It has become increasingly clear that the design and building of living roofs is making a transition from early adoption to mainstream application. Driven by environmental policy, economic necessity, and social responsibility there is increasing emphasis on a “living systems” approach to building and vegetation design. The designs integrate and complement mechanical and plumbing [...]

Rammed earth has been a part of the alternative materials scene in Northern California since the mid 1970’s, when we first broke through the building permit barrier. Initially our goal was to develop a resource-efficient construction system that would be affordable and widely adopted by the building industry.  We began with a strong commitment to construction [...]

  Project Description for the Ningbo Eco-Corridor Location: Ningbo, China Scope of the Project The landscape architects, SWA Group, provided master planning and conceptual design services for the 250-acre metropolitan Eco-Corridor Park located in Ningbo’s East Town, an area of 6 square miles that currently includes a mixture of industrial and agricultural land uses.  The [...]

There are a number of exciting design trends that are quickly becoming mainstream in architecture and development around California.  Mostly due to the continuing drought and concerns over water availability, these trends are simply implemented and have an enormous impact on a broad scale.  One of the latest trends to receive publicity is the re-emergence [...]

My first exposure to waste diversion on a jobsite was a response to LEED requirements. Of all the standards we had to meet, practices we had to modify, and requirements we had to satisfy waste diversion presented the most tangible upside – across the board. It’s obvious, too. Once you have modified your waste handling [...]

With the official launch of LEED for Homes in February of 2008, we were already consulting on several custom LEED-H pilot projects. We provide LEED-H “Representative” services through the LEED-H “Provider” in California, Davis Energy Group. The Representative is similar to having a LEED consultant on a LEED-NC project, except there is a strict limitation [...]

     As a part of the Landscape Architecture firm for the new California Academy of Sciences Building in San Francisco, SWA Group, I wanted to share one of lesser known successes of the 2.5 acre Vegetated/Living Roof.  This success is the creation of a native landscape habitat within the Golden Gate Park, located three [...]

 As designers and implementers of designn, we know that integrated design theoretically makes sense.  However, when it comes to installing renewable energy systems, it is more and more critical that we actually put theory into action.  So I’d like to go through a couple of real world examples of what can happen (or not happen) [...]

  My kitchen uses LED retrofit kits by Progress Lighting that are also fitted with Asian inspired trims by Juno Lighting to add little dazzle at the ceiling line.   The Green, Green Lights of Home  I am a lighting designer, who specializes in residential interior and exterior projects; working with kitchen & bath designers, [...]

1. The weak economy will greatly reduce new construction starts in the short-term, but coming out of the recession there will be enormous pent-up demand for new green product. 2. A significant number of green projects are still in the pipeline (under construction), and USGBC reports a large backlog of completed green buildings awaiting certification. [...]