Connection to the outdoors has become a topic that I talk about regularly with my clients, my students, and other architects. More often then not, a client comes to you with a site. There is something about that site that they love, and it is our challenge as architects to listen, understand, and encompass that design feature.A large part of sustainable design is connecting with nature and using what you have on the site to create a better project. I was reminded of that last week as my students did their final presentations in their sustainable design class. I picked a challenging site where they had to decide to keep the existing building, or tear it down and start new. The view to the ocean was on the north facade, which is an extreme challenge for sustainable buildings. It was important for me to remind them that sustainable buildings must also be lived in, and it will be very difficult to convince a client to turn their backs on the view for increased energy performance in their home. Maybe i'm waxing nostalgic as the semester comes to an end, but I love to think that I get as much from my students every semester as I give them. I learn new things, I learn new ways to research, and I become a better architect as they learn to become architects themselves.In the first single family home that I designed, I spent hours with google sketch up, photos of the site, and a layout to figure out exactly where each window went. Every window capitalizes on the view, the style of the home, the correct proportions, and a maximized energy efficiency per the clients budget. If I had to do it over again today I would change the type of insulation, but I would change very little about the geometry of the house. Learning to take advantage of what the site has to offer is one of the most rewarding parts of a project. Not every house fits in every location, but houses that become one with the landscape allow clients to take full advantage of the site. Living in Maine this is a particular challenge. Maine is known as the "Vacation State" and for a lot of good reasons. We have the ocean, the mountains, and the lake. If you are a winter person and love skiing, you may find yourself in a chalet on the side of one of our ski mountains. If you love the ocean, you may find yourself on one of Maine's unspoiled coastlines, and if you love the lake, there are plenty to choose from. But what happens when you're on the wrong side of the lake, the wind is freezing as it whips across the surface in the "it's still winter" season. That is the architects challenge, to blend the home to the landscape, use what is there to our advantage, and block the unwanted site characteristics.Every design project should start with the site, and end with a beautiful home that both uses the landscape, and blends in. Farmers for years have been using technology that we consider "new and exciting". They used the landscape for what they had, their houses faced South to absorb the sunlight during the daytime hours, and if you lived in New England, the barn connected to the house so you didn't have to brave the tough winter weather to feed and care for your animals. Sure, today we don't cut wood from the back 40 acres and keep our homes warm with a fireplace (or we shouldn't) but that doesn't mean we shouldn't still use that pond for micro-hydro or the south facing sun to heat our home without a heating system. Technology is changing, and so is the way we use our sites, but the basic principles are still the same.So ask yourself: Before I select this plan from a book and hire a contractor to build it, should I consider contacting an Architect to help me through the process? Can they help me situate the building on the site, review the plan for functionality, and give me a better project? I know that people perceive Architects as being expensive, or something that only wealthy people can afford. Can you afford not to spend the extra 10% on the biggest investment you are likely to make?
Seeing Your Space in 3D
Creating a 3D model can make all the difference to a client who is having difficulty understanding what the space really looks like. As architects were are trained to see in 3D what we are drawing in 2D, so we sometimes forget that you, the client, were not taught those skills. I often create 3D models for my clients to see during the Schematic Design and Design Development phases of their projects.Understanding the actual space that you are going to be living in can really help you to have a successful project when construction is complete. You can realize when spaces are too large and you are trying to fill them with furniture, and sometimes when spaces are too small and you are trying to program too many things into a smaller space.Architects use 3D modeling to communicate design ideas and challenges to clients. There are a variety of different ways to show a 3D model from walking around in the space to creating an animation or looking around while not moving. It depends what information you are trying to convey to a client the amount of detail you include. This is a start to what will eventually be a series of interior elevations for a client to understand their space. The more information you add to a model, the longer it takes to move around and render the space. As the design progresses, adding more colors, texture, and furniture will really help the client to visualize the space. It can also be used when determining ideas for interior design like what colors to paint the walls, where the furniture should be laid out, or if you have enough room for that soaking tub in the corner.Overall, 3D modeling helps to create better projects.
Zoning - Some Things You Should Be Aware Of!
The last few blog posts I have written have been about energy, so today I wanted to write a little bit about architecture. One of the most challenging things about architecture is zoning. Contrary to popular belief, you can not simply do whatever you want to do on your own property. This has come to light in a few different situations recently.Many towns have zoning regulations. The town where I live has some of the strictest regulations for the agriculture resource protection zone. It does not allow individuals to build homes on their property unless they are associated with a farming operation and they make more then 50% of their income from said farm. We have discovered, by looking into this issue, that our comprehensive zoning contradicts itself. It both states that it is preserved for farming, and also preserved for future land development. But I digress, the real issue here is, you can't build a home in the agriculture district because the city is trying to prevent sprawl with zoning.I ran into another issue recently where someone I know wanted to start a business at their home. They went to the city to register their business only to be told that it was not an allowable use in their zoning district. In order to operate their business from home they would need to have the zoning changed, or apply for a special exception. Seems easy, but the city does not have any intentions of changing the zoning in that area after the 2010 comprehensive study was done projecting the next 20 years. And although this one instance may be a good idea, opening the zoning to the potential for others to do this same type of business anywhere in the city that has this zoning may not be a good use change and is unlikely to happen.So before you go to buy that house you love, make sure you check the zoning for things you think you might want to do in the future. Or before you build that house you love, make sure the zoning allows you to do what you want with the property. Or before you buy that piece of property in the agriculture zone that is cheap and has a great low tax rate, consider the fact that you will not be able to put your home wherever you want on your property.These are things that hiring an architect to lead you through a project can help you to understand. So if you are considering a project, make sure you also consider hiring a professional to help guide you through the process, because it's going to be more complicated then you imagined!
