High Performance Architecture
HMC ArchLab Sustainable Design Retreat
January 26th, 2012
In the fall of 2011, HMC ArchLab led a sustainable design camping retreat with designers at HMC Architects. The goal was to empower HMC’s designers to advance high-performance architecture and generate a better environment for all. Watch the video to learn more about the retreat and see the HMC ArchLab team in action.
Posted in High Performance Architecture
Carbon-Neutral Architectural Design
January 16th, 2012
HMC’s Director of Sustainable Design, Pablo La Roche, has recently authored a book entitled Carbon-Neutral Architectural Design. Filling an urgent need for a design reference in this emerging field, Carbon-Neutral Architectural Design describes how to reduce building-related greenhouse gas emissions through appropriate design techniques. This full-color book presents strategies and methods to achieve CO2 reductions, with an emphasis on control of energy flows through the building envelope and passive heating and cooling strategies.
Carbon-Neutral Architectural Design is available for purchase from CRC Press and Amazon.com
Posted in High Performance Architecture
Polytechnic School Achieves LEED Gold
January 4th, 2012
Polytechnic School, located in Pasadena, Calif., has officially achieved LEED Gold Certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
Polytechnic School has been in operation since 1906, and since then has grown, changed, and managed to maintain its historic roots. HMC’s design team was challenged with relocating and renovating existing historical buildings, designing new buildings to complement the campus, and designing an underground parking structure underneath new structures—all while adhering to the requirements of the Pasadena Historical Society.
Posted in High Performance Architecture
Video: Eco-Charrette
January 3rd, 2012
HMC ArchLab recently led an Eco-Charrette for the Collins College of Hospitality at Cal Poly Pomona. Watch the video to learn about our Eco-Charrette process and how we integrate sustainable design from the beginning of a project.
CSU San Bernardino Health Science Facility Achieves LEED Gold Certification
October 26th, 2011
Cal State San Bernardino’s Health Science Facility, designed by HMC Architects, has officially achieved LEED Gold Certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Originally targeting LEED Silver, HMC exceeded CSUSB’s expectations and was able to push the project to LEED Gold in support of CSUSB’s sustainability goals.
Posted in High Performance Architecture,Higher Education,News Releases
What’s Next for Green Building?
September 21st, 2011
We grabbed our camera and caught HMC’s Pablo La Roche, Director of Sustainable Design, to respond to Greenbuild’s question: what do you think is NEXT for green building, sustainability, and our planet’s prosperity?
Greenbuild is accepting submissions for the #GBNEXT video contest until September 28, 2011. For more information about their video contest, click here.
Posted in High Performance Architecture
HMC ArchLab Microsite Launches
September 8th, 2011
HMC Architects is proud to announce the official launch of http://archlab.hmcarchitects.com, which paves the way for HMC to share ongoing research publicly. Progress made through HMC ArchLab will provide the industry with an open source of information for designing beyond sustainability. The microsite highlights HMC’s sustainable projects, ongoing research/results, services, and blog posts from the HMC ArchLab team. Our over-arching goal is to move beyond today’s accepted sustainability guidelines and standards to advance environmentally positive design.
Posted in High Performance Architecture,News Releases
Ray Anderson: Clear Vision, Lasting Impact
August 23rd, 2011
By Lisa Sawin
We recently lost a champion in the sustainable movement. Ray Anderson, founder and Chairman of Interface, passed away last week from cancer at the young age of 77. Ray Anderson’s clear mission and approach to sustainable business established Interface as the worldwide leader in design, production, and sales of environmentally responsible modular carpet, and will continue to inspire us beyond his lifetime and 2020 goal to summit the metaphorical Mount Sustainability.
“In 1994 founder Ray Anderson received a dramatic wake-up call—something he described as a spear in the chest. He realized there was an urgent need to set a new direction for Interface. He challenged us to pursue a bold new vision: To be the first company that, by its deeds, shows the entire industrial world what sustainability is in all its dimensions: people, process, product, place and profits—and in doing so, become restorative through the power of influence.” (from Interface’s website www.interfaceglobal.com)
Continue Reading…
Posted in Architecture Education,Beyond Architecture,High Performance Architecture,Opinion
Pablo La Roche Shares Pamo Valley Project with SBSE
June 20th, 2011
On June 16, Pablo La Roche presented HMC/Cal Poly Pomona’s Pamo Valley Project at the annual retreat of the Society of Building Science Educators (SBSE) in Albuquerque, N.M. Pablo’s presentation described the first two quarters of the Pamo Valley Project, during which students, with support from HMC staff, have developed designs for two low-cost sustainable houses for the city of San Diego. Students have also designed, built, and tested different sustainable systems for these houses, including double roofs with thermosyphon heating, green roofs, and sprinkler roofs. Two students are continuing to test these systems at the Lyle Center for Regenerative studies at Cal Poly Pomona, while they develop construction documents during their internships at HMC.
Posted in High Performance Architecture,Speaking Engagements
What is the Carbon Footprint of a Coffee Bean?
June 13th, 2011
By Eric Carbonnier, AIA, LEED AP / Environmental Analyst
The LA office is currently sampling a variety of burnt beans that have traveled thousands of miles and consumed countless infinite resources to satisfy a self-induced ritual—note my obvious cynicism for I am neither a coffee drinker nor connoisseur. However, I do see myself as a deep green junky that simply wants to know more about the history of this burnt bean and its impact on our global community. What is the carbon footprint of a latte and have we explored our options?
Posted in High Performance Architecture | 1 Comment »
