Trilogy Partners, a Frisco-based construction and design firm, has been selected from the more than 35 million SketchUp users to present its designs and build process at the international SketchUp 3D Basecamp convention in Palm Springs, California.

According to the company, Trilogy Partners will offer three separate presentations at the event, each featuring the company’s virtual design and build process. Owned by Trimble, SketchUp is a specialty software platform utilized by professionals and hobbyists to visualize and design the world in 3D, and Trilogy Partners has been using the software.

“I fell in love with SketchUp and 3D architectural design in 2012,” said Michael Rath, Trilogy Partners CEO and owner. “In just six amazing years we have leveraged their software product with our design and build experience into a package that will influence how our homes, and quite possibly all homes, are designed and built for the foreseeable future. We empower our clients to design their homes or commercial spaces in a 3D and Virtual Reality platform, so they can truly experience their space before construction.”

Rath will present the company’s virtual-design workflow with Hewlett Packard’s HP Z workstation team while Erin Pfarr, the company’s business development director, will present on how to facilitate SketchUp to optimize business. Rath and the design team will also present on how they have advanced the program beyond what even SketchUp’s engineers knew what was possible during “Extreme SketchUp.”

For more about the company, go to TrilogyBuilds.com to learn or find Trilogy Partners on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Article posted on Summit Daily

Silverthorne Colorado home

Green has been a buzzword in design for at least 25 years (I am going off of my Earth Day 1992 tote bag that was just unearthed from my parents home). What are some creative ways that you can use renewable materials in your home design?

Smart light bulbs, eco-mattresses, and a Tesla Powerwall that can run a 2 bedroom home on solar are some of the more obvious products available in the sustainable design market. For something less expected, you can also purchase a mushroom mycelium lamp that is painted with non-toxic paint that is grown instead of manufactured. Another unusual selection is

MushLume Trumpet Pendant (Photo credit: Nix + Gerber Studio)

When designing your new construction or remodel, here are some easy choices to make your home a little more green and a little more sustainable with items that you already need:

Trex Decking: made from 95% recycled wood and plastic. This company also employs practices right in their manufacturing facility like eliminating the use of harmful chemicals and reclaiming factory waste.

Milk Paint: “green paint” refers to any paint that is an alternative to petroleum based paints. Milk Paint contains no VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) or additives that can be harmful to the environment. So you can breathe easy knowing that your walls, cabinets or outdoor spaces are working with you and the Earth.

Bio-glass backspash: recycled glass takes just 30% of the energy that would be required to produce it from raw materials. And there are stunning options to choose from!

LEED Certified Windows: these ensure energy efficiency is not compromised when embracing the views from your house.

Virtual Reality and 3D modeling: architect Michelle Kaufman has said “The most green material you can use is one that you never use.” With employing 3D modeling that allows you to go inside of your remodel or new construction, space planning is at a premium and every inch is accounted for. You can experience your home through VR and feel the space rather than just trusting or guessing what it the finished product will be like. Find a design team that will allow you to go inside your house and see your design selections well before purchasing or installation.

For more information on defining renewable vs nonrenewable materials, check out Karen S. Garvin’s article via LIVESTRONG.

Have you incorporated any green design selections in your house?