:The University of Texas' new nursing school and student community center in Houston, a learning center on a 30-acre nature preserve northwest of Austin and Texas Parks & Wildlife's World Birding Center, built at the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, made the AIA's 2006 Top Ten Green Projects.

AIA Top Green Projects in Texas

The AIA and its Committee on the Environment recently selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment. The program was in recognition of Earth Day 2006. The projects were honored in early May during a presentation at the National Building Museum in Washington and in June at the AIA 2006 National Convention and Design Exposition in Los Angeles.

Three of the ten projects are in Texas: The School of Nursing & Student Community Center in Houston, designed by BNIM Architects of Kansas City, Mo., and Lake/Flato Architects of San Antonio; Westcave Preserve Environmental Learning Center in Travis County, designed by Jackson & McElhaney Architects of Austin; and the World Birding Center in Mission designed by Lake/Flato Architects of San Antonio.

The 2006 COTE Top Ten Green Projects address environmental conservation and the notion of sustainable development with designs that integrate architecture, technology and natural systems. They make a positive contribution to their community, improve comfort for building occupants and reduce environmental impacts through strategies such as reuse of existing structures, connection to transit systems, low-impact site development, energy and water conservation, use of sustainable or renewable construction materials and design that improves indoor air quality.

The jury selected projects that cover a broad spectrum of project types. Recipients

include civic, office, residential, academic and institutional. The panel of jurors included: Kevin Burke, AIA, William McDonough + Partners, Charlottesville Va.; David Miller, FAIA, Miller Hull Architects, Seattle; Kath Williams, PhD, Kath Williams + Associates, Bozeman Mont.; Kevin Hydes, PE, Stantec Consulting Ltd., Montreal; RK Stewart, FAIA, Gensler, San Francisco; and Catriona Campbell Winter, The Clark Construction Group, Bethesda Md.

Texas Landscape Architects Take Top National Awards

The American Society of Landscape Architects recently announced the recipients of its 2006 Professional Awards. The jury considered more than 500 entries and selected 32 projects to receive awards. The awards will be presented on October 9 at the ASLA Annual Meeting in Minneapolis. MESA Design Group of Dallas represented Texas among the winning projects. The firm won a General Design Award of Honor for the Henry C. Beck, Jr. Park in Dallas and a Residential Design Award of Honor for House by the Creek in Dallas.

Austin Makes Top Ten List Of Green Roofs Planted

Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, a non-profit industry association with a mission of increasing the development of the green-roof industry across North America, recently announce the results from the first survey of its corporate members, which was independently administered by Kendon Light E.A. The top ten cities by sq. ft. planted in 2005 included Austin in seventh place. Chicago ranked number one.

The survey asked member-companies to report on their completed 2004 and 2005 green-roof projects in North America. Results indicated a 72 percent growth in green roof sq. ft. across North America between 2004 and 2005, and more than 80 percent growth in the U.S. North American green roof infrastructure implementation increased from 1.3 million sq. ft. in 2004.

Boyken Wins SMPS Award

Boyken International Inc., based in Atlanta, recently announced that Matt Connor, director of marketing services in the firm's Houston office was named "Member of the Year" by the Houston Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services at its Annual Design Awards Gala. The award recognizes Connor's contribution to promoting professional and educational advancement of individuals engaged in marketing professional services for the built and natural environment.

Connor was nominated by three separate professionals, including the president of the Houston Chapter of SMPS, Elyssa Wagman, CPSM. Connor currently serves on the Board of Directors as membership director. SMPS Houston, founded in 1981, is the seventh largest chapter in the country, with more than 210 members representing more than 160 design, construction and related professional services firms.

Connor is the director of marketing services for Boyken International Inc. He has been a member of SMPS since 2001, has been on the Design Awards Committee and most recently served as the Lunch and Learn chair for the Education Committee.

Connor's duties with Boyken include marketing the firm throughout Texas to health-care, higher education, hotel, entertainment, corporate, government and aviation clients. He holds a bachelor's of business administration with a major in marketing from Sam Houston State University.