Designing Sustainably for Social Justice

By NextHaus Alliance Founding Member, Kipnis Architecture + Planning

Kipnis Architecture + Planning believes that “affordable” and “sustainable” provide synergies that support the health and wellbeing of the planet and the home’s occupants, as well as the values of local communities. The firm’s portfolio includes a handful of affordable housing projects through the years while the team’s practice daily reinforces the values of social equity. 

Between 2011 and 2013 and with grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 (NSP2), Kipnis Architecture + Planning renovated homes and condominiums in Evanston, Ill., in poor condition, with issues including water leakage and substandard mechanical and ventilation systems. Sustainable upgrades included installing new, higher performance windows, improving the insulation systems, upgrading the mechanical systems and making the homes watertight.

NSP2 was established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to stabilize neighborhoods damaged by foreclosure and abandonment. Working on the condominiums and this two-unit building supported local companies and provided the community with sustainable, affordable housing opportunities.

We took some of the worst homes in Evanston and made them significantly better. (Kipnis Architecture + Planning photo)

Green Homes for Chicago – held in 2002 as a collaboration between Chicago’s Department of Housing and Department of Environment in conjunction with Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago – selected architects from a 2000 international design competition to build an affordable green home in the city’s Englewood and Hermosa neighborhoods. Kipnis Architecture + Planning's submitted three designs, with the following selected from over 100 applicants. It was finished in 2002 with Mark A. Miller Architecture as a designer partner.

(Kipnis Architecture + Planning photo)

“Creative strategies were employed to maximize energy efficiency with a small budget,” said Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, founder and principal of Kipnis Architecture + Planning. 

Sustainable features include one of the first uses of continuous insulation in the Chicago area, linoleum flooring made from natural jute fibers, carpeting made of recycled plastic soda bottles and cement-fiber board siding. 

“When an adjacent house burned, the green home didn’t catch fire,” Kipnis said. “The cement fiberboard siding proved its worth as embers glanced off of the siding.”

Although this particular design was also submitted in the Green Homes for Chicago competition, it has not yet been built. “It stands as a pillar of our belief in the future of sustainable homes,” Kipnis said. The classic Midwest Prairie Style design has passive solar and tight construction details for high efficiency. 

(Kipnis Architecture + Planning rendering)

“Consulting on the Chicago Green Bungalow Initiative in 2001, Jeanne Gang, founder of Studio Gang, and I were consultants for four energy-efficient and sustainable bungalows in the City of Chicago,” Kipnis said. 

Energy efficiency reduced the homes’ operating costs and enabled families of moderate income to afford them. The average space-heating energy savings ranged from $574 to $1,073 per year in 2001, providing meaningful savings that improved their quality of life.

(Kipnis Architecture + Planning photo)

“That’s still a pretty significant savings,” Kipnis said, “proving that sustainability and affordability can work together to support the health and wellbeing of the planet and the home’s occupants, as well as the values of local communities.”

Learn more about NextHaus Alliance member Kipnis Architecture + Planning and its work in sustainable architecture and resilient design on Facebook and Instagram, and at www.kipnisarch.com.

---

Homes with a Purpose

Homes with a Purpose

By Lauren Coburn | Lauren Coburn Architectural Interior Designer

From daily activities to travel, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live, work and think. Lauren Coburn, Lauren Coburn Architectural Interior Designer and a NextHaus Alliance member, shares her insights on design trends. 

Elevating Design 

Elevate your home’s interior design by incorporating materials, textures and colors that seamlessly blend space and create emotion. This palette of blue, cream and sepia – complemented by a carefully selected light fixture – creates drama and elegance. Antique rugs lend warmth.

Lauren Coburn Photo

Efficiency 

Homeowners are maximizing their interior space for efficiency and purpose. Sustainable elements help reduce the carbon footprint and create an efficient use of space. This kitchen incorporates materials that help maximize storage space, optimize its unique shape and provides for awesome entertaining.

Lauren Coburn Photo

Personalization 

Customization and personalization are taking existing homes to the next level. Custom furniture throughout this lake-house inspired home fits its grand scale. The unique shape of the room and its light-beckoning windows draw attention to the client’s passion for overseas travel and love of French-inspired design. 

Lauren Coburn Photo

Outdoor Living 

Bringing the interior space outdoors may not be new, but it has evolved with homeowner intention behind how we now use our outdoor areas. Rooms with purpose range from private meditation spaces to front-yard parlors and outdoor dining centers for family use and entertaining friends.

Hursthouse photo

As consumers spend more time at home and experience their environment as a result of the pandemic, how we use our homes is changing. Homes with a purpose is a trend that is likely to grow.

Lauren Coburn is an architectural interior designer and owner of the design firm that bears her name. 

---

In the News: Climate Change

Yes, It’s Dire – But We Can Still Make Things Right

Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, LEED BD+C | Kipnis Architecture + Planning

Extreme weather events are increasing occurrences throughout the Midwest, in the U.S. and around the globe. Relentless news reports of droughts, tornados, wildfires and flooding are proof that climate change is real, and that its aftermath affects peoples’ lives, homes and livelihoods.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) reported this week that “scientists are observing changes in the Earth’s climate in every region and across the whole climate system.” Its report, Climate Change 2021: the Physical Science Basis, was approved this summer by the IPCC’s 195 member governments. 

Earlier this year, The Nature Conservancy released its report, An Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change in Illinois, with similar findings. “Over the past 120 years, the average daily temperature in Illinois has increased, especially the average overnight temperature,” the report states. “The average daily temperature has increased by 1-2⁰F in most areas of Illinois.” 

According to both reports, the evidence is clear: there is direct correlation between humanity’s role in climate change and the Earth’s rising mean surface temperature of about 1.0⁰C above pre-industrial levels. Unless there is a change in human behavior to reduce and eliminate consumption of goods and services that emit greenhouse gasses, the Earth is on a trajectory of a 2.0⁰C rise in temperature, and this will be exponentially worse. Global temperature is expected to reach or exceed 1.5⁰C over the next 20 years, IPCC states.

Like a domino effect, further increases in Earth’s temperatures will trigger exponentially severe environmental and societal problems. Among them, rising sea levels and more dramatic wildfires, loss of plant pollinators and decreased crop output, increased pests and lengthy periods of drought and flooding. 

Fortunately, there are scientists and business professionals across the environmental spectrum working hard to dissect the research and implement viable solutions. I remain positive that – together – we can slow and even stop greenhouse gas emissions by changing behaviors that prepare us for the future.

Scotland Retreat Cottage - Kipnis Architecture + Planning

What You Can Do

First and foremost, our shared goal is to make sure global temperature does not increase by 1.5⁰C and certainly not by 2.0⁰C. To do this, our No. 1 action must be to stop using fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal and natural gas. 

