Tag Archive for: efficient addition

LEAP Design Wins Capital Region’s Innovative Remodel

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LEAP’s design for a modern addition was awarded the “Most Innovative Remodel” and “Most Creative Remodel Feature” at the 2016 Best in Building Awards by the Capital Region Builders & Remodelers Association, Inc. (CRBRA).

 

Modern Addition

We’ve been super proud of how this project turned out, and if you’ve read our Stories before, you’re sure to have seen our posts on Modern Addition. We’re pleased that the rest of the Capital Region of NY also took notice! And we certainly won’t be too persnickety that our builder was actually awarded the acclaim…ah-hem.

It might be a good time to read our Architects – Why You’re Not Working with Them post, as a reminder of why builders don’t want to share the spotlight. But in fact, we can do greater things working together!

“To me, this award affirms the advantage of builders working with an architect. It gives you great design—award winning design—and accolades from your community.” -E.Davenport

 

Innovative Remodel

After LEAP met with the homeowners and developed a good grasp of their vision, we got down to work doing the design and construction plan. Design is somewhat obvious, what will it all look like and what materials should be used where, but a LEAP design goes well beyond that. In our innovative design process, we really focus on how people are going to live in the space and how they want to feel. The design we come up with not only has to be beautiful, it has to serve. Every little detail has to be functional. We also design green building practices into every one of our projects.

Energy efficient homes not only require great design, it very much matters how the materials go together, making it really important to work with a builder that has skills and attention to detail. The builder for this project was C & J Custom Builders Inc, and they did a fantastic job. LEAP’s innovative remodel to life!

 

White kitchen with wood floors, open space design win CRBRA innovative remodel award

 

It’s Alive! Passive House Must Breathe.

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In the next few posts, we are going to break down some of the key elements of Passive House Design. Today we examine the part of the mechanical system—proper ventilation and energy recovery.

Passive House Design Process

 

No One Likes Stale Air.

Passive buildings are designed to be air tight. Really air tight. But we want clean air to breathe, and keep our home feeling fresh. So how do we efficiently bring it in? In the northeast, the outside air is too hot and humid in the summer, and far too cold in the winter. This predicament traditionally necessitates the use of furnaces and air conditioners—the darlings of your utility bill.

Passive Building Design takes a more clever approach.

[box] Summer = hot air outside/cool air inside

⇒ use outgoing stale air to cool down incoming fresh air

Winter = cold air outside/warm air inside

⇒ use outgoing stale air to warm up incoming fresh air[/box]

And never the twain shall meet. Incoming and outgoing air streams are kept completely separate from each other, so stale air doesn’t end up back in your environment.

 

What Sorcery is This?

Let me introduce the star of the show—  ERV, or for those not into architecture acronyms Energy Recovery Ventilator. This is the preferred system here in the northeast US, due to our high humidity and wide temperature range. The beauty of an ERV is that is can harvest heat in the winter and reduce heat in the summer, while effectively manage humidity. The humidity component increases the energy harvesting efficiency of ERV and creates a more comfortable living environment.

 

ERV_graphic, passive house ventilation

Schematic of an Energy Recover Ventilator (ERV) for Passive Buildings.

In the summertime (cooling season), the system conditions incoming warm, humid air by passing it over coils or channels containing stale, cool air being exhausted from the house. Desiccants are used to remove humidity from the fresh air intake, which adds to the cooling effect. In the winter, the system uses warm, stale air being exhausted from the house to pre-heat the incoming fresh air. Humidity can be added to incoming air in order to maintain a comfortable level, preventing humans from drying out!

mechanical_ventilation, passive house

Mechanical ventilation diagram for Passive House Design.

Typical ventilation systems are set up to extract stale air from the “wet” areas of the house—kitchens, bathrooms and storage rooms—through the use of ventilation ducts that channel air though the ERV and exhaust it outside. Incoming air is ducted from the outside of the building, into the ERV, and then into bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms. Inline filters can be added to the incoming air stream to remove pollen and other particulates.

For typical homes, only a single ERV  and blower are required and they reside inside the house for a low maintenance operation.  Heat exchange efficiency can range from 50 to 90%, depending on the type of system and manufacturer. It is generally accepted that ERV can cut energy usage by 50%.

High-efficiency ERV systems ensure optimal indoor air quality and comfortable living for energy-efficient and passive building construction. The whole house ventilation system really is like the heart and lungs of a passive building.

[box type=”bio”] Eric Davenport, LEAP’s founder is Passive House Certified, and understands the ins and outs of these systems. If you are considering a new build, or even a retrofit, leverage our expertise to get the most out of your project.[/box]

 

 

Modern Addition – Dramatic Before and After Reveal

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LEAP Architecture had the vision that transformed a little run-of-the-mill ranch house into a two-story, light and spacious modern-home. Form follows function in this Upstate NY modern addition, where every detail from bathroom tile glaze to the support structure for the great room was considered with the occupants, the environment and the budget in mind.

