I hear a lot about how code drives buildings to a better place, but the challenge of keeping up with State and local building codes is a big burden for architects and builders. Outside consultants who specialize in managing these codes are often brought in to ensure...
I’m not sure what it all means in the long run, but it can be a little unnerving to watch the looming recession unfold, FTX cryptocurrency exchange collapse, and the craziness of events unfold at Twitter and Meta. As someone who...
Remember, code is the minimum and should not be accepted as the standard. I recently hosted a podcast guest, Peter Ewers, who mentioned that his architecture firm uses a 12-inch wall as the standard in schematic design. With this standard in place, it becomes a given...
Our politicians are running around protecting such a small percentage of the constituencies and ignoring the bigger problem at large. The earth has approached being 1.1°C warmer and we will reach the 1.5°C point as there is not enough being done today to stop...
I heard the local Meteorologist, Mike Nelson, give his weather report during the Marshal Fire here in Colorado, he had the best line ever: “It’s not politics folks, it’s thermodynamics. Climate change is real.” We cannot be in denial of this. As I was traveling...
In 2008, Thomas Friedman laid out a future scenario in his book, “Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution and How It Can Renew America.” The book was ahead of its time, and I think we are on the cusp of tipping into the future that Freidman wrote...
Commercial and residential buildings make up 40% of the United States energy consumption. Industrial usage and transportation make up the remaining 60%. If America is going to be serious about being a carbon neutral country, transportation should no longer use fossil...
Life Cycle Cost Analysis: What it is and why it may be the right thing for you When speaking to client’s about the capital expenditures (CapEx) and operating expenditures (OpEx) of their heating, cooling and ventilation systems, we find the best way to...
Thomas Friedman laid out a future in his book, “Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution - and How It Can Renew America” (2008) offered a future scenario that I think we are on the cusp of embracing. Peak oil may or may not ever happen, as we hear...
What is a Heat Pump? It’s essentially a refrigerator, and works off of the vapor-compression cycle. A Little History on Geothermal and Heat Pumps 1852—Lord Kelvin develops the theory for heat pumps. 1940’s—Robert C. Webber installs first residential system after...