Archinect - News 2024-12-23T20:26:16-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150450640/studio-gang-s-super-green-populus-hotel-opens-in-denver Studio Gang's super green Populus hotel opens in Denver Josh Niland 2024-10-15T16:42:00-04:00 >2024-10-28T21:01:08-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/5c/5ca39ff6cd8aa25f798a8728ff159e8b.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Today marks the long-awaited debut of <a href="https://archinect.com/studiogang" target="_blank">Studio Gang&rsquo;</a>s Populus hotel project in Denver. The 265-room design is being promoted as the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150448531/can-the-first-carbon-positive-hotel-in-the-u-s-claims-of-the-studio-gang-designed-populus-be-validated" target="_blank">first &lsquo;carbon-positive&rsquo; hotel development</a> in the United States and features a combination of highly sustainable building materials and offsetting strategies that target a LEED Gold certification.</p> <figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/ba/ba580a7469d1cff6b5639d82c0548a77.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/ba/ba580a7469d1cff6b5639d82c0548a77.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image: courtesy Jason O'Rear</figcaption></figure><figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/6d/6d16a1c09c2080c27fb548017256c2cb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/6d/6d16a1c09c2080c27fb548017256c2cb.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image: courtesy Steve Hall</figcaption></figure><p>The firm&rsquo;s first project in Colorado precedes their involvement on the Phase 1 redevelopment of the adjacent <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150393688/studio-gang-to-lead-denver-s-civic-center-next-100-phase-1-implementation" target="_blank">Civic Center Park</a>. It is designed, as its name suggests, to mirror the natural processes of endemic Aspen trees (aka<em> Populus tremuloides</em>) with a textured facade featuring an arrangement of scalloped windows that contribute passive shading while channeling rainwater with widths tailored to the public and private spaces contained within.<br></p> <figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/a1/a15ba5f186287a2ca6454206ac55eaf9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/a1/a15ba5f186287a2ca6454206ac55eaf9.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image: courtesy Jason O'Rear</figcaption></figure><p>Founder&nbsp;<a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/12062/jeanne-gang" target="_blank">Jeanne Gang</a> says: "Denver strikes a unique balance between being a vibrant city and a gateway to some of the country&rsquo;s most awe-inspir...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150311784/new-standard-for-verifying-uk-buildings-as-net-zero-carbon-on-the-horizon New standard for verifying UK buildings as net-zero carbon on the horizon Nathaniel Bahadursingh 2022-06-01T17:02:00-04:00 >2024-10-25T04:07:38-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/2f/2f019f2ebad16b5112f974f50a1d3322.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>A cross-industry coalition, representing stakeholders across the built environment, has come together to develop a standard for verifying buildings in the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/3035/uk" target="_blank">UK</a> as <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/65656/net-zero" target="_blank">net-zero</a> carbon.&nbsp;</p> <p>Called the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, it provides a single, agreed methodology for proving built assets are net-zero carbon and in line with the UK&rsquo;s climate targets. The leading industry organizations behind this initiative include BBP, BRE, the Carbon Trust, CIBSE, IStructE, LETI, <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/150175724/royal-institute-of-british-architects" target="_blank">RIBA</a>, RICS, and UKGBC.&nbsp;</p> <p>The metrics used to evaluate net-zero carbon performance will include <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/619160/building-energy-use" target="_blank">energy use</a>, upfront <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1429814/embodied-carbon" target="_blank">embodied carbon</a>, and lifecycle embodied carbon, along with space heating/cooling demand and peak load. The Standard will cover both new and existing buildings with performance targets that align with Britain&rsquo;s 2035 emissions target to reduce by 78% and its 2050 net-zero target. It will also cover the procurement of <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/26258/renewable-energy" target="_blank">renewable energy</a> and the treatment of residual emissions, including <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1993247/carbon-offsetting" target="_blank">carbon offsetting</a>. The ...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150311375/fallingwater-gets-an-offsetting-new-upgrade Fallingwater gets an offsetting new upgrade Josh Niland 2022-05-27T16:22:00-04:00 >2024-10-25T04:07:38-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/0c/0c24cc42e896788580dbc375f54c2de3.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p><a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/4673/frank-lloyd-wright" target="_blank">Frank Lloyd Wright</a>&rsquo;s iconic 87-year-old <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/31379/fallingwater" target="_blank">Fallingwater</a> historic site is getting a very necessary modern upgrade according to a <a href="https://fallingwater.org/press-release-frank-lloyd-wrights-fallingwater-goes-solar/" target="_blank">press release</a> issued last month by Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the organization responsible for its stewardship.</p> <p>In order to supplement sustainability goals tied to the home&rsquo;s <a href="https://fallingwater.org/current-preservation-needs/" target="_blank">current preservation needs</a>, Fallingwater and the surrounding Bear Run Nature Reserve will now offset a full 100% of the structure&rsquo;s energy use via a network of 540 individual 5 x 3-foot <a href="https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2018/04/what-are-bifacial-solar-modules/" target="_blank">bifacial solar panels</a> said to produce 254,880 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity a year. The Conservancy says their installation will offset the overall usage of the broader site by 25% annually.</p> <figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/09/09f87fd9b916359266c7cf86735010c6.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/09/09f87fd9b916359266c7cf86735010c6.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image courtesy Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC).</figcaption></figure><p>&ldquo;In designing Fallingwater, Wright sought to create a harmonious relationship between architecture and nature. He was inspired by the natural features of the woodland landscape for the house&rsquo;s colors, materials and design motifs, and oriented the buildi...</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150310106/is-carbon-offsetting-a-misleading-tool-of-the-building-industry Is carbon offsetting a misleading tool of the building industry? Josh Niland 2022-05-16T15:16:00-04:00 >2024-10-25T04:07:38-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/28/28007218d400e7cfa28a55ebc6147ba8.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Six months after the <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150288418/here-is-what-happened-in-glasgow-after-the-underwhelming-conclusion-of-cop26" target="_blank">COP26 climate summit</a> in Glasgow, columnist Kunle Barker <a href="https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/opinion/carbon-offsetting-is-becoming-an-excuse-to-build-huge-concrete-buildings" target="_blank">wrote</a> in the UK <em>Architects' Journal</em> to take a stand against the industry&rsquo;s oneiric focus on &ldquo;lofty ideals of zero-carbon and on soundbites&rdquo; and towards a more considered system of new project evaluation, advocating for the &ldquo;need to develop a viability methodology that is independent, objective and focused on carbon impact versus social need.&rdquo;</p> <p>&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s rid ourselves of these conceited phrases and instead focus on the real issues,&rdquo; he wrote, arguing that need will always push architects into costly demolition efforts and away from restoring structures that may, in many cases, be better suited for <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150305407/the-guardian-picks-up-on-the-contentious-debate-surrounding-modernist-preservation-in-the-uk" target="_blank">adaptive reuse</a>. &ldquo;Offsetting is not sustainable. In fact, it's not even close to being sustainable, and most worrying of all, it is allowing lazy, ego-driven designs to be accepted by us all. We must find an objective and fair way to assess if (and how) a building should be constructed. This is the only way the built en...</p>