Editors Note…
Here is a brief history about what is People, Places & Things LLC. Please comment if you will and enjoy the experience; for the next month you will see fresh new content.

Release Spring 2007

Consumers want their remodeling projects green and remodelers already answer the call, according to recent research by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelers. NAHB Remodelers discussed the state of green remodeling at a March 26 press conference during the National Green Building Conference in St. Louis, Mo. “The only way to bring green into 120 million existing households is through remodeling,” said NAHB Remodelers Chair Mike Nagel, CGR, CAPS, a remodeler from Chicago. “Americans spent over $230 billion last year in home remodeling, with energy-efficient and sustainable products representing an increasing share of the market.” More than one-quarter of remodelers surveyed by NAHB saw growing demand for green remodeling late last year, compared to just 6 percent reporting less demand. The majority of remodelers already incorporate energy efficiency into their work. Nearly all (85 percent) used low-energy windows, 68 percent used insulated exterior doors, 65 percent upgraded insulation, and 56 percent installed high-efficiency HVAC systems. The survey also showed that many remodelers also use environmentally friendly products.

For example, more than 75 percent of those surveyed minimize the harvesting of old-growth forests by using alternatives to dimensional lumber, like engineered wood. Additionally, 65 percent already incorporate recycled or recyclable materials into their projects. For the first time, the National Green Building Conference held remodeling educational courses for contractors. One of those instructors and NAHB Green Building Subcommittee member Michael Strong, CGR, CAPS, GMB, discussed the emerging trends within the industry. “Energy efficiency continues to lead the way, but for items beyond appliances, the installation matters as much as the product,” Strong said. “Simply putting in that low-E window doesn’t solve the problem. Homeowners need to look at the whole room and eventually use a whole-house approach to maximize efficiency.” NAHB Remodelers offer a “Top 8” list for homeowners:- Install maximum insulation in the area to be remodeled.- Install high-efficiency windows instead of those that just meet the energy code.- Seal all exterior penetrations in the area being remodeled.- Purchase only Energy Star ®-rated appliances.- Install only low-flow water fixtures.- Upgrade to an Energy Star ®-rated water heater, or better yet a tankless water heater.- Purchase the highest efficiency HVAC system you can afford.

NAHB REMODELERS

Editors Note…
Here is a brief history about what is People, Places & Things LLC. For the next couple of blogs, you will see previous articles, features and other cool stuff on what we are all about. Please comment if you will and enjoy the experience.

