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Since we typically spend about 80% of our time indoors, it pays to make sure that our indoor spaces are GREEN!  When we remodel or build new, the finishes installed and furniture we buy can make a big difference in indoor air quality.  If we were to paint, install carpet, install new cabinetry and purchase new furniture, the amount of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) that will be off-gassing could be very high.  These VOC’s can come from the paint, adhesives in the carpet backing or applied during installation, and formaldehydes in furniture or cabinetry, to name a few. There are many reported cases of illness, including asthma in both adults and children, which have been caused by a dramatic increase in airborne chemicals in a new home or newly remodeled residence.

Bonnie Nathan, LEED AP Interior Designer of Nathan Design Group, has shown that her clients do not have to sacrifice luxury and beauty to enjoy a more earth-friendly lifestyle.  She offers sustainable, gorgeous and healthy options for new construction and home renovation projects.

In paint, it has become very easy and affordable to find many colors in low VOC and Zero VOC.  The lighter the color; the lower the VOC’s.  I recently painted the interior of my home for the first time in about 6 years, and was delighted at the quality, selection, and ease of using Zero VOC paint.  In addition to the peace of mind I got from not exposing my family to harmful chemicals, it was so nice to not have any lingering paint fumes or odors.

The backing of carpet can now be made of recycled materials and use Zero VOC adhesives, and wallpaper made from recycled content or recyclable content can be found readily in major supply houses.  Always use Zero VOC adhesives when installing any finishes in your home.  Look for water-based, low VOC stains and varnishes as well.

When installing millwork, new cabinetry, or wood flooring, check for wood that has been certified by the FSC, Forest Stewardship Council.  This organization regulates harvesting and makes sure that foresters are replacing trees properly and practicing fair trade.

When buying furniture, be sure it is built from sustainably grown or recycled woods and that the stains and varnishes are water based.  Good furniture manufacturers are doing lifecycle assessment (LCA) for all of their products, in an effort to understand every material in their process like organic fabrics, wood adhesives, water soluble dyes, wood origins, distance traveled from where it was manufactured or harvested, and even the packaging for shipping and disposal.  This process is expected to eventually become mandatory. 

Another Green furniture option is to buy antiques or pre-owned furniture.  This offers a second life to a piece that might have otherwise made its way to the landfill.  There is also no further out-gassing.  If you choose to refinish antiques, always try to choose water based or low VOC products.

When buying appliances, check for an Energy Star rating.  Also Green Guard is a great way to see a 3rd party certification of a variety of products from adhesives to finishes to furniture.

Here’s a surprise!  Vinyl, linoleum and rubber flooring are making a comeback using recycled content made from pre consumer and post consumer products.  They have the percentages of recycled content that home environmental certifications require. 

Bonnie recommends that you find a “Green comfort level” that is complimentary to your lifestyle and budget.  Any level of sustainable living is better than none and it is getting easier and more cost effective to be Green now. 

If you would like to discuss Greening your interiors with Bonnie, please contact her at (512) 415-8111 or Bonnie.Nathan@gmail.com

Volume 6: Choices Series

When you think green building, solar panels are the first thing that comes to mind. But few think of it as the last thing to consider when going Green! If you are starting with new construction and have put little thought into proper design for your site or insulation that seals every crevice, slapping solar panels on your roof is not going to pay off big. Similarly, adding solar to an existing home with leaky ducts, sagging insulation and an outdated HVAC system will leave you wondering where your big savings are. Hunter Berry, residential sales manager, at Meridian Energy Systems says “that’s like putting lipstick on a pig”. I have talked about this concept before but have not said it quite so eloquently!

To avoid this problem, make sure you pay attention to several basic green building concepts which can be done on existing homes and new homes. Make sure that your home is tightly sealed, that your HVAC system is operating properly and at 13 SEER and that your insulation is performing to code and to the insulations specifications. If your roof will need to be replaced in the next 5 years, do this before installing solar. When your home is working properly you will see more advantage from your solar PV installation.

Meridian specializes in photovoltaic solar technology which takes light and turns it into electricity. Another solar technology is solar thermal which takes heat from the sun and heats water.

Each Kilowatt, every thousand watts, of solar modules requires ~100 square feet of roof space and will produce 100 – 115- kilowatt hours ( kWh) per month. The highest production will be on a South facing roof; however, there can still be significant electricity production from East and West facing roofs. In Texas, a South facing 20 – 30 degree pitch yields highest production. A standing seam metal roof is best because a PV system can be installed with out making penetrations. Obviously there will be no production in the shade.

