How architects can better manage the risk associated with California’s increased code requirements

Although the pandemic has had the greatest impact on humanity in quite some time, in the building industry, we were already facing numerous challenges before the quarantine started. 2020 has also been a year for some rather stringent code changes in both residential and nonresidential construction, particularly in California. With new code requirements, including the … Continue reading How architects can better manage the risk associated with California’s increased code requirements →

The 2 questions every builder needs to be asking to drive real innovation

Lloyd Alter, writing for Treehugger: According to Jacob Atalla of KB Home, “The best way to predict the future is to make it.” So he and others in the building industry often build model concept homes to test out ideas. Michele Lerner of the Washington Post talks to a few people in the industry to … Continue reading The 2 questions every builder needs to be asking to drive real innovation →

What are the trends that will impact high performance residential construction in the US in 2014?

Hammer and Hand is a Portland, Oregon-based contractor specializing in high performance residential construction. Sam Hagerman, Skylar Swinford and Dan Whitmore, three of the green building experts at Hammer and Hand, put together their predictions for high performance residential construction in 2014. The entire article is worth the read. Here is a summary: Focus will … Continue reading What are the trends that will impact high performance residential construction in the US in 2014? →

Understanding the Risks of Sustainable Design – Liability Protection in California

The San Diego chapter of the American Institute of Architects recently presented a lunchtime continuing education session by Bruce M. Bergman and Eric Miersma. The theme of the presentation was how design professionals can manage their risk and liability when seeking new work. I was fortunate to attend the event and below are some of … Continue reading Understanding the Risks of Sustainable Design – Liability Protection in California →

Introduction to the Passive House standard by Houzz

The content marketing team at Houzz put together a great overview of one of the hot buzzwords in the built environment these days: Passive House. Here is an overview: Unlike LEED, the Passive House standard does not require that you use natural or recycled materials. Certification is based on energy performance alone. Not only do … Continue reading Introduction to the Passive House standard by Houzz →