Britta's Sustainabode

Hotel Lighting

A few days without wi-fi and trying to conserve on international data usage and I'm now behind on blogging. Sorry folks. Time away from iPhone hasn't been that bad though either! We are now in Georgioupolis, Crete and enjoying the infinite shades of aqua, teal, and blue of the Mediterranean.

Here's an example of lighting I'm seeing in a number of the hotels we've visited. Combination of low voltage sconces and recessed using fluorescent lamps - shown here around cool wood paneled "alcove" headboard. When turned on the recessed fluorescents display the light source right at ceiling surface, kind of like under cabinet button lights, but they manage to keep room lit in a trendy fashion, while using very little energy.

I love bathrooms...

Many know that I have a thing about taking pictures of bathrooms all over the world. Why should Greece be any different? Isn't this beautiful?! Love the use of pebbles on the wall instead of floor. Much less work to maintain all that grout. Lovely combination of materials, contrasts and textures.

Greece Today

GREECE LIVING

Our tour has begun and first stop is wonderful example of life Mediterranean style. View of the sea, sliding glass doors to open up and let the strong breezes flow through the house, and a short climb down the cliff steps to a refreshing swim. Following breakfast al fresco we are ready for a new day.

Integration & Collaboration

Our local Massachusetts chapter of the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) is hosting a presentation being held this week: How Integrated Design Enables and Inspires High Performance Building Systems. It highlights the importance of architects, engineers, and contractors collaborating during design process for better integration of systems and construction methods. Objectives: better performing systems, more efficient use of resources, smart economics.

I do not work in the commercial design world where the above ideals are most often mentioned and sometimes put into practice. In the residential design field, we are largely still operating much more independently - each doing our own specialized segment of a project and then turning it over to the next specialist in line and then to a contractor whose subcontracting team addresses each part of the project in isolation. This fractured way of designing and constructing results in inefficiency and less than optimal construction. Incorporating ad-hoc green-labelled items like "Energy Star" appliances and bamboo do not qualify on their own as truly breaking the mold of conventional design and construction.

Residential architects, designers, and builders: we need to speak up and find our voice for the benefit of our community, our earth, and our business. Let's educate our clients to the merits of integrating all facets of design and construction up front. It's a difficult method to sell since the costs are front-loaded, but early planning and integration of all components can result in reduced construction costs and ultimately long term operating costs of a home. It makes sense environmentally and economically.

 

 

WATER

The Boston Globe Magazine this Sunday 9/26 included a piece about bathroom renovations. Current trends are discussed including consumers wanting a lot more water output from all over in the shower. Sure one can have a multi-head shower system....next to a low-flow or dual flush toilet. Designers, builders, plumbing suppliers are not pointing out the irony. Meanwhile there is a growing need for water conservation. Installation of fixtures like low flow and dual flush toilets are just the beginning of what can be done. There are many sites online for how to conserve water. 

Daily tips for the home - http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/

What to plant in gardens - http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/watercon.html

Here are a few interesting facts below pulled from planetgreen.com:

Water Conservation Facts: By the Numbers

2.5 gallons: The amount of water per person much of the world is allocated.

400 gallons: The amount of water per person used by the average American citizen; 30 percent of this is used for outdoor purposes, such as watering the lawn.

70 percent: The amount of worldwide water use that is allocated to farming; most of these farming irrigation systems operate at only 40 percent efficiency. According to a 2002 article by Lester Brown, aquifers are depleting all over the world—in China by 2-3 metres per year. In the US, the Ogallala aquifer is shrinking rapidly. In India, aquifers are going down by 3 metres per year, in Mexico by 3.3 meters per year.

263: The number of rivers that either cross or demarcate international political boundaries, in addition to countless aquifers. According to the Atlas of International Freshwater Agreement, 90 percent of countries in the world must share these water basins with at least one or two other states. Major conflicts such as Darfur have been connected to water shortages, and lack of access to clean water.

1430: Gallons of water per capita in the United States; only 100 gallons of that is household use per person as most is used for agriculture, according to water expert Peter Gleick.

88 percent: Of deaths from diarrhea are caused from unsafe drinking water, inadequate availability of water for hygiene, and lack of access to sanitation; this translates to more than 1.5 million of the 1.9 million children under five who perish from diarrhea each year. This amounts to 18% of all under-five deaths and means that more than 4,000 children are dying every day as a result of diarrhoeal diseases.

