Residentail Design+Build - June 2011

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Model your Expertise Use a model home to showcase your business’s ability and techniques, not a client’s tastes

also inside:

Creative design for affordable homes Insulation: Evolution of a classic product

Bathroom design for all ages

rdbmagazine.com

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contents

project showcase

14 Model your expertise

Use a model home to showcase your business’s ability and techniques, not a client’s tastes

Business trends

22 Creative design for affordable homes

For two builders, affordable housing projects provide exercises in design creativity and personal reward

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product trends

28 Insulation: Evolution of a classic product

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New technology and product offerings provide more options to meet sound, cost and efficiency demands

kitchen/bath education series

34 Bathroom design for all ages

Safety, comfort and sanitation are the keys to good design that meets all needs

ADVICE, OPINIONS

PRODUCTS

Editor’s Comments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Kitchen/Bath Spotlight: Universal design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Luis Jauregui, AIA, on Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Jay Grant on Building. . . . . . . . . . . 8 John Wagner on Green Homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Joseph Dellanno on Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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Product Focus: Design software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Product Focus: PCBC preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Product Focus: Green. . . . . . . . . 42 Product Focus: Flooring. . . . . . 42 Product Focus: Adhesives. . . 43 Literature Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Advertiser/Editorial Index . . . 45 Finishing Touch: Living walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

on rdbmagazine.com Video Network Design, marketing and more Editor’s Blog Why do you work together?

Industry News All the news in one place

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34 42

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41 residential design + build

June 2011

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editor’s comments

Taking risks: Building business in 2011

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rob.heselbarth@cygnusb2b.com EDITOR Maureen Alley maureen.alley@cygnusb2b.com Contributing Writers Joe Dellanno, Rob Fanjoy, Jay Grant, Luis Jauregui, AIA, Chuck Ross, Harry Spaulding, John D. Wagner art director Richmond Powers Production Mgr. Steve Swick Circulation Mgr. Jackie Flack Reader Service Mgr. Rich Hendricks Production Services Rep. Kathleen Weaver

ver the past few months, I’ve had many discussions with builders and remodelers about marketing — specifically marketing your skills against your competition. These conversations never happen without some mention of the economy; and they almost always start with, “I’ve been in business 30 years and I’ve never seen anything like this.” That is a powerful statement.

It’s not headline news that the economy isn’t where it used to be in 2005. Every builder and remodeler is aware of this notion, but to hear, “This is the worst I’ve seen it in 30 years — after everything I’ve seen in 30 years,” — proves to me what worked in the past will not work in 2011. Times have changed, which means your business practices must as well. Old habits die hard, and changing how you do business is often easier said than done.

In Jay Grant’s column (page 8), he writes about how hard it is to close sales because his clients are much more focused on saving money. “They need more work, attention, counseling and cajoling than what used to be typical for a builder/remodeler,” he writes. Change isn’t easy — and a change of business practices that have been set in stone for 30 years must be even harder.

Many of us have heard the quote, “Nothing is worth anything unless risk is involved.”

Granted your risks may be higher than before, but it’s better to adapt and overcome now because who knows when or if we will get back to the heydays of 2005.

David Werschay, CEO and owner, Werschay Homes, St. Cloud, Minn., the builder covered in this month’s cover story (page 14), chose to build a model home to showcase his business and talents. Though this isn’t a new concept, building a model home in a tough economy is a risky move.

Werschay wasn’t building this house with a client backing it, but he calculated the risks and in hind-

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Editorial Director Rob Heselbarth

sight it helped him generate new jobs because of this house. He took a risk and it paid off.

Now is the time to take risks. The risks you take may var y from your competitor, but no one ever conquered hard times by remaining complacent and doing things the way they’ve always done them. You may take a note from Werschay and build a model home that showcases your talents, or maybe you’ll take a less aggressive route to put your business in front of more eyes and join a social media network such as Facebook or Twitter. No matter what the risk, it’s clear that doing business in 2011 requires the courage and gumption to explore new avenues for discovering new business.

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e creative and experimental. Find some balance between doing business the old way with the new way. Most importantly, be patient; changing your business practices will not happen with immediate results. Taking a risk and benefiting from that action will take some time, but the end result can give you a leg up on your competitor.

What has your company done to change your business practices? Did these changes result in a positive or negative result? I’d love to hear from you: maureen.alley@cygnusb2b.com, 920-5631675 or on Twitter @MaureenAlley. ■

Administrative Assistant Kasey Strike

CEO John French CFO Paul Bonaiuto EVP digital Tom Kohn EVP Building & construction Kris Flitcroft VP content Greg Udelhofen VP Marketing Debbie George VP Sales Steve Beyer VP manufacturing Tom Martin VP Audience Development Julie Nachtigal VP technology Eric Kammerzelt SVP Cygnus expo Rob Brice Corporate Production DIRECTOR Brett Apold human resources Ed Wood ©

2011 by Cygnus Business Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form, including electronically, without written permission from the publisher of Residential Design + Build.

Residential Design + Build (ISSN 1934-7553, print; ISSN 2150-7694, online; USPS 070-080) is published nine times yearly (January, February/March, April, May, June, July/August, September, October, November/December) by Cygnus Business Media, 1233 Janesville Avenue, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send all change of address to Residential Design + Build, P.O. Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. Printed in the USA. Subscription Policy: Individual subscriptions available without charge in the USA to qualified readers. Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualified subscribers. One-year subscription to nonqualified individuals. U.S. $33; Canada $49; all other countries $71, payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank.

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By Maureen Alley, editor

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Lu i s J a u r e g u i , AIA o n d e s i g n

Spread love for good design Quality design may be subjective but residential architects can lead clients down the right path

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he discussion of what makes for good residential design is a continuing conversation that dates back and continues among consumers, academia and the industry. Personal experience, higher education and individual sensibilities formulate one’s unique perspectives on what good design is. These individual observations add to this ongoing dialogue and affect our responses to our living environment.

For the average person, the value of good design is more of an ephemeral thing than an element of real consequence. You can’t live without basic necessities, and quality design is not one of them for most of us.

Good design is, after all, totally conceptual, not a substance that be touched and held or summed up on a calculator. Completely subjective to the beholder, good design is more akin to a human feeling such as love than any tangible, such as concrete.

Consequently, and unfortunately, good design is not fully appreciated or valued by the average person in the same way as something concrete, perhaps in the same way that love is sometimes taken for granted. We tend to value things that are quantifiable. Quality architecture is not only difficult to quantify but, for many, is just plain difficult to even recognize.

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aybe, like love and other more human emotions, you know when you have it but can’t describe it; people talk about it, but it means something different to everybody. One thing is for certain: When it comes to residential buildings and the people who use them, they can coexist without good design.

Well, how much design love can you live without? You can take it to the extreme and have none. Some people complacently exist

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in poorly designed homes of bad proportions and impractical floor plans. Or you can live with a little extra love; a bit more functional floor plan, not so bad proportions or use of natural light, and a mediocre relationship of the building to its surrounding site, trees and solar orientation.

People can also choose to live in a house full of architectural love, with a floor plan that performs like a symphony of good circulation,

momentum throughout the country and I encourage everyone to get behind good design. Related professionals in the housing industry should recognize the intrinsic value architects bring and not be so eager to substitute technicians of limited accreditation and skills.

Yes, it takes extra hours of dedicated professional time to achieve a higher level of emotional intelligence for homes. It’s

Completely subjective to the beholder, good design is more akin to a human feeling such as love interesting vistas, multifunctionality, great use of natural and artificial light, and aesthetics that speak of great textures, soothing colors, inviting spaces and interesting volumes; a house that performs mechanically in harmony with the environment, its engineering systems and the needs and wishes of its occupants.

I can go on describing what makes good design. And while some people possess this gift intuitively, it’s the architect who can best speak this love language of good design and who can wear the highly restricted badge of architect, having spent a career, if not a lifetime, perfecting his intuitive and learned skills.

