Daylighting Tips

Daylighting Design
Daylighting Tips If you wish to optimize daylighting for your building design but don’t wish (or have the time) to do a variety of simulations for different purposes such as illumination levels in the space, shading analyses, sizing windows/ skylights etc., there some basic tips to follow that will help you take advantage of this
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Declaration of Interdependence

B Corp Declaration of Interdependence
Declaration of INTERdependence The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. This pivotal document, penned largely by Thomas Jefferson, changed the course of American history. Ironically, not a single of the 13 colonies could have resisted the English crown by themselves. Their celebration of “independence” could also have been framed as a commitment to “interdependence.”
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Bathroom Exhaust Fan

Bathroom Exhaust Fan
How Effective is Your Bathroom Exhaust Fan? For obvious reasons, bathrooms can be major sources of moisture in homes. And where there is moisture, there is the possibility of growing mold. A bathroom exhaust fan is essential in removing excess moisture and keeping bathrooms ventilated, but how do we know if our exhaust fans are
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Building Science Terminology

building science terminology
Building Science Terminology This blog shares recommended terminology from the US DOE. We are considering terminology and frequently used words and phrases in this blog, not definitions of building science terms. Building science terminology is sophisticated and can be confusing, but I’m not sure that the DOE’s recent efforts will help the industry. According to
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Spring – The Perfect Season for an Environmental Building Inspection

Environmental Building Inspection
Spring – The Perfect Season for an Environmental Building Inspection Since relocating to the Bay Area, I have to say that I miss the full four seasons of Oregon. I don’t really miss the hard deep freeze of winters, nor the asphalt-bubbling heat waves of late July, but I do miss watching the ground awaken
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LEED v4 Changes – What to Expect

LEEDv4 Changes
LEED v4 Changes We’ve been using LEED as a tool to assist owners and design-build teams for many years and helped guide many projects to certification. Now everyone is chatting about LEED v4 changes and many are curious what to expect. We began a pilot LEEDv4 EBOM project for a local hotel, but in the
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Natural Ventilation of Buildings and Spaces

Clothes drying in the open air
Natural Ventilation of Buildings and Spaces Many times when clients desire a “green” space or building that connects its occupants to the outdoors, they envision incorporating lots of day lighting and natural ventilation in the architectural design. Certainly, there can be many benefits to be had including lower energy bills, a connection to the outdoors,
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New Home Purchase? Magnetic Field Guidelines

magnetic field guidelines
Magnetic Field Guidelines for the New Home  EMF is a broad umbrella term encompassing many aspects of electromagnetic issues that can affect human health. Subcatagories of EMF issues include RF Radiation (also known as ElectroMagnetic Radiation [EMR]), Interior/Exterior Magnetic Fields, Interior/ Exterior Electric Fields, Transient Voltage Fluctuations (also known as Dirty Electricity or ElectroMagnetic Interference
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Materials Air Quality Testing

CARB Formaldehyde Chamber Materials Air Quality Test
Materials Air Quality Testing Since news broke that Lumber Liquidators distributed composite wood flooring in California that did not meet California Air Resource Board (CARB) formaldehyde emission standards, we’ve been getting lots of questions about materials air quality testing. Some folks are interested in joining the class action law suit, some distributors and installation companies
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Lumber Liquidators Formaldehyde Testing

Low Prices often equal Low Quality - You get what you pay for?
Lumber Liquidators Formaldehyde Testing Recent investigative journalism exposed a Lumber Liquidators formaldehyde content issue and revealed an unfortunate tale that may affect hundreds of thousands of homes across the US. During active federal investigations for suspicion of using illegally harvested lumber from Russia, it turns out one of the largest flooring distributors in the US
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