DARYL’S HOUSE

Daryl

Meet Daryl, my tour guide, standing in front of his home.  Daryl is an engineer who designs and configures solar water heaters for the residential market across the southeast.  He integrates his 9-to-5 with his good stewardship to indulge in his real passion: environmental responsibility.  As passionate environmentalists, Daryl and his wife have taken personal responsibility to a new level, engineering every square inch of their home for optimum function, sustainability and well, true need.  In fact, a yellow card suspended from a string by their bathroom mirror reads: “Is it needed?  Is it kind?  Is it sustainable?” This, is their motto – their committment to being good stewards of the earth.

Daryl’s home can only be summed up in one word: ecclectic.  Solar water tanks and photovoltaic panels dot the roof above operable clerestory windows.  Deep, shade-providing overhangs hover over large, salvaged, double-insulated windows, in several sizes and colors.  A covered, screened porch is adjacent the living area that is jammed-packed with books and art.  And an uncovered, “sun” porch is lined with blossoming flowers and herbs.  A vegetable garden, solar cooking device, mushroom garden, and compost piles also provide them with sustainable ways to cook, grow food, and sustainably fertilize their gardens.

L to R: South facade, Sleeping loft above/living area below, Sun porch, Solar cooking device

Inside, the treads of the homemade stairs up to the sleeping loft, were trimmed by Daryl to minimize surface area, allowing the maximum amount of sunlight penetration to the kitchen and living areas below.  The two-story high space allows hot air to rise and solar-powered fans blow the heated air out of the high clerestory windows above.   In fact, all of their electricity is generated with photovoltaics and stored in a battery bank in the basement.

While not exactly what architects would typically call “aesthetically- pleasing design,” I thought it was perfect: the ultimate in fine-tuned engineering based on the true NEED for shelter.  Each piece of Daryl’s home was analyzed and planned for optimum daylighting, heating in the winter, cooling in the summer, and to be completely self-sustaining.

THE UNDERGROUND HOUSE

South facade

Next stop on this gorgeous day, was the underground house.  The group of 20 or so walked up a small hill and didn’t immediately realize we were walking on it’s roof, which also serves as their vegetable and herb garden.   Beyond the garden, was the top of the house, where a “drain-back solar hot water system” was mounted at the optimum angle for this specific latitude.   In this system, water ”drains back,” or out of the piping when the outdoor temperature is too low, so the pipes do not freeze.  Water is then heated by a wood stove in the winter.

Around the south side of the home (the only exposed facade), the owners planted grapes for shade throughout the summer.  In the fall and winter, when the plants die back, the sunlight is allowed to come streaming in, and helps heat the home.   Inside, the structure of the home consisted of three giant boxed-in I-beams resting on load-bearing walls.  All vertical surfaces are painted bright white to reflect natural light around the interior spaces.  In the kitchen and hallways, light wells (skylights) deliver a column of natural light from above.  At night and on cloudy days, the homeowners employ low-wattage lamps and LEDs to supplement the natural light.

Kitchen light well (L), Worm compost (C), Solar water heating device (R).

Because they have so many large window openings to maximize daylighting, and since glass is not a good insulator, the homeowners use thick, double-honeycomb window shades at night, to hold in heat from the wood-burning stove during the winter.  These type of shades can increase the the R-value of the window, depending on the cellular structure inside the shades.  In conjunction with double-paned windows, this can increase the energy efficiency of the the window by as much as 65%.

Outside, they taught us about Vermiculture, or Worm Composting.  All of these homeowners utilize worm composting, which basically uses Red Wigglers (a specific kind of species for this), in a bed of shredded newspaper, and some soil.  They keep it moist, using irrigation water from their rain-collection cistern.  They collect all of their food waste (coffee grounds, carrot tops, cirtus rinds – you name it) and add it to the compost.  You can even shred glossy magazines, bills, and junk mail and add to the mix.  The worms eat this over time, digest it, and their nutrient-rich waste makes the most fertile soil for growing.  They also filter the worm compost, to collect the liquid which is a highly-concentrated, nutrient-rich, powerful and organic fertilizer.  And, because they recycle all glass, metal and plastic, these families virtually have no trash or waste going to landfills, and do not even have a trash collection service to their homes.

