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Currently, the intersection of Tramview Road and Indian Canyon Drive is a quiet spot in the midst of the southern California desert, located just north of Palm Springs. However, the expanse of land on its northwest corner is soon to be the home of the College of the Desert’s Palm Springs West Valley Campus, and, once built, it should represent groundbreaking territory for sustainable planning and design.

The City of Takoma Park, Maryland, needed to replace a failing retaining wall that supports a roadway in a small residential development. The Linden Avenue site is directly adjacent to Sligo Creek, which is a tributary of Anacostia Creek, a river undergoing a significant restoration effort. T. E. Scott & Associates, Inc., designed a replacement for the failing retaining wall infrastructure, created a pocket park for the local residents, and provided water quality treatment for the unmanaged watershed. This combination of aesthetic and environmental improvements adds value to the project. We’ll look at some stormwater flow design calculations, a storm water flow splitter, an urban modular wetland unit, a step/plunge pool, and an interesting retaining wall design.

At the 2011 International Builders’ Show, teams participating in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon gathered to showcase their designs and to spread the word about the competition. While in attendance at the show, we had the opportunity to meet the Appalachian State University team and learn more about the Solar Homestead, their entry into Solar Decathlon 2011. Collaboration and excitement at the opportunity to change the way homes are built were apparent. Join us as we follow the Appalachian State University team in the first of a series of videos documenting the Solar Homestead project.

Hopkins Architects’ design for the London 2012 Olympic Games Velodrome reflects the elegance, efficiency, and sustainability of the sport it supports.

The Olympic track cycling venue, or Velodrome, by Hopkins Architects, is considered the most sustainable venue in the Olympic Park in terms of design and construction. The overall inspiration for the design was the bicycle – a fitting choice, considering the building’s purpose. In a monograph published by The Architects’ Journal, Hopkins Architects senior partner Mike Taylor says, “Right from the off, we wanted it to feel like a bicycle in terms of its engineering, i.e., very taut and nothing superfluous. Everything trimmed down to the minimum.”

FleX House by Team Florida

Although Florida is known for its picturesque, sandy beaches, it is also a heavily populated state, and it's growing. Finding a sustainable model for living in this hot, humid climate is a priority for students of four universities who comprise Team Florida, an entrant in the 2011 Solar Decathlon. Like other Solar Decathlon teams, it is a multi-disciplinary one, and each school brings specialties to the table: University of South Florida brings architecture, engineering, and clean energy research and communications; the University of Florida brings interior design and construction; Florida State University brings engineering and net zero expertise; and the University of Central Florida brings solar energy research.

The economic case for installing solar electric panels on your house or place of business is a heavily discussed topic these days. With the green building movement in full force, photovoltaic (PV) systems are becoming more and more popular. In many cases, though, homeowners and small business owners lack the necessary information to make an educated decision on whether to go ahead with a photovoltaic (PV) system installation. In order to make an educated decision on a PV system, the owner must approach the purchase with the return on investment (ROI) in mind.

Don't forget to consider the impact that flooring has when you're building or remodeling a home. We recommend taking a look at hardwood, woven and recycled wood products, bamboo, cork, and Marmoleum.

Winter conditions on the job site call for special safety measures – our quick guide protects construction workers and equipment during adverse weather.

Pythagoras Solar undertakes a pilot project to install solar windows on the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) in Chicago. The project should provide data on the potential use of glass facades to collect solar energy.

Pythagoras Solar is conducting an experiment on one of the most iconic structures in the world – the Sears Tower, now Willis Tower. Established in 2007, Pythagoras specializes in solar panels for windows, focusing particularly on skyscrapers and other tall buildings. Skyscrapers have little rooftop area to accommodate solar collectors but use an extensive amount of glass use in their facades. These expanses of glass result in astronomical heating and cooling costs. Skyscrapers also contribute to a localized retention of heat known as urban heat island (UHI) effect, and large cities such as Chicago are looking for ways to mitigate that heat retention.

The University of Technology Sydney, Australia (UTS) solicited design proposals for a new building to house its Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology as part of the school’s Broadway Building Design Competition. The school was in search of an architecture firm that could design a “gateway” building that referenced the urban context and the City Campus Master Plan while supporting a large population of students and faculty and reducing the school’s environmental impact. In July 2009, UTS announced the winning design, submitted by Australian architectural firm Denton Corker Marshall, from over 60 international entries. Selected by UTS representatives, the City of Sydney, and the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Planning, the design for the Information Technology and Engineering (ITE) Building was chosen for its aesthetic appeal, as well as its functionality and sustainable qualities.

American urbanites are showing little inclination to give up their cars in favor of alternative modes of transit. Nonetheless, a revolution in communication technologies is changing our transportation landscape. Traffic congestion on our highways continues to increase, and improving safety is always a priority, so to address these concerns, technological solutions known as Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are being rapidly developed.

In this gift buying guide, we look at innovative DIY tools that any DIYer or weekend warrior would love to have. The tools included range from a flooring saw that will allow you to make cuts in the same location you are installing your floor to a multifunctional sawhorse that has over one ton of clamping force. Each tool listed is a winner as a potential gift.