Energy savings of up to 15%

Advantages of PCM ceiling panels stem from the fact that they support thermal comfort with no mechanics, energy expenditure, or fossils fuels to burn! A valuable, sustainable solution for a world prioritizing decarbonization, ceiling panels with PCM technology can reduce energy costs and consumption by as much as 15%.* By enabling energy savings, these ceilings offer advantages including:

• Reduced reliance on fossil-fuel powered HVAC systems
• Less wear on HVAC systems — critical to facilities with aging systems and strict budgets
• Improved thermal comfort — especially well-suited for changing climates or environments with daily hot-cold fluctuations
• Ability to enhance indoor environmental quality with features like acoustical sound blocking and absorption
• Easy installation and little-to-no maintenance

Energy-saving ceiling products also fit into the thermal comfort portion of the WELL Building Standard and can contribute to energy and atmosphere credits for LEED.

Up to 50% in tax credits

While the above advantages can work to help a facility realize ongoing savings related to lower energy consumption and less reliance on mechanical heating and cooling — a project owner can get a “head start” on cost benefits because PCM ceiling panels qualify for certain tax credits. Projects utilizing energy-saving ceiling panels may qualify for Investment Tax Credit (ITC) 48E, which was introduced under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and offers tax incentives for investments in clean energy technologies. Because of their thermal energy storage properties, most projects using PCM ceiling panels may qualify:

• Up to 40% federal tax credit
• Additional 10% tax credit if the project is deployed in an “Energy Community.” (i.e., a Brownfields site or fossil-fuel-dependent community)

When investing in energy-saving ceilings for a project, consider a solution that helps you maximize tax savings opportunities. For example, when installing an Armstrong Templok Energy Saving Ceiling, the ceiling panels, and associated grid, trim, and labor all qualify for tax credits under ITC 48E. Moreover, these panels are made in the U.S.A. of domestic and global content, meeting a requirement for additional tax savings.**

Qualifying energy saving ceiling projects include those of taxpayers and non-taxpaying entities and span multiple sectors, including:

• Public — such as government entities
• Private — corporations, healthcare facilities and others
• Education — K-12 and higher education
• 501 (c)(3) charitable organizations

The list of ideal projects is extensive and includes K-12 schools, public and private universities, dorms, museums, hospitals, nonprofit offices/facilities, military bases, courthouses, faith-based buildings, convention centers, and arenas — to name a few. In addition to getting information from the ceiling manufacturer, it’s important to consult your tax advisor to confirm qualification of your project.

More affordable, more sustainable

Thanks to tax credits, the use of energy-saving ceilings could make your next construction or renovation project more affordable. And, with PCM technology helping reduce energy costs, the impact on your bottom line won’t stop there. You can learn more about energy saving ceilings and related tax credits by visiting Armstrong Ceilings.

Notes:

• *Cooling energy savings according to research estimates measured in lab tests. Results may vary.
• ** This article lists various federal tax credits and deductions that your project may qualify for when purchasing Armstrong TEMPLOK Energy Saving Ceilings. Please consult your own tax attorney or advisor.
• LEED is a registered trademark of the U.S. Green Building Council; WELL Building Standard is a trademark of the Well Building Institute.

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By Eileen McMorrow — NeoCon, the world’s premier fair for commercial design, is pleased to announce a powerhouse jury for the 2025 Best of NeoCon Awards. Now in its 35th year, the industry-leading competition features an on-site panel of top architects, designers, facility managers and business media who will conduct an in-depth review of the latest solutions shaping contract environments. Broad in its reach, the program brings together multidisciplinary professionals across workplace, healthcare, education, retail and hospitality sectors to evaluate 40 plus categories — from furnishings and architectural products to surface materials and more. 

With insider knowledge and real-world experience in specification, design strategy and product performance, the 2025 roster includes decision-makers from Aflac, CBRE and Walgreens, and designers from Corgan, Gensler, Marmon Mok and Shepley Bulfinch, to name a few. The distinguished group will judge each entry in-person at THE MART in Chicago on June 6 and 7, before the show opens. Winners will be unveiled during a high-energy ceremony on Monday, June 9, at 7:30 a.m., kicking off the 56th edition of NeoCon.

