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Collegiate Landscape Competition March 16-1901-13-16 | Education

Collegiate Landscape Competition March 16-19
Mississippi State Hosting 40th Annual Event

Approximately 800 horticulture and landscape architecture students from colleges and universities across the nation will descend upon Mississippi State in mid-March for the National Collegiate Landscape Competition.

Roughly 800 horticulture and landscape architecture students from more than 60 schools in the nation will converge upon Mississippi State for the 40th National Collegiate Landscape Competition, slated for March 16-19, 2016.

Students will test their skills in a number of competitive events, and also meet and be interviewed by landscape, lawn care, tree care, irrigation and other company representatives at a Career Fair.

The Landscape Competition has become one of the better recruiting and career-building affairs in the landscape industry.

"Everyone will want to be at this year's event because we have a number of surprises and special events planned," said Sabeena Hickman, CAE, chief executive officer of the National Association of Landscape Professionals. "We are really pleased to celebrate the impact that this event has had on so many students who have built careers in the industry."

National Association of Landscape Professionals

https://tinyurl.com/psmccwm

Warren Hall Could Be On Tap For LEED Gold
When California State University East Bay (Hayward) demolished Warren Hall, considered a historic landmark that had stood for more than four decades, it called upon LPA Inc. to come up with something that is contemporary, sustainable and would stand up well in an earthquake.

LPA's design team took charge of the architecture, landscape architecture and interior design aspects of the university's new Student and Faculty Support Center, a 65,000 square foot building that stands five stories tall.

The original Warren Hall was 13 stories in height, and was torn down in 2013 because of concerns over its seismic safety. Just like the old Warren Hall, the new building houses faculty offices, space for support staff and a Welcome Center.

LPA has more than 300 employees with offices in Irvine, Sacramento, San Diego and San Jose. The firm provides services in architecture, sustainability, planning, interior design, landscape architecture, engineering and graphics. Nearly 70 percent of LPA's professionals are LEED accredited. The company has a diverse track record, from K-12 schools, colleges and universities to corporate and civic facilities. LPA has more than 600 major design awards to its credit.

"We were able to achieve a signature campus building simply by capturing the essence of the surrounding buildings and the unique site condition," said Glenn Carels, principal and chief design officer at LPA.

"The stepped form of the building provides a unique pedestrian experience in response to how you approach the two separate main entries," Carels added. "The campus side entry is welcoming and fits within the human scale fabric of the campus. In contrast, the parking lot side entry is grand, functioning as a gateway into the campus while making a positive impression on first-time visitors."

LPA was also responsible for the structural, mechanical and electrical engineering of the new Warren Hall, with the engineering team paying special attention to "the long-term seismic resiliency of the building," especially since it is located less than a mile from the Hayward Fault. "Three ductile reinforced concrete shear wall cores provide durability, strength and stiffness for a building designed to last more than a hundred years," LPA said.

The project should receive LEED-NC Gold certification.
Some of its notable sustainable features include high performance window glazing; lighting and HVAC systems to exceed Title 24 energy codes by more than 30 percent; an approximate 100-kilowatt rooftop photovoltaic solar array to reduce energy costs by an additional 25 percent; operable windows on the fourth and fifth floors for natural ventilation; and landscaping that incorporates bio-retention storm water management strategies to treat run-off.

"The new L-shaped building utilizes the maximum footprint of the site, while the elevated fourth and fifth floors provide room for a three-story protected entry plaza and outdoor social and gathering space," LPA said.

PRWeb:
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