Release Summer 2007

Energy efficient design and construction can substantially reduce costs and pollution because nonrenewable energy sources of energy are expensive, potentially unstable, and create toxic wastes through their development and combustion. The long-term costs of energy to the homeowner are large, in dollars as well as in health and safety.
Reasons to Change
• The generation and use of energy is the single largest contributor to air pollution. It has also been linked to climate change. Source: Green Facts Each year the average house releases more than twice as much greenhouse gas as the typical car (more than 22,000 pounds of carbon dioxide). Source: Energy Star Home Advisor
• Air leakage from poorly sealed ductwork and building envelope can waste over 50% of a homes heating and cooling energy. Duct leakage (estimated at 30% of waste in some homes) can also create pressure imbalances in a home, endangering health and safety by drawing in outside air and causing backdrafting of combustion appliances. Air leakage also contributes to problems with moisture, noise, dust and entry of pollutants, insects, rodents and reduced fire safety. Source: Southface Institute
• The typical US family spends more than $1300 per year on energy costs. Ten to fifty percent of that energy is wasted and does not contribute to the comfort or convenience of the family. Source U.S. Department of Energy
Building energy efficient and renewable energy homes offers contractors advantages in the marketplace. The reputation of builders with satisfied customers passes among homeowners and potential buyers. Greater customer satisfaction will result from less noise, increased durability and comfort, reduced maintenance and operating costs, and the reduced reliance on pollution causing energy consumption. Energy-efficient homes and those with renewable energy systems qualify homeowners for resource efficient mortgages, and incentives for renewable energy technologies. The more skilled a builder is at conveying these advantages to home buyers, the more profitable the builder will be.
Energy efficiency is one of the most direct ways a person can realize the benefits of a green built home. By implementing energy efficient techniques, energy bill savings can reach 65%. Source: Green Buildings are Energy Efficient. Energy-efficiency can also improve the comfort, health, and safety of home occupants through improved indoor air quality, fire protection, noise levels, reduced maintenance, and increased durability.
P2 in Action
Whole-building design or a systems approach considers the interaction of all elements of the building site, building envelope, mechanical systems, and occupants to help achieve optimal energy performance. The key is to reduce the house load (energy use) using the best combination of:
• Conservation (insulation, efficient lighting and appliances, house orientation),
• Insulation (solar gain), and
• Thermal Storage (mass in walls and floors which helps keep the house a more constant temperature).
The emphasis on each should vary on a site-by-site basis.
Most energy-efficient homes have four basic elements in common:
1. A well-constructed and tightly sealed thermal envelope with appropriate ventilation.
2. Proper design and installation of heating and cooling systems (properly sized, high-efficiency, energy source, ventilation and ductwork).
3. Energy-efficient doors, windows, and appliances.
4. Home orientation and placement of building elements to maximize natural heating and cooling efficiency.
Source: Energy & Environmental Building Association
Specific ways to achieve energy efficiency through a systems approach include:
1. Use of passive solar advantages on the building site (and appropriate overhangs),
2. Efficient lighting,
3. Water conservation fixtures and appropriate placement of water heating equipment,
4. Design for appropriate insulation levels and reduce labor costs with Optimum Value Engineering (OVE) framing techniques,
5. Incorporation of wind, hydrothermal and/or active solar technologies,
6. Landscaping (trees, bushes, earthberms provide shading, block a prevailing wind),
7. Thermostat with automatic setback for night and work times,
8. Increased insulation in exterior wall, ceiling, floors and foundation,
9. Moisture control within the building envelope to control moisture buildup,
10. Selection of energy efficient appliances,
11. Dampers on all vents, fans and chimneys
12. Use of appropriate colored materials and coatings on exterior or roof (i.e. light colored where summer cooling climates dominate).
Assistance with Energy Efficiency
Guidelines, standards and incentive programs abound for energy efficiency in residential construction. Here are some suggestions:
1. Organizations working to promote alternative energy strive to provide tax incentives and guidance to help builders and consumers more effectively incorporate renewable energy and energy efficiency into their homes.
2. Affordable housing and economic development advocates support legislative mandates and establish requirements to include energy efficiency and renewable energy into housing assisted by their programs.
3. Utility companies provide audits and incentives for energy efficiency, as well as renewable energy technology development.
4. Certification and ratings programs create partnerships between builders and federal, state, local and nonprofit organizations to enhance communities and marketability one home at a time.
5. Energy efficient construction may also qualify consumers for higher than normal debt-to-income ratio when calculating loan potentials, enlarging the market of potential home-buyers.
Energy Star
One rating program that deserves special mention is the Energy Star home labeling program. Energy Star standards are nationally recognized and commonly adopted as criteria for other incentive programs. This program of the Environmental Protection Agency requires homes to achieve 30 percent reductions in energy over the Model Energy Code and obtain a third party verification. Energy Star for New Homes Improvements to Existing Homes.
Staying Current
Check with the following sites for news, product reviews and current events in Renewable Energy and Efficiency:
• Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergy.org/
• Home Power Journal http://homepower.com/
• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE) http://www.ashrae.org

Editors Note…

Here is a brief history about what is People, Places & Things LLC. For the next couple of blogs, you will see previous articles, features and other cool stuff on what we are all about. Please comment if you will and enjoy the experience.

Release Spring 2008

What is Affordable Housing

By Walter L. Williams, CPBD, CAPS

There are many definitions that define what Affordable Housing is. For example:

The Federal Government defines housing affordability as housing costs that do not exceed 30 percent of household income. The housing must be of market-competitive quality that can blend in to a neighborhood.  Thus we are explicitly excluding substandard locations, configurations, constructions and maintenance.

While the definitions may be vast, the design component is not. The design of any home should be based on the area that the home is to reside in. While the homes above are extreme, some organizations gravitate to those designs in the hopes of solving the affordable housing problem in that area.

Today’s building technology has made the possibility of making affordable housing something more – a community. For a few dollars more, you can add value to the homes you build. For example, using new building techniques such as the ones listed below, can add long-term value to the community that you build in.

All of these things that are in this feature are things that other firms know about but you would not see in these types of homes due to cost, however when used wisely, this technology will add a long term value to the community – long term home ownership.

Resources:

Affordable Housing Institute:

http://www.affordablehousinginstitute.org

 

By Walter L. Williams, CPBD, CAPS

As a design professional, one of the most satisfied feelings I have is when a new home or a remodel I have designed becomes the best home for my client. There is no better feeling than reaching the end of a design project. But during the design process, how often do we use our designer crystal ball to ensure that our residential designs can adapt, as our client needs change. We have an obligation as professionals to guide our clients to think about the future needs of their new home. The question is how can this be done?

