Government vs. Economy

The administrations great Going Green Initiative. Like so many policies created by our legislature designed to improve our environment and enrich our lives, money was spent but not much had changed. Millions has been given to people to replace their old appliances which weren't as energy efficient (without regrading the fact that they'd be going into our landfills, not a very green concept...buy new to throw away something that was functioning). Other recent mandates included eliminating Incandescent light bulbs for more efficient Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs), again the lack of foresight missed out on our increasing the amount of mercury in our every day environment by producing all these CFLs and having them plugged in only inches from us on a regular basis. I once heard the phrase, "Let government govern, and the economy solve problems." Through all the millions spent by our government recently, very little has changed for the better or changed for the greener. The economy however has been much more successful of late with creating a green society. Due to rising cost of oil, many manufacturers have done away with or reduced the amount of plastic created to house their products while some retails pushed for smaller packaging, less plastic, and to be more "eco-friendly". Mandate and force a belief system down our throats all you want Government, until the private citizens request the desire for something or big business feels it would be more profitable to move in that direction, all that will occur is more of our tax dollars spent without much to show. Thank you economy for staying true and being the main decision maker within our free society.

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/112852/retailers-greener-packaging-nyt

- Design is what you make it.

WHAT SHOULD WE ANTICIPATE NEXT?

What is architectural design to you? Depending on what region of the country you grew up in or live in currently is going to greatly impact your vision of what is the norm. In the the early part of this country's beginning sprawling plantations were the icon of the South. Head out West and you're bound to find home after home designed in an adobe style with clay tile roof. Journey to the Northeast and you may get visions of the Cape or Colonial. The simple truth is, "styles" were created for each region because of the materials that were available and the type of weather patterns that affected it. Today, because of technology we can have people live anywhere they want in any style of home they want because we don't need to rely on the local materials, nor passive heating and cooling.

Just as the exterior "style" has changed, so has the interior use for so many homeowners. In the '20s every home had a formal Parlor room. The importance of this space grew smaller and smaller as the decades went on throughout the 20th Century. Homes became smaller and more importance was placed on practical use. The luxury of having a room that only saw use when guests were invited became obsolete. With the 21st Century here, the dining room is quickly becoming the "dinosaur" room. More and more the dining room is being designed out of homes with many architects and homeowners opting for an enlarged eat-in kitchen which provides the opportunity to expand the dining area for large family gatherings. Efficiency is the name of the game allowing homes to be smaller in square footage. With the cost of fossil fuels continuing to increase, a more efficient home costs less to run as well as being more ecologically friendly.

Each generation places importance on one room over all others. What will define the 21st Century? The kitchen, the home's main gathering space? The master bathroom, the definition of indulgence? What gets your vote?

- Design is what you make it.

ARE YOU PREPARED?

FIRE! FIRE! According to NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), in 2009 fires were responsible for over 3,000 deaths and over $12.5 billion dollars in direct property loss. What would you do if a fire struck; your office, your home? Do you have a plan in place on how to get to safety? Are your most precious documents in a safe location? What would be your plan on recovery should you be the victim of a fire?

Here are some steps we can take in preparation should we ever be in the unfortunate position of dealing with the recovery process after a fire.

1. Have your homeowners and/or casualty insurance agent's contact information in a secured location that you can access.
2. Prepare back-up files for all your important documents in a fire proof safe or safety deposit box.
3. Take lots of pictures of your real estate property and personal property as proof for insurance to expedite the claim process.
4. Have some names of trusted contractors so you can begin the process of getting back to normalcy as soon as possible.
5. Locate a qualified architect to assist you in the renovation process, with the help of the architect, you may be able to make improvements upon the existing layout as well as save money on the renovation by eliminating any non-essential fixes and focus on the most important items. Having someone in your corner that is familiar with the construction process is an ideal way to create a "checks and balances" system.

Here is a sad story about a businessman that lost 30+ years worth of client files due to a fire that created more than $3 million in damages all due to the ill-timed disposal of a lit cigarette.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2011/05/three_alarm_fir_2.html

- Design is what you make it.

