Resources // Blog
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At the Forefront of Sustainability - Carbon Accounting
LEED and sustainability were once newly discussed concepts that a handful of our clients were exploring; now they are at the forefront of our design process. Today, there is a new design process that H&A is preparing for - carbon accounting. Federal mandates now require carbon emissions accounting for federal agencies. While the mandates have been in place for several years, many agencies are just beginning to realize they are behind in their required accounting and reporting. The need for carbon (aka greenhouse gas emissions) accounting expertise will grow as these agencies learn more about the accounting requirements and start ...
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Climbing the ENR Top Design Firms Ladder
We are proud to have further ascended the ENR ranking ladder this year, up two spots from last year. It seemed like just yesterday when we broke into the exclusive ENR 500 club, and we now find ourselves in the top half. This climb is partially the result of having realized 50% revenue growth since the beginning of the recession in 2008.
It’s been a great ride and we don’t plan on stopping where we are. Growth is not an explicit goal of H&A, but is the result of our providing unique value to our clients through ...
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What Veterans Day Means To Me
However brief and lacking, the request was made so I will attempt to deliver what Veterans Day means to me.
To me this is one of those “that depends” answers but is rooted much deeper, like the sailor/survivor of a treacherous sea voyage being asked what they think of the ocean, and receiving an immediate reply of, “which drop / which day?” I know that the question was posed on the broad brush, on the desire to honor the marketed support of this sacred day. Just know that when asked, like many veterans, I am flooded with many emotions, memories ...
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Social Hotel Design for the New Traveler
Has your favorite hotel brand changed its look? Odds are it has, and the driving force of this change is the declining median age of travelers. As the 20 and 30-something’s gain momentum in the travel world, their expectations shape future designs for the hotel industry.
Many of these expectations are technological in nature. Most 20 and 30-something’s are immersed in their technology – iPads, iPhones, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, etc. You can bet they all have at least one of these accounts. For the new business traveler, these are the everyday necessities of life. So how are hotels changing ...
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Design Excellence - It's Not Just Looks
Design excellence is not a new concept - it was a program originally initiated more than 50 years ago by President John Kennedy. The principles behind the Design Excellence philosophy are as relevant today as ever, but have been expanded to be more pertinent for the 21st century and now include security, sustainability, and flexibility. The Bureau of Overseas Building Operations' (OBO) mission is to provide safe, secure and functional facilities that represent the U.S. Government to the host nation and support the embassy staff in the achievement of U.S. foreign policy objectives.
As OBO advances Design Excellence, they ...
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Renewed Optimism - P3's & Energy
As we prepare to attend the ULI Spring Meeting, there is a general feeling of renewed optimism in the air. It is not unbridled enthusiasm (yet) but still the signs are positive. It was reported today that commercial real estate development and construction contributed $262 Billion to GDP, an increase of 13% from 2010. Better yet, forecasts for 2012 call for project construction spending to increase and to accelerate further in 2013 and 2014.
We are looking forward to learning more at the conference. There are two sessions in particular piquing our interest. The first is the “New Visions for ...
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Hospitality Design and H&A’s Mark on the Virginia Beach Town Center
You want to meet friends for dinner and a show. Or you are a visitor on business and want to spend the night in an urban setting where you can walk to multiple activities. Welcome to Virginia Beach Town Center, the new downtown for the suburban community of Virginia Beach.
H&A interior designers are pleased to have developed three of the highly successful venues in Town Center. Before you take in a show at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, one of the most acoustically sound theaters in the United States, you can enjoy dinner at the Sonoma ...
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Landscape Architecture: Beyond the Planting Plan
“So, you’re a landscape architect. Man, I sure could use your help in my yard!” If only I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that line. Sure, landscape architects are often confused with horticulturalists and gardeners, but it is important to note that the profession of landscape architecture is comprised of much more than just picking out plants!
For starters, according to the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the profession encompasses “the analysis, planning, design, management and stewardship of the natural and built environment.” Landscape architects strive to assist in further development of sites within ...
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The Evolution of Architecture
As we begin Architecture Week, I think we need to consider – What is architecture? How has it evolved? Will it respond to present and future demands?
We all know about the great masterworks of centuries past – the pyramids, cathedrals, and places – all designed and built by master craftsmen/architects. But, do we know about the itinerant tile layer who created a 90-foot structural masterpiece? It could be argued that it is a sculpture and not a building. However, it draws from architectural and structural principles and inspires us.
It took mankind thousands of years to reach a global population of ...
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Making the World a Better Place
What a difference technology has made in engineering. We have seen drafting boards replaced with computers running CADD and BIM software, grid paper replaced with Excel spreadsheets, and manual engineering calculation forms replaced with sophisticated engineering calculation software.
The benefit is that engineers can provide designs that are far more complex, evaluate far more options, and design to much tighter tolerances – all in less time.
Instead of hand drawn lines on Mylar, owners now get 3-D computer models they can use for facilities management. Instead of a couple of system options, owners now get to narrow down numerous options and ...
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Asset Protection
Many of us have seen the video of the aircraft hangar accidentally filled with white, billowy, high-expansion fire suppression foam during a hangar system test that ran too long.
Yes, I am referring to the one where the hangar doors were opened afterward and the foam seemed to flow out onto the aircraft operations area, almost engulfing a small jet sitting outside the hangar.Click here to check out the YouTube video showing the fire foam test going wrong.
If you have not worked with an aircraft hangar or similar high-value storage facility, you may not have heard about the ... -
design ingenuity + virtual building optimization = true energy savings
Today’s construction industry is in the midst of great change as it is experiencing increasing pressures on price and schedule. Added to this are binding requirements for long-term building performance and occupant comfort. Most people agree that improved performance is necessary and worthwhile, but accurately assessing a building’s overall efficiency during design can be challenging.
True building optimization can require trial and error, which would be far too expensive to accomplish with physical construction. Fortunately, the tools now exist to cost-effectively model performance in the virtual world. Whole-building energy simulation, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, and other analyses ...
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Where's the economy going?
It’s hard to believe that the recession has been over for two years. Employers aren’t hiring, developers aren’t developing, builders aren’t building, and shoppers aren’t shopping. So what’s happening? A couple of things are at work here. First, employers are finding out how to do more with less. That means that even though they are recognizing growth as a whole, they are meeting their needs with the same number of employees. Developers are still having a hard time justifying building space for employers who are reluctant to hire and the financers of those projects ...