 

Architect’s Vision of a Modern Addition – Albany, NY

 

Vision of Air and Light

Where before rooms were dark and cramped, the new open floor plan – with floor to ceiling windows – fills the space with abundant natural light. It quite literally looks like a completely different house.

 

Dream Home, Sweet Home

LEAP succeeded in making the house feel vibrant and fresh, adding 520 sq. ft of new  living area and completely renovating an existing 680 sq. ft of interior space. In an effort maximize the occupant’s enjoyment of their backyard, a 20 sq. ft balcony and 200 sq. ft deck were seamlessly incorporated into the design. And the homeowners? They are over the moon about their updated living space.

“I measure the success of a project by the satisfaction of the homeowners”, says Eric Davenport, LEAP’s founder and chief architect, “and their satisfaction comes from LEAP’s innovative design process”.

 

Innovative Design

What does he mean exactly? Well, a LEAP architect considers a project from every possible angle – design, sustainability, cost, but mostly importantly the occupants.

How do the homeowners want to feel in this space? How will they move through it? How can their home best serve their dreams, desires and needs? Davenport is a master of envisioning this, and uses it to inform all other design considerations.

In this project, the owners wanted their home to feel expansive, luxurious, and joyful. They wanted to reconnect as a couple and delight in their living space. We were so honored to work with them and bring their dream-home to fruition.

 

Before and After Reveal

The before and after addition images are pretty staggering. Check out them out for yourself and leave us a comment. We’d love to hear what you think!

Still curious about our design process? Read more about LEAP’s process and see additional interior photos from this project here.

Have a dream project of your own? Contact LEAP to make it happen!

leap_architecture_residential_home_renovation-A

First floor view, showing expanded open floor plan – new kitchen area, dining room, and cozy nook with fireplace.

leap_architecture_residential_home_renovation_kitchen

Dramatic update of the kitchen area -clean, bright and functional.

leap_architecture_residential_home_renovation-B

Existing space was altered, with walls and ceiling removed to create an open floor plan.

Lake George Architect: Porch Addition – Modern Meets Traditional

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Lake George Architect: Modern Addition to a Traditional New England Home

An architect for a Lake George property was called upon to help the homeowners take advantage of their waterfront views. The views within the existing space were clouded by mid-century closed-in design. Therefore, the new porch utilizes large, curving glass doors and folding glass walls integrated into a stone porch with radiant heating, supplemented by solar access.

Modern glass architect

Modern Porch

Modern Architecture: Design Details

Modern building techniques and solar studies were used to ensure heat gain from the sun despite the tree-filled site. Structural integration and detailing were key so heavy snow drifts would not compromise the expansive glass units. The architect ensured the design would be sturdy to reduce deflection by heavy snow, to make sure the glass panels and doors would not be broken or rendered un-operable over time. This is a design built to last!

The House

Luxurious outdoor space taking full advantage of the Lake George views are the result of uncompromising quality and sound design.

lake george architect modern addition

*Project completed while working with Phinney Design Group

LEAP Architecture

Businesses and families hire LEAP Architecture as their Residential or Commercial architect.

Whether in New York City or in Upstate from Hudson to Albany, in Saratoga or in the Adirondacks, a LEAP architect will help you develop creative design solutions.

Click here to contact LEAP Architecture

 

Have questions for the architect? Ask them here…

Architect Saves Clients Money: Common Materials Used In Creative Designs

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Learn how a LEAP Architect saves clients construction dollars with creative design solutions. Picture above: Additional living space helps a husband, wife and their two children with more room for their growing family.

 

The husband designed some ideas with a Sketch-Up model, but they were not sure about what steps to take next.

 

When the family came to LEAP, the architect helped them prioritize their goals and then designed a living space to meet their needs, but with some extra bonuses. Read below to learn what these “extras” are, and get more insights into creative solutions provided by LEAP in other projects.

 

Architect Designs Creative, Affordable Construction

 

Concrete Floors

The clients for this addition in Saratoga Springs, NY had a tight budget and were not sure how to spend their money wisely.

 

So, the architect used the LEAP Method to achieve their goals.

Solution: Concrete Floors

The floors in this Saratoga Springs addition were made of concrete. Why?

Research during the LEAP Method for this project showed it was less expensive to pour slab on grade construction rather than wood frame a crawl space.

So, LEAP architects added a whitener to the concrete mix, and hand-selected the aggregate so that when ground and polished, the concrete floor is one of the main features of a warm and cozy living space.