Here are a few other changes you can make now that will have an impact over time:

• When looking at a new home or significant changes to your home, “correctly size” it to what you practically will use. Many of us have rooms in our house that we rarely occupy.

• If you’re moving, renovating or building, consider a home that has tightly constructed space, requiring little energy for heating or cooling.

• Switch to all-electric, in-house systems and appliances. Stop using natural gas.  The path to getting off of fossil fuels includes moving to an all-electric lifestyle. Electricity allows for the use of clean, renewable energy on the electric grid. The amount of renewable energy on the electric grid is growing every day.

• Adopt on-site renewable and alternative energy systems. Consider installing solar panels and petitioning your community to develop local solar or regional wind farms.

• Stop using gasoline-powered vehicles and make the switch to electric. Use mass transit when and where you can and take your bicycle when traveling around your community. Living in a ‘walkable’ community makes local travel that much easier.

• Petition your employer to offer work-from-home options that reduces travel time to and from the office. During COVID-19 quarantine, many of us appreciated how effective and efficient work-from-home can be on a number of levels.

Lake Zurich Home - Kipnis Architecture + Planning

What the Industry Is Doing

At Kipnis Architecture + Planning, we have been designing sustainable, resilient homes since our founding in 1993. To plan for the above changes and maintain a clear path to environmental health, the best practices in the architectural community are:

• Using future forecast weather projections when designing residential homes and commercial buildings to have systems ready for tomorrow’s weather, not just today’s.

• Designing buildings to be as resilient as possible in the face of Mother Nature’s volatility. This includes designing for intense weather events such as extreme heat, rains and winds, as well as aftermaths such as fires, power outages and flooding.

• Incorporating back-up power systems and safe areas for sheltering in place.

• Designing for bulk storage mudrooms and personal hygiene spaces that are separate from internal living areas.

• Incorporating carefully designed home offices and inspiring spaces for home schooling.

• Designing for multi-generational living, including for aging-in-place where the primary living areas are on the ground floor.

• Including a spin on the old-fashioned “kitchen garden,” where raised bed or vertical gardens are creatively placed either indoors or steps outside the kitchen door.

Health and wellness begin at home and – like the proverbial ripple in a pond – can go a long way in our collective efforts to reduce the effects of climate change. Together, we’ve got this. 

Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, LEED BD+C is founder and principal of Kipnis Architecture + Design.

---

Happy Earth Day!

By Bob Hursthouse | Hursthouse Landscape Architects 

The global pandemic has not been kind to us or to the Earth, our home. As we move through this time, we at NextHaus Alliance thought it appropriate to think about the positive things we can do. Here are three suggestions for Earth Day activities that will make a difference

Embrace natives: Our natural plant community has evolved and adapted to our local environment. The plants have come to thrive in our individual site micro-climates. With decades of experience, it only takes a few minutes of understanding to make us aware of what should be growing at our homes. Illinois is the Prairie State. Pre-settlement, most of northern Illinois was covered in tall grass prairie punctuated with oak groves. There were stands of trees, mostly on the east sides of waterways that helped protect them from prairie fires. Robbi and I are fortunate to live on the edge of a pre-settlement oak grove. We have nurtured our trees and restored prairie to a large portion of our property. We have helped encourage the population of bluebirds and provided food and habitat for butterflies and pollinators. These are all good things for our environment.

Harvest rainwater: Early in my training I was taught about storm water management. It basically consisted of proper pipe sizing to send rainwater downstream and away from homes. It kept the basement dry, but that was all. We are now suggesting rainwater harvesting. What are ways we can refill our personal aquifers? How can we keep the rainwater on our properties to care for our plants and gardens? Rain barrels are a simple way to do it. You have an instant source of water for your plants and gardens following each rain event. Rain gardens are another way. We direct and collect rainwater in appropriate spaces in our landscapes and allow the water to pool and percolate into our soil structure. It ultimately adds to ground water and cares for our plants.

Plant Pollinators: Considerable research has been done that shows how dependent we are on plant pollinating insects. They are essential in plant productivity and the creation of our fruits and vegetables. Random use of pesticides and reduction of habitat have crushed insect populations. We can support the pollinators by reducing/eliminating our use of pesticides and by planting pollinator friendly plants. Beautiful gardens can be created that attract butterflies and other pollinators. The flowers are fabulous and change with the season. Robbi and I enjoy sitting in our pollinator garden and counting the number of unique species we have attracted.

The Earth is ours to exploit or restore. It is really up to us. We invite you to join us in the restoration of our home.

Wishing you fabulous memories in your gardens. Flourish!

Bob Hursthouse, along with his wife Robbi, are founders of Hursthouse Landscape Architects, located in Bolingbrook, Illinois, and core members of NextHaus Alliance.By Janet McCann

---

Make Yourself at Home: Why Interior Design Should Be Part of the Renovation Process from the Beginning

By Janet McCann

What makes a house a home? 

When you’re looking for a home, scrolling through real estate listings or walking through open houses, it’s easy to imagine yourself living there. But once you buy a home and start a renovation project, it can get more challenging – What color should I paint this room? Where should my existing furniture go? How can I best light this space?

Indeed, interior design makes a house your home. If a home renovation project is like a makeover, the interior design is your personal (and personally meaningful) look. What works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you.

It makes sense, then, for an interior designer to be part of the team from the very beginning. Whether it is a new home or a renovation, there are considerations that only an interior designer can address, such as room size for desired furniture, the type and size of furnishings, and window size and styles integrated with window treatments, among other elements of décor. 

Working with a designer isn’t about her or his style – it’s about discovering and executing yours. Some people know and articulate their style quite well. Others struggle with defining it. 

If a client truly cannot explain their taste and style, I pick up on clues, such as their current living situation. I also have them look at pictures from magazines, Houzz or Pinterest to share what they like. I make sure that their taste in the architecture matches with the interior design.  

As part of the team, an interior designer has a particular point of view which is distinct from the architect or builder yet complementary to the integration of the project. The interior designer keeps the end result in mind, monitoring how design and building decisions impact the overall look, feeling and budget of a project. 

For example, as part of the NextHaus Alliance team, I am involved in all initial conversations with the architects at Kipnis Architecture + Planning and with the builder at Berliant Construction. Close collaboration continues with them and with other NextHaus Alliance partners through several stages of the project.

Our most recent project – the renovation of a historic home in Evanston – is an example of this type of collaborative work. The home’s unique and beautiful history adds another layer of excitement and invention. 

I believe it is very important to honor the integrity of the architecture of any home. At the same time, I bear in mind the fact that, just like a person, homes evolve. Because a house ultimately serves the people who live there, it must change with the times. 

