Sustainable Construction

Bad News About DC's Solar Incentive

2011-03-01T08:22:00.001-08:00

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/27/AR2011022702910.html

Addition Pictures

2011-01-21T10:46:00.000-08:00

Final pictures of an addition we finished recently. As you can see, it's bigger than the original house (which you can see at the very left of the first picture).

Weatherizing Your Home

2011-01-20T07:27:00.000-08:00

With the bitterly cold winter we've had so far, it's easy for heating bills to skyrocket. Here are some good tips to help you weatherize your home.

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/h2weatherize

Basement Certificate of Occupancy in the District

2011-01-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

For those who live or own a property in the District of Columbia, it can be a daunting process to learn and make sure you're complying with the requirements for things such as building permits and certificates of occupancy. Fortunately, DC's Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) has recently updated it's website to make it easier to understand and apply for the appropriate permits. For anyone considering remodeling work, I'd highly recommend visiting the website to learn more about the permit process. Although the contractor you hire should have an understanding of the process, as well as a sound knowledge building codes, homeowners (and potential homeowners!) who understand compliance requirements are definitely ahead of the game.

Here's a link to the DCRA website: http://dcra.dc.gov/DC/DCRA

Also, for those of you who own a property and wish to secure a bit more income by renting out a basement, here's a very useful checklist for understanding everything that you need to have to make sure your basement qualifies for a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O): http://rentmydcbasement.com/checklist/

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-21T06:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to everyone who's made 2010 a great year for Impact: all of our clients, subcontractors, partners, vendors, suppliers, and especially...our employees (above)! We hope you have a wonderful holiday break, and look forward to a prosperous 2011!

Progress: An Addition In Arlington, VA

2010-10-28T08:34:00.001-07:00

A Recent Kitchen Project - Before And After

2010-10-22T07:15:00.000-07:00

Another Project

2010-10-14T09:35:00.001-07:00

Just finished this project. Take a look:

http://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1842-Mintwood-Pl-NW-20009/unit-3/home/10002984

Kenmore Connect Technology

2010-08-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

Interesting article about Kenmore appliances and diagnostic repair technology

http://www.remodeling.hw.net/appliances/kenmore-unveils-kenmore-connect.aspx

Cooling Tips

2010-07-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

These great tips are from one of our vendors, Destination Lighting.

Save Money and Stay Cool with Ceiling Fans

Beat the heat this summer while saving money! “People tend to forget that ceiling fans reduce energy. Using them allows you to run your air conditioner less frequently," notes Nathan Frampton, president of Fanimation. "If you aren't using your ceiling fan during these hot summer nights, you are costing yourself mega-bucks," he adds.

The benefits of the ceiling fan in simple calculations

A ceiling fan can make a person feel as if the room is 10° cooler
If you are seated under a ceiling fan operating at a low speed, the fan makes you feel cooler by flowing air over your skin, which causes your perspiration to evaporate faster
It runs on a fairly low amount of energy that is equivalent to a 100-watt bulb – and even less if it is an Energy Star qualified fan

Where's the ideal spot for ceiling fans?

Any room where you will be spending a lot of time; family rooms, bedrooms, recreation rooms
Bathrooms, garages and closets are also good applications – even covered porches
The laundry room is a great place to install a ceiling fan; running the fan will balance the moisture content and heat to match other rooms in the home

Does it matter how many blades a ceiling fan has?

The majority of ceiling fans sold today have five blades, but this is more of an aesthetic consideration than a practical one. What's more important is selecting a ceiling fan that is the right size for the space.

Rooms that are approximately 150 sq. ft. or larger require a 52-inch diameter fan to be most effective
Larger great rooms may require bigger fans with up to a 72-inch span, or two small fans
Smaller rooms can use either a 42- or a 48-inch diameter model

A few pictures from a current project

2010-06-24T07:52:00.000-07:00

An addition in Arlington, VA.