The well known rebate for solar installation, subsidized by Austin Energy, will pay $4.50 per Watt with a cap of $13,500 per fiscal year. To fully leverage the $13,500 Austin Energy rebate, one must install ~ 3,200 watts or 3.2 kW. Add to this a Federal tax credit of 30% and much of your installation will be paid for. The 3 utilities in Texas which offer rebates are CPS, Bryan Utilities and Austin Energy – being the most robust.

For example, a “Rebate-maximizing” PV solar system would be 3200 watts and cost $25,000 before incentives. In Austin Energy’s territory, the instant rebate would be $13,500, lowering the out of pocket cost to $11,500. The 30% fed tax credit would be $3,450, for a net cost of $8,050.00. This system will produce about 350 Kilowatt hours per month on average, with higher production in summer than winter.

For further savings, you could roll the cost of a PV (photovoltaic) into your mortgage and be able to write off electrical cost as mortgage interest.

Hunter says that the grid tied system is the most popular because it is the most cost effective, most efficient, comes with little to no maintenance. To offset electrical consumption the system is hard wired into breaker panel and the solar electricity is used on site. If more solar electricity than is consumed on site is produced, then the surplus electricity will be exported back to Austin Energy and the meter will spin backwards!

A grid tied system, however, does not provide back up power that is stored on site. If there is a black out there will be no power because it actually uses some Austin Energy electricity to run. Solar modules produce DC (direct current) electricity and the homes use AC (alternative current) electricity. An inverter that changes DC to AC for our circuits requires Austin Energy grid power to turn on. Additionally, it would be dangerous to have excess power to be exported to the city in a black out. It is possible to use a battery to store power, but due to the expense, maintenance, and lowered efficiency of this system, it is not as popular as the grid tied system.

PV systems are typically designed around 4 criteria:
1. Defining the available space which is appropriate for solar PV
2. Defining a budget
3. Defining a monthly or annual energy production (kWh) target
4. Maximizing rebates – only in rebated areas

A properly installed solar electric system would be installed out of the shade, ideally facing south. All the components employed would be produced specifically for the solar electric industry and are engineered to withstand local wind speeds and code requirements. A properly installed system will be installed by experienced technicians and should last for 30+ years without problems. Most solar modules carry a 25 year warranty, and the inverters should have a 10 year warranty. A grid-tied PV system has no moving parts and is essentially maintenance free. In the event that they are damaged due to hurricanes or hail, homeowners insurance should cover replacement cost.

The certification for solar contractors is the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). It is important that you are working with designers for the system and technicians in the field who are certified. Currently in Texas, there are 17 certified practitioners, 6 of whom are with Meridian Energy Systems! Also, Meridian employs the first woman in Texas to be certified. It is also important to work with a licensed electrical contractor.

Meridian Energy Systems was started 9 years ago by a 7th generation Austinite, employs 30 people full time, does not use subcontractors as installers in order to keep tighter control and is active in the community. They specialize in commercial and residential installations and have installed the largest system in Texas which was 180 kW at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio – 2006 TREIA project of the year. In 2006 Meridian installed a little over 70% of the solar electricity in Texas.

If you are considering adding solar panels to your roof check out Meridian Energy Systems and call Hunter Berry at 512-448-0055

Based upon what I saw first hand during the 3 months of construction on my personal remodel addition in 2002, I learned more about construction waste management (or lack there of) than I have in my professional experience over the last 2 decades. The first day of demolition, I was very satisfied with how the workers neatly organized on my lawn the reusable parts removed from my home. Then they threw them all in the dumpster! I was appalled, amazed, disgusted and many other emotions, not to mention stomping mad! Over the whole of the project, I probably removed at least 1/3 of the “trash” from the dumpster in my driveway, then only to see it in the dumpster again later that day. This is the kind of absurdity you can expect to find on a job site with out a construction waste management plan.

The first assumption is that the builder automatically believes what you believe about saving the planet. (maybe, maybe not) The second assumption is that the workers believe the same. (even less plausible) So obviously it is important to select a builder who not only has good intentions but has a plan in place. Have the builder show you how this is being handled on their current job sites. Watch for neatness and organization on the job site and ask how frequently waste is taken and where during different phases of construction.

It is also very helpful to have directions written into the specifications or construction documents of your home plans. Your building designer can help by implementing specific directions into their plans. A designer with a specified waste management plan is a huge advantage in aiding the builder with a means to an end. Largely, you are going to be the best advocate for your construction waste to be reused on site or recycled properly, so this can help direct you also.