How The Energy Efficient Mortgage Works
Although I was already aware that the Energy Efficient Mortgage was a difficult process, I recently discovered it's even more difficult for homeowners to understand. So here is a run down, in the simplest terms, from the viewpoint of the HERS Rater, on how the process works.The homeowner needs to first hire a HERS RaterThe HERS (Home Energy Rating System) Rater will come to the home to evaluate the property for potential energy upgrades. This is not an energy audit, it's a HERS Rating with an EEM.The HERS Rater will then provided the homeowner, or several contractors, with a list of measures that might qualify for the EEM. Unlike all of the literature floating around on Energy Efficient Mortgages, not all things will qualify for the EEM on every house. The list of measures needs to have positive savings over the lifetime of the loan. Measures have to have a net positive savings, even if each individual measure is not positive.When the HERS Rater receives the quotes from the contractor(s) the they will run the measures through the energy modeling software, one measure at a time, to determine the monthly savings for each measure. They then add the measures and the cost to the EEM spreadsheet. This is repeated over and over until there is a list of measures, that costs less then the loan value you are able to borrow under the EEM and has a positive savings. For some homeowners, there may be several scenarios to choose from and they can decide, with the help of the Rater, which package they would like to do. Other homes may be limited to one scenario based on the savings provided by the measures that need to be done.It is possible, that even after all of this work, that your property may not qualify for the EEM funding. It can be a long process, but it can also be a rewarding process if you are able to make the EEM financing work, and save you money in your home. Having a more comfortable home will make living there much more rewarding.
5 Best Reasons Why You Should Have An Energy Audit
At the home show this weekend I had a homeowner ask me to explain why they should have an energy audit done on their home. Because I have been practicing this for so long, I realized I had forgotten that not everyone knows the benefits of having a home energy evaluation. So here is my list of the five reasons why every homeowner should have an energy audit done on their home.Save Money! Building improvements are complicated and can cost a lot of money. Most people do not know which improvements will save them the most money. An energy audit will provide you with the information you need to safely update your home and start saving money. Typically an audit will include a prioritized list of improvements so you can pick away at them over time. Rarely do I find a homeowner who is able to address all the energy saving measures for their home all at once.Be More Comfortable In Your Home! Occupant comfort level is attributed to several factors: Air Temperature, Relative Humidity, Moving Air, and Radiant Temperature. We expect thermal comfort in our homes. Heating and cooling of our homes requires 30%-70% of our annual energy consumption. Having a qualified professional tell you how to maintain a higher level of comfort in your home could save you tons of money! Replacing those old windows might not make your home less drafty. So let someone tell you where that draft is coming from, or why the floor is so cold.It Isn’t As Simple As Adding Extra Insulation! Unfortunately, adding more insulation may not solve the issues you have in your home, and this could cost you a significant amount of money. Just knowing that the code requirements does not mean that you or your contractor understand how each type of insulation will perform in every application. To prevent mold, moisture, and condensation in a wall surface, an experienced auditor will make recommendations for insulation types to be used in each space.Moisture Is Your Biggest Enemy! Creating the tightest, well insulated, home is a great achievement. However, now you have trapped moisture within the home and you must provide ventilation to maintain good indoor air quality. Having an energy audit done helps to evaluate moisture issues before the installation of energy saving measures, as well as, recommend solutions to provide proper indoor air quality after construction has occurred.Safety First! Like all good ideas, improving the efficiency of your home can come with consequences as well. Tightening a home can cause a standard heating system to back draft. It can also trap excess moisture within the home. Providing a full evaluation on a home includes an exterior inspection, interior inspection, diagnostic tests on air infiltration, heating systems, and distribution systems. Taking into account how all of these parts work together makes for a safe and comfortable environment. Your house is a system of parts, each part dependant on another. Changing one thing can also affect many other components of your home.So, before you decide to make any improvements to your home, have an energy evaluation done. It can save you time, money, and provide a safe environment for you and your family.
Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks!
While I was teaching the last couple of days, several issues came up and one of them was fiberglass insulation. I tell my students at the beginning of the semester that I hate fiberglass insulation and very rarely use it, but that’s not really fair or true. Used in the right context, fiberglass insulation can be just fine. However, I find all too often that fiberglass is used in the wrong way. It really is not great as wall or attic insulation and it’s often found in basement ceilings where it’s installed up side down. So I thought it would be good to discuss when and where to use fiberglass insulation, and why it doesn’t work in all locations.First, fiberglass insulation works by trapping the air in between the fiberglass fibers. So fiberglass insulation is really only effective when there is absolutely no air movement where it is installed. Air movement through the insulation removes those trapped pockets of air and essentially makes it a filter. And no matter how tight you build a building, you are still going to have air leakage in some areas. That’s why; when you pull it out of the box sill in your basement it looks black. That’s just the air infiltration from the box sill being filtered through your insulation and making it useless, since it is no longer trapping air pockets within its web of fibers.The box sill or band joist, is often one of the leakiest locations in a home, and therefore one of the worst places to install fiberglass insulation. Fiberglass insulation rarely works well in the wall cavity because your siding breathes and tongue and grove wall surfaces are not airtight. Wall cavities can also be open to the box sill below. If you follow the principle that hot air rises, then that air is always going to be traveling up through your wall cavities, taking warm air with it, and cooling off the sheetrock on the inside. It also performs poorly in the attic due to wind washing. Wind washing is the effect that happens when the air enters your attic through your soffit venting and blows through the insulation. Contractors install proper vents to try to direct the air above the insulation. But I have been in many homes that have improperly sized or installed proper vents, or none at all. Not installing the proper vents and insulation dam causes the wind to be pulled through the fiberglass insulation, again releasing the trapped air molecules in the fiberglass and making the insulation less effective.If you have a heating system, plumbing, or laundry in your basement then the insulation does not belong in your basement ceiling. People argue with me all the time that they do that just to make the floors warmer; well that’s not a good enough reason. You’ll be thanking me when you don’t have frozen pipes and the excess heat from your boiler can rise to the floors above. If you have any of the things I mentioned in your basement then the thermal boundary of your space is the wall. If you have rubble stone or granite the best wall insulation is spray foam. If you have smooth concrete then the best insulation is rigid insulation. If you live in Maine the rigid insulation needs to be Thermax insulation approved by the Maine State Fire Marshal’s office for use without covering. Otherwise, you have to cover your rigid insulation with a 15 minute thermal barrier – which is 1/2” Sheetrock or ¾” OSB. You are also required to cover your spray foam insulation with a thermal barrier that any spray foam installer can spray on as part of the insulation process.But I digress, we were talking about fiberglass, and why it seems to always be installed in the wrong place or the wrong way. The