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e need to advocate for ourselves and promote the value we bring to the table. I’m gratified to see this effort gaining

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reasonably going to cost more to move design and performance of homes to a higher level. The consumer needs to understand they get what they pay for and good design will continue to pay back over and above the original investment.

It’s important that everybody in the housing industry keeps the residential architect as a key leader on the team. This will result in well-designed homes to better our world and spread design love. ■

Luis Jauregui, AIA, has been a member of the local and national chapters of the American Institute of Architects for more than 20 years.

He is an active leader within the Homebuilders Association of Austin, Texas. Send email to luis@jaureguiarchitect.com. Read past columns at rdbmagazine.com.

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Jay G r a nt on building

Work harder to close sales Economic atmosphere creates consumers who demand more information before signing on the dotted line

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olitical strategist James Carville is recognized for helping form the foundation of Bill Clinton’s presidential victory over George H. Bush. He focused the Clinton campaign message: “It’s the economy, stupid!” That was 1992 when the government first bailed out the banks with the formation of the Resolution Trust Company.

Almost 20 years later, in reference to the housing industry, the underlying powerful message that’s resounding in my ears and in my business is the same message “It’s the economy stupid!” Consider typical sales scenarios: • Prospect A calls for a meeting with the builder to discuss a custom home.

• Prospect B calls for a meeting with the builder to discuss an addition to a family room.

• Prospect C calls for a meeting with the builder to discuss the renovation of a kitchen.

Your first priority is to create a relationship based on trust. Make your prospect feel comfortable with your intent to give him maximum value, quality and service in exchange for his commitment to use your company. If you can persuade Prospect A, B and C the value of your professional service is worth paying for prior to giving them a proposal, your closing ratio will be as good as it can be, in this economy. You will need a professional services agreement that requests a design services fee. Prospects that commission this work are most likely to become clients for construction. Prospects that are unwilling to pay you to do an estimate, which is the objection you will need to be ready to handle, are prospects that you may never close, at worst, and at best, they

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Client’s design dream objectives Builder budgetary process Ballpark guestimating Phase-by-phase estimating Phase-by-phase bidding Builder client proposal, acceptance and agreement

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onsumers are nervous, uncertain and hesitant. They need more work, attention, counseling and cajoling than what used to be typical for a builder. If you are experiencing frustration with working harder to close deals and if the roller coaster ride that you must endure to move forward with your prospect from initial sales call to design-

Your first priority is to create a relationship based on trust

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he builder’s ability to direct and control the design/build process — and budget — determines whether or not the builder builds or merely bids.

Fast forward to the conclusion of the initial sales meeting; the ball is in your court. The prospect describes to you the project and scope of work to the best of his ability. Invariably, he wants to know before you leave that meeting, “About how much will this cost.”

In the case of our Prospect A, this question probably arose during his first phone call to you: “What is price per square foot to build a custom home?” My stock answer to this query is an automobile analogy: “Mr. A, you can get from your house to Manhattan in a KIA or a Rolls Royce. They both have a steering wheel and four tires, one pragmatic and the other luxurious. I can only give you a price per square foot when I know all the details you expect in your home.”

• • • • • •

are in a low closing ratio group.

Your second priority is to describe the benefits of the design/build process — with an emphasis on process. You have to make him understand he should retain you to guide him through each step of the process, so you can gather all the necessary information to answer his questions.

There are specific steps required to communicate what will be known before the job begins and what variables will not be identified until the job is underway. These steps include: • Identification of project scope of work • Client’s budget goals • Concept, schematic and construction drawings

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budget-build is making you question your salesmanship, you should do two things: Re-examine your communication during the sales process, and remember, the reason for your frustration may be as simple as “It’s the economy, stupid.” ■

Jay Grant, president of Grant Homes, a residential design/build firm in Mendham, N.J., focuses on building luxury custom homes and renovations/additions. He is the recipient of more than 20 industry awards including best website for granthomesusa.com. Grant is available for business consulting. Send email to granthomes@msn.com. Read past columns at rdbmagazine.com.

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john d. Wagner on green homes

Don’t pay more for green Gone are the days of premium-priced green products

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hen I first started writing about green building in 1988 — when we called green building “energy efficient building” — building a green structure cost decidedly more. The new-tomarket CFL light bulbs cost upward of $12 each (they are now $0.99). “Natural” paints were $50 a gallon (they are now $15), and cans of spray foam cost three times what they sell for today.

Green building was perceived as either an endeavor for hippies whose green projects looked like something from the “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” movie set.

Essentially, it means if you create one-offs and prototypes, you will need to charge for those products at exorbitant one-off and prototype prices. But if you design an innovation and mass produce it, at scale, you can sell it at mass-produced rates.

Today, especially over the past five years, we enjoy the benefits of green product design at scale. In nearly every product area, manufacturers no longer charge high prices for exotics or prototypes; instead, they charge commodity prices for products that would have been four or five times more expensive a few years ago, and 10 times more expensive 25 years ago.

Today, especially over the past five years, we enjoy the benefits of green product design at scale Or it was perceived as custom trophy homes whose owners bragged their innovations saved 30 percent on their fuel costs, even though it meant conditioning an 8,000-sq.ft. space for two people with 3,000 gal. of fuel each year.

In fact, 20 years ago, average consumers and homes were frozen out of green building for reasons of cost, not for reasons of desire.

When asked: “Do you want to burn less fuel and live in a home free of toxins?” Most people would surely answer yes. But if the follow-up question is “Will you pay $20,000 more for that privilege?”, most people couldn’t afford to answer yes, even if they wanted to.

Ever hear the phase “Design, at scale, is free”?

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Building products

Paints, adhesives, caulks, sealants, finishes.

Driven as much by government regulations as by consumer concern for indoor air quality, you can now find a wide variety of low-cost green paints, adhesives, caulks, sealants and finishes.

And when I say green, I mean low-toxicity products with Energy Protection Agencycompliant VOC levels, or no VOCs at all.

Carpet. Green carpet — compliant with national and/or state indoor air quality standards — is widely available for commodity pricing. If you want pesticide-free woven New Zealand wool carpets, you will pay a bit more, but that will soon change as well.

Products containing formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, and

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there is a concerted push to remove it from building products, or to have it emit at dramatically reduced levels. Formaldehyde-free products — batt insulation for example — are now widely available at commodity prices.

Lumber/wood fiber. Nearly all wood fiber in North America falls under some sustainable harvest third-party standard (FSC, SFI, ATF, PERC or CSA), so you are probably buying green wood whether you know it or not. However, the only one of these that sells at a true premium is FSC. Suffice it to say there are green alternative products available in nearly every sector, and prices are clearly trending toward commodity levels.

The structure

All structures should use two categories for determining how green they are: toxicity and sustainability of their components; and the performance outcome of the thermal envelope. Freely available on the Web and in trade journals, you can obtain high-performance thermal envelope designs that can — when properly built — dramatically reduce fuel consumption for heating and cooling. These designs can be implemented at slight increment costs — costs that can easily return the investment in fuel savings in under five years.

So, does it cost more to go green? It can, but it doesn’t have to. With design-at-scale green building products and thermal envelope designs, you can build economically and responsibly for any budget. ■ John D. Wagner is an award-winning author of many books and articles about construction, and a frequent contributor to the industry’s leading trade magazines. A sought-after speaker for industry events, he can be contacted at JohnDWagner.com.

Read past columns at rdbmagazine.com.

Residence of Architects Aki Knezevic and Mary Collins, Illinois Architects design four modern, minimalist bathrooms with Geberit® Architects Aki Knezevic and Mary Collins knew that in modernizing their home in Lake Bluff, Illinois, they had to maintain the exterior dimensions of their Cape Cod style home to complement the traditional charm of the community and meet restrictive zoning codes. This meant they had to take advantage of every inch of their home’s internal space – including their four bathrooms.

Geberit’s in-wall tank and toilet carrier system was the perfect answer for all four rooms.

