Habitat for Humanity

The duplex will provide housing for two families, one of which is a single mom and her 4-year old daughter.

View all photos of the duplex project

It was a great team effort! Each homeowner must “invest” time in building their home, attends classes on home ownership and money management along with assuming a no interest loan.

The use of robots in the workplace is on the rise as sensors and safety technology become more advanced. This article highlights applications in a hospital, distribution centers, and NASA. While robots have historically been divided into either ultra-expensive industrial uses or low-cost consumer functions, the markets are converging.

General Motors and NASA collaborated on a new robot to be used at the International Space Station, and GM is looking to integrate the technology into future car models. In addition, robot developers are on the lookout for new markets, including videoconferencing functions.

Source: Soon, That Nearby Worker Might Be a Robot, BusinessWeek, by Rachael King, June 1, 2010

An Israeli technology startup is trying to radically change how teachers and students interact through the use of its new web-based software. The software was developed by a team of educators, software developers, and graphic and creative designers who have created a suite of tools ranging from course planning and classroom management to group collaboration and student assessment. Initially developed for grades four to six, there are already plans to expand to grades three to nine.

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Zoe Finch Totten’s company, The Full Yield, is on a mission to improve public health. By targeting big employers with The Full Yield’s wellness program, Finch Totten hopes to make employees healthier and cheaper to insure. The program is first being rolled out in a few Boston-area businesses, but plans to expand to the nation’s 50 largest cities within five years.

This wellness program differs from others offered by corporations; up to now, most programs have focused on smoking cessation, stress reduction and exercise. The Full Yield targets the diets of employees, requiring a three-month commitment to eating only whole foods. The program is rounded out by a health-risk assessment, biometrics measures, meetings with a coach, activity plan, and access to a community website.

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Architectural trends are shifting as the economy begins to recover. Innovation is now geared toward sustainability and new technology rather than the “spectacle” buildings of the late 1990s and early 2000s and architects are focusing more on urban planning, civic projects, and the creation of public space.

The author notes that pre-recession “eye-popping” architecture is giving way to a subtler aesthetic. She cites several examples of recent projects that offer a more straightforward, slimmed-down sensibility. While extravagant architecture likely won’t go away entirely, one architect comments that he doesn’t think we will soon see “another era where both private and public clients are so willing to engage in architectural innovation.”

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One in five Americans now work non-standard hours and the trend is expected to grow. Factors such as globalization, the movement toward more knowledge-based industries, and the current recession have contributed to the growth of flex schedules.

Momentum Resources, a staffing company in the Washington, D.C. area that focuses on placing management professionals in positions with flexible hours has seen demand grow over the past several years. The company also practices what it preaches: the director schedules her day around her three sons and oversees employees with irregular schedules as well.

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Profiles of three iconic American skyscrapers highlight the latest efforts to make buildings more energy efficient.

The Empire State Building in New York City is implementing a new sustainability plan that includes insulating windows, maximizing daylighting, and upgrading its chiller. Additionally, tenants will take on some of the responsibility for energy savings through sustainability incentives within lease agreements.

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To better understand and discern between environmental product claims, A&D professionals need to stay apprised as to the latest developments in EcoLabeling.

EcoLabels in the interior design industry are following a trajectory similar to that of other industries. Starting with single-criteria labels, product labels progress to multi-criteria labels and eventually shift to comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)-based labeling. While SCS Indoor Advantage and GREENGUARD have proven to be effective single-criteria EcoLabels, and level expands the criteria through the supply chain, the author believes that LCA is a logical future step for product labels in the furniture industry. LCA more effectively addresses a comprehensive set of environmental impacts and any associated trade-offs by evaluating a product’s consequences from “cradle-to-grave”.

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