To see how the Evanston historic home changes during the collaborative renovation, follow along on the NextHaus Alliance Facebook and Instagram over the next several months!

Janet McCann, president of Janet McCann Associates, is a core member of NextHaus Alliance.

---

Design Excellence, Defined and Pursued

By Nathan Kipnis FAIA, LEED B+C

What is excellent design?

There are a lot of interpretations, many colloquial, about that descriptor. But from an architectural standpoint, design excellence is defined in a more holistic, encompassing way.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has developed a thoughtful Framework for Design Excellence. The defining principles of excellent 21st century design fall into this framework, which has been drafted around the collective striving for sustainable, resilient and inclusive built structures. While this framework will be used as a basis for design competition among architectural professionals, it ultimately and frequently will be used as a guiding ideology for all projects, greatly expanding the definition of what design should aspire to in these times.

AIA’s framework underscores the important role that architecture plays in protecting people and the environment from the effects of climate change and social injustice. As architects looking at the present and future, we take seriously our work in facilitating these principles in our own work.

The ten points of AIA’s Framework for Design Excellence include the following:

• Design for Integration: An integrated process that balances beauty and function.

• Design for Equitable Communities: Design that takes into account the community and future occupants as well as those who live, work or visit the building. 

• Design for Ecosystems: Structures that benefit humans and nonhumans within the ecosystem, including animal life and nature.  

• Design for Water:  Throughout the space, the responsible use of this precious natural resource.

• Design for Economy: Designing for value for the homeowner, the community and the earth with a goal of being cost neutral and design neutral.

• Design for Energy: Reducing dependence on fossil fuels and working towards Net Zero Energy and Net Zero Carbon building. 

• Design for Well Being: During and beyond the current global health crisis, creating homes that support health and well being for all people. 

• Design for Resources: Selecting and using materials that reduce embodied carbon and environmental impacts without sacrificing building performance.

• Design for Change:  With the inevitability of change, designing structures that take into account future risks and vulnerabilities and changing markets on a social, economic and environmental level.

• Design for Discovery: An exciting facet of design, in which lessons discovered from previous work are used to refine and improve the design process for the betterment of all. 

As a member of the national AIA’s board-level committee, I’m honored to be a part of the effort to implement the principles within this framework. Watch this space for updates on progress, as the framework and its inspired designs come to life.

Nathan Kipnis is Founder and Principal of Kipnis Architecture + Planning in Boulder, Colo. and Evanston, Ill. and co-founder of NextHaus Alliance. He was recently appointed to serve on the American Institute of Architects’ highest-ranking committee on sustainability and architectural design.

---

Smart Home Solutions

Smart home technology makes life easier, to be sure, but it can also help enhance health and wellness, along with resilience and sustainability.   

Shedding Light on Wellness:  Especially on grey winter days, natural light just makes you feel better. Biologically, natural light is important in improving mood and regulating the body’s circadian rhythms, including sleep cycles and the way our bodies use vitamin D.  By installing a lighting system based on circadian rhythms, you can boost your overall well-being.  Here’s how it works:  Instead of having bulbs that emit only one color and brightness level, circadian lights adjust in color temperature and brightness in sync with your circadian rhythms. Essentially, these LED bulbs mimic the sun’s changes through the day, allowing for healthy wake and sleep cycles and overall better feelings and cognition. 

Pure and Simple: In addition to lighting, smart home technologies can be deployed to improve air purification and water filtration in a house. This, too, inherently bolsters health and wellness, by removing many toxins, viruses and allergens.

The Smart Home Ecosystem: Bringing it all together, a smart home technology platform automatically manages lighting, air and water systems, to deliver peace of mind and comfort. Barrett’s Technology Solutions uses the Delos' DARWIN Premier platform to seamlessly manage these functions to optimize a home for healthful living.

These and many other smart home solutions can be added to plans for new construction or be part of an existing home’s renovations. Even a century-old home can be fitted with such solutions!

Learn more about living a better life in your own home with smart wellness solutions and lighting by visiting https://barretts.tv.

Joe Barrett is president of Barrett’s Technology Solutions, a core member of NextHaus Alliance.

---

The Not-Shed

By Larry Berliant, Berliant Builders, Inc.

The outdoor shed holds a sacred place in American frontier-busting lore.  It’s a bastion of peace and tranquility – a place of productivity, refuge, safety, and utility.  It’s a symbol of ownership, a flag planted in promise of continual improvement and progress.  Over its lifetime, the shed takes on the personality of its owner, assuming a presence greater than the sum of four walls and a roof.

But, even in America, not all sheds are created equal.

We’ve modernized the concept of the shed in a recent project in Roscoe Village, creating what we refer to affectionately as “The Not-Shed” (because a “shed” it is not).

The Not-Shed is a four-season, temperature controlled multipurpose room, utilizing a high-efficiency air conditioning unit and in-floor heating under a finished concrete floor.  It boasts remote-operated glass “garage” doors on two sides, designed to combine both form and function.  The Not-Shed anchors its own city lot adjacent to the main house; its sidewalk approach is a runway of grass.  It’s a destination.

Our client utilizes The Not-Shed for a multitude of purposes: it’s a work space, an exercise room, a controlled play area for young children, a staging area for outdoor parties, storage space, and a meditation/yoga room.  Use changes with the season.  When the doors are closed, the space is a cozy, finished, and well-lit.  When they’re open, the space becomes airy and transitional, visually and aesthetically tying into the outdoor patio – also designed and built by Berliant Builders.

[Insert picture #3 – interior view.]

The Not-Shed has taken on new importance during the era of Covid-19.  Our client told us recently, only half-jokingly, that he “wouldn’t have survived without it.”  It has become an “on-site vacation home” that’s accessible, comfortable, and safe.  Especially during these unparalleled times, The Not-Shed serves – much like its humble ancestor – as a critical component of the home’s resiliency.

Larry Berliant is president of Berliant Builders Inc., a core member of NextHaus Alliance.

Construction Partners:

Outdoor design services provided by Barker Evans Landscape Architecture: https://www.barker-evans.com/

Stonework by Krugel Cobbles: https://krugel.com/

Flooring by AccuFlow Floors: https://accu-flow.com/

Garage doors by Raynor Garage Doors: https://raynor.com/

---

Designing for the COVID-19 Era

If you were planning to build a home now, wouldn’t your wants and needs be different than a year ago?  I am an interior designer, living in a beautiful, mid-century, open plan home which was ideal until the COVID-19 crisis forced us to work from home. In hindsight, I see a few things we could have done to make our new situation more workable. 

