May 19, 2010
New Program Rising: Home Star or “Cash for Caulkers”
Silicon Valley investor John Doerr is trying to do for green tech what he did for Internet companies like Google and Amazon. Not only is his firm investing in green technology firms that offer a long-term upside, but, in his capacity as a member of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB), Doerr is also promoting a $23 billion program to weatherize thousands of American homes. It is still too early to know if the program will be enacted, but it is currently gaining momentum at the highest levels of government.
Doerr’s program was the centerpiece of a PERAB discussion held with the President on Nov. 2 at the White House. And in subsequent weeks as the outlook for a “jobless recovery” has grown more likely, so too has Doerr’s proposal, with proponents of the idea added to the list every day.
“In the very near term, the way we can generate the most jobs is through home retrofits,” Doerr told the group in a videotaped meeting in the Roosevelt room. “There is about 17 percent unemployment in the construction industry right now and there are about 200,000 home retrofits done each year. But over the next 20 years, we probably ought to be doing 5 million of these retrofits per year, or saving the energy wasted — up to 40 percent — over 100 million existing homes. Were we to develop a program to do that, we could create hundreds of thousands, even 1 million jobs per year in an industry with high-wage jobs and where the savings from the work stays in the pockets of American consumers.”
Officially dubbed “Home Star” (in a nod to the Energy Star program), the program would consist of $18 billion in homeowner incentives, $2 billion for quality assurance audits on energy efficiency projects, and $3 billion in retailer incentives as well as funds to create awareness for the program.
”The way I like to put it is that ‘Cash for Clunkers’ mobilized America’s car dealers to cause change very rapidly,” Doerr told the group. ”The equivalent of that for home retrofits would be ‘Cash for Caulkers.’ What we would do is incentive consumers to work with our out of work trades, remodelers and builders to do this work.” The phrase got a chuckle from the President and other economic recovery board members, which include GE CEO Jeff Immelt, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanual, former Fed chairman Paul Volcker and current chair of the council of economic advisors, Lawrence Summers, among others.
Building Performance Institute Backs It
Among the clear winners if Home Star moves forward are agencies that provide credentials for performing energy audits, namely Malta, N.Y. based Building Performance Institute. Not surprisingly, the organization offered its official backing to the program.
“The nationwide unemployment rate is at 10 percent, but the construction industry is one of the hardest hit at 17 percent. The need to install energy efficiency improvement tactics on 5.9 million homes will bring people back to work,” says David Hepinstall, BPI’s Chairman of the Board. “Struggling contracting companies can transition their business model or a portion of their business completely into weatherization services, including whole-home energy audits and the development of work scopes for energy retrofit improvements, or with appropriate training and certification, begin to incorporate some weatherization improvement measures into their existing areas of expertise.”
Courtesy: http://www.qualifiedremodeler.com/interactive/2009/11/
If you would like to know more about improving the energy efficiency of your home as part of a remodeling project, contact Mediterraneo Design and Build of Menlo Park CA. A residential design and construction firm known for maintaining the highest quality standards and dedication to client service, Mediterraneo Design and Build provides complete architectural and construction services for both custom new homes as well as major remodeling and home additions. A partial portfolio of the work they have done may be viewed at www.mediterraneodesignbuild.com. The company may be contacted by phone (650) 368-1361, fax (650) 368-1557 or email at info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com.
May 17, 2010
Kitchens and baths do more with less
Current kitchen and bath designs stress efficiency and simplicity, as these areas of the home are being somewhat downsized in the face of continued weakness in the housing market. In spite of more pressure on space, kitchens are taking on more functions—such as recycling centers and electronic recharge and storage areas—and remain the command center of the home. For both kitchens and baths, households are placing a premium on features and products that promote energy efficiency, environmental sustainability and adaptability.
These are some of the key findings of the American Institute of Architects’ Home Design Trends Survey for the fourth quarter of 2009. With a focus on kitchen and bath design trends, this effort surveyed residential architects on emerging developments they are observing in their work relating to residential design and/or home remodels.
ADDED FUNCTIONS
With homes becoming smaller and more efficient, kitchens and bathrooms have also been downsized despite their continuing roles as the central focus of homes. Historically, home sizes have shrunk somewhat during economic recessions, but an emerging consensus contends that in the coming decade, new homes will be smaller on average than they were in the past decade.
