SmithGroup’s Post

Reducing environmental impact has become a top priority for companies worldwide. In commercial real estate, this translates into a need to decarbonize portfolios swiftly and comprehensively. SmithGroup invited Katie Bergfeld, CEM, LEED AP BDC, PMP; Karen P. Butler and Giuliana Kunkel CEM, LEED AP to join our own Stet Sanborn, AIA CPHC and Nancy Kohout P.E. LEED AP in a dynamic panel discussion focused on how building owners, developers, architects and engineers can help us achieve a greener future. Learn what these experts shared during the discussion: https://lnkd.in/eFdNFYgX #decarbonization #carbonneutral #CRE #designabetterfuture

Our colleagues Kalman Nagy, AIA, NCARB and Clint Menefee recently sat down with NIRSA to discuss the 74,000-square-foot Wellness and Success Center at the University of Houston - Downtown, which was recently recognized as a NIRSA Outstanding Facilities Award recipient. The university's growing student enrollment numbers prompted a need for a larger, innovative gathering space to meet the current and needs of the campus and serve as a vibrant and welcoming wellness hub for students. The result? A "beautiful and bold solution that solves the technical challenges of the site while elegantly reaching out and engaging with the city." Read more: https://ow.ly/o26q50StcHb #HigherEducation #DesignABetterFuture

Navigating an evolving workplace paradigm, changing workforce demographics and a lagging enthusiasm for returning to the physical office is no easy feat — particularly as the future of commercial real estate remains in flux. In an article recently published by Work Design Magazine, SmithGroup workplace strategist, Kerri McShea, challenges the industry to find design inspiration in #museums. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/epSaT7bW #workplacedesign #officedesign #CRE #workplace #designabetterfuture

Earlier this week, we joined the City of DeSoto at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new 74,000 sf Aquatic and Recreation Center (ARC), which will become the central hub of McCowan Park and a citywide venue for fitness and multigenerational recreation. The facility will support a diverse spectrum of activities, including physical fitness, athletic training, family aquatics, swim practice and competition, wellness programming and community events. 🏊♂️🏋️♀️ Congratulations to our client, our project team and our partners! #DesignABetterFuture

As the harmful health impacts of #climatechange increase, #healthcare planners and designers have an ethical responsibility to advance #resilience and #decarbonization at the same time. SmithGroup’s Annie Chiang explores the Hippocratic connection between #sustainable building performance and preventative health in the second and final part of our series on healthcare #resiliency. https://lnkd.in/eMfn23Wx #DesignABetterFuture #HealthEquity #ClimateJustice #PublicHealth #Sustainability #ClimateAction

Ending the week on a winning note! 🏆Our #DC location has been named to The Washington Post 2024 list of Top Workplaces in Greater Washington. This honor is especially meaningfully because it is based on feedback from our colleagues in #WashingtonDC. Want to join a #TopWorkplace and help us #DesignABetterFuture? We're hiring in DC and locations across the country. #TopWorkplaces2024 https://lnkd.in/eQATsHwh

Earlier this week, we commemorated the groundbreaking for a new Science & Technology Building in Denton, Texas, in collaboration with our esteemed project partners, University of North Texas and Skanska. The 105,000 sf, five-story building will encompass wet and dry open research laboratories, a basement vivarium, a public-facing clinic, meeting rooms, collaborative spaces and work areas. This promising Science & Technology initiative is slated to open in Fall 2026. #ScienceAndTechnology #ResearchLab #DesignABetterFuture

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: Let’s take a trip to the City of Sunnyvale, California, where a massive planning, redevelopment and repositioning initiative has led to the creation of a stunning new community-focused civic campus that iconifies Sunnyvale as model of environmental sustainability, resiliency and the heart of Silicon Valley. Central to the multi-phase plan is a new four-story, 120,000-square-foot City Hall – the first city hall in the country designed to be LEED Platinum certified and Net Zero Energy. The facility, which consolidates city workers from 10 departments previously dispersed across four separate buildings, provides more efficient access to city services and is projected to produce enough clean energy to power itself. Located on a 25-acre site along South Mathilda Avenue and El Camino Real – two highly trafficked thoroughfares – the previous campus was not pedestrian friendly and lacked the amenities and public spaces that residents desired. The city wanted to resolve these challenges and engaged SmithGroup to reimagine and reposition the campus as a model of public access and sustainability. The resultant master plan and environmentally responsible design solution reclaimed the campus for users and transformed the once vehicle-oriented campus into a people-oriented destination that welcomes and serves the community. #cityofsunnyvale #sunnyvale #siliconvalley #climateaction #LEEDPlatinum #netzeroenergy #zeronetenergy #resiliency #sustainability #cityhall #designabetterfuture

Let's start the week with a high five! The American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced the recipients of its AIA Awards 2024, and F-I-V-E SmithGroup projects were honored as winners! 🎉 🙌 The prestigious Healthcare Design Awards spotlighted the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community's River People Health Center; the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Palo Alto Health Care System's Radiology Center; and UC Davis Health's California Replacement Tower. Keeping the celebration going, the Natural Sciences Building at California State University, Chico earned a highly coveted Education Facility Design Award, while the Small Project Awards gave big props to the City and County of San Francisco's community AmeniPODS. It takes a village -- and amazingly dedicated clients, teammates, partners and communities -- to earn such an impressive list of honors. Congratulations to the many people, firms and agencies that have helped to bring these impactful projects to life. Full list of winners: https://lnkd.in/ep6S8VR8 #AIA24 #AIA #AIAAwards #Architecture #Design #designabetterfuture