Cross referencing a recent article from the ULI that discusses the impact of parking on successful TOD’s (http://thegroundfloor.typepad.com/the_ground_floor/2010/04/parking-and-neighborhoods-should-be-focus-of-tod-revamps.html) with a YouTube from Ohio State student proves an interesting study. Smart parking solutions may be the future of making sustainability work in urban markets where people still want the mobility of auto transport combined with other modes.

Ohlone Colleges energy-efficient energy systems, include the use of ethalpy wheels (see pp 11-14), which reduce the loss of conditioned exhaust air and allow for greatly increased intake of fresh air – in this case 3 X the normal, resulting in improved indoor air environments. A good solution when natural ventilation (i.e., along busy city streets) is a problem or air quality needs to be carefully controlled (i.e., museums).

The geothermal system at Ohlone is a horizontal system only 20 feet deep rather thana system of vertical borings because they had a lot of open land.

http://www.ohlone.edu/org/newark/green/docs/energymgmtsystem.pdf

Suburbia is not as built out as it seems. Consider the mapping of 8,300 acres of opportunity—vacant parcels and parking lots—in the many small downtowns of the country’s “first suburbs” on Long Island. On the occasion of the release of these revealing new interactive maps, the Long Island Index invites all architects, urban designers, planners, students, visionaries, and everyone else interested in shaping our suburbs’ future to help us “Build a Better Burb.” This ideas competition seeks bold design proposals for retrofitting underutilized asphalt in suburban downtowns into innovative and surprising new uses, forms and urbanisms. The best ideas, designs, images, and videos will be selected as finalists by a diverse jury of distinguished academics and professionals and exhibited online. Cash prizes totaling $22,500 will also be awarded.
Submission deadline: June 21www.buildabetterburb.org