The company that your builder uses for hauling waste can also have a big impact. Many haulers just pick up anything regardless of the type, take it straight to the landfill and add the dump fees to their service fees. This is the most conventional way of doing this, but no longer is a feasible option. Other hauling companies specifically look for ways to reduce their dump fees by recycling.

A company I recently became familiar with is Dirty Work Hauling. Kyle Jones’ business was born out of a bad hauling experience he had as a customer with a hauling company that was tardy, expensive, messy and rude. He knew there was a better way.

Builders have subcontractors and typically 9 out of 10 of them are difficult to work with, so Kyle created a good service that was easy to work with. Builders said, “Since you are hauling, you may as well do the demolition as well”, so then he hired a demo crew. His company now does complete interior and exterior demo with clean up. If a builder needs a wood floor to be taped before paint, he does it. He rents stump grinders, hauls just about anything and is a great resource for builders to do almost any labor efficiently.

Dirty Work Hauling was good at hauling, demolition, cleaning and labor, so naturally recycling became Kyle’s next service to tackle. Recycling makes sense because it’s a good way to dispose of materials for free. People want their construction waste to be recycled and it is cheaper so now he is focusing on recycling anything he can.

In demolition for remodels, it is hard to recycle materials because of paint and other chemicals or dust and debris. What works best is for builders to develop a proper waste management plan and where ever possible to reuse materials on the jobsite. If there is a piece of rotten fascia board, then cut off what is rotten and reuse the other part. Doors and windows can be reused if removed properly. Carpet can be cut and bound in to an area rug, brick and stone can be reused. If builders and homeowners think through this creatively, there will be less waste on the job site, less materials to haul off and more happy customers.

Habitat for Humanity is a very good place to recycle building materials. However; because of volume of materials turned in and not enough ware house space, they must be now very particular about what they take. Kyle would also like to expand his company’s services with a builder warehouse where builders can bring in building materials that Habitat cannot take. Then just like Habitat resell these materials to individuals and builders. Something you can do to help? Shop at the Habitat Re-Store to help create more space in their ware house for more quality materials!!

The 3 main materials to be recycled on the jobsite are dimensional lumber to be chipped into mulch or sold for small jobs, sheet rock to be ground up and cardboard recycled into future cardboard products. On the jobsite, they build a plywood box in a size that is right for the job and the space available to put it. During the framing stage of construction, the box is used specifically for framing material. Then about a 2 week gap before sheet rock, then cardboard from windows, doors and appliances. Separate boxes for other recyclables such as glass bottles, plastic, paper and metal and another for real trash can also be built of plywood. The advantage for the builder is that Dirty Work rewards cost reductions when the bins are properly sorted by the job crews. The materials are picked up every 4-5 days. This entire service comes with a fixed cost and can easily be written into the bid for the job.

The amazing thing is that Dirty Work has touched so little of the market. Their goal is to not be a pain in the neck for the builder! They do the job right the first time, are efficient, tidy, follow instructions and are polite! This doesn’t seem like much to ask, but if you have ever hired anyone for a construction job, you know that this is few and far between.

On your next construction job, big or small, make sure you know what you can reuse on site, what you can recycle and what you must throw away. It’s simple and just takes a little advance planning. Check out Austin Energy Green Building for recommendations in construction waste management before you get started and give Dirty Work Hauling a call at (512)657-4006.

If you need design services on a remodel or new construction project coming up, Call Custom Design Services before October 31st to take advantage of our 20% discount on all services. Just mention this newsletter!

By Debra Blessman, C.P.B.D.

It doesn’t seem to matter what the exact question is but we hear so many similar when it comes to doing residential work within Austin city limits. In September of 2006 the original Subchapter F: Residential Design and Compatibility Standards went into effect. Since that time many issues have come up which have ignited the formation of a task force to reevaluate these standards. Through much hard work and dedication from industry professionals along with key people at the city there has been some revamping of those standards that has only recently been approved and passed.

Gosh isn’t that exciting! What does all that mean? And what’s a Subchapter F: Residential what ever? Maybe you would recognize it better by its other name the “McMansion Ordinance.” You know the one that keeps your neighbors from tearing down their house and building one that is twice as large, blocks your view and basically sticks out like a sore thumb in your neighborhood. The one that has everyone that’s doing residential construction work in the city, in uproar because they feel they can’t do anything the city will approve.

As I sat down to write this newsletter, my original thought was “Oh, this will be easy. A few pointers, a few definitions and….” Well that’s where I stopped. The McMansion Ordinance in the two years since its enforcement has continued to be a hotbed of issues and problems that continue to plague the construction industry in our wonderful city. It’s a sensitive issue and can’t be taken lightly. As design professionals in this industry we are required to keep up with current city codes and ordinances, deed restrictions, national codes, handicap codes and much more; all the things that govern how your house is designed and built.