“Each year, we select a jury with a keen understanding of how products influence the built environment,” remarks Eileen McMorrow, Director of the Best of NeoCon Program. “Their expertise — from both the interior design perspective and the facility manager and end-user experience — is invaluable in recognizing solutions that push the industry forward.”

Uniting returning and first-time jurors with a diverse range of perspectives and project experience, the delegation ensures a well-rounded assessment of every submission. Participants include Suzanne Lefebvre of CannonDesign (Buffalo, NY), Annie Portner of Gensler (Philadelphia), Brad Robichaux of HKS (Dallas), and Robin Turansky of TVS (Atlanta), alongside seasoned facility managers Lelitha Williams of Aflac (Columbus, GA), Kathryn Feddor of CBRE (Chicago), and Jennifer Leighty of Walgreens (Kenosha, WI). The full list of jurors can be found on the Best of NeoCon website.

Regarding the critical role the Best of NeoCon jury plays in recognizing standout innovations, Lelitha Williams, Supervisor, Office Design & Planning at Aflac, says, “We carefully assess each product’s potential impact on real-world applications, validating that award recipients represent the best solutions for today’s built environments and reinforce the integrity and prestige that have made these awards so respected.”

Jurors will engage in an immersive evaluation of every Best of NeoCon entry — allowing for careful deliberation, meaningful dialogue with manufacturers, and product testing. This face-to-face exchange, paired with the jury’s thorough onsite assessment, upholds the Best of NeoCon program’s reputation as the most trusted industry benchmark for design excellence.

“One of the highlights for me is meeting with the product designers and learning about their process, seeing firsthand how their vision comes to life,” notes returning juror Suzanne Lefebvre, Interior Design Leader at CannonDesign. “I value the opportunity to dive deeper into emerging trends and technologies, particularly in how they affect student and staff experiences in the academic and workplace settings.”

Awards are given for Gold, Silver, Innovation and Sustainability, and the singular Best of Competition honor. The Business Impact Awards will also return, recognizing products that drive organizational performance through smarter workflows, cost savings, space optimization and other strategic outcomes. Business Impact finalists will advance to a second round of on-site review by a panel of business journalists from Fast Company, Forbes, Newsweek, Vogue Business and Morning Brew, among other notable publications.

This year, NeoCon attendees will also be able to weigh in on innovations through the inaugural People’s Choice Awards. This peer-to-peer recognition allows industry professionals to vote for their favorite Best of NeoCon-winning products via QR codes displayed in award recipients’ booths and showrooms throughout THE MART, during the show. The winners will be revealed on Wednesday, June 11.

Submission rules, deadlines and entry fees

NeoCon exhibitors are encouraged to submit entries through the Best of NeoCon online portal. Eligible products must have entered the U.S. market since June 2024 and be on display at NeoCon 2025. Products previously entered in Best of NeoCon 2024 are ineligible. Entrants must be NeoCon 2025 exhibitors. The final submission deadline is May 20th at $1,100 per entry and the Business Impact Award opt-in fee is $250 per entry.

More details on the program and entry process can be found at Best of NeoCon.

NeoCon 2025 is open to trade, C-suite executives, and other industry-related professionals, and registration is free for all attendees. Register here. 

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Tonight, we celebrated not only the exceptional talent within our profession but also the innovative and sustainable solutions that our award winners have delivered. This event is a testament to the incredible impact architecture has on our communities and the world.

The AIA Awards Gala brought together distinguished architects, industry professionals and supporters to honor outstanding achievements in the nine award categories announced during the gala:

•    Architecture Awards: Honoring the best contemporary architecture regardless of budget, size, style, or type

•    COTE Top Ten Awards: The industry’s best-known award for sustainable design excellence

•    Education Facility Design Awards: Celebrating state-of-the-art learning environments, including early childhood, K-12, alternative, higher education, and non-traditional environments

•    Healthcare Design Awards: Recognizing the most innovative, functional, and sustainable projects in healthcare and design. Eleven winners were announced

•    Housing Awards: Honoring the best home design that showcases how beauty, safety, sustainability, and comfort come together

•    Interior Architecture Awards: Celebrating the most innovative and spectacular interior spaces across a range of projects

•    Regional & Urban Design Awards: Honoring the best in urban design, regional and city planning, and community development

•    Small Project Awards: Recognizing the value and design excellence that architects provide regardless of size and budget

•    Twenty-Five Year Award: Celebrating buildings that have set an architecture design standard of excellence for 26-35 years

For more information on the 2024 AIA Awards and to view the winning projects, visit AIA.

