Earlier this week, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill mandating the state to power 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025, and 60 percent by 2030. The ambitious goals would then put the state on a path toward relying entirely on zero-carbon electricity—obtained from sources such as hydropower, wind, and solar—by 2045. [Time]

SmartFlower, a flower-shaped solar system by Boston-based SmartFlower Solar is hitting the commercial market, priced at just under $25,000. The fully integrated, all-in-one system tracks the sun's path throughout the day and keeps its 12 solar panel petals at a perpendicular angle to the sun's rays, using a GPS-based, dual-axis tracker. According to the company, SmartFlower is 40 percent more efficient in producing energy than traditional solar panels. The system can also be integrated with an external electric vehicle charging station. [SmartFlower Solar]

Courtesy UNStudio

This week, Amsterdam-based architectural practice UNStudio unveiled a proposal for modular, sustainable Hyperloop hubs at the first-ever HyperSummit held in Utrecht, Netherlands, hosted by Dutch transit company Hardt Hyperloop. Designed to blend into the surrounding architecture and typography, the hubs will accommodate both super-high-speed networks and regional transportation, and could feature amenities such as luggage checks, bike docks, daycare facilities, and indoor parks. UNStudio proposes powering these hubs with solar-generated electricity to limit pollutant emissions and the environmental impact of the hubs. [ARCHITECT]

Courtesy Vectorworks

Columbia, Md.–based software developer Vectorworks has released its 2019 eponymous design and BIM software. The latest version includes streamlined workflows, 3D site model sculpting, and an expanded BIM object library. Vectorworks Architect 2019 starts at $1,066 for users upgrading from the 2018 edition, while new licenses start at $3,045. Upgrades for Vectorworks Designer 2019 start at $1,381 and new licenses will go for $3,945. [ARCHITECT]

WeWork Fulton Center Commons in New York City
Courtesy WeWork WeWork Fulton Center Commons in New York City

Nearly two months after launching its first retail space, New York–based WeWork is on the verge of selling its first software product. On Wednesday, the company announced that it is acquiring Teem, a Salt Lake City–based workplace software startup. The acquisition, worth approximately $100 million, will mark WeWork's fourth acquisition of the year, and expands the company's range of services to include office management. [WeWork]

The Frank Gehry, FAIA–designed Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles will become a canvas for Refik Anadol's kaleidoscopic installation later this month. Anadol, a Los Angeles–based artist, will use 42 projectors to cast colorful shapes and patterns onto the building's metallic exterior. The patterns are the artist's reinterpretation of a series of images, videos, and audios from the philharmonic's archives, transformed into data points. The show, celebrating the start of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s new season, starts on Sept. 28 and will conclude on Oct. 6. [New York Times]

Industrial air conditioning and ventilation units on a Tokyo skyscraper.
Photo by Tupungato courtesy Adobe Stock Industrial air conditioning and ventilation units on a Tokyo skyscraper.

In our latest Mind & Matter column, Blaine Brownell, AIA, explores emerging technologies for cooling buildings while limiting their impact on climate change. [ARCHITECT]

Courtesy Kinestral Technologies Depending on daytime temperature and brightness, Halio begins darkening within 15 seconds and reaches its ultimate tint in under three minutes.

Hayward, Calif.–based Kinestral Technologies announced on Wednesday that its Halio Smart-Tinting Glass will be integrated into Menlo Park, Calif.–based tech and construction company Katerra's smart homes and buildings. This partnership will introduce and integrate Halio to Katerra's building management system and will eventually reduce costs associated with the product's manufacturing and sales for Kinestral's partners and customers. [ARCHITECT]