We wanted our 100th post here at The ProNet Blog to be something special! So, we decided to use it to give a much deserved shout-out to the a/e ProNet clients who were recently recognized by the AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE).

According to the ArchDaily blog:

“The COTE Top Ten Green Projects program, now in its 17th year, is the profession’s best known recognition program for sustainable design excellence. The program celebrates projects that are the result of a thoroughly integrated approach to architecture, natural systems and technology. They make a positive contribution to their communities, improve comfort for building occupants and reduce environmental impacts through strategies such as reuse of existing structures, connection to transit systems, low-impact and regenerative site development, energy and water conservation, use of sustainable or renewable construction materials, and design that improves indoor air quality.”

While we, of course, congratulate all the winners of this important distinction, we are especially excited for the clients of our members, including Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects of San Francisco and Brooks + Scarpa of Los Angeles!

lmsarchitects_merrittcrossingLeddy Maytum Stacy Architects / Merritt Crossing Senior Apartments

“Located at the edge of Oakland’s Chinatown, this new affordable senior housing transforms an abandoned site near a busy freeway into a community asset for disadvantaged or formerly homeless seniors while setting a high standard for sustainable and universal design. The high-density, transit-oriented project is one of the first new developments planned near the Lake Merritt BART regional transit station. The upper floor apartments respond to the character of the eclectic Pan-Asian neighborhood with colorful and varied porous facades that reflect their orientation. The south façade features an independent screen that provides shading, privacy and acoustical modulation while enlivening the view of passing freeway drivers.”

brooksscarpa_yinyanghouseBrooks + Scarpa / Yin Yang House

“This nearly net-zero energy live/work home and office was designed to function not only as a home and commercial office for both parents, but also as a private home for a large and growing family with several children. We sought to create a calm, relaxed and organized environment that emphasizes public space and changes the stereotype of a live/work home for a large family with young kids. Part private home and part business, the house is meant to serve as a place to entertain and a welcoming space for clients and teenagers. It was designed to incorporate sustainable design as a way of teaching a green lifestyle and the offices are purposefully integrated with the home, making both the house and office feel large despite their small combined area. Passive measures, such as a very tight building envelope, reduce energy demand by more than 50 percent. The 12-kW solar system produces 100% of it’s electricity needs.” Continue reading “2013 AIA Top Ten Green Projects List: a/e ProNet Clients Among the Winners!”

Blog Love: Schinnerer’s RM Blog

Time to return some Blog Love!

We are big fans of Victor O. Schinnerer’s Risk Management Blog. Several times a month, this long-standing professional liability insurance provider posts brief, timely, helpful articles that are relevant to the design industry. The emphasis is on risk management for design firms, and posts often include links back to pertinent studies and claims scenarios.

A few recent posts:

Building Reuse Provides Environmental Value — 27 August

“Earlier this year the National Trust for Historic Preservation released a report by its Preservation Green Lab that provides the most comprehensive analysis yet of the potential environmental benefits of retrofitting the existing building stock. The study, The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse is available from the organization’s PreservationNation.org/Sustainability website.

“The report concludes that when comparing buildings of equivalent size and function, building reuse almost always offers environmental savings over demotion and new construction. The report states that it can take between 10 and 80 years for a new energy-efficient building to overcome, through efficient operations, the climate change impacts created by its constriction. For the majority of building types in different climates, the study points to 20 to 30 years of use to offset the initial carbon impacts from construction. The study recognizes that the environmental benefits of reuse are maximized when a minimum of new materials are used; renovation projects that require many new materials can reduce or even negate the benefits of reuse.” Continue reading… Continue reading “Blog Love: Schinnerer’s RM Blog”

Pinterest Pride: An Homage

a/e ProNet has been an advocate for architects, engineers, and other design consultants for more than 20 years. This advocacy includes an abiding interest in protecting the integrity and sanctity of the products delivered by design professionals. We’re proud of what our clients can do and have done to better and beautify communities across the globe.

Taking that pride one step further, we’ve created a Pinterest board dedicated to showcasing the fantastic designs of our ProNet Members’ clients!

Buildings, bridge, amphitheaters, parks, homes, aqueducts, highways, theme parks, wineries, storefronts, and resorts surround and inspire us daily. But as Peter W. Jones, AIA, President of AIA Florida recently reminded us, “Behind every magnificent structure is an architect who helped create it.” In fact, behind every magnificent structure is a team of imaginative, experienced professionals who worked together to meet that goal. And we’re proud to say that many of those professionals are the clients of our members.

If you love design, follow our Pinterest board today!

Green Projects

By now, most architects and engineers know that green projects are special. They require close attention to a different set of details, further education regarding materials and relevant research, and possibly an enhanced caution when it comes to contracts. You know this. But does your insurance broker?

The following is an excerpt from a newsletter authored by a/e ProNet member Meade Collinsworth of Collinsworth, Alter, Fowler & French, LLC in Miami Lakes, Florida.

“The more I read and research this topic, the more concerned I become with the potential for uninsured claims that can arise out of these projects. In fact, a “green project” is not just another project! I think the very first place that you should begin to review the exposures that arise from green projects would be your client contracts. It is absolutely essential that all contractors review their contracts prior to signing them in order to understand their rights and responsibilities in order to mitigate misunderstandings. This is the reason I am going to concentrate on the contract review process in this articles as I believe this will assist you in meeting your due diligence needs on green projects.”

The full-length PDF version of the article can be found at our website, here.