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Tony Bouquot, MBMA general manager, explained:

The folio series was created for architectural faculty and students to learn about metal building systems and their extraordinary possibilities. Each publication analyzes the design goals, priorities and outcomes for that facility. Our newest folio provides a look inside the design and construction challenges of Tulsa Ballet’s inspiring education and training center.

MBMA created The Hardesty Center for Dance Education folio in coordination with Selser Schaefer Architects, now Narrate Design. It includes:

• Exclusive interviews with architect Robert Schaefer and the construction team;
• Project design insights for the 21,000 square-foot metal building that features four dance studios, a spacious lobby and waiting area, dressing rooms, dance store and more; and
• Abundant photos, drawings and graphics that illustrate phases/elements of the design and construction process.

This is MBMA’s ninth Architectural Significance in Metal Buildings folio. The complete portfolio consists of:

• Alamo Beer Company in San Antonio, TX
• Boston Sports Institute in Wellesley, MA
• Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex in Los Angeles, CA
• Haulover Marine Center in North Miami Beach, FL
• Jacksonville University Basketball Performance Center in Jacksonville, FL
• Arbogast Performing Arts Center in Troy, OH
• Firehouse Ministries Shelter in Birmingham, AL
• St. David’s Performance Center in Austin, TX

The architectural folio for The Hardesty Center for Dance Education (PDF) is available from MBMA Education Resources.

Founded in 1956, MBMA serves manufacturers and suppliers that work with industry professionals, architects, building designers, educators, building code officials and others to advance the metal building systems industry. The efforts of member volunteers and association staff regularly lead to industry improvements and groundbreaking research. Resources at MBMA.com include technical materials, research reports, videos and design guides. The MBMA blog provides the most current research and new ideas to propel the industry. MBMA also provides graduate and undergraduate educational resources at MBMAeducation.org.

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To improve the overall efficiency of the building envelope and functionality of the Rainforest habitat below the upper glass pyramid, Solarban 60 Starphire 60 glass by Vitro Architectural Glass was selected to replace the glazing.

Working within a sensitive marine life setting with specific environmental parameters, the design team put much thought into the glass specification.

Seonhee Kim, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, EcoDistricts AP, director of sustainability, principal, Design Collective, Baltimore, confirmed:

Given the fact that the glass pyramid is a dominant envelope of the space, the glazing choice played a crucial role in achieving [performance] goals.

To meet the Rainforest habitat’s criteria, the glazing replacement had to support temperatures of between 75°F and 85°F, humidity levels between 50% and 87% and light transmittance of between 54% and 75%.

In addition, the renovation’s performance criteria included specific UV-A and UV-B light transmittance levels for exhibit health and the PAR spectrum to promote photosynthesis.

In considering all these parameters, the design team evaluated a few options including Solarban 60 on Acuity glass and Sungate 400 on Starphire glass by Vitro Architectural Glass. Ultimately, Solarban 60 Starphire glass by Vitro was deemed the best option to replicate the rainforest environment and meet the Aquarium’s performance objectives.

Solarban 60 Starphire glass combines what is touted as the industry’s most transparent low-iron glass with a high-performance solar control low-e coating to produce a visible light transmittance (VLT) of 74 percent and a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of 0.41 in a standard 1-inch IGU, providing occupant comfort, reducing HVAC costs and optimizing daylighting for the rainforest.

Kim explained:

For the sloped surface glazing, an ionoplast interlayer was used to create laminated glass for safety without cutting out the necessary UV light transmission.

In addition, the first surface of the new glazing was Walker Textures Opaque acid-etched glass on Starphire glass to help prevent bird collisions. Though not a code requirement, American Bird Conservancy design guidelines were followed in line with the Aquarium’s mission of conservation.

