February 22, 2008
  CITIZEN ARCHITECTS
HGA Rochester Branch Wins Chamber of Commerce “Business of the Year” Award
Firm finds success through community partners
By working with a variety of institutional organizations and being a staunch advocate for their native city, HGA’s Rochester, Minn., branch won the local chamber of commerce’s “Business of the Year” award. An example of how this community involvement translates into the firm’s commitment to increased civic vibrancy is the Minnesota BioBusiness Development Center, a retail and commercial mixed-use tower in downtown Rochester that will cater to businesses that are related to institutional science and research organizations.

ADVENTURES IN ARCHITECTURE
Il Duomo: Brunelleschi and the Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore
Episode 2: The Competition
In his second installment of the design and construction of the magnificent Duomo in Florence, Jim Atkins examines the events that led to the 15th century wool merchants’ selection of Filippo Brunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti as co-capomaestros in a rivalry some contend sparked the Renaissance.

Geothermal Heat Pumps Provide Sustainable Alternative for Architects
Direct exchange geothermal heat pumps are an efficient, sensible form of renewable energy, says Peter Gumpert, vice president and chief operating officer of Brookline, Mass.-based EarthSource Energy Solutions, Inc. The firm manufactures the EarthSource Geo Direct™ line of direct exchange geothermal heat pumps that heat and cool a home or business without burning gas, oil, or other fossil fuels. They also provide low-cost domestic hot water. Gumpert believes that architects should increase their awareness of this renewable energy technology, which he says can save home and business owners 40-70 percent in heating, cooling, and water heating costs. A geothermal heat pump is small enough to fit into a closet, and its technology simply requires inserting copper loops underground.

 

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This is the home of the weekly Best Practices column, news of tips and tools that you can use in your day-to-day practice and case studies illustrating “how-tos” and “lessons learned” for all stages of practice. The Practice Zone also features reports of research in architecture and related fields.