 

Here’s a bonus:

The clients of this modern addition in Saratoga Springs, NY have a noteworthy vinyl collection, and the desire for uncluttered space. The photo below shows floor-to-ceiling fabric wrapped over wood frames, on bi-passing sliding door tracks. The fabric is speaker cloth, so when the stereo system is hidden with the rest of the books and items on the shelves, the turn-table plays unmuffled, and clear as if it were out in the open.

 

 Clean modern architect design

 

LEAP Architects Use Low-Cost Materials in Chic Designs

Agricultural bi-products (straw, saw dust, wood chips, stems) make up this pressboard in the gallery pictured here.

Pressboard in the gallery

Pressboard in the gallery

 

Clean, green and modern at an affordable price

Inexpensive, durable, and clear-coated with a sealer allows the space to be clean, green and modern at an affordable price.

 

Architects Help You Make Money-Saving Decisions

LEAP architects design to a budget, and siding systems, like traditional clapboard, can be labor intensive. But there are alternatives….

 

Modern Addition

Modern Addition

 

This modern Saratoga Springs addition utilized panels, cut to fit, which resulted in much less labor (less cost) and a quicker protective finish system than other more traditional siding applications.

 

Affordable Modern Living

Corner windows and floor-to-ceiling glass are trademarks of architects modern designs. However, they do not have to be budget killers.

Modern floor-to-ceiling glass

Modern floor-to-ceiling glass

 

The glass corner shown here is achieved with common fiberglass sliding door units, installed next to each other to help open the dining area to the deck outside.

Fiberglass doors and windows are less expensive than their wood and clad counterparts, and are much more energy efficient to boot.

 

LEAP Architects Help You Enhance Your Quality of Life

While Maintaining Your Budget

This amazing kitchen was designed with Ikea cabinets, renowned for their inexpensive but modern design.

Affordable built-in feel

Affordable built-in feel

 

Along with the cabinets, LEAP designed the surrounds and island out of panels that are finished with the same material as the cabinet faces, for an affordable built-in feel. The counter and backsplash are not marble, but rather a resin poured to perform in kitchen environments at about a third of the cost of stone. This kitchen looks like a $50K effort; but all in all, the materials were only $12K. (excluding appliances and fixtures).

~ Eric Davenport, AIA, CPHC

 

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://www.leaparchitecture.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/eric_davenport-blog-profile.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Eric Davenport, a native Up-State New Yorker, began LEAP Architecture in 2003 at age 23 while designing projects for Haitian education efforts and working to achieve efficient agricultural-based solutions for Haitian families. Eric’s projects in New York include both commercial and residential architecture specializing in energy efficient and net-zero buildings.

Questions about your next design project? Contact Eric.

[/author_info] [/author]

 

Have questions for the architect? Ask them here…

Passive House: High Performance Construction Standards in the US

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Passive House Design [founded in the US, then developed in Germany as Passivhaus] is different than passive solar design since insulation and heat exchangers are utilized while solar energy plays a lesser role.

Passive House Design: Introduction and History

In the United States, passive house design standards dictate space heating energy of 1 BTU per square foot (11 kJ/m²) per heating degree day which equates to 75-95% less energy for space heating and cooling than current new buildings that meet today’s US energy efficiency codes. [1] Typical strategies implemented to achieve the standard include well insulated envelopes coupled with air barriers, air sealing, and the use of heat exchangers to recirculate indoor air. Other considerations include: passive solar design, landscape design, advanced window technology, airtightness, ventilation, space heating from internal heat sources such as equipment and people, lighting and appliance efficiency.

 

 

Modern sustainable architect in Albany designs Saratoga, NY home

Passive Building Attributes

Advantages of passive buildings include fresh, clean air, homogeneous interior temperature, slow temperature changes, and low energy loads that support renewable energy sources. Passive buildings could be up to 14% more expensive upfront than conventional buildings. [2] However, when designed to balance budgets, the mechanical system costs and alternative energy system costs are reduced. These reductions in system costs off-set the money spent on better insulation, windows and doors. And, owners get the payback dollars for insulation, windows and doors permanently in the building, as opposed to spending money on replacing mechanical and alternative energy systems 13-15 years down the road (just as they started getting pay-back!).

 

Passive House Design Process

Buildings can be certified as Passive with the help of a CPHC (Certified Passive House Consultant) via the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) or Passive House Academy US (PHAUS). Both residential and commercial buildings utilize the Passive House model.

 

Passive House Architect - Elevation

Passive Building: Principals

Passive building comprises a set of design principles used to attain a quantifiable and rigorous level of energy efficiency within a specific quantifiable comfort level. “Maximize your gains, minimize your losses” summarize the approach. To that end, a passive building is designed and built in accordance with these five building-science principles:

  • It employs continuous insulation through its entire envelope without any thermal bridging.
  • The building envelope is extremely airtight, preventing infiltration of outside air and loss of conditioned air.
  • It employs high-performance windows and doors
  • It uses some form of balanced heat- and moisture-recovery ventilation and uses a minimal space conditioning system.
  • Solar gain is managed to exploit the sun’s energy for heating purposes and to minimize it in cooling seasons.

