Sustainability is quickly becoming a mainstay of the building industry. Although a builder’s motivation for embracing sustainable practices may vary from personal values, to code adherence, to marketing strategy, to owner expectations, there’s no doubt that sustainability is having a major impact on the way we build. The selection of sustainable materials has become one the most challenging aspects of building green, due to the overwhelming availability of product options, negative connotations and misunderstandings related to green terminology, and the industry-wide need for education on sustainable technologies. If you are attempting to cut through the clutter when it comes to material selection, consider these suggestions from some of the industry’s leading sustainability professionals.

Since the release of Autodesk’s 2012 product suites in April, Buildipedia’s BIM series (see Contractors Look to BIM to Streamline Construction and BIM: Bridging the Gap Between AEC and O&M) has been highlighting changes and upgrades to the software systems. Each year, Autodesk's line of products forges into new territory, and one of its most recent areas of development has been 3D modeling for infrastructure. Applying the same principles currently used in BIM on the scale of individual buildings, BIM for infrastructure expands that 3D vision outward, taking it to a new level – literally.

Planting a new lawn and establishing turfgrass begins with understanding your region's climatic conditions. The United States has five climatic zones: Cool and Humid, Cool and Arid, Warm and Arid, Warm and Humid, and a Transitional zone. All turfgrass types have the ability to grow in any zone for a portion of the year. Finding the most appropriate turfgrass type for your location will provide you with the best chances for a lush, green lawn. Once you have determined your climatic zone, the question now becomes seed vs. sod.

The use of form traveller systems offers significant cost savings for bridge construction projects throughout the world. We've partnered with Miguel Barreto from ConstruGomes of Portugal to highlight the key aspects of form traveller systems: how they offer cost advantages over traditional construction systems, in what situations they can best be utilized, and how they function.

When disaster-prone states come to mind, California, Florida, and Louisiana likely top the list. Surprisingly, an average of eight strong-to-violent tornadoes hit Illinois each year, and because the damage to homes is often random, many homeowners don't qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding. Students of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign participating in the 2011 Solar Decathlon competition identified an opportunity to create a disaster housing solution that is much more comfortable and attractive than the typical trailer. The design of Re_home features flexible spaces to accommodate the diverse needs of families while fostering community recovery.

September 2011 marked the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Although the design of the World Trade Center (WTC) site once dominated the news, coverage of the most significant construction site in the country has been quiet. Some might assume that progress is slow, which would be logical, given the complexity of the project: a range of stakeholders are involved, including government agencies, private developers, and civic organizations; nine diverse programs must coexist on only 11 acres; and multiple construction schedules must be coordinated at once.

Building Information Modeling (BIM), which first proved its value as a software solution for the design and construction industries, is now being introduced in another sector: building operations. The advancement is a logical one, considering the limitations of the traditional supply chain. “There has always been a ‘handover’ from AEC to the building owner,” says Marty Chobot, Vice President of Product Management at facility management company FM:Systems, “but we need to find a way to bridge the gap between AEC and O&M.”

Bathroom sinks all install in much the same way, despite the wide variety of styles and components available, and the installation of a bathroom sink is a project that just about any DIYer can accomplish. Join our host, Jeff Wilson, as he installs a lavatory cabinet, undermount sink, countertop, faucet, and drain to complete our custom bathroom series.

The Chauvin residence is set comfortably back off a country road just north of Lake Ponchartrain in Southern Louisiana, woven into a site that is notable for the large oaks that are characteristic of the region. Its owner, an artist, was open to architect Jeffrey Smith’s interpretation of the site. Smith, principal and director of design at Holly & Smith Architects, considers it important to take cues from local building styles. “The Chauvin residence could be called Country Vernacular,” he says. “We stuck with traditional hips and gables, and metal roofs.” Brick is used, but sparingly; it appears on small portions of wall, as well as on chimneys and the foundation. Inside, the house is open and contemporary.

For many reasons, adaptive reuse projects are great for the environment. Using already existing buildings instead of building new reduces waste, requires less energy, and scales down the general consumption of materials. This green space has farther reaching effects, particularly fostering a greater sense of community and neighborhood revitalization. We talked with Alan Pullman of architectural firm Studio One Eleven about a recent adaptive reuse project located in an emerging Long Beach, California, neighborhood.

The design and construction of a building is always an arduous undertaking, even under the best circumstances. But when a project calls for the adaptive reuse of an existing structure, the challenges quickly multiply. Designers must bring older structures up to code, follow ADA guidelines and preservation standards, and work within the confines of outdated structural systems. Additionally, existing structures have already experienced the effects of time and decay, so extensive repair work is often in order. Considering all of these factors, design professionals who specialize in adaptive reuse often see their profession as somewhat of a labor of love. “The amount of work is out of proportion to the [architect’s] fee,” summarizes Carmi Bee, architect and president of RKT&B Architecture and Urban Design. Nevertheless, recent decades have seen a steady increase in the popularity of adaptive reuse.

After tile, one of the most challenging jobs in building a custom shower is installing a glass shower enclosure. There are many options for shower enclosure systems, but to work properly the enclosure has to fit the shower precisely. This often necessitates hiring a professional to fabricate and install a system based on the specific dimensions of your custom shower. However, there are glass shower enclosure systems available that any savvy do-it-yourselfer can install with a few basic hand tools and a little know-how. Join our host, Jeff Wilson, as he demonstrates how to complete a custom shower with a glass enclosure system.