Welcome to our blog! In the over 13 years that we’ve been designing and building homes, we’ve accumulated a lot of stories and a lot of knowledge. This site is about everything from how to hire a firm to budget, design, and build your home to what makes a home “green.” There are homes featured here that were built for celebrity clients. And homes we built for far less famous people, like ourselves. And there are literally hundreds of photos of some very gorgeous homes that we’re proud to say we designed and built. We recently completed one of the most eco-friendly, sustainable homes ever constructed in Breckenridge. As well as a fabulous river retreat on the Island of Kauai. It’s all here, on this site, for you to experience. So welcome, and we hope you take the time to look around. And then come back, because there’s something new here every day. Enjoy.
Some of our favorite projects
Storm Meadow
The Rocky Region’s best and boldest example of Western – Mountain – Asian fusion. A one-of-a-kind 6000 square foot home with a totally authentic 800 square foot Japanese Tea House surrounded by gardens and a hot springs spa.
This home was another unique collaboration between owner (an engineer with decades of construction experience) and Trilogy Partners. Trilogy was entrusted as Design Build Project Manager and retained bhh Partners for basic architectural design.
Perched in a sublime setting at the base of Three Peaks along The Raven golf course at 9000 feet in elevation, this mountain getaway was created for Denver-based clients who love the mountain lifestyle.
This modern marvel has some of the best views in all of Summit County of the 10 Mile and Gore Ranges. A multiple grand award winner at the 2016 Parade of Homes, bhh Partners served up the principal architecture.
This castle is truly a tribute to energy conservation. Modeled to be Breckenridge’s (and the nation’s) first luxury Net Zero Energy slope side home, at 9000 square feet, the owner refused to compromise on either aesthetics or energy conservation.
Our neighbors in Denver have something to celebrate – the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has named Denver the “greenest” city in the U.S. According to Editor at Large, almost 30 projects in Denver have achieved LEED green building certification since last year, and two of those projects attained the highest LEED rating, LEED Platinum.
Deb Kleinman, the executive director of the Colorado Chapter of the USGBC said “Colorado’s culture of sustainability and conservation are a part of its DNA; individual cities… clearly understand the importance of green building as a part of that culture.”
Denver was recently named the "greenest" city in the U.S. by the USGBC.
There are many noteworthy LEED certified buildings in the Denver area, including the Wells Fargo Center, the Colorado Convention Center, and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Building. Scot Horst, senior vice president of LEED USGBC, said “The LEED green building program sets the benchmark for what is possible with high-performing buildings. Denver has been a pioneer in the green building efforts, setting examples and showcasing new innovation with its many LEED projects.”
We here at Trilogy Partners think it’s great that our neighbors in Denver are doing their part to create green and sustainable structures. Since Denver has been named the “greenest” city in America, we think Colorado could have the potential to become the “greenest state” in the country!
The Rocky Region’s best and boldest example of Western – Mountain – Asian fusion. A one-of-a-kind 6000 square foot home with a totally authentic 800 square foot Japanese Tea House surrounded by gardens and a hot springs spa.
This home was another unique collaboration between owner (an engineer with decades of construction experience) and Trilogy Partners. Trilogy was entrusted as Design Build Project Manager and retained bhh Partners for basic architectural design.
Perched in a sublime setting at the base of Three Peaks along The Raven golf course at 9000 feet in elevation, this mountain getaway was created for Denver-based clients who love the mountain lifestyle.
This modern marvel has some of the best views in all of Summit County of the 10 Mile and Gore Ranges. A multiple grand award winner at the 2016 Parade of Homes, bhh Partners served up the principal architecture.
This castle is truly a tribute to energy conservation. Modeled to be Breckenridge’s (and the nation’s) first luxury Net Zero Energy slope side home, at 9000 square feet, the owner refused to compromise on either aesthetics or energy conservation.
Ooh-arr, straw appears to be the sustainable material of choice at this year’s Ecobuild. The natural material features in board form in the latest home design from eco-architect Bill Dunster, in prefabricated panels in a turnkey retail building from Modcell and there is even a series of straw bale workshops for those planning to build homes, schools and offices from the readily available agricultural by-product.
For the StramitZED house (right), Dunster has teamed up with straw board manufacturer Stramit to produce an eco-house in two-, three- or four-bedroom configurations, all of which meet the latest Lifetime Homes and London Housing Design Guide standards. Its design is based on Dunster’s code level 6, RuralZED development at Upton in Northampton. The homes are assembled from cassettes of strawboard combined with Welsh timber and recycled newspaper insulation.
Hot water and electricity are generated by solar photovoltaic and solar thermal panels, with surplus electricity sold to the grid. The homes costs upward of £135,000, a figure claimed to be £20,000 less than the normal cost of constructing a code level 6 house.
Straw bales are at the heart of Modcell’s retail solution too. This uses prefabricated panels (left) made near the costruction site, in a leased workspace or barn. The panels are assembled from untreated, locally sourced straw set into a panel frame assembled from sustainably sourced timber, which is then plastered with a protective lime render. The turnkey solution is claimed to save energy, money, carbon emissions and build times.
For those that want their straw raw and not pre-assembled, there will be plenty of opportunities to learn all about both load bearing and non-load bearing straw bale construction techniques at the straw bale workshops, which take place twice daily at Ecobuild – for further details and timing check out www.ecobuild.co.uk.
