In the commercial building world, design is often overlooked from the performance side. The focus often goes to aesthetics and maximizing the built area while balancing the environmental impacts on the surrounding site(s). The indoor environmental quality and energy consumption of the building design is left out of the process. This is a huge mistake in this competitive new economy where every dollars spent is critical to the success of future tenants of your building.
One easy way to reduce energy usage in a commercial building is through the implementation of a transpired solar collector. A transpired solar collector is an air-preheating system. The sun hits a south facing (dark colored) vertical wall and gets hot. Tiny perforations in this exterior rainscreen panel allow the warm air to rise in a cavity that can then be incorporated into your heating strategy. In the cooling season this air collection system can bypass vents effectively creating a heat dump and reducing cooling loads in your facility.
A transpired solar collector is just one of many low cost solutions that can make your commercial development more competitive. A focus on daylighting, durability, and indoor environmental quality are also critical. While the first question a potential tenant asks is probably not about monthly energy consumption and durability, these are the answers you can provide that will set you project ahead of the competition.
A back deck is almost standard on a new home these days. There used to be one solution, pressure treated wood for most homes. Now there are countless options depending on your budget. So what is right for your deck project?
1. The economic answer is still pressure treated. However, as you probably already know, this requires regular maintenance to make it last and look good. Most clients that use pressure treated
understand that it is not going to last as long and will require maintenance. Most pressure treated is southern yellow pine – easy to find, mill, cut, and low cost. With routine maintenance this building product will have a long life. ($1-2 per linear foot)
2.Composite decking options are more expensive than pressure treated. Trex or Timbertech are two manufacturers, but there are also many others. Composite decking are extremely weather and stain resistant, and don’t splinter, warp, or rot. They make handrails, balusters, fascia, and decorative trim to match the decking product (be sure to price the entire package before making a selection as some of these railing systems are very pricey). This option is very ow maintenance and will not need to be stained or refinished. They will grow mold / mildew in shady, damp areas and some will show signs of decay. If your primary goal is budget then go with another option. If your primary goal is low maintenance, this may be the right option for your deck. ($3-4 per linear foot – the decking is a lot less than the railing systems)
3. Another option, also more expensive than pressure treated, is tropical wood. Ipe along with many other options, is extremely hard and very durable. They are heavy, hard to cut and drill, and are often special order items from the lumber yard. Most tropical woods will not accept a stain very well. You should apply some sort of UV-blocking preservative every few years to maximize performance of this material. When buying tropical wood, check with your lumber yard to ensure that you can get it certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. This will give you peace of mind that your deck was harvested in a legal and sustainable manner. ($4-5 per linear foot)
4. The longest lasting and more durable option (but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for) is pre-cast concrete plank or poured in place deck. This approach will give you plenty of finish options from stain to stamped. The decking done right will last for many generations and remain low maintenance. You will want to seal the concrete to prevent moisture being absorbed into the material, but this can be done with little effort every couple of years. ($10-15 per square foot)
5. My favorite option though is an at grade patio. If the design of your home allows for this option, it is the most cost-effective / longest lasting solution possible for outdoor hard surface space. There are many options and many pricing variations within the context of at grade patios – from pavers, to found stones, but all give a beautiful solution. The most important part of this approach from a design standpoint is that you have a direct connection, literally, to the land around your patio. This makes the backyard an easy extension of your living space. At least in my own experience, a raised deck creates a sense of separation that keeps you from going out in the yard on a regular basis. Not every home design or for that matter, building lot, will allow for this solution, but it is certainly my favorite when it is possible.
Charlottesville, VA – The Gaines Group, PLC is pleased to announce the addition of James Halstead, Jr. to our Charlottesville, VA design team. James brings 16 years of experience in Structural Engineering, along with extensive experience in project management and quality control. His work approach is known throughout the industry as being efficient, effective, responsive, and thoughtful.
James grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia and graduated from Piedmont College. His family, wife Lynn and daughter Kendall, live in Fluvanna County. James served on the Fluvanna County Planning Commission from 2008-2012, acting as Chairman in 2012. Before joining The Gaines Group, PLC, he worked for Moler and Associates, Consulting Structural Engineers, and The Earth Technology Group (EarthTech). Founding member of The Gaines Group, PLC, Raymond E. Gaines, FCSI, AIA, CCS says “adding James to our team brings even more depth and understanding to our already talented team. He has extensive knowledge of how we approach a project through our many team projects over the past 16 years. We believe he is going to add tremendously to the value we can deliver to our clients for many years to come.”
With a combined design experience of over 100 years, The Gaines Group, PLC is pleased to add James Halstead, Jr. to our team. The firm’s continued growth during difficult economic conditions can be attributed to a focus on sound design strategies that offer healthy, energy-efficient, and durable solutions for our clients. James’ brings a deep knowledge and understanding of fundamental structural design solutions and technologies that will further our ability to better serve our community.
About The Gaines Group, PLC
The Gaines Group, PLC is a Virginia based architecture firm with offices in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg. Established in 1987, the firm has a dedication to strong ideas, ecological stewardship, and client satisfaction. As an award winning residential and commercial building design firm, The Gaines Group, PLC has established a strong reputation of sophisticated design through addressing the specific needs and place for which a project is to be built. The firm’s work does not espouse any singular architectural style, but strives to find that which is unique and important within a given project and to express it architecturally. The firm offers a comprehensive range of integrated design services including architecture, LEED Consulting, Specification Consulting, Interior Design, Landscape planning, Master Planning, Site Planning, Graphic Design, and Marketing Design.
Cutting your water usage will save money, conserve water resources, and cut your energy usage. Implement these simple ideas to get started:
1. Check faucets and pipes for leaks. A small drip from a worn faucet washer can waste 20 gallons of water per day.
2. Check the toilet for leaks. Put a little food coloring in the toilet tank. If, without flushing, you see that color in the bowl, you need to repair the leak immediately.
3. Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucets. Look for a WaterSense labeled product.
4. Put a plastic bottle full of water in the toilet tank to reduce the amount of water per flush.
5. Insulate your hot water pipes to get hot water faster. This will reduce the time you have to wait and waste water.
6. Only run full loads in the dishwasher and clothes washer. Remember to air dry both dishes and clothing to further your energy savings.
7. Be a water Scrooge – take shorter showers, rinse your razor in the sink, and turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth.
8. Plant drought-resistant lawns, shrubs, and plants in your yard. Mulch flower beds, water in the early morning, and don’t water your grass – after all who likes mowing every week.
9. Capture rainwater for use in watering your plants, washing your car, and even filling the pool.
10. Use a drip irrigation system for your garden, keep the water close to the roots.
Read more about how you can conserve water and cut your energy bills here.
Harrisonburg Housing Today – This blog tracks the real estate market in the Central Shenandoah Valley, featuring market data and analysis, an exploration of common buying and selling questions, and candid commentary on all things real estate.
I love my burg an open love letter to Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Mama’s Minutia For the past several years, blogging has been my creative outlet of choice. I’m not always comfortable with this virtual reality business, but that hasn’t kept me from hitting the publish button, obviously.
New Community Project – Harrisonburg New Community Project-Harrisonburg is committed to the creation of sustainable systems that care for the earth, empower marginalized people, educate and inspire, and build the foundation for a nonviolent lifestyle. We work to create transformation at both the personal level and community level in three key areas that have the highest impact; food, transportation, and built environment.
Occupy Harrisonburg – Celebrate what works. Recognize what’s broken. Take Responsibility. Create Action. Repeat.
Old South High We live in a vibrant city full of interesting, intelligent people, and one, it appears, that is now underserved by existing media. We love this city, and that is why we started oldsouthhigh.com. We hope it will enlighten, surprise, empower and entertain. We commit ourselves to authenticity, honesty and fairness – but not objectivity. We have opinions. We have a stake in this city. We want this blog to celebrate, to challenge, and to be of relevance to everyone who loves this city.
