I was reviewing a client's energy audit report last month when something struck me about how poorly we communicate environmental performance. The document was technically accurate, filled with BTU calculations…
The most surprising thing about working with artists and designers these days? They're asking me about building materials. Not in the way you'd expect, either. I mean, sure, they want…
The phone call came at 7:30 AM on a Tuesday. Maria, a project manager I'd worked with three years ago, sounded frazzled. "We've got a problem," she said without preamble.…
I bumped into Maria at the coffee shop last Tuesday, and she looked absolutely exhausted. Turns out she’d been wrestling with a consulting firm that promised to make her new…
The coffee mug on my drafting table has a ring stain that perfectly encircles a sketch I drew three years ago for a client's kitchen renovation. I keep meaning to…
I was staring at yet another glossy brochure promising "net-zero energy" homes when it hit me how utterly broken environmental messaging has become in the building industry. The images showed…
My neighbour Carol knocked on my door last Tuesday evening, holding what looked like a small novel. Turned out to be her electricity bill. "Eighty-seven dollars just for outdoor lighting,"…
Last Tuesday I found myself standing in a client's living room, staring at what should have been a beautiful space but instead felt like a museum exhibit that nobody wanted…
Walking through my friend Sarah's newly constructed home last month, I couldn't help but feel disappointed. The architect had done everything right from an environmental standpoint – solar panels, high-performance…
Walking into my neighbour's newly renovated living room last month, I had one of those moments where professional instincts completely override social politeness. "This is gorgeous," I said, genuinely meaning…