One of the project’s biggest challenges, says Kim, was ensuring the health and well-being of the wildlife before, during and after construction. She explained:

Animals were moved to various locations within the National Aquarium facilities, and upon completion of the project, they were slowly reintroduced to the environment to minimize any stress reactions.

The glazing modules are quite large at 6 ft. 1 in. by 3 ft. 6 in. on the vertical sides for most rectangular and triangular-shaped sections, and 4 ft. 3 in. by 6 ft. 1 ½ in. on the sloped side.

It was very important to the Aquarium that the old glass modules be repurposed, so the Design Collective worked to secure a partner to take all 684 pieces, the equivalent of close to 46 tons of glass, and recycle them for use in roadways and fiberglass insulation.

With a mission of promoting pressing issues facing global aquatic habitats, the museum’s permanent and rotating exhibits promote pioneering science, conservation and educational programming.

For more information about Solarban 60 Starphire glass and the rest of Vitro Glass’s full line of architectural glasses, visit Vitro.

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After 24 years in the Navy, IFMA member Scot Whaley’s next challenge came when he became the FM for the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California, USA. In service of the US Navy from 1945 to 1997, the Midway once held the title of as the largest ship in the world.

While in service, the Midway could hold a crew of up to 4,500 men and women and up to 100 aircraft. Decommissioned in 1997, the Midway was mothballed before reopening as a museum in 2004.

Under Whaley’s watch, the Midway now welcomes 1.5 million visitors a year and ranks among the top 25 most popular museums in the world.

In this edition of FMJ’s My Facility series, Whaley talks about the unique challenges he faces as the FM of a museum that he has to keep afloat.

FMJ: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Scot Whaley: I retired from the US Navy after 24 years. I got into FM after not really liking the shipyard industry. I’ve been on the Midway for six years. I’m an IFMA member and recently earned my CFM.

FMJ: What’s the day-to-day life like on the ship?

Whaley: It’s always busy because there is always something going on. Our mission is the preserve, inspire, educate and entertain. To do that, we have a facilities staff of 25-30 people who work around the clock to attend to every need of the ship. That would be any kind of daily operations duties to pipefitters, welders, painting staff, cleaning staff and event staff. In addition to welcoming 1.5 million visitors on board every year, the Midway also hosts 700 private events annually.

We do everything we can to put on the best experience for our visitors while keeping water out.

All of our staff goes through various safety training and my FM staff has been through OSHA 10 Marine, Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, Hazardous Waste and various other schools that the ship yard offers.

FMJ: What are those daily challenges like?

Whaley: We’re very proud of this ship and we love the public coming out to see what the ship is all about. Nothing in this ship except for installed ventilation is brand new. The wiring is 1945 technology. Obviously because we are on the water, the ship can’t be grounded. We’ve done some upgrades such as using LED lights and maintaining a 350-ton air conditioning unit. We have commercial electricians who can conform to Navy standards, so that is a big help.

We also have a few other projects going, such as retiling, installing new lagging and LED lights for a classroom. We also have to make sure we can fit in the technology, so IT comes in and plays a big role in that. When we establish a new tour route, we have to remove asbestos and lead before we can open that route.

Some of the projects are pretty big. We are working on a US$5 million contract for a new café. We also have $2 million for the hangar elevators. These elevators would haul cargo and planes to the top deck.

We also have various inspections – ACPD, California Air Resources Board and the San Diego Port Storm Water Quality Board. We also have six CHt tanks that send sewage to the pier and into the city’s water system.

FMJ: How much space do you manage?

Whaley: It’s the whole ship. The flight deck alone is four acres and the hangar bay is three acres.

FMJ: What do you like best about what you do?

Whaley: I really love what I do. I have the best job on the ship and the best view. I also love working with the volunteers, and the staff. Our guests are a big hit for me. I walk at least 6-10 miles a day.

The job is so fun and exciting, being in charge of this massive ship, and its thousands of square footage, thousands of spaces, control of 250 tons of air conditioning – and adding 200 more by January.

We preserve the ship while inspiring, educating, and entertaining and ensuring that the museum is operating as it should from opening to closing, staffing for events, staffing for cleaning more than 100 tour route areas.

