Sears Tower to Be Revamped to Produce Most of Its Own Power
from The New York Times
The Sears Tower, that bronze-black monument that forms the 110-story peak of the skyline here and stands as the tallest office building in the Western Hemisphere, will soon have another unique feature: wind turbines sprouting from its recessed rooftops high in the sky. More

Obama, Chu Roll Out New Lighting Rules and US$346M for Energy Efficient Buildings
from Greener Buildings
With Energy Secretary Steven Chu by his side, U.S. President Barack Obama detailed stricter new lighting standards and promised the swift release of US$346 million in Recovery Act funds to boost energy efficiency in new and existing commercial buildings and homes. More

The End of Fitness in the Workplace?
from Examiner
The continuing recession is now taking its toll on workplace wellness programs. With more companies under pressure to reduce expenses, workplace wellness programs have apparently become convenient targets for budget reductions—or outright elimination—notwithstanding the fact that many of these programs took years to implement and have, more often than not, provided a significant return on investment through reductions in workers’ comp claims, lower health care costs among employees, reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and more. More

Invisibility Cloaks May Shield Buildings from Earthquakes
from Inhabitat
We all know that invisibility cloaks can protect Harry Potter from Filch and his cat Mrs. Norris, but now physicists in France and the U.K. say they may be used to hide buildings from the devastating effects of earthquakes as well. Sound like fiction? It’s not! Stefan Enoch and his team at the Fresnel Institute in Marseilles, France, have been studying other applications for the physics behind invisibility cloaks. The result of their research is an “earthquake cloak” that could render objects “invisible” to shocks, storm waves or tsunamis. And they aren’t even Level 8 mages! More

Representing more than 600 million square feet, Operations and Maintenance Benchmarks
from The Philippine Star
How you perceive and use technology at work could reveal your age. In a recent market survey conducted by WorldOne Research they discovered that age plays a big factor in the way professionals today embrace technology at work. More

International Green Construction Code (IGCC) Now in the Works
from Architectural Record
Code officials could see a new universal regulatory framework to guide the design and construction of green commercial buildings by the end of next year. On June 29, the American Institute of Architects, along with the International Code Council (ICC) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), announced their intent to create an International Green Construction Code (IGCC). More

Skyscraper Farming Best Bet to Feed Tomorrow's Hungry Billions
from Duniyalive.com
If scientists have their way, then vertical farming, namely, growing food crops in high-rise buildings, may soon be a reality. According to a report in National Geographic News, the unique strategy, put forward by scientists and architects, would feed a swelling population on a planet with finite farmland. More

World's Tallest Skyscraper to be Built in Saudi Arabia
from Ynetnews.com
Saudi business mogul Prince al-Waleed bin Talal's Kingdom Holding company says 1,000 meters high tower to be built in city of Jeddah off Red Sea. Total cost of project estimated at US$27 billion. More

Unprofessional E-mails Causing Workplace Stress
from Voxy
Poor quality e-mails are causing almost as much stress in the workplace as the number received, a psychological study has revealed. According to the study of 218 staff from the University of Queensland, respondents found interpreting ambiguous e-mails can be just as stressful as receiving large volumes of messages. More

Hard Rock Plans Europe's Biggest Casino in Hungary
from AFP
Hard Rock International and two Austrian companies are to build a huge five-billion-euro casino complex in Hungary. Once completed, the complex will ultimately have 1,264 hotel rooms, 6,000 slot machines, 400 gaming tables, two 20-table poker rooms and two sports betting shops, making it the biggest casino in Europe. More