NEW FACEBOOK CAMPUS

It's quite a quandary, the city of Menlo Park's Belle Haven neighborhood has a new resident; a "FACE" that's very familiar to us. It happens to be in the location where the old Sun Microsystem's campus was located. The end goal, create a minimum carbon footprint place to live for Facebook employees and family. At 1 million square feet with 11 buildings on the site, they have a nice place to build this city inside of a city concept. The problem? The location is isolated from the surrounding neighborhoods as it is surrounded on three sides by expressway and the fourth side by an untouchable wetlands. What's the solution? Invite the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to lead a charrette working with the City, neighbors, Facebook, and architectural professionals to create a living environment that connects perfectly to the nearby neighborhoods of course. It's nice having the star power of a Facebook to be obtain the assistance of those who want to help you since Facebook has helped so many reconnect with old friends and family. Circle of life? If nothing else perhaps it can be considered good karma.

http://archrecord.construction.com/news/2011/03/110324facebooks_new_campus.asp
- Design is what you make it.

Japan Before and After

By now we've all become aware of the amazing destructive damage that can be caused by tsunami waves and earthquakes. In 2004 we witnessed the power of tsunami that ripped life apart off the Indian Ocean. Today we see how one of the most technologically advanced countries can be devastated as well. Here is a link to some incredible before and after shots of Japan.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/gallery/031511_japan_before_after/

If Japan didn't have in place one of the most regimented construction practices the devastation seen there would have easily landed the death rate into the hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions. Building appropriately for the anticipated environment is important when it comes to the safety of all those who live and work in that society.

- Design is what you make it.



http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/gallery/031511_japan_before_after/

Neighborhood Entertainment Gone

Davis Square is home to a number of entertainment venues, an aspect that has grown Davis Square's reputation as a great destination for dining, shopping, and the arts. The restaurant Sagra for some was a great place to eat delicious Italian food while for others it was an excellent destination for music and late night drinks. The neighbors often complained about the noise produced from the live music. The design of Sagra allowed the street front windows to open and allow the outside in and the inside out. This design works beautifully for casual and finer dining, especially on beautiful Spring and Summer days and evenings. In order to avoid constant complaints from neighbors, a business should carefully consider the store front design. Sagra learned this lesson the hard way and now has closed it's doors. The new establishment will be Five Horses Tavern. The new owner has said he's eliminating the live music and closing at 1 a.m. rather than the 2 a.m. Sagra operated until. These changes should help build a better repoir with his neighbors and is a much more neighbor-friendly approach than what Sagra used. After four years Sagra is gone, and very few that lived nearby will miss it.

For more on this story see: http://www.wickedlocal.com/somerville/news/x2022438681/Sagra-closes-in-Somerville-makes-way-for-Five-Horses-Tavern#axzz1FSAGaeuQ

- Design is what you make it.

Wisc. Bill Passes - On to the Senate

We're going to change things up a bit today. Typically I don't write about any political issues because, frankly they are too emotional of a topic for most people to set aside any personal feelings in order to evaluate the issues on a logical basis. Now that being said, the landmark Wisconsin bill that could be made into law can essentially affect the nation as a whole because if it becomes law, other states will follow in their footsteps.

This bill has many obstacles currently and will impact the current way state government and potentially federal government handle employees. For 70-80 years state "public employees", individuals that work for the city, state, or federal government have had unprecedented job security, fringe benefits, and retirement packages. The new bill is looking to change most of that and align public employees to be more attune to private employees. This means they will have to contribute to their own retirement, pay premiums for their health insurance, be evaluated on their ability to be productive, and be paid a salary that is comparable to the private sector for a similar task.

The reason this bill has come into existence is because cities, states, and the federal government are spending more then they collect. The biggest areas of spending revolve around the health care and retirement packages for the employees. If all forms of government can reduce the money going out the door to employees much as the private sector has done, it will allow them to become fiscally responsible and eliminate deficits and create surpluses. Once surpluses are established, more public sector construction will occur to update many buildings that have fallen into poor running condition due to budget deficits. The country runs on the construction industry. If we can increase public sector construction we will be able to provide more jobs, stimulate the economy, and get the United States back on it's feet and return the country to being a financial powerhouse that it once was.

So whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or Independent; this bill will affect you and it should do so in a positive way. Financial growth, fiscal responsibility, and high employment is something we can all agree are good things and a direction in which we should move.

- Design is what you make it.