what if your remodeling experience was full of innovative ideas
with a result as unique as you are? THAT'S REVOLUTION
we love mother earth!
Fresh water, sunshine, colors all about. We've been given a glorious planet to inhabit, haven't we? I've got four darling children, and I don't know about you, but I want this world to be better because of our existence, not the opposite. There is an ethical Hebrew concept, Tikkun Olam, which mandates a responsibility upon us all to repair the earth. You see, it isn't really our choice, but rather, our duty, to take care of this place. That is one of the fundamental principles that makes me who I am.
So, you ask, how does that fit into The Revolution? Actually, it is simpler than you would think - remodeling usually means tearing stuff out and throwing it away - but there are so many things we can do to avoid a negative impact on our environment, and it all starts with smart design.
We don't throw it all out with the bath water.
"Sid has tremendous design talent. He was able to blend the old part of our house with the new in a seamless manner that enhanced the quirky characteristics of our home instead of trying to hide them."
- Chris & Beth, St Paul
what does it really mean to build green?Let's be honest - we seem to be the world's biggest consumers...I'll say it first, "my name is Sid, and I am a consumer." But it doesn't have to be that way. Although we are still in the infant stages of the environmental revolution, we must ask the question, "how can we remodel in a healthy, responsible, and environmentally friendly manner?"
Let's look more in depth...
Awareness (the first step)
Remodeling is actually good for the environment. Are you aware that buildings are responsible for over 40% of the world's energy use and raw materials? If your home is out-dated or parts of it are performing poorly, not addressing these issues cause more harm than good. Older appliances are a huge consumer of energy and water resources, but so are outdated toilets and shower faucets. Of course, everyone would like a new kitchen, but motivations don't just end at functionality or beauty - there is so much good to be done! Read on...
New Technologies
Knowing that upgraded heating and cooling systems, better insulation, new windows, efficient appliances, flow-limiting plumbing fixtures, and many other items are resource-conserving isn't too hard to fathom. But did you ever stop to think about the simple benefit a programable thermostat could be on the environment? For less that $100, you can reduce heating/cooling costs by upwards of $150/annually if used correctly? You just made $50 bucks!
This is just an example of the countless items and decisions out there, all to be made during the design process - they affect not only your energy use footprint, but in the end, make your home more affordable to operate and maintain. It is our goal to discover all the benefits we can attain with your project and put those important questions to you.
Smart Design
My personal favorite aspect of this whole topic - let's not build more space than we need, okay? And, when we decide to do so, let's think about how we use the space, who will use it, when we'll use it, and how we might combine uses. I'm a big fan of quality of space versus quantity of space. I like gorgeous, effective, useful spaces that are a pleasure to be in - they don't have to be big - just effective. If we decide to add a family room, what are we going to do with the now dormant living room you have? I'll ask you this - and hopefully, we'll have the answer; because if we don't, we're likely doing the wrong thing.
As Chris and Beth found out (see quote above), just because your house has unique issues, it doesn't mean they are a problem - rather, they are a challenge - if we can truly engage in the good parts of a house, we can likely make them elements of the solution instead of the problem - that means less demolition, less waste, and investment dollars put into practical use. Our design process examines these issues and holds efficiency as one of its greatest goals.
Good Decisions
And finally, there are smart and informed decisions we can make.
When we choose our finishes for cabinets, floors, walls, counters for example, there are many things to consider. Are any materials considered more renewable than others, is there significant cost (both labor and environmental) to fabricating them, is there anything that we can reuse from the house before we throw it away, are there any similar local products that can be obtained at less fuel/transportation costs, what surfaces have a greater longevity and will require less maintenance or replacement? If we ask these questions, we are likely to make an informed decision that takes use, beauty, function, as well as the enviromental impact all into account. In the end, your decision, whatever it may be, will be the right decision for you.