As home sizes moderate, space in the kitchen is being used differently. According to the Home Design Trends Survey, 14% of surveyed residential architects reported that the number of food preparation and food storage areas in the home was increasing, while 19% saw them decreasing. This pattern was very similar for the size of kitchens: 14% reported gains while 18% reported declines. Just a year ago, the reverse was true, with more respondents reporting an increase in the number and size of kitchen areas than those who saw a decrease. Cumulatively, since the survey began in 2005, there has been a fairly significant reversal in the growth of kitchen areas in the home.
While space is at a premium in the kitchen and architects need to do more with less square footage, some functions have retained their importance and others have even increased in importance. Areas devoted to recycling are finding growing favor, according to most of the architects surveyed. Pantry areas, computer workstations and areas devoted to recharging laptops, cell phones and PDAs also remain very popular functions within the kitchen. Integrating kitchens with family space remains a popular option, as does designing them for accessibility and adaptability.
Sustainability continues to be a popular consideration for kitchen products. Renewable material countertops and flooring still enjoy increasing popularity, while the demand for drinking water filtration systems and natural wood cabinets is beginning to stabilize.
BATH MATTERS
Trends in the number and size of bathrooms in homes are similar to those for kitchens. Just 17% of respondents reported that the number of bathrooms was still increasing, while 8% saw a trend toward fewer bathrooms in homes. Percentages were similar for the size of bathrooms. Both number and size saw peak growth rates in 2006, according to previous AIA surveys, with the pace slowing significantly over the past three years.
With bath sizes stabilizing in homes, fewer features are being added. One exception is radiant-heated floors, which are sparking growing interest due to energy efficiency and comfort considerations. Also sustaining interest are bath features that enhance accessibility and adaptability.
Energy efficiency, sustainability and accessibility are also key themes in popular bathroom products. Water-saving toilets in general and dual-flush toilets in particular are seen as increasing in popularity by a majority of architects surveyed. Along with LED lighting, these three product lines seem to be gaining in favor even as households are generally scaling back on their investment in housing. Doorless and no-threshold showers, as well as hand showers, are bathroom products that promote accessibility and continue to be in demand. Other upscale bath products are not faring as well in this new cost-conscious housing environment. Requests for steam showers and towel warming drawers/racks are reported to be declining in popularity by about a third of respondents.
While floor plans may be smaller, design considerations are getting bigger to encompass not only green products and practices, but also Universal Design. For architects, at least in this economic climate, less is more.
Courtesy: http://www.kbbonline.com/kbb/news-and-features/index.jsp
Mediterraneo Design and Build is a full service architectural design and construction company with a reputation for great designs, quality construction and impeccable client communication. Contact them for your kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects. They are available by phone at (650) 368-1361, fax at (650) 368-1557 or by email at info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com. Details of the work they have done may be seen at www.mediterraneodesignbuild.com.
May 13, 2010
Second Time Around Reclaimed wood with a patina as rich as its history By Kristi Cameron
The fortunes of McCloud, California, had been tied to lumber since the 1890s, when its first mill was built. But by the end of the 20th century, that industry was on the wane. Richard McFarland and Erika Carpenter, who stumbled onto the massive beams that were being discarded as the town’s mills were torn down, thought there must be a demand for them. “Originally, the market was people building timber-frame vacation houses,” says Matt Nichols of TerraMai, the reclaimed-lumber company that the couple launched in 1991. Today, with the push for certifiably sustainable materials, demand has exploded.
Most of TerraMai’s domestic woods are now supplied and manufactured regionally, through local salvagers, mills, and cabinet shops, but it is also able to procure hardwoods for outdoor applications through an extensive Asian network. That’s because in 2001, McFarland and Carpenter began to add exotic woods to their offerings in much the same way they started. “They got a tip about tropical-hardwood railway ties in Thailand that were being swapped out as the tracks were modernized,” Nichols says. “Indigenous woods that had been milled and stuck in the ground decades ago were stacked in huge yards, so Rich and Erika bought a bunch and started milling them into flooring.”
The company today supplies wood to designers who are just as interested in aesthetics as they are in green credentials. HOK, for example, chose an oak rich in character for the New York offices of the computer animators Blue Sky Studios, completed last summer. Even resurfaced, the material has a depth of color and durability not found in virgin wood. “New wood has a tragic story,” says TerraMai’s Andy Kjellgren. “Ours has a great story. That’s the nonessential frosting you get when you use a reclaimed material.”
