Berkeley Tuolumne Camp Presentation on May 13

 Rebuilding Camp Tuolumne

The City of Berkeley has been working with Siegel & Strain Architects, numerous local, state and federal agencies and insurance representatives since early 2018 to bring about the reconstruction of the beloved community camp.

A presentation was hosted last week at Berkeley Rep Theater by The Friends of Berkeley Tuolumne Camp (FOBTC), along with City staff and the Siegel & Strain Architects design team, to show current designs and plans for the new Camp Tuolumne.

What will the camp look like? How will it be different and what will feel the same? When will it be ready? Will there be any trees? What about the stone showers? Has anything changed on the river? What will the tents looks like? How can people help restore the camp? Answers to these and other questions plus the anticipated timeline for the rebuilding of the camp was provided by the Rebuild Project Manager, design team and city staff.

FOBTC has kicked off a Capital CAMPaign to support what insurance will not cover. See more on the FOBTC website for opportunities to get involved.


 

Dear Governor Newsom... a-call-to-action now

March 18, 2019
The Honorable Gavin Newsom Governor
State Capital, Sacramento, California

Dear Governor Newsom,

We are heading into an extremely dangerous period. If we do not take action now, the planet will overshoot 2 degree C warming by a wide margin with consequences that are projected to be devastating to California, our country, and the entire world.

The world will build a breathtaking 260 billion m2 over the next four decades, or an area equal to the current worldwide building stock. About 40% of this construction is expected to take place between now and 2030. That’s an area greater than the total building area existing today in North America, South America, the Caribbean, the entire European Union, and Australia and New Zealand combined, all adding to the emissions problem.

Most of this new construction will take place in China, India, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa, where there are either no mandatory building energy or emissions standards, or inadequate standards at best. If these buildings are designed and built to current standards, it will dwarf all other emissions reduction actions.

Unfortunately, there is a dearth of political leadership on this issue at the national level, yet California has always been the first to take action addressing climate change.

However, according to the CPUC’s “Commercial Zero Net Energy Action Plan”, California’s new commercial building construction is not scheduled to “achieve zero net energy performance” incorporating “on-site or off-site renewable energy” until 2030, too late to influence significant carbon reductions in California and building construction worldwide.

Renewable energy has been demonstrated to be cost effective in California today and industry tools have been developed that incorporate on-site or off-site renewable energy in new commercial building construction and supports grid optimization.

California is positioned to take the global leadership role in reducing carbon emissions in the building sector by accelerating the timeline to reach zero net energy performance, incorporating on-site or off-site renewable energy in all new commercial construction, to 2020. This would send an urgent and powerful call-to-action worldwide. 

The world looks to – and expects – California to lead the way.

Sincerely,

Ed Mazria, FAIA, CEO
Architecture 2030
Contact: Edward Mazria, FAIA, CEO (505) 988-5309
mazria@architecture2030.org

See the signatory list here.

Oakley Recreation Center grand opening in April

Construction nearing completion.

APRIL 16, 2019, OAKLEY, CALIFORNIA: The ribbon cutting ceremony for the new recreation center in Oakland occurred under blue skies. The Oakley Recreation Center is a new one-story building constructed on the existing city property south of O’Hara Park Middle School. The building is designed for a variety of community events and recreation activities.

The new structure includes two enclosed community rooms, an office/conference area; two multi-use restrooms; storage; mechanical and electrical spaces; kitchen and food storage area and an uncovered patio.

Project site improvements include grading, landscaping and irrigation, retaining walls, bioswales, site paths, service pad, access to mechanical and electrical closets, permeable paving, bicycle and vehicular parking, concrete curbs and sidewalks, and tree replacement.

The Oakley Recreation Center is designed to demonstrate sustainable building design. In addition to those cited above, green design features include daylighting, high-performing building envelope including low-emissivity dual glazing, sunscreens and window shading, Forest Stewardship Certified wood, high-efficiency mechanical, electrical and lighting systems, low-flow plumbing fixtures; high-recycled content materials, low formaldehyde and VOC building materials. The design team worked closely with the Oakley Public Works director and department staff to create flexible spaces that will serve the community for many years to come.

Read more here in the East Bay Times article by Judy Prieve.