Building Profit by Design
from Investors.com
In 2005, the Los Angeles office of architectural and design firm HOK was underperforming. Within a year, revenue and profit improved. What made the difference? Incoming manager Riccardo Mascia applied design strategies to business. It's worked in several HOK offices Mascia's headed worldwide. More

Study Tests Health Benefits of Blue Lighting
from GE
Research team members hypothesize that periods of blue light, like daylight, can help regulate the sleep-wake rhythm. By increasing exposure to blue-white light during the day and yellow-white light in the evening, researchers hope to help patients regulate their sleep-wake cycles so that they are more awake during the day and more asleep at night. So far the tests have shown some improvement in the activity levels of patients with dementia in a long-term care facility. More

Sustainability Calculus at Trade Shows
from Creativity
According to the EPA, the trade show industry is the second most wasteful industry in the United States; the only one worse is building construction. Product and exhibit designers are finding creative ways to design light and reduce the carbon footprint and waste that shows contribute to. More

2009 ICFF Editors Awards Winners Announced
from Interior Design
An expert group of editors from the globe’s most esteemed design magazines voted Saturday for their favorite exhibitors and products at this year’s 21st annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York. Honored at the ICFF Exhibitors Reception, 16 lucky companies took home the 2009 ICFF Editors Awards. More

Repositioning: Breathing New Life into Older Buildings
from Contract
Doing business in today's commercial real estate market can seem like taking a gamble in a back alley shell game. You watch the shell man's hands carefully. Left one? Wait a second. No, it's the middle one. But really, you are just guessing which shell hides the little rubber ball. More

Sustainable Travel International Introduces Eco-Certification for Luxury Hotels
from Hospitality Design
Sustainable Travel International (STI) has launched its Luxury Eco Certification Standard (LECS), designed specifically for luxury hotels. The program addresses the needs and challenges of the high-end sector. The application comprises100 environmental and social criteria for hotels to meet in order to be eco-certified, addressing five areas of operations: Policy and Documentation, Energy Conservation, Water Conservation, Recycling, and Community. Applicants will be required to undertake a third-party assessment through Leading Quality Assurance, an auditing firm that provides quality assurance audits, benchmarking analysis, and training services to the luxury hospitality industry. More

AIA Selects 2009 Recipients of Small Project Awards
from Interiors & Sources
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected 20 recipients of the 2009 Small Project Awards. The AIA Small Project Awards Program, now in its fifth year, was established to recognize small-project practitioners for the high quality of their work and to promote excellence in small-project design. This award program emphasizes the excellence of small-project design and strives to raise public awareness of the value and design excellence that architects bring to projects, no matter the limits of size and scope. More

Partnership Established to Advance Sustainable Product Standards
from Interiors & Sources
The Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments and the Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability recently announced an educational partnership to advance sustainable product standards in an effort to enhance global sustainability and eliminate market confusion and greenwash. The joint initiative will focus on the built environment, including construction materials, mechanicals, interior finishing products, and those products that support green building operations and maintenance. More

LEED's Latest Overhaul: Itself
from BusinessWeek
Since its launch in 1998, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program has become widely accepted as the standard measure of sustainability for buildings. To date, almost 21,000 projects, representing more than 5 billion square feet, have registered their intent to seek certification under the system. Another sign of the program's success is the long list of municipalities, state governments, and federal agencies that have adopted LEED, incorporating it into construction guidelines, legislation, and requirements for incentive programs. More

Clever Concept
from Hospitality Design
Chicago architect Jackie Koo and ASID member Cheryl Rowley of Beverly Hills have infused the Wit Hotel on Chicago's State Street with glamour, personality, and a sense of humor. The pair has emphasized playful details throughout the entire property, developed by Scott Greenberg of the EDC Company. More

Architecture Billings Index Falls Slightly in April, but Shows Market Improvement
from Building Design & Construction
After an eight-point jump in March, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) fell less than a full point in April. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the April ABI rating was 42.8, down from the 43.7 mark in March. This was the first time since August and September 2008 that the index was above 40 for consecutive months, but the score still indicates an overall decline in demand for design services. More