COMPOSITION
The reclaimed woods are FSC certified and 100 percent postconsumer recycled and can help projects earn LEED points. Some TerraMai woods
are applied to FSC-certified new wood and plywood substrates to
create veneer panels.
PROPERTIES
Reclaimed woods are typically harder and more stable than new woods.
APPLICATIONS
Commercial and residential flooring, siding, paneling, decking, beams,
lumber, veneers, and panels. Custom products are also available for countertops, tables, ceilings, and more.
Courtesy: http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20100414/second-time-around
Using the right wood can change the character of a home. Mediterraneo Design and Build of Menlo Park CA is a firm of architects and builders with the experience and expertise to use the right woods in a remodeling project to ensure that the finished look offers a high level of elegance and sophistication. Visit their website at www.mediterraneodesignbuild.com to learn more about their capabilities and view some of the work they have done. The company can be contacted at (650) 368-1361 or by email info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com.
May 12, 2010
Need-Driven Kitchen Design -By Rob Heselbarth
It’s efficiency that drives the design of kitchens by Robert Hidey Architects in Irvine, Calif. And it’s not the size of the kitchen that matters most; it’s meeting the needs of each family and maximizing floor space that determines customer satisfaction.
As homes become smaller, the needs of the typical family remain the same, requiring those who design kitchens to be creative, says Scott Rivers, RA, CGP, studio director, Robert Hidey and Associates. One of those needs is storage, so Rivers and the team at RHA use every bit of space they can find.
“We’ve tucked storage space under stairs, in corners of cabinets, and have been pretty creative at using finding space to store things,” Rivers says. “We’ve even created hidden storage such as a small pantry with a door that opens to a more expansive pantry behind it. Unused ceiling space can also be turned into a storage area.”
Most of the kitchens designed by RHA feature islands because of their versatility. As families use the kitchen for eating, studying, holding meetings and generally as a gathering place, an island serves many purposes, Rivers adds, such as a place to eat, store things, prepare food and do homework. “The kitchen is now the hub of the home so we make sure it’s accessible and adjacent to all other living spaces,” he says.
More Than Kitchens
RHA is a full-service architecture firm built on home design, with an emphasis on and respect for traditional styles both in aesthetics and detail. Love for traditional style is meshed with contemporary layout including open floor plans and multiuse spaces. “We also pride ourselves in creating luxurious accommodations for the master suite, great amenities such as wine storage, and what we call the super laundry room. We also focus on ensuring ample storage space especially as it relates to entry points. We’re bringing back mud rooms because we find them quite useful where kids are coming in through the garage. This way they have their launch point in the house, and then we like to provide one more formal launch point in addition to the mud room,” Rivers explains.
Not a full-fledged design/build firm in the traditional sense, RHA does not perform construction, but it will get involved in planning. “So in the sense that we are involved in construction from the early stages of planning and throughout completion, we practice design/build,” Rivers says. “Formal education for architects trains you to work with the building contractor, and be involved right from the beginning from site planning through construction documents and cost analysis. Supervision of the project during construction is also part of the deal.”
Benefits of being so involved in a project is the attention to followthrough and not forcing contractors to try and interpret what a designer meant with a particular design element. “In the execution of those details, we want to be present and involved. Oftentimes we become the interior designer, or even the landscape architect. And through the design/build approach, when the contractor is onboard earlier in the process and dealing with a tight budget and level of cost, it’s important to be involved in early,” Rivers says.
“When we take on a project our approach is personalized, so we assign a team leader who remains a constant throughout the project. It adds to the success, having that continuity,” he adds.
Leadership continuity also keeps clients happy, which can be challenging when their design ideas differ from what RHA believes makes the most sense. “There’s a way to work through that. You as the designer have a responsibility to know how your client’s family lives and functions, and, for example, prepares food in the kitchen. Some clients insist on a galley kitchen but we try to show them the benefit of an island kitchen. We work through it together, being a resource for them as architects should be. At the least, make sure your clients are making educated decisions,” Rivers explains.
Courtesy: http://rdbmagazine.com/print/Residential-Design-and-Build/Need-Driven-Kitchen-Design/1$4012
For the best concepts in kitchen remodeling and workmanship of the highest quality, homeowners need look no further than Mediterraneo Design and Build of Menlo Park, CA. The company can be contact on (650) 368-1361 or by email. Details of the work they do may be seen on their website www.mediterraneodesignbuild.com.