Kraft paper side of the fiberglass always needs to be to the warm side of the structure. So in Maine, it needs to face to the inside. Fiberglass is only as good as it is installed. The Kraft paper should be face stapled to the studs, not side stapled which compresses the insulation. The fiberglass insulation should be cut and fit around electrical wiring so that it is not compressed behind the wire. And it needs to fit fully into the cavity, touching both sides of the studs, as well as, the top and bottom. All too often insulation is installed by the lowest paid guy on the job site. It’s one of the most critical pieces to get right, but it’s nasty work and therefore done by the new guy. In basements, the Kraft paper side needs to be up against the warm floor above, not stapled to the floor joists below– I know this is easier to install, but it’s putting the vapor barrier on the wrong side. And in the North East we strap our ceilings, which makes fiberglass insulation the worst type of insulation to use in your attic. The ¾” strapping leaves a ¾” gap between the ceiling sheetrock and the insulation above allowing air to carry the heat away from the sheetrock without the protection of the insulation. That moving air also reduces the effectiveness of the insulation above. So make sure that your insulation is in full contact with your sheetrock ceiling. The proper way to solve this problem without adding a lot of extra expense is to pick up your fiberglass insulation, blow in 3 inches of cellulose, cut the vapor barrier on your existing fiberglass insulation and lay it back down on top of the cellulose. If you need more insulation to meet the code minimum, blow an additional couple of inches of cellulose over the top of your fiberglass insulation to make a fiberglass sandwich. The density of the cellulose minimizes the airflow through the insulation and makes the fiberglass more effective.Where would I use fiberglass? Well it makes a great sound barrier, so I would use it around the master bedroom and around bathrooms to reduce noise levels. I would also use fiberglass insulation in conjunction with rigid insulation in basements if you were going to finish a basement, because it does not hold water, and basements can be moist. It has its place, in a completely sealed envelope it can add a lot of r-value to a system, but it needs to be installed correctly and in the right location.
The Truth About Windows
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve met with homeowners only to hear that they had replaced all their windows with energy efficient windows and they just couldn’t understand why they weren’t saving any money. The truth is, every window manufacturer wants you to believe that putting more energy efficient windows in your home is going to save you tons of money. Well it’s not! You can argue with me all you want, but if you have ever heard Charlie Wing talk about single pane windows you would know that you aren’t getting all the information you need to make an educated decision on upgrading the windows in your home. So let’s talk a little bit about why upgrading the windows in your home is one of the last things on my list of energy improvement recommendations. First things first, they are expensive. Rarely does a window replacement pay for itself before the end of the useful life of the window, which is often 20-25 years! If you haven’t read my previous blog post about R-value I suggest you do that now before you continue with this article.Windows are just one part of a system that we call the “envelope” of your home. The envelope consists of walls, windows, doors, roof, and some type of flooring in the way of dirt, concrete, rock, or other foundation material. According to the US Department of Energy, 14% of energy is going through the envelop of buildings.Like every architect, I know the value of a well-placed window that provides scale, dimension, light, and style to a building. All human beings crave light, and want to be able to see out from their homes. But replacing the double pane windows you have in your home isn’t going to save you the most money, even if they were installed more then 20 year ago. The hardest thing about energy improvements is that the stuff that makes the biggest difference is always the stuff you can’t see.There are two types of heat loss. Air transported heat loss (how drafty your house is) and surface transported heat loss (how well insulated your house is). Windows actually fall into both categories. Homeowners often tell me they want to replace their windows because they are drafty or old. Well it may not be the window itself that is drafty, but the way it is installed. The biggest difference most homeowners see with a window replacement is in the installation. Contractors are now caulking around the windows, reducing airflow, and creating a much tighter building envelope. We no longer stuff fiberglass around the shims in windows because we know it just filters the air coming in, it doesn’t stop it. Old single pane windows with counter weights are just large open channels for exterior air to enter the home. So if you have windows with counter weights it’s in your best interest to replace them. If the window has failed and has condensation inside, it’s best to replace it. But if you have double hung windows, in decent shape, upgrading to newer windows should be the last item on your list of home improvements.The standard double pane window has an R-value of 2. Some of the best, readily available, windows on the market have an R-value of 5. This is excluding windows specifically made for passive house applications, which can have higher R-values, but also have much higher price tags. Windows are typically listed in U-value. U-value is the inverse of R-value and for the purpose of the example below we are going to use Maine. Maine is located in Zone 6, in the current 2009 Energy Code, adopted most places. The current requirement for new construction windows is U-0.35 or R- 2.9, hardly higher then the R-2 windows you currently have in your home, because they just don’t make glass you can see out of that has high insulating properties…yet.Let’s look at an example. If I were to replace one 3’ x 5’ window, a fairly common size window, what would be the results? Let’s say the original window was a standard R-2 double pane window and I have decided to replace it with a new triple pane R-5 window. Just for reference the basic heat loss equation I used was (Area X Heating Degree Days X U-value X 24 hours a day). Without getting into heating degree days and what a British thermal unit (Btu) is, the information I got out of the calculation was that it would use 9.97 gallons of oil to heat the existing window in Mid-coast Maine for 1 year. It would use 3.98 gallons of oil to heat the new window for 1 year. And if you decided instead to upgrade your attic hatch, using the equivalent 15 square feet, to an R-49, it would use 0.38 gallons of oil per year. At an average of $3.50 per gallon that would be $35 for the exiting window, $4 for the new window, or $1.34 for the attic hatch. And you wonder why I throw in attic hatch? Well I bet, just like mine, yours doesn’t have any insulation, is not air sealed, and is either a piece of plywood or sheetrock painted to look the same color as the rest of the ceiling and costing you $35 per year to keep warm instead of $1.34!The other reason I mention it is because, most homeowners, even handy ones, are going to pay someone to install a window just to make sure it’s done correctly and opens/closes as it is supposed to. However, pretty much any handy homeowner can cut a piece of rigid insulation, glue it to the back side of an attic hatch, throw on a piece of weather stripping and instantly have a better performing attic hatch for a fraction of the cost! Sure, replacing the window saved you $31 dollars. But the window cost you $500 to buy, and probably another $50-100 to install, at $31 dollars per year it’s going to take you 19 years to pay it off. At $33 for a sheet of 2” rigid insulation your attic hatch pays for itself in less then one year.Any good energy professional is going to tell you to do all your air sealing tasks first, because they save the most money, and they cost the least to implement. And pretty much any homeowner can operate a caulking gun and a tube of caulk. If you find your windows are drafty, buy a tube of caulking and caulk every joint and seam you see around your window and trim. You can also consider putting foam seals on the bottom of your window to produce a tighter seal. Or consider adjusting or replacing the locks on your windows. It does make a big difference whether or not you lock you windows, so don’t just close them this winter, make sure they are locked! Once you’ve done all your air sealing and insulation projects, then its time talk about windows, and heating systems.
