As some of us make the shift from working from home to heading back to an office space, it leads me to wonder what the offices of the future will look like. There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has altered our entire way of life. It’s definitely altered how we’ll design public places too.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, society has changed to promote science and faster results. Coupled with the fact that many workplaces remain remote at least part of the time, this change creates a unique situation where the life science field requires more buildings, and there are plenty of empty workspaces to spare.

Energy efficiency and clean air were two of the top priorities that drove design. That presented architects with a challenge. They had to figure out a way to bring in fresh air, while keeping the building envelope tight.

Clear procedures should be established in order to create integrated project teams that understand the goals of the project.

Most components of a lightning protection system can last the life of a structure with little maintenance. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of typical roofing systems and rooftop equipment; they need routine servicing, occasional repairs, and, all too frequently, replacement. 

Sustainability is too often seen as an afterthought to how we design and construct buildings.

Magnesium oxide panels offer both strength and fire-resistance making them an attractive choice for use in fire-resistance rated assemblies.

The envelope backstop was introduced by policymakers to limit how far building enclosure thermal performance can stray from the envelope prescriptive requirements.

It’s time to move deep energy retrofits from promising principle to conventional practice with a holistic, envelope-first approach.

EIA’s most recent data reports that energy-efficient, multi-paned windows are featured in 60 percent of U.S. buildings, which account for 75 percent of commercial floorspace. This presents a significant opportunity to improve existing buildings and to construct new buildings with energy-efficient daylight openings, including polycarbonate glazing and wall systems.