At the office 

There are enclosed rooms where I could have set up shop, but the light and view aren’t as pleasant as in my dining room. There, surrounded by glass, the view is lovely, and everything is just fine until I get a chill and need a sweater or a down vest.  The thermal properties of my 50’s windows are not great.  I’d love to have more consistent temperature control.

My husband works at a desk in our family room which is about 30 feet from my “desk”, i.e. the dining table.  He wears a headset but every now and then a belt of laughter shatters my concentration.  

When one of us has a conference call (why do we raise our voices while talking to a screen?) the other’s workflow stops.  Wouldn’t it be great to have separate workspaces or at least better sound proofing?

The reinvented, relevant mudroom

It occurs to me that the name “mudroom” has taken on a new meaning.  It should probably be called “cleaning chamber.” It should have a sink, place to discard masks and gloves, an area to place boxes before they are sanitized and a bench to remove and store shoes.  

Fortunately, I have a cabinet right by the front door with a drawer full of masks so when my deliveries arrive, I can don a mask and sign for my package and pull out my hand sanitizer.

Pantry pointers

One thing that hasn’t changed is our love of cooking and eating and we are doing much more of that.   We do have a great kitchen that accommodates most of our needs.  Had I known of the coming sheltering in place, I would have planned more food storage.  We were minimalists.

Rhythm of the light

Binge watching Netflix? If you have your nights and days mixed up, there is a lighting solution that can assist in getting you back on track.  LED lighting has developed to the point that the color temperature of the light can change throughout the day to match the circadian rhythms of the body.  Bright and golden colored in the morning to energize and changing throughout the day to cause relaxation and preparation for sleep.  A good night’s sleep is invaluable.   

Form and function

Our home was set up for large family gatherings, lots of seating, lots of open space.  That space is working well because I now have a card table set up for the constant jig saw puzzles.  Knowing how long this could go on, I am going to replace it with a “real table”.   I will also add a cabinet to store the things that are now in plastic boxes on every dining chair.  We are back to the thinking of the early Americans when each piece of furniture had multiple purposes and took up the minimum amount of space.

I have always valued order and beauty in our surroundings. They have a calming effect on us, especially now when we are spending so much time at home. For many people, home was once a place to crash after a long stressful day.  Many features and functions may have been ignored and small problems unaddressed. However, this current crisis can help us all evaluate what we truly need and want in our homes today and into the future.

If you were planning to build a house today, would the first thing you would say be, “I want it to be beautiful”?  How about prioritizing, health, energy efficiency, adaptability, and comfort to enhance the lives of everyone who lives there? With all of that it will be beautiful and serve many purposes. 

Janet McCann is president of Janet McCann Associates, Inc. in Northfield, Ill. She is a core member of NextHaus Alliance. Learn more at janetmccanndesign.com

---

Smart Move: Automating Health and Wellness in a Healthy Home

By Joe Barrett

Health and wellness at the touch of a button is one step closer. Today’s smart home automation systems can integrate features that enhance many aspects of health and wellness, from mood to energy levels to sleep. Thanks to a partnership between Barrett's Technology Solutions and DELOS, a global leader in wellness real estate, homes built by the Chicago-based NextHaus Alliance team of experts can include an innovative home wellness ecosystem. 

The DARWIN wellness hub is available as a stand-alone wall mounted enclosure

Like ecosystems in nature (and, for that matter, the human body), the home wellness ecosystem is interconnected and ultimately influential on overall health. The DARWIN wellness intelligence platform offered by NextHaus Alliance spans air purification, water filtration, and lighting, among other functions.  A homeowner can control functions via a handheld device equipped with a convenient app.  

Heating and cooling:  A home environment should be both comfortable and healthy, during the day and at night. Through the wellness intelligence platform, a homeowner can control optimal temperatures, with cooler temperatures for better sleep at night and warming temperatures in the waking hours to start the day with the right energy. 

Lighting is a way to enhance mood, reduce stress or boost energy, depending on the time of day.

Lighting: Likewise, smart home automation systems can control lighting that impacts and improves one’s state of wellness, beginning with lighting that mimics the rising sun in sync with natural circadian rhythms. The system can be calibrated to a home’s location for even more relevant, beneficial lighting. 

Air quality: The wellness intelligence system can detect pollutant spikes in a home’s air quality and then purify that air to reduce indoor contaminants that negatively affect cardiovascular, respiratory, immune and cognitive health.  Air quality scores can be generated for specific rooms as well as the whole house. Information on outdoor weather can also be accessed easily by the app.

These kinds of automated systems directly influence and improve health and well-being, an objective on the minds and priority lists of today’s homeowners, even before the COVID-19 pandemic and home quarantines. The wellness real estate market has been growing at a rate of about eight percent every year, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Going forward amid current circumstances, interest is expected to grow at an even more rapid pace.

Source: Delos, Healthy Living Environments

Combined with the expertise of the NextHaus design team that has long specialized in sustainable, resilient and healthy home design, construction and décor, smart home technologies can be installed easily and efficiently for better health and wellness at your fingertips – literally. 

Joe Barrett is president of Barrett’s Technology Solutions and a core member of NextHaus Alliance.

---

Health Begins at Home – Here’s How to Safeguard It

By Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, LEED BD+C

Homes have always been havens and sanctuaries. Now, they are also workplaces and learning centers.  

As you try to protect the health and wellness of all those who live in your home, did you know that your home can actually protect you?  The way a home is designed and constructed can affect its overall sustainability (carbon footprint), resiliency (ability to withstand weather extremes and other harsh elements) and health (prevention or mitigation of health-impacting circumstances).

There are several elements of a home’s design that can provide peace of mind:

• Air quality: 

1. High performance homes require efficient air intake.  The outside air is brought in through a high efficiency air-to-air heat exchanger that is combined with a HEPA grade air filter.  A HEPA filter removes at least 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns in size.  An N95 mask, for comparison, only removes at least 95% of 0.3 micron sized particles.  

2. All electric homes do not have any combustion emissions within the house and consequently have a healthier indoor air quality.  Using an induction cooktop is a great way to have an amazing cooking experience with zero indoor emissions. Most of the top chefs have completely embraced this way to cook.  

3. Using non-toxic materials within the house helps make the indoor air quality as healthy as possible.  This includes not only the finishes and construction materials, but also the furniture, clothes and consumer products (like perfumes and hair care products) that are brought into the home.

4. Using non-toxic and natural cleaning products also helps with the indoor air quality.

5. Architectural skylights provide natural light that enhances cognitive function and learning, regulates circadian rhythms for better sleep cycles, and provides natural ventilation which improves energy efficiency by reducing reliance on air conditioning. 

6. Smart home technology systems help homeowners enjoy a level of indoor air quality akin to hospitals by monitoring indoor air quality and temperature and matching smart lighting to a person’s circadian rhythms.

