PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Illinois Institute of Technology Architecture Programs earn National Sustainability Designation from U.S. Department of Energy

College of Architecture earns prestigious Zero Energy Design Designation for its commitment to sustainability, carbon neutrality, and building science education in bachelor’s and master’s programs

Illinois Institute of Technology Architecture Programs earn National Sustainability Designation from U.S. Department of Energy
2024-09-13
(Press-News.org) CHICAGO—September 13, 2024—The College of Architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology has been awarded the prestigious Zero Energy Design Designation (ZEDD) from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) for it Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture programs. This recognition highlights the college’s commitment to sustainability, carbon neutrality, and zero-energy design practices in a world of escalating extreme weather and climate change. 

The designation is awarded to institutions that “demonstrate a commitment to preparing students for a zero-carbon future by offering a building science education curriculum within their programs of study that showcases best practices in zero-energy design and requiring a zero-energy design practicum.”

Illinois Institute of Technology’s programs met the ZEDD standards under the leadership of Assistant Professor of Architecture Youngjin Hwang, who spearheaded efforts to align the curriculum with DOE’s learning objectives.

“In the field of architecture, sustainability, carbon neutrality, and high performance building design are now essential,” says Hwang. “This designation involves our distinctive pedagogical approach to educate the next generation of architecture professionals.”

Throughout the past year, Hwang collaborated with faculty and department chairs, with the support of Rowe Family College Dean Endowed Chair Reed Kroloff, to establish an updated yearlong course in environment and building systems for the bachelor’s and master’s programs. This course, adopted as part of ZEDD’s Building Science Education Curriculum requirement, incorporates new lecture content and in-class workshops that provide various building performance simulation techniques.

The College of Architecture is one of just 26 institutions recognized by the DOE for their commitment to zero-energy design since ZEDD launched in 2022. Illinois Institute of Technology had previously received the ZEDD for its architectural engineering program in 2022. The designation will remain in effect through 2027.

END

[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Illinois Institute of Technology Architecture Programs earn National Sustainability Designation from U.S. Department of Energy

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Rice research could make weird AI images a thing of the past

Rice research could make weird AI images a thing of the past
2024-09-13
HOUSTON – (Sept. 13, 2024) – Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has notoriously struggled to create consistent images, often getting details like fingers and facial symmetry wrong. Moreover, these models can completely fail when prompted to generate images at different image sizes and resolutions. Rice University computer scientists’ new method of generating images with pre-trained diffusion models ⎯ a class of generative AI models that “learn” by adding layer after layer of random noise to the images they are trained on and then generate new images by removing the added noise ⎯ could help correct ...

NIH awards establish pandemic preparedness research network

NIH awards establish pandemic preparedness research network
2024-09-13
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has established a pandemic preparedness research network to conduct research on high-priority pathogens most likely to threaten human health with the goal of developing effective vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. Currently, many of the diseases caused by these pathogens have no available vaccines or therapeutics, and investing in this research is key to preparing for potential public health crises—both in the United States and around the world. NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) expects to commit approximately ...

$3.9 million grant accelerates UVA professor's efforts to detect Alzheimer’s early

$3.9 million grant accelerates UVA professors efforts to detect Alzheimer’s early
2024-09-13
University of Virginia professor Mathews Jacob has secured a $3.9 million grant to advance his innovative research on detecting Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages. Jacob, who specializes in electrical and computer engineering, is teaming up with researchers from the University of Iowa and the University of California-San Francisco to push the boundaries of imaging technology that tracks the brain’s metabolic changes — offering a fresh perspective on studying neurodegenerative disorders. Their focus is on advancing magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). Unlike standard MRI, which primarily highlights structural changes, ...

Flowers use adjustable ‘paint by numbers’ petal designs to attract pollinators

Flowers use adjustable ‘paint by numbers’ petal designs to attract pollinators
2024-09-13
Flowers like hibiscus use an invisible blueprint established very early in petal formation that dictates the size of their bullseyes – a crucial pre-pattern that can significantly impact their ability to attract pollinating bees.   The study, by researchers at the University of Cambridge’s Sainsbury Laboratory also found that bees prefer larger bullseyes over smaller ones and fly 25% faster between artificial flower discs with larger bullseyes – potentially boosting efficiency for both bees and blossoms.  Patterns on the flowers of plants guide insects, like bees, to the centre of the flower, where nectar and pollen await, ...

Men behind the wheel: Three times more violations and accidents than women

2024-09-13
Men are three times more likely than women to commit traffic violations while driving and to be involved in accidents. Moreover, they are more likely to create situations on the road that are highly dangerous to others. Men are also twice as likely to drive under the influence and nearly one-third more likely to receive a prison sentence for reckless driving. Perhaps it comes down to cultural norms and the different attitudes men and women have toward driving. These are the conclusions reached by Anton Kazun, Assistant Professor at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences, and Research Assistant Mikhail Belov. There is a stereotype that women are worse driver than men; female drivers are ...