THE DODECA-YURT

Originally a Mongolian nomadic home, this 12-sided structure was originally “designed” out of necessity to easily fold out the walls, add animal furs to the “walls” to repel high winter winds, add the conical roof, and viola!  Instant house.

Sun porch (L), South facade (C), Interior ceiling with skylight (R).

So while I don’t subscribe to the fact that a 12-sided structure is a wise thing to do THESE days, architecturally or constructability-wise, it does make for an amazing interior space.  The light inside was intense and beautiful.  The wood structure seemed seamless and added a warmth to the space.  However, their furniture was positioned around the perimeter of the room, making for an awkward residual space and for a seemingly large room, did not accommodate many people – standing room only.  The piercing light coming in from the skylight above was so strong  the homeowners had to later add a UV fabric over it and replace the faded fabrics on all their furniture and rugs.

The couple that lived in the yurt was the only family to have OUTdoor plumbing.  Yes, you read correctly.  The outhouse was located about 50 yards from the yurt, just inside the woods.  The small outhouse had “Rules for Use” written on the sidewall of the doorless “toilet” which included scooping a coffee mug-full of sand and covering your business when you are done.  It seemed to work much like a human litter box.  It was pretty odd using it, and got down-right embarrassing when another tour participant walked up to the litter box while I was still on it.   I am all for sustainable living, and the yurt was cool, but outdoor plumbing is a bit too primitive for me and day-to-day life.

THE STRAWBALE HOUSE

With it’s huge window openings, minimalist interior, all bright-white stucco walls, cast concrete roof tiles, and beautifully-crafted interior components, the strawbale house was my favorite of the tour.

The exterior walls of this home were constructed in a long process: Steel reinforcement bars are welded to a base plate.  Strawbales are continuously stacked, threaded onto the re-bar.  The bales are then covered with chicken wire and “woven” to secure the bales both vertically and horizontally.  At the top of the wall, threaded rods are welded to the re-bar tip, threaded through a continuous steel plate, and secured with a nut.  The nuts are tightened and the bales are fully-compressed.   A full, 3-layer stucco system is applied to both the interior and exterior, in total creating about a 16 inch-thick wall.

L to R: East facade/Front Porch, Interior, Sleeping porch, Handmade stairs.

This home was so beautiful, but my concerns grew about mold, fire, and insects – after all, this is Alabama, where much of the year is spent with super-high humidity.  So I posed the question to Daryl and the homeowner, and was quickly reassured all openings were completely and expertly sealed.  Of course, as architects, we have the basic understanding that moisture will find its way inside, regardless, so we should always provide a way for it to dry or escape.   I was told the risk of fire is a common myth about strawbale homes, as stucco acts as a fire-retardant much like gypsum board.  And they did not address possible insect infestation (I was wondering if there was a straw-eating insect that could plague the home, much like termites effect wood homes).

South facade

This home is completely off the power utility grid.  Lit only by daylight in the day and low-wattage lamps and LEDs by night, the solar panels beside their garden, deliver 2.5kW of photovoltaic electricity, stored in 12 batteries in the cellar.  Also in the cellar, is a homemade walk-in refrigerator with super-insulated walls and door, with a solar-powered compressor.  Upstairs, the stunning stucco walls reflect sunlight around the handmade stairs and wooden elements.  Their kitchen refrigerator is run by propane.  They do not have an active heating or cooling system, but instead rely on passive strategies: cross-ventilation in the summer and indirect thermal mass in the winter.

I would highly recommend the Solar Home Tour for any environmental enthusiast, designer, engineer, or homeowner.   This inspirational tour reminded me that sustainable design can create interesting spatial experiences as well as be functional and environmentally responsible.

For more information or to register for an upcoming Solar Home Tour, contact the Blount County Chamber of Commerce.

CREIG B. HOSKINS, AIA, NOMA

Creig B. Hoskins was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, a town in the Mississippi Delta.  Throughout his childhood, he loved to draw and sketch.  When Creig was in high school, his parents allowed him to live with his uncle in Michigan to be more educationally challenged.  Since his uncle worked for General Motors, Creig assumed he’d go on to college to become an automobile designer for GM.  As fate would have it, GM entered a downturn, and Creig returned to Mississippi, where he graduated high school and was accepted into Mississippi State University’s School of Architecture to begin his career of designing buildings instead of cars.

