by Charles Hendricks | Feb 12, 2012 | architecture, Harrisonburg Architect, Leadership
No matter what your goals, you can design a house around the way you live and for your site. This home has a jacuzzi on the roof to take advantage of the views and the way this client lived. While a house this specific to one person may have an issue with resale, if you are designing your dream home, why would you design it for someone else?
by Charles Hendricks | Feb 11, 2012 | architecture, Harrisonburg Architect, Leadership
Do you ever wish you could change things, create things, or make things? I spend everyday looking for solutions, learning about possibilities, and imagining new spaces. Being an architect is so much fun that I hesitate to call it work. I have spent many years learning to think like an architect. I have spent many years learning to communicate my ideas to clients. I have spent many years figuring out how to “hear” my clients wishes and transform them into a design. I love the process of creating solutions for design problems. There is nothing better than solving a design problem and creating a solution that everyone loves.
What drives you in your career?
by Charles Hendricks | Jan 18, 2012 | architecture, Harrisonburg Architect, Leadership
One of the best investments I have made so far in my career is getting involved with CSI. This organization allows you to meet experts across the country that want you to be successful. This organization has education opportunities that will set you apart from your peers. This organization, once you get involved, is full of people who you will be fortunate enough to call friends. Outside of the network of friends I have gained by being involved with CSI, I have also learned more in my 13 years through this organization than I have through any other organization.
Now is your chance to get involved with the organization by attending this seminar. Have you ever wondered how a project unfolds from concept to handing the keys? CDT is the program that walks you through all the steps from idea to contract to design to digging. This seminar will explain how you will set yourself apart from your peers by achieving this certification and will become a resource in the industry. I know from experience, I get calls and questions from others in the industry because I have CDT after my name. I know it will add value for you and your career goals as well.
FREE CSI Webinar: CDT
January 25, 2pm ET
In this FREE webinar, speaker Lee Orosco, FCSI, CCS, will advise exam candidates on the benefits of CSI’s Construction Document Technologist (CDT) certificate program,and how to successfully prepare for it!
The CDT 101 webinar is an opportunity for individuals to learn about the benefits of the CDT, and is designed to help advise CDT Exam candidates about the requirements and resources for successful exam preparation and study. Orosco will answer your questions and help you make the right decision about the CDT.
This webinar will be accompanied by a tweetchat on Twitter. Use hashtag #CSICertified during the webinar to chat with CSI members who have passed the CDT exam!
Learn more, or register now.
Not sure if the CDT is for you? Orosco is not the only CSI member available to talk to you about the exam. Right now, CSI members across the country are discussing the advantages of certification and helping candidates prepare for the test. You can expand your network and get advice someone who has taken an exam.
You’ll find CSI members:
- In a CSI Chapter near you: Look up a chapter that is offering a certification prep program and contact it directly. Don’t hesitate to ask for a mentor if there’s no prep program available – many chapters would be happy to introduce you to someone who has already successfully prepared for and passed the CDT exam.
- On Twitter: Follow CSI at www.twitter.com/CSIConstruction, and you’ll find CSI members across the country that are tweeting about certification.
- On Facebook: CSI member Vivian Volz, CSI, CCS, manages this Facebook page to give exam candidates a place to connect. Ask a question –certified CSI members will respond.
- On LinkedIn: CSI’s LinkedIn Group is loaded with CSI members who have passed an exam. Look up past discussions that focused on certification, or start a new thread!
- Blogging about certification: Several CSI members are blogging about certification in January and February – you’ll see them featured in CSI Weekly. Read their posts and leave comments for them. They’d love to talk to you:
David Stutzman, CSI, CCS: “What was my first project after graduating college with an architectural degree? A prominent design? No, measuring and documenting 65 existing buildings at Letterkenny Army Depot; calculating energy savings; estimating construction costs; and finally writing the project specifications using the Corps of Engineers master specs.” Read this blog.
Liz O’Sullivan, CSI, CCS, CCCA: “There’s SO MUCH to learn – all of us in the construction industry are constantly learning (or should be).Much of this knowledge can ONLY be gained through experience, but not all of it has to be.A really good way to learn about how your documents may be interpreted by the users is to prepare for a CSI certification exam, starting with the CDT (Construction Documents Technologist) exam.” Read this blog.
Eric Lussier, CSI, CDT: “It’s incredible to think that it has already been a year and a half since I attained my CDT and it is a decision I will never regret. I am much more comfortable reviewing contract documents and specifications and have a tremendous respect for each and every party that works on a project, no matter the role.”Read this blog.
John Guill, CSI, CCS, CCCA: “Self-confidence is one reason that jumps to the front.CSI certification exams are rigorous exercises of essential construction technology skills and terminology. Achieving certification means you have been successfully measured against industry standards of understanding and performance, a tremendous boost for confidence for you and proof to others that you know your work. Licensed professionals as well as those without other licenses will benefit from the knowledge and status that certification provides.”Read this blog.
Tara Imani, CSI: “I’m also a CSI CDT; meaning I took the time 111 years ago, to understand how a good legal set of contract documents are put together and administered. So, as you can tell, I have a lot of education but it’s all because I thought it was important to broaden my understanding of this complex industry at that time in my career; I didn’t do it to add initials after my name!” Read this blog.
CSI chapters and members want to help you succeed! Reach out to them for support! Find your local chapter.
Register now for a CSI Certification Exam or learn more about certification!
by Charles Hendricks | Dec 20, 2011 | Harrisonburg Architect, Leadership
We want to put things in a box and know the solution. We want answers and we want them to solve the problems in front of us. Keep the questions straight forward, don’t make it complicated, solve the problem. We treat our symptoms and don’t spend time thinking about the cause. We want control and too much detail makes the problem unattainable. There are many people who are working on understanding Building Science. Some come from the energy efficiency side of things and are looking at ways to save energy. Some are coming from a product performance side and want you to buy their solution because it works best. Some are coming from a service side and understand there are so many factors that the perfect solution is different in every case.
Building Science is complicated. Every action causes a reaction. We have to take a step back and look at the larger issues and not just do one thing or the other. I talk about making buildings air tight and vapor permeable all the time. This is a hard fact for our building climate. However, with this you have to do many other things or you are creating other problems. If the house is too tight, then you have air quality problems. If you seal the crawl space and don’t make it positive pressure you are probably causing humidity issues. If you build tight and don’t understand the larger discussion, you will not have a durable long-lasting solution. While I do applaud those getting into the discussion and welcome their thoughts – we need more energy here – don’t slam others that have been working on it just to prop yourself up as an expert. There is plenty of bad information out there, but if it is taken out of context it looks bad and then is discounted. You have to look at the larger picture with all the solutions – if in fact you want real solutions and not just a treatment for the symptom.
I am the first to admit that I don’t have all the answers. I feel like I have many of the questions at this point, but the answers still need to be found, discussed, and perhaps even invented.
by Charles Hendricks | Oct 28, 2011 | architecture, Harrisonburg Architect, Leadership
When you design a home it should be for people of any ability. You will not incorporate every aspect of universal design into every home, but you do the best you are able with every project. The idea of designing your home now for what might happen is difficult for most people to imagine. Universal Design is a concept that has been around for years, but has only gotten a little attention until recently. The limitation to the idea has been the misconception that you are designing a home for a disability. The reality is that Universal Design is not about disability, but rather the idea of designing homes for any ability. Who would not want a more convenient home? Who does not want to bend less, step less, or stretch less to accomplish our everyday tasks? Check out this builder’s checklist of principles of Universal Design for your home and see where you stack up. This is the most comprehensive list I have found anywhere.