Research alert: Technique to study how proteins bind to DNA is easily misused; New study offers solution

2024-09-13
Researchers at University of California San Diego have published new guidelines that could help scientists significantly improve their results when quantifying the interactions between DNA and proteins. Understanding these interactions is critical to our understanding of human biology in general, and can also help scientists develop new treatments for a wide range of diseases, including many cancers. The researchers focused on spike-in normalization, a widely-used molecular biology technique that helps ensure accurate and reliable results. Spike-in normalization involves adding a known quantity of chromatin (DNA and the associated proteins) to a sample before it ...

Edible insects show promise as sustainable nutritional source

Edible insects show promise as sustainable nutritional source
2024-09-13
As the global population grows and traditional livestock production increasingly strains environmental resources, there is a rising interest in alternative protein sources. Edible insects, particularly grasshoppers, are abundant in regions like Cameroon and provide essential nutrients, including proteins, amino acids, and minerals vital for health and growth. Addressing these challenges calls for in-depth studies on the nutritional benefits of insects such as Ruspolia nitidula. Conducted by the University of Dschang, Cameroon, and published (DOI: 10.26599/FSAP.2024.9240068) in the journal Food Science of ...

Machine learning could help reduce hospitalizations by nearly 30% during a pandemic, study finds

2024-09-13
A new study sheds light on a promising approach using machine learning to more effectively allocate medical treatments during a pandemic or any time there’s a shortage of therapeutics.   The findings, published today in JAMA Health Forum, found a significant reduction in expected hospitalizations when using machine learning to help distribute medication using the COVID-19 pandemic to test the model. The model proves to reduce hospitalizations relatively by about 27 percent compared to actual and observed care. “During the pandemic, the healthcare system was at a breaking point and many health care facilities relied on a first-come, first-serve or a patient’s ...

E-cigarette brands are skirting the rules about health warning labels on Instagram

2024-09-13
Island breeze, blue lagoon, dew drop—these aren’t the names of scented candles on display at your local home goods store. They’re flavors of synthetic nicotine used in e-cigarettes, often advertised with neon-electric colors and bright lettering to make them look like boxes of candy or fruit juice. But underneath all the flair, a specific label written clearly in black text on a white background is required by law to be there: a warning that says the product contains nicotine and that nicotine is an addictive substance.  Even though health warnings need to be written on physical products sold in stores ...

Scientists discover potential cause of an enigmatic vascular disease primarily impacting women

Scientists discover potential cause of an enigmatic vascular disease primarily impacting women
2024-09-13
Mount Sinai researchers have identified a key driver of a blood vessel disorder known as fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) which affects up to five percent of the adult population and can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack, or stroke. In a study published September 13 in Nature Cardiovascular Research, the team said changes in the gene UBR4 played an important role as a key driver of FMD. They suggested the discovery could be an important step toward developing a therapeutic approach for the disorder. “Although fibromuscular dysplasia was first recognized more than 80 years ago, until now ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Do prostate cancer drugs interact with certain anticoagulants to increase bleeding and clotting risks?

Many patients want to talk about their faith. Neurologists often don't know how.

AI disclosure labels may do more harm than good

The ultra-high-energy neutrino may have begun its journey in blazars

Doubling of new prescriptions for ADHD medications among adults since start of COVID-19 pandemic

“Peculiar” ancient ancestor of the crocodile started life on four legs in adolescence before it began walking on two

AI can predict risk of serious heart disease from mammograms

New ultra-low-cost technique could slash the price of soft robotics

Increased connectivity in early Alzheimer’s is lowered by cancer drug in the lab

Study highlights stroke risk linked to recreational drugs, including among young users

Modeling brain aging and resilience over the lifespan reveals new individual factors

ESC launches guidelines for patients to empower women with cardiovascular disease to make informed pregnancy health decisions 

Towards tailor-made heat expansion-free materials for precision technology

New research delves into the potential for AI to improve radiology workflows and healthcare delivery

Rice selected to lead US Space Force Strategic Technology Institute 4

A new clue to how the body detects physical force

Climate projections warn 20% of Colombia’s cocoa-growing areas could be lost by 2050, but adaptation options remain

New poll: American Heart Association most trusted public health source after personal physician

New ethanol-assisted catalyst design dramatically improves low-temperature nitrogen oxide removal

New review highlights overlooked role of soil erosion in the global nitrogen cycle

Biochar type shapes how water moves through phosphorus rich vegetable soils

Why does the body deem some foods safe and others unsafe?

Report examines cancer care access for Native patients

New book examines how COVID-19 crisis entrenched inequality for women around the world

Evolved robots are born to run and refuse to die

Study finds shared genetic roots of MS across diverse ancestries

Endocrine Society elects Wu as 2027-2028 President

Broad pay ranges in job postings linked to fewer female applicants

How to make magnets act like graphene

The hidden cost of ‘bullshit’ corporate speak

[Press-News.org] Illinois Institute of Technology Architecture Programs earn National Sustainability Designation from U.S. Department of Energy
College of Architecture earns prestigious Zero Energy Design Designation for its commitment to sustainability, carbon neutrality, and building science education in bachelor’s and master’s programs