May 11, 2010
Installing a Green Roof Interlocking pre-grown panels add little dead load to the roof by Bruce Zaretsky
Last fall, I was in a client’s second-floor office hashing out the details of an ongoing landscaping project when I noticed a door to the outside. I asked where it led. “Nowhere, really,” my client said. After checking for myself, I understood what she meant. The door opened onto an unattractive deck that — despite a great view of Lake Ontario — was clearly unused. An EPDM membrane covered the floor, and I could imagine how hot that black surface got in the summertime.
I suggested adding a roof garden. Though my client knew about the environmental benefits of green roofs, she was surprised to learn about the lightweight planting system my company had recently been trained to install. While these vegetative panels from Green Living Technologies (800/631-8001, agreenroof.com) are primarily used for commercial construction, they’re reasonably priced and easy to work with, and they make green roofs feasible even for small residential projects, where aesthetics are more important than LEED points. The maker coordinates distribution with regional growers and uses trained, certified contractors for installation.
A Modular Approach
GLT’s modular panels — an alternative to the more common complex layered green-roof systems (see sidebar) — combine a thin growing medium with a root stabilizer and water reservoir. Designed so that they interlock, the 39-by-39-inch (or 10.72-square-foot) panels are about an inch thick before planting and 3 inches thick when they’re vegetated. Each can retain approximately 8 gallons of water, but even when they’re installed on the roof and fully saturated, they weigh only about 15 pounds per square foot.
The panels we used on this project are designed for roofs with pitches up to 4/12. GLT also makes panels for roof pitches between 5/12 and 12/12 and has a bracket system that can be used to adapt the panels for pitches up to 90 degrees. In addition, the company offers self-contained trays for flat roofs. We preferred to use panels for this project, because they can be cut on site to fit irregular shapes. Our plan was to mix preplanted panels with site-built ipe deck sections to transform the 10-foot by 20-foot deck into an attractive living space.
Because of their thin profile and light weight, the panels can often be installed with no major modifications to the existing structure. Here, the deck was a slightly pitched porch roof above an entryway and was conventionally framed with pressure-treated lumber supported by 6×6 PT posts. Though ugly, the single-ply 45-mil EPDM membrane covering the 3/4-inch plywood was in good shape and showed no signs of leakage. After consulting with our engineer, we decided that the deck wouldn’t require additional reinforcement to support the new loads from the roof panels, but we did want to beef up the waterproofing layer.
First, we thoroughly cleaned the old membrane by sweeping and vacuuming it; then we laid down another 45-mil EPDM membrane on top of it. We lapped the edges up the walls, tucking them behind the existing synthetic stucco siding as best we could, and cut in around the existing 4×4 deck posts, then primed the edges and seams before sealing them with self-adhesive EPDM seam tape. Because the roof deck framing was enclosed by the porch ceiling underneath, we used the same basic waterproofing details we would have used for a deck above living space.
Next, to protect the EPDM against punctures but still allow for drainage, we laid down a heavy-duty landscape fabric — DeWitt 20-year weed barrier (800/888-9669, dewittcompany.com), the same 4.1-ounce fabric we use for landscaping projects on the ground
Wind uplift can be a problem on rooftop gardens. On larger projects, GeoEdge (800/356-9660, permaloc.com), an L-shaped aluminum edge restraint, is normally used to prevent uplift at the eaves and at the transitions between planting areas and hardscape or drainage areas. On this small deck, however, we finished the outside edge with 5/4 ipe deck boards laid on edge and fastened to the outer face of the deck posts. A slight gap between the ipe and the landscape fabric allows water to drain into the porch roof’s gutter.
Installing the Panels
We ordered panels planted with a mix of sedum and thyme and picked them up from a distributor on Long Island. Sedum is a prolific and hardy water-storing succulent; because it’s drought-tolerant, it’s often used instead of grass on green roofs. Creeping thyme is a low-growing herb that adds a little fragrance to the garden. (We hope eventually to work primarily with plant-in-place panels that we’ve seeded in our own small greenhouse, which will allow us to vary our plantings and control the delivery schedule.)
