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2011 Nominated For Best Home Renovation By BILD! To make the front door more prominent, an extended, stylish porch was erected. Natural stone was applied for texture and beauty. Copper fascia, new eaves, and a cornice return were added to the gable. To highlight the new windows, precast mouldings were inserted. The bay windows received…
When designing a healthy home, the single most important consideration is indoor air quality (IAQ). Many factors influence the quality of the air in your home: the building envelope and penetrations, the type, quality, and maintenance of the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system, and the materials and finishes you select. A well-designed home…
When we talk about developing sustainable homes, we are referring to cost-effective strategies for ensuring human health and reducing our environmental impact. In designing a healthy home, important considerations include air quality, water quality, natural light, and thermal comfort. In terms of reducing the home’s environmental impact, we can look to our use of energy,…
With over 7 billion people on earth, humankind’s demand for energy, water, and resources is having a tremendous impact on our environment. We are literally reshaping the natural systems that we rely on for clean air, fresh water, and healthy food. Faced with this reality, the question of how to sustainably co-exist with each other…
Not all the things you want to look at for your custom home need to be about washers and dryers when it comes to Energy Star ratings. There’s more to it than just the appliances. Although there are design elements that need to be taken into account when you’re looking at where your new appliances…
In the wake of Toronto’s recent flood (July 8, 2013), it seems appropriate to discuss the role of design in water management. As Mark Mattson (@waterkeepermark) of Lake Ontario Waterkeeper explained on today’s Metro Morning, Toronto’s sewer and stormwater infrastructure is combined. When it is overrun during heavy rain events, our rainwater and sewage end up mixing, bypassing our treatment…