Okay. So what’s that got to do with the me and McMansion and that whole FAR business? Good question. FAR stands for Floor to Area Ratio. That basically means that the amount of floor square footage you have built has to fall within a mandatory percent of the square footage of your property. Under the McMansion Ordinance that percentage happens to be 40. Oh but the total can’t be more than 2300 square foot and you have to figure all that area in very specific ways and you have to count the part of your garage that’s over 450 square feet of area. But then you don’t have to count porches on the lowest floor; well unless there’s habitable space above it and then you’re limited to 200 square feet of that porch that you don’t have to count. Oh, I almost forgot, that porch can’t connect to a driveway or be accessible by automobile either. Then of course you have to count the area of all your conditioned space and you may even have attic space that must be counted. And here’s a tricky one, any area in your home that has a ceiling height over 15 feet has to be counted twice. Pretty confusing right?

Another item you must work with is what’s considered the Buildable Area of your lot. Seems simple enough right? The buildable area is basically a 3-dimensional tent that is formed to the constraints of your lot and within the limitations of the McMansion ordinance. This “tent” is what your house has to fit inside. It can poke out of it a little but even that has very strict rules you must follow. Oh and least I forget; all this is in addition to already existing city code issues like the allowed building height and impervious coverage restrictions and any easements or flood zone issues you may have. It all seems pretty daunting doesn’t it?

Whether you have a remodel or a totally new construction project in the city of Austin this McMansion Ordinance might come into play. Like many government rules and regulations put in to place for our protection, it also has its problems and weaknesses. The above information is just a tiny sample of the rules involved in McMansion. If you have done any information searching on your own already, you may feel it’s impossible to get what you want. Don’t give up, call us! We’d be glad to take on the challenge with you and help you design the home you want that the city will also approve. If you’d like to do more searching on your own, check out this link at the city for the McMansion Ordinance. Subchapter F: – Residential Design and Compatibility Standards How to calculate floor square footage (gross floor area) is in article 3.3, how to figure buildable area is covered in article 2.

“So what do we do? We just need to add a bedroom, we don’t want the world.” First off, relax. You may or may not have to worry about what you want to do. Your first step is to contact a professional building designer such as Custom Design Sevices or contact your architect or even your builder. Talk with us about your project; we can help you answer some basic questions. The largest being if your property is even within the area governed by the ordinance. After that we simply dive into what has to be done to gain approval from the city, we design within those standards and move forward with your project. And we can even run it all the way through the permit process so all you have to do is go pick up your permit and start building!

There is some confusion in terminology: “Geothermal heating” “Heat pump” “Ground source heat pump” and other combinations of words. What is all of this stuff and how does it relate to heating and cooling in our homes? All of these can be proper descriptions of the various ways to use a heat pump, so let’s start by defining what a heat pump is.

Through air to air transfer, the conventional HVAC expels heat in the summer and gathers heat in the winter. A heat pump uses the same principle but with water. Like a car radiator, a piped loop of water gathers heat from the heat source then takes it to the cooler source to expel the heat and cool down. Although the heat pump is commonly used for cooling, adding the components for heating is a nominal $100 – 200 additional expense. In the winter, the process is inverted; it gathers heat outside and expels the heat inside your home instead.

The most common way to use a heat pump is a ground source, or geothermal heat pump. In Texas, the primary climate control in our homes is cooling and to take maximum advantage of the cooling capabilities of the earth we need to go deep. Drilling is the best way, through 5-6” diameter bore holes about 250’ deep. Two polyethylene pipes with a U-bend at the bottom creating a “loop” are placed into the bore hole all the way to the bottom. An expansive clay grout is used to fill the bore hole and stays flexible while maximizing contact from the pipe to the earth.

At the surface, lateral trenches connect bore holes with a continuous loop to the pump connected to the unit. The pump uses minimal power, usually about 2 amps and is only powered when the unit is running. The ground temperature is in the mid 60’s and the heated water leaving the home is about 85deg. With the proper design and calculation of bores and pipes for the water loop for your specific home, the water temperature leaving the earth will be about 10 – 15 degrees cooler than when it leaves your home.

In a residential neighborhood, an installation can be easily done. The contractor will locate all underground services, plumbing, sewage, utilities etc. by contacting Texas 811 before digging. The 5-6” bore hole is so small compared to all other pipes that it is very simple to find a safe location for the bore holes. The lateral pipes are installed not too deep but deep enough to keep them safe from landscaping and general surface digging at about 3’. Sometimes if the soil is rocky, heavier equipment is used to get through the rock.