The dimpled HDPE membrane used for the base layer of these panels has considerable compressive strength (the same material is used as a drainage layer in road construction), so features like planters, paving, and decking can be placed directly on the panels after they’ve been installed. This is the typical approach on large roofs where planters and pavers occupy a small percentage of the surface area. On a small project like this one, where those features cover a large portion of the deck’s footprint, we saved material by first installing the ipe deck, stepping pads, and planters, then cutting the panels to fit using a cut-off saw with an abrasive blade.
Prevegetated panels are about 95 percent planted, with the eggcrate-like reservoir layer exposed along two of the edges. When the panels are installed, their edges overlap, which locks them together. It takes only a month or two before roots completely fill in the small gaps between panels. As the plantings mature, the seams disappear — though one of the advantages of this system is that individual panels (or the entire roof) can be removed if repairs to the waterproofing layer are ever required.
Green roofs are normally installed with automatic irrigation. But in our reasonably wet Upstate New York climate — and with the water-retention capabilities of the panels — we expect that the homeowner will be able to handle any supplemental watering with a garden hose. This spring we plan to connect rain-barrel collectors to the gutter system to help monitor how much water actually flows off the roof (some systems pump collected water back up to the roof when irrigation is needed).
Cost
We completed the project in October, relatively late in the area’s growing season, which gave the root system little time to establish itself before first frost. Still, we don’t anticipate having to do any reseeding this year. Total cost was $7,214, or about $35 per square foot, with materials accounting for about $5,000 of that total. The square-foot cost was high because of the scale of the project (200 square feet); costs for a more typical green roof project using this system are usually in the $10- to $20-per-square- foot range.
Homeowners interested in knowing more about installing green roofs or any other types of remodeling may contact Mediterraneo Design and Build of Menlo Park, CA on (650) 368-1361 or by email info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com. The company website www.mediterraneodesignbuild.com provides more information on the company and a partial portfolio of the projects they have undertaken.
May 10, 2010
10 Ways to Cut Utility Bills -By Martin Holladay
Here’s a ten-step program that’s guaranteed to reduce your utility costs.
The steps in the energy conservation pyramid are not set in stone; every house is different, and different climates may dictate different strategies, which will be determined as soon as you take the first step.
1. Get a home energy audit
Before beginning any energy retrofit work, have a home energy audit done to identify and prioritize problem areas.
A good home energy audit always includes a blower-door test. To be sure your auditor is well trained, choose one certified by RESNET or BPI.
The audit can cost as much as $600. Subsidies are available from some utilities and local governments, so check there first.
Why spend money on an energy audit?
- When considering energy retrofit work, most homeowners prioritize the wrong steps. An energy audit provides valuable information to counterbalance misleading advertising pitches for worthless products.
- Your audit is likely to reveal unseen defects in your home — for example, thermal bypasses (air leaks) through convoluted, hidden chases, or insulation gaps revealed by an infrared camera.
- At the end of your audit, you’ll receive a customized list of the most important energy retrofit steps for your house — a list that may differ from your assumptions (or even from the recommendations of the energy conservation pyramid).
- By identifying the most important retrofit tasks for your specific house, a good audit can save you hundreds of dollars that might have been wasted on inappropriate work.
2. Unplug and turn off
This step, though obvious, is often neglected: turn things off.
Inattention and laziness are responsible for a significant amount of energy waste; this step off can yield significant savings for a very small investment. To lower your electric bill:
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
- Turn off appliances that aren’t being used.
- When not in use, unplug chargers for cell phones and similar battery-operated gadgets.
- Put televisions and other “instant on” appliances on a plug strip — and remember to turn off the plug strip when the appliance isn’t in use.
3. Use efficient light bulbs
The next step is very cost-effective: make sure your house is incandescent-free. Since most LED lamps are still less efficient than CFLs — and far more expensive — CFLs are still the best lamp for most fixtures.
For kitchens and basements, consider installing fixtures that use efficient linear fluorescent tubes (T5 or T8 tubes).
4. Seal air leaks
Air-sealing work is best done by an experienced home-performance contractor equipped with a blower door. Although this step usually costs hundreds of dollars, it will usually yield a quick payback in energy savings.
Air sealing work is not the same as caulking. Many homeowners have spent hours wandering around their house with a caulk gun — on the interior, filling cracks between window trim and plaster, or on the exterior, filling cracks between clapboards. Most of this caulking is a total waste of time. In fact, by trapping water, most exterior caulking does more harm than good.