Phase change materials
If straw is too rustic and high-tech is more your thing, then check out the various phase change materials (or PCMs in techie-speak) at this year’s show. A good starting point is the Cool Workspace, which is one of the interactive attractions on the exhibition floor. Sponsored by Capita Symonds, the attraction has been designed to showcase how cutting edge materials and technologies can be used to create a more sustainable workplace.
PCMs are just one of the technologies on show. The advantage of these materials is that they can be used to store both heating and cooling energy. In the Cool Workspace, PCMs are embedded in the walls and ceiling tiles where they will absorb heat to help keep the workspace cool and reduce the need for air conditioning.
If you want to know more about the technology visit both the BASF and DuPont stands.
BASF’s Micronal PCM has been incorporated into the Racus ceiling tile system for both new build and retrofit applications. Developed by Datum Phase Change, the tiles feature microcapsules of a special wax developed to store latent heat as it absorbs heat during the day, changing from a solid to liquid – . At night, when the temperature drops, the wax gives out heat and returns to being solid. The tile system has been used in the Victorian terrace refurbishment project at BRE in Watford.
DuPont’s phase change offering is called Energain. It is available in lightweight panels developed to enable thermal mass to be added to lightweight structures. The company claims that using the material can reduce indoor temperature peaks by up to 7ºC, optimising comfort and decreasing air conditioning costs.
Sustainable towers
With the world’s population becoming increasingly urbanised, the need for a fast, economic, high-rise, sustainable solution is becoming ever more urgent. One solution could be to build upwards using timber. As part of the fringe session, Advantage Austria is presenting a case study of a modular high-rise timber construction system designed for energy-generating buildings of up to 20 stories. Not sure about timber high-rise? Hear the discussion at South Gallery 10 at 12.30 on Wednesday 2 March.
The results of a student competition to design sustainable towers located in the Greenwich South district of Lower Manhattan, New York will also be announced at the show. The design must encompass Isover Multi-Comfort principles, which are based on Passivhaus ideas of high levels of energy efficiency and comfort for the occupants. Wolfgang Feist, founder of the Passivaus concept and the Passivhaus Institut in Germany, will judge the competition and will attend the award ceremony on Isover’s stand N260, where the winners will be announced at 3pm on 2 March. See below for the shortlisted designs.
Shortlisted designs
Manhattan Sky Podium: a design which aims to connect Greenwich South with its surroundings through a series of elevated pedestrian routes which meet to form a significant green podium in the sky.
Social Tower Experiment: a tower designed to foster vibrant communities and social interaction at height.
The Green Ramp: a design which aims to integrate Lower Manhattan’s green spaces into the city fabric with a building that forms a ramp from Battery Park to theGreenwich South site, culminating in a Passivhaus skyscraper.
Solar Slice: a tapered tower that evolved through consideration of New York’s sun paths, it respects the solar rights of the existing 88 Greenwich Street tower to the north of the site by carving a huge slice out of its mass.
Green Canyons: a prototype to counter the depleting quality of life in vertical urban sprawl.
Green Tower: a design which takes into consideration the forms of surrounding towers and icons such as the Statue of Liberty.
Windgate (below): a tower which aims to make maximum use of wind energy while also utilising the building design to form a new gateway into Manhattan.
Vertical Sunspace Tower: taking inspiration from the Denby Dale Passivhaus, this design features a series of stacked, south facing sunspaces to maximise passive solar gain, daylight penetration and to create social spaces at height in the city.
The three winning UK teams will receive cash prizes of up to £1,000 and will go on to compete in the seventh international final, which takes place from 18-21 May 2011 in Prague and features a top prize of €1,500 (£1,263).
Wolfgang Feist will also be participating in two fringe sessions taking place on 1 March from 4pm to 5pm (North Gallery Room 9) and 2 March from 4pm to 5pm (North Gallery 6 & 7). The sessions will provide an insight into the Passivhaus and Isover Multi-Comfort House concepts.
Bees and biodiversity
With wild bee populations facing a growing number of threats including pests and diseases such as the varroa mite as well as a growing lack of wild flowers to provide food and habitat, is it time for the urban beekeeper to come to the rescue? A small back garden or access to a rooftop is all that is needed to keep bees. What’s more, there is a rich variety of plants in urban gardens, parks, railway sidings and tree-lined roads, all of which can be turned into delicious honey by our pollen and nectar eating friends.
The idea is not as crazy as it first sounds – probably the most exclusive address for bees anywhere in the world is the roof of upmarket grocers Fortnum & Mason in London’s Piccadilly. Even the beehives have been given a distinct architectural style and some rather elegant gold details (www.fortnumandmason.com/fortnumbees.aspx).
Honey bees rely on a diverse range of garden and urban flowers for their diet, which means it is important to create an environment in the city that not only safeguards existing wildlife but also encourages further diversity and food for bees. Helping designers and planners incorporate biodiversity and meet new regulations is just one of the topics in the Cityscape programme, along with a biodiversity surgery.
For further details and timings, check out the Cityscape area on the Ecobuild website www.ecobuild.co.uk.Alison Benjamin, co-founder of Urban Bees, will be offering top tips for potential urban beekeepers on Wednesday 2 March, in Cityscape theatre two, at 11am.
