Charles Hendricks's (harrisonburgarchitect) Blog

I just heard from a happy client this morning. We served as a green consultant for the design and construction of his new commercial building. Here are the results of our consulting, you might guess he is very happy with our services.   Old Building: 6,000 square feet New Building: 18,000 Square ...

You can easily reduce your monthly electric bills if you live in a house that is not high performance. If you have to dust your home weekly, your house is not high performance. If you have a cold room in your home, your house is not high performance. Here are some broad topics to consider to make...

On March 1, 2011, the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) update to reference the 2009 IECC and 2009 IRC became effective statewide (it currently references the 2006 versions of these codes). There will be a one-year phase-in period during which builders and designers can still use th...

My six-year-old was asking me about Earth Day. I explained that it is a day to remind us of the power of mother nature, a day to remember that we have to take care of our natural resources, and a day to think about our actions as they impact others and future generations. She then told me that sh...

At a recent presentation I was giving on green design and construction, one attendee was very concerned with my endorsement of the LEED green rating system. LEED is a third-party green certification for buildings that measures multiple aspects including energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and ...

The most common debate, yes there is still a debate, is does it cost more to go green. Does green construction cost more than traditional construction? Well, the answer is simple: It Depends. It depends on where you are starting. If you are building code minimum – the worst possible thing you can...

Savy clients are looking for the best value in their home search and sellers need to position themselves to gain the most attention. One approach is to make your home healthy and energy efficient. Green remodeling can be done in small ways and doesn’t necessarily have to encompass the entire home...