Which of these home improvements do you think can cause condensation on your windows and cause your water heater to back draft?

The truth is that they all have the potential to cause unexpected consequences, including condensation on the windows, carbon monoxide in the air, and mold in the walls.
At the Smart Remodeling seminar in Rochester, we reviewed the interdependence of the systems in the house and how well-intentioned upgrade can cause a snow-ball effect in pushing an existing house toward and over the cliff to failure.

Why?

All of our existing homes rely on energy to keep them stable and to manage moisture. Older homes may be stable for reasons that aren’t immediately obvious. For example, wood fireplaces traditionally allow a high volume of air to escape through the chimney. That air may actually be removing moisture from the basement in the spring. If you install tight doors over the fireplace and the air is not allowed to escape, what happens to the moisture? It stays in the house, causing odors, mold, and condensation, unless overall ventilation of the house is addressed at the same time. The same holds true for other seemingly innocuous renovations.

The improvement ideas in the pop quiz above are all great things to do for energy efficiency and sustainability, yet experience has shown that they can lead to unintended results. These can be prevented through the right analysis and design process. We invite your call to discuss how careful planning can keep your remodeling project on track and improve your home’s performance at the same time.

VIVUS Architecture + Design has renewed its membership in the US Green Building Council as an indicator of our interest in , expertise regarding, and support of the sustainable building movement in the United States.

Ask us how we can help you measure how sustainable your project can be!

Just read a research summary from the University of Minnesota’s InformeDesign that discussed the apparent difference in aesthetic preferences between architects and building users. To cut to the quick:

Based on the report, building design that would satisfy both architects and building users would include:

I invite you to check out our portfolio; you’ll find that our projects appeal to both the users and the architect!

Passive House was launched from Germany under one basic premise: Invest in the building’s envelope to save energy. Through an air-tight, highly insulated building shell, heat transfer is dramatically reduced, requiring less energy to heat and cool the space. Ideally, the envelope’s high performance would offset the need for a large central heating/cooling appliance and that savings would offset the higher cost of increase wall thickness, added insulation, and imported windows and doors. Cooling would be provided through ventilation and supplemental heat could be added to the incoming fresh air when needed. It is a compelling argument for low-energy homes.

One question in my mind is about our severely cold winters in Minnesota. Is it cost effective to avoid a heat plant? There are decreasing returns on efficiency with extreme insulation and with the continuous use of fresh air for ventilation, outside temperature has a larger impact. How does an architect strike a balance and still meet the criteria?

The article suggests that Germany and Minnesota are not equal and may require different standards, whether the Passive House Institute agrees or not. In the end, the goal is low energy, sustainable housing. Passive House is a leader in promoting low-energy homes, but the jury is still out for it’s widespread use in Minnesota.

We look forward to our first chance to embrace and test the Passive House standard.

Whether remodeling, expanding or building new, It can be challenging to visualize how your building project will look. With your invested dollars at stake, it makes good sense to verify that you’ll be happy with the finished product before it is installed. Otherwise you risk living with space that doesn’t fit or paying the high cost of replacement or modification.

Our design process helps you at each step of the way.

This photo was taken during Design Development for a residential remodeling. Mary, our lead Interior Designer, is reviewing finish options with a client. After initial Schematic Design conversations about the overall look and feel for the remodeling, Mary assembled several possible material combinations onto presentation boards. We then reviewed each on site with the homeowner so that decisions were made in the same light in which they will be installed. In parallel, we provide a big-picture view of the whole project through 3D computer visualization. With professional input and advice, our clients receive needed assurance that the picks will, indeed, be beautiful and functional when installed.

This is part of the way we strive to make your experience pleasurable and rewarding: interaction and collaboration. You will find our designers to be responsive, caring and professional.

When construction begins, we’ll review the colors and finishes again to make sure they are exactly right; adding windows and changing wall colors will affect your perception and it’s got to be right!

It would be a delight to serve you.

The last thing anyone wants is to be injured by an error or omission in design documents. There has NEVER been a claim made on our policy, yet we pay our premiums to protect your best interests. Our coverage is there, should it be needed.

We wish you every success in your project!

It may be a potential customer, client, or business partner whose fresh view sees something you would rather they did not: burnt out bulbs, accumulated clutter, crooked picture frames, carpet staining or a thousand other things. These often overlooked items have an effect on your guest’s perception and perhaps on their decision making process.

To help you see your space, we offer a new service called Fresh Eyes.

Fresh Eyes brings an architect and interior designer to your space, to offer our professional insight into what we and your guests see. Our report could help you:

Find out more! Call Peter or Mary at 507-645-9020!

This will allow homeowners to get into solar energy and avoid the sizeable upfront costs of the system.

Many of our clients are interested in solar energy but find the initial expense to be too large when added to construction and remodeling costs. Our strategy has been to design “solar-ready”, so the systems could be added at a later date. This financing option may help clear that hurdle. We’ll stay tuned as the story develops….

Link to the San Francisco Chronicle article

The plants are in place on our first residential green roof!

Now in their first season, the seedums are taking root and getting established. A soaker hose is being used to water for now As they fill out, the erosion control mat will become less visible, and the roof will retain more rainwater than it currently does. We estimate that the roof should reduce runoff by 50% a that point; however, other portions of the roof drain onto this roof through downspouts, so we are asking a lot of these plantings!

The homeowners installed the multi-layered system and planted on top of the rubber membrane provided by the contractor. They blogged about it in two parts: Part One and Part Two. Take a look, they’ve done well in explaining the process.

One of our primary goals is to provide our clients with creative, responsive design solutions. At the same time, we pledge to do our best to manage each project well. Like much in architecture, an inherent contradiction lies here: managers and artists often wear different hats.

To allow us to focus more on creative design, we have decided to upgrade our in-house management tools. Recently, we installed a new server and an extensive management application that will help us deliver your projects more efficiently and effectively. Already the benefits of software enhancements are evident: reduced time preparing and managing time, documents, communication and contacts. This will allow more time to be spent on the creative side of our work and helping us deliver our primary goal.

Sincere thanks to the City of Northfield, the Economic Development Authority, and the Northfield Enterprise Center for the funding received through the Clemens-Shearer Microgrant, without which this upgrade would have had to wait an indeterminate amount of time. The microgrant program supports emerging businesses in Northfield, Minnesota.