That is an important question.  For many years we at Stearns Design Build (Stearns Construction at the time) insisted on only remodeling, or, as we like to put it, recycling homes.  We have since justified designing and building new homes.  The justification is that new building stock is necessary.  The fact is that we just love designing and building new homes that save energy and create happiness. But we still love restoration and modernization of older homes too.

Here is a great blog post on this topic from Christopher Davis at the USGBC.

I have posted in the past about Sawmill Hollow Farm.  This is more than just a family farm, though these days that in and of itself is pretty cool.  This farm is owned and managed by the Pittz family who are agricultural pioneers.  They have returned the aronia berry, a native, super high antioxidant fruit to production in America. In addition to growing aronia berries they have also worked tirelessly to develop honest, high quality supplements and other happy health products that do not seek to deceive the consumer.  Turns out that is a pretty rare commodity.

I am proud that Sawmill Hollow Farm has been recognized as one of the 51 companies shaping the future of natural and organic products.  Given that this is an organization run by just three people and they are introducing entirely new product that is pretty amazing.  I encourage you to join me in voting for Sawmill Hollow Farms as a stand out in this group of extraordinary companies, which you can do here.

To learn more about this exceptional farm and Family you can visit their website.

We’re proud of Stearns Design-Build for any number of reasons.  We have an excellent client rating. We have our own articulation of a design theory which allows us to create spaces that make our clients happy.  We study and have a deep knowledge of building science, allowing us to create projects that work well and are healthy for our clients and the environment.

These things are all made possible by our outstanding team of people, one of which we’d like to spotlight today:

Rod Robinson is one of our lead carpenters, and he is the embodiment of responsibility and care. He sincerely and deeply cares about the people around him.  He is quick to take new team members under his wing, to help them feel welcome, and to help them understand what is expected of them. He also cares deeply about the quality of his work.

Rod’s passions include riding his Harley, doing volunteer work and spending time with his wife Lisa and his kids Shanell and Barron.  At Christmas time, we always look forward to the Robinson’s elaborate light display.

Thanks Rod, for all you do!

In February the Federal Trade Commission handed down a complaint against five window manufactures for making wildly false claims in their marketing material about expected energy savings from their replacement windows.

This is not to say that you should not pay attention to your windows with an eye toward energy savings and possibly even consider replacing them.  But on average most window replacements will reduce overall energy bills less than 5%, not the 50% claimed by some manufactures.  But there are other reasons than return on investment that may encourage you to replace your windows.  One of those reasons is comfort.  Good windows will make your home more comfortable.  The other reason is aesthetics.  Windows frame the world beyond and should be just as beautiful as your best framed work of art.  Indeed, a properly placed window may be your best piece of art. A high quality window will encourage you to open it on a nice day, unlike poor quality windows that must be fought to get them opened and closed. These are good reasons to replace windows, but most people are sold new windows on the idea that they will have a short return on investment, which is seldom the case.

But you do not have to replace your windows to improve their energy efficiency. Typically windows pose two energy loss problems: Thermal transfer and air leakage.

In our hot humid part of the world we are primarily concerned with transferring energy into the house.  Shading is a key factor in reducing heat transfer into the house.  This is true on all exterior surfaces but especially on windows that have the least resistance.  One of the first things that might be considered is landscaping.  Can a large tree or other shade plant help out?  On western windows awnings might be an option to consider.  Pergolas and covered porches can also be an effective way to provide relieve.  Since 2002 low-e coatings have been required on windows in conditioned spaces in Texas.  On homes older than this, these coating can be added though it is a touch process that puts the coating outside of the glass rather than between two panes of glass where they will last much longer.  Blinds and shades can also provide effective protection from sunlight.  Solar shades can provide a dramatic reduction in heat gain on windows that get a lot of direct sun.

Making sure that windows are properly aligned and well caulked will help reduce air leakage. Storm windows can help reduce both heat transfer and air leakage when properly installed.  Making sure that sashes are properly shut and locked will also help reduce air leakage.

You can find more information on reducing energy loss though windows here.

For this project, we removed a rotted fence, rotted deck, and unused hot tub, replacing them with a new concrete patio, fence, and gate.

The patio directly adjoins our clients’ master bedroom via existing french doors. Now, in place of their unusable deck area which collected leaves and critters, they have a private courtyard retreat which they are excited to use. In fact, they’ve already picked out some furniture for it!

Below are some pictures– The fence and gate materials are red cedar and treated lumber, which look beautiful now and will weather beautifully as well.

As you may know, April is National Poetry Month. And this is National Architecture Week.  To celebrate this greenbuilding.com is holding a haiku contest.

When I formed Stearns Design Build, I read business books that suggested creating a “mission statement.” This sort of sterile distillation of a complex system seemed antithetical to much of what I sought to do.  Creating a company was about more than crude causal statements intended only to direct action at driving profit.  I sought nuance and relationship.  So, rather than a mission statement, I wrote a mission Haiku that applies equally to our theories of business and design.

Human Potential

Creating Relationship

Building Sacred Space

Building science looks at a house as a system, recognizing that it consists of parts that work together to make up the building enclosure. All of these parts, their connections, and their relations affect the envelope of the building, which in turn dictates performance, efficiency, and comfort.

One part of a building that people don’t automatically associate with building science is the occupant. In other words— you!

When you realize how your lifestyle and needs affect the way a building is designed and used, it makes sense to consider yourself a part of your home’s system. Take, for example, windows. Windows penetrate walls and create a potential for thermal leakage, but they are necessary for our health and happiness. As a result, techniques (like double and triple panes of glass, weather-stripping, air sealing, etc.) have been developed which increase the efficiency of windows as part of the building system. This is building science in problem-solving-action!

When building science is included in your home’s design, construction, remodeling, and even daily operation, it will help you create a long-lasting, enjoyable, and efficient sanctuary. So take some time to learn about building science, and how it can impact your home for the better. And if you encounter questions along the way, we’re happy to help answer them.

We have a tradition at Stearns Design Build called the “Way To Go”, which is recognition for a team member who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. In fact this is a tradition that I have a hard time following. That is not for a lack of great effort on the part of our team. To the contrary, it is because of the difficulty in narrowing the list. It is for this reason (and personality type) the I generally procrastinate, which is what I did recently. So, I ended up giving out two “Way To Goes”at one time. These went to Joe, our cabinet-maker and Eleazar, our painter and resident artist, for their efforts in developing our Home Show booth.

Joe built two really fine pieces of furniture that were in the booth and are now used in our office. His craftsmanship is always stellar.

Eleazar did all of the lettering on the booth by hand!

Both of these guys worked long and diligently to ensure that we had the most attractive booth at the home show.

Hugh