Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Demand for Green Building Materials to Reach $80 Billion by 2013

We came across an interesting study conducted in February 2009 by the Freedonia Group, called 'Green Building Materials.' The study was posted in this week's Building Design & Construction Magazine weekly e-newsletter. According to the study, the market for Green Building materials in the United States accounted for $57 billion in sales in 2008, and is expected to grow by 7.2 percent annually to over $80 billion dollars through 2013. The following is a summary of which Green Building products are expected to grow rapidly from now until 2013.

1. Forest Stewardship Council certified lumber and wood panels - expected to be the fastest growing green building products. The demand is projected to more than triple between 2008 and 2013, more than three times faster than all types of wood panels combined. FSC certified products are produced using envionmentally responsible forestry practices.

2. Water efficient plumbing fixtures and fittings and energy-efficient lighting fixtures - expected to grow at a double digit pace through the year 2013.

3. Green floor coverings - green carpets and floor products made from rapidly renewable resources such as cork and bamboo are considered green building materials in the highest demand, and will see the greatest gains in growth.

4. Concrete made from recycled materials - products such as fly ash and blast furnace slag had the second largest share of green building materials demand in 2008 and accounted for over 15 percent of the market total. Using these materials not only reduces waste sent to landfills, but also enhances the performance of the concrete.

Dominick Tringali Architects is a residential, custom and community architectural firm specializing in the methodology lifestyle by design. To learn more, please visit www.dtarchitects.com or http://dtarchitects.blogspot.com.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

DTA Cited For Innovations in "Going Green"

Recently, the team at