AEC Top Stories

State-of-the-art Facility Incorporates Natural Light

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Achieving dynamic and diffuse daylight remains a centerpiece of biophilic design, specifically cited in the 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design.

Brick Delivers at Traverse City Project

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:05:00 -0400

Lightweight StoCast Brick delivered authentic looks, faster installation and lower project costs.

Kentucky’s Oldham County Judicial Center Retains Historic Character, Meets Future Needs

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Re-opened in March 2026, EFCO® curtain wall, storefront and entrances – a brand of Apogee Architectural Metals – met the project’s historical aesthetic, modern performance and low-maintenance for its future needs.

CSI Licensing Controversy Continues as Members Press for Answers on Governance, Transparency

lewisl@bnpmedia.com (Lindsay Lewis) — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Months after the Construction Specifications Institute's (CSI) overhaul of its licensing model sparked widespread concern among specifiers and design professionals, the conversation has shifted from pricing to questions surrounding transparency, governance and member trust.

Glass Drives Clarity and Performance at Pittsburgh’s Landmark FNB Financial Center

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Vitro Architectural Glass helped shape Pittsburgh’s skyline with high-performance glazing solutions featured prominently in the new FNB Financial Center, a 26-story, Class A office tower anchoring the redevelopment of the Lower Hill District.

Transformative $53 Million Seagoville PK-8 Campus for Dallas ISD

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

KAI joined Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) officials, community leaders and project partners on May 21 to break ground on the new Seagoville PK-8 Campus in Seagoville, Texas.

Glass Strikes the Perfect Blend of Transparency, Aesthetics for Washington State University’s Latest Academic Addition

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Creating a new gateway to the campus and merging with the existing architecture, ZGF Architects curated an aesthetic blend of high-performance curtain wall, spandrels, metal panels and red brick for the new Schweitzer Engineer Hall at Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman, Washington.

Why High Performance Means More Than Strength and Durability

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

For construction and design companies, high performance and innovation can no longer be treated as a specialized offering reserved for select applications.

Why We’re Overthinking Z-Girt Materiality

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 07:00:00 -0400

High-performance design isn't about choosing the most expensive, or newest, material; it's about finding the "sweet spot" where physics, budget, code compliance and constructability meet.

What Architects Need to Know About Managing Noise in Adaptive Reuse Projects

lewisl@bnpmedia.com (Lindsay Lewis) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Mike Amaral, QuietRock Product Manager for PABCO Gypsum, discusses why acoustics are a critical consideration when converting commercial buildings into residential or mixed-use spaces, explaining the limitations of relying solely on STC ratings and the impact of flanking paths and structure-borne noise.

Open-Cell vs. Closed-Cell Spray Foam

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Spray foam insulation has become a larger part of building envelope conversations over the last decade, but the discussion around open-cell versus closed-cell foam is still often oversimplified.

The Role of Prefabricated Building Systems in Sustainable Building Enclosure Design and Building Science

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Over the next five years, prefabricated building systems are expected to grow from a $91.25B market to $130B worldwide. While this substantial growth is often attributed to prefabrication schedule and quality advantages, it is also driven by its ability to deliver meaningful sustainability benefits.

A Breakdown of Air Leakage Testing in LEED v5 BD+C

djoverbey@bsu.edu (Daniel Overbey) — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

For most of LEED's history, systematic field testing of air leakage was optional – something advanced teams did voluntarily, not something the rating system demanded.

How Air Barriers Support Healthier Indoor Air

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The case for air barriers in healthy building design rests on thinking about the envelope as a system rather than a collection of individual layers.

Five Years After Surfside: The Work of Condominium Safety Continues

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 01:00:00 -0400

Five years ago, 98 lives were lost when Champlain Towers South partially collapsed. The tragedy forever changed families, a community, and our nation's understanding of condominium safety.

LEED v5 Is Changing the Sustainability Conversation — And Roofing Is Becoming a Critical Design Strategy

lewisl@bnpmedia.com (Lindsay Lewis) — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:06:22 -0400

This discussion with Jay Saldana of Amrize/Elevate explores building enclosure commissioning, the upcoming LEED v4/v4.1 sunset, and Elevate's new LEED v5 Credit Guide for building professionals.

Environmentally Progressive Educational Outreach and Visitors Center Opens in North London

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Designed by Grimshaw, EcoPark House serves as a gateway to the redeveloped EcoPark. Located on the southeast edge of the nearly 40-acre site along the Lee Valley River Corridor, the two-story building connects the local community to waste, recycling, and energy recovery processes.

The U.S. Department of Stateʼs New Consulate General Mérida

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Designed by The Miller Hull Partnership, the new U.S. Consulate General Mérida achieved LEED Gold Certification in April 2026, exceeding stringent federal performance goals while serving the needs of American citizens and visa applicants from across Mexicoʼs Yucatán peninsula.

Painted, Perforated Panels Provide School with Pulled-Together Polish

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400

The building team, which also included installers with CAD Construction, Tremont, Ill, specified Petersen to supply the screen – the architects had had success with previous screens using Petersen’s PAC-CLAD products.

Devin Bowman on School Safety, Sustainability and the Future of Glazing Design

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Technical Glass Products General Manager Devin Bowman shares insights from the National Glass Association’s Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C., where industry leaders met with lawmakers to discuss issues shaping the future of the built environment.

Industrial Buildings Abandon the Industrial Look Through IMPs

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

IMPs fold insulation, structure and finish into a single component to meet those competing demands and support the increase in industrial building construction activity.

Weathering Steel Provides Durability, Aesthetics for Public Works Campus

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

With the aim of consolidating five public works departments into one campus, the City of Bend, Ore., wanted a facility that would serve long-term growth while being designed with resiliency, well-being and energy efficiency. The material that helped pull the City of Bend Public Works Campus project together was A606 Weathering Steel from The Bryer Company.

Does Your Roof System Outperform Expectations?

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Building codes and ratings help to define minimal levels of performance for commercial and industrial roof systems, but building owners and operators can exceed these baseline standards with higher-performing options.

Preserving History with a Modern Roof

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The project required a solution designed to perform under Miami’s intense heat and heavy rainfall while providing the expected longevity of a full roof replacement.

Acoustics and Aesthetics: The Value of Integrated Opening Systems

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Building acoustics are a crucial design concern for all projects. Strategies for ensuring a sonically comfortable environment extend from the building’s exterior to deep within its interior, and often elements of these strategies must work together.

Designing for Legacy with The Obama Presidential Center

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Materials installed behind the 225-foot museum tower’s impressive granite façade include 130,000 square feet of continuous insulation.

LEED v5 and the Cost Impacts of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019

djoverbey@bsu.edu (Daniel Overbey) — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

By hitching their wagon to the horse of Standard 90.1, LEED-related hard costs are rising and becoming increasingly misaligned with low-margin project cost models based largely on minimum energy standards within the project’s regulatory context.

Doug Kramer: Polycon Expands Spray Foam Solutions

Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Building Enclosure’s podcast, Jill Bloom speaks with Polycon’s Doug Kramer, an insulation industry figure, on spray foam innovation today.

Construction Industry Revolts Over New CSI Licensing Plan

lewisl@bnpmedia.com (Lindsay Lewis) — Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The construction industry is facing mounting backlash over a controversial licensing and software initiative tied to the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and its widely used classification systems, including MasterFormat, UniFormat and OmniClass.

What Designers Need to Know: Specifying Polyiso Insulation Products in Commercial Roofing Projects

mpazera@pima.org (Marcin Pazera) — Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Polyisocyanurate (polyiso) roof insulation stands as one of the most widely used insulation products for low-slope commercial roofing systems.