Swac Girl Blog As SWAC Girl (an acronym for Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County), I have been a photo-blogger in the Virginia political blogosphere since 2006, currently as a contributor for Virginia Politics On Demand (VPOD) and formerly for the Washington Examiner and Bearing Drift. As a home school leader in the SWAC area, I spent 16 years educating my children at home and helping families exploring education options. I’ve been active in conservative politics and Republican leadership since 1999, and currently serve as a trustee for the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia, appointed by Governor Bob McDonnell, and for the Augusta County Library Board. A native of Chesterfield County, the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia is one of the most beautiful places to call home.
Tim Reamer Blog – Delivered once per month, no sales– only market reports, tips, and articles related to Harrisonburg commercial real estate. Nearly 1,000 in the Shenandoah Valley have already signed up.
Universal Design Partners – Blogging about Universal Design and accessibility issues, observations, and solutions.
Give us some background on your company. What do you do and why do you do it?
Ivy Tools supplies instruments to test and diagnose issues of building performance. These tools enable contractors, inspectors, energy auditors, HVAC technicians, and homeowners to answer tough questions about a building. Maybe it’s, “Why is this room so uncomfortable?”, or “How can I reduce my utility bills?”, or “Where is that persistent leak coming from?”. Building science has come a long way in understanding how a building and its systems interact to provide a space that is healthy, comfortable, and sustainable. At the same time, advances in technology have made it possible to scientifically quantify the condition of a building’s systems in a cost-effective manner, in many cases even as the building is being constructed. These developments are changing the way we build, and changing it for the better. Why do I do it? That part is probably obvious already–I do it because I love it. Building performance is just our little piece of a larger puzzle. From great design to building heath and comfort, the built environment shapes much of our lives, and I believe doing it well is important.
Do you have an ideal client? If so, what do they look like?
Someone who needs to answer a question about a building performance issue, and needs the diagnostic means to do so, makes a good client for Ivy Tools. We are happy to provide our time and experience to help customers solve issues such as air leakage, moisture intrusion, duct performance, or energy usage. And of course we’re happy to provide any needed diagnostic instruments as well!
What is your favorite success story in the past few years?
Wow, it’s hard to choose just one. We love to see problems solved, or questions answered. That’s what good diagnostics is all about. Choosing a real world, day-to-day example, I recently received a call from a water restoration contractor who was working in a large commercial office space that had been flooded to a depth of about four inches. He was already using one of our moisture meters, a Delmhorst BD-2100. But the enormity of the job meant he needed to quickly locate and address the walls that had absorbed the most water. I suggested using a thermal camera to find the moisture patterns and locate the most affected areas. Since a thermal camera views heat patterns, and since wet walls absorb and release heat at a different rate than dry walls, it’s a great choice to quickly locate the worst water damage. The contractor was able to visualize the most critical areas and balance his remediation efforts accordingly. The building owner and insurance adjuster were impressed with the scientific approach to evaluating the problem, and happy that they didn’t need to completely gut the building. The contractor called me a week later to thanks us and report that the thermal camera had paid for itself in just that one job.
Favorite place to spend a Saturday afternoon?
Hiking with the family would probably top the list. Favorite spots include the High Knob fire tower on the West Virginia border, and Hogcamp Branch in Shenandoah National Park. A close second to hiking would have to be working on an old British car. My children all learned their fractions from handing me the right wrench while I’m under a car. I’m currently restoring a 1965 Triumph TR4.
What is your favorite book?
That would have to be A World Lost, by Wendell Berry. It’s a novel about being rooted in place and time, and understanding community and our place in it. I try to read it every couple of years, usually in the summer since that’s when the book takes place. To name a favorite from within our industry, it’s hard to beat Residential Energy, by John Krigger and Chris Dorsi. It’s the standard text on understanding the house as a system, and introduced me and many others to both the theories and best practices of home performance. Did I really just choose a textbook as a favorite book?
Cutting your water usage will save money, conserve water resources, and cut your energy usage. Implement these simple ideas to get started:
Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucets. Look for a WaterSense labeled product.
Use a drip irrigation system for your garden, keep the water close to the roots.