Blower-door directed air sealing work is usually concentrated in a home’s basement (especially at the rim-joist area) and attic (where huge thermal bypasses are often hidden under a layer of fiberglass batts). Most air leaks are best addressed with two-component spray polyurethane foam.
5. Replace inefficient appliances
Once you’ve paid for blower-door-directed air sealing, it’s time to take a close look at your appliances. If some of your major appliances —your refrigerator, clothes washer, or dishwasher — are more than ten years old, you may want to replace them with more efficient models.
Don’t be tempted to buy a bigger refrigerator; small is good. Pay close attention to the yellow EnergyGuide labels — especially the annual kWh number — when you go appliance shopping.
6. Improve the insulation
Ideally, your home has plenty of insulation in the attic, above-grade walls, and basement walls. But if you’re insulation isn’t up to snuff, it’s well worth improving it.
In colder climates, it makes sense to install R-60 insulation in your attic — as long as the attic is accessible and roomy enough to accommodate the insulation depth.
If your stud bays are empty, they can be filled with dense-packed cellulose insulation installed through holes drilled from the exterior.
Basement walls can be insulated on the interior with rigid foam insulation or closed-cell spray polyurethane foam.
7. Replace an inefficient water heater
If the configuration of your home’s plumbing pipes permits, you should install a drainwater heat-recovery device — especially if members of your family prefer showers to baths.
If you have an old, inefficient water heater, you may wish to replace it. Options include:
- A high-efficiency gas-fired water heater;
- A high-efficiency electric resistance water heater;
- A heat-pump water heater;
- An instantaneous gas-fired water heater;
- An indirect water heater connected to a boiler;
- Any of the above, supplemented by a solar water heater
Of all of the options listed in this section, the fastest payback will probably come from the drainwater heat-recovery device. Although a new water heater can lower your energy bills, you shouldn’t expect a fast payback on the investment.
8. Improve on space heating and cooling equipment
When inefficient heating or cooling equipment gets old enough to replace, be sure to invest in the most efficient available equipment. If you’re shopping for a new furnace, look for a high AFUE (in the 90s). If you are shopping for a new air conditioner, look for high SEER (14 or higher).
There’s an important reason why energy-efficiency experts recommend holding back on the purchase of new heating and cooling equipment until air sealing and insulation work is complete: envelope improvements may permit heating and cooling equipment to be downsized. If you replace your heating and cooling equipment before finishing necessary air-sealing work or insulation upgrades, you’ll waste money on oversized equipment.
9. Insulate or replace windows
We’ve now reached the top of the pyramid. Further measures will probably reduce your home’s energy consumption, but they are unlikely to be cost-effective. The reason these measures are at the top of the pyramid is that few homeowners want to spend more on retrofit work than they will ever see in savings.
In a heating climate, the installation of low-e storm windows is more cost-effective than installing new replacement windows.
If, for reasons unrelated to saving money, you insist on new windows, be sure to choose windows with low-e glazing. Glazing with a low U-factor is desirable in all climates. In climates with cold winters, south-facing windows should have a high solar heat-gain coefficient (SHGC); in climates where air-conditioning bills are high, windows should have a low SHGC.
10. Invest in wind or photovoltaic systems
At the top of the pyramid is the category of work least likely to provide a payback: the installation of a photovoltaic system or a wind turbine. There are many reasons you may want to have PV panels or a wind turbine, but saving money isn’t one of them.
Remember, it makes no sense to invest in an expensive PV system until after you have invested in all of the other measures listed on the pyramid.
No silver bullet
One of the Minnesota Power representatives who makes regular use of the conservation pyramid is Dean Talbott, a program manager for the utility.
“I handle a lot of customer calls, and lately I’ve seen a growing interest in renewable energy,” Talbott told me. “A lot of callers are looking for the silver bullet. I just got a call this week from a residential customer who’s spending $200 a month on electricity, and he told me he wants to install solar and wind. I told him he’d be better off to start with efficiency upgrades first.”
Courtesy: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/12059/10-ways-to-cut-utility-bills/page/all
If you would like to know more about increasing the energy efficiency of your home, contact Mediterraneo Design and Build on phone number (650) 368-1361 or email info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com.
April 29, 2010
The Advantages of Radiant Floor Heat
It’s hard enough to get out of a warm bed in the morning, but when you know your feet will hit a cold floor, it’s enough to make you pull the covers over your head. Make your first trip to the bathroom, or your morning coffee-making ritual in the kitchen, more pleasant by stepping onto a heated floor.