Light from skylights helps improve cognitive function and circadian rhythms, while natural ventilation in warmer months helps air flow and quality.

---

• Water: 

1. A rainwater capture system allows a homeowner to channel water into a barrel for use in irrigation or other non-drinking water uses. There are also gray-water systems that can be installed to recirculate water in your homes in a way that does not contaminate drinking water.

2. Home level water filters are a great way to make sure your drinking water is safe and healthy.  Per the Well Standard, the water filter is specified to meet the specific filter requirements of the exact water coming into your home.  

• Power security: 

1. Reducing reliance on the grid – especially when that grid is stressed – provides peace of mind should conventional power systems go down.  Solar photovoltaic panels, when combined with a battery backup system, can provide a portion of a home’s power, generating electricity needed to run critical mechanical systems, water heaters, cooktops and other key devices. 

2. Other electricity that doesn’t come from solar can be generated by renewable power purchased from the retail electric market. 

3. An additional level for peace of mind is a battery backup system, which allows you to store electricity from solar panels and use it at night or if the power goes out.  You can get the full benefits of a battery back-up system even without solar panels, as the batteries can simply store grid power and use it when needed or when the price of electricity is higher than when the electricity was stored into the battery.

• Resilient features: 

1. Resilience is the ability to have a home withstand natural or manmade impacts and recover quickly.  

2. A homeowner can opt for many elements that boost a home’s resilience such as metal roofs set atop of a roof whose sheathing is fully covered with Ice and Water Shield.  This helps keep a home watertight even if high winds damage the roof.

3. Oversized gutters and downspouts are able to keep up with extreme rain events.   

4. Smart landscaping can absorb intense rains and prevent water pooling around the houses foundation. 

5. Multiple and redundant sump pumps on carefully sized battery backup systems help keep your basement dry.

Homeowners can choose several features that improve a home’s resiliency from harsh natural or manmade elements, including windows, exterior materials and roofing.

---

• Food security: 

1. Reduce reliance on purchased produce and grow your own vegetables, which have the upside of freshness, taste and higher nutritional levels. Landscape professionals with a specialty in sustainable landscapes can help optimize your backyard space for bountiful and seasonally-rotating home harvests.

• Storage:  

1. Ample storage space where you can stock necessities like nonperishable foods, water or other goods makes household management easier and helps extend your family’s supplies.

• Future Proofing:  

1. Integral grab bar blocking.  You never know when you will need to add grab bars to a bathroom or elsewhere.  Careful upfront planning insures that blocking for future grab bars are positioned where you might need them down the line.

2. Ground floor master bedrooms are very forward looking.  They might be called offices now, but locating a possible master bedroom suite on the first floor is very smart thinking for “aging in place”.  An adjacent powder room could also be converted to a full bathroom if planned out in advance. 

3. Having wider first floor doors and hallways also helps with ‘aging in place’ concepts.

As we work through this particular challenging time, we also look ahead to plan for and prepare for what might be coming next with a potential impact on our families and home fronts.  

Be well. 

Nathan Kipnis is Founder & Principal of Kipnis Architecture + Planning in Evanston, Ill. and Boulder, Colo., and co-founder of NextHaus Alliance, a unique collaboration that encompasses architecture, sustainable construction, interior design, smart home technology and innovative landscaping.

Please contact us at NextHaus Alliance at 312-586-2818 or info@NextHausalliance.com if you have any questions on these tips, or if we can help you with your home project that incorporates these concepts.

---

Stunning and Sustainable: Designing for Both Beauty and Resilience

By Alex Altieri, Vectorworks

As part of the organization’s 2030 Commitment, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) encourages its members to design all carbon-neutral buildings by 2030. This means that architects need to start thinking about designing sustainable structures if they haven’t already.

Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, principal of Kipnis Architecture + Planning and founding member of NextHaus Alliance, has not only been thinking about sustainable structures, but designing them since he built his first solar home at age 22.

Today, as the national co-chair of the 2030 Commitment Working Group and a recognized leader in sustainable architecture and design, Kipnis is working with homeowners and commercial building owners to create structures that are as beautiful as they are resilient and aligned with 2030 carbon-neutral goals.

Kipnis, who coined the term High Design/Low Carbon™, is passionate about his vocation and how he can impact the effects of climate change, since buildings account for 40% of global CO2 emissions. His firm and his NextHaus Alliance partners in the software, design, construction, interior decorating and landscape specialties, have lent their innovations and expertise to create homes that marry sustainability, luxury and comfort. 

Recently, Kipnis’s firm designed a family home in Chicago that proves that sustainable design is not a zero-sum game. 

Aerial view of Kipnis’ 5-lot residential home design in Chicago.

The all-electric home exists on five lots — a uniquely large site — on the north branch of the Chicago River. Overlooking the river, it’s shaped like an “L” to shield the backyard from traffic. The south-facing roof is home to dozens of solar panels with more on the three-car garage that’s equipped with charging stations for electric cars. 

If high performance design is his goal, Vectorworks design software is his vehicle. Kipnis has been using the software for almost his entire career, which began in the early ‘80s. “We love using Vectorworks because it’s based on how architects work,” he said. “We just love how simple it is to use.”

For this particular project, he used the software to layout detailed floor plans and translate them into realistic 3D models. The software enabled seamless collaboration with the NextHaus Alliance team, allowing a free flow of plans, drawings, and models between everyone involved. He was able to get input from an energy installer, a landscape architect, an engineer, and more with the help of the software.

First story floor plan for Kipnis’ 5-lot residential home in Chicago.

Among other applications, Kipnis Architecture + Planning has made great use of the software’s ability to create solar animations to accurately visualize in real-time the path of the sun as it relates to a building. “This feature allows us to position buildings properly to take advantage of natural lighting, reducing energy usage for the build,” he explains.

Ultimately, through visionary design, careful planning and software that powers the vision, Kipnis is able to help clients tread lighter on the earth but no less enjoyably.  “The thing that this house shows,” Kipnis said, “is that homes can be designed and built from the ground up in ways to save important resources, improve energy efficiency and even boost health, without having to exchange sustainability for luxury or comfort. It’s a collaborative process that results in a truly integrated sustainable design.”

Vectorworks, a Bronze Ambassador member of NextHaus Alliance. guides the exploration of discovery by providing powerful tools to help designers capture ideas, nurture innovation, communicate effectively and realize their vision. 

---

A Landscape That is as Sustainable as it is Stunning

By Bob Hursthouse, President, Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors and Core Member, NextHaus Alliance

One of the things we pride ourselves on at Hursthouse is creating beautiful, functional landscapes that fit the lifestyle of the homeowners. That’s paramount. But we also examine ways to create sustainable landscapes. Sustainability is not just a “buzzword”: it’s working with environmentally-friendly choices, being sensitive to the site, whether we design and build it in a busy urban area with a small space garden or in a large suburban setting. That is what we’ve done for this incredible home as part of the NextHaus Alliance.