On top of that, we’re planning and overseeing major renovations and new construction.

I love using what I have learned taking all my FM classes and putting it to use, bouncing ideas off of other FMs on and asking how they did something or what would they do. I can’t wait to go to work in the morning.

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Museums face the daunting task of preserving and protecting collections of artifacts and objects of artistic, cultural, historical or scientific importance while making those collections safely accessible to the public, researchers and others.

These collections face a wide range of threats from theft to fire, and even a minor fluctuation in temperature or humidity levels can harm or destroy fragile objects. Meanwhile, they are also responsible for providing a safe, manageable environment for their staff and visitors. And they must do all of this in a sustainable, cost-efficient way.

As a result, many museums have come to depend on advanced technologies to manage their facilities. These technologies include integrated building management to control the environment, digital video management to monitor activity and identify threats, data capture and analysis to manage crowds and fire detection systems to protect their facility’s collections and occupants.

Here are some of the latest technologies that help museums monitor and control environmental conditions and enhance security for their collections.

Integrated Building Management Systems

To maintain optimal environments for temperature and condition-sensitive museum pieces, integrated building management systems control, continuously monitor and improve the operations of HVAC systems. They can also save money for environments that require a lot of energy usage.

The San Diego Natural History Museum, which exhibits everything from precious gems to dinosaurs to presentations on the human genome, wanted to introduce precision climate control in key exhibit areas. This would help them gain energy efficiency and integrate systems to a common platform to access energy management data.

They accomplished this by using a web-enabled building management system that integrated existing systems into a single interface. By evaluating their needs and moving to a newer system, they generated energy savings, improved building management and reduced maintenance costs. In just one example of how technology improved the facility’s ability to meet its mission, a key factor in enabling the museum to host the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit was its integrated building management system’s ability to allow the exhibit managers to verify that their facility had precision control over the temperature and humidity.

Along with lowering the risk of damage to artifacts, an increased ability to monitor and create optimized temperatures helps museums better support environmental sustainability strategies. It also creates a more comfortable environment for their visitors.

By taking enterprise-wide control of HVAC and mechanical systems, facilities can trend energy usage, predict peaks and decrease wastage. The ability to continually make educated improvements to their environments helps museums save energy consumption and reduce costs.

Digital Video Management

Digital video management enables museum personnel to quickly identify and address threats as they’re happening — whether it’s a thief or a water leak.

Monitoring and control capabilities are now easily added to an integrated building system and can include devices such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) and dome cameras. These systems capture surveillance footage through the entire museum as well as provide notification alarms when breaches occur. As an added benefit, the cameras contribute to a facility’s energy conservation efforts by recording when they sense movement and conserving energy at other times.

A digital video management system can include a scalable, IP-based digital video system that captures and stores video from the facility’s cameras for personnel to retrieve easily when reviews of certain areas are needed.

To go a step further, facilities can take advantage of advanced technology that combines digital video management with automation, analytics and visualization. This type of system can provide museum personnel with a holistic view of all video feeds, alarms and notifications of possible threats from a singular platform. A user-friendly design empowers users to react quickly without the need of advanced training.

Through an array of security officers, cameras, alarm points, card readers and an RFID system, personnel are able to monitor artifact movement and associated environmental conditions, thereby keeping them safe from theft or environmentally harmful conditions.

Data Capture for Maintenance

In a connected building, data is captured and analyzed in near real-time. Building systems can monitor the flow of traffic, which allows staffing or security levels to be adjusted in different areas as needed.

Some museums offer mobile apps on smartphones to gain intelligence on visitors’ locations and other useful data. These apps can help visitors navigate the museum while enabling museum officials to analyze the resulting data to gain insight into foot traffic and flow.

For example, museum officials can use this information to identify high-traffic areas, which may need more staffing, security, or other forms of attention. This smart building approach affords many opportunities to museums to harness data to enhance the experiences of staff and visitors, as well as helping it to deploy staffing resources efficiently.

Similarly, properly analyzed data can help deploy maintenance resources more efficiently. With the help of connected technology, museums can utilize data to inform effective predictive maintenance. Moving to a flexible maintenance schedule that is focused on maintaining overall performance, rather than ensuring a specific asset was visited a pre-determined number of times, can be more efficient and cost-effective.