After graduation from MSU in 1985, Creig relocated to Birmingham, Alabama where he was recruited by a prestigious firm now-named Giattina Aycock Architecture Studio (GA).  As he took on more responsibility and obtained professional licensure, Creig proved to be vital to the firm family and was named an Associate Partner in 1995.  His continued success as a designer, project manager, and role model helped him earn the MSU Alumni of the Year award in 2000. By 2005, he was made Senior Vice-President, the first African-American to be named a managing principal and owner in an Alabama majority-owned architectural firm.

As Senior Vice-President, Creig had the opportunity to design a variety of commercial and residential projects.   He led the firm’s involvement in designing multi-unit elderly housing for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  Through this work, he became an expert in designing accessible spaces and passionate about building high-quality and cost-effective spaces.  In the past 5 years alone, he has designed and managed 18 HUD-funded projects across the southeast, ranging from new construction to renovations, all totaling over $75M.  He was a member of the project team for Homewood Middle School (180,000sf, $23M), the nation’s first LEED Silver-certified middle school in 2003.  As project architect and principal in charge, Creig was instrumental in the design of George Washington Carver High School for Health Professions, Engineering and Technology (304,000sf; $43M), which included 96 classrooms, clinical and nursing laboratories, a Disney-inspired animation studio, a television broadcasting area, fine arts auditorium, and cosmetology laboratory.   From designing rock displays for the Birmingham Children’s Zoo to multi-million dollar schools, civic and office buildings, Creig’s diverse design career has spanned nearly 3 decades.  And he’s not done yet.

Despite the nationwide economy and the declining construction industry, in 2009 Creig decided to step down as Senior Vice-President and Principal of GA, to create his own firm called HOSKINS Architecture.   The decision was difficult, but one he doesn’t regret.  He left GA with the support of his fellow partners, as well as the blessing of founding partner, and Creig’s mentor, Joe Giattina.  Creig truly values his years of experience, contributions, and investment in GA, which in turn gave him the tools needed to create his own company.

Not only does Creig strive to further the profession by creating innovative designs, he firmly believes in improving the community as well.  Creig is an active member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and served as the Southern Region Vice-President for 8 years until 2009.  He is a founding member of the Birmingham chapter of NOMA, where he served as President for three 2-year terms and was the Treasurer for 6 years.   He sat on the MSU Architectural Advisory Board from 1997-2000 and 2005-2009 and currently he serves on the Executive Board of Girls Inc., the Children’s Aid Society Foundation Board, and the City of Birmingham Design Review Committee.   Creig also created and continues to fund an annual scholarship to MSU’s College of Architecture, Art +Design, for students from the Mississippi Delta Region.

Currently, HOSKINS Architecture is providing design services for Children’s Health System and the Birmingham City School system, and has been selected for the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex’s Multipurpose Facility design team, led by Populous (formerly HOK Sport).  The office has five employees and will soon be expanding from 400sf to 1,800sf.

Q:  What do you like the most and least about being an architect?

Everything is always new and challenging.  No two problems are the same.  What I like the least is when I can’t convince an Owner to see the value in quality design.

Q:  What project(s) are you most proud of?

One that solves three basic criteria: client, quality, and community.  Birmingham Children’s Zoo ($8.8M), Gateway Family & Child Services Campus ($3.5M), George Washington Carver High School ($43M), and Children’s Hospital Data Center & Parking Deck ($16M) are some of the projects I’m most proud of.

Q: Would you have liked for your children to follow in your footsteps and become an architect?

I have always wanted them to be what they want to be.  My son LaDarius spent a lot of time with me in the office while growing up.  At one time, he thought he wanted to be an architect, but later changed his mind.  He is now a commercial diver.  My daughter, Jasmine, grew up drawing everything in the third dimension.  She attends the University of Pennsylvania and will graduate next year with degrees in Psychology and Spanish.

Q: What was your motivation to leave Giattina Aycock after decades of being a managing partner and part owner of that firm, and during a slump in the economy?  Any regrets?

Timing, and the desire to create a sustainable firm; something that seems to elude many minority firms.  No regrets.

Q: What in your opinion is the economic forecast of the construction industry in the coming years?

Up.   There’s nowhere to go but up!  I know it’s slow, but we will soon be back where we were in our glory days.  History has shown when there is a decline, there will be an upturn as well.

