On May 4, 2007, Greensburg, Kan., was hit by an EF5 tornado that ripped a 1.7-mile path of destruction through the town of about 800 residents. With winds that reached 205 miles per hour, the strongest tornado to hit the U.S. in eight years killed 11 people.
Imagine a shopping mall that doesn’t need air conditioning, even in the height of summer; a restaurant patio that can stay open year-round; or a beautiful office atrium that’s open to sunny skies with a soaring glazed roof that opens when the weather’s nice - but closes up at the first sign of rain.
The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center serves as both a museum and a scientific research facility for individuals interested in how the ecosystem functions at the confluence of the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois Rivers.
Michael Farrell would probably be the first to admit that it takes a very patient, dedicated person to own and maintain a home that’s on the National Registry of Historic Places. As the 30-year resident owner of the Art House (formerly the Elisha Taylor House), a 139-year-old Gothic Revival home in Detroit’s Brush Park Historic District, Farrell has embarked on several remodeling projects.
Knappen Milling Co., one of the first providers of grain for the famous cereals of the Kellogg’s family of Battle Creek, Mich., had a roofing problem. It needed to replace a portion of the roof to keep the processed flour and grains inside from getting wet.
Solaleya Design first introduced its Domespace house to the U.S. market in 2007. The design, utilizing a motor to rotate the entire structure relative to the sun to increase or decrease solar collection, was intended to dramatically reduce energy consumption versus traditional housing.
As the first LEED Gold certified animal shelter in the nation, the new Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) Animal Community Center in Milpitas, CA proves that even our four-legged friends can enjoy the benefits of sustainability.
One hundred and fifteen years ago education for African Americans in South Carolina changed. That is when South Carolina State University opened as an agricultural and mechanical training school for African Americans. Since 1896, the university has survived the Depression, two World Wars and the turmoil of Civil Rights demonstrations.
In these financially strapped times, people are getting creative with their finances. Lake Tahoe Unified School District has been doing the same, with incredible results for its students and community. After putting together a District Facilities Master Plan in December 2007, the district prepared for a bond which passed in September of 2008.
Chicago has long been known as the Windy City. But Chicago is earning a new nickname - “Green Roof City.” Much of the credit goes to the Public Building Commission (PBC), which oversees public buildings across the city.