The Building Technology Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is an interdisciplinary program, bringing together researchers from the Department of Architecture, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Their projects focus on the building industry, which represents "one of the largest enterprises in the country" and...

The New Buildings Institute promotes "energy efficiency in buildings through policy development, research, guidelines and codes." Substantial information about lighting, architecture, and mechanical systems is available on the institute's homepage. The online reports, tools, and suggested practices come from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Pacific...

This article from the New Scientist talks about the building of the world's tallest building in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The tower construction will be completed in 2008 and will result in a structure 800 meters tall. The article discusses how the building has been designed to address a primary concern for buildings of this height--wind.

This article from the New York Times shows several concepts for possible monuments/ buildings at Ground Zero. The interactive feature, titled Envisioning Downtown, has some very impressive content. It has excellent footage of artist impressions and computer animations of the proposed architectures, all of which are quite remarkable. Seven designs are highlighted, with descriptions of the various...

The Rocky Mountain Institute offers an informational Web site entitled Home Resource Efficiency. Visitors can learn several tips and tricks on how to keep their home as energy efficient as possible with link titles such as Energy Efficiency: First Things First; Appliances and Lighting; Home Cooling; Household Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Savings Measures; Household Water Efficiency;...

A civil engineering professor at the University of California at Berkeley is working on a novel way of maintaining a building's structural stability after an earthquake or terrorist bomb. The team of researchers working with the professor have designed and tested a system that uses cables for backup support in case main support beams failed. An overview of the system is provided in a February 20,...

The National Institute of Building Sciences is developing the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG). While not yet complete, there is already a substantial knowledge base for building professionals to draw upon. The purpose of WBDG is to help designers "improve the performance and quality of their buildings by following the guidance and recommendations provided within the categories of this web...

The World Federation of Great Towers (WFGT) "is an association of international monuments which join together to foster global awareness and develop international opportunities for promotion." The organization provides this eye-catching site that contains detailed information and pictures of over twenty towers from around the world. After giving a brief background summary of each tower's location...