Geberit’s system opened up the space in their small bathrooms to complement the unique architectural highlights − effectively turning them into rooms of elegance and practicality.

Geberit was an integral part of the design as well as a space saving solution.

See how the Geberit concealed tank and carrier system can inspire you. For a free copy of the Geberit Now DVD, our full line digital resource, visit us at www.geberitnow.com or call 866/787-3924.

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Joseph Dellanno on communication

Get clients involved

The more active your clients are in the design process, the more they get out of it

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ome of us are working harder, longer hours and burning the candle at both ends to make a profit.

Potential customers look for discount prices and profit margins get slashed. Designers and builders are constantly struggling with the issue of how much to charge their customers and what is a fair price for their services.

When a homeowner asks how much something costs, most salespeople go into a white knuckle panic. They become defensive, talk fast and become nervous in front of their potential customer. This is not a good situation.

Take a second or two to think it over before you blurt out a number you cannot erase from their memory. Trust me, the number you launch from your lips will be

each other?” The reason is because some businesses know their true cost of labor, overhead cost and the profit margin needed to meet their responsibilities at the end of each month.

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ost businesses struggle to figure out what their overhead, labor cost and profit margins are because the bottom line keeps changing every day. Take your accountant to lunch and ask him to help you understand the real numbers you need to charge.

This will prevent you from becoming a nonprofitable company.

Our design firm recently proposed using Interactive Design and Build with a potential client (see February/March 2011 page 10).

The builder agreed to pay us a small stipend to help his client see the project in 3-D.

Most businesses struggle to figure out what their overhead, labor cost and profit margins are because the bottom line keeps changing every day the number they hang you with. This task becomes increasingly challenging for the consumer if you do business with someone who requests multiple bids and looks for a great deal.

After weeks and months of receiving multiple bids, someone makes the observation, “Why are these bids so different from

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We met with the wife and she explained the problems she was having with her house and how she could not visualize what her space would look like. Fortunately for us she had a set of existing plans of her home and with a few clicks of the camera we were online designing her master bathroom suite and attic expansion project.

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After a few design hours we came up with a schematic plan that would meet the homeowners’ needs. The builder approved the design and we set the appointment for the following week.

After the presentation, the husband explained to the builder he had recently completed a large kitchen addition project and hired an architect to plan the project.

He said how the traditional design process was long and painful, but the builder’s system was fully interactive. The builder and I looked at each other with confidence because we both knew at that moment our client discovered IDB.

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he client was able to change the layout in real time which made him feel like he was a part of the process. More importantly, the process met or exceeded his expectations. You do not have to give away the store to get clients to sign a contract. If you do, you will not have a store to return to at some point in time.

People can see if you are genuine or if you are a complete fake. So save your time and your client’s time by being the real deal.

Provide a way for them to become emotionally involved with your story and the design/ build process. Remember you make your client’s behavior in the manner in which you choose. ■

Joseph Dellanno is the founder of My Design/Build Project, a Web communication application for design and build teams, and president of My Design/Build Coach, providing design/build business training. He is also president of Design Solutions Inc., a national design firm.

Send email to info@mydesignbuildproject.com.

Read past columns at rdbmagazine.com.

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cov er story: project showcase

Model your expertise Use a model home to showcase your business’s ability and techniques, not a client’s tastes

By Maureen Alley, editor

T

he idea of showcasing talents in a model home is not new to the construction industry. However, how it’s approached is different for each builder — especially when the risk of building a model home not fit for a specific client is even higher in a down economy. David Werschay, CEO and owner of Werschay Homes, St. Cloud, Minn., calculated the risks and decided to demonstrate his talents by designing and building this home — the Nantucket.

One tidbit that mitigated his risk was the fact his own home was for sale at the time of construction of this project. “We built this home and said ‘if our house sells first, we will move in; otherwise it will be a good marketing piece for us,’ ” Werschay says.

His house did sell, and his family did move into the model home.

As a model home, Werschay’s goal was to highlight the expertise his business and his trades could offer potential customers.

“A lot of builders show their homes to the public and oftentimes that is a presold home with design, choices and interior decorating that is not of the builder but is of the client,”

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he says. “This is not about someone’s taste or money; it’s what we can provide you.

These are our designs and details.”

Down to the details

Looking at this house, the immense amount of details are hard to ignore — from the outside to the inside of the house. This was intentional. “We did a lot of things to catch people’s eyes,” Werschay says.

A home can have too many details, which the designer kept in mind. “You can get to the point where it’s gaudy. If you start mixing different styles together, it can be too much but this had a nice balance,” says Ann Harren, former designer on the project.

In order to maintain a balance as Harren mentions, exterior details were important.

“If you have tons of details on the front of the house and it stops on the sides, it can look overdone. If you carry some of it to the back of the house, it helps to blend details,” she says.

Making the ceiling a fifth wall instead of an afterthought is a growing trend in the home design industry, and was also a major consideration in this home. “It’s a big space,”

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“This is not about someone’s taste or money; it’s what we can provide you. These are our designs and details.”

David Werschay, CEO and owner, Werschay Homes, St. Cloud, Minn.

++Technology ++Outdoor living Decking: Rhino Deck

++Kitchen

++Builder Werschay Homes St. Cloud, Minn. werschayhomes.com

Sinks: Kohler Co. Faucets: Kohler Co. Range: Electrolux USA Exhaust hood: Broan-NuTone Ovens: Electrolux USA Refrigerator/freezer: GE Monogram Wine storage: GE Profile Dishwashers: Electrolux USA Compactor: GE Profile

++Bath

++Project Name: The Nantucket Location: Eagles Landing, St. Cloud, Minn.

Size: 4,000 sq. ft.

Tubs: Neptune Toilets: Gerber Plumbing Faucets: Brizo, Delta Faucet Sinks: Kohler Co. Washer/dryer: Frigidaire

rdbmagazine.com

Home control system: Home Automation Inc. Lighting control: Home Automation Inc. Security system: Home Automation Inc. Theater projector/TV: LG Electronics Theater speakers: Canton Distributed audio/video: SpeakerCraft

++Exterior Roofing: CertainTeed Corp.

Siding: James Hardie Windows: Andersen Windows and Doors Insulation: Owens Corning HVAC: Ruud Heating

++Interior Locksets/hardware: Schlage Fireplaces: Travis Industries Central vacuum: Eureka Home Care Products

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june 2011

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cov er story: project showcase

Werschay says. “What can we do on the ceiling that can create uniqueness in the room?”

This ceiling detail was also one of the challenges in the project. For example, the ceiling in the kitchen features beam work that required additional thought and preparation. “You have to lay out the beam work, lighting and needs for venting,” Werschay says. “In the ceiling you have a lot of other things going on, so making all that work with a busier ceiling is a challenge.”

 Right: The public spaces branch off the kitchen.  Below: The stained alder in the lower level was used to create an informal appeal.

details specific to Minnesota’s climate were added. “A mud room was designed to house space for boots in the winter,” Harren says.

The main level was designed to be formal whereas the lower level was designed to provide an informal appeal. However, the lower level doesn’t feel like a basement because of its walkout style and lighting in the space. The painted woodwork on the main level enhances its formal appeal, and the stained alder on the lower level enhances the informal appeal, Werschay adds.

Risky work

Design to scale

The home’s design flows in a way that five clients have asked for a similar concept in their homes. It moves away from the large, open concept and toward intimate spaces.

Again, this was intentional by Werschay and Harren. Werschay and his wife discovered this design in another home they walked through. They loved how good the space felt. “It started with the kitchen and grew from there,” he says.

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“The kitchen, great room and dining room are all one room but separate. They are all connected but not one big open room,” Werschay says. “There are a couple different ways to get into the kitchen, and the pantry is outside the kitchen. People really gravitate toward it.”

To keep the main living area open, the bedrooms were split up for privacy, and the laundry room was located near the master suite for convenience. In addition, design

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With the goal of highlighting all he and his trades could provide to potential clients, it was imperative that Werschay and Harren did it right. In order to know what the market wants, Werschay relied on his and his vendors’ expertise.