Light Bulbs – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
It’s now January 3, 2014 and people are avidly buying up all of the incandescent bulbs on the market because the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 “The Light Bulb Law” said that by January 1, 2014 incandescent bulbs needed to produce the same lumen output at 27% less wattage. Large manufacturers like GE gave up on the development of more efficient incandescent technology and moved on to more efficient CFL and LED technology instead, effectively phasing out incandescent light bulbs. Having not used an incandescent bulb in my home for over 7 years, I’m somewhat partial to the idea that these energy hogs will be gone! So let’s talk about some of the issues surrounding the phase out of incandescent bulbs.MERCURY:Yes, mercury is present in CFL bulbs, and although they have tried, they have not yet found a way to make them without mercury. Exposure to mercury can be dangerous, so please use care when handling CFL bulbs. Remove bulbs from the socket by the base, and never twist the glass. If you do break a bulb, immediately ventilate the space, refrain from vacuuming as that causes the mercury to become airborne, and collect all the debris and pieces of the bulb. It is best to put them into a sealed glass jar, as mercury can escape through plastic. For the average individual, breaking a CFL bulb is no more hazardous than eating tuna, however, refraining from using CFL’s could be causing an even bigger issue. According to the 2010 report from the EPA the US produces 103 metric tons of mercury each year. More then half of this mercury is produced by coal fired power plants. If every CFL bulb produced that year ended up broken in the landfill it would produce less then 0.1% of all of the mercury produced. Airborne mercury is the leading pollutant to water sources and the leading cause of the higher levels of mercury in our aquatic life. Most exposure of mercury is through eating fish. 15% of global power is from lighting, so if CFL’s reduce consumption by 2/3rds that would make a huge impact on the power generation at coal fired power plants. By using a CFL for the same number of hours in the lifetime of an incandescent bulb and including the mercury content in a CFL bulb, each CFL bulb would produce 70% less mercury than an incandescent bulb. And since exposure for most individuals is through fish, which is from airborne mercury, which is from coal fired power plants, which produce 99.9% more mercury then CFL bulbs, it still makes sense to use them, with careful handling.WHY DO MY BULBS NOT LAST:You get what you pay for! People complained that CFL bulbs are so much more expensive and don’t last as long as they claim. Demand has caused the price to go down over the years and more manufacturers to produce them, but it is still very important to know what you are getting. Buy Energy Star products. This is valuable in the lighting industry because Energy Star requires products to go through vigorous testing and actually meet the performance ratings that they specify on their packaging. It’s not just one of those brand name labeling system that you pay more for, it’s actually a reliable independent testing organization that makes products really perform as they say. That being said, not every bulb belongs in every application. Lighting is getting more complicated and it’s necessary to read the packaging to see which applications are best for which bulbs. For example: CFL’s don’t perform well in cold conditions and are often not recommended for exterior use. LED’s should not be used in enclosed fixtures because they cannot dissipate the heat, and both LED and CFL technology need specific dimmers to work properly. Halogen light bulbs require higher heat levels to produce the same amount of light and can be fire hazards. And your standard incandescent light bulb uses 90% of its energy on heat because of the way it produces light. So read the packaging, and ask for professional advice if you’re still not sure.CFL’S DON’T PRODUCE THE SAME LIGHTCFL’s have been on the market long enough to work out some of their issues. They are now dimmable, if you buy the right bulb and dimmer, and they come in a variety of color temperatures. It is simply a matter of selecting the right bulb, for the right location, for the right application. CFL’s also get a bad wrap because they have to “warm up”. Each CFL has a ballast attached to the bulb or the fixture which either turns it on slowly – which increases the lifespan of the bulb, or turns it on instantly, which would be less noticeable to the individual but shortens the life of the bulb. Let me be more clear, if you are leaving the room for less then 15 minutes it often makes more sense to leave the CFL bulb on.HOW DO I SELECT THE RIGHT BULB:The packaging industry has changed and now shows the lumens produced (amount of light) by each type of bulb and then provides the wattage rating. Select the correct lumen output for the activity and then select the lowest wattage bulb to save the most energy. Also take into consideration color temperature. This is important for how people perceive the light that is being produced. 2700K is considered warm white and puts off the nice yellowish glow that is similar to incandescent bulbs. So when people see light that is 3000K, which is a whiter light, they often mistake it for brighter light, which may not be true as that bulb may be putting out the same number of lumens. When CFL bulbs also come in higher kelven temperature ranges which can appear bright white or slightly blue which is considered daylight equivalent. Several box stores and lighting stores will show you the different color renderings and help you to decipher which color would be best suited for which activities.DIMMINGBy dimming incandescent light bulbs it cuts the electric current that flows to the bulb, since that is not noticeable from the human eye we perceive it as dimming, when in effect, the light bulb is turning on and off producing lower light levels. That same technology does not work for LED bulbs and CFL bulbs so you cannot simply replace a bulb on an existing dimmer switch. Instead, you notice strobing, or that the bulb simply just turns off. They do make dimmers for CFL bulbs and requires buying dimmable bulbs. It will say directly on the packaging whether it is dimmable. However, dimming CFL’s still is not fully comparable to the incandescent fixtures and are likely to just turn off at 20% light level. A more viable dimming option is LED’s. However, since LED’s also produce lower wattage, using the correct dimmer with the LED bulbs will be critical. They now make Omni-directional bulbs as well as LED PAR lamps and MR16 LED equivalent lamps, which are great for recessed lighting and spotlights. LED’s also do not produce the same light spectrum and significantly less heat which make them ideal for exterior lighting because they do not need to “warm up” and they do not attract bugs.HALOGENS ARE THE REPLACEMENTS FOR INCANDESCENTSThis has to be one of my biggest issues with the phase out of incandescent bulbs. It is true that halogen bulbs produce light at 75% of the incandescent bulb with an equivalent light output. You can get a 60watt bulb that uses 53 watts as per the requirements of the Energy Independence and Security Act. However, halogen bulbs produce a significant amount of extra heat to produce the same light levels. They are a fire and a burn hazard. That does not mean they should not be used, but they should not be considered a replacement for incandescent bulbs. They still use 53 watts which is 40 watts more then the equivalent CFL and 43 watts more then the equivalent LED and they don’t last any longer then a typical incandescent.So what I encourage you to do is research. Like all things, the more information you have the more satisfied you will be with your choices. Select the right bulb and the right control for all of your lighting needs. And please consider recycling. I don’t want to undervalue the fact that sending the CFL bulbs to the landfill still produces mercury in the air or ground. Please be responsible, recycle, research, and ask for guidance when you need it!