Q: What responsibility do you think architects and designers have to their community?

Every project undertaken should enhance the community and design profession in some form.  Does it positively impact and foster growth in the community?  Does it provide sustainable jobs or does it displace people?  Every project should strive to do what’s right for the community.

Q: What do you think students should know, who are considering architecture as their career?

It takes time; a lifetime.  A license in architecture and 5-10 years experience means you are just beginning.  Architecture is a profession developed and fine-tuned with time.  I’m still learning after 25 years.

Q: What advice do you have for designers in this economy that are struggling to find jobs?

Be patient.  Learn while you are in between jobs.  Never stop taking opportunities to learn.  Also, remember money isn’t everything.  You want to find a place that will invest in you.  Look at the big picture: Is there room for me to grow?  Where do I want to be in 5, 10, 20 years?  These are the questions you have to ask yourself.

Q: What is the last movie you watched?

Bright Star- a romantic drama based on the life of 19^th Century poet, John Keats, who tragically died at age 25.  It was a good movie.

Q: What do you enjoy in your spare time?

G-O-L-F!

Q: Did you watch the Oscars this year?
No, but I wanted Precious to win an award, so I was pleased and surprised to hear Mo’Nique won for her role as Best Supporting Actress.

Credits:

Photo of Mr. Hoskins: The Birmingham News/Joe Songer

Photo of rock display at Birmingham Zoo: GA Studio/Lewis Kennedy

Links:

Mississippi State University College of Architecture, Art + Design

National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)

HOSKINS Architecture

Are you the Next….
Southeast Designer or Architect of the Year?

2010 Call for Entries

ADAC’s Southeast Designer of the Year Competition Has Added an Architect Category!

Submit your design projects for ADAC’s 2010 Southeast Designer and Architect of the Year competition. This esteemed competition is open to interior designers, interior design firms and architects from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

The competition will be judged by a panel comprised of Industry and Educational Professionals as well as editors from Veranda Magazine. The panel will review all submission blind coded. Winners will be notified when the judging is completed.

By popular demand, the ADAC Southeast Designer and Architect of the Year Competition has retained their new categories in order to provide exposure for a greater number of design industry professionals working with many different project parameters.

2010 Categories Available are as follows:

Residential Category, Best Overall
Residential Room Categories:

• Best Bedroom
• Best Living Room
• Best Kitchen
• Best Dining Room
• Best Family or Great Room

Best Residential Architect, Best Overall
Contract Category, Best Overall
Contract Sub-Categories:

• Best Corporate Space
• Best Retail or Hospitality space

Project Submission Rules

• Materials in the form of a portfolio, brochure or photo album.
• No size or special requirements.
• Photos are not required to be mounted, although they may be.
• Do NOT put your name or firm information on the individual photographs, as all entries will be blind coded in order to remain anonymous to the judges.
• Each entry must represent only one project but designers may enter as many different projects in as many different categories as they wish.
• No maximum or minimum number of photographs are being requested.
• Projects submitted must have been completed in the last two years (2008 – 2009).
• Projects may NOT have been previously published.

Submissions must include return mailing information with FEDEX return ship labels. If complete return information is not provided, they will be held in the ADAC Office for 60 days prior to disposal.

WE’VE EXTENDED THE DEADLINE FOR THE COMPETITION! Materials much be received in the ADAC Management Office by no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 9, 2010. For more information, please call: 404-231-1720 or click here to download a submission form. (PDF)
* You will need the Adobe reader to view the PDFs on this page. Download it for free here.

All entries should be directed to:

2010 Southeast Designer of the Year Competition
c/o Ms. Sarah Dobbs
ADAC Management and Leasing Office
349 Peachtree Hills Avenue NE
Suite A5
Atlanta, Georgia 30305

Source: http://adacatlanta.com/se-designer.html

Map of downtown highlighting the Pedestrian Mall, the Capitol, and DenverArt Museum

Recently on a road trip out west, I found myself in Denver, Colorado.  Historically known as a gold-rush town of the 1850s and for the towering Rocky Mountains, Denver is now making its mark in the art and culture world.

