Sustainable Design Blog

SARASOTA, FL [January 31, 2007]

Michael R. Carlson, AIA, LEED AP, founder and principal of Carlson Studio Architecture, addressed local and state architects to present the award-winning Twin Lakes Park Office Complex at the second annual American Institute of Architects (AIA) Florida Emerging Professionals Conference, held at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront Hotel on October 21.

Designed by Carlson, the project is distinguished as the highest scored LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building in the state of Florida with a gold certification and recognized locally as the area's first "green" commercial building. Highlights of the presentation included practical applications of sustainable features in commercial buildings (both renovations and new construction), design process strategies and photographs of construction.

SARASOTA, FL [November 28, 2006]

Michael R. Carlson, AIA, LEED AP, founder and principal of Carlson Studio Architecture, and Harry Witte, CSA project manager, recently joined thousands of green building industry professionals in Denver, Colorado for an exciting three day conference to learn about the latest advancements in green building design, construction, project financing and building management.

The Greenbuild International Conferences & Expo is the pre-eminent showcase for leading-edge green technologies worldwide and each year delivers outstanding educational programs that highlight benchmarks of sustainability across a broad array of issues, including site location and development, water use, energy, materials, indoor environmental quality, biophelia, health and productivity, and financing.

From architects, engineers and developers, to educators and interior designers, more than 12,000 attended Greenbuild 2006. Highlights of the conference included thought-provoking keynote speakers like internationally renowned architect William DcDonough and Jeffery Sachs of Columbia University, as well as a wide array of educational programs, workshops and green building tours, a USGBC Leadership Awards ceremony, and more than 700 exhibitor booths. "The green building field is constantly changing with the emergence of new ideas and techniques. Attending conferences like Greenbuild is essential to staying up-to-date with this ever-changing industry," says Carlson.

SARASOTA, FL - July 20, 2006

RTKL, an International architecture, engineering and planning firm, invited Sarasota green design expert, Michael Carlson, AIA, to deliver a presentation about high performance building design in their Chicago office earlier this month. Carlson shared Sarasota County's Twin Lakes Park office complex as a case study.

According to RTLK's Alan Kirkpatrick, "Our firm places a high value on maintaining a collaborative culture. Bringing in other designers and experts - such as Michael Carlson - to share their knowledge ensures that our working environment remains vibrant and creative".

Carlson is licensed to practice architecture in the states of Florida, Maryland and Nevada. His downtown Sarasota firm, Carlson Studio Architecture, focuses on green building design, and he was one of the first architects in Florida to achieve the LEED Accredited Professional designation from the U.S. Green Building Council. He serves on the board of the USGBC's Gulf Coast Chapter, chairs the Committee on the Environment for the Gulf Coast Chapter of the AIA and is a member of the Florida Greeen Building Coalition.

SARASOTA, FL - A building formerly used as a dormitory by a professional baseball team has a new lease on life as Florida's greenest office building thanks to Architect Michael R. Carlson, AIA, LEED AP, founder and principal of Carlson Studio Architecture, a Sarasota-based architecture and design firm that specializes in sustainable, high performance buildings.

The U.S. Green Building Council has presented Sarasota County's Twin Lakes Park Office Complex with LEED Gold Certification in the new construction category, one of the nation's highest honors for environmental sustainability. The facility earned 41 points, giving it the distinction of being the highest LEED-scored building in the state to-date.

The building and surrounding site feature a number of components that maximize efficiency and reduce consumption of natural resources. Water is conserved through several measures, including water-saving plumbing fixtures and xeriscape landscaping. The building's north-south orientation and high-performance glass add to cooling efficiency.

"The impact of building green can be significant," said Carlson, who is a LEED Accredited Professional. "Consider that buildings in the United States account for more than 35% of total energy use, 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and consumption of 12% of potable water supply. Then consider that Twin Lakes uses rainwater for toilet flushing needs, has a geothermal HVAC system that reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 22-30 percent. Now imagine if every building was built or renovated green."

Twin Lakes Park Office Complex is a brilliant white structure with a standing seam metal roof set overlooking a tranquil pond surrounded with natural Florida scenery. "We designed this facility very intentionally with social, economic and environmental impacts in mind," said Carlson.

"In working with the client and tenants, I envisioned a building that would embody aesthetic principles and amenities not typically associated with a government facility."

Environmental features include:

• access to natural daylight and outdoor views throughout
• a 28,000 gallon cistern
• lighting dimmer system that automatically adjusts itself for changes in daylight levels
• energy efficient heating and cooling systems
• high performance building envelope and glazing system
• reflective roofing

For more information about the LEED program or the USGBC, visit http://www.usgbc.org/. For more information about Michael Carlson or Carlson Studio Architecture, visit http://www.carlsonstudio.org/.

SARASOTA, FL - Michael R. Carlson, AIA, LEED AP founder and principal of Carlson Studio Architecture, a Sarasota-based architecture and design firm that specializes in sustainable, high performance building design, was profiled in SRQ magazine's September, 2005 Hot List edition.

The magazine's annual compilation of buzz worthy topics showcases emerging trends of interest with the explanation that Carlson's inclusion on this year's list was based his green design leadership in the region. The article highlighted Carlson's Twin Lakes Park Office Complex, which he designed for Sarasota County as the county's first sustainable commercial project that applied USGBC LEED design standards. The publication also referenced Carlson's Easter Seals Children's Rehabilitation Center as another model of sustainable commercial development which is under construction on the border between Sarasota & Manatee counties.

The SRQ Hot List is an in-magazine feature only available in the monthly magazine, but for more details about this year's Hot List, visit http://www.srqmagazine.com/. For more information about Michael Carlson or Carlson Studio Architecture, visit http://www.carlsonstudio.org/.

ASHRAE and the AIA's Advanced Energy Design Guide Special

SARASOTA, FL - Carlson Studio Architecture, was recently featured in a special publication entitled Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Office Buildings, published by ASHRAE and the American Institute of Architects. The publication is an application manual that provides case studies and recommendations to members of the industry who are seeking ways to achieve greater levels of energy savings in commercial facilities.

The featured case study is the Twin Lakes Park Office Complex, a Sarasota County government project designed by Michael Carlson, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP. The feature article highlights Twin Lake's innovative and creative use of daylighting combined with daylight sensors, a cistern that allows the facility to reuse stored rainwater in plumbing and irrigation applications, as well as the building's advanced geothermal air-conditioning and heat exchange system and photovoltaic system that converts sunlight to electricity.

Carlson estimated that by incorporating a combination of sustainable features, the complex will realize annual electrical savings of 45% and water savings of 58% compared to a conventionally-constructed commercial building of similar size and type. Norman Koonce, FAIA, AIA Executive Vice President/CEO said of Carlson's project, "Thank you for contributing to this important energy saving initiative and, through sharing your work, expanding the knowledge among our members and colleagues in related disciplines".