Pre-Planning and Contingency Expectation

2010-06-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

When meeting with clients, I find that if we are thorough in the planning process, we can do a pretty good job of minimizing unexpected change orders. Through experience, Impact can anticipate potential problems and educate the client so that informed budgets can be determined before we start work. With old homes, you just don’t always know what you’re going to get, but you have to be ready for it and plan conservatively. Case in point for this Arlington addition underway.

As the project started moving forward, everything was going well during the demolition and excavation phase- until we discovered that the existing house didn’t have a foundation wall! This was kind of a problem- without a foundation wall so support the load of the house, the new addition couldn’t be built (think of a sand castle that starts to sink once the ocean water hits it). We needed to come up with an alternate plan. We determined that the best way to deal with the problem was to support the existing structure with new steel beams and columns (with proper concrete footers). The steel beams are an engineered product- very strong, very efficient in size, and also made of a very high concentration of recycled steel. Careful planning was necessary- after all, we still had a house underneath it. Pictures are below. Job done- now getting back to the ‘original’ scope. Most importantly, we budgeted for this type of potential contingency, so the project can move forward as planned.

Impact Is Now a "Certified Renovator"

2010-06-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

Meeting new EPA guidelines, Impact is now certified with the EPA as a ‘Certified Renovator’. This nationwide regulation requires all firms to become certified, and more importantly, to implement best practices for managing remodeling and rehabilitation projects that may contain lead paint. The regulation impacts all homes built prior to 1978.

Wind Farm in the US

2010-04-28T09:42:00.001-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/us/29wind.html?emc=na

ACE's Green Living Expo

2010-04-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

Impact participated in this year's Green Living Expo, run by ACE (Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment).

First CFL...then LED...now Quantum Dots?

2010-03-13T04:49:00.000-08:00

Check out this article that appeared recently in the Science and Technology section of the Economist:

http://www.economist.com/science-technology/technology-quarterly/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15582161

Whoops...I think we made it TOO efficient

2010-02-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

Today, we regretted having insulated a client's attic with spray foam. After 30+ inches of snow a couple weeks ago, we have been unable to install a couple skylights and to do some repairs on a client's flat-roofed rowhouse. The snow is still 1-2 feet deep on many yards, sidewalks, and yes, roofs.

Temperatures have been above freezing all week, so we figured a fair amount of snow should have melted by now. This morning, we decided to climb up and shovel off any snow we might find hiding in shadows or snow drifts, thereby allowing our roof work to begin. When we got up there, we were dismayed to find 100% snow coverage, and it was shin-deep at that.

The neighbors' roofs not only had significant melting, but they were downright arid in some places. Even with a 200,000 BTU heater blasting away at the new drywall one level below, our client's roof looked like it was begging for fresh tracks from a heli-skier.

Stupid spray foam. We spent most of the morning shoveling snow that was blissfully unaware of the sauna-like conditions just a few feet below.

I'm kidding, of course. Spray foam really is great stuff, as we have mentioned in the past. I'll just have to remember to budget more hours next time we're clearing snow off a well-insulated roof.

Impact is on This Year's Renovator's House Tour !

2009-10-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

Impact was honored to be chosen as a participant of this year's Renovator's House Tour. Please go to www.renovatorshousetour.org for more information! Also, see our Portfolio page for pictures!

Five Easy Ways to Green Your Home - from NYT

2009-03-17T08:41:00.001-07:00

Five Beginners’ Steps to a Greener Home

What’s the first and most important thing every green-minded dweller should do?

Look at all the vampire loads that are sucking energy even when you’re not using them.

You mean like the toaster with a digital clock and the cellphone charger?

Yes. Anything with a ready light. Collectively, vampire loads cost Americans about $3 billion a year. The biggest culprits are stereos, DVRs, game systems and plasma TVs. Simply unplug them when they’re not in use. Or purchase smart power strips, which cost about $25 and shut off automatically.

What’s the second step for making our homes greener?

Take an empty two-liter soda bottle, wash it out, fill it with water, screw the lid on tightly and set it into your toilet tank, as far away from the flapper valve as possible. This prevents two liters of water from being used every time you flush.

