AEC Top Stories

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.

Why Specifications Are Becoming the Next Critical Layer of Construction Compliance

Mon, 25 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The industry needs codes, specs, and plans operating in a single, connected workflow. When that coordination happens upstream, rework drops, resubmittals shrink, and the industry builds real capacity to close a housing gap that is only getting wider.

From Fragmented Design to Integrated Performance in Healthcare Facilities

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

As healthcare design responds to climate pressures, aging infrastructure, and increasingly complex renovation cycles, the industry must move beyond fragmented specification toward integrated, continuous envelope design.

How Sports and Entertainment Venues are Redefining Development

Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

If done right, the next generation of sports infrastructure will not just host events—it will help shape the economic, social, and cultural trajectory of healthier and more vibrant cities for generations to come.

Revitalizing Cityscapes Through Clever Architectural Repurposing

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Using the momentum of JBG’s revitalization of Arlington, Virginia’s National Landing neighborhood, Calco Hospitality set out to transform an existing Marriott Hotel into an AC by Marriott, revitalizing the property and appealing to new audiences.

Architectural Considerations for Scaling and Expanding Retail Spaces

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

For brands and companies of all sizes, there are several key factors to consider when undergoing a rapid retail expansion, according to the retail design experts at Lawrence Group.

A Conversation on Material Performance and the Evolving Campus

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

As schools and universities rethink what their campuses need to offer in an AI-driven world, two experts from Carnegie discuss how surfaces, acoustics, and material choices play a defining role in making those spaces work.

Daylighting Design to Support Rapidly Growing Trend in Modular Building Construction

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

As part of a $90 million district-wide infrastructure improvement bond, Carpinteria Unified School District planned a new modular learning center and library for the shared campus of Canalino Elementary School and Canalino Family School.

Quiet Rooms and Healthier Air: A Second Look at What Goes Inside the Wall Cavity

Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Walls influence more than structure and sound. They quietly shape how a building feels to the people who use it: how it sounds, how the air smells, how a child with asthma sleeps at night, how a worker feels finishing the day. Insulation is part of that story.

Timber-Structure Building Meets Passive House Standards

Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The design team selected an all-mass timber structure, paired with wood infill walls, and wood fiber insulation; an all-wood assembly, sequestering biogenic carbon, at Passive House level energy performance; one of the first of its kind.

Michigan's New Pine Rest Pediatric Center of Behavioral Health Features Welcoming, Biophilic Design

Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The newly constructed building demonstrates how Apogee Architectural Metals’ Wausau windows and Tubelite curtain wall support the comfortable, safe, therapeutic environment with a visually appealing, resilient, high-performance facade.

Why Fuel Source Data is Crucial for Operational Carbon Emissions Reporting

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

Energy efficiency benchmarking alone is no longer sufficient and we recommend evolving the American Institute of Architects' (AIA) primary climate action program to track total carbon intensity by incorporating fuel source reporting, electrification metrics, expanded embodied carbon tracking, and updated baselines.

Building Safety Month 2026

lewisl@bnpmedia.com (Lindsay Lewis) — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 23:59:00 -0400

Building Safety Month is a global initiative held each May to highlight the importance of safe, resilient buildings and communities.

A Forest in the Façade

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

After forty years, moisture and water infiltration had compromised the facade, and the Anchorage School District wanted a high-performance solution capable of withstanding the rigors of the Alaskan climate.

5 Building Envelope Trends for 2026

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Some of factors Benjamin Obdyke is seeing have an influence on the design and construction of multifamily building envelopes this year—and how to navigate changes

Preserving a Historic Civic Landmark with Advanced Roofing

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

When leaks began appearing across several roof sections of the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office, each constructed from different materials during past renovations, the Mecklenburg County Asset and Facility Management Department sought a solution that could preserve the structure’s integrity.

Calling on Construction Firms to Preserve Critical Industry Expertise Before it’s Lost

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The state of the future construction workforce will be determined by steps taken today. Its success will rely on involvement at all levels – from new grads entering a workforce with native AI experience to AI pros equipped with critical technical expertise to seasoned professionals with 30+ years of industry experience under their belt.

Nemours Children's Health Unveils Design of New Advanced Delivery Unit

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

Perkins&Will’s Philadelphia studio has unveiled their design for the new Advanced Delivery Unit (ADU) at Nemours Children’s Hospital

Reducing Risk Through Integrated Rainscreen Design

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This article explores the significant design, engineering, and long-term performance benefits of an integrated rainscreen system compared to a non-integrated component assembly.

Case Engineering Completes Tilt-Up Design on New $10 Million Teklab Facility

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

Case Engineering partnered with St. Charles, MO-based Knapp Engineering, LLC on the structural engineering and tilt-up design for the new $10 million Teklab environmental testing laboratory in Collinsville, IL.

State-of-the-Art Library Celebrates Majestic Landscape of the Cache Valley

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

This new state-of-the-art library celebrates the one thing that unites everyone in the community: the majestic landscape of the Cache valley.

IMPs Drive Long-Term Performance at New Airport Facility

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

The new facility, just under 18,000 square feet, brings together multiple aircraft rescue and firefighting bays, a state-of-the-art general aviation terminal, and administration offices for the Contra Costa County Public Works Airports Division.

Restoring a Modernist Landmark for a New Generation of Artists

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

Preserving one of the few remaining mid-century modern structures on a prominent college campus, MBL Architecture (MBL) announced the completion of work at University of Arkansas’ renowned Fine Arts Center.

Glass Combines with Brick to Help Blend New Office Structure with Historic Seattle Neighborhood

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In searching for the perfect combination of building materials and styles to create a striking façade while honoring the district’s storied past, the design team tested countless samples and building mockups, and constructed full-scale, two-story brick façades.