If you live near water, the water loop can be placed in the water to avoid the need to drill. This is called a water source heat pump. This would be a much cheaper possibility, however with some risks. The water level is a factor as well as boat anchors or other hazards in open water. If the water level falls too low to effectively transfer heat, literally nothing can be done to fix the system. Your options are to wait for the water level to increase to normal, or start drilling bores for a new location for the water loop. If you have a reliable water source, do consider this option as an alternative to drilling. Be creative, do you have an abundant source of rain water collection? Or a maintained water source for animal habitats?

The cost of installing a ground source heat pump is more than the conventional unit. The equipment price is comparable, but it is the labor and additional materials that increase the cost. For the excavation, pipe, grout, pump and additional labor the cost difference is about $2500 per ton. Depending on the tonnage, it can be twice the cost of the conventional air to air unit. The pay back in dramatic energy cost is quick and is worth considering the investment.

The advantages of investing in a heat pump are many. The equipment has a long life span considering Texas summers will kill a convention air to air unit in 10 – 12 years, much shorter than they were designed in a milder climate. A ground source heat pump is much more reliable because the temperature under the ground is constant rather than a wildly fluctuating ambient air temperature. There is no outside condenser making noise or taking up space. The unit is completely assembled at the factory where a conventional unit requires on site assembly with the outside condenser, inside unit and all the piping and wiring that must connect them. With the condenser and the unit combined into one piece, good manufacturers have taken great care to insulate for sound. It is, however, important to consider the location of the unit inside your home for sound. The greatest advantage is that using a water loop in lieu of air to air transfer is a highly effective way to cool air in your home and is usually doubly more efficient than air.

All of this wonderful information about heat pumps has come direct from Michael Scher of

All Year Heating and Cooling. Michael was one of the most gracious educators I have had the pleasure of talking to and was a wealth of information. He has spent time educating himself by being diligent with research and by attending a 3 day seminar at the OSU campus. “Water Oklahoma” is the home of the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association and has been the founders of research in the industry.

Michael also says that his favorite companies who manufacture the heat pumps are Water Furnace International (in business for ~65 years) and Florida Heat Pump (who are accustomed to dealing with higher temperatures). Michael started his career with a degree in architecture, then in 1986 had an opportunity to buy All Year Heating and Cooling. Since then, he has made heating and cooling his passion. You will see Michael with his company, All Year Heating and Cooling, at many of Austin’s “Green” events hosted by the Austin Energy Green Building and other sponsors. He takes care to design the best system for you and your budget and always uses correct calculations to design the right sized unit for your home. Next time you need heating and cooling service of either a heat pump or conventional type, please contact Michael at michael@allyearaustin.com

Good green building starts with good design and construction for little to no extra expense. With the proper design and building team, your budget can allow for sound energy systems like a heat pump.

In Texas, a very important component in our homes is the insulation.  The question for homeowners is which one is best and most effective.  So to answer that, let’s take a look at where we live. 

Here are the facts. Our climate in Central Texas is hot and humid.  The average daily high temperature for 6 months out of the year is 80 degrees or higher and the average humidity levels for Austin is 83% in the morning and 59% in the afternoon.   With this humidity, we have a greater chance of moisture accumulating in our homes creating mold and other problems, not to mention an uncomfortable space to live in! 

Moisture can enter our homes through gravity, capillary action, air leakage, and vapor diffusion.  Moisture entering by gravity is through leaks in your roof or driving rain into a window or door.  Water can wick up through your slab or between tight crevices by means of Capillary action.  Humidity from the air can enter our homes through leaks in our building envelope.  Vapor diffusion is the ability for either standing water or humidity to pass through a material.  Of these means of movement, air movement through small holes and leaks in your building envelope account for more than 98% of all water vapor movement.  When we run our HVAC, air pressure is created which moves air from a high pressure to a low pressure forcing air and moisture through small holes and cracks in the envelope.

If we can get moisture in our homes through these means, we must eliminate these holes in our houses!  So, how about a vapor barrier?  Consider an impermeable sheet of plastic, hot and humid on the outside and cold on the inside 6 months out of the year.  What is going to happen?  Just like an ice-cold glass of water on a hot day, condensation will collect on the outside.  If we have allowed humidity into our home, condensation can happen on the inside of the vapor barrier as well.  This is why a vapor barrier does not work in our climate.  An air barrier is what is best.

