The Comfy workplace experience app allows employees to make immediate changes in temperature and lighting, and to book rooms.
Courtesy Comfy The Comfy workplace experience app allows employees to make immediate changes in temperature and lighting, and to book rooms.

This week, German technology and manufacturing conglomerate Siemens announced its plans to acquire Oakland, Calif.–based office controls application Comfy. The smartphone app allows users to control individual temperature and lighting conditions, track available conference room space, and to create individualized preference settings for offices. This is Siemens' third acquisition of a smart building startup in the last month. "These acquisitions are not just stand-alone investments to help us grow our business. It is really about expanding our smart building strategy," said Siemens building technologies president Dave Hopping in an interview with Forbes. "We want to be the leading smart building company in the world and we need companies like Comfy to succeed in that mission." [Forbes]

Sandia National Laboratories postdoctoral appointee Polina Vabishchevich, left; and senior scientist Igal Brener made a metamaterial that mixes two lasers to produce 11 colors ranging from the near infrared, through the colors of the rainbow, to ultraviolet.
Photo by Randy Montoya for Sandia National Laboratories Sandia National Laboratories postdoctoral appointee Polina Vabishchevich, left; and senior scientist Igal Brener made a metamaterial that mixes two lasers to produce 11 colors ranging from the near infrared, through the colors of the rainbow, to ultraviolet.

On Thursday, scientists at Albuquerque, N.M.–based Sandia National Laboratories unveiled a light mixer that can generate 11 colors simultaneously. In order to achieve this, researchers Polina Vabishchevich and Igal Brener created an optical mixer using a metamaterial made of gallium arsenide assembled in "tiny, repeating structures that interact with electromagnetic waves in ways conventional materials cannot," according to Sandia's press release. When combined with two laser pulses, the small device successfully creates the colors. [Sandia National Laboratories]

The Vista Residences, a $1 billion luxury skyscraper set to open in 2020 in Chicago, will include a first-of-its-kind amenity for Windy City condo owners: a car-share program of electric Tesla automobiles. [Multifamily Executive]

Exton, Pa.–based software company Bentley Systems announced that it has acquired Synchro Software, a 4D construction modeling platform for scheduling and project management. The company's 4D construction modeling incorporates variables such as humans, materials, and space for a reliable project delivery performance, and includes "CPM scheduling," according to Bentley. [ARCHITECT]

In the latest ArchitectChats podcast episode, chief building officials from Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Va., discuss e-permitting and single-day permitting evaluations to streamline code review for architects and builders. [ARCHITECT]

The U.S. Green Building Council has announced the winners of its 2017 LEED Homes Awards. The annual program recognizes both residential developers and projects, in a variety of categories, for their ability to utilize sustainable building practices. [Builder]