About the author:

Mark Robert Johnson – FAIA / CKD / AIBD mark’s image

Mark Johnson is Principal of MARKITECT, a consulting firm serving the design and building industry. He has led efforts for two Fortune 500 Companies, Whirlpool Corporation and CertainTeed Corporation, to reach the design community, garnering three AIA Continuing Education System Awards for Excellence. Mr. Johnson collaborates with industry leaders like Google, Apple and McGraw-Hill Construction to bring Web 2.0 design tools and continuing education to the industry. Prior to his corporate career, he practiced as a licensed architect, working for top firms including HOK and Moore Ruble Yudell. Mr. Johnson writes and speaks internationally on subjects ranging from sustainable design and technology to design trends in architecture.
Mr. Johnson is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, NKBA Educator for the National Kitchen and Bath Association, Certified Kitchen Designer and a Professional Building Designer with the American Institute of Building Design. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and MBA degree from Washington University in St. Louis, as well as a Master’s degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from UCLA.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Green Design Guide – Using SketchUp to Go Green

This week we’re taking a trip to the International Builder Show to learn how Google SketchUp, a free 3D-modeling program, can be used to design a green kitchen. If you’ve not tried it, SketchUp is easy to learn and growing quickly in popularity. Why? It’s a fast way to model your design ideas, the free version is very powerful, the professional version is only $495 and it’s available in several languages.

There are excellent video podcasts for learning the program at no cost. I especially like the SketchUp Show as an informative and entertaining series with over 50 episodes. Several shows travel to onsite locations where you’ll see sustainable design projects by industry leaders.

In episode #47, Mike Tadros, host of the SketchUp Show, demonstrates a tool in SketchUp called PhotoMatch as a way to speed your 3D design process using photos taken from a digital camera or cell phone. Of course I’m partial to this podcast because Mike incorporates one of my projects, the Sustainable Kitchen, a visionary project from Whirlpool Corporation, which I conceived and co-designed. Mike not only shares the Sustainable Kitchen, he shows how it can be morphed into a sustainable home design, the “Berkley”, a home by Alan Mascord Design Associates, a topic I’ll save for a future article. You’ll also catch a glimpse of the many 3D-model collections of green building products downloadable from the Google 3D Warehouse at no cost.

My interest in sharing affordable, open community, green design tools is deliberate. I hope these ideas help you embrace green design faster and get through the economic downturn a little easier. Now let’s travel to the International Builder Show and learn from Mike’s expertise in SketchUp and sustainable design. Enjoy the show. Click Here!

Come back next week for another conversation, and share GreenDesignGuide with a friend. If you’d like to comment now or after watching the video, we’d appreciate your feedback. Please suggest any ideas on topics you’d like to hear about. Thanks for reading, watching, and commenting… it’s all good.
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Posted by AEC Daily at 11:26 AM
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