Sustainable materials
In addition to the hundreds of products already made from recycled materials that are on display at Ecobuild, Kingston University will be looking for the construction industry to use sustainable materials seen in other sectors but little used in design and construction.
Rematerialise, a library of 1,200 samples of sustainable materials from 15 countries, is being launched by Kingston University. The materials have been selected to provide an environmentally responsible alternative to more resource-hungry materials and include post-consumer and post-industrial waste streams, scrap and refuse otherwise destined for landfill. The library holds information on a material’s recycled content and its sustainable attributes along with technical data and examples of current applications for each material. The database was recently used to advise retailer Marks & Spencer on the use of appropriate sustainable materials for its new headquarters.
Part of the collection – including finished products manufactured from sustainable materials – will be showcased at Ecobuild to inspire further collaboration with industry and to bring to designers’ attention to sustainable materials not yet used in construction.
The Rocky Region’s best and boldest example of Western – Mountain – Asian fusion. A one-of-a-kind 6000 square foot home with a totally authentic 800 square foot Japanese Tea House surrounded by gardens and a hot springs spa.
This home was another unique collaboration between owner (an engineer with decades of construction experience) and Trilogy Partners. Trilogy was entrusted as Design Build Project Manager and retained bhh Partners for basic architectural design.
Perched in a sublime setting at the base of Three Peaks along The Raven golf course at 9000 feet in elevation, this mountain getaway was created for Denver-based clients who love the mountain lifestyle.
This modern marvel has some of the best views in all of Summit County of the 10 Mile and Gore Ranges. A multiple grand award winner at the 2016 Parade of Homes, bhh Partners served up the principal architecture.
This castle is truly a tribute to energy conservation. Modeled to be Breckenridge’s (and the nation’s) first luxury Net Zero Energy slope side home, at 9000 square feet, the owner refused to compromise on either aesthetics or energy conservation.
Hey, whenever I come across someone with real design talent and flair, I like to give mention. So here’s Robyn Woodhall, Interior Designer. Robyn was recently dubbed as one of the top 20 designers under forty in the Northwest. Her elegant but casual style blends modern, timeless, and organic pieces that meld together to create comfortable and harmonious spaces. After breaking into the business in California, Robyn moved back to Montana and opened her own showroom in Missoula. It has evolved over the years and now offers other designers and sophisticated consumers the many sides of this versatile stylist.
Robyn’s designs often reflect her love for natural elements and modern influences. Metals, stone, and wood are used to bring the outdoors in, while furniture selections and fabrics create an elegant, calming feel. She is known for her real-life approach to design, and has created peaceful sanctuaries for her various clients around the country. Some of her favorite pieces can be purchased at her online shop, Evolving.com.
Robyn is based in her home state of Montana, and part time in Los Angeles, but frequently finds herself on adventures around the globe sourcing new product and gathering ideas.
Some of our favorite projects
Storm Meadow
The Rocky Region’s best and boldest example of Western – Mountain – Asian fusion. A one-of-a-kind 6000 square foot home with a totally authentic 800 square foot Japanese Tea House surrounded by gardens and a hot springs spa.
This home was another unique collaboration between owner (an engineer with decades of construction experience) and Trilogy Partners. Trilogy was entrusted as Design Build Project Manager and retained bhh Partners for basic architectural design.
Perched in a sublime setting at the base of Three Peaks along The Raven golf course at 9000 feet in elevation, this mountain getaway was created for Denver-based clients who love the mountain lifestyle.
This modern marvel has some of the best views in all of Summit County of the 10 Mile and Gore Ranges. A multiple grand award winner at the 2016 Parade of Homes, bhh Partners served up the principal architecture.
This castle is truly a tribute to energy conservation. Modeled to be Breckenridge’s (and the nation’s) first luxury Net Zero Energy slope side home, at 9000 square feet, the owner refused to compromise on either aesthetics or energy conservation.
On January 18, 2011, in Observations, by Bob Borson – What is creativity? That was the question presented to a group of us who participate in a event where we are write on the same topic. It is an interesting exercise and one that I take part of quite frequently. So what is creativity? That is a leading question simply because creativity can manifest itself in many forms. Writing this blog 3 or 4 times a week takes an obscene amount of creativity if I do say so myself. In an effort to help define what creative can define, let’s consider some synonyms:
cleverness ingenuity originality imaginativeness
Who doesn’t have these traits in some form or another? When I was younger, being “creative” simply meant you were artistic and that you used your creativity to produce items of visual merit. I don’t feel that way anymore – not since I met my wife Michelle – the resident Borson household genius with the masters degree in Mathematics. I am constantly amazed by how smart she is and how her brain processes information. I’m not going to say she is always right but it is hard for me to win an argument against her. My debating technique has more to do with misdirection and confusion but she can rationally and logically peel away what I am saying and befuddle me. Truth be told, that’s one of the reasons why I married her, because I love how she thinks.
I started thinking that creativity has more to do with how a person thinks, views, and processes information rather than their ability to draw or paint well. As a result I think some of the most creative people are scientists – people who don’t generally come to mind when the topic of creativity comes up. These are people who conceive of the unthinkable and envision the unknowable. People like Ernest Rutherford, Niels Bohr, and Robert Oppenheimer, among many, many others. If you are unfamiliar of these men and what they did, take some time and look them up on Wikipedia. If all you know is their work on the Manhattan project, you are considering only a small part of their story. Besides developing concepts that made things like the atom and hydrogen bomb a reality, these people were visionary thinkers.
