Being eco-friendly is getting easier every day as green experts come up with new ways to be green. One important way to go green is the green driveway.

How does it work?

You may be wondering how a driveway can be green, but if you have a concrete or asphalt driveway then much of the rainfall you get will run through your driveway, picking up pollutants. This water makes its way back into rivers and other large bodies of water. A green driveway, however, will often be made of non-pollutant materials, and reduce water run-off

How do I make it happen?

The best way to incorporate green ideas into your driveway is to use a sustainable drainage system, or SuDS. Here are a couple ways to do that.

• Open-cell pavers. These are lattices of concrete. Grass is planted in the holes of the lattice. Multiple layers of clean stone go under the pavers in order to support vehicles.
• Gravel. Gravel is often a good solution as well, though it requires a plastic underlay to maximize ground absorption.

Have questions about how to incorporate green ideas into your driveway? Get in touch with us online.

Fresh from the recent World Architecture Festival held in Singapore, is news that Turkey’s Sancaklar Mosque has been awarded the honor of the Best Religious Building for 2013. This impressive underground structure was designed by Emre Arolat Architects of Levent, Turkey.

The design of the mosque is a departure from traditional standards and has been built underground in Buyuk Cekmece, a suburb of Istanbul. The designers were able to successfully integrate the man-made materials with the elements of the natural environment by combining concrete slab and natural stone.

Beyond the walls that separate the complex from the nearby highway and neighborhood, all that can be seen above ground is the concrete canopy accessible from the upper courtyard. The remainder of the building is reached via natural stone stairs that follow the slope of the site down into the structure.

With its almost cave-like atmosphere, the slits and breaks throughout the Qiblah wall allow natural sunlight to enter the prayer hall is an excellent use of green architecture. The intent of the design is to shy away from status quo and provide a magical space unlike any other.

Watch for more news on how world architecture meets green architecture from Trilogy.

Source: Trilogy Partners

If you’re looking into remodeling your home, it’s a great time to assess what you can do to make your house greener.  We know going green reduces our impact on the earth, but it can also benefit you by increasing your home’s efficiency, and making it a healthier place to live. As you embark on your home remodeling project, here are a few things to take into consideration:

Begin by assessing your site. How can you utilize the property features you already possess? Use trees to your advantage to shade-cool your house, or find the optimal spot for passive solar gain. Look for building materials that are renewable or recycled, and find fixtures and appliances that are energy-efficient. Find finishes that are low- or no-VOC. Another good rule of thumb is to use higher-grade materials—the durability will prevent having to replace cheap materials that aren’t built to last.

Open floor plans help to increase cooling and heating efficiency, and require fewer materials. Lastly, look into a construction site recycling service. They can sort and dispose of construction waste in an earth-friendly way.

Implementing any of these tips will go a long way to making your home a little greener.

The increased interest in green home design is spurring a revival of modernism in the design of new homes in our area. Modernism has evolved from being viewed as boring and featureless, to being embraced for its simplicity and adaptability to being environmentally friendly.

Today’s modern homes are making more use of sustainable construction materials such as glass, concrete and steel that can provide the additional benefit of energy conservation. Instead of the overly ornate and imposing McMansions that overtook the landscape for almost two decades, today’s modern-styled home designers seek to lessen their impact on the environment.

Green home design works hand-in-hand with modern design that allows these structures to blend in with their natural surroundings with minimal stress to the environment. Some designers choose to mimic their natural surroundings in their exterior designs. The use of bold color in mid-century modern interiors allows for a playfulness that makes this style one that can be adapted to almost anyone tastes, and still providing the functionality of green design.

For the latest trends in green and modern design, contact the team at Trilogy Partners.

Rough-textured raw stone is a popular trend in bathroom design. A rough stone bathroom can have one or all walls in natural or engineered stone. The unfinished textures work with contemporary or traditional bathroom designs.

Raw stone has subtle color variations that bring the mountains into your home. The look is natural and can be combined with any type of lighting and plumbing fixtures. The raw stone can be used effectively in a master bathroom, guest bath or mudroom. The rustic look and feel make for a great outdoor bathroom and spa next to a pool deck. Raw stone combines well with rough, natural wood.

A truly rustic bathroom can have stone walls, and a simple wood vanity and counter with a stone or ceramic vessel sink. Raw stone can line an alcove for the shower giving it the appearance of a mountain cave. Stone can also be used to build an obelisk or pyramid with a shower head for a curb-less shower.

Contact Trilogy Partners, an award-winning custom home builder in Breckenridge, can design and build the perfect rough stone bathroom for your custom home or vacation lodge in the Summit County area.

Our clients have always requested more durable and aesthetically pleasing bathroom design as they build or renovate their Colorado homes in the past. But now, more and more people — including Trilogy Partners — want sustainable, eco-friendly and energy-efficient bathroom areas in addition to a visually appealing space.