Radiant-heat flooring is fast becoming a standard in today’s kitchen and bath construction projects. Not only can it be more efficient than other heating methods, it provides a luxurious feature for homeowners. Plus, its hidden nature means kitchen and bath design doesn’t need to be compromised for comfort.
Check out the radiant heat flooring options—as well as wall applications—on the market.
Nuheat’s Custom-Mat Electric Floor Heat System
For rooms with angled or curved walls, Nuheat’s custom mats can provide optimal coverage. Send the room’s dimensions and specifications, and within a week Nuheat manufactures a custom mat designed to fit the space exactly, resulting in easy installation and no cold spots. Nuheat custom mats are 1/8 in. thick—sandwiching heating wire between durable, porous fabric—and run off a standard household circuit. The mats can be rolled out and installed under tile, stone, marble, slate, laminate and engineered wood floors. The mats can also be used in shower pans. The heating level can be controlled with a thermostat, such as the flush-mounted Harmony programmable thermostat, which can sit behind a double faceplate for a streamlined appearance. For more information, visit Nuheat.com.
Courtesy: www.kbbonline.com
Page reference: http://www.kbbonline.com/kbb/content_display/news-and-features/features/e3i309cdb262cc7125e4630e1f08a6c360e
Radiant floor heating can greatly increase the comfort levels in your home, but it is best to have this work done by experts, if possible as part of a remodeling project. To know more about radiant floor heating options and installation or other home remodeling work, contact Mediterraneo Design and Build (MDB) of Menlo Park, CA. The phone number and email address are (650) 368-1361 and info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com.
April 27, 2010
Building a Gazebo or Deck
As part of a home remodeling, many homeowners would like to add a deck or patio to their existing construction. This appears to be a relatively simple project for which generic designs and drawings are readily available, or many DIY enthusiasts decide to design it themselves. Unfortunately these projects often are very disappointing as there are more aspects to consider in such an undertaking. Soil types and design loads have a role to play, the importance of which is often overlooked. In areas with less than perfect soil, the lumber footing, bolt sizes and many other details in pre-packaged building plans will not work. Pre-packaged plans often do not provide adequate detail. To insure that your deck or gazebo is high quality at a competitive cost, it pays to hire the services of an expert.
All Skills Under One Roof
Mediterraneo Design and Build (MBD) is a Menlo Park, residential design and construction firm that undertakes projects requiring complete architectural and construction services. The firm employs experts in all building-related skills so there is no necessity to invite outside assistance unless required for very specialized projects. When building a gazebo or deck, or making other structural alterations as part of a home remodeling assignment, MDB takes all necessary precautions including soil analysis. MDB offers services for custom new houses and major remodeling and home additions in the Bay Area. MDB has a proven track record of projects that may be viewed on its website http://www.mediterraneodesignbuild.com. To contact MDB, please call (650) 368-1361 or email info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com.
April 26, 2010
Are Your Windows Outdated?
Windows are not just for light and ventilation but are an expression of your home’s personality. At some point in time your windows might become outdated and require replacement. Replacing windows can be a bewildering task with an overwhelming selection of styles and designs offer. When looking at window replacements a homeowner should consider the design which must be in keeping with the existing style of the home, and they should be easy to maintain. The most popular styles are bay windows, single-hung, double-hung, bow, sliding, casement and garden windows.
Window styles can also be customized with specialty-shapes. One suggestion is to replace flat windows with bow or bay windows which create an illusion of space. The additional natural light that these windows provide adds to the texture and dimension of the house. These windows come in a range of styles, the most common being the angled bay window which angles outwards at a 30° to 45° angle. A 90° angle would make it a box bay which could be fitted with a glass roof to make it a garden window. Most bay windows allow for a window seat, as an added attraction. A window seat is a great place to sit and watch the world go by.
Specialist Advice
A remodeling specialist can offer suggestions on window replacements compatible with your existing structural style. One such company is Mediterraneo Design and Build (MDB), a Menlo Park, design and build company. They undertake all residential building projects including home remodeling. MDB is well staffed with specialist personnel which includes designers, builders and interior decorators. A homeowner gets the benefit of diverse expertise in one company. To contact MDB, please call (650) 368-1361 or email info@mediterraneodesignbuild.com.
Mediterraneo Design & Build 