But you don’t have to be a genius level intellect to have demonstrate creativity. Sometimes it’s about being clever and noticing what’s around you and realizing that you can do something with what you see. Like Velcro.
Close Up Of Velcro
Most people have heard the story about how Velcro came to exist. The idea for Velcro is credited to a Swiss engineer, George de Mestral … in 1941. Apparently the idea came to him one day after taking his dog for a walk and saw all the burs that were sticking to his pet’s fur. He examined them under a microscope and noticed that the burs were made up of hundreds of hooks that were catching on anything that had a loop. Despite not being taken seriously, Mestral continued to develop the idea for Velcro. In the end, it took over 10 years before he was able to create a mechanized process that could recreate the hook and loop system he saw under his microscope years prior.
How about a composer how couldn’t hear? Ludwig can Beethoven was born December 17, 1770 and started losing his hearing in 1796 when he was 26 years old. He lived and continued to compose music for until his death in 1827 having decided that despite his profound hearing loss, he would continue living for and through his art. At the premiere of one of his most recognizable and famous pieces, the Ninth Symphony, he actually had to turn around after conducting the performance to see if people were clapping or not. For someone as interested in music as I am, I can’t convey how unbelieveable that is to me.
Creativity surrounds all of us everyday and there are no uncreative people. How people interact with their world shapes their experience – positively and negatively – but it is unique to their own doing.
The Rocky Region’s best and boldest example of Western – Mountain – Asian fusion. A one-of-a-kind 6000 square foot home with a totally authentic 800 square foot Japanese Tea House surrounded by gardens and a hot springs spa.
This home was another unique collaboration between owner (an engineer with decades of construction experience) and Trilogy Partners. Trilogy was entrusted as Design Build Project Manager and retained bhh Partners for basic architectural design.
Perched in a sublime setting at the base of Three Peaks along The Raven golf course at 9000 feet in elevation, this mountain getaway was created for Denver-based clients who love the mountain lifestyle.
This modern marvel has some of the best views in all of Summit County of the 10 Mile and Gore Ranges. A multiple grand award winner at the 2016 Parade of Homes, bhh Partners served up the principal architecture.
This castle is truly a tribute to energy conservation. Modeled to be Breckenridge’s (and the nation’s) first luxury Net Zero Energy slope side home, at 9000 square feet, the owner refused to compromise on either aesthetics or energy conservation.
Every once and a while I think it’s probably a good idea to take a step back and think about why we’re doing what we’re doing. For instance, I’m currently in LA at the Design Bloggers Conference. I’m meeting people who work in the design world, like myself, who are also spending a lot of time these days writing, or blogging, about what they are doing and why they are doing it. Which begs the question: why am I writing this little piece right now? What’s this blog all about? It’s a question I think I know the answer to. We at Trilogy Partners are different than most other firms in our industry when it comes to design and build because we are fully integrated and truly a “one stop shop.” We see it from all angles. We are designers and ditchdiggers. We are builders, planners, and accountants. We are carpenters and tradesmen and we are passionate about how things look and feel. We are storytellers. In effect, we wear a whole lot of hats around here for one reason. So that we can serve our clients fully and completely. And we want people to know that. But there’s more to it than just what we do.
We’ve been doing this for quite a while now. In the course of each project we learn a whole lot, and I want to take the time now to pass along some of what we’ve learned. The good lessons, the hard lessons. Each project is a journey and is its own story. Building a home is a rather long process that grows from concept to creation to a lasting realization of a vision and a dream. These journeys oftentimes take years, and during the course of these years things happen that are worthy of words and remembrance. Each project brings with it a separate wisdom. So I’m here to pass along the stories, and the knowledge of what it takes to design and build homes because, honestly, I couldn’t find anyone else who was. This is the only place where you can get a complete picture of both sides of the home design and build process that I’ve yet to find.
I can tell you this: designing, building, it’s hard work and harder still to do really well. But it’s a lot of fun. And it’s really rewarding to drive by a spot where once nothing stood and see, now, a wonderful home alight and alive with the people that live within its walls. That’s also what I want to write about. The joy and the how of what we do. And the gratitude we feel for being allowed to do what we truly love. With the hope that some out there will read our words and benefit from what we’ve learned. And be inspired to move forward, with confidence, in pursuit of their dreams.
Enjoy!
Some of our favorite projects
Storm Meadow
The Rocky Region’s best and boldest example of Western – Mountain – Asian fusion. A one-of-a-kind 6000 square foot home with a totally authentic 800 square foot Japanese Tea House surrounded by gardens and a hot springs spa.
This home was another unique collaboration between owner (an engineer with decades of construction experience) and Trilogy Partners. Trilogy was entrusted as Design Build Project Manager and retained bhh Partners for basic architectural design.
Perched in a sublime setting at the base of Three Peaks along The Raven golf course at 9000 feet in elevation, this mountain getaway was created for Denver-based clients who love the mountain lifestyle.