Passive building principles can be applied to all building typologies, from single-family homes to apartment buildings to multi-story offices and skyscrapers.

 

Passive House - Largest

The building for Cornell Tech’s new campus on New York’s Roosevelt Island by Handel Architects, will be the largest Passive Building in the world.

 

Passive Building Benefits

Passive buildings offer tremendous long -term benefits in addition to energy efficiency:

  • High levels of insulation and airtight construction provide unmatched comfort even in extreme conditions.
  • Continuous mechanical ventilation of fresh filtered air assures superb air quality.
  • A comprehensive systems approach to modeling, design and construction produces extremely resilient buildings.
  • Passive building is the best path to Net Zero and Net Positive buildings because it minimizes the load that renewable energy sources are required to provide. [3]

Click here to watch a 90-second video explaining the “Passive House”

[1] Waldsee BioHaus architect, Stephan Tanner

[2] “Passivhäuser im Bau bis zu 14% teurer”. Franz Alt. Retrieved 2009-06-05.

[3] www.phius.org/what-is-passive-building-/the-principles

 

 

Have questions for the architect? Ask them here…

Affordable Modern Bathroom Design

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Affordable Modern Bathroom Design is possible using common materials in creative ways.

Eric Davenport finds inspiration everywhere, and a trip to the hardware store is no exception. Here we show you 3 examples of Affordable Modern Bathroom Design using run-of-the-mill materials, that’s anything but ordinary.

Here’s a great reason to work with an Architect: 

Every Dollar Spent in Design Saves $10 in Construction

 

1. Soft Warmth

LEAP-Architecture, Affordable Modern-Bathroom-Design

Modern Bathroom Design — Acrylic, Masonite and Plywood.

This powder room has masonite (you know those press-boards with holes in them for hanging tools over workbenches?) on the walls, with an acrylic laminated to a plywood vanity. The acrylic has a white back to reflect light back through the material, giving it a glowing depth while the masonite helps enclose the room in soft warmth. The acrylic, masonite and plywood vanity are inexpensive materials that help save on construction costs: no tile or grout, no complicated millwork, no expensive hardware, and all with a modern feel that sets this experience apart from other rooms in the house.

 

 

2. So Fresh and So Clean, Clean

Durability and easy-cleaning was the goal, Affordable Modern Bathroom Design

Kids Bathroom -Bright, Durable and Easy to Clean.

This kids’ bathroom has plain white tile from the local hardware store which is used to wrap the vanity, the tub alcove, and the walls all the way to the ceiling.

The mirror is cut flush to the tile joints, and industrial light fixtures finish off the room with a little flair.

Durability and easy-cleaning was the goal, and the affordable price tag of the materials made this design exercise possible – and really fun!

 

 

 

3. ECO-Shiek

Bathroom Vanity, Affordable Modern Bathroom Design

Beautiful, affordable bathroom vanity made from…plywood!

This bathroom vanity is beautifully crafted, designed with thought, and also — ready? — made of plywood. A birch veneer with a sealer has stood up to the moisture and wetness of a bathroom environment for more than five years now (and is still going strong)!

The material costs for the wood, hardware, and sealer were less than $200.

 

 

Questions about your next design project? Contact Eric.

 

Have questions for the architect? Ask them here…

Luxury Home Renovation on Long Island Sound

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The design for a luxury home renovation and addition for a mid-century American-Mediterranean house on Long Island Sound transitions into spaces between Traditional and Modern architecture. 

Renovation of a Greenwich CT Home on Long Island Sound

Modern Architecture: Design Details

The existing house was fully gutted and outfitted with a newly designed aesthetic enhanced by amenities such as high-end finishes and millwork, whole-house integrated lighting, security, and Audio/Visual systems, along with complimentary interiors by Drake Design Associates with the landscape design by Janice Parker.

 

The House – Luxury Home Renovation in Action

Modern insertions designed into a traditional architectural style results in a cohesive, luxurious living space in the existing house, while a new guest wing comprises the addition, which includes a garage, pool house, fitness room, living space, kitchen and two bedroom/bathroom suites.

*Project completed while working with Taber Studio

LEAP Architecture

Businesses and families have hired LEAP Architecture when looking for a Residential or Commercial architect.

Whether in New York City or in Upstate from Hudson to Albany, in Saratoga or in the Adirondacks, a LEAP architect will help you develop creative design solutions.

Click here to contact LEAP Architecture