One of my greatest passion has always been to showcase the new products that are released from time to time into the market! It amazes me to see how some manufacturers strive to improve on issues and products and bring something better every so often....

One such product is the The Schlüter-BEKOTEC-THERM underfloor heating system which is a water based heating element and a modular screed panel and can be used with heat pumps or other low energy sources. Read more here

Another range of flooring products that I came across in the Architectural Record is from the NYC based Architectural systems. Their products are either natural or engineered stone, or hardwood flooring. Their latest is called Restoration Rubber Tile which comes in square, hexagonal or rectangle shape and in vintage colors. Read more here

Also in the same article as mentioned above is a prefinished hardwood flooring line called Mirage from a Canadian company Boa-Franc. The company is very conscious of sustainable development and the affects of deforestation on the environment so it selects material only from responsible buyers, financially supports reforestation, and uses only non toxic manufacturing products. Read more here

A great recycled flooring is called Ecosurfaces which is made from 100 percent recycled rubber tire. Check them out here

Cork is always a favorite as a renewable source and so this range of flooring from Unicork Natural which is manufactured, installed and maintained with environmentally friendly materials is an easy pick for the environmentally conscious buyer. Look them up here

Came across a good educational advertisement in the April 2012 edition of the Architectural Record about socially sustainable design for a greener future.
The article talks about things to consider when renovating which haven't been taken into consideration before like accommodating children with autism and dual sensory impairments or design with extra care and detail for seniors so they can live independently and with dignity. Using alternate material to cement, which requires high energy and CO2 is one way of rethinking building construcion for greener structures. Geothermal energy and using existing material for renovations of buildings is another way of reducing our carbon footprint. Read more here

Continuing the subject of humanitarianism like my previous post, I wanted to showcase a few products that have been developed like partitions made out of paper that can be used in disaster relief circumstances or homeless shelters etc. In those very tough times, some privacy can give the victims a sense of dignity when they have lost practically everything.
A Canadian design company called Molo Design has developed these softwalls using magnets and fire retardant kraft paper to provide temporary enclosures in a large area like a shelter or exhibition ground. This article was in the March 2012 edition of the Architectural Record and can be read here

Another great product that has seen changes is the disaster relief packaging. A Danish born designer was inspired by the Haiti earthquake to develop the relief package itself to be transformed into furnishings by using only a knife and basic instructions on the package.  This can be read in the March 2012 edition of the Architectural Record here

Another product in the same edition of Architectural Record is the Biolite HomeStove which reduces the deaths due to smoke related diseases that kill nearly 2 million people every year. This stove will also serve as an affordable source of electricity to charge devices such as LED lights and mobile phones. Read here

LuminAid is a cheaper and lighter alternative to the more expensive solar lighting products in the market that can be sent in bulk to the disaster relief areas in the world. This product uses an integrated solar panel to provide about 4-6 hours of light. LuminAid is now in production and  is sent to more than 25 countries like India, Uganda and Laos. Read more here

I have always wondered if we, as architects, have directly or indirectly contributed to global climate change. When clients approach an architect, they probably do not know much about energy efficiency or sustainable architecture. Do we, as a norm, educate them on the various aspects of the issue? Perhaps not. It isn't always easy for architects to convince clients of the importance of building sustainable structures as the initial costs currently are pretty high and it may be many years before clients see a return on that investment. The architect thus walks a tightrope between justifying the impact of this change on the world and the fear of losing a client to other commercially-minded competitors.

