Author: Caryn Norton

The term “net zero” has garnered plenty of buzz around the AEC industry, among policy makers, and within the sustainability community—but what does net zero actually mean? We sat down with STO Building Group’s own VP of Sustainability, Jennifer Taranto, to answer some of the top questions about building, designing, and managing net zero buildings.

Seattle’s Lake Union has lived many lives throughout its history. It is the ancestral home of the Duwamish indigenous people and a key part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal that connects Lake Washington to the Puget Sound. The freshwater lake was also the construction site of Boeing’s first aircraft and the location of Tom Hanks’ houseboat in the movie Sleepless in Seattle.

Sometimes the tools we use shape us, as much as they do the task at hand. For the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry that’s perhaps a little truer than most; ironically so, given the persistent reputation for clinging to the old ways.

Environmental impacts of the construction sector are well known. Its estimated contribution of 40 percent of the global CO2 emissions annually is reported often.

Following a 20-week pilot program with Structure Tone, Otto Tech Systems will release their SmartLadder system to combat a leading cause of workplace accidents: falls from ladders.

Strong. Versatile. Resilient. Sustainable. These are just a few of the benefits mass timber construction offers—and part of the reason timber structures are taking the AEC world by storm. As demand for mass timber projects across the US continues to grow and evolve, designers, builders, and developers are constantly adjusting best practices.