Alone on this road trip, I walked through the city and observed.  The people are very active and the downtown area is alive with movement.  The 16^th Street Mall, designed by architect I.M. Pei, is a mile-long pedestrian street that connects the Civic Plaza to Union Station via the trendy “LoDo” (lower downtown) district.  This mall, cutting right through the heart of the downtown business district, creates a dynamic place to walk, skateboard, bicycle, eat, shop, or just sit and observe.

The streets are pristine.  Flowering plants and lush trees line the brick-paved streets.  There are musicians – harpists, guitarists.  There are Green Peace folks trying to get the word out about genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) in American food.  People are catching the free (and on-time) shuttle.  I walked the mall down one side, past Union Station and to the South Platte River, turned around and walked up the other side and took the bus back to the majestic capitol building.

Colorado's State Capitol

Home of Colorado’s Legislature, the capitol building in Denver is breathtaking.  It’s grandeur is matched only by the U.S. capitol building in D.C., from which it’s 1890 design gained inspiration.  The building is composed of Colorado white granite and the large bell-shaped dome is plated with 24-karat gold.

Past the Civic plazas and Greek Amphitheatre lined with Doric columns and marble sculptures, I find the arts district: The Colorado History Museum, The Children’s Museum of Denver, the controversial Denver Public Library (designed by architect Michael Graves), the Museum of Contemporary Art, and most notably, the Denver Art Museum.

Frederic C. Hamilton Building Addition to the Denver Art Museum

The Denver Art Museum has been in the news recently due to the opening of the Frederic C. Hamilton Building, designed by German architect Daniel Libeskind.  The sharp, angular mass of titanium panels (9,000 to be exact) towered over me as I walked under the enormous point that cantilevers over the street, seemingly daring the adjacent building to touch it. The 146,000sf building with 55,000sf of display space opened in fall of 2006, so I inquired about the construction team’s presence.  Apparently there was a leak.

While I understand the draw of the worldwide visionary’s work, I can’t help but view this Denver Art Museum addition as a mechanical parasite feeding off the original building.  In fact, as I rounded the corner after my encounter with the giant point, I caught a glimpse of the original building, now eclipsed by this sci-fi appendage.

Interior of Hamilton Building (L), "Quantum Cloud XXXIII" by Antony Gromely (C), Interior Hamilton Building (R).

The North Building by Italian architect Gio Ponti

As I walked towards the original part of the museum and away from Libeskind’s ogre, a much more innovative and endearing building emerged – the North Building.  Designed in the 1970s by Italian-architect Gio Ponti (1891-1979), the North Building (as it’s now known) was a true work of art.

Though Ponti is popular in Europe, he isn’t well-known in America, primarily because the Denver Art Museum remains his only public building on this continent.  Ponti was a true artist who not only designed buildings, but also flatware, furniture, theater costumes, and even designed the interior of an ocean liner.

Approaching the building, images of the Tower of London are conjured, as this castle-like fortress looms over a landscaped moat below.  The towers are surfaced with a combination of flat and pyramid-shaped tiles, which reflect sunlight and create interesting patterns.  Over 1 million of these tiles were manufactured by Corning Glass Works for the towers, and it took workers two years to set them by hand.  At the building’s ‘crown,’ shapes are cut out to frame certain views of Denver’s many landmarks.

Close-up of the hand-set Corning Glass tiles

The meticulously-punched openings in the façade orchestrate light patterns inside, which remind me of LeCorbusier’s Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, where interiorly, the light becomes the architecture, rather than the building’s form.

As a functional museum, the layout is straightforward and easy to navigate (which, as a navigationally-challenged person, is very important to me – - having been lost and turned around in Libeskind’s Jewish Museum in Berlin for hours, which is another story altogether…).

The collections and exhibits include pre-Columbian, African, Asian, Oceanic, European and American work, as well as one of the largest collections of American Indian art and artifacts.  And of course, modern art, housed largely in the new Frederic C. Hamilton Building.

All in all, Denver took me by surprise.  I’ve been to the “Gateway to the West” before, but that was about 18 years ago for a school competition.  And then, I only visited the U.S. Mint and the capitol building.   The cleanliness of the city, the friendliness of the people, and its new and growing arts and entertainment district make the Mile-High City a must-see for designers, art-enthusiasts or folks who just love to experience a lively downtown area.

Sources:

Denver Art Museum, Scala Publishers, 2006.

