Case Studies Green Building

Time was when the potential of solar panels wasn’t widely recognized by conventional builders. It took a young generation to see the light, and among them was Richard Bergman, who, during the late 1970s, would become one of the solar energy pioneers in the Buffalo, New York, area. “I was the first green-certified builder in […]

As Jon Wesley “Wes” Treder scrolls through the many applications for the San Luis Obispo International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ (IBEW LU639) five-year apprenticeship program, he can’t help but notice a serious lack of hands-on experience. “There are kids coming through who don’t know how to use a tape measure, or understand what a sixteenth […]

You hear a lot about sustainability whenever construction or engineering is discussed nowadays. It’s a buzzword and well it should be. Resources aren’t unlimited, and progressive companies don’t want anything going to waste. It’s not just environmentally irresponsible, it’s bad business to boot. Heating ventilation and air conditioning manufacturer, supplier and servicer Trane adds another […]

Standing before a judge or sitting down with a probation officer can test anyone’s stress level, especially in a place like Essex Probate and Family Court in Salem, Massachusetts, where the most sensitive of issues may be resolved to not everyone’s satisfaction. But the anxieties there may be somewhat lessened by the consummation of extensive […]

The draw of western New York becomes more apparent as the greater Buffalo area undergoes a renaissance, creating a demand for high-quality, customized housing that’s being partially met by Natale Builders. Call them “forever homes,” says Director of Sales Peter Kress as he hustles between late-spring appointments from the Clarence office to the various sites […]

Architecture is more than aesthetics. It’s a service-oriented and relationship-driven profession that the Boston firm of Miller Dyer Spears takes to heart as it tackles projects for some of New England’s most prominent institutions. MDS specializes in institutions that, among other purposes, serve educational and health care needs, and must constantly be served in kind […]

There was a time when a company meeting entailed a lengthy round-table conversation, with coffee and donuts scattered about. While the goodies may remain, the advent of tablets, smart phones and interactive wall screens, has lessened the need for those sit-downs—or at least created the means for supplementing them. Yet, all the devices enabling this […]

As companies grow larger, there is often a danger that employees will feel disconnected with upper management. “I think everyone needs something that motivates them to come to work and be part of an organization,” says Stan Sugden, president of Ruekert & Mielke Inc. (R/M), a 71-year-old civil engineering firm with offices throughout Wisconsin and […]

Increasingly popular, fitness trackers allow people to monitor, among other things, how many steps they take in a day. In many cases, simply by accounting for their steps, people are encouraged to walk more. What if we could bring that idea to, say, recycling? And get companies and institutions to track and increase their recycling? […]

When people think of a construction job they usually don’t imagine stacks of paper, but in reality that’s what it takes to get something built. On top of the hundreds of full-sized blueprints, a large commercial project—such as a hospital or department store—has at least 50 or more additional half-sets scattered around the site. All […]