Sustainability and Green Design are the buzz words of the day, especially in reference to architecture.

What’s it all about?

Well, the way we talk about it is a great place to start; language can be a challenge because each of us might think a term has a different meaning. Three terms commonly used interchangeably in reference to the building and construction industry are Green Design (GreenBuilding), Sustainable Design (Sustainability) and High Performance Buildings. Definitions of these vary by who is defining them, for instance:

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines “GreenBuilding” as:

“The practice of maximizing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use resources – energy, water, and materials – while minimizing building impacts on human health and the environment, through the complete life cycle – from siting, design, and construction to operation, renovation and reuse.”

The US Green Building Council defines “Green Design” as:

“Design and construction practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and its occupants. This includes site planning, safeguarding water and the efficient use of water, promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy, conserving materials and resources, promoting indoor air quality for the benefit of current and future generations.”

The United Nation’s 1987 “Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development” (The Brundtland Principles) defined “Sustainable Development” as:

“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

In the book Cannibals with Forks, author John Elkington defines “Sustainable Development” as: Read the rest of this entry »

Over the years, as I’ve progressed and matured in the practice of architecture, I’ve come across quotations from a variety of sources that have become my moral compass. I thought I’d share these. Maybe they’ll inspire you, guide you, or reaffirm your values. Enjoy:

Values

“Maintaining strong values is the key to success in any field, chief among them is a solid work ethic.” – Cal Ripken Jr.

“Self-Discipline – Having purity of thought, being true to your values” – Source unknown

“Doing the right thing pays off.” – Source unknown

“The success of an organization is best measured by the quality of the people and organizations which it serves.” – Source Unknown

Passion Read the rest of this entry »

DLA Partner Steve Wright usually keeps a busy schedule, but this week he’s taking some time to get away from the office and get his hands dirty.

He and his daughter have hit the road to New Orleans. This is their second trip to help rebuild the Lower 9th Ward which was inundated with 12 feet of water after the levees broke during Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005. He helped rebuild 2 homes three years ago and this year they are working to complete a church in time for Easter this spring.

Believe it or not, after 6+ years there is still a great deal of work to do down there.  When he was last in the area, there was literally nothing left except foundations and a few homes that had been constructed by Brad Pitt. It will be interesting to see how much progress has been made in the last three years.

For those interested, there will be daily progress updates posted on the website www.restoretrinity.org  and the log for the mission trip he’s on is at http://www.restoretrinity.org/january-2012-mission-trips/jan-8-14-daily-log/.

When he returns, he’ll update the DLA Architects team on an overview of where things stand to date in NOLA and what progress has been made since he was last there.

We thought we’d share some of the tunes that have been playing here around the office lately. Enjoy!

Great to be a part of the L-Way Transition House project. It’s a wonderful addition to the Lincoln-Way Area Special Ed Cooperative’s program.

From the article in the Joliet Herald News:

“Our focus is on increased independence,” Barb Luoma, the transition house’s supervisor, said. “We need them to be as independent as possible.”
And what better place to learn than in a real-life setting. Otherwise, it would be like “teaching mechanics without a car,” Luoma said.

Read more:

Lincoln-Way Transition House helps give special-needs students a brighter future – Joilet Herald News.

Hopefully you’ve read my previous post that included a shopping list and you’ve had a chance to sample the wines.

So thinking about how both architecture and wine have a character, my tasting notes look at the varietal and compare them to an architecturally significant house design.

Like wine tasting in general, this is very subjective, so I’d love to hear your take on these wines, too.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you know me, you know that I’m passionate about both Wine and Architecture. In fact my friends and I actually started our own wine club where we get together quarterly and taste certain varietals and give a presentation on them – I love it! Hopefully, the Architecture should be obvious as to why it is a passion of mine.

So why wine and architecture – what do the 2 have in common?

• Architecture is a culture frozen in time much the same way wine is, wine is influenced by everything that is happening while those grapes are growing and architecture is the same way.
• They both continue to live and give pleasure to people long after they are created.
• They are subjective, someone might say that a building (or a wine) is bold and sexy and someone else might just say they hate it.
• They are fragile and must be maintained correctly or they will be ruined.
• They both have the potential to be priceless works of art.
• They can be paired with other things to compliment them.. or fight them.
• They can be Famous.

So let me tell you a good wine story… Read the rest of this entry »

We’re proud to share that DLA Architect’s new Multi-Purpose Classroom Building for Elgin Community College has been awarded the Merit in Architecture for Preservation and Adaptive Reuse from the Northeast Illinois Chapter of the American Institute of Architects’ at the biennial Design Awards. Congrats to all involved!

Read more: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20111007/news/710079811/#ixzz1a8Ii02EA

Excerpt from the article:

“We took something that was basically a couple of rectangular buildings and transformed them into a facility that meets the needs of today’s students,” said Paul Dawson, the college’s managing director of construction projects, in a news release. “This was a great accomplishment for our college.”

UPDATE

ECC’s Multipurpose Classroom Building garners design award for … Chicago Sun-Times Sun-Times Media File Photo ECC-ECN-1111-001.jpg ELGIN — DLA Architects Ltd. has described the addition that turned two formerly light-industrial properties …

Architectural organization honors ECC for building design TribLocal The organization gave Itasca-based DLA Architects, which designed the building, … William Templin of Itasca-based DLA Architects said competition judges …

Choosing the right bit of real estate and where on that site a building should be located can make or break a project. For schools in particular its important to consider things like whether the public will have easy access to the building. How safe is the area not only from a security standpoint but also pertaining to geographic features and, if it was previously developed, environmentally. Speaking of the environment, how will the building impact the site and its neighbors. The list goes on and on.. and new federal guidelines for the location of school facilities make this more important than ever!

Next week we’ll be participating in a continuing ed program that will certainly be of interest to schools and other governmental bodies who are interested in the policies and practices that affect the well-being of a community. The webinar is available to anyone and information can be found at the Council for Educational Facilities Planners (CEFPI) website. Hosted by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, the presenters will be discussing how decisions for siting schools play a role in the health of the students, local residents and the surrounding neighborhood. Read the rest of this entry »

Be sure to take a look at the latest issue of American School & University Magazine.

DLA Architect’s new Multi-Purpose Classroom Building for Elgin Community College is recognized as an Outstanding Design for Interior Renovation. Congrats to all involved!

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/8c62a0fd?page=68