“We sat down with our low-voltage company and asked, ‘What can we do that’s not over the top but people will see, and will help market the home and company?’ ” Werschay says.

Harren relies on her 25 years of design experience as well as continually admiring new things. “I walk through old neighborhoods, take pictures — see new things even if it is 100 years old,” she adds.

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cov er story: project showcase

 Top: Ceilings were treated like a fifth wall.  Left: Details were carried throughout the house.

Because of the risk involved, Werschay was unsure at times if this was the best approach to a model home. But in hindsight, the home has helped his company secure many jobs.

“You always want to calculate your risks.

I recommend it — it works,” he says. “I worked very closely with trade partners.

How did I get financing? I worked with my partners and bank. I worked with my trade partners and selling them on the fact that this is a showroom for them as well. If you can get trade partners to grasp the same concept, it helps everyone out.” ■

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2011

Business

EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Call for entries!

Enter the Residential Design + Build

2011 Business Excellence Awards, honoring the best in business management, and get the publicity your firm deserves.

Application deadline: August 19, 2011 Binder deadline: August 26, 2011

For more information or to enter, visit:

rdbmagazine.com/awards

Enter in the following categories: • • • • • •

Business Administration Personnel Management Marketing Sales Education Community Involvement

Benefits to award winners include:

• • • • • • • • •

Article in RD+B magazine Customized award trophy Industry recognition Exposure on RD+B website Press release for local distribution Use of Excellence Awards logo Access to customized reprints A nice addition to your company’s resume Becoming an Excellence Awards alumnus

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business trends

Creative design for affordable homes

For two builders, affordable housing projects provide exercises in design creativity and personal rewards

By Rob Heselbarth, editorial director

D

esigning affordable housing isn’t as glamorous as designing the typical high-end homes Tony Crasi, Frank Bain and John Edwards are hired to design and build. These men, however, aren’t seeking glamour or recognition for the affordable homes they create. They’re after something more rewarding.

Working with not-for-profit organizations using federal grant funds in most cases, these professionals provide thoughtfully designed homes for those in need of affordable housing, and receive the pleasure of improving life in their communities while fine-tuning their craft. For Tony Crasi, president, Crasi Company in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, involvement in such programs has come full circle.

“When I was 14 I worked in the inner city with my father, helping those in need.

Now almost 40 years later, I’m back working in the inner city,” he says. “Everyone deserves a good-looking home. I believe in it, and I’ve realized I can make a difference. I was lucky, having stumbled into the high end of the housing market, but at the same time, when I show my high-end clients the affordable

 Affordable housing can benefit from creative design to blend in rather than stick out from the neighborhood.

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homes I’m designing, I’m more proud of them than my high-end work.”

Many times, Crasi says, affordable homes found in the inner city look like small boxes, but he has always believed society can do better for those who live in homes like these. Crasi’s most recent affordable project in Akron, Ohio, went on the market in late April. It’s a 1,400-sq.-ft. home selling for roughly $90,000.

Designing it to be easy to build is one key to keeping costs down, Crasi says.

“I’ve wanted to prove that it can be done.

I wanted this house to look like homes that have been here since 1928. The key is that everything in it is stock, square and simple to build. It’s about scale and proportion.

Everything works. Affordable is knowing how to produce good design and knowing how to make it look right. I even have some nice detail on the stairway, and nice colors on the cabinetry.

This is what you can do if you pay attention to what you’re doing.”

Affordable control

Crasi was pleased with the home control system his colleague Ric Johnson designed for this home; Johnson is president and CEO of Right@Home Technologies near Lima, Ohio. Crasi challenged Johnson to create an affordable way to control the home, and Johnson delivered it for a cost of $1,500. Motivation for the affordable technology system was building codes that force people to spend what could be $2,000

 Neil-Prince Studios believes those who live in affordable housing deserve a home with character, like this one in Greenville, S.C.

on a new air-conditioning system that saves them $78 a year, when a home control system that is less expensive can accomplish that, and more.

“I told Ric the most important part of his system would be energy efficiency. The

The Affordable Hero The Omni LT is the entry-level member of Home Automation Inc.’s Omni line of home control systems. It is an economical choice for homes, townhouses, condos, apartments and small businesses. The Omni LT supports up to 24 zones of security, two thermostats and 16 lighting loads. “The Omni LT is the brain of your automated home, and it can coordinate all of the subsystems in your home to talk to each other,” says Greg Rhoades, associate director of marketing, HAI. “The system provides enhanced comfort, safety, convenience and energy savings by coordinating lighting, heating and air, security, fire, video surveillance, intercom, scenes and messaging based on activity and schedules.

Automatically turn off lights when leaving the home, view surveillance video on a mobile phone, or push one button to have the entire home respond.”

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second key is security. I talked to my local guys and they came up with a system for five thousand bucks. I told them I can’t do it. Ric stepped up and said, ‘You supply the house, and I’ll control it,’ ” he says.

Within three days, Johnson designed a system that controls lighting, security, Internet connectivity and energ y management for $1,500. The most critical function of the technology system was allowing the homeowner to control his or her energy costs.

Johnson selected Home Automation Inc.’s Omni LT as the brains of the home (see box left). The device limits thermostat settings to preset highs and lows. “The owner can’t crank up the thermostat at will.

Tony built the house tightly so we know the house will feel warm at a lower thermostat setting. The homeowner could always put on a sweater to stay warm, but probably won’t need to.”

In addition to energy management, the Omni LT provides eight zones of security and lighting control. “We tied perimeter and interior lighting to the security function so

a path of lights will illuminate a safe passage in or out of the home,” Johnson says.

“We used Omni LT, three door sensors and a couple of inexpensive motion detectors.

We also ran Cat 5 to all the TV locations, so instead of paying for cable, the client can hook the TV to the Internet to watch shows on demand, or get a Netflix subscription for $9 a month to watch movies. They can run cable if they want to, but the Internet connectivity is a way to keep costs down,” Johnson explains.

“What I liked the best was when the housing authority people came in they understood what Tony and I did right away.

They understood that this woman can afford this house because they know they can preset the thermostat limits and protect her against escalating costs down the road.

I was glad they understood it so quickly,” Johnson says.

Rewarding efforts

Improving the community motivates those involved with affordable housing projects at

 Tony Crasi designed this affordable home to blend in with the neighborhood on the outside, and with extremely affordable home control technology on the inside.

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Neil-Prince Studio in Greenville, S.C. “Even Frank Lloyd Wright worked on affordable housing,” says Frank Bain, project manager, who works with project architect John Edwards on such projects in their community.

“When someone moves in, we’ll take a

Friday afternoon to help the new owner.

Typically because it’s a single mom or older person, they can’t pay for moving costs so we try to help out as much as we can. It’s a day when everyone feels really good about what we’re doing,” Bain says.

Neil-Prince has participated in affordable housing projects for 16 years, beginning in Charleston. The typically high-end design/ build firm works with three organizations, using grant funds administered by the state.

To secure most deals, Neil-Prince provides a

 Affordable homes like this one in South Carolina by Neil-Prince Studios don’t stand out within their neighborhood.

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land-use plan, floor plans, sketches and renderings of what a home will look like.

Affordable homes they design can be priced anywhere from $99,000 to $139,000, and range from $79 per square foot up to the mid-90s, Bain explains.

Ideally, everyone wins; Neil-Prince makes a little money, the nonprofit organization can be sustained and the community’s greater good is met. “But, with some agencies, we’ve had to help them on a volunteer basis to get them in a position where they can be viable.

We try to tailor our assistance based on the individual project,” he adds.

Creative solutions

Each affordable housing project is an exercise in creativity, says John Edwards, project architect, who attempts to squeeze in as much design as possible into a tight budget. “ These are great exercises to sharpen our functional design skills. It’s about choosing wisely, and for longevity.

