A vapor barrier is a barrier that reduces the rate that water vapor can move through a material.  There is discussion in the industry if a true vapor barrier is even possible. This has led to the use of the term Vapor Retarder. Vapor retarders limits moisture from passing through...

Please take a moment to share your opinion about our firm   As you know, it is a difficult decision to hire a design professional. Before you start the process there are limited ways to figure out who will do a good job. The best way for me to sustain my business is by you...

“Hiring an architect should save you time and money, minimize bumps, streamline the building process, and provide an accurate picture of how the project will turn out before a single nail has been driven” ~ Bob Vila Does hiring an architect save money? It is a...

Where is the fire in the belly attitude that this country is built on? As I watched the middle school girls basketball game yesterday, it hit me. From the first quarter on, they looked tired. It must have been a particularly hard day of school. They played well, but there was no...

Citizen Architect – How Meg is giving back A guest post by Meg Carpenter from our Charlottesville office: I am so excited to say I will take part in Bike & Build this summer!  It’s an amazing program that sends volunteers out to bike 60-80 miles a day to various...

Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance Facade Enhancement Grant

Natural Ventilation is the process of supplying and removing air by natural means from building spaces by using windows, doors, solar chimneys, and non-powered ventilators. Most of us spend about 90% of our time inside of a building. As a result, the indoor air quality is...

Can one person make a difference? In all honesty, I am not sure anymore. The world seems to be a crazy mixed up place to live, work, and play. If you state an opinion that is slightly controversial you will be attacked on social media. There is venomous hatred being spouted by...

ASHRAE 90.1 is a standard in the US that provides minimum requirements for energy-efficient designs for buildings except for low-rise residential buildings. The standard was first created in 1975. It has since been updated on a regular basis in 2004, 2007, 2010, and 2013. There...

The progress on the Chesapeake Western Depot framing continues with this nice weather. The framing crew has been hard at work to get the second floor secure (lots of water damaged materials have been replaced). There are only a few new walls that are being added to allow for...