Design Matters

Thoughts of an Architect

A Message from The Firm

Our blog, Design Matters, is a place for our team to share our knowledge, community events, projects, resources, and opinions. It is a place for you to keep up with us and for us to hear from you. Thanks for reading!

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Your heating and cooling system should be inside your thermal envelope or you are wasting money

By harrisonburgarchitect | July 31, 2015 | architecture, Harrisonburg Architect

Your heating and cooling system should be inside your thermal envelope or you are wasting money. We often find the ...

The air Leakage in your home is making your home dirty

By harrisonburgarchitect | July 29, 2015 | architecture, Building Science

T air leakage in your home is making your home dirty. For many years a house that could "breath" or leak air ...

For those waiting on design solutions from us – we have our best team on it!

By harrisonburgarchitect | July 27, 2015 | architecture, Harrisonburg Architect

We start them young here at The Gaines Group. The advantage to these young workers is you just have to give them a ...

Green Term Defined: Fly Ash

By harrisonburgarchitect | July 27, 2015 | architecture, Harrisonburg Architect

Green Term Defined: Fly Ash Fly Ash is a fine, glass like powder recovered from the coal-burning process for ...

Harmony Square Dairy Queen – Project Update Part 1

By harrisonburgarchitect | July 24, 2015 | architecture, Building Science, Harrisonburg Architect, project update

Read our progress on the Harmony Square Dairy Queen here: Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 It is ...

An open letter to Mark Dorsey, New Executive Director and CEO of CSI

By harrisonburgarchitect | July 22, 2015 | architecture, Harrisonburg Architect

An open letter to Mark Dorsey, New Executive Director and CEO of CSI Dear Mark, Welcome to the Construction ...

Green Term Defined: Cellulose Insulation

By harrisonburgarchitect | July 20, 2015 | Building Science, Harrisonburg Architect

Green Term Defined: Cellulose Insulation Cellulose Insulation is a low-thermal-conductivity material use to ...

Little Changes At Home Can Reduce Your Environmental Footprint

By harrisonburgarchitect | July 15, 2015 | architecture, Harrisonburg Architect

Over the last 20 years, we have been making small changes around our house to reduce our environmental footprint. ...

Green Terms Defined: Grey Water System

By harrisonburgarchitect | July 13, 2015 | architecture, Building Science

Green Terms Defined: Grey Water System Wastewater from bathtubs, shower drains, sinks, washing machines, and ...

Architect on Vacation

By harrisonburgarchitect | July 8, 2015 | architecture

My girls decided to treat me to a day trip to celebrate my birthday. We visited Falling Water in Pennsylvania, which is only a 3 hour drive from our house (and I had never been before).