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.
This home for a lifetime is being built by the home owner. It has to be the cleanest and most professional looking job site I have ever visited. The details are coming together and the finishes have started being installed. You can now see the design coming together. For past posts about this project click here and here.
The exterior of the home is intended to blend with the landscape. The earth tone colors compliment the architecture of the existing site while providing a clean modern aesthetic for the home. The tower at the entrance was used to mark the entry as the driveway comes to the side of the home. It also provides a great space inside the home that feels like you are in a tree house rising up into the canopy on the building site. Further, this architectural feature can be used as a solar chimney pulling warm air out from the lower levels of the house and exhausting them to the outside.
This custom kitchen has lots of light. We were able to build in great storage in the pantry and lower cabinets to eliminate some of the wall cabinets. This not only reduced the kitchen cabinet budget but also allowed us to design full height windows in this space. The amount of light in the kitchen really does make the space feel warm and inviting.
The earth tone colors continue inside the home bringing the holistic design strategy together. Stained trim is used to tie together room to room, while three panel doors give the home instant character. Low walls are used around the stair to allow in light, but also to keep a clean aesthetic that does not contain a lot of clutter.
The master bath tile and fixtures is designed for absolute luxury while also providing for a home that will last a lifetime. The shower is a no step space that will allow for any ability. Doors are kept wide, faucets have levers, and the walls all have a plywood backing to allow for future grab bars as needed.
Happy Earth Day – it is time to celebrate! On this anniversary of Earth Day, the movement has become a global phenomenon.
Progress has been made towards protecting our environment. According to the EPA, the aggregate emissions of six major air pollutants have dropped more than 60% since 1980. In 1972 only about 1/3 of the water in the U.S. was considered safe for swimming or fishing, now 2/3 of all water is considered safe. Tens of billions of dollars have been spent since 1980 to clean up hazardous waste sites.
There is still work to be done. In the 1970s environmental harm was easy to identify and it had bi-partisan support to address. Now, environmental issues are considered by many a partisan issue. It is difficult to identify pollutants and those doing lasting damage have a huge influence over those making the rules. So what can you do to protect the earth? Does Earth Day matter?
I would say Earth Day matters only in that it brings awareness to issues that need to be addressed. We have earth day celebrations that include discussions about climate change, alternative energy, pipelines, and energy efficiency. We hold clean-up events to pull trash out of our streams and creeks and along our roadways. So what are some ideas to celebrate Earth Day that moves beyond simply recycling?
1. Plant a tree – pick a tree and plant it. It will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cleanse pollution from the air, reduces erosion, and provides homes for animals.
2. Educate yourself on ways to reduce energy usage in your home or business.
3. Stop using disposable plastic water bottles. Think of it this way, bottled water production in the U.S. used the energy (barrels of oil) equivalent of the fuel needed to run 1.5 million cars for a year. Then 75% of those bottles get sent to a landfill instead of being recycled.
4. Shop local shops selling local products. It is good for the economy and for the environment. For every product that is created locally and sold locally, you are saving energy that would have to be invested in transportation.
5. Support businesses that are doing things to protect the environment. It is difficult to survive in business regardless of your industry. If a business is doing their part to create environmentally sensitive solutions they have taken a stand and should be supported by those with similar beliefs. Find the companies that are caring for creation and give them a high-five – virtually of course – by writing a positive review for them on a social media platform. Your endorsement does more for them than you could ever know.
6. Ride a bike or walk instead of driving to your next meeting. I love having an office downtown so I can walk to many of my meetings. Reducing the miles driven on a daily basis is certainly an easy way to care for creation.
7. Set up a compost bin. This pays dividends in reducing the amount of trash you produce each week or virtually eliminating what you send down the drain to the sewage treatment plant from the kitchen sink. It also will help you build a locally sourced food production center – a garden.
9. Spread the good word about solar. The industry is growing quickly but there is still a lot of bad information out there about solar. Having the people who are using solar PV talk about it is a great way to get over the hump to further the alternative energy industry in our area. Tell your story – need a platform – let me know. I am glad to share your story on my blog.
10. Spread the message – share your ideas with others about the importance of caring for Creation. Taking care of our planet is fundamental for taking care of each other. If we don’t all join into the effort, it will be that much harder to make the positive changes needed for a vibrant and sustainable future.
Wow, what a weekend! The weather was perfect and the success of the show could be seen on the faces of all those in attendance. Here are some image from the three day event. Thanks everyone for making it so much fun!
Construction Specifications are the cornerstone of the project design. In most cases they override the project drawings in the event of conflicting information. The purpose of the construction specifications is to define the requirements regarding materials, products, installation and quality aspects pertaining to the execution of the work and contract. There are multiple types of specifications – performance, prescriptive, and proprietary. None of these are a simple list of product selections as many in the industry claim as their specifications.
A performance specification is a document that tells the contractor what the final installed product must be capable of doing. The concept behind this type of specification is for the architect to tell the contractor what they need and the contractor to determine the best way to get there.
A prescriptive specification explains the project through detailed materials that the contractor must use and the means to installing those materials. This approach gives the architect more control over the execution of the project.
A proprietary specification is used when you want a specific product type for a particular installation. This approach should be used when there is a specific piece of equipment or material needed to meet a particular requirement.
When you are building in commercial construction, specifications are very common. However, in green residential it should also be a mandatory part of the design process!
Project Update: Goose Creek Apartments Fishersville
Progress continues at Goose Creek Apartments in Fishersville, Virginia. This apartment community features incredible views, durable materials, and all the amenities you have come to expect in luxury apartments.
The Goose Creek apartment community includes a clubhouse that has a movie theater, work spaces, and entertainment room. There are garages available for residents that need a little storage or want to protect their cars from the weather.
This $32 million multi-family community is adjacent to the Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences and across the street from the Augusta Health Medical Facility. There are 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units, a multi-purpose sports field, nature trail, fitness center, and pool with splash pad.
