About the author ⁄ Eric Long, P.E., S.E., LEED® AP, M. ASCE

Eric Long is a Principal with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill L.L.P. (eric.long@som.com)

An Example of Sustainability Using Timber

The Iconic and Symbolic County Office Building

Decarbonization must rapidly advance to avert further changes to our environment. As a signatory of SE 2050, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has committed to bringing meaningful carbon reductions to a wide spectrum of buildings. The use of mass timber in many buildings can be cost-effective when combined with the building’s architectural design and programmatic needs. The added benefits of carbon sequestration, reduced finishes, and biophilic aesthetics were all developed for the new County Office Building 3 (COB3) for the County of San Mateo in Northern California.

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May, 2023 By Mark Sarkisian, P.E., S.E., NAE, LEED, Eric Long, P.E., S.E., LEED® AP, M. ASCE, Benton Johnson, P.E., S.E., Peter Lee, P.E., S.E., David Shook, P.E. and Alex Zha In Articles, Feature

Structural Design of the Urban Sequoia Tower

The concept of Urban Sequoia (Figure 1) combines optimized structural design with low embodied carbon materials, efficient construction, and carbon-capturing technologies. These carbon-capturing approaches allow buildings to start their service life with an ultra-low embodied carbon and sequester additional carbon over time, becoming net carbon negative. The structural approach to Urban Sequoia incorporates nature-based, living materials that embody far less carbon than conventional structural solutions while absorbing additional carbon over time. When combined with non-structural systems such as exterior wall systems that incorporate biomass and algae and technologies including Direct Air Capture (DAC), tall buildings could absorb three to five times the amount of carbon emitted at the time of construction.

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Jun, 2022 By Mark Sarkisian, P.E., S.E., NAE, LEED, Eric Long, P.E., S.E., LEED® AP, M. ASCE, Alessandro Beghini, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., LEED and Karl Micallef, Ph.D., DIC, C.Eng, MICE In Structural Sustainability Comments 0

Seismic Performance of Slender Core-Only Towers

500 Folsom is a new residential high-rise providing needed housing in the densifying urban fabric of the Transbay District of San Francisco. The site was originally part of the Embarcadero Freeway, connecting the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge, that was heavily damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The site has been rejuvenated by the San Francisco Transbay Redevelopment Plan and Essex Property Trust. …

Jun, 2020 By Mark Sarkisian, P.E., S.E., NAE, LEED, Eric Long, P.E., S.E., LEED® AP, M. ASCE and David Shook, P.E. In Feature Comments 0

Flat Plate Concrete Construction

350 Mission.

A New Milestone for High-Rise Buildings

By re-examining standards long taken for granted by developers, 350 Mission received LEED® Platinum certification and is reinventing a ubiquitous building type. The form, structure, and systems of this Class-A office tower are generated by rigorous goals of environmental performance, social engagement, and material efficiency.

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Jun, 2017 By Mark Sarkisian, P.E., S.E., NAE, LEED, Eric Long, P.E., S.E., LEED® AP, M. ASCE, David Shook, P.E. and Eric Peterson In Feature Comments 4

The Cathedral of Christ the Light

Sacred Geometry, Luminosity, and Longevity

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Jun, 2010 By Mark Sarkisian, P.E., S.E., NAE, LEED, Peter Lee, P.E., S.E. and Eric Long, P.E., S.E., LEED® AP, M. ASCE In Articles, Spotlight

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