Functional Landscapes

Native plants—from trees to prairie grasses and perennials—are a big part of this landscape. Unlike roses or annuals that can be fussy and only bloom during the growing season, the plants we’ve used in this landscape offer multi-season interest. This fall, the drift of prairie grasses along the water’s edge will turn tawny colors. When the wind blows, they’ll provide movement and they’ll look good when the snow falls. Behind the house, the stunning swamp white oak will hold its leaves until spring. There’s always something to enjoy in this landscape, even from inside the house in winter.

There are many reasons for using native plants. They benefit pollinators like butterflies. Their flowers and seeds feed the birds. For example, native chokeberry bushes along the drive feed migrating cedar waxwings and other birds. The oak-leaf hydrangea offers flowers, beautiful fall color and winter interest. And, once they’re established, many native plants are drought-tolerant and require little supplemental water.

There’s less maintenance, too. We planted a native mix of grasses as a barrier alongside the water, which deters geese. And, there’s a small lawn area planted with low-mow, low-maintenance fescue. The owners like the informal, organic feel created by the plants.

Sustainable Landscapes

We’ve also used natural materials like quarried stone, rather than those products that are manufactured. Natural stone will last beyond a lifetime. The deck was built with recycled materials-bamboo and plastic—and we installed a dry stream bed to draw water away from the home’s foundation.

The goal of designed and managed sustainable landscapes is to maintain soil integrity, create plant and animal diversity, and, ideally, contribute to our overall wellness. No matter what style garden we design, sustainability is always an underlying principle at Hursthouse.

Your NextHaus Alliance team embraces the unique gift of each of our design and construction specialists. Just as indoor and outdoor areas fuse an array of features and elements, each discipline plays a part in perfecting your living space and making it more sustainable.

Bob Hursthouse is president of Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors, a core member of NextHaus Alliance. Learn more at hursthouse.com.

---

Architects Can Save the World!

Nathan Kipnis, FAIA

I recently finished up two meetings with the American Institute of Architects (AIA).  The meetings were focused on how the AIA, and all architects and builders, are to work towards making buildings as sustainable and resilient as possible.  I left both meetings with a sense that the task ahead will be very challenging, but the stakes are huge.

I serve on two national committees for the AIA.  I am the national co-chairman of the 2030 Commitment Working Group.  The 2030 Commitment’s goal it is to get all architects to design their buildings to net zero carbon by 2030.  I also am on the AIA’s Sustainability Leadership Group (SLG). The SLG oversees strategic planning for the various sustainability groups.

A Streetcar Named 2030! Everyone looking at the camera is a member of the AIA’s national 2030 Commitment WG.

2030 Commitment Working Group

The 2030 Commitment, a direct offshoot of the 2030 Challenge, provides a framework for efficiency targets for energy reductions for various building types in various climatic regions.  It is also designed to positively impact a design firm’s culture so that these reductions are integrated into how a firm operates.  The idea is that all projects are to be efficiently designed, not just a few “superstar” projects that we all seem to have.

Everyone looking at the camera is a member of the AIA’s national 2030 Commitment WG.

Our group recent meet in Kansas City (which I had never been to before – GREAT BBQ!) to review how we are going to make the program easier to use, provide a clearer business case to architects, and begin to integrate carbon metrics into the program.

The program is already seeing results.  In the most recent annual report, firms in the program have abated 17.8 million metric tons of CO2e in the last year.  That is the equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 21 million acres of forest annually.  That’s nearly as big as the state of Maine. But we need to step up our efforts even more.  The three-year goal is to double the number of signatories in the program and double the rate of reporting by those firms.

The reduction targets, currently at 70%, increase by 10% every five years until they are at net zero by 2030.  At NextHaus Alliance, we are routinely achieving that 70% reduction target on the homes we design. Next year, that target increases to 80%, a mark that we fully intend to meet.

Sustainability Leadership Group

The AIA’s Board of Directors just passed a groundbreaking resolution on Climate Change.  The resolution was introduced at the AIA’s national convention in Las Vegas and was signed by 50 members, including myself, to formalize leadership focused on climate action.  The three parts of the resolution included a declaration of urgent climate imperative for carbon reduction, transforming the way firms operate to achieve zero carbon work, and focusing others outside the AIA on this goal.  The vote was an overwhelming 93% to 7% (who are these 7% anyway?).

I just met with the SLG in Washington, D.C. to work on how to implement this and restructure the AIA.  The most amazing part of this is previously, the AIA allocated 6% of their funds on sustainability initiatives.  This is now going to increase to 60%, a full order of magnitude shift.

Change on the ground – and ground-up change

My firm is not that large.  We submit approximately 40,000 square feet into the Design Data Exchange, the reporting tool for the 2030 Commitment, out of the three billion (!) that the 2030 Commitment tracks annually.  But as part of the NextHaus Alliance, the concept of the 2030 Commitment is fully integrated into the work that we do. Saying it is part of our DNA sounds sort of cliche, but it is very true.  If you could put on colored glasses that showed how efficient, sustainable or resilient a building is, that is what we wear all the time.

Buildings are the source of nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions.  Being a part of these committees gives me hope that the people that make the key design decisions are being steered in the right direction for the benefit of the environment as a whole.  I feel that I am in a unique position – being a member of these committees is so rewarding knowing the impact that they are having, while at the same time the work we do at NextHaus Alliance is on the same plane, but done at a personal level.  Both scales of effort are needed to address climate change.

Nathan Kipnis, FAIA is the co-founder of NextHaus Alliance and  Founder & Principal of Kipnis Architecture + Planning in Evanston.

---

Shedding New Light on LEDs in Landscape Illumination

By Dean MacMorris, President, Night Light, Inc.

As daylight starts to wane this time of year, the impact of evening illumination grows. While the effect of nighttime lighting on landscapes is powerful, when using LED lights, it can use less actual power and be more energy efficient.

LED lighting  is one of five light sources, which also include common halogen, incandescent and mercury vapor lamps, among others. With homeowners looking to maximize their savings and also lessen their own environmental footprint, LED is a way to showcase beautiful outdoor spaces  in a way that treads lighter on the earth – and the family’s energy budget.

If you’re considering replacing your existing outdoor lights with LED options, let’s shine a light
on this lighting source, its benefits and uses in landscapes:

What is LED? LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. An LED emits lights by electronic “excitement” rather than the traditional heating of wires or exciting of gases. The technology for this type of lighting is continually improving and evolving and is being used more often in both commercial and residential spaces, both indoors and outdoors.

