Basics of a resurgent building technology

Living Biological Machine

The green roof of Electronic Arts, Phase II. Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership, Vancouver.

The use of green roofs for aesthetic and recreational purposes can be traced back to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon which were built in the 7th century BC as a diversion for the aristocracy. Later, more practical applications emerged in Scandinavia and North America where sod roofs, laid on a waterproof layer of bark, were used to insulate indigenous dwellings against the extreme cold. (more…)

tidy residential/ commercial project employs design strategies in quest for LEED Platinum

The Vento is a three-storey mixed use development of 39,000sf, with retail space and two affordable housing units on the ground floor, and 22 two- storey suites above. (more…)

Concrete Embodied Energy

by Tom Schwarzkopf

Durable, solid, and strong are adjectives that spring to mind when one thinks of concrete - all qualities important in the creation of sustainable buildings. However, these qualities have traditionally come at a price: environmental degradation caused by materials extraction, high energy use and high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the production process. (more…)