But, in recent times, architects have started devoting more of their time and effort into large humanitarian works, thus making a name for themselves while earning commissions for the work done. This, in turn, encourages more architects to work for the less fortunate, do pro bono work and make a living despite having to eat into their savings to pay their bills. If not for this shift in paradigm, architects and architecture would be affordable only to the 1% of the population, while disregarding the rest of the 99% who badly need the social changes brought about by the work that architects do. Further insight can be drawn from this article in the March 2012 edition of the Architectural Record and can be read here

Building Science is still an unknown  subject even for the building industry so for the layman it is a huge mystery. Building science can be defined as the field of study in construction that focuses on air, heat, moisture, fire, lighting and the structure. Architects do the work now along with the design but there is no formal training in this field. A good building science not only requires every part of the building to work in a cohesive manner but it needs to be worked out in advance and not after the structure is built. That's where the expert comes in play. An eye opening article on this issue is written in the FineHomeBuilding  Spring/Summer edition 2012 and can be read here

With the terrible hurricane Sandy that devasted the East Coast of the US at the end of October,2012, everyone realizes that building codes need to be changed to allow for more resilient structures in hurricane prone areas of the country. The Miami-Dade Count Hurricane Code is the most robust of all county codes in the country and we need to see that the codes there need to be adopted in almost every other place in the country.
A nice perspective on this is written in the Fine Home building Spring/Summer 2012 Issue and can be read here

Shopping for windows and doors...sounds simple but buying it for a home or office requires a lot of investigating...Glass has come a long way from the olden days of just blocking the wind and allowing light in. As the energy conscious builders are looking into every aspect of building to optimize the use of heat and light naturally, glazing for windows and doors have taken a new dimension altogether.
The low emissivity glass which is typically used for insulated glass which lets light in but reduces heat is the choice of glass for energy efficient windows. Understanding different types of coatings which let in UV rays or infra red heat-rays and visible light is essential in choosing the right window for you. An informative article in Fine Homebuilding oon this topic can be read here

An eye opening article in, very surprisingly, USA Today, about LEED certifications given to buildings, thus giving them huge tax breaks and grants from the government or helping them get higher rents in the market. At times, going after LEED certification increases the building costs considerably and may not even have added environmental benefits.
One such case is the Palazzo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas which was considered the largest LEED certified structure in the world when completed. With all its opulence, one wonders how it could have obtained that certificate! The truth is that LEED certificate is based on points and some points are added for things which have no impact on the environment. If there is a LEED certified expert on the team, you can gain a point or if you have a bike rack or  provide preferred parking for fuel efficient cars, you can gain LEED points. And all this is calculated by pre-occupancy projections itself!

More buildings are now resorting to get voluntary EnergyStar program certificates which is issued by EPA a year after occupancy and is reissued yearly. After much criticism, LEED is trying to improve its standards by offering extra points for actual energy use. LEED definitely has to take further steps in improving its standards to make buildings extra energy efficient and sustainable for the future. Read more from USA TODAY here

About hardware and green buildings....

The significance of hardware in any structure is noticed greatly only when they are badly designed or placed inconveniently. Otherwise it silently works hard without obtaining any credit for its importance in the building,as a whole. This is especially noticed in the design of hospitality buildings. Be it a hotel, hospital, restaurant, movie house or any structure of that nature, the hardware design and quality is one of the most useful things to be taken into consideration for reasons like durability, security and strength. And, if it is part of a green building, then the metal has to be carefully chosen for its sustainable production methods for decreased impact on the environment.

When taking all this into consideration, there is one metal that has stood the test of time really for thousands of years and is still in demand today for being strong, durable and easy to maintain. The anti microbial properties of bronze also makes it one of the best material for door knobs and handles where there is a high traffic flow. A really informative article on bronze from the June 2012 edition of The Architectural Record can be read here

As more people are growing energy conscious today, it is good to know that product manufacturers are also striving to bring newer green material into the market. Looking into the August edition of Architectural Record, I saw an article on the recent green materials and processes. Read more here

A lot of changes have happened in the energy codes and green building standards lately. In terms of fenestration innovations, the new International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) has set new performance paths for building enclosures. Along with LEED certified properties, the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) or the International Code Council (ICC) have coordinated for model regulations in the building industry. Even the local and state wide rules like CalGreen in California encourage architects and builders to adopt the best practices for exterior insulation, air barriers and high performance fenestration. These new energy standards offer guidance for preventing excessive air leakage or check the U-Factor which describes the heat transfer rate. The trend in glass manufacturing has improved in terms of fire rating and fire resistive ratings which do not effect energy saving directly but do provide a means of comparing the ability to protect occupants from fire for a longer period.
In addition to better glass products for building, many changes have been applied to storefront and curtain walls due to stringent codes and technical advances. From the August 2012 issue of the Architectural Record, this article can be read in detail here 

