Seattle architect Ross Chapin knows all about designing smaller, smarter homes. Chapin, principal of Ross Chapin Architects, Langley, Wash., has long been a proponent of conserving resources by cutting down on unnecessary square footage.
The sight of shoreline homes washed away in recent storms suggests it is time to give serious consideration to innovative proposals like a plan for a “float yard” along Boston Harbor.
Meeting the Passive House airtightness standard is more a matter of art than of software. It takes top-notch materials for taping and sealing and great diligence in applying them.
The ranks of LEED certified homes would grow faster if builders appealed more to homeowner’s desire to save money on utilities, says Paul Fisette, a sustainable building expert at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
The most prevalent trends in bathroom design for 2012 and 2013 are centered on better use of floor space, more storage, and amenities that rival those of an upscale resort or spa.
AvalonBay’s Ava H Street apartment community in Washington, D.C., taps the Millennial mindset with such features as customizable closets and a Twitter wall in the lobby.
“The first dozen or so attempts to build net-zero [homes] in Oregon fell short because they missed the mark on efficiency and performance,” says Sam Hagerman, co-owner of Hammer & Hand and president of the Passive House Alliance US.