Today’s LED: These are not your parents’ or your old bluish LED lights that seemed artificial. The old Christmas light stereotype is a lingering misconception. LED lights are now available in a spectrum of looks, ranging from warm tones to cool hues, and emit more lumens (light) than previous versions. You can find easily determine the color that you like best or are most used to. Saved by the light: LED lights operate on significantly less energy. By converting an old system to LED, you can save energy costs by about 80 percent.

Conversion conversation: Nigh Light works closely with homeowners to help them convert their current outdoor lighting systems to LED or to start anew. There are benefits and costs to retrofitting a system and installing a completely new LED system, and the decision is based on the current setup and project budget.

Greener pastures — or at least greener gardens and yards: LED lights offer several sustainability benefits. LED lights use less energy, generate less heat, contain no hazardous materials, are low maintenance and conform to the Energy Act of 2005.

Just as homeowners have options across their home and outdoor areas to create beautiful, sustainable and resilient spaces, their lighting options include not just the use of LED but the expanding choice of different LED fixtures. To learn more, see examples of landscapes illuminated with LED — including homes  built with the NextHaus Alliance team — or get started on your own installation or conversion project, visit nightlightinc.net. The Lombard, Ill.-based Night Light, Inc. is a member of NextHaus Alliance.

---

Wood is Good

The Davis residence on Chuckanut Drive, Bellingham, Washington
© Benjamin Benschneider All Rights Reserved.

By Gabriela Taylor

Homes should be thoughtful, sustainable, and built for life. These are some of the core values at NextHaus Alliance. So how do windows and doors fit into these values? When we focus the topic on wood windows and doors, the answer becomes much more apparent. 

At Sierra Pacific, our business, culture, and operations are engrained in the wood, if you will. With roots running over 70 years deep and with the sustainable management of nearly two million acres of timberland in California and Washington State, we are unquestionably on the “wood is good” train. 

To bring it back to the original question, how do windows and doors make your home thoughtful, sustainable and built for life? The answer is simple. Just as these are core values for NextHaus Alliance, these are core characteristics of wood, therefore core characteristics of wood windows and doors.

Thoughtful:

Unlike many other things, wood does, in fact, grow on trees. That said, sustainably managing a forest, replanting, using every single part of said tree, and custom building every window and door produced by the same company that planted the seed is a very thoughtful process. With the use of modern forest management practices that closely mimic natural forest events and technology that gives us the ability to monitor forest conditions, our impact on the environment is drastically minimized. Professional foresters and natural resource specialists assure that wildlife habitat and other forest values are protected. This thoughtful foresight is something very unique and a value much desired in the resilient home design-build process. 

Sustainable:

The sustainable properties of wood are well known. Obviously, a renewable material, when wood is used in the construction and design of a home the building’s carbon footprint lowers by first storing the carbon and second by avoiding greenhouse gas emissions otherwise emitted by materials such as steel or concrete. The potential to reclaim and reuse wood is an additional factor in its sustainable quality. 

Built for Life:

The benefits of incorporating wood into the architecture and design of a home are also well known. Along with creating an aesthetically-pleasing environment that increases comfort levels, wood has been proven to:

• Help reduce stress levels

• Improve attention and focus

• Generate greater creativity

• Allow for quicker recovery

• Reduce pain perception

With all of these points, in addition to the benefits of natural daylight from windows and doors, the result is a perfectly matched product for any homeowner, builder, or architect who is striving to achieve a sustainable home design. Wood really is good.

To learn more about Sierra Pacific Windows, visit www.sierrapacificwindows.com.

Gabriela Taylor is the Architectural Consultant – Chicago, for Sierra Pacific Windows, a Division of Sierra Pacific Industries and a member of the NextHaus Alliance. 

---

Independence Days: Smart Home Technologies Control Energy Off and From the Grid

Photo above by Savant

By Joe Barrett 

It might seem that living off the grid and utilizing the latest technologies are mutually exclusive. But today’s smart technology systems allow people to take control of their utilities to maximize their comfort, peace of mind and energy efficiency if grid outages occur or if they are looking for better ways to manage their energy sources and usage. 

Climate control – on both a global and local level – is increasingly important to people, who are alarmed by information and images about the state and future of the environment.  The good news is that continual advances allow homeowners to integrate technologies into their home to help manage their environment in their homes, which can help positively impact their corner of the world and, in turn, the larger world around them.

Photo by Racepoint Energy

One example is a turnkey microgrid that can be customized to fit any job size or budget. This microgrid is a new smart technology that Barrett’s Technology Solutions is offering through its partners Savant and Racepoint Energy . It’s where transformers meet transformative change.

Essentially, the microgrid technology provides homeowners with energy independence in the event of grid outages, which are becoming more common and a focus of concern for the future. 

This form of integrated technology, with Racepoint Energy designing and engineering solar, generator and battery systems and Savant providing energy management and home automation, also gives users the power to monitor energy used by each circuit and manage energy storage systems and any smart appliances. 

Photo by Racepoint Energy

Even better and easier: this can be done with an app. The intuitive app allows homeowners to monitor their energy consumption and production, view energy history and set the system to pre-defined modes. 

Through this technology, homeowners have dynamic control over their climate, lighting and other electrical loads in a different way than traditional power backup systems.

The result is a rethinking of the ways in which energy is delivered, measured, managed and consumed. The combination of eco-friendly energy creation and customization represents a new kind of home ecosystem and turns consumers into “prosumers.” 

We’ve seen and been at the forefront of a lot of exciting home technologies since we started Barrett’s in 1966, at a time when televisions were becoming an important hub of the home. Today, as technologies are evolving in exciting ways, the home can be a catalyst for positive change. 

To learn more about integrated technologies and control systems that enable greater sustainability and resiliency, visit barretts.tv/home-automation. 

Joe Barrett is president of Barrett’s Technology Solutions, a core member of the NextHaus Alliance. 

---

Second City Savant(s)

Savant’s smart home integration system provides for the ability to easily capture, save, and revisit multiple settings – or “themes” – on a room-by-room basis. (Photo courtesy of Savant.)

By Larry Berliant, Berliant Builders, Inc.

Some NextHaus Alliance (NHA) members, courtesy of NHA partner Joe Barrett of Barrett’s Technology Solutions , recently journeyed to New York City for in-house presentations on cutting-edge smart home automation and lighting technology.  The NHA was represented by Barrett’s, Kipnis Architecture + Planning, and Berliant Builders, Inc. .

The demonstrations in NYC by Savant , USAI , Delos, and Lutron were notable for many reasons.

