What’s greener than a new LEED Gold, NetZero building packed with EnergyStar appliances? Renovation. That’s the philosophy of Kit Johnson, the Austin, Texas, architect who’s beautifying the city’s notorious “eyesore of Enfield Road.” The 25-unit condo project, stalled since 2007 because of financial and legal issues, until recently was graffiti-ridden and vandalized. Thanks to Johnson’s hard work, it’s now roaring to completion as Pease Place. “We love energy efficiency,” Johnson says, “but the biggest impact is in renovation over new construction when it’s feasible.” Johnson credits GRAPHISOFT’s ArchiCAD building information modeling (BIM) software for making Pease Place feasible. Read More
