July 18, 2008
  Architecture Firm Headquarters Earns LEED Silver for Interiors
Dahlin Group Architecture Planning recently received LEED® certification for its adaptively reused headquarters building in Pleasanton, Calif. The facility earned the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver rating for commercial interiors (LEED-CI). The architects report that they sought certification as part of their aim to "live by example." The desire to work sustainably was a main driver for choosing an existing building next to Pleasanton's Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) terminus, thus giving staff and clients a drive-free option from San Francisco and Oakland. The station also is a terminus for bus lines serving California’s Central Valley, site of much of the area's most affordable housing. The building itself, which originally served as an auto insurance inspection facility, reflects what Dahlin Group terms its “signature design approach,” with a dramatic focal stair and an open office plan, serving as “a design laboratory for the staff and as a demonstration for clients," with displays to identify LEED elements and strategies throughout the building. Among these are functional sunshades, low VOC paints, environmentally sensitive carpeting and adhesives, water-conserving plumbing, and spectrally selective coated glass.

ADAAG Public Review Period Ends August 18
The U.S. Department of Justice announced June 17 that the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibilities Guidelines for ADA Titles II and III, which the Accessibility Board released in 2004, are available for a 60-day public review. A public hearing was held July 15 in Washington, D.C., at which the AIA presented the position it has held since the ADAAG release in 2004 that the guidelines be clear and consistent with existing codes. Public comments are welcome until August 18.

AIA, National Association of Counties Issue “Local Leaders in Sustainability: Green Counties” Analysis
American counties are showing how to “Walk the Walk” on sustainability by creating impressive green building programs across the country. County green building programs have increased fivefold since 2003, and the future looks bright for green design, according to Local Leaders in Sustainability: Green Counties, an analysis conducted by the AIA and the National Association of Counties (NACo) of the current state of green building development in the 200 most populous U.S. counties, representing 168,864,538 Americans, or a little more than half of the country’s population.

New Interactive AIA Web Site Continues Architecture Conversation
Check out “The Shape of America”
The AIA is excited to launch publicly the highly anticipated Shape of America project—a series of Web-based short films showcasing a selection of the 150 structures chosen by the public as America’s Favorite Architecture. In each short film, AIA architects share insight and personal anecdotes about the architectural masterworks, in turn encouraging public discussion of the buildings along with new points of view on each. The Shape of America site was designed to expand the public dialogue about architecture and how it affects our lives, using interactive features like how to vote for the next buildings to be highlighted. The site also offers a link to architectural blogs, a system to rate the films, and an RSS feature alerting viewers when the site is updated with new material. Buildings currently appearing on the Shape of America site include the Empire State Building, Houston’s Pennzoil Place, Fenway Park, and The Hearst Castle—with the expected addition of more throughout the year. Visit ShapeofAmerica.org to see these videos for yourself. And after viewing, please consider continuing the conversation by forwarding to your friends and colleagues—or start blogging!

  

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This is where you will find the latest happenings in the Institute, the profession, and the wider world of building design and construction. The News Zone also carries commentary from AIA elected representatives as well as major new commissions, completions, and openings.