GAB Report library
June 2009
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Sripadanna Residence: Synergy in Sustainability
Architects have been practicing principles of sustainable design for a long time even before the term sustainability became popular. With increasing popularity of sustainable design, it is important to understand that sustainable design is more than a collection of credits. The key is to create synergy between building systems and practices that multiply each other’s…
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Award Winning Two-in-One Solar Roofing System Launched at PCBC 2009
The PCBC 2009 featured 400+ exhibitors but only Custom-Bilt Metals won the Cool Product Competition in the “Saves Energy” category with their FusionSolar system. I had the opportunity to discuss the product with two of the owners, Joe and Steve Chiovare. The What: Custom-Bilt Metals, a manufacturer of metal roofing and rain gutter products, has…
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Optimism Key to Building Industry Recovery
PCBC (formerly known as the Pacific Coast Builders Conference) kicked off its 50th anniversary in San Francisco, California on June 17–19. The theme, “the New Age of Invention”, was apropos. In this economic climate, it’s time for us in the design and construction industries to re-invent ourselves, innovate, and work towards a more sustainable way…
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Simple Yet Smart Technology Helps Conserve Water
Having lived in California for the past 26 years, I know what it is like to go through droughts – it is scary. The most recent period of insufficient rainfall has forced public utilities to urge water conservation at all levels and enforce water use restrictions in many areas including the city in which I…
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Green Agents of Change Convene at Green Building Summit
The need for energy efficient and sustainable buildings has finally started gaining mainstream recognition in the United States in the last 5 years, not only from the design and construction industries, but also from homeowners, the financial sector, and government agencies including President Obama’s Administration. More recently, the momentum of call to action has also…
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Transforming a Concrete Box into a Net-Zero Energy Building
Editor’s Note: The IDeAs Z2 Design Facility is now the San Jose office of the Integral Group. At the AIA 2009 National Convention, I was pleased to find a handful of educational sessions, led by San Francisco Bay Area architects and engineers, that focused on net-zero energy building design. One of the featured projects, the IDeAs…
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Sripadanna Residence Receives First LEED for Homes Gold in Silicon Valley
Congratulations to Mr. Hari Sripadanna on receiving LEED for Homes Gold certification for his residence in Saratoga, California. The Sripadanna Residence is the first detached single custom home in Santa Clara County and Silicon Valley to receive LEED-H Gold certification and has set the high standard for the community. I recently had the opportunity to…
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Affordable Housing Project Incorporates Largest Residential Solar Photovoltaic System in San Francisco
What do you do when your project has close to 40,000 square foot of roof space in one city block, good sun exposure, and no shading impediments? Go solar, of course, and generate your own electricity with a renewable energy source. Mosaica, one of the largest green, mixed-use projects located in San Francisco, California, boasts…