This modern marvel has some of the best views in all of Summit County of the 10 Mile and Gore Ranges. A multiple grand award winner at the 2016 Parade of Homes, bhh Partners served up the principal architecture.
This castle is truly a tribute to energy conservation. Modeled to be Breckenridge’s (and the nation’s) first luxury Net Zero Energy slope side home, at 9000 square feet, the owner refused to compromise on either aesthetics or energy conservation.
5 Tips For A Green Home Remodel from Sarah Susanka
While conjuring up comfort in the home seems like a basic principle, it’s a far more complex process for architect & remodeling guru Sarah Susanka, who believes that comfort can significantly influence the sustainability of your personal abode. With her mantra of “build better, not bigger,” Susanka promotes quality over quantity whenremodeling a home. Through transforming your living space into a more beautiful and comfortable environment, Susanka says that any home’s occupants will automatically take better care of their space in a more sustainable way. We sat down with Susanka to get the low-down on how to do more with less when revamping your space.
TIP 1 – Re-evaluate the Space You’re Working With
Remodeling is often associated with building an addition onto a home. However, Susanka is a strong advocate of re-evaluating the space that your home already contains and working within that original floor plan whenever possible. As she says, it’s important to ask yourself how you can make your existing house more tailored to the way you live. Instead of jumping ahead and planning a structural addition without any thorough thought, take a moment to consider whether or not you could work within the space you already have available. Ask yourself these questions: Do you really need more space? How much space do you need to be comfortable in your home? Can you borrow from the adjacent space to conjure the extra square footage you need? Then, as a last resort, consider a bump out or a small addition.
Unfortunately, most people start at the last resort instead of first weighing the other more economical and quality-generating options. Remodeling can be a difficult and often stressful project, so if you doubt anything along the way, look into hiring a professional to assist in the process. As Susanka says, “When we are having surgery, we normally don’t do it ourselves. Remodeling your home is one of the most expensive investments of a lifetime so we want it done well.” If you are in the market for a pro that understands Susanka’s philosophy on renovation, check out her Home Professional Directory for an expert in your area.
TIP 2 – Get an Energy Audit
When you start engaging in a remodeling project, one of the first things to check off the list is an energy audit. This helps you identify some of the most cost effective ways to make your home more sustainable, and those shifts can easily be incorporated into the changes throughout the rest of the renovation process.
Susanka tells Inhabitat that 20% of carbon emissions come from existing housing stock. By incorporating energy audits into the renovation process, not only will you end up with economical savings, but you will also contribute to the larger home emissions issue. This will help make your home easier to maintain as well as reduce your carbon footprint. It’s a win-win situation for both you and the environment!
TIP 3 – Invest in Quality Over Quantity
When you get home and enter a space that exudes quality and character, you automatically feel more at home. On the other hand, if you go overboard with quantity because it’s the knee-jerk response to generate change, you end up with a lot of uninspiring stuff. What Susanka reiterates throughout her books is the importance of utilizing the space you have to its highest potential. By creating a room that’s comfortable to be in, we are motivated to care for and sustain its beauty. Instead of tossing dollars around to quantify space, use your budget to induce quality elements that address your particular needs and aesthetics.
Ask yourself what will add more of your own personality into your space. What colors, shapes, or artwork do you enjoy looking at? Which rooms do you spend the majority of your time in? Do you have good heating and cooling systems that maintain a comfortable atmosphere in your home? These thought-generating questions will help you determine the best ways to approach the concept of quality over quantity.
TIP 4 – Use Lighting to Amplify Perspective
The way you introduce light into a space can have an enormous effect on an environment, hugely improving its quality and character. Susanka can’t say enough about how reflective surfaces can influence rooms throughout your abode. Reflective surfaces help bounce light around, augmenting the presence of natural light within a space.
One less obvious way to do this is by adding a built-in bookshelf near a window. The shelving edges act as reflective surfaces, bouncing extra light into the room.
Another option is to place a window adjacent to a perpendicular wall, instead of in its typical central location; that wall then becomes a reflective surface as well. Finally, placing soffits above windows can help transfer light into a room. All of these alternative lighting sources help with the ambiance and feel of a space.
TIP 5 – Enhance Your Space With Color
The way the light falls on different colors can completely transform a room. Determine the most important wall in each room — the place to which you want to draw peoples’ attention — and paint it to your heart’s desire.
This is the point in remodeling that can allow for personal freedom of expression in your home. Susanka points out that there’s no need to be shy in this process; be creative and experiment with a variety of colors to sense how they each make you feel in the space. Paint large pieces of paper in all the colors you could imagine and even all the colors that you’d never expect to use. You might just find that the brightest or most unexpected shade fits perfectly on your favorite wall.
Images from Sarah Susanka and Mark Vassallo’s book, Not So Big Remodeling, published by Taunton Press in 2009; by photographer Randy O’Rourke.
Green Remodeler – Sarah Susanka
Sarah Susanka, FAIA, is the leader of a movement that is redefining the American home and lifestyle. Through her “build better, not bigger” approach to residential design she has demonstrated that the sense of “home” we seek has to do with quality, not quantity. A thought leader and acclaimed architect, Susanka is the best-selling author of nine books that collectively weave together home and life design, revealing that a “Not So Big” attitude serves not only architectural aims, but life goals as well. Her books have sold well over one million copies. Susanka’s most recent book, More Not So Big Solutions for Your Home, was released in February, 2010. Join her online community at www.notsobig.com.
