Remember to include the fun elements when you are building a new home. Don’t just focus on the functional elements for daily life. Include things that you enjoy doing from sports to crafts, from reading to bird watching, from watching tv to working out.
I get asked all the time, what type of architecture do you design? It is not an easy question to answer as we do a large variety of project types. My short answer is usually something like – healthy, energy-efficient, and durable buildings for a variety of clients. The truth is I don’t have a short answer. Our design work stretches across all building types, townhouses, custom homes of all budgets, apartment communities, warehouses, dentist offices, office buildings, shopping centers, playhouses, ramps, renovations, camp buildings, schools, restaurants, churches, car washes, barns….
Here are some current projects that are in the works or just finished:
We have a lot of great projects and I am thankful for each. The diversity of types makes like hectic at times, but keeps everyday fresh. Right now in design I have two restaurants, two home renovations, one pending energy audit, 1 custom home, 1 shopping center renovation, a camp project with multiple buildings, another camp that is building everything new, a feasibility study for a new office, and a historic renovation project.
An electronic device that is similar to a thermostat and is essential for understanding your home’s moisture levels. A humidistat is an electronic device that measures the relative humidity in a space.
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. Relative humidity is the ratio of moisture in the air to the maximum amount of moisture that air can hold, which varies depending on the air temperature.
Thinking of building a new home? The first step is to decide if you want to pay a professional to do the design work or if you can get the best value from a magazine plan or drafter. Here are some articles I have written that makes the case for hiring a professional over the other options.
What an architect sees: properly installed flashing and house wrap to provide appropriate water protection for the home for years to come
What a normal person sees: a wall with windows
What an architect sees: a stormwater filtration system that will prolong the life of the membrane roof and provide habitat for insects
What a normal person sees: a grass roof
What an architect sees: a barrier solution that provides movement and interest through the use of light and shadow
What a normal person sees: a porch rail
What an architect sees: an innovative wall construction solution that is durable and efficient
What a normal person sees: a wall
What a normal person sees: a building site
What an architect sees: potential for a creative, innovative, energy-efficient, healthy, and durable design that will last a lifetime and provide opportunities for many family celebrations, enjoyment, and life long comfort. Give us a call and we will share our vision for your design project.
Air Changes per Hour (ACH) is the measure how many times the air within a defined space is replaced. This measure is determined by how the house / building allows for air to be pulled in or pushed out. It is important to have the right ACH to keep the indoor-air-quality healthy and your energy bills low.
There are many places for air leakage that negatively impacts the right ACH for a home / building. The key is to stop the unwanted leaks from happening and only use the designed ventilation system for air changes. The goal is to make the home / building as air tight as possible rather than allowing it to “not be too tight.” This approach allows you to protect indoor-air-quality, reduce energy bills, and maintain the right ACH for your particular space.
The only way to determine your ACH is through using a blower door test. The 2012 building code that is used in Virginia has a requirement to measure the ACH for both commercial and residential construction. In Virginia, you can do a visual air leakage test for residential construction (this is not possible), but for commercial you have to do the blower door test on all new construction.