$11.3 billion: The amount of money required to provide basic levels of service for drinking and waste water in Africa and Asia.

$35 billion: the amount of money spent on bottled water in the most developed countries in the world.

1.5 million: Barrels of crude oil used for making PET water bottles, globally. This is enough oil to fuel 100,000 American cars for a year.

2.7 tons: The amount of plastic used to bottle water. 86 percent become garbage or litter.

SOURCES: EPA, Wired, Water Wars of the Near Future, UNICEF, Earth Policy Institute

One of many waterfalls at Yosemite National Park I hiked past this summer. Sadly and to the surprise of many tourists hoping to see the more accessible Yosemite Waterfall, it was dried up and gone. This is not atypical for the summer months, but impacted further by the California drought.

Quiet Charm in Chatham

Here are just a few informal snap shots of a project I completed on the Cape and recently visited. We should all be so lucky to follow up with our clients and see how it all worked out for them! Got a great feeling of success as well as an opportunity to learn from the project.

Blending old and new to retain the charm of a little cape house while refreshing with clean lines and crisp color....

....new slate tile floor from Vermont Structural Slate in entry with antique closet door and latch inside.

 

...an old reclaimed beam from Longleaf Lumber mounted onto slate surround of a newly constructed rumford fireplace.

...new red oak flooring is carefully selected to look like it's been in the beach house for generations and just recently refinished.

 

...working with existing space and old roof lines to turn an awkward bathroom into a cozy spa-like retreat.

...installing natural maple on the wall instead of relying on plaster and tile make this bathroom warm.

...an unexpected window works great!

Local Earth Week Event!

RHODE ISLAND GREENFEST 

      "a celebration of all things green"

If you're in the Providence area this coming weekend, the place to be is at the Rhode Island Greenfest at the Rhode Island Convention Center this Saturday and Sunday, April 17-18.

You can check out renewable energy exhibits, healthy and organic foods, green living ideas, and green building. Natural and hand-crafted products will be for sale. The event organizer, Deborah Dufton says there will be "interactive displays, hands on demonstrations and lots of 'positive green energy' as people learn about ways to live a healthier and sustainable lifestyle."

www.rhodeislandgreenfest.com

SEE YOU THERE!

"hygge"

What is "hygge?" It's a Danish word that has no equivalent translation in English. 

Cozy, warmth, comfort, togetherness, peaceful and relaxing - all rolled into one awesome good feeling inside.

Experienced any time of year, but particularly wonderful right now on a cold winter's day.

This kitchen I completed for a client last year is filled with "hygge" - ahhhh so wonderful, whether sitting at the end of the island against the lovely cherry counter, or nestled on the thick comfy chenille cushion in the window seat on the right or standing prepping a meal with the fire warming you nearby.

In the mood....to Paint!

While visiting with my friend and owner of In Its Place Organizing to wish her a happy birthday, we got talking about trying out some new colors in a few rooms. It’s an inexpensive way to freshen up a space! The hard part can be selecting the right colors, but she’s got a great eye for that…and it’s only paint, so there’s always next time if it’s not right on the mark! I recently got lucky with Benjamin Moore's Aura in Tomato Red. Feeling HOT, HOT, HOT!

So what paint to buy? There are many options these days, with low and no-VOC paints flooding the market. I’ll fill you in on some research about the VOCs in these paints another day. In the meantime, I’ve just learned about a line of paints byAnna Sova, which she call’s “food paint,” essentially “milk” paints made with up to 94% food ingredients. At $69 per gallon, it’s a premium-priced product. But if you’re a do-it-yourselfer, that’s not much for adding a fun new splash of color to enjoy every day! I will try this paint myself one day and let you know what I think. In the meantime, if you’ve tried it, let me know what you think, whether or not you liked, how it applies and cleans up so we can spread the word.

Day 1

My first blog entry a few weeks after my daughter's sweet 16, and just a little over 16 years after starting my own business.

Ready for something new and away we go!

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It may be winter, but this lovely little space completed not long ago is on my mind...can you believe it used to be a dark, tiny, drafty, 3-season porch? Tucked in a corner off an old butler's pantry and dining room, it was little used and the adjacent rooms were static. Some insulation, new Low-E windows, and opening it up to the rest of the house improved the whole feel of entertaining in this home. No new square-footage needed! It's great to make the most of what's already there.