems SmartWorks Replacement Panel For those who already have traditional irrigation controllers in place, the ETwater SmartWorks replacement panel promises the benefits of ETwater Systems Smart Irrigation Technology with plug-and-play installation. According to the company, a SmartWorks panel provides 20 percent to 50 percent water savings, paying for itself in less than two years. The panel automatically adjusts watering schedules based on local weather, while a Web-based interface provides setup, scheduling, and irrigation history. An optional flow-monitoring device is available. Compatible irrigation systems include RainBird, RainMaster, and Irritol controllers. etwater.com; 800.438.3400.

    ETwater Systems SmartWorks Replacement Panel

    The ETwater SmartWorks replacement panel uses smart irrigation technology to reduce irrigation water use by 20 percent to 50 percent.

     
  • Atlas Block Century Stone All of Atlas Blocks concrete masonry units and veneers now contain as much as 30 percent post-consumer recycled glass. The glass comes from local recycling programs and helps products such as the Century Stone veneer (shown, in slate) contribute toward LEED credits. Atlas crushes the glass into a fine powder and refines it into lightweight pellets that expand and generate a fine-poured granulate, which the company then uses to produce its concrete mix. Century Stone is available in 16 color blends, including Baja, maple, and sandstone, and three texture options: classic, rock-face, and tumbled. Sizes include 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-inch stone and brick blocks. atlasblock.com; 800.461.4380.

    Atlas Block Century Stone

    Atlas Block now includes up to 30 percent recycled glass content in all of its concrete units and veneers.

     
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    A Walk in the Trees

    A canopy walk at the Morris Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania puts visitors out on a limb.

     

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  • The EPCC's sloped roof sports an 87-kW photovoltaic grid to lessen energy costs and large clerestory windows on the north and south sides of the building bring in natural light to the leisure pool area, reducing the need for artificial lighting.

    Pool Party

    SERA Architects makes a sustainable splash in Portland, Ore., with a LEED Platinum swim center.

     
  • Two pedestrian-only entry points to the parking garage at Discovery Green are highlighted with powdercoated aluminum boxes crafted by Elgin, Texas-based sculptor Margo Sawyer

    Gray to Green

    Discovery Green, a 12-acre park on a formerly forlorn parcel of land, cultivates new life in downtown Houston.

     
  • The new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building in Orlando, designed by Leo A Daly, keeps a low profile but lets in abundant natural light.

    Good Citizenship

    Leo A Daly shows that bureaucracy can be beautiful as well as sustainable in Orlando, Fla.

     
  • The Orinda City Hall's meeting room in Orinda, Calif.

    Green Persuasion

    Principals from Siegel & Strain Architects and Goring & Straja Architects explore the process of convincing communities to go green.

     
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    Green Horizons for Savvy Cities

    Simple steps create an effective green building program.

     

  • Taking the Lead In Government Relationships

    Lucia Athens, former manager of the City of Seattle Green Building Program, explains how architects and designers can foster relationships with their local governments to promote sustainable building.

     
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    Natural Centerpiece

    What once was on site is restored at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center.

     
  • In Sweden, BO01/Western Harbour is transforming an industrial park and shipyard into the "City of Tomorrow," a sustainable neighborhood with 600 dwellings as well as office and retail space. It is one of two national pilot projects underway.

    Scaling Up

    Two industry leaders examine the barriers to district-wide sustainability and how eco-districts are creating developments where the grass--and homes, buildings, and infrastructure--are greener.

     
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    Think Big

    When it comes to the issues of size and sustainability, it's time to think big about the scale of going green, not about consumption.