Will it leave enough water for a proper flush?

A new low-flow toilet uses 1.6 gallons per flush. Older toilets go up to seven gallons a flush. Two liters is only half a gallon, so there’s still plenty of water left for most bathroom visits. Besides, you can always flush twice for those rare occasions when it’s truly needed.

Moving right along. Your third recommendation?

Install an ultra-low-flow shower head. A 1992 federal law requires all shower heads to be “low flow,” which means 2.5 gallons shoot out every minute it’s on. Switching to ultra-low-flow means you could go anywhere from two gallons all the way down to half a gallon a minute.

But how’s the water pressure?

Ultra-low-flow shower heads mix outside room air into the water so the pressure is surprisingly good. The technology has really advanced. The old stigma of not having enough pressure — do you remember the old “Seinfeld” episode where Kramer couldn’t get enough water, so he switched to an elephant hose? — that doesn’t really apply.

So far, these projects sound really manageable. What’s No. 4?

Install a gray-water system that collects soapy water and diverts it to the toilet. Instead of clean water, you flush with soapy water. WaterSaver Technologies (watersavertech.com) makes AQUS, a $300 system that installs under the sink.

Is there a simpler way to capture and use gray water?

Actually, there is. It’s a toilet-topped sink called SinkPositive (sinkpositive.com). You replace the toilet’s heavy porcelain lid with this sink basin, which has a built-in faucet. When you flush, fresh water comes out of the faucet and you wash your hands with it. The soapy water collects in the toilet tank for the next flush.

Forgive me for asking, but how does the SinkPositive look?

Like something you might find in a dentist’s office.

What’s the final step people should take?

This is probably the most important: replace old thermostats with a programmable one. It’s kind of like a TiVo of thermostats. It lets you turn the heat down when you sleep and back up before you wake. It can also tell the difference between Monday and Friday, so you can turn down the heat while you’re at work. A good one costs about $20, and saves about $180 a year on energy bills.

So we don’t need to go home and install solar panels or put down bamboo flooring tonight? That’s a relief.

These five projects aren’t sexy, but everybody can do them.

Cold on the first floor?

2009-01-20T11:21:00.000-08:00

We've definitely had a cold snap recently, as most DCists can attest while standing outside to watch many of the outdoor inauguration festivities. This past Friday I was having lunch with my close friend, Megan, and we were discussing our personal sagas living and working in old DC homes that are frigid on the first floor, and hot on the second floor.
Megan is an architect (doing some really interesting things with her firm Suzane Reatig Architects www.reatig.com) so we got to talking about the reasons and solutions for drafty and chilly temperatures on lower floors in many old homes in DC. Conversely, summer time can be brutally hot when your bedroom is on the top floor of one of these old structures.
Beyond the obvious- that heat rises- there are several things that contribute to the temperature differentials in homes, as well as opportunities for mitigating them.
Most importantly, it's important to realize that air is constantly swirling around within a home. It moves through cracks in walls, holes in drywall, gaps created by light fixtures, and poorly insulated floors, walls and ceilings. Most often, the cold air comes up through a cold unconditioned basement or through a vented roof eave.
On any given day when the temperature drops below freezing, our apartment (which we rent) might just be colder than our refigerator :). Unfortunately, the original contractor put absolutely zero insulation in the walls and flooring. The result- coldness. The solution- seal the basement with an air barrier insulation. This type of insulation- which is often sprayed by professionals will not only insulate (like traditional fiberglass insulation), but it will also prevent air from traveling from those cold areas into your home. Additionally, several options exist, including a product called Icynene as well Bonded Logic. These products are superior to traditional fiberglass insulation because of their ability to act as an air barrier. Some of these products contain high levels of recycled content and or organic material such as cotton.
Of course, during a renovation, whenever walls are torn down, always consider adding insulation with thermal and air barrier properties between wall cavities and floor cavities. The insulation will help reduce the movement and entry of hot and cold air that create uncomfortable (and inefficient) temperature variations in your home!