We all love to be energy 'savers' and rush to buy energy efficient appliances and products. They do make a difference in our energy bills but there is something major that most of us overlook which could decrease our heating and cooling bills considerably.
Consider these Energy-Smart details when designing a new home or renovating an old one. An article from FineHomebuilding explains some of the major changes one can make in a home to be a smart energy saver.
Read more here

The key to showcasing a good home is a beautiful entrance. If the approach is well done, it draws the visitor into the home. By entrance, I mean the moment one enters the property, be it by car or by foot. Landscape design done thoughtfully creates an ambiance that sets the mood and forever stays in the mind, even after leaving the property. A good article in FineHomebuilding on this topic can be read here

Decks are such an integral part of an american house that the owners cannot think of living in a home without one. Be it a single home of any size or a town home, a deck is where memories are built with kids playing or grilling and entertaining.

But, as much as it is common to construct a deck, it is not very common to calculate the stress or loads on the deck before building. It is very often a cookie cutter design with not much thought into the area where your home is. Whether it is subjected to tornadoes or other natural disasters.

This article in Fine Homebuilding shows what kinds of loads a deck needs to support and the forces that act on a deck.

When constructing a deck, there are many questions regarding joist sizes and the spacing in between. Understanding the types of wood used with its specific spacing and sizes will make a deck more economical to construct and more solid and stable. An article from Fine Homebuiding can provide further information and can be read  here

When buying a house in the US, we tend to look at the aesthetics, the age and stability and finally get an approval from the house inspector. But there are some things that get overlooked in spite of all this. What lies behind your walls for insulation should not be ignored. Knowledge and understanding  what could be behind the walls is essential when renovating or using it for storage. Some of those insulation used earlier is written in this article from This Old House magazine and can be read here

Earlier, designing a laundry room was just a matter of adding it where one found a bit of extra space. But now, there is a lot more thought and organizing that goes into the placing and detailing of the laundry room. From careful consideration in where to put a laundry room to energy efficient machines, shelving to cater to the needs of the individual using it or to safeguard from potential fire hazards. Various options and pros and cons are discussed in this article from This Old House and can be read  here

Have a small yard? Don't worry....Ideas from this article in This Old House will blow your mind away in seeing how one can transform a small lot into looking and feeling like you are in a vast expanse of greenery. Read more here

Links

An article on geothermal energy from Popular Mechanics
This is a  good read for anyone considering geothermal energy as an alternative option. This article takes you from the basics to equipment overview and considerations and, finally, it even talks about cost. They have a small source list too. Read on at  Popular Mechanics  featuring the original article.


A non profit green rating site
This non profit organisation provides guidance and training through membership to promote healthy, energy and resource efficient homes in the state of California. Take a look at their homepage.



An article on a San Diego home made totally green
A San Diego couple, passionate about building a very green home with local and sustainable products, constructed their home whichturned out to be the first one in their area to get certified by a non profit green rating agency, BuildGreen. Read more about it  here

Introduction...

Hello Everyone

I am an architect with 12 years of work experience...15 years of being a stay at home mom gave me a lot of time to read and stay in touch with architecture and interior design and keep a log of articles and products that interests me in this field.
Kept toying with the idea for a couple of years to share it all with other architects who may not have the time to do what I do but want to stay in touch with the latest advancement in this field.
So here I am with a new purpose for my blog. Originally, I had intended to make this a blog of all products related to architecture. A place where Architects, Interior Designers, Home owners or DIY folks can go to find different materials from around the world. But there are great sites out there with a wide range of product catalogues so I am going to feature articles along with some new products from time to time.
And I propose to source out your architectural requirements too. Whatever it is you need and cannot find or probably don't have time to surf, I shall try my best to find it for you. So hope this works!