Technology
Visiting the Net-Zero Energy Test Facility
In Gaithersburg, Maryland the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has built a Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility (NZERTF), which I was able to visit while participating in Greenbuild DC. It’s home to a four-member robot “virtual family” and a lab to keep track of the energy data that their household produces. The house is used to demonstrate that…
New Tech at Greenbuild DC
Greenbuild DC introduced the next generation of user controlled systems that make environments more interesting and comfortable. In our studio, there seems to be a constant struggle to find a temperature on which everyone can agree. These new technologies allow users a whole new level of control, without the use of more energy. In some cases, they can even result…
Greenbuild 2015
Greenbuild 2015 in Washington DC was as busy as ever this year. From a conversation with James Cameron to educational sessions to checking out new products on the expo floor and school building tours, I was able to make great connections with all that is happening in the world of green building. As the COP21 climate talks begin today in…
Building Minority Report
Last Friday evening one of our new team members, Stephen Zuber, spoke at an Arrowstreet Design Forum about some work he had done with interactive multimedia environments. Right out of the Tom Cruise film “Minority Report,” Stephen’s prior project for a university in Texas involved creating a large display wall which was visible to any viewer in the space, was able…
ULI Fall 2015: Top Technological Innovations Affecting Real Estate
As a council member for ULI, I regularly attend their spring and fall national meetings. I belong to the Responsible Property Investment Council (RPIC), and as tradition, at this year’s fall meeting our council had a number of interesting speakers. One of them, John Picard, spoke of the top five technological innovations affecting real estate, and I thought it would…
Omnichannel Retailing Brings the Right Mix
The biggest change in the retail landscape in the last 15 years has obviously been online buying. In the last 3 to 5 years, the conversation around it has approached a fever pitch. Worried about the “Death of the Mall” and even Main Street mom and pop stores, the International Council of Shopping Centers has lobbied Congress to level the…
Drones and the Built Environment
We here at Arrowstreet are pleased to add a new piece of technology to our arsenal – the architectural drone! I’ll leave the debate about the military, police states, and Amazon.com for a different forum, but we are excited at the potential for this new equipment.