An air barrier will not let air leak through it but is permeable to water.  This does not mean that water can drip through it; it means that if water permeates in, it can dry out, though it is not an absorbent material.  Tyvek is a good example of an air barrier material and is used on homes everywhere.  What’s important in an air barrier in our climate is that our homes should be able to dry from the inside and outside surfaces.  So, what does this have to do with insulation?

There are many different varieties of insulation, but one in particular can create an air barrier while providing excellent insulation for your home.  Open cell foam insulation is the popular spray-in expanding foam that we are seeing everywhere.  When sprayed in your walls and roof it sticks to any building material, takes only 20 seconds to dry and cure, totally fills all crevices and can be covered with other building materials immediately.  It is not harmed by insects, it is flame retardant and it does not shrink, settle or degrade over time.  The R-value stays constant and it is an excellent thermal and sound insulator.  Additionally, this foam provides a complete air and moisture barrier using carbon dioxide rather than CFCs and produces no out-gassing.  The most popular brand name is Icynene, but there are other brands to choose from.   When checking brands, be sure that your choice is a brand that does not use CFC’s as a blowing agent.  This is what causes out gassing and is harmful to our ozone.

If you choose to spray your walls and roof, you will create sealed attic and a seamless air barrier throughout your whole envelope. The energy savings are about 40 – 50 %!

Jesus Rodriguez with Hill Country Insulation says that out of all the types of insulations he installs, the spray foam is his personal favorite because of the energy savings and quality of the product.  His company uses the Bayseal brand of spray foam insulation. Hill Country’s services, for Bayseal insulation, costs from .32 – .40 per square foot / per inch of thickness.  Contact Jesus at 830-515-9451.

Foam insulation is more expensive than fiberglass batt insulation but considering the installation will have no gaps and basically eliminate potential moisture issues and then mix with the energy savings; it’s clear to see that your return on your investment will be quick!

Green is everywhere!! Isn’t that grand! It is great to see magazine articles, new products and the entire buzz about being Green! So, for me it is surprising to talk to people that still think Green Building is all about bamboo flooring, concrete counter tops and solar panels. I recently had the opportunity to talk with a quality green builder about his clients. He said that he has to be really careful about how he presents his ideas about building green for fear of scaring them into thinking that it will be too expensive and lose the client. He asked me if I had experienced the same problem. I told him that our clients get a basic education about the importance of the design and the science behind proper building techniques. This helps people understand that with proper planning and design and a reputable green builder, they will get a green home before spending any money on all the bells and whistles.

The design is critical. The home must fit the site and the home must fit the owner to avoid wasting energy. The energy that you first think about is what you buy from the power company. If the home is oriented with the broad side of the home facing East and West, then there is more solar gain and heat absorption. The simple fix is to reorient the home. In a subdivision where streets are planned to run East to West, then you will have the broad sides of your homes facing North and South, resulting in less solar gain. Proper shading of windows with awnings, covered patios and vegetation will also make a big difference.

Also consider how your home is designed from the inside. Volume ceilings are dramatic, but are expensive to heat and cool. Create night time and day time zones in your home. This way you can program your thermostats to heat and cool mainly the sides of the home you are occupying.

The other kind of energy that is commonly not considered is your personal energy you may waste in a home that is not designed specifically for you. A home that is too big is too vast to be comfortable on a human scale. You can lose touch with your family members and spend more time than necessary cleaning and traveling through your home. A home with spaces not suitable for your specific lifestyle are forced to fit into some other use, and spaces that you need do not exist.

In the interest of learning more about designing and building Green homes with out spending all your “Green”; this summer for your reading enjoyment we will highlight features of designing and building green. Watch for our June Newsletter about the value of proper insulation and what it has to do with keeping your home dry!!

By Carter Shackelford, C.P.B.D.

We have all heard the saying “Time is Money”, and yet too few of us ever put an actual dollar value on our own time. For architects and designers, time is best spent “on the boards” creating the homes and buildings of their clients. Builders need to be on their jobsites, verifying workmanship, checking material stocks, and keeping their job on schedule. And of course, homeowners have their own full time jobs and families to attend to.

And yet, all of these participants in the building process at one point or another will have to deal with the City, County, or municipality that they’re building in for permits, inspections, clearances, variances, and all of the minutiae that will be required before and after their construction project begins.

This is why many homeowners and builders are turning to Permitting and Construction Management Services that specialize in reducing the time, expense, and aggravation of satisfying the City and keeping your project moving forward.