How To Keep The Momentum Going On Your Design Project
When doing a building project, momentum is key to a successful project. Clients show up at the first few meetings with bright eyes and lofty dreams, but who drives the project after the newness has worn off and you are bogged down by the details of the project? This is a discussion that I have had with fellow architects, clients, and marketing professionals in the last month and I thought it merited discussion.When a project first starts, the architect needs to lead the momentum. One of the biggest reasons that projects fail is poor project management. After the first meeting, the architect should propose a time and an outcome for the next meeting prior to leaving the first meeting. Give the client a schedule of events. Unless the client has built a home or designed a project before, they have no idea what to expect. The architect should ask for a project budget and a timeframe. Then they should backtrack from the end date to create a preliminary schedule. Before leaving the first meeting let the client know “I’m going to provide you with (XYZ), does it work for your schedule to call you or meet with you on (X) day at (X) time to discuss”. This establishes a next meeting and requires that the client sets aside time to continue the discussion of their project. It starts the momentum from the very first meeting, lets the client know that the architect is organized and reliable, keeps the client on track, and lets them know what the next expectation is.Now that you have made it through the first five meetings, because I’ve been told that five is the number of contacts necessary to get a client to “buy in”, you are underway on the project. It is at that point that the client and architect are now both responsible for maintaining the momentum. The second reason that projects fail is due to the client or the architect having lost track of what the problem was that needs to be solved. When an architect gives the client homework, and they don’t do it, it backlogs the project. It pushes back the timeframe and increases the budget because now the architect has to have more meetings to maintain the process. I also feel that it is important to give the client no more then three decisions at a time. Clients can get distracted by all the choices available and have difficulty staying on one course. This is the point at which projects can derail, as the architect or owner has lost sight of the problem that needed to be solved. Many studies have been done on how people make decisions, and it is clear that the client needs to maintain the goal in mind in order to get through the process and arrive at a solution to their project. Although the information age give us endless possibilities, if an architect provides a client with endless design solutions the momentum of the project can be lost very quickly. There is always some other way to do it, so providing the client with fewer options based on an architects professional opinion will keep the project moving forward and help keep the focus on the problem that needs to be solved.Clients often have no idea what the architect is doing or how much time they spend researching, planning, designing, or discussing the project with fellow colleagues, city staff, regulatory boards, and other jurisdiction requirements. It is important to know that they are going to spend far more hours dedicated to a client’s project, on things that clients typically don’t get involved with, but are necessary to successful projects. So when an architect asks the client to do a little homework, please do it before the next meeting, or call the architect and let them know that something came up. Reschedule the meeting for a time when the homework is complete and everyone is ready to discuss the project. These steps are necessary to maintain momentum. If the client requests weekly meetings, make sure there is something to discuss at each of these meetings, solutions that move the project forward. If the architect feels that weekly meetings are unnecessary, explain why to prevent micro management of a project that slows down and delays the work, it is up to the architect to manage the process and provide enough information at each meeting to instill confidence in the client. The client does not know how to evaluate an architect’s ability. So with all clients educate first and design second. It’s hard to know what people don’t know, once you already know it. Clients who have done a lot of research will appreciate the architect’s opinions on the subject. Clients who have not done a lot of research will appreciate the information that is necessary to make their project truly successful. I firmly believe there is no such thing as too much education, but there can be too much information. So it is the architect’s responsibility to listen to the client and keep their goals in mind.It can be very difficult as the architect to both listen and teach. There is a fine line between explaining your project and listening to the client’s response. Answering questions and writing down answers or questions from the client all while explaining a design process or thought can be tricky. If the architect works as a team, it is often beneficial to include a team member during the discussions that takes notes and can provide an alternate viewpoint when necessary. However, in residential design, the budget may not be able to afford the extra cost.Maintaining the momentum during the project often happens through contact with the client, a simple reminder of what is going on, and providing them with valuable information. People often worry about “bothering” their clients, or clients “bothering” their architect. If you are going to make contact, just make sure you are providing valuable information, then the client, or architect, will be happy to receive your correspondence and feel like the project is important and a priority. In many ways a design project is like a relationship. The better the communication, the better the project.So as a client, if you are getting ready to design a new project, keep in mind that it is a two-way relationship with the architect to maintain the momentum of a project and complete it on time. If you are an architect, it’s important to remember that you are not only the architect, but also the project manager, and maybe the technician who has to complete the work. Create enough time to do all of them, explain to the client how long it takes, and what the process is. By educating the client everyone will be happier and a successful project will emerge.