Downtown Denver

Mile High City

Denver Art Museum

According to the U.S. Labor Department, the number of technical and nontechnical staff employed in the architecture and engineering services industry in 2009 was 1.346 million, down from 1.445 million in 2008, nearly a 9.3 percent drop. Unfortunately, the numbers will continue to fall, as 35% of firms contacted by Architectural Record reported that more layoffs are foreseen in fiscal year 2010. Moreover, the news is still grim for architects, landscape architects, interior designers, construction engineers and the ancillary industries that support the industry; the current prediction to expect a boost in the economy is 2011, despite the upturn in 2010 for the overall economic growth[2].

In the face of a challenging economic climate, six young designers have managed to capitalize on the need for innovative design in an environment where creativity is often sacrificed in the name of profitability. The featured individuals are pioneers that utilized the misfortune of unemployment in the traditional workforce to sketch the framework for a new career path. As makers by trade and as creators by birth, Hugh Shomari Lacy, Joseph Echols, Leigh Ann Black, Vesna Frkanec, Ivana Sinobad, and Visnja Nikolic, have sculpted careers that have translated economic decline into sources of inspiration for works of art to which they now define and refine the form as they see fit.

Click the photos to learn about his or her personal journey…

Hugh Shomari Lacy, 29, Atlanta, GA

Joseph L. Echols, 30, Biloxi, MS

Leigh Ann Black, 30, Water Valley, MS

FILTER, 28-30, Belgrade, Serbia

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[1] Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan address to Credit Union National Conference, 2010 February 23.
[2] Architectural Record, 2010 March.

The exhibition will be up until March 15th and we invite you to join us tonight to show your support for the Central Public Library.  This event will be a wonderful collaboration and great opportunity to get architecture and the work of young architects out to the public. The library and exhibition are of course open and free to all.

We talked about the 48 Hour competion before in this post http://refugeedesigner.com/orthogonal/2009/09/yaf-48hrs-competition-2009-register-by-5pm/ Now the winner are being announced. So be sure to come out and see the new and awesome work.

YAF Site- http://aiaatlanta.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=9

Lets us know what you think about the 48 Hour competition exhibit

Should interior designers have the same power as architects? There are many people on both sides of this issue. Well, Georgia has decided to become the state to test out new legislation that would give interior designers the ability to stamp drawings for interior modifications to any building, change in use, occupancy load or occupancy classification. I was informed about this new legislation, HB 231 – Change to the Practice Act Governing Architects, last night via email. The email I received is below:

Dear AIA Georgia Members:

Recently, language approved by the Georgia State Board of Architects and Interior Desginers to be inserted in HB 231 has been changed, with concerns raised by AIA Georgia having been largely ignored (for detailed history, see below).

As a result, AIA Georgia cannot support and must oppose HB 231 for the following reasons:

1. The current language is overly confusing, and it will be difficult for both practitioners and building officials to interpret. Suggestions made by AIA Georgia representatives to improve the legislation were largely ignored, while suggestions by the Georgia Alliance of Interior Design Professionals were largely incorporated.

2. Architectural education and training includes the study of civil, structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineering, and the coordination of the work of those professionals is a part of the definition of the “Practice of Architecture”. [43-4-1(6)] Interior designers are not trained in these disciplines. HB 231 would require a registered interior designer to coordinate work beyond their level of expertise. The current restrictions are intended to protect the life safety of Georgia citizens.

3. Traditionally, the use of existing legislation has been a basis for establishing similar laws. The language in HB 231 is unprecedented in the states that currently have practice legislation for interior designers, and would place the building officials and the citizens of Georgia in uncharted legal territory. In a time where some states are disbanding their interior design practice legislation, Georgia is on the verge of passing legislation that will give sweeping authority to the interior design profession.

YOUR “ASK” TO ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL BE:

1. Oppose HB 231 in its current form.

2. Support the December 18, 2009 language unanimously passed by the State Board of Architects and Interior Designers.

HOW TO MAKE CONTACT:

Find your legislator

1. Copy and paste the above information into an email to send to him/her.

2. Print the language on your letterhead and mail.

3. Call their office and ask to voice your concerns to the legislator or a senior aide.

Remember, your voice is critical in guiding AIA Georgia’s advocacy for our profession. If you haven’t already registered, come meet with legislators to discuss the issue at our annual Legislative Reception, Tuesday evening at the Georgia Freight Depot. Tickets are available at the door ($55).