For example, at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek museum in Copenhagen, better-informed decision making and the move to a predictive maintenance strategy has freed up around 20 percent of maintenance capacity, which is now used to address other site requirements. This makes the maintenance team even more productive and generates greater value from the same level of investment.

By using data to effectively optimize staffing and prioritize maintenance tasks, museums are able to boost energy savings, increase the longevity of their systems, and ultimately, increase operational performance and efficiency to impact their bottom line.

Deploying Fire Detection

Fire emergency detection and evacuation are extremely critical to museums. Fire detection systems enable museums to protect their irreplaceable collections as well as their staff and visitors. Here are two examples of how a smart, centrally managed system can ensure that the museum protects its collections, staff and visitors from harm.

• A smart fire emergency detection with central management and evacuation can help to ensure a risk-free environment for exhibitions and museumgoers. High-tech fire alarm systems provide system integration with low operation costs and allow for customization for a museum’s future needs. These systems also help with evacuations by emitting a distinct sound (like white noise) that can be heard across all frequencies of the human hearing range and does not conflict with traditional fire alarm audible devices. This technology helps to guide visitors and staff to the nearest exit, reducing evacuation times in a museum by up to 75 percent.
• To protect irreplaceable national treasures and works of art from fire, facility managers can also deploy an early smoke detection system that is hundreds of times more sensitive than a traditional point detector. Even when smoke has been diluted by a draft blowing through the building, or by air conditioning, it will be detected, and an alarm will be raised. To prevent false alarms and unnecessary panic among visitors, the alarm levels are adjustable.

Museums are charged with managing their spaces, protecting their precious pieces, reducing costs and improving the visitor experience. Advanced technology helps accomplish these ends by enabling them to create an environment that is safe and secure for its collections, staff and visitors while also being sustainable and cost efficient to maintain. The power of connected technology helps museums all over the world continue to preserve our cultural heritage.

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Millions visit the Independence National Historical Park each year to see the Liberty Bell; Independence Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated, adopted and signed; and the executive mansion in which Presidents George Washington and John Adams lived. Spanning over 55 acres, the park has over 20 buildings open to the public during the summer months.

Independence Mall has been closed since work began on the project March 25. BrightView crews made significant improvements to the landscape, including the replacement of nearly 100,000 square feet of damaged sod, as well as irrigation repair, tree care and improvements to gardens along the Mall’s perimeter.

BrightView acknowledges its suppliers who also made significant contributions to the project:

• National Construction Rentals
• Sunbelt Rentals
• Clearview Nursery
• Feeney’s Nursery
• Laurel Valley Soils
• Delaware Valley Paving
• Aquarius Supply
• Rain Bird Corporation
• Center City Film & Video

With Independence Mall now re-opened to visitors, BrightView will begin work on the second phase of its donation to NPS: maintaining the Independence Mall landscape for the next year, free of charge. Later this year, team members from BrightView operations throughout the eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and northern Delaware will participate in volunteer days at INHP to ensure the landscape continues to look its best.

BrightView provides commercial landscaping services throughout the United States. Through its team of some 20,000 employees, BrightView provides services ranging from landscape maintenance and enhancements to tree care and landscape development for thousands of customers’ properties, including corporate and commercial properties, HOAs, public parks, hotels and resorts, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, educational institutions, restaurants and retail, and golf courses, among others. BrightView is the Official Field Consultant to Major League Baseball.

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ASM will be headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, with key operations based in West Conshohocken, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia. Led by a highly experienced team, the company will operate a diversified portfolio of arenas, stadiums, convention centers and performing arts centers, with more than 310 venues across five continents.

Wes Westley, chief executive officer and president of SMG, remarked:

This merger is a major step for our industry. We are excited to bring together these complementary businesses to further elevate the standard of excellence in venue management. We plan to accelerate innovation by combining our expertise to deliver increased value and offer enhanced capabilities to municipalities and venue owners worldwide. At the same time, we expect that this transaction will offer employees at both our corporate headquarters and field operations tremendous new opportunities.