We were particularly impressed with Savant’s smart home automation system, which has the capacity to seamlessly integrate multiple functionalities of a “smart” home – including HVAC, lighting, security, and audio-visual systems – with the push of a button.  Savant’s system is set apart from the competition by its intuitive, easy-to-use interface, which allows for infinite customization by the home owner without constant calls to service technicians or technical skills greater than those needed to operate an iPhone.  It takes the “scary” out of “smart.”

Extraordinary automatic shading and LED lighting effects on display at Lutron’s showroom in Manhattan. (Photo courtesy of Joe Barrett.)

As contractors, Berliant Builders focused on the installation of Savant’s smart home products, and was pleased to learn that they are “modular” in the sense that they can serve as either the “hub” for an entire-home system or be installed on a room-by-room basis.  We’re excited to present this technology to both our new-home construction clients and as a retrofit to existing homes.

Moreover, it was encouraging to discover that Savant shares the NHA’s vision of building smart, resilient and sustainable homes.  For example, beyond its smart home automation system, Savant presented intriguing products that work to reduce plug load (the electricity consumed by devices that are plugged in but not being used) as well as advance a home’s capacity to cheaply and efficiently rely on internal battery storage, making the home both more-resilient during a power outage and more-sustainable in its ability to “switch off” from the grid during peak, “rush hour” power times.

This “field trip” to New York reinforced NHA members’ belief that these will be standard components in homes of the future, and that the time is rapidly approaching where home buyers won’t be asking “Is this a smart home?” but “How smart is this home?”

Berliant Builders is a core member of the NextHaus Alliance. The NHA is grateful to Barrett’s Technology Solutions as well as its New York City hosts for allowing us the in-person opportunity to better educate ourselves, and our clients, on the products of tomorrow.

A demonstration of the many beneficial aspects of a Naava “green wall” at Delos’s HQ in Manhattan. (Photo courtesy of Joe Barrett.)

---

The Cost-Value Equation for Stunning, Sustainable Living

How much does it cost to build a sustainable custom home or estate?

That’s a common, fair question, and one we hear a lot at NextHaus Alliance. The short answer is also a good answer: designing and building a beautiful custom home that is sustainable, resilient, and healthy continues to cost less each year.

The long answer is more thought-provoking. For example, there needs to be a better understanding of the difference between design and construction processes and luxury building materials, both of which are key elements in the cost of creating a luxury portfolio property.

To gain that understanding, one needs to overcome a common misperception that sustainable design and construction processes are significantly more expensive. For many design elements and components, this simply is not true and such designs have no negative impact on the construction cost. 

Today’s designers and builders committed to protecting the environment continually educate themselves to develop processes and procedures that have a positive impact on the environment while containing costs. There are true experts in these areas who have dedicated their entire careers to ensuring their talents and services are sustainable and community conscious. The potential homebuyer looking for an authentic sustainable architect, interior designer, builder, landscape architect and technology designer needs can find the best talent with an innovative initiative like NextHaus Alliance (NHA), which has assembled a team to leverage and offer unique expertise to property owners anywhere in the world. 

If a homeowner already has a builder, architect or designer they are working with, NHA and its experts can serve as consultants for the project, sharing insights and guidance with the current team as needed or desired.

Buyers who do their research will quickly learn that there are critical time savings in working with an alliance, along with total design integration that delivers peace of mind now and in the future. Homeowners can breathe easy working with a committed team of experts who will seamlessly blend sustainability and exquisite luxury home building and remodeling to create a stunning, high performance, comfortable and healthy home.

To design and build with NHA, these combined talents do not cost more. Together as a team, NHA member experts are able to lower their fees given the economies of working with like-minded professionals as part of dedicated team. This saves the homebuyer time, money, and frustration.

The talents and services NHA offers are broad-based and integrate architecture, interior design, landscape design and technology design. The interior design finishes and furnishings, for instance, are both stunning and environmentally-conscious. The latest technologies are incorporated for monitoring all aspects of the estate, including multiple buildings, outdoor living spaces, estate operating costs, preventive maintenance, updates, fingertip controls and more, allowing owners and guests to enjoy being fully in tune with nature. These are just a few examples. Stay tuned to this space, which will feature another blog covering the topic of cost differential on luxury building materials as it relates to the cost to build a sustainable custom home or estate.

Wendy Cohen is CEO and Founder of PowerHouse Recruiting™, a division of PowerHouse Advisors™ LLC, a successful business consultancy serving hundred luxury industry firms across the nation and Canada. She is a founding and core member of NextHaus Alliance.

---

On the Side of Resiliency

By Joe Stubler, Boral

It’s that time of year, when tornadoes and strong thunderstorms rake communities, and the first tropical storms and hurricanes start to churn up, bringing to mind images of people boarding up their homes or, after the event, staring at their damaged
facades. This also that time of year in many parts of the country when people take a new look at their home in the light of a late spring or early summer sun after a long winter. It was an exceptionally long winter in the Chicago area, which took its toll on structures as well as people. One way to secure a home and make it look fresh and appealing is to literally envelope it with strong materials. Durable siding enhances a home’s resiliency in the wake of weather events as well as in “regular” wear and tear.

Thanks to innovations in siding and trim materials and technologies, greater durability can be achieved. Boral, for example, has focused much of its innovative efforts on TruExterior siding and trim made from a combination of proprietary poly-ash material and recycled content. The line includes 5/8, 4/4, 5/4 and 2x trim, accessories, beadboard and siding. A home’s resilience is more than just weathering storms and wear, extending to the way in which a structure is a part of and connects with its environment. Homeowners interested in lowering the carbon footprint of their living space can opt for eco-friendlier materials while maintaining their high standards for quality and beauty. To that end, beyond its durability, the made-in-the-U.S. TruExterior is environmentally friendlier, because it’s made with 70 percent recycled content. The product is certified by a third party as “recycled content”.

The chemistry of poly-ash and recycled content also results in a hardier, low-maintenance exterior, with less expansion and contraction. The siding and trim offers greater resistance to damage caused by splitting or warping.

For home builders and homeowners, it’s also easy to install, without the need for gluing, gapping or other cumbersome and more expensive installation methods. The siding comes pre-primed, and can be painted in any kind of high-grade exterior paint. Another bonus: TruExterior siding and trim lasts longer because it isn’t affected by moisture like wood or other siding made with wood fiber.

Given the increasing frequency of strong storms and growing interest in more sustainable living, siding can be a front-and-center consideration when building a resilient home. See for yourself how your home might look with a more durable siding and trim, by logging onto Boral’s “Virtual Remodeler” .

Joe Stubler is a Territory Sales Manager for Boral Building Products Inc. in Bloomington, Ill and a member of the NextHaus Alliance. To learn more about durable, more sustainable siding and trim and the innovation behind such materials, visit truexterior.com.

---