Most of the affordable homes we design are fiber-cement sided with long-term roofs.

They’re simplified versions of the homes in the neighborhood, contextually. Greenville [S.C.’s] philosophy is to drive down the street and not know you’re driving past affordable housing,” Edwards says.

The majority of affordable homes Bain designs are in existing neighborhoods that have a stock of small homes from the 1920s and ’30s that were smaller and more efficient than today’s homes, Bain explains. “We can draw on those design motifs, the layouts and floor plans to create our floor plans and maintain continuity within the neighborhood,” he says.

Packing design into a small budget requires creativity, and sometimes a trick or two, including floor plan manipulation, open space, or the use of over-scaled details so houses look larger than they are, Edwards says. Typically, Neil-Prince’s affordable homes are 1,200-sq.-ft. two- or threebedroom semi-custom gems. “We have plans that fit the context of multiple Greenville neighborhoods, and there’s great variation in terms of lot sizes so there are more occasions than you would think where we would have to come up with a new prototype for a new development.”

Some homes have been as small as 800

sq. ft., which Bain believes — as well as details. Many of these homes have Crasi — are good practice during times craftsman details, tapered columns, roof when homeowners are looking for smaller overhangs, exposed rafter tails, and we sit homes. “By creating these homes, it has kept down with the contractors who bid on us grounded to where we can get maximum these homes and said, ‘Here are the details efficiency through solid floor plans and we want to accomplish.’ We work with minimal square footage,” Bain says. construction so they know how to do these “Edwards notes: “We’ve been surprised t h i n g s , w h i c h m i g h t a p p e a r c o s t by the amount of detail we get into these prohibitive, in economical ways.” ■ 1 4/8/11 11:46 AM Page 1 homes CT_EnerGen_Ad_Cons_RDB:Layout by developing community-sensitive

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product trends

Insulation: Evolution of a classic product

New technology and product offerings provide more options to meet sound, cost and efficiency demands

By Maureen Alley, editor

nsulation manufacturers are changing the landscape by offering new products that meet demand for ease-of-use and high energy efficiency. Residential Design + Build magazine spoke with four manufacturers about their product offerings and where trends are headed.

Continue reading as they share their thoughts.

CertainTeed Corp.

Industry: “In general, the insulation industry is moving toward products that can increase energy efficiency and enhance a home’s resulting indoor air quality, while improving installation and reducing environmental impact. Fiberglass is one of the better choices in that effort, given that fiberglass is proven, affordable, lasts the life of a structure and saves much more energy than is required to produce it,” says Rob Brockman, senior marketing manager, CertainTeed Insulation.

Product offering: “CertainTeed offers a robust lineup of fiberglass insulation products to meet the needs of various applications of sustainable insulation: Basement Wall blankets; Building Insulation batts and rolls; DryRight with MemBrain smart vapor retarder technology; EasyTouch Encapsulated batts and rolls; High Performance batts; Masonry Wall; and NoiseReducer sound attenuation batts,” Brockman says. “[CertainTeed also offers] loose-fill solutions from the innovator of Premium Fiberglass blowing insulation: Optima blow-in insulation system; InsulSafe SP Premium Blowing Wool; SpeedyR Tabless batts; TrueComfort blow-in insulation; and UltraComfort blowing insulation.”

Where it is going: “It’s not only about certified green product claims and specific attributes. Those features will keep products in the running but it is going to be critical to architects, builders and homeowners that the organization manufacturing green products is taking the larger picture into account and walking the talk,” Brockman says. “Insulation needs to do more than just provide thermal and acoustical performance in the wall cavities of homes. The building and design community can help build an environment of change by using products that promote sustainability beyond the regular attributes.” + For more info circle #37

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Johns Manville Industry: “The biggest changes in fiberglass insulation products for residential new construction have been years in the making. There have been dramatic shifts in the following areas such as binder technology and the combination of foam and fiberglass,” says Stephen Crouch, residential market manager for insulation systems, Johns Manville.

“Several years ago, the world of building insulation was black and white; builders either installed spray foam or fiberglass. Today, the lines are blurred and we are seeing more builders adopt foam and fiber glass systems,” Crouch says.

“Builders now recognize foam as a critical element of the insulation package, especially when air sealing is required or when condensation is a concern. “Builders recognize the value of foam/ fiberglass hybrid systems; hybrid systems deliver the air-sealing performance of foam and thermal performance of fiberglass at a lower cost than other systems. Builders install either fiberglass batts or loose-fill fiberglass over spray foam to completely fill the cavity with insulation,” Crouch says.

Product offering: “Johns Manville offers a full line of formaldehyde-free fiberglass building insulation products for both residential and commercial new construction. Some of our key differentiators in the industry are: JM ComfortTherm Encapsulated batt insulation, JM Spider custom insulation system with adhesive, Indoor Advantage Gold Plus Formaldehyde Free certification and MR Faced mold resistant batt insulation,” Crouch says.

Where it is going: “We are seeing an increase in the use of foam sheathing on the outside of homes, rather than inside the cavities. By moving the insulation to the outside of the wall, builders can increase the overall insulation value since they can now insulate the entire wall, instead of just the space between the studs,” Crouch says. “Also, by building an external foam shell around the house, builders address most of the air-sealing needs for the home and eliminate the potential for condensation on the inside of the wall. These moves make it possible for builders to use fiberglass batts and loose-fill fiberglass to fill the internal cavities of the walls and still achieve their air-sealing and moisture management objectives.” + For more info circle #38

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product trends

Owens Corning Industry: “Remodeling is the big story in the home building industry. New home construction has slowed and thus the demand for building materials is at historically low levels for this segment of the market construction. Because homeowners are trying to make the most of what they already have, more effort is being made to repair and upgrade existing residential buildings,” says Clarke Berdan, Owens Corning research associate.

Product offering: “Owens Corning provides a full line of glass fiber insulation products for residential construction.

Glass fiber batts and loose fill for cavity and attic insulation are our best known products for insulating the envelope of the home,” Berdan says. “We also produce board, liner and wrap products for home air-handling duct needs. Also in the air-handling area, we provide the flexible duct media that is used in most of the industry’s flexible ducts. These air-handling products ensure the conditioned air reaches various rooms in the home close to the initial supply temperature. Finally, focused on noise control, we offer our QuietZone acoustical insulation batts for insulating between rooms and between floors to take the edge off of noises in the home that can become points of high irritation and anxiety if left unabated.”

Where it is going: “Indoor environmental quality and energy savings are the two big themes for residential construction. Energy savings is the most obvious value for glass fiber insulation and the trend is to leverage this costeffective solution for high performance, low energy demand building envelope components,” Berdan says. “The various parts of the building envelope are now being looked at as building systems that combine the performance of glass fiber insulation with moisture and air infiltration control strategies. In regard to IEQ, the recognition would make it more clear that glass fiber insulation can provide greater comfort from a more uniform interior surface temperature, and the added benefit of interior noise control, are driving the increase in the amount of glass fiber insulation being proposed for the homes of tomorrow.” + For more info circle #39

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Knauf Insulation Industry: “Today’s glass wool products are kinder to work with and gentler on the environment.

Fiberglass insulation is more recognized as a sustainable product and key component of energyefficient homes. R-values available with fiberglass are higher than ever,” says Joe Hudock, residential sector leader, North America, Knauf Insulation.

Product offering: “We offer a full line of formaldehyde-free batt and blow-in products: EcoBatt Glasswool, features an average of 45 percent post-consumer recycled content and Ecose technology, a bio-based binder free of phenol, (continued on page 32)

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product trends

Knauf Insulation (continued)

formaldehyde, acrylics or artificial colors; BIBs; Jet Stream Ultra; and EcoFill Wx Glasswool,” Hudock says. “Our insulation solutions serve all applications from new homes to sidewall retrofits. Knauf Insulation’s full line of products, including new EcoSeal Water-based Elastomeric Sealant, work in conjunction with our insulation to create ultra-efficient homes.”