The Rocky Region’s best and boldest example of Western – Mountain – Asian fusion. A one-of-a-kind 6000 square foot home with a totally authentic 800 square foot Japanese Tea House surrounded by gardens and a hot springs spa.
This home was another unique collaboration between owner (an engineer with decades of construction experience) and Trilogy Partners. Trilogy was entrusted as Design Build Project Manager and retained bhh Partners for basic architectural design.
Perched in a sublime setting at the base of Three Peaks along The Raven golf course at 9000 feet in elevation, this mountain getaway was created for Denver-based clients who love the mountain lifestyle.
This modern marvel has some of the best views in all of Summit County of the 10 Mile and Gore Ranges. A multiple grand award winner at the 2016 Parade of Homes, bhh Partners served up the principal architecture.
This castle is truly a tribute to energy conservation. Modeled to be Breckenridge’s (and the nation’s) first luxury Net Zero Energy slope side home, at 9000 square feet, the owner refused to compromise on either aesthetics or energy conservation.
Posted By Mike Chino On February 11, 2011 – The idea of energy-efficient lighting appeals to most homeowners, but many people don’t have the time to research and understand all the complexity out there when it comes to finding the most energy-efficient and environmentally responsible lighting systems. That’s why Inhabitat is here to help in our Green Lighting 101 editorial series(which is generously sponsored by Philips). So far in our Green Lighting 101 series we’ve showcased the state-of-the-art in energy-efficient lighting tech and shared 6 green lighting tips to help cut down your energy bill – but what about the actual lamps fixtures that bring green energy technology to light? There’s a million ways to make a lamp – but all lamps are not suited to the same purposes, nor are they all made from eco-friendly materials or able to illuminate with energy-efficient light. With this in mind, we’ve rounded up the 15 most innovative, interesting eco-friendly lamps that bathe your home in low-energy light – read on for our top picks to suit any lighting situation!
Different types of lighting
Directional Lighting
Directional lighting refers to light fixtures that focus illumination in a single direction. When set in a series, these fixtures provide dynamic focus to a room and can efficiently distribute light throughout a room. Directional lighting is commonly provided by bulbs affixed to a ceiling-mounted track, where individual lights can be angled and rotated on a pivot. Another popular choice comes in the form of recessed downward lighting, where the light is regulated by “can fixtures.”
Task Lighting
Task lighting is a specific type of directional lighting that is focuses illumination upon a specific area where a task needs to be performed. Task lighting should not be used to replace overall lighting needs, but rather to complement or fill the void of existing lighting. Task lighting typically comes in the form of table and desk lamps, clamp-type flexible arm lamps, book lights, and for the more adventurous, headlights.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting is designed to illuminate an entire room in a uniform and low-key manner. Ambient lighting should never be harsh on the eyes — it should create a comfortable environment that accommodates basic lighting needs. Popular lighting solutions for achieving this type of illumination include floor lamps, chandeliers, hanging lamps with low-watt bulbs, or hanging lamps filtered by cylindrical shades.
The Bic ballpoint is an iconic writing utensil that has been honored by the MOMA for its refined utilitarian design – so imagine the attention that this recycled pen chandelier will draw in your home! Each brilliant recycled chandelier is designed by En Pieza using hundreds of Bic Crystal pens that refract and disperse light from within. You can also step up this chandelier’s eco cred by popping in an energy-efficient CFL or LED bulb.
It’s hard to believe that Sarah Turner‘s brilliant starburst pendant lamps start out as a bunch of plain plastic bottles! The UK-based designer sandblasts old coke bottles, carefully cuts them into ribbon-like shapes, and then assembles them into orbital lanterns. Each elegant pendant lamp can be lit with a CFL or low-energy LED bulb.
Luis Teixeira‘s elegant recycled chandeliers are composed of cast-off clothes hangers fanned out in a circular array. We love how each unique hanging lamp lights up with a sparkling gleam that rivals the finest crystal chandeliers.
We love seeing innovative new uses for everyday materials, so we flipped our tops when we spotted this Pop Pendant Light painstakingly crafted from soda can pull tabs by Mauricio Affonso. Like a disco ball or punched tin lamp, the 15″ sphere casts a beautiful array of light beams and shadows when illuminated from within by an energy-efficient bulb.
Throwaway plastic coffee stirrers are a tremendous source of waste that plagues cafés around the world. Capitalizing on the way that plastic mimics the light-refracting properties of crystal, Studio Verissimo transformed hundreds of single-use stirrers into a stunning translucent chandelier!
Philips’ Ledino Suspension Light is a streamlined fixture that consists of a single strip of glass fused with brushed aluminum and three 7.5W LED lights. The fixture boasts a lighter-than air aesthetic that complements any interior space, and its array of dimmable LED lights can emit four different shades of light — from warm white to cool white.
Molo’s brilliant flat-pack Urchin Softlights start out as condensed reams of craft paper – but they unfurl into beautiful hexagonal honeycomb forms. Simply install a CFL or low-energy LED bulb and these cloud-like lamps will lend a warm, enchanting ambience to any room.