Green Construction and Rooftop Jacuzzis

2009-01-12T18:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my wife, Christine, and I began the long, slow process of finding a new home. With a baby on the way in a few months, we decided to start exploring some different neighborhoods and homes to get a feel for where our future residence may lie.
House hunting (or browsing) gives me an opportunity to see what other folks are doing to their homes, and often provides me with inspiration for future design and/or build ideas. Yesterday was no different, with one home in particular really setting the bar. Upon walking in to this particular town home, the allure was immediate. The style was mostly modern, with a sleek, clean steel staircase inviting the inhabitant upstairs into an open plan with fantastic southern exposure. Without going into detail, the house was well designed from the layout to the selection of finishes and appliances. Although it was out of our price range, Christine and I could easily see ourselves in this place.
As we walked out of the house, I grabbed a final flier, and noticed that the place was advertised as a 'green project'. I wasn't entirely surprised to see this. I had noticed that the recessed lighting consisted of compact fluorescent bulbs, and that the appliances were energy star-rated. Also, the place was fairly close to the metro, which is certainly a 'green feature'.
However, as I thought about this label, I remembered seeing the rooftop with concrete pavers... with a jacuzzi.. operating full blast. There we several other building materials that featured prominently that I know (from experience) embody a pretty high carbon footprint.
As we left the place, the flier left a slightly sour taste in my mouth. Without taking anything away from the beauty of the place, I was disappointed with the marketing, since this is precisely the sales mentality that endangers the meaning of green construction.
The problem is that green comes in different shades, and those shades can be difficult to evaluate in terms of environmental performance. The fact that the project did incorporate some environmental elements was definitely a good thing, but I don't know if I'd have the jacuzzi running full blast in freezing temperatures (with nobody in the tub) if I wanted to call the place 'green'..

Thank You

2008-12-08T05:21:00.001-08:00

On Friday, my wife, Christine, and I hosted a holiday party. Actually it doubled as a celebration for Impact - we've been in business now for about a year and a half! Friends, Impact employees, and even some clients came out to raise a glass with us in celebration.

It was a really nice time having everyone together. More than that, though, it made me reflect on the last year and half. I started this company by myself, literally swinging a hammer day in and day out. Now, we have five talented, dedicated employees who work so well together...and understand the mission at hand. We have a thriving construction business! And on top of that, our consulting business is just as busy.

So, I want to thank Impact's clients and vendors, friends who have referred work to us, and of course the crew that makes it all happen. We feel so lucky.

Here's looking to an even more successful 2009!

On behalf of Impact, I want to wish everyone a warm, happy and safe holiday season!

Marketing Teams Have Earned Their Money with "Clean Natural Gas" and "Clean Coal"

2008-11-22T08:52:00.000-08:00

Every time I read about "clean natural gas" or "clean coal," I cringe...and I suspect most of you do, too. It's simply amazing what marketing can do. In fact, some people don't even realize that CNG stands for Compressed Natural Gas, NOT Clean Natural Gas. Thank the marketing folks for that intentional confusion.

Anyway, this week's Business Week had an article about natural gas that I felt was pretty worthwhile. Although natural gas may be slightly better than regular gas from an emissions standpoint, folks often don't factor in the environmental price of getting to that natural gas - and the harmful chemicals that are polluting our drinking water.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_47/b4109000334640.htm

WSJ article- Green construction in the news

2008-11-18T19:54:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine sent me this article. The article discusses the overwhelming demand for quality green construction. It feels good to be ahead of the curve. Now we just need to stay there!

http://sec.online.wsj.com/article/SB122661046508725685.html

Green Festival in DC Nov 8-9

2008-11-06T06:09:00.000-08:00

Don't forget about the Green Festival this weekend. Loads of great speakers and exhibitors.

http://www.greenfestivals.org/washington-dc/

"A planet in peril..."

2008-11-06T05:27:00.000-08:00

After two long years of campaigning, we finally have a president-elect. Barack Obama, as we all know by now, won in a landslide at the end of an historic race against John McCain. Millions of us were glued to our seats Tuesday night in anticipation and hope. And of course that hope was based on the issues that were and are so important to each of us.