We want to work with our environment while saving money, and there are several ways to achieve this sustainable bathroom design:

• Multi-spray showers are so wasteful they are banned by the DOE (Department of Energy). For your shower, choose low-flow fixtures.
• Eliminate your bath tub to save water and space. But if a luxurious soak is one of your greatest pleasures, remember, less is more. Smaller, not spa-sized tubs are trending.
• Older toilets can use as much as 5 gallons of water per flush! Install water-saving toilets for your bathroom.
• As you design your new bathroom, choose natural materials. Other considerations include recycled material tile or post-consumer glass tiles. Avoid carpeting or hardwood flooring in your bath; waterproof materials and good sealing will save you repair costs 20 years from now.

We are designing and building now with consideration for the future. By specializing in sustainable/green design and materials, your home will have beauty today and energy savings for life.

Photo Source: Apartment Therapy

Trilogy Partners is proud to be a part of the vibrant Breckenridge community and the people that call this region home. We are also incredibly proud of the work of Michael Rath, one of our managing partners, and the global charity he co-founded called Haiti Orphan Rescue Program. Michael works with an accomplished team in an effort to help revitalize distressed Haitian orphanages through grassroots solutions.

Haiti Orphan Rescue partnered with their sister organization Union of Haitian Orphanages for Action. This collaboration allows Michael and the team at Haiti Orphan Rescue Program to identify distressed orphanages desperately in need of upgrades and modernization. Through grassroots efforts the two organizations learn what the orphanages need before establishing a renovation plan. Orphanages have received a  variety of improvements, including raised garden beds, storage solutions, play structures, upgraded plumbing, roof repairs, and composting toilets.

What makes the work of Haiti Orphan Rescue Program so unique is the local approach. Local laborers are hired for the construction work and a vast majority of materials are purchased locally. This allows the benefit of the work to extend past the orphanage walls. You can learn more about the program from the Haiti Orphan Rescue Program website or Facebook page.

Trilogy Partners is a leader in the design and building industry in Summit County, and has proven unswerving dedication to the community in successful, sustainable living since 1998. Our efforts have led us to another Builder of the Year award from the Summit County Builders Association for 2012. This is our second such award including the Builder of the Year in 2007.

Trilogy’s Mike Rath was crucial to the development of SCBA’s global marketing campaign. He established SCBA’s new blog site, which offers invaluable assistance in building a home in Summit County.  His showed his integrity by going beyond his responsibilities to SCBA. Mr. Rath is actively planning all he can to strive to win the award again.

As a active member of SCBA,  Trilogy plans to continue to lend proactive support to SCBA in the popular annual Mountain Home & Outdoor Expo held in June. Equally as important  is the Summit County Parade of Homes that takes place in the fall.

There is no status quo with Trilogy Partners, as an exciting year is already in the planning, and continued community service is at the top of the list. Contact the Trilogy Team to learn more.

Over the past few weeks I’ve been working on this design with BHH Partners, in Breckenridge. First, we fleshed out the basic floorplan and elevations. I then created a model and applied the exterior materials for the client’s approval.

East Elevation

To help the client better understand the orientation of the house, I geolocated it using Google Earth.

East Elevation with Ten Mile Range behind

After completing the exterior, I began to work on the interior, laying out all the walls…

West Elevation Partial Build

As I model I am also designing the post and beam structure. At the end of the day I sent this model to the client for his approval. The software we use allows the client to view and manipulate the model from an infinite number of orientations. He sees exactly what the design team sees. Because the timber frame is structural but also an esthetic, it is important that the client participates in its design.

Timber Frame Structure in Design

Timber Frame Structure In Design

If you want your bathroom to provide more than just a space to clean up, consider including some of these dream bathroom ideas to your home remodeling plans. They are all great ways to make your ensuite master bath feel more like a spa retreat-and we could all use a little relaxation in our day-to-day routine.

Image: Divine Kitchens via Houzz.com

• Spa-Like Shower – Build a shower area that provides plenty of space. You can even install a comfortable bench. Make sure you have plenty of shelves or niches to hold your bathing products.

• Universal Design – Make sure the shower is accessible as you get older and your mobility decreases. These days universal design features like grab bars and curb-less shower stalls can be included in stylish and subtle ways that you’d never notice-until you need them.

Image: Moroso Construction via Houzz.com

• Warming Features – It gets chilly in the Colorado mountains, so a small feature like warming bars for your towels will feel like quite a luxury when you emerge from the shower on a cold morning. For even more comfort, consider radiant floor heating.

• Hidden Convenience – Install drawers that provide storage for your hair dryer, straighter and other bathroom accessories. You can even include outlets into the drawers.

Image: Phil Kean Designs via Houzz.com

• Morning Kitchen – A shower and a coffee are necessary morning rituals. So why not add a coffee maker or espresso machine to your ensuite bath and closet area?

Which of these features would you love to have in your Colorado luxury home? Contact us today to discuss our luxury home remodeling services.