Bob Newman, current president of AEG Facilities and formerly a regional vice president at SMG, stated:

It is an honor and privilege to be a part of this exciting new company, which brings together the two organizations where I have worked for the bulk of my professional career. This transaction draws upon the depth of our combined talent and resources to create an organization that will deliver value and long-term success, as well as innovative services to our clients around the world.

Following the completion of the transaction, Newman will be named president and CEO of ASM. Westley will join ASM’s Board of Directors, where he will actively support the merger integration.

Dan Beckerman, president and chief executive officer of AEG, said:

AEG Facilities has flourished under Bob’s leadership since it was established a decade ago, and this combination will position ASM for growth by joining the resources and talents of these two companies. ASM will offer an impressive array of capabilities that will accelerate the development and deployment of new services and bring diverse business, sports and entertainment experiences to municipalities, partners and fans around the world.

Amir Motamedi, a managing director of Onex, added:

With Wes at the helm, SMG became a gold standard in venue management. We are grateful for his stewardship over the last 25 years and look forward to his continued involvement on the board. Looking forward, we are thrilled to be partnering with Bob Newman and the talented AEG team to create a larger, more diverse company to better serve ASM’s clients.

AEG will retain ownership of its real estate holdings outside of this venture, including its entertainment districts and owned venues in Los Angeles, London, Hamburg and Berlin, as well as its extensive development, sports, music and sponsorship divisions. Onex is contributing its entire equity investment in SMG into the merger. The transaction is expected to be completed later this year.

Founded in 1977, SMG provides management services to more than 240 public assembly facilities including convention and exhibition centers, arenas, stadiums, theatres, performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and a variety of other venues. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 20 million square feet of exhibition space and over 1.6 million sports and entertainment seats. SMG provides venue management, sales, marketing, event booking and programming, construction and design consulting, and pre-opening services. SMG Europe manages entertainment venues and food and beverage operations at locations throughout Europe.

AEG Facilities operates preeminent venues worldwide across five continents, providing complete venue management as well as specialized programs in operations, guest services, ticketing, booking, sales and marketing. AEG Facilities also provides its clients resources and access to other AEG-affiliated entities to support their success.

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2018 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards

AIA and the American Library Association (ALA) are awarding six libraries with the 2018 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards for excellence in architectural design. Award recipient projects were selected by a six-member jury.

Traditional roles of libraries are evolving. Today, libraries are designed with larger gathering spaces to support the needs of the community and many include sustainable features to conserve water or energy. Both of these trends are reflected by this year’s AIA/ALA Library Building Award recipients.

Highlights of the features of this year’s recipients include:

• Natural daylighting
• A 373,000-gallon cistern to capture roof rainwater and HVAC condensate, which provides water for restrooms as well as irrigation for landscaping and a vegetated roof (in water-scarce Texas)
• LEED Gold certification
• A reconfiguration to help meet 21st century standards for technology and programming, improve energy efficiency, and meet all life safety requirements
• Remodeling to accommodate 2,900 square feet of flexible makerspace
• Relocation of the main entrance to eliminate the need for steps, improve thermal performance, and provide a dynamic new face for the library
• A new 150-person sub-dividable community room with a warming kitchen, and an outdoor patio
• A replica paleontological dig site in the floor of the children’s area and public art pieces by local artists in other spaces
• The grounds as a living laboratory for stormwater management and local ecosystems, with native drought-resistant plants
• LEED Platinum certification
• Daylight harvesting and passive shading, skylights and a carved ceiling to help maximize light; deep overhangs and canopies to protect glass from direct sun and eliminate the need for interior shades
• Rainwater harvesting system used to flush the library’s toilets
• Creating a destination that actively contributes to the city’s renewal
• Activating the exterior spaces, simplifying patron entry, and dramatically increasing parking availability through a parking garage with an enclosed link to the library
• Addition of a 88,000-square-foot garage while reducing the overall impervious surfaces on the site, alleviating stormwater runoff
• New cast stone panels, refurbished public art, and a thorough cleaning
• A mix of spaces where up to 140 people can meet and collaborate
• A plaza featuring pervious pavers and ample seating surrounded by vegetation
• A café and outdoor spaces providing seating for more than 400 people, providing regular meeting space before library hours begin