Where it is going: “Because of the highest R-value at low cost, fiberglass will continue to be strong in green building, especially with consumers’ increasing awareness. From energy cost savings to indoor air quality and room comfort, homeowners are more knowledgeable about home quality,” Hudock says. “You can see the big picture widening with topics like home energy audits and blower door tests in more insulation conversations. Where many trade professionals turn to proper sealing and fiberglass insulation as the lowest-cost, best-performing option, that understanding is also reaching consumers.” + For more info circle #40

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For more info circle #36

kitchen/ bath education series

Bathroom design for all ages

Safety, comfort and sanitation are the keys to good design that meets all needs

By Judith A. Neary, CMKBD

D

esign considerations for aging-inplace have become the rule and not the exception. There is an extraordinary amount of information on universal design and its application. By sorting some of that information into three key categories — safety, comfort and sanitation — one can develop a best practice for design of any size bath.

Safety

Tile remains the top product used for flooring in baths. Textured finishes on tile and grout lines create a slip-resistant surface in the bath.

Polished marble tile is classic but one of the most dangerous products used in the bath due to its slippery when wet surface. One possible solution is to use a smaller tile size with textured accent tiles to create a slip-resistant surface.

Remove potential tripping hazards at the shower by using a trench, linear channel or tile insert drain. A curbless shower installation for walk-in and roll-in access requires careful planning and installation.

Grab bar products no longer have the institutional look we associate with them. Towel bars are not grab bars and grab bars are not towel bars. They each have a specific purpose. It is possible your clients may not want them.

Anticipate their or someone else’s needs by installing blocking in the shower, tub and toilet area. Leave a diagram of the blocking with the homeowner as reference for future use.

Multiple lighting options in the bath provide the best solutions for safety and comfort. With the options available, there is no excuse to install a single light bar over the mirror and call it good design. An illuminated mirror or side lighting

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at the vanity mirror provides even distribution of light. Sensor technology with recessed lighting at the toe kick space on a vanity provides enough illumination for someone to use the bathroom during the night and not shock the eyes. Several smaller recessed fixtures, rated for damp locations, create better overall illumination. Multiple lighting options and the use of dimmers allow for the needs of the individual user.

Whether a free-standing or platform style, the tub controls should be on the access side.

Never should you have to reach across or stand in the tub to turn on the water.

If someone in the home ends up using a walker or wheelchair, a wider door allows them access without obstruction. In a remodel, enlarging a door may not be possible. Use swing clear hinges to increase the door opening clearance by 1½ in. to 1¾ in.

Comfort

Radiant floor heat should be a part of every project. It works with a variety of flooring types but tile is the best product for the installation.

A soft, even, continuous heat in the bath is a benefit for all individuals.

Code dictates the centerline for the toilet should be 15 in. An 18-in. centerline allows for a more comfortable use of the toilet with the installation of grab bars. It also allows more space for assisted use at the toilet. Seat height should be 16 to 18 in. from the floor to the top of the rim. A closed elongated front will accommodate all users regardless of age or physical ability.

A solid core or paneled door reduces sound transmission. Additional sound deadening options should be considered for the plumbing

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wall. If the bath is on a second floor, the wall on the first floor housing the drain/waste/vent may require additional insulation to reduce the noise from the plumbing. This is not specific to universal design applications but is a good design practice.

Sanitation

In-wall tank and carrier systems for wallhung toilets allow for continuous uninterrupted flooring in the toilet area. Depending on the toilet size and mounting, this type of installation can add accessible floor space in a small bath for a wheelchair user.

Instead of the typical combo heat/light/vent unit, consider at-the-source ventilation to reduce moisture and odors. Ventilation units are best on a timer. Depending on the manufacturer, the vent should run for five to 10 minutes after the user leaves the bathroom.

When you consider the amount of moisture in a bathroom, tile, solid surface or quartz composite make the most sense. Consider finishing the walls at the toilet area with tile or other nonporous product.

The products on the market give us the opportunity to design baths without an institutionalized look. Our responsibility as design professionals is to enhance the livability of the home and accommodate the occupants at all stages of life. ■ Judith A. Neary, CMKBD, is

a certified master kitchen and bath designer with more than 25 years of design experience. She is a professional instructor for the National Kitchen and Bath Association.

k i t c h e n b at h s p o t l i g h t: u n i v e r s a l d e s i g n

HealthCraft Products introduces its Serena Seat as part of its Invisia Collection. The product, which has a 450-lb. capacity, features a brushedaluminum frame and Brazilian walnut panels. In the foldaway position, the seat has a 3-in. profile.

The seat was chosen as the Best Universal Design Product during the Best of K/BIS competition. + For more info circle #7

The Seated Safety Shower from American Standard is constructed of cast acrylic. The 60- by 30- by 37-in. seated shower has a wide, contoured, full-sized seating area with recessed front to make standing or sitting easy. It also features a low 3-in. threshold and built-in wrap-around grab bar. + For more info circle #8

The Home Care Grab Bars with Integrated Accessories from Moen Inc. combine the safety benefits of a grab bar with three common bath essentials: towel bar, toilet-paper holder and shelf.

Each grab bar offers a 250-lb. weight capacity and is available in a brushed nickel finish. + For more info circle #11

Delta Faucet releases the Traditional Shower System as part of its universal design bathing and showering systems. The 60- by 34-in. or 48- by 34-in. unit fits into a standard bath/shower alcove and includes a brushed stainless steel center grab bar, four shelves, two foot rests and an available flip-up seat. + For more info circle #12

Additional Resources ++Aquatic: circle #24

Hafele America offers its Hewi’s Range 805 accessory line of products for accessibility. The stainless steel products include a vertical grab bar with handheld shower holder, fold-up shower curtain spray guard and removable shower seat. The shower seat is designed to hang from shower grab rails and has a maximum load capacity of 330 lbs. + For more info circle #10

++Basco Corp.: circle #25 ++Gerber Plumbing: circle #26 ++Grohe: circle #27

Great Grabz launches Unique Touch, a contemporary collection of acrylic grab bars. The line of grab bars and matching bathroom accessories is available in more than 20 colors in opaque or translucent finishes. + For more info circle #9

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++Kohler Co.: circle #28 ++Toto USA: circle #29 ++Safety Bath: circle #30 ++Safety Tubs: circle #31 ++Sloan Valve: circle #32 ++WingIts Innovations: circle #33

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product focus: design software

SoftPlan Systems introduces SoftPlan 2012 which incorporates a modern multidocument ribbon-based interface intended to make it easier to use. It now allows most tasks to be completed on either the 2-D drawing or the 3-D model. + For more info circle #14

Chief Architect introduces two new versions of its 3-D design software for residential and interior design: Chief Architect Premier and Chief Architect Interiors. The products include automated and manual design tools and both realistic 3-D rendering technology as well as artistic rendering to create line drawing, watercolor and technical illustration views. + For more info circle #16

Ameri-CAD Inc. announces its VisionREZ compatibility release with Autodesk AutoCAD Architecture 2012 and AutoCAD MEP 2011.

Powered by Autodesk Technology, VisionREZ creates a Building Information Model for efficient development of 3-D models, 2-D construction documents, framing, graphic renderings and bill of material deliverables. + For more info circle #18

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Autodesk announces the release of Revit Architecture 2012 building design software with new features to better support the Building Information Modeling process. Key enhancements include new point cloud and construction modeling tools, conceptual energy analysis functionality and collaboration features, such as Revit Server. + For more info circle #15

Cadsoft Corp. releases Envisioneer 7.

