5 ways to reduce the Stormwater Fee you will have to pay in Harrisonburg Rain falls from the sky. Buildings, parking lots, sidewalks, and streets collect and funnel the water into the storm water system. In Harrisonburg, this water all finds its way into our local creeks and...

Every three years  (or so) Virginia updates the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC). Virginia typically adopts a version of the International Building Code (updated every year) that is 3 years behind the current year. As of July 1, 2014, Virginia adopted the 2012...

Freezing pipes in your crawl space is a problem, but pipes that did not freeze might be a bigger problem. We have an unconditioned crawl space (yes I know I need to seal it up and will soon). So we have been worried about frozen pipes in this very cold weather. We have done...

Help, my house is cold! This time of year, with weather like we have been having, the electric meter gets a strong workout. Yet, often our homes are not comfortable, cold even. So what can you do to make your electric bills lower and your home more comfortable? I am now working...

No matter what you have heard, size matters (when it comes to energy-efficiency). The larger your home the more you have to do and spend to make it energy-efficient and to keep up with maintenance. As a result, the tiny house movement has found a market and is growing in...

Architectural design is a highly subjective art. While there are works of architecture that are considered by many to be “good” architecture they will not appeal to everyone. So how do you know if your architectural creation is “good” architecture? Is it...

Designing a home is a complex process with many questions, decisions, and choices to be made. You need a licensed design professional to help you achieve the best solution possible. Your architect needs you to be open and forthcoming with your hopes and dreams in order to...

WaterSense is a label program created by the Environmental Protection Agency for consumers to easily identify water efficient products. It is similar to Energy Star in that it identifies products that are more efficient. In order to qualify a WaterSense labeled product meets the...

  Why should your new bathroom walls have plywood on them? Designing a home that can adapt over time without knowing how it will need to adapt is a difficult challenge. There are standards by which you can block for future grab bars that are designed to allow for someone in...

10 Factors that should be considered for resilient design solutions