Checking out the Capitol Hill Art Walk this week? Swing by the HyBrid_space and explore the latest installation from Seattle Design Nerds (seattledesignnerds.com), dubbed "Eavesdrop"
https://www.facebook.com/hybridspace/
Here's a link to some of the Seattle Design Nerds previous work, including one we're fond of titled AR.Sandbox:
Amazing to see the ongoing success of Rural Studio's $20k house program. It's based on a simple concept: house folks who need it.
Check out a recent article in the Houston Chronicle about the program's recent work.
A fantastic interview over at Metropolis Magazine with Alejandro Aravena on his curatorial position for the Venice Architecture Biennale and the impact architects can have at both global and local levels.
Even subtleties like sound can have a big impact on how we experience a space. Don't think so? Just try comparing the two different door sounds in this article.
Are the underpinnings of big box stores and sustainability antithetical? Whole Foods Market is at least attempting to combine them. They'll join a growing number of retail chains that utilize their often vast rooftop real estate for generating photovoltaic power.
If you live in the Cortez, Colorado area, stay tuned for the next public meeting about the Land Use Code update process, likely in April. We are on the citizen's advisory committee and encourage all of you to bring any planning and zoning ideas or issues up at a public meeting. Hope to see you there.
http://www.cityofcortez.com/index.aspx?NID=478
Mark your calendar! The 2016 Northwest Green Home Tour will be taking place Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1. Building on last year's success, the tour will again be two days so that you can see more homes all around the Seattle and Puget Sound region. It's not too early to get involved...
In case you missed it, here are the previous two rounds:
Round 1: Green Building Advisor Sounds Off! (may need a paid subscription to view this page)
Round 2: 475 High Performance Building Supply Answers Back!
Now we've (unofficially) entered Round 3: Building Science Corporation Enters the Ring. Unofficial because BSC doesn't directly address the previous two posters. The timing of their publishing the article, however, and the fact that they were directly cited by the original Green Building Advisor article (referencing BSC founder Joe Lstiburek) suggest this piece is intended to be a contribution to the discussion.
So who won the debate? Well, the rest of us did: all of us designers, builders and green building advocates. We now have a rich discussion citing several scientific studies and years of field observations on the oft-misunderstood topic of controlling water vapor using some of the newest, "smart" products available.
We believe that the design and construction fields are entering a renaissance. The steadily increasing knowledge of building science, our ability to accurately simulate building performance, emerging manufacturing technologies like 3D printing, a greater cultural awareness of design in general, and the steadily increasing realization that we have to act now to slow climate change are some of the factors driving a ground swell of evolution that will change the way we see and create the built environment. Rock on!
Some places are getting serious about cutting building energy use already: http://passivehouseplus.ie/news/government/dublin-local-authority-makes-passive-house-mandatory-in-historic-vote.html
More and more designers and institutions are focusing on the factors driving this renaissance, and how we adapt and share technology in a practical, sustainable and ethical way: http://pillarssustainableeducation.org/uncategorized/building-for-people-human-centered-design-with-local-materials/
An amusing, tongue-in-cheek spin on an important topic by the US Department of Energy. Is that Paris Hilton checking the evaporative condenser?
Check out 475 Building Supply's rebuttal to GBA's issue with unvented assemblies below. While I think more long term data from more situations would help confirm the modeling, I'd say 475 handily takes this round of the debate with a well substantiated case for smart membranes.
https://foursevenfive.com/greenbuildingadvisor-smart-membranes-475/
https://twitter.com/ClarkChapin/status/699652658206932994
Image copyright 475 Building Supply
Great summary of energy efficiency strategies by local Seattle builders Hammer & Hand. There's no replacement for a contractor who already knows how to implement good energy performance detailing.
http://hammerandhand.com/field-notes/efficiency-high-performance-building/
The Buffaloe House was just featured on the Houzz website! Thanks for taking notice Houzz, thanks to Nora Burba Trulsson for the great write up, and thanks to Tom and Rosalind Buffaloe for being fantastic clients and collaborators.
The Buffaloe House is located outside of Durango CO, near the towns of Mancos and Cortez, CO. It is situated in a hayfield and was carefully articulated to take in sweeping views of the LaPlata Mountains and Mesa Verde, connect to the outdoors with twin patios that bracket the kitchen and dining area, and be comfortable and energy efficient with triple pane windows, passive solar, ground source heat pump, and photovoltaics.
See more photos in the Work section of our website and read the story at the link below.
Using a printer to generate your entire home, right down to the steak knives? Why not?
#3dprint #architecturalorigins
Nice Washington Post piece about the return on investment from a sustainable renovation.
This is the first post in a series about energy efficiency and energy analysis. The image is of a THERM analysis of the insulation performance of clerestory windows and associated wall and roof assemblies. If you look closely, you'll see that we need to find a thermally broken window frame! This tool (used in concert with other whole building energy analysis software) allows us to examine complex material intersections, corners, etc., and test and evaluate different details to find the highest performing assembly.
From the THERM website: "THERM is a state-of-the-art computer program developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).... Using THERM, you can model two-dimensional heat-transfer effects in building components such as windows, walls, foundations, roofs, and doors; appliances; and other products where thermal bridges are of concern. THERM's heat-transfer analysis allows you to evaluate a product’s energy efficiency and local temperature patterns, which may relate directly to problems with condensation, moisture damage, and structural integrity."
Very cool old mill building in Sandpoint - we are dreaming about possibilities for it's next life. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to keep up with our work or reach out with any questions.
That's right, he did some bold architecture work too. Farewell, David Bowie. #onelaststair
It's that time of year again; all green building nerds should be sure to sign up now as this one will sell out quickly. We'll see you there!
One of our favorite building scientists does a variation on his theme of the perfect wall. The update includes an assembly with manufactured metal panel systems.
A worthwhile analysis, but per his usual humor the Haydn joke has us groaning.