Thank you,

Gerry D. Cowart, AIA, LEED AP
AIA Georgia President

If you feel as tho this law should or should not be passed, let your State Representatives know now! You can find your representatives two ways:
Representative Email – List if you know your representatives name
Congress.org – Which will find all your elected officials based on zip code

AIA Georgia’s site has more information on this issue and an event planned.

What do you think about the Georgia Legislator giving more power to interior designers? Leave your comments below.

What if the drywall you put in your spaces was more than just a smooth surface to be painted or hang a picture on? Imagine if the walls served another purpose of regulating the buildings temperature. Well the future is almost here. ThermalCORE! Thermal Core is a National Gypsum product using BASF phase change technology.

How it works! This is my simplified understanding of how it works. So, BASF created a phase change technology that uses these little acrylic bubbles filled with paraffin wax. The wax when it warms up becomes a liquid and absorbs heat and when it cools down it solidifies and releases heat. Well, National Gypsum is taking this tech and putting it into drywall. By doing so, they add insulating properties to the drywall.

Some reports say that this product can reduce heating and cooling cost by 20%. They are still in the process of testing it and bringing it to the States. I am sure with all the Green Initiatives and growing knowledge about how much energy buildings are eating up that this product will be out sooner than later. If I could I would renovate my whole house in it.

Concerns? Since they have added acrylic and wax to the wall. How does that effect the fire rating? How sustainable is the product with those additional ingredients?

What do you think about this new drywall? Do you have any concerns or praise about the idea?

Source: ThermalCORE via Tech Review

Background
Emerging Voices is a program developed in 2001 by YAF Atlanta. This program has a mission to recognize works of high quality at the early states of one’s career and provide a public forum for its exhibition. The competition rewards emerging professionals who are striving to practice their craft w hile considering the peculiarities of a specific geographic environment: Atlanta.

Criteria
Submissions will be evaluated based on the following: a body of built work, theoretical investigations, independent research, and contributions to the profession.

Eligibility
Architects or intern architects working in greater atlanta are encouraged to apply. Licensed architects up to 10 years max of licensure are eligible. Firms are eligible if the principals meet this criteria. Individuals submitting firm work must submit a letter of attribution from the firm stating that the candidate was the lead designer.

Submission Info
+ anonymous digital portfolio
+ adobe PDF format
+ 15 pages max [11x17 @ 300dpi, saved on a cd]
+ identity should only be included in a separate PDF file named ‘contact information’ on the cd and within the letter of attribution if applicable.

Entry fee + Deadline
YAFrecognizes the hard work and effort put into each portfolio submission, therefore EV10 will not require any additional entry fees. Deadline is March 1st, 2010.

Submission
If couriered or hand-delivered:
Entries must be received by the AIA Atlanta office by 5pm on March 1st, 2010.

If mailing, entry must be sent to:
Emerging Voices Competition
c/o AIA Atlanta
113 Peachtree Street, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404.222.0099

More info about competition: http://aiaatlanta.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=18

When:
January 29-31, 2010
Friday 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Sunday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM

How Much:
Adults $5.00
Children Under 18 FREE

More Info:
The Build, Remodel and Landscape Expo is held at the Atlanta Exposition Center, just off HWY 285, making it easily accessible to the Atlanta metro area. Hosted the past 11 years at the Atlanta Exposition Center, the show has built a reputation as the place for Atlanta and surrounding community homeowners to meet expert remodelers face to face all under one roof.

At the show, you will be introduced to the latest innovations and offerings in the home building and remodeling industry. The show features top quality displays and knowledgeable experts offering everything for the home. It will be your time to ask questions and get expert advice. Exhibits include, but are not limited to the specializations of home building, kitchen and bath remodeling, basements, sunrooms, additions, windows, siding roofing as well as landscape installations.

The Build, Remodel and Landscape Expo is your opportunity to get the valuable information needed to execute your design and remodel projects. You will be able to learn from experienced professionals and find the latest product information. Whether your interests concern heating and air conditioning systems, decking, water treatment systems, interior decorating, home security systems or just the best way to install a towel bar, you will find the advice and products you need. We look forward to seeing you this January at the Atlanta Exposition Center, the place to be for all your home building and remodeling needs.