Permitting Services: Saving you and your Clients valuable time

Different projects require different numbers of plan sets to be submitted, some require the stamp of a registered architect, certified designer or licensed engineer, and supporting documents like surveys and topography maps are increasingly becoming mandatory for even the smallest of projects. And with the relatively new McMansion Ordinance (formally known as Subchapter F: Residential Design and Compatibility Standards) now wreaking havoc on designers, builders, developers and homeowners alike, the time has come for everyone in the design /build industry to look to companies that can handle this vital step in the process for them.

Americans use CPA’s or tax prep firms every year to prepare their taxes because they’ve found that hiring a professional who deals with the IRS on a day-to-day basis saves them time and money (and stress). If you are a homeowner or builder, do you really have time to take off of work and fill out pages of complicated forms, then wait a couple hours in line at the City, only to learn that you are missing something and will have to come back another day and start all over again?

In most cases, the answer is no. But despite this fact, people do it everyday and take themselves away from the part of their jobs where they can help themselves or their companies make the most money. Hiring a permit service specialist can eliminate this negative impact on your “Time is Money” equation and streamline your path to permitting and building your project.

Construction Expediting & Management Services: Getting you back on schedule

Quality Construction Expediting and Management is the most vital and yet, most commonly overlooked component of a successful building process. Having someone on your team that knows and understands the complexities of construction scheduling, as well as the players, the politics, and the hierarchy down at the City can speed up approvals and get you out of jams that could otherwise shut down a job.

On one job I recently conducted Expediting and Management Services for, there were plans that needed to be reviewed by a Watershed Protection official and an Austin Water Utility official, then corrected by a civil engineer, then reproduced at a print shop, then redelivered to Watershed Protection and Austin Water Utility. I got word that the plans were approved, drove downtown to pick up the plans, and dropped them off at another location for City of Austin approval. After that, the engineer needed to be reminded to go down to the City and make his approved formal changes to the Master “red stamped” Plans. Then, the inspector was notified that he could come back out and sign-off on the once troublesome portion of the job, and we got everything back on schedule.

The contractor already had his hands full with other elements of that job, plus the three other projects he was concurrently building, and by leaving this to me, he admitted that we saved him weeks of time and incalculable amounts of money. Plus, by freeing his time and mind of this issue, he was able to focus on the things he could continue to do to keep things moving forward.

Custom Design Services can provide you with BOTH of these services

Construction is a budget and time sensitive business. Builders and homeowners alike know that nothing eats up your budget like delays, do-overs, and excessive overhead costs. For homeowners, a good construction manager can be your liaison between you and the contractor (keeping you from entering into all-to-common disputes and arguments) and be your eyes and ears on the jobsite. Similarly, if your construction company cannot afford to hire another full time construction supervisor, but feel like you are being stretched too thin to do it all yourself, consider using our Construction Management & Expediting services as you need them to help get over those sticky spots during the job and keep things moving forward on schedule and on (or under!) budget.

We would love to talk with you more about how we can help if you are a homeowner with a current or future project, or a builder who needs to delegate some of these tedious tasks. Come by the Austin Green Living Expo, visit our new office or just give us a call!

In the 11 year history of Custom Design Services and in the accumulation of years of our experience, we are often asked by new clients to share our education and skills. In those early discussions we talk about our education and experience leading up to working for our clients through CDS and we always explain that we are not architects, but building designers. Some people have never heard of a building designer and some have specifically come to us because we are not architects.

In 1857 a group of architects formed the American Institute of Architects in order to prevent masons, carpenters and other craftsmen from calling them selves architects. News of the organization spread rapidly and only 30 years later, there were chapters in 11 other cities. In 1886, Louise Bethune became the first woman member of AIA! In 1897 Illinois began licensing their architects and it was more than 50 years before all other states were also licensing architects. Frank Lloyd Wright chose not to be licensed until he was in his 70’s and in which prior to that time he designed and built over 300 homes.

Today there are thousands of building designers, like Wright, practicing with out an architectural license. The difference between an architect and a building designer is simply….well there’s actually not much difference in residential design. We design homes and provide construction documents for permitting, bidding and construction. If the city or neighborhood requires it; certified designers can seal the plans as well. Just like architects, designers must follow all the building codes and deed restrictions. The difference is that you are likely to find a great value in the services of a building designer because the fees are generally lower. Designers are also limited to designing homes less than 30,000 square feet, but I am sure that would not be a problem for most people.

One thing to be certain of is that designers and architects alike are suitable and capable of designing beautiful, functional and sustainable homes and either has different levels of talents. The difference for homeowners will be to find the personality and talent that fits their project.