It includes significant enhancements in the following areas: Building Information Modeling design, construction documentation, quantity takeoff for flexibility in material list reporting, framing and integration. + For more info circle #17

product focus:

preview

GAF introduces the Hardwood Collection to its DuraLife decking. The collection offers finished premium hardwood deck in four natural and easy-to-maintain earth tones, including Brazilian cherry (shown), garapa gray, tropical walnut and golden teak. + For more info circle #19

The Illumination Series panels from Nichiha are designed to give the luminescent look of metal, but at a lower installed cost. The smooth textured panels are available in five radiant shades: oyster, patina, sienna, storm and umber. + For more info circle #20

The Essence Series from Milgard Windows and Doors combines the beauty of natural wood and the durability of fiberglass. It extends to Premium Exterior Vinyl Finishes, a collection of fade-resistant colors engineered to withstand solar build-up. + For more info circle #21

The Somerset-II from Feeney Inc. is an easy-to-assemble wall-mounted trellis kit. It features powder-coated aluminum support brackets with 1â „8-in. diameter stainless steel cables and rods that can create a lattice from 2 ft. to 6 ft. high. + For more info circle #22

Fortress Railing Division launches Fortress Accents post caps and LED lighting system. They feature waterproof LED lights hidden from view, emitting a soft glow opposed to glaring harsh lights. + For more info circle #23

For more info circle #13 rdbmagazine.com

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product focus: green

Styrofoam SIS brand structural insulated sheathing from Dow Building Solutions provides structure, water resistance and thermal insulation. The product includes 80 percent post-consumer recycled content by weight and can help with credits for LEED and NAHB Green Building programs.

The NuTone LunAura Collection is designed to create a relaxing, spa-like atmosphere. It comes in three clear light panels — round, square and diamond — that give the appearance of natural glass when the LED light is off. It features a 36-watt GU24 main light for brightness and efficiency.

The LiveRoof Hybrid System is a green roof solution installed as a naturally functioning, sustainable ecosystem with thriving, fully mature plants. Combining the best elements of proven green roof technologies, it establishes a seamless vegetative surface rooted in a continuous layer of soil.

Typar HouseWrap is a weather-resistant barrier that combines superior water holdout with the ability to allow harmful moisture vapor to escape the cavity wall. It contributes requirements for the Energy Star Qualified New Home program, U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification and is a green-approved product by the National Association of Home Builders Research Center.

+ For more info circle #48

+ For more info circle #51

The Aria spa from Hot Spring is certified by the California Energy Commission. It includes the Moto-Massage DX jet and Tri-X filters, along with special features like Precision jets in the calf area of the lounge for enhanced hydromassage. + For more info circle #47

+ For more info circle #49

+ For more info circle #52

GreenWizard is a Web-based software workflow solution that helps designers and remodelers search, compare, procure and document green-building materials from one place. The software includes four levels of service, including a free level. With WORKflow Pro and higher levels, users have the ability to run what-if scenarios and optimize LEED points for a project, as well as electronically document LEED credit eligibility. + For more info circle #50

product focus: flooring Mannington offers its Cairo collection. This line of flooring combines modern technology and ancient beauty to form three exoticinspired color palettes: papyrus, a neutral yet rich beige; scarab, a blend of browns and reds; and relic, a deep and dramatic mix of brown, gray and blue. + For more info circle #54

Amtico’s Spacia line features pale rustic wood grain (dry cedar) or dark brown shades (linear stone peat). The low-VOC floor is FloorScore certified and includes a backing of 100 percent recycled material. + For more info circle #53 42

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Mediterranea introduces its Mountain Timber glazed porcelain tiles. They are designed to resemble fossilized wood that was petrified, or transformed into natural stone after years buried in the earth’s sediment. + For more info circle #55

rdbmagazine.com

New Ravenna introduces the Giovanni Barbieri stone mosaics of the Barbieri Brothers Family. It transforms marble into a material emulating ancient stone. Individual tiles range in size from 2 in. by 2 in. to 12 in. by 24 in., and are squares, rectangles, triangles, or bricks with staggered or aligned joints. + For more info circle #56

The Zapala Collection from Walker Zanger is crafted from dolomitic limestone. It is available in herringbone, mini-planking and 3-in. by 4-in. mosaics. + For more info circle #57

product focus: adhesives

Power Adhesive’s new hot melt system consists of Casttec precast adhesives and one of three TEC heavy-duty hot melt glue guns.

It applies in dots, beads or a spray pattern using one of three heavy-duty TEC glue guns tailored to the professional or industrial user.

OSI Quad window, door and siding sealant is composed of elastomeric polymers and highquality resins. It yields a tough, rubbery seal which resists outdoor weather-related elements like water, oxygen, ozone, heat and UV light.

The formula skins over in a short time to resist dust and dirt. + For more info circle #58

Liquid Nails Acoustical Sound Sealant, AS-825, is an elastic, durable latex sealant designed to reduce sound transmission in all types of wall systems. It is nonflammable and adheres to most construction surfaces. + For more info circle #59

+ For more info circle #61

MAPEI’s new Ultrabond ECO 995 is designed to provide both superior bonding and moisture vapor emission control of up to 15 lbs. in MVER or 85 percent relative humidity. It is an odor-free, phthalate-free installation that helps contribute points toward LEED-certified projects. + For more info circle #60

Set-XP Epoxy-Tie anchoring adhesive from Simpson Strong-Tie is formulated for optimum performance in both cracked and uncracked concrete. It has been tested in accordance with ICC-ES AC308 and 2006 and 2009 IBC requirements. + For more info circle #62

2011-368_2011-368 4/25/11 8:40 AM Page 1

ie r

Easy ✗

Our NEW expanded line of automatic-locking Quick-Connect® fittings just made cable railing installations a lot easier.

They offer the flexibility of field assembly and the speed and gripping power of Quick-Connect® jaws.

Just insert the cable into the fitting and the one-way jaws lock on; it’s that easy.

Free brochure,

1-800-888-2418

Architectural Cable Assemblies

More products from

visit www.feeney9.com

For more info circle #64 rdbmagazine.com

residential design + build

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43

Liter ature galler y

Introduces PVC Decking with Lifetime Warranty

W

elcome to our Literature Gallery, a special showcase featuring new and innovative building products.

For more information, simply circle the number of the item on the Reader Service Card.

If you would like to advertise in this special section, please contact Nancy Campoli at 800-547-7377, Ext 6127.

SMART VENT® Foundation Flood Vents Do you have any upcoming projects in flood zones?

Specify the Country’s top selling flood vent.

Our ICC-ES Certified product line offers solutions for any application, residential or commercial. All stainless steel construction meets or exceeds flood venting code requirements. Find a link on our homepage to take our accredited AIA course (1HSW/SD). Call 877-441-8368 or visit www.smartvent.com, CAD files available.

For more info circle #66

Kleer Decking offers seven colors of premium PVC decking featuring cap stock technology to resist scratching, staining and fading. A 100% PVC core resists the growth of mold and mildew. Grooved edges accommodate today’s popular hidden fasteners. Backed by a lifetime warranty including labor for first two years.

More information at kleerlumber.com.

Milgard® Introduces Four New Premium Vinyl Exterior Finishes Get more design flexibility than ever before with Milgard Tuscany™ and Style Line™ Series windows.

In addition to white and tan, we have introduced four new Exterior Colors: Ivory, Light Grey, Taupe and Chocolate.

These finishes are so durable and dependable, they’re backed by our Full Lifetime Warranty.

For finish samples contact your local Milgard representative. pro.milgard.com 1.800.MILGARD

For more info circle #63

For more info circle #65

Expanded Vivace Series Product Line

AZEK Building Products Expands AZEK Deck Arbor Collection®

The Vivace Samsung (Quietside Corporation) is proud to introduce their expanded Vivace Series product line to the North American market.

Complementing the successful 12000 Btu/h version are an 18000 and 24000 Btu/h model.

The Vivace is known for combining stunning, high tech looks with world class efficiency and industry leading air purification.

California 888-699-6067 Texas 562-587-7829 Pennsylvania 866-243-6498 sales@quietside.com • www.quietside.com

Acacia®, one of five rich colors in the AZEK Deck Arbor Collection.

