IslandWood (formerly the Puget Sound Environmental Learning Center) is an educational campus that provides young people with a deeper understanding of the natural environment through hands-on project and outdoor field experience.

"We collect 80 percent or more of the blood that is used in the state of Washington," says Mark Destree, Director of the Puget Sound Blood Center (PSBC). "The relocation [to the new larger facility] of the Inventory Production Department has allowed them to double their capacity, at least. The throughput has increased by at least 20 percent initially, and that was after two weeks of being here [in the new center]."

PSBC directors enlisted consultants to evaluate the use of LEAN Manufacturing and facility planning. This method derived from Toyota’s production system that realized the potential for work space to minimize effort and maximize value by improving workflow efficiency.

mer·chan·dis·ing or mer·chan·diz·ing [mûrchn-dzng] n. 1. marketing: the promotion of a product by developing strategies for packaging, displaying, and publicizing it

Merchandising today is very different than it was 10 years ago. Customers now expect a much more specific approach driven by emotion. The complexity involved does not imply difficulty, but deserves consideration and targeted research to define the market profile, whether the item for sale is housing or a bottle of wine.

Video: Members of the tribe dance, drum, sing and reflect upon their new gathering space during the Suquamish Community House Opening on March 10, 2009. The new building, made of cedar and other native woods, includes 6,200 sf of performance space with traditional bench seating for 300 people, a staging room, lobby, full kitchen and restrooms.

Video: T. Frick, ASLA LEED® AP, Landscape Architect for the Taylor 28 residential block in Seattle discusses the project location, significance to the Blue Ring Strategy, and public-private design collaborative strategies.

Draft Washington state legislation developed to address serious challenges faced by local governments on three fronts: deteriorating or inadequate public infrastructure, dramatic changes in economic conditions and financial resources, and the reality of climate change and greenhouse gas regulations.

"High Point is a model community on both a human and environmental scale—not only locally but globally," says Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels. "High Point's energy-efficiency and green building features are in line with Seattle's climate goals." High Point, a 34-block, mixed-income HUD HOPE VI neighborhood redevelopment in West Seattle, is receiving global attention for its sustainable construction, environmental restoration and innovative master planning.