This clever cone lamp by Laura Haaker is constructed from 6 connected traffic cones that expand outwards in a brilliant burst of color. This funky floor lamp can be easily outfitted with an energy-efficient LED or CFL bulb to add a dose of urban flare to any space.
Although it was initially released in 2006, Yves Béhar’s Leaf Lamp continues to set the standard for energy-efficient task lighting. The desk lamp consists of two beautifully-sculpted strands of aluminum that are highly recyclable and keep material use to a minimum. The adjustable arm bristles with 20 bright LEDs, and a set of touch-sensitive controls at the lamp’s base allows for easy adjustment of light intensity. The entire lamp is made of 37% recycled materials and is 95% recyclable.
Koncept’s svelte Equo lamp benefits from a pared-down profile that is as easy on the eyes as the light it sheds. A set of 28 bright white LEDs consume just 6 watts of energy, and a counterbalanced arm makes adjustments a snap.
Ledino Desk Lamp by Philips
This minimalist Ledino Desk Lamp by Philips packs a powerful LED light source and a lighter-than-air aesthetic. Its streamlined aluminum arm can be easily adjusted into any position, and its warm white light source is rated to last for 20 years of use.
This streamlined Seagull LED lamp by QisDesign takes off with a lyrical design reminiscent of a bird in flight. The pared-down light improves upon conventional task lamps with a dual-panel design that can be easily adjusted to suit a wide range of lighting needs.
Ruth Oh transforms everyday paper postage tubes into elegant cylindrical table lamps by simply slicing away sections of carboard. They’re designed to use energy-efficient bulbs like LEDs or CFLs which run at cooler temperatures than incandescents.
Designed by QisDesign, the Crystal Light consists of a series of modular icosahedron LED blocks that snap together to form practically any shape. This gorgeous glowing table lamp can be also configured to light up in an array of colors and patterns – perfect for setting the mood in any interior space.
Philips’ Ledino Table Light is a versatile lighting solution that makes a great centerpiece for any room. The space-saving compact lamp is illuminated by a 3 LEDS that can cast either a directional spot light or a diffused lighting effect for at least 20,000 hours.
Bedroom Lighting Tips
When it comes to lighting your home, there are a few little technicalities to consider — but thankfully they’re easy. Lets start with bedrooms, which are actually one of the easiest areas to light in your home. For general lighting you have three options: a flush-mounted fixture, a semi-flush mounted fixture, or a chandelier. Chandeliers can only be used if the bottom of the chandelier is at least 6 feet from the ground — more space is preferable unless it’s directly over a bed, in which case no one will be hitting their heads on it. The question of flush-mount vs semi-flush mount is also simple — the advantage to having a semi-flush is that light bounces of your ceiling, so you get more illumination for your buck — but of course it also depends on your style.
Supplement your general lighting with table lamps for good ambient lighting, and remember these table lamps aren’t for reading — lower wattage is great here! You can save energy with lower-watt lights that are gentler on your eyes if you need to turn them on in the middle of the night. If you do read in bed, purchasing a task light instead of a table lamp could be a great idea to maximize the light when reading and save your eyes from straining. In general floor lamps can also be used in bedrooms that do not have power in their ceilings. In this is the case the best thing to do is to look for a torchiere-style floor lamp which typically uses a high watt fluorescent to shine light at your ceiling so it can reflect and light the room.
Kitchen Lighting Tips
As for the kitchen, pendant lamps look great over counters/islands/peninsulas and provide good light for cooking. Just remember to mount your pendants about 32-34 inches from the top of the counter. If the island is very narrow or isn’t a sit-down island, around 36 inches is the sweet spot. Determining the light size is simple — most pendants categorized as mini-pendants will do just fine for islands that are not very large. Just take into account how many pendants you would like, and space them out as symmetrically as possible for the best results.
Hanging a Dining Room Chandelier
The next part of lighting your kitchen or dining room that many people find frustrating is putting a chandelier over a table — just how big should that chandelier be? Well, there is a simple formula that will fix the frustration — take the shortest width of the table if it’s rectangular (or if it’s round then take the circumference), divide it by two, and then add a couple inches. For instance if you have a 48 inch table, you would use a 24-26 inch wide chandelier. The same rule for hanging pendants applies for chandeliers as well — mount it about 32-34 inches above the table, depending on the style of the chandelier. Take all these helpful tips and combine them with some of these green lighting options below to have your home look and function beautifully.
The Rocky Region’s best and boldest example of Western – Mountain – Asian fusion. A one-of-a-kind 6000 square foot home with a totally authentic 800 square foot Japanese Tea House surrounded by gardens and a hot springs spa.
This home was another unique collaboration between owner (an engineer with decades of construction experience) and Trilogy Partners. Trilogy was entrusted as Design Build Project Manager and retained bhh Partners for basic architectural design.
Perched in a sublime setting at the base of Three Peaks along The Raven golf course at 9000 feet in elevation, this mountain getaway was created for Denver-based clients who love the mountain lifestyle.
This modern marvel has some of the best views in all of Summit County of the 10 Mile and Gore Ranges. A multiple grand award winner at the 2016 Parade of Homes, bhh Partners served up the principal architecture.
This castle is truly a tribute to energy conservation. Modeled to be Breckenridge’s (and the nation’s) first luxury Net Zero Energy slope side home, at 9000 square feet, the owner refused to compromise on either aesthetics or energy conservation.
