Generating electricity when the sun isn't shining has long been the Achilles' heel of the solar power industry, but a new solar project in the high Nevada desert aims to solve the dilemma by becoming the nation's first commercial solar power plant to use salt storage technology. Images courtesy of SolarReserve The 60-ft-dia, cast-in-place concrete central tower rises 538 ft above the desert floor. Image Courtesy of SolarReserve A 2-sq-mile ring of reflective mirrors focuses sunlight upon a massive receiver atop a concrete tower in the center to heat salt and generate steam. The $900-million project is being built by

Phoenix firms Orcutt|Winslow and Kitchell have been selected to design and construct a new patient tower at Chandler Regional Medical Center, located in Chandler, Ariz. Site work on the five-story inpatient tower is set to begin this month, with vertical construction slated to start by November 2012. Image courtesy Orcutt|Winslow The $125-million addition will house a new emergency department, along with operating rooms, a chapel and food service area. Image courtesy Orcutt|Winslow The new five-story building will add 96 patient rooms to the existing Chandler Regional Medical Center. With the addition of 96 new in-patient beds bringing the total number

The critics have called it "the bridge to nowhere." It has gone through over a decade of delays and setbacks. But the 1,722-ft-long, 295-ft-tall Galena Creek Bridge, one of the costliest, most controversial projects in Nevada's history, is finally nearing completion. Julie Duewel With the bridge approaching completion, the fill that enabled crews to erect falsework is now gone from the canyon. Julie Duewel Galena Creek Bridge is the centerpiece of an 8.5-mile Interstate 580 extension being constructed between Reno and the state capitol, Carson City. Related Links: Read this April 2007 story on Galena Creek Bridge from ENR Southwest's

A pedestrian-friendly corridor shaded by 170 low water use trees, this new streetscape enhances Chandler's downtown area.

Chandler has retained a distinctly suburban feel despite being part of the massive Phoenix metropolitan area.

Active in the Tucson, Ariz., market for more than 80 years, Sundt built this new, 47,000-sq-ft, LEED-Gold office building to showcase its talents as well as provide employee comfort.

Arizona's first LEED-Platinum public library is located at the entrance of a mountain park and is surrounded entirely by desert. "We found building in a very rural area that is nearly off the grid to be a real challenge," says Adam Sprenger, associate architect with DWL Architects + Planners in Phoenix.

Listed among the top 20 sports venues nationwide, this landmark's reinvention was a formidable assignment. The project team retained the magic of the historic facility while adding features that allow it to compete with other arenas.

Hampered by a river diversion that impeded flows, the Glendale Water Treatment Plant's water supply was modernized to ensure adequate and consistent water service to customers in Reno/Sparks, Nev.

This hospital expansion added 13 private patient rooms and converted 13 more to private from semi-private. Other additions included an easily identifiable hospital entrance and living room-like activity centers for families and teens.