What is R-value?
I want to talk about windows, insulation, and envelop upgrades but I think the fundamentals of R-value should be discussed first. It will help in understanding how all the parts go together when one understands the importance of R-value.R-value, is the measurement of thermal resistance used in the building and construction industry. It is also the inverse of U-value. Heat is transferred through conduction, convection and radiation. If your eyes just crossed remembering your high school science days, you’re not alone. This is one of the basics that I teach at the beginning of my building science class, and I repeat at the beginning of my sustainable design class. Let’s discuss what they mean for you, the homeowner.For most people, R-value is often seen on bags of insulation. It can be found for other building materials such as wood studs, drywall, siding etc, but is not often displayed on the packaging. U-value, thermal transmittance, is usually observed on windows and doors. If you have looked at windows, you have seen the U-value listed because it is required as part of the building industry standards. You may not have known what it meant at the time, but that little number is very important. And contrary to everything else you have ever learned, the smaller the number, the better the window! It is also good to know that U-value is the inverse of R-value. For example, if a window has a U-value of 0.30, its R-value is 3.3. It’s easier to compare the performance of building components when they are listed in the same format. For comparison, the current IECC 2009 for the Northeast requires walls to have a minimum R-value of R-21. So if you look at the window with an R-3.3, and then at the wall with an R-21, you’ll see that the window is a fairly poor performing part of your building envelop. But I digress; there will be more articles all about windows in the future.R-value gives the building professional an idea the materials ability to resist heat flow. It also works in the opposite direction with the heat entering your home in the summer or primarily cooling climate locations. Every state has a building code, and each building code has a minimum level of R-value necessary to meet the states requirements. In some places in the country they also have additional requirements that have higher performance levels then code. Again, this is a reason why you can’t afford not to hire an architect, and more specifically, one that knows a lot about energy efficiency.For an energy professional, R-value can translate directly into how many Btu’s your home will use. A Btu (British Thermal Unit) is the amount of energy needed to raise one pound of water one degree F. For building professionals it is the rate at which your home loses heat through the surface (walls, windows, roof, doors) and through air changes (how drafty your home is) The higher the R-value the lower the surface transported heat loss. The building professional will take the R-value, include the air transported heat loss, and tell you approximately how many Btu’s your homes heating system will need to produce to keep you warm this winter.From here it gets complicated. The air transported heat loss can have an effect on how well the R-value of certain building products perform. The tighter the house becomes the harder it is for standard atmospheric heating systems to work. But the more efficient your home is, the less it will cost you to live in and operate. So the next time you’re concerned about insulation, drafts, and R-value think about hiring an energy professional to help you out, because replacing your windows isn’t the best place to start.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire An Architect
Building, buying, or renovating is one of the single most expensive purchases you will spend money on in your lifetime. Shouldn’t you expect to pay more for something that great? It is a very common misconception that architects are expensive. So what are you paying for when you hire an architect? Experience.What does experience cost? In the beginning the American Institute of Architects (AIA) required that architects all charged the same amount. They felt that this would keep people from undercutting the market and offering the same services for free or less money. The AIA however was accused of violating federal antitrust laws, which promote vigorous and fair competition, and provide consumers with the best combination of price and quality. Therefore, architects are now discouraged from discussing fee structure and job costs.Yet you, as an owner, buyer, or builder still want to know what the cost of hiring an architect will be. Typically fees could include a percentage of the cost of construction, or an hourly wage with a set amount of hours and a maximum cost not to exceed, or an hourly rate with no cap. It varies by architect, by location, by experience, and by type of project.One of the very first questions an architect will ask you is “what is your budget?” So take a look at your budget, see what you could afford as a monthly fee, roll that into the next 12 months, and start designing your project. You could also apply for a construction loan and pay the fees of your architect out of your loan. The simple best way to discover the cost of hiring an architect is to do your research and interview a couple of architects that fit your needs based on the issues I discussed in my previous blog post.Although there is always a deal out there, in general, you get what you pay for. In lowest bidder work you are provided with a bid for the least amount of work possible to complete the work, not a dime more, and when there is any confusion, they ask for more money. Let’s be honest, you can only do so much for so much money. If you buy a $100 laptop, you should expect it to be a $100 laptop, not a $2000 MacBook Pro with the latest in graphics cards and the fastest processor on the market. The same concept applies to the built environment.If the contractor tells you that they can build you a house without an architect, that may be true, but when you want to move the bathroom from the left to the right, or you decide to move the garage height up four feet, are they going to be taking into consideration the proportions of the building. A professional designed even those plans that you pick out of a magazine and took into consideration the proportions that make it look and feel correct. But is same building perfect for every situation? We don’t think so, so why should you? Even the ancient Romans knew about building the right geometry, facing the right direction, taking advantage of the natural pattern of the light, the wind, or the flow of water.Building a takes a long time, planning for it should take even longer. There are a million decisions that need to be made when designing a project. Everything from what can you afford, size, program, light, heat, even what color will you paint the walls. It is a process that needs to be managed every step of the way to maintain schedule, cost, and finished product. Do you have the time to manage your project full time? So many of my clients become overwhelmed with the details and lost in the weeds. So ask yourself, “Can I Afford Not To Hire An Architect?”Until we meet again, Happy Holidays!Emily Mottram, AIAOwner, Mottram Architecture
How do I choose what Architect is best for my situation?