Many designers are certified! Look for the C.P.B.D. (Certified Professional Building Designer) after their name. We are tested in an intensive 20 hour nine part exam on design, code, structure, and architectural history to name a few, by NCBDC, a national, private and independent testing agency. At Custom Design Services, we are proud to have 4 certified designers on staff and we are all members of TIBD and AIBD as well.

Cammi Klier; C.P.B.D. Founder
I am the founder of CDS 11 years ago next month! I have 18 years of experience in the residential home design field and worked for both an architectural firm and a national home building company leading up to the start of CDS in 1997. My degree from Texas State University is a BS in Interior design with masters’ level course work in Landscape Architecture.

Debra Blessman; C.P.B.D. Partner
I have 28 years of experience in the residential home design field. I have worked for a home builder as well as two architectural firms in that time. At the beginning of 2007 I joined CDS as Cammi’s partner. My degree is a five year BS program in Housing and Interior Design that I received at Colorado State University.

Carter Shackelford; C.P.B.D. our resident expert on permitting
I began my career in Pasadena, CA under the watchful eyes of an A.I.A. Architect and Seismic Engineer. I recently returned to Austin, where I graduated from the University of Texas in 1997.

Rob Smith; C.P.B.D. a master of details and construction documents

My 18 yrs in the Land Development Industry gives the team at CDS a unique perspective in site planning on environmentally sensitive and difficult lots. I pay close attention to integrating your residence w/ the natural conditions of the property. I am a conservationist and I believe we should live with our environment instead of restructuring it.

You will have an opportunity to visit with us at the Austin Green Living Home Products Expo on April 18 – 20. Please come by our booth and say Hi, we would love to meet you!

I would like to express sincere gratitude for all those who have enjoyed reading and given us such wonderful feedback about our newsletter. We love to hear from you! Since 2006, I have been the sole writer, but in the coming months you will hear from our other designers and their specific expertise.

In the words of my partner, Debra; “I really think the level of personal service we give is the most critical and striking difference. I really want people to understand about the importance of the orientation of their home and how they are going to live in it and how they will use that home, or why it will be a problem that they want to have vaulted ceilings thru-out the entire house or why they can’t put an HVAC unit under the stairs……and it just goes on from there. It’s not just a design; it’s kind of an enclosed ecosystem! Yes, it should be pleasing to the eye and follow design theories but most importantly it must function for the inhabitants and be a place they love to be in and grow in.”

Using daylight is one of the most delightful ways to light your home. Natural light is a better quality of light and gives you the ability to see true color, the light is broad rather than focused, and its FREE! It is also changing throughout the day which has a relaxing quality.

The first thing to know about daylighting is to know your sun angles. At the Spring and Fall Equinox (March 21, September 21) the solar noon angle is 60 degrees. The Winter Solstice (December 21), the solar noon angle is 37 degrees and the Summer Solstice (June 21), the solar noon angle is 83 degrees. Keep in mind that when the sun in our region is high noon, the angle from 90 degrees is toward the South. This is why the light from the North is so nice; there is never any direct sunlight.

In our region, it is about the time of the Spring Equinox when we begin to need cooling in our homes. So it stands to reason that if we can cover our South facing windows at a 60 degree angle, we can keep out unwanted sun when it is warm, but invite it in when it is cold. Consider that the lower your window is to the floor, the longer the overhang or window cover should be.

For the East side windows, protect those rooms you desire to keep the morning sun out of, but let it shine into a breakfast room or master bathroom! The West side needs to be covered well by covered patios or deep window overhangs. Trees and hills help on this side too. The North side will never get direct sunlight, so let the light in!

Doing these things can keep the direct sunlight out of your home where it is not wanted, but let indirect natural light in. Here are some ways to use windows to let in more natural light. Use high windows along the top of a wall, especially if you desire light on a West wall, or if there is an unwanted view. Clerestory windows are a great way to capture indirect light, especially when the direct light bounces off of a wall first before entering your space. On North walls, use wide windows to not only let in the light, but also the outdoors making your rooms feel more spacious.

In interior rooms, use a partial wall from an adjoining exterior room to let the light filter in. Open floor plans are great ways to distribute light with out walls, but creating partial walls to help divide spaces can let the light in where it is wanted. Also consider tubular skylights which reflect the light inside the tube creating a bright, but natural light source.

Lastly, when designing your home, remember to properly orient your home to allow desirable natural light into the rooms where you want it most like the living rooms and bedrooms. The long side of your home should face North and South, leaving the shorter sides and less surface area to be exposed to the East and West. If you are currently living in a home where undesirable light is keeping your blinds closed, consider building a roof overhang to let only the best daylight in!