Reminding clients of their future needs…

A survey by the National Association of Home Builders found that 50 percent of people 55 years and older have lived in their homes for more than 10 years and are reluctant to move. Another national survey found that 83 percent of older Americans want to stay in their current homes for the rest of their lives. The U.S. Census Bureau states that 14 million or about one-third of all people with disabilities are 65 years or older, while two-thirds are younger. This includes about 31 million adults, ages 21 through 64, and 5 million young people, ages 5 through 20 years. These numbers should make us pause and think about how we can address our client’s future needs thru a proactive approach.

Universal Design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without adaptation or specialized design. For example, when we design a residence for a young couple, the question of aging in place is not usually an issue in the design process, but when those questions are asked; sometimes these questions may be a little offensive to them. This is just one example of the many psychological considerations that we must take account of when trying to incorporate Universal Design in a project.

So how can we do it?

Incorporating Universal Design Elements into Everyday Practice

Here are some Universal Design elements which can be added into to the design paradigm and which can be incorporated into the design process as a general rule:

• Plenty of lighting inside and outside the home
• At least one entry to the house without steps
• Wider doors (36 inches wide) and hallways (48 inches wide)
• Plenty of storage in the kitchen within easy reach
• Pull-out shelves/drawers in the kitchen
• Varying kitchen counter heights (including one that allows use while sitting)
• U-shaped pulls instead of drawer knobs on kitchen cabinets
• Walk-in closets with storage at different heights
• Lever-style door handles and faucets
• Rocker light switches instead of flip switches
• Floors, bathtubs with non-slip surfaces
• Closets that can be converted into an elevator shaft for an elevator at a later date

These design elements can be incorporated into our designs with minimal client input.  One example would be using lever door handles instead of doorknobs.  To incorporate this element into your design specifications is easy.  The price point is about the same as the lowest price range for either product. You can also incorporate an elevator shaft in your design, instead of retrofitting for one later.  By framing a floor in the shaft, it can be used as a closet, but that floor can later be removed to convert it to an elevator shaft. This is one design feature that can save your client $20,000 to $30,000 in additional designing, construction and installation fees.

Here are some Universal Design elements that can be discussed and recommended to the client during the design process:

• One-story living
• A more open living arrangement (fewer walls)
• Zero-Step front entrance
• At least one bedroom and a bath on the first floor
• Wall-mounted or pedestal sinks in the bath
• ADA toilets
• Kitchen counters at different heights (so that you can sit or stand).

As professionals, we know the client is paying us for our design expertise. Therefore, we can guide our clients through the fundamentals and advantages of Universal Design.  Nobody likes to be reminded of their mortality but as design professionals we can educate our clients so they can live and enjoy their dream home for as long as they like, through their various stages of life.

For more information on Universal Design see these resources:

Resources:

National Association of Home Builders:

http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?sectionID=436&genericContentID=8484

AARP: Home Design:

www.aarp.org/families/home_design

Fair Housing Accessibility First:

www.fairhousingfirst.org/information.html

The Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University:

www.design.ncsu.edu/cud

The National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification:

www.homemods.org [Context Link]

Easy Living Home:

http://www.easylivinghome.org/

References:

National Association of Home Builders.

http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?sectionID=436&genericContentID=8484

U.S. Census Bureau. 12th anniversary of Americans With Disabilities Act (July 26) . Washington, DC: The Bureau; 2002 Jul 12. CB02-FF.11. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02ff11.html . [Context Link]

 

People, Places & Things LLC (PPT) is in business to provide unique design solutions featuring Universal Design, Aging-in-Place and Sustainable principles to the public. PPT provides the following services:

Residential Design and Drafting

Space Planning and Solutions

Universal Design, Aging-in-Place and Sustainable principles provide consumers an added service by having the consumer “looking forward “in their design options. Each designing principles will benefit the consumers by saving them money in the short and long-term. Having the core features being invisible to the untrained eye will give your designs “uniqueness” that is missing in the industry. The consumer will get a state of the art home that will last them for their lifetime. It will retain value because of the extra features that they will not get in a standard design home.

As a “Home Consultant Advisor”, we can provide home inspection and home modification services and solutions to the public. PPT provides the following services:

Home Inspection and Modification

In order to meet your expectations we have a list services for you to choose from. Browse this site and see for yourself.

You will be impressed.

People, Places & Things LLC / 19377 Fielding St. / Detroit, Michigan (USA) 48219

Phone # 313-399-7016 / Fax # 313-531-2578 / e-mail: pptdesign@hotmail.com