AZEK Deck has expanded it s popular Arbor Collection with two new colors, for a total of five rich, tropical hardwood looks! Cobre® and Silver Oak™ join existing colors of Acacia®, Morado® and Redland Rose®. With the same low-maintenance, stain and scratch resistance as all AZEK Deck products, Cobre has a warm golden hue, while Silver Oak has the aged look of teak with the rich personality of weathered wood. Their subtle grain patterns allow the colors to come through with a richness and elegance.

1-877-ASK-AZEK (275-2935) www.azek.com

QUIETSIDE CORPORATION

AZEK

For more info circle #67

For more info circle #68

www.ahchicago.com email: info@ahchicago.com

Designer Canopy Series The look of real stone without the weight or the cost! You can customize your kitchen to fit your own personal style.

Imperial’s Designer Canopy Package includes: Canopy of your choice and color, Ventilator Insert and Wall Mounting Frame for EASY installation.

Custom Cabinets Deserve Custom Hardware We manufacture stainless pulls to your specifications

For more information and our complete product line, visit our website at:

210 North Aberdeen Street . Chicago, Illinois 60607 312/666.6832t . 312/666.6893 f For more info circle #69 44

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For more info circle #70

residential design + build

www.imperialhoods.com or contact us at: 800-851-4192.

rdbmagazine.com

advertiser index

Arthur Harris & Co.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 A Cygnus Business Media Publication SALES OFFICES Steve Beyer, VP Sales 3030 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 200

Milgard Windows & Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44, 48

AZEK Building Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 44

MiTek Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Quietside Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 44

CertainTeed Roofing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

RHH Foam Systems, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Eldorado Stone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Sikkens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

(847) 454-2725 • Fax: (866) 420-8581

Enkeboll Designs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Simpson Strong-Tie Co., Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

steve.beyer@cygnusb2b.com

Feeney, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43, 47

Smart Vent, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

John Huff, Publisher

Geberit North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Trex Company, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

3030 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 200

Imperial Cal Products Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

United Healthcare Services, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Kleer Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 44

Weiland Sliding Doors & Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

LiteSteel Technologies America, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

* Selected States

Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Arlington Heights, IL 60005 (847) 454-2711 • Fax: (866) 577-7397 john.huff@cygnusb2b.com WEST Josh Lentz 5012 B 40th Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105 Phone: (206) 283-6762 Fax: (206) 428-9114 josh.lentz@cygnusb2b.com MIDWEST Mike Mandozzi 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane, Ste. 200 Arlington Heights, IL 60005

editorial index

Phone: (847) 454-2715 Fax: (866) 348-4221 mike.mandozzi@cygnusb2b.com EAST Joseph F. May

Ameri-CAD Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Kohler Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

American Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Liquid Nails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Amtico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

LiveRoof. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Aquatic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Mannington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Autodesk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

MAPEI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

3030 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 200

Basco Corp.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Milgard Windows and Doors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Cadsoft Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Moen Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

CertainTeed Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Nedlaw Living Walls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Chief Architect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

New Ravenna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Delta Faucet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Nichiha. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Dow Building Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

NuTone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Feeney Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

OSI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Fortress Railing Division. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Owens Corning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

GAF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Power Adhesive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Gerber Plumbing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Safety Bath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Great Grabz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Safety Tubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Elizabeth Jackson

GreenWizard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Simpson Strong-Tie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Phone: (847) 492-1350 x18 Fax: (847) 492-0085

Grohe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Sloan Valve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Hafele America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

SoftPlan Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

HealthCraft Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Toto USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

297 Concord Road Marlborough, MA 01752 Phone: (800) 547-7377 x2718 Fax: (866) 671-3250 joe.may@cygnusb2b.com Digital Sales Tim Steingraber

Phone: (847) 454-2723 Fax: (847) 454-2759 tim.steingraber@cygnusb2b.com LITERATURE GALLERIES Nancy Campoli 6 University Plaza, Suite 310 Hackensack, NJ 07601 Phone: (201) 487-7800 x127 Fax: (201) 487-1061 nancy.campoli@cygnusb2b.com CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS Phone: (920) 563-1761 Fax: (920) 563-1704 circulation@designbuildbusiness.com List Rental

ejackson@meritdirect.com Cygnus reprint services To purchase article reprints please contact

Hot Spring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Typar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

cygnusreprints@theygsgroup.com

Johns Manville. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Walker Zanger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Website: rdbmagazine.com

Knauf Insulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

WingIts Innovation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

The YGS Group at (717) 505-9701 Ext. 128 or e-mail

rdbmagazine.com

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finishing touch

Living wall, indoor health

 Nedlaw Living Walls improve indoor air quality for residential and commercial spaces.

46

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A

s more building envelopes get tighter, the concern for indoor air quality grows.

Nedlaw Living Walls offers a product that is intended to improve indoor air quality in commercial and residential applications. Known for its large-scale commercial application products, Nedlaw is in the process of launching its residential product.

“We are going to launch a new residential product: 5 ft. tall by 2.5 ft. wide and 4 in. in depth. A lot of our industrial models have bigger footprints, so this is a way to save space,” says Chris Johnston, marketing and sales manager for the Breslau, Ontario-based company.

The living walls have an onboard fan which allows it to clean the indoor space — approximately 10 sq. ft. of space or enough for clean air for five people. “We draw air through the living wall, plants hold microbes and they clean VOCs out of the air with an 85 percent removal efficiency,” Johnston says.

The product uses a circulation pump instead of soil for the plants.

Water hookup and a drain is needed for the installation, which a builder can do. In addition, the water is recycled within the system. “It is a self-contained system, circulates the water from a bottom reservoir and up,” Johnston says. “We have a flow meter so if the water is low, more is added with the water line.”

One major consideration needs to be taken into account when installing a Living Wall in a project: moisture. “We are constantly running water through it so a lot of moisture is added to the immediate area,” Johnston adds. “Consider materials that are moisture accepting in the wall — not drywall but more of a cement board or moistureresistant drywall. [The product] will add 10 percent relative humidity to the area.”

The commercial products are approved by LEED, and the residential options are in the process of getting certified for LEED. Lead time for residential products is about three weeks, with four stand-alone options available: 5 ft. by 3 ft., 7 ft. by 4 ft., and 7 ft. by 5 ft. For more information on Nedlaw Living Walls, visit naturaire.com or circle 41. — Maureen Alley ■

Easy …to install and maintain. …on the eyes and the environment.

Our DesignRail® pre-engineered aluminum railings are built for lasting beauty, structural integrity, and affordability. Made from heavy gauge materials with over 70% recycled content and available in a variety of styles with durable powder coated finishes and glass, picket, and CableRail cable infill options. Simply snap and screw together. It’s that easy.

Learn about our entire line of garden and architectual products, and see why Feeney has been the easy choice among building professionals for over 60 years.

©2010 Lightworks Photography

Free catalog, 1- 800-888-2418 .

CableRail

Aluminum Railing Systems

More products from

Stainless Cables & Fittings

DesignRail ®

Aluminum Railings

Lightline®

Door Canopies

Trellises

Cable & Rod Trellises

For free catalog, call 1-800-888-2418 or visit www.feeney9.com For more info circle #05

StaLok®

Stainless Rod Assemblies

D U R A B I L I T Y TO M E E T T H E N E E D S . B E A U T Y TO M E E T T H E WA N T S .

I N T RO D U C I N G M I LG A R D ® E S S E N C E ™ S E R I E S . A timeless interior of solid wood

with a durable fiberglass core and exterior, it’s the re-imagining of design and durability.

Essence is backed by our Full Lifetime Warranty with Glass Breakage Coverage and available in custom sizes with short lead times. Plus, all Essence Series windows meet ENERGY STAR® qualifications, without costly upgrades. It’s time to re-imagine the possibilities of

© 2011 Milgard Manufacturing, Inc.

your projects.

Follow our QR code to see the future of window technology, and register for a free color card at pro.milgard.com/essence 1. 80 0 . M I LGA R D For more info circle #06

pro.milgard.com/essence