Alright, so you have decided you want to hire an architect, or at least you have considered the possibility enough to do a little research. Now you want to know how you are supposed to decide on an architect, when you don’t know anything about architecture, which is why you need to hire an architect! Whew…First things first, how do you find an architect to work with? I have a few recommendations, first, ask all of your friends and acquaintances if they have worked with an architect, know an architect, or can recommend one. Word of mouth is the single best way to find someone you are willing to trust with a project as personal as designing your home, building, or space. If your friends are unable to provide you a name or two go on to your local chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Or simply Google: Architect, your location, and whatever you want to build.How will you know if they can meet your needs and give you everything you want? Maybe you have done some research and you have found, as is often the case, that several architects in your location build beautiful homes or buildings and have great pictures on their website. Maybe some are your style, maybe others are not, but now you are confused because if all architects design beautiful spaces how do you know which one is right for you?Maybe selecting an architect should be like selecting a puppy. Before you get a puppy you do research, you find out what type you want based on how they look, what exercise requirements they have, what certain personality traits are common with that breed, what size they are or will grow to be, how far away are the located to go pick one out, and then when you finally get there you pick the one the grabs your attention. Maybe it’s the cutest one, maybe it’s the quiet one that plays by itself, or maybe it’s the spunky one that shows off and is very friendly.Similar to selecting a puppy, selecting an architect that will meet your specific needs is based on a lot of different factors. That doesn’t mean that every architect is for you, or that you can work with every architect. So here are the key points you need to know and consider when selecting an architect to work with.
- Research – just like buying a puppy, the more research, the better the outcome will be. If you are looking to build or remodel a house, try looking for architects that specialize in residential design. All architects specialize in something, here at Mottram Architecture we specialize in residential structures that emphasize energy efficiency. All architects are not good at all things, so steer away from the architect who is trying to be all things to all customers.
- Look at the work the architect has done, just because they aren’t showing that mid century modern home you want doesn’t mean they can’t provide it for you, it just might mean that other clients didn’t want that. But you’re selecting an architect who is going to best suit your needs, so you want them to be able to adapt to your style. If you notice that the architect seems to only do hospitals, and you want to design a home, then they may not be the architect for you.
- Find out what are the requirements for working with the architect. Do they bill monthly, or at the end of the project? Are their fees fixed? What kind of contract will they require you to sign? Do they do renovations, or only new construction? Do they work primarily your area? Some of this information will be available on their website, but giving a call to the office will often gain you the information you need. If you are not sure what questions to ask, have the architect explain to you what working with them will look like.
- Ask for referrals. Working with anyone can be a challenge, so ask previous clients what their experience was working with the architect. Ask how the project went and if the architect was quick with responding to questions. Does someone answer the phone when you call, or did you have to talk to the automated system? Did they finish the project on time and on budget? Did they follow the project all the way through from design through completion or did they hand the project off to the contractor after design and permitting.
- And lastly, set up a meeting to introduce yourself to the architect and ask who will be part of the team. Your personality and theirs need to be compatible so you know that you can work together. You will be sharing some very personal information with your architect, so be sure to select someone you feel comfortable with.
Everyone is worried that the architect only wants to design some showpiece and charge a lot of money. This is a very big misconception. Architects are trained to understand space. We spend years developing the skills necessary to provide as much as possible in the least amount of space and make it work so well that you never know how complicated it was to get that last closet in between the bathroom and the kitchen. Architects are often able to find space in your layout or your budget that you never thought of, but you need to know that the architect you hire can meet your needs. Be willing and open to listen to their suggestions, because sometimes they do know better, but be upfront in stating what your budget, timeframe, and expectations are.If you hire the right architect, at the end of the project you’ll be rewarded with a truly beautiful space that they created with you. We like to leave our clients with a sense of “place”. A feeling that the spaces they created not only function, but enhance their lives, allowing them to do the things that matter most to them.If you’re still not sure about hiring an architect, tune back in over the next couple weeks where we will elaborate more on working with an architect.Until then, happy planning!Emily Mottram, AIAPrincipal, Mottram Architecture
Let's talk about your attic hatch!
I love teaching and talking to homeowners about their homes. Attic hatches seem to be one of those items in a home that people want to forget is even there. When I go out to do an energy evaluation I can't tell you how many people have told me they have never been up there through that hole in the ceiling! That's fine, not everyone is handy, and let's face it, no one really likes to play in the insulation in the attic, some of us just do it to fuel our curiosity!So, my first question is - Does your attic hatch look something like this?
If it does I'm sure you'll be happy to know, and i'm embarrassed to say, this is mine. But I digress, let's talk about why this little 2ft by 2ft hole in your ceiling is so important. Some of you with knowledge in the building industry might say that the standards set for attic hatches by the building industry revolve around firefighters being able to get into the attic with their gear on. I don't know about you, but every firefighter that I know says they are just going to put a hole in the ceiling - they don't have time to worry about the hatch and the size that it is. Others might have said - it's for the electrician to get into the attic and fix wiring or run new light fixtures. You wouldn't be wrong about that either. And there might even be some of you out there that had no idea what it was for. That's fine too! But let's talk about why am I telling you about it.From an energy standpoint - that little 2ft by 2ft hole in your ceiling can use more then 15% of your total heat loss through the ceiling of your home. We have always been told that heat rises and that 15% doesn't even take into account the air that flows through the hatch, it's just talking about the lack of insulation in this 4 square feet. What does that mean you ask. Well I love to teach my students this example when we are doing heat loss calculations, but i'll break it down for this post.Let's say you did an attic renovation for a home that is 1300SF and you have a 4ft attic hatch with no insulation it would look something like this:Since I live in Maine we will use oil:1296 SF with R-49 attic insulation would use 38 gallons of oil. At $3.24 per gallon that's $123 dollar, but that 4 square feet uses 6 gallons and $19 dollars. Less than 1% of the ceiling area uses more then 15% of the energy consumption. Maybe $20 per year doesn't seem like that much to you, but this doesn't even take into account that the little 4ft square on the ceiling also acts like a chimney, allowing heated air to escape to your attic and you have to heat the air that came in to replace the heated air that just went out!So what should you do about it? First thing - bring the insulation level on the hatch up to R-49 by attaching rigid board insulation directly to the hatch. Then install weather stripping, a handle, and hook and eyes to securely close the hatch on the weatherstripping. I know, sounds simple, and it is. Below is a little drawing that I put together that you can follow or have one of your contractors put together for you.As heating season draws nearer and cooler every day, happy weatherizing, here is to a more comfortable, more energy efficient home for years to come!