“They just don’t make them like they used to” applies more to big wooden beams more than almost any other home building material out there – gigantic old-growth trees are few and far between these days, and softwood like Douglas Fir (while not technically exotic) can be hard to come by.
Found for sale via various salvage operations, the core structure is composed of huge reclaimed beams that measure as much as a few feet wide – making traditional 2x4s and other dimensional lumber look a little small by comparison. Built-ins are also made of colorful recycled woods, while primary walls and floors were created of smooth concrete to create contrast.
Car decking and other lower-grade, solid-wood salvage fills in the various gaps, carefully sorted by length to fit the odd angles of the wall and roof lines. It may not be as pretty as its popular counterpart species – maple, pine, cedar or cherry – but it has a raw and rugged look that works well.
The net effect is a home that seems to grow right out of the ground, like roots of some ancient tree. The interior features a playful contrast between the rough and dark used wood and brand-new appliances, white-painted surfaces, modern amenities and contemporary furniture.
If you really boil this design by Omer Arbel down to the basics, it is successful for one reason above all others: there is no attempt to pretend that the house itself is old – the aged wood is used to balance with new shapes and forms that are of a distinctly contemporary vintage.
The Rocky Region’s best and boldest example of Western – Mountain – Asian fusion. A one-of-a-kind 6000 square foot home with a totally authentic 800 square foot Japanese Tea House surrounded by gardens and a hot springs spa.
This home was another unique collaboration between owner (an engineer with decades of construction experience) and Trilogy Partners. Trilogy was entrusted as Design Build Project Manager and retained bhh Partners for basic architectural design.
Perched in a sublime setting at the base of Three Peaks along The Raven golf course at 9000 feet in elevation, this mountain getaway was created for Denver-based clients who love the mountain lifestyle.
This modern marvel has some of the best views in all of Summit County of the 10 Mile and Gore Ranges. A multiple grand award winner at the 2016 Parade of Homes, bhh Partners served up the principal architecture.
This castle is truly a tribute to energy conservation. Modeled to be Breckenridge’s (and the nation’s) first luxury Net Zero Energy slope side home, at 9000 square feet, the owner refused to compromise on either aesthetics or energy conservation.
Some things about this industry so amaze me. Take for example the client who is hoping to get the best house for the least amount of money. So they hire a builder, any builder, who is willing to build for less. It’s a logic that even the clients don’t believe. These clients are driving expensive cars, not cheap cars. They spend more money to send their children to school. They have all of their lives invested sensibly but in quality. So why is it when it comes to one of the most important investments that they are every going to make, that they suddenly want to go cheap? Suddenly quality doesn’t matter. And that amazes me.
Lowest Bid Could Cost More
As I’ve posted before, I’m not a big fan of the bid process when it comes to complex residential builds. There’s just too much room for things to get overlooked in the bid. And it’s pretty much always the case that if a construction bid comes in low, that a lot of things are being overlooked. Left out, intentionally or not, there will be a day of reckoning. The rewards to the client for hiring quality are immediate and lasting. Quality building companies bring not only construction expertise to the table. But accounting know how. Problem solving abilities. A work hard ethic. And essential creativity. Not to mention that quality building companies are, for the most part, comprised of intelligent people with more than an average level of integrity. One need only check the builders’ references to separate quality builders from used car salesmen. In a “zen” sense, the house is ultimately a direct reflection of not only the architect and owner, but the builder as well. And chances are that if you blend all the above ingredients together, that the price of the construction is going to be what it should be, and both the owner and the builder will continue to have a strong relationship long after the last nail is driven home.
Quality Is An Investment
My belief is that in construction, as in other aspects of life, quality costs more. A quality builder is going to cost more than someone who is desperate for a job and will do anything to get it. Low bids go hand in hand with insufficient allowances for finishes and features. And with hidden costs and fine print. Quality costs, but quality is an investment. And we are used to hearing this, saying this, living this in life. But why is it when it comes to home building, we’re willing to forget about quality and be suckered in by the cheapest bid from fly by night contracting incorporated? It just doesn’t make sense. But I see it happen again and again. The construction industry may have a bad reputation, but it doesn’t help that clients sometimes encourage poor behavior by buying into it.
Some of our favorite projects
Storm Meadow
The Rocky Region’s best and boldest example of Western – Mountain – Asian fusion. A one-of-a-kind 6000 square foot home with a totally authentic 800 square foot Japanese Tea House surrounded by gardens and a hot springs spa.
This home was another unique collaboration between owner (an engineer with decades of construction experience) and Trilogy Partners. Trilogy was entrusted as Design Build Project Manager and retained bhh Partners for basic architectural design.
Perched in a sublime setting at the base of Three Peaks along The Raven golf course at 9000 feet in elevation, this mountain getaway was created for Denver-based clients who love the mountain lifestyle.
This modern marvel has some of the best views in all of Summit County of the 10 Mile and Gore Ranges. A multiple grand award winner at the 2016 Parade of Homes, bhh Partners served up the principal architecture.
This castle is truly a tribute to energy conservation. Modeled to be Breckenridge’s (and the nation’s) first luxury Net Zero Energy slope side home, at 9000 square feet, the owner refused to compromise on either aesthetics or energy conservation.