2018 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards recipients:

• Austin Central Library, Austin, Texas | Lake Flato + Shepley Bulfinch
• Eastham Public Library, Eastham, Massachusetts | Oudens Ello Architecture
• Hastings Public Library Renovation/Addition, Hastings, Nebraska | The Clark Enersen Partners
• Laurel Branch Library, Largo, Maryland | Grimm + Parker Architects
• Pico Branch Library, Santa Monica, California | Koning Eizenberg Architecture, Inc.
• Tulsa City-County Central Library, Tulsa, Oklahoma | MSR Design

Photos and more details about 2018 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards recipients are available on the AIA website.

2018 CAE Education Facility Design Awards

AIA’s Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE) is recognizing 10 projects with its Education Facility Design Awards for state-of-the-art designs of schools and learning centers. This year’s jury selected eight facilities for its Awards of Excellence and two projects for its Awards of Merit.

In order to be eligible for the Awards of Excellence, the architect must demonstrate exemplary practice and the design must meet a host of criteria, including enhancing learning in classrooms; balancing function with aesthetics; establishing a connection with the environment; being respectful of the surrounding community; demonstrating high-level planning in the design process; and integrating sustainability in a holistic fashion.

A few highlights of the features of this year’s recipients include:

• A sustainable campus design featuring full-cycle water recycling, net positive energy production and zero waste operations in an immersive living and learning environment
• Remote parking with solar photovoltaic (PV) canopies
• A 350-seat amphitheater and a multi-functional “mosaic” landscape that includes raingardens, a natural treatment wetland, agriculture and orchards interwoven with forests and meadows
• A highly flexible, 24/7 learning environment of intersecting spaces designed for interpreting and making visual media
• Exhibition and presentation spaces where multimedia students can share their work.
• Bulk project storage and a 27,000-sf flexible multi-disciplinary project space
• A large common area with WiFi-enabled lounge areas, chalkboard walls and presentation areas
• LEED Gold certification goal, with 31% total site energy use intensity reduction, 10% total lighting power density reduction, 55% total fixtures, potable water reduction, and 70% total landscape, potable water use reduction
• Use of a large and recently renovated Sears distribution center that sat empty and decaying for 17 years, for a new training space
• A faith-based building helping transform one of the most ethnically diverse and economically challenged neighborhoods in Memphis
• An innovation lab for Harvard students wishing to start or expand entrepreneurial ventures in an IP-free zone, with a fully-equipped wet-lab environment and resources needed to take their ventures to the next stage of development
• The use of off-site construction to shorten construction time and reduce the impact of site activity including noise, dust, deliveries, and on-site waste
• LEED Platinum certification, and pursuit of certification by the rigorous Living Building Challenge
• Conference room, brainstorming area, exhibition space, study room, café, and other facilities located on a shared public level sandwiched in between every two research centers
• Green walls that will extend up to 60 meters high
• A music building with every performance and rehearsal space acoustically tuned and tunable
• Innovative forms and materials that maximize daylight within an energy-efficient building
• A high-performance digital solution for a music building that enhances the space by unifying acoustics, lighting, and life-safety requirements

Awards of Excellence were bestowed upon the following:

• Chatham University Eden Hall Campus, Richland Township, Pennsylvania | Mithun
• Haverford College Visual Culture, Arts, and Media Building, Haverford, Pennsylvania | MSR Design
• Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre (KTTC), Peterborough, Ontario, Canada | Perkins+Will Canada Inc.
• Memphis Teacher Residency (MTR), Memphis, Tennessee | archimania
• Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab, Allston, Massachusetts | Shepley Bulfinch
• The Frick Environmental Center, Pittsburgh | Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
• Tsinghua Ocean Center, Shenzhen, China | Open Architecture
• University of Iowa Voxman Music Building, Iowa City | LMN Architects

Projects selected for the Awards of Merit are recognized for being of superior quality. This year’s recipients include:

• Arlington Elementary School, Tacoma, Washington | Mahlum
• Ballet Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee | archimania

Photos and complete details about 2018 Education Facility Design Awards recipients are available on the AIA website.

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