Heating Season Again
As of September 15th it's heating season again. If you live in New England, or more specifically, Maine, then you know that means it's time to fill your tank with Fuel Oil again. It's a sad reality for me, that Natural Gas lines are less then .25 miles down the street, but just out of my reach. Our street was paved last year, and city ordinances require that you can not rip up the pavement for a certain number of years.I knew the city was going to pave our street, so prior to paving, I reached out to the natural gas company in our area. I was told that I would need to petition my neighbors and convince several of them on our street to switch to natural gas. If you are a homeowner or building owner, you know that replacing your heating system is a costly upgrade and very few people are willing to do so. Sure i'm an Energy Consultant and I could have run the numbers for all of my neighbors on the savings and payback for moving to natural gas - but let's be honest, who has that kind of time!So instead I leave you with a few nuggets of wisdom that I use when I do all of my residential energy audits.1. Have an Energy Audit done on your home. A great energy auditor is trained to understand your home as a system and figure out where air leaks are coming from and what the best solution for your individual home is. Even homes built from the exact same plans will be totally different, so make sure you hire the right energy auditor, that will give you an assessment on your unique home.2. Air sealing is the cheapest and nets you the most savings for the dollars you put in. Everyone has heard the term "hot air rises" so start in your attic - seal around anything that protrudes through your ceiling and into your attic space. Grab a tube of caulking and a can of 1-part spray foam from your local hardware store and make that first adventure into your attic. Air sealing isn't rocket science - but be very careful to stand on the joists and not fall through the ceiling. If you're not agile, or willing to climb around in your attic on a saturday afternoon there are plenty of hungry contractors out there willing to do the job!3. Add insulation - adding insulation to your attic is the best place to start because it is usually easy to get to. If you haven't done the air sealing mentioned in number 2, don't even bother with the insulation - you'll just be wasting your money.3. After you've done all the insulation and air sealing - then consider upgrading your heating system. You ask - why do I leave this for last - I have an old heating system and it will save me the money I need to add the air sealing and insulation. Well that might be true, but once you add the air sealing and insulation, your heating system will be oversized and you'll lose money from short cycling.So this heating season - as the leaves begin to fall and we start thinking about winter again - keep in mind - that a good energy audit can tell you a lot about your home, and save you money all year long.
Place Based Planning
I was reading an article the other night in "Susquehanna Style" called Charting New Urbanim by M. Diane McCormick. The article goes into detail about Walden PA and it's choice to create what they are calling "new urbanism". New urbanism is dedicated to community building and design that inspires interaction. The streets are lined with trees, there is business on the first level and apartments in the upper levels. The entire area is designed around human scale and interaction.It made me start thinking about place based planning. I sit on the planning board of my local town and a few months ago, maybe even last year, we had a consultant come in and talk to us about place based planning. Our zoning ordinances are all based around what you can and can't do in a zoning district. It however, lacks the mobilization of ideas that create places that people want to be in. We don't stop the one story convience store from building next to the three story business building which creates an uneven facade along the street and an uncomfortable space for people to walk and hang out. In our town we have a hotel in a sea of parking across the street from our high density downtown district which essentially cuts the two areas off from each other. Homeowners who chose to live in Walden called it "Williamsburg in central Pennsylvania". So we ask ourselves, why do we like Williamsburg? What makes it special? Why are some of our favorite cities and spaces to be in, the most uniquely rigid in design.Being from Maine I think about Freeport. The first time you visit, thinking about all the luxuries of shopping at LL Bean, you'll be surprised by the McDonalds which is housed in a period style home. You'll note, that even the expansion shops, have meandering corridors and residential scale. We like the feeling of scale, it makes us want to hang out in the space and return once again, and for Freeport, that means shopping and revenue.As Architects, Designers, Engineers, or even everyday people, we will never agree on what is the correct design ideal. Look at the Le Corbusier's and Frank Lloyd Wright's of the world who tried to create urban utopias, however, isn't it something we should consider? The argument during our planning board was, how can we discourage development when we are asking people who need 1 story buildings to build 3 story buildings to meet our place based scale requirements. But what we are forgetting, is that it may turn away some business, but it will become such a popular space to be, that other business will surely follow. The example in Walden being a perfect representative by proving that building 75 units over a business district sold out in record time.It harkens back to the movement of our generation that is coming full circle with our grandparents generation. Spending more time with one parent raising the children instead of working (albeit may not be the wife that stays home). Or growing our own food and concentrating on organic farming. There is a whole generation who wants to revert back to a simpler way of life, where we don't all work 90 hours a week and we say hi to our neighbors when we walk down the street.It was a reminder to me, as an Architect, how important it is to listen to what our clients are asking us for. To remember to created spaces that make them feel good, at a proper scale. Bigger isn't always better. Being everything to everyone isn't nearly as good as being something to someone. To remember to take a stand and people will value what you are offering, even if it turns away others. I'd love to hope that we could create place based planning in the future. Not everywhere needs to be Williamsburg or Freeport, but doesn't everywhere deserve to have a vibe or personality?
