The rising demand for electric vehicles (EV) coupled with incentives earmarked for the transition to clean energy contained in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are spurring the development of new EV battery and EV manufacturing plants throughout the U.S. Today, EV battery manufacturing plants are being constructed in close proximity to EV auto production facilities, many of which are located in the South, Midwest and Northeast.
The Biden-Harris Administration released Decarbonizing the U.S. Economy by 2050: A National Blueprint for the Buildings Sector, a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from buildings by 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2050. To talk about this, Building Enclosure was joined by Carolyn Snyder, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Buildings and Industry at the U.S. Department of Energy.
A stunningly large facility for military C-17s, the hangar measures 400’ x 300’, or 120,000 square feet, and features 65-foot wall heights. In 2023, after the facility reached a point of serious disrepair, the Air Force initiated a major renovation aimed at overhauling and optimizing the structure to bring it back to full operations mode. The scope encompassed replacing doors, concrete work, tearing up and installing new rails, insulation removal and replacement, installing new offices and labs, a full re-roof, new transformers and HVAC systems, and painting.
Tustin Legacy Magnet School in Tustin, Calif., is a TIDE (technology, innovation, design, entrepreneurship) focused 6-12th grade campus. Students who want to pursue TIDE education and careers enroll at the school. The campus has iconic neighbors, the historic U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Air Station (M.C.A.S.) North and South blimp hangars, which were constructed in 1942. After a careful product search, the design team selected painted aluminum panels for the cladding to mimic the design inspiration.
The Vietnamese American Service Center (VASC) promotes the health and wellness of the Vietnamese American community in Santa Clara County, Calif. The design team set out to create a structure that embodies the Vietnamese/Vietnamese American culture and heritage. To create the desired Earthy feel, a stone facade was selected for the lower level of the building.
USGBC recently announced the opening of the first public comment period for its draft rating system, LEED v5. This is just another step toward providing a comprehensive framework for creating sustainable, and resilient built environments. Laurie Kerr, Principal Climate Advisor for USGBC, talks to us about LEED v5 and what this milestone means for our industry.
