Navigating a Return to the Workplace
By Katie Rapone, editor. As restrictions are lifted surrounding the global economic crisis of COVID-19, businesses will reopen and organizations will begin to bring workers back into the physical workplace. The safety of their employees is paramount in this process and many companies are looking to the CRE industry to …
Healthcare Design Solutions to Prepare for a Pandemic
By Bob Mooney, senior architect, The Neenan Company The healthcare industry is grappling with countless challenges in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, from the influx of patients creating capacity concerns for facilities to an overworked workforce and a limited supply of medical equipment. Many areas of the business are feeling the strain …
Architect of the Month: Rachael Johnson, AIA, SmithGroup
Colorado native Rachael Johnson, AIA, EDAC, is an architect at SmithGroup, a 1300 employee, integrated design firm with 15 offices in the U.S. and China, including the firm’s newest office in Denver—a welcome base in the Intermountain West, better positioning the firm to serve regional clients that include the University of …
Understanding Sustainable Design: Different Practices Return Different Results
By Clif Dayton, PE, R&R Engineers-Surveyors, Inc. Though sustainable design practices have been around for centuries, in the last twenty-five years, sustainable design practices have been more prevalent in building codes. The 21st century phrase, & “sustainable design” is best defined by what it does: It reduces the negative impacts on the environment, while …
Unlocking Energy Efficiency Through Health Metrics
By Pete Jefferson What comes first, a healthy building or an energy efficient one? A worldwide pandemic is shining a spotlight on the need for buildings that protect occupant health. Unfortunately, this exercise is likely to identify that for too long, our industry has been much better at making the business case for …
The Benefits of Denver’s Urban Forest Initiative
By Chris Geddes, associate at Design Workshop. With Earth Day upon us, Wednesday, April 22 – it’s a good time to share how the Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP), the City of Denver, and community leaders are working to be more sustainable and earth friendly. As landscape architects, Earth Day is every day …
Solar: Reducing OpEx and Increasing NOI During Uncertain Economic Times
By John Shaw, commercial solar project developer at Namasté Solar. Namasté Solar is one of the longest-running solar companies in Colorado, with over 8,000 local homeowners, businesses, and commercial property owners as our customers. We recognize that our community is facing uncertainty and stress as a result of the coronavirus crisis. It’s a strange …
Life Cycle Assessment & Reducing Embodied Carbon in Construction
by Phin Stubbs, LEED AP: BD+C WELL AP – Sustainable Design Consultant, Group14 Engineering. In the last 20 years, the sustainable design industry has made great strides in building operations and energy efficiency. A combination of voluntary programs like the LEED green building rating system, combined with advanced code requirements specifically tailored …
A Dose of Dopamine: Using Neuroarchitecture in Space Design to Support Wellbeing
By Marc Snyder, director of sustainability and associate principal at 4240 Architecture As a lot of us face a new normal during uncertain times, it is good to reflect on and realign to those aspects of our lives that contribute to positivity and good health — no matter where we may …
‘Empowered Women, Empower Women,’ says Denver Law Firm
By Nicole Ament, shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck When addressing the gender leadership gap, there is wisdom in the phrase, “it takes a village.” I’ve held a variety of leadership roles during my 20 years as an attorney at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. Currently I chair Brownstein’s nationally recognized Real Estate Department and …