For me, obviously the environment was a big issue. Towards the end of the campaign, as the financial crisis took center stage, the issue of the environment quietly and disappointingly took a back seat. In a number of polls, environmental issues even became an "other" when asked what issues are most important in this country.

So when Barack Obama spoke of the country's major challenges - two wars, a financial crisis, and "a planet in peril" - in his speech Tuesday night, it was nice to hear. Granted, we all know many of these issue are inextricably linked; without solving one effectively, we lessen our odds at success with another. But the more we explicitly talk about it, the more likely real action will be sought.

In other election news, a handful of lawmakers in the House, who consistently vote against clean energy and better environmental policy, lost their seats.

And of course dozens of environmental advocacy groups have undoubtedly reminded the president-elect of his promises during the campaign.

So provided the president-elect keeps some of his promises, including building efficiency goals, there is hope!

This is worth reading

2008-10-15T15:34:00.000-07:00

This article speaks of potentially revolutionary discovery about solar power - making solar power into an accessible, mainstream energy source.

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html

It's About Time!

2008-10-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

It's about time - both for DC to expand its recycling efforts...and for me to update this blog (incidentally, sorry it's taken me so long!).

So what prompted me to write? I just read about DC's expanding recycling program, which was posted on the DCist today. Check it out:

http://dcist.com/2008/10/07/dc_launches_expanded_recycling.php

According to the article, here's what the city will now pick up:

• Aerosol cans
• Milk and juice cartons
• Plastic bags, e.g., grocery bags, newspaper bags, shopping bags (Please “bag the bags” by placing all the bags into one bag.)
• Rigid plastics: plastic milk/soda crates, plastic buckets with metal handles, plastic laundry baskets, plastic lawn furniture, plastic totes, plastic drums, plastic coolers, plastic flower pots, plastic drinking cups/glasses, plastic 5-gallon water bottles, plastic pallets, plastic toys, and empty plastic garbage/recycling bins.
• Wide-mouth containers: peanut butter, margarine/butter tubs, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, whipped topping, and prescription and other medicine bottles.

This is a huge step, considering DC's historically poor recycling program. Great news - please spread the word!

Understanding 'Green'

2008-04-21T04:25:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the blog for Impact Construction and Consulting! As we were conceiving the purpose and importance of Impact’s website, we wanted to make sure that we provided a voice that described who we are, what we do, our thoughts, our strengths, and maybe most interestingly our evolution over time. For those who read, it provides an opportunity to learn about our company, our industry, and about the complexities and opportunities available to our clients to design, manage, and build a successful project that addresses sustainability to the fullest degree possible. A blog seemed to make sense- something that ‘demystifies’ the building process by providing an insider’s perspective about building ‘greener’.

As the green movement becomes trendier and more mainstream, we’re seeing a lot of companies riding on its coattails – some with good intentions and some with intentions to greenwash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwashing). In all fairness, without some knowledge and due diligence, it can be difficult to tell the difference.

An example: a question I’m often asked is, “How much more will I have to pay if I build green?” As much as I wish I had straightforward answer, I simply don’t. Unfortunately, the construction industry is extraordinarily fragmented; there is no single framework that speaks to all of the project stakeholders, and there are no common protocols, languages, or standards. On top of that, since building material costs are affected by such a large, unpredictable range of factors (commodity prices, regional price factors, wholesale discounts, etc.), it can be very difficult to give a reasonable, on-the-spot answer. In truth, the answer to that question will be determined by the project team – the architect, contractor, and ultimately the client. Hopefully, as a team, they are thoughtful enough to consider all costs - upfront, life cycle, and environmental, as they wade through the marketing hype of the many “eco-friendly” building products available today.

The building and building sciences industries are changing rapidly, and require greater thoughtfulness and planning. So, this green movement brings more choices, but also more complexity and confusion- this is why Impact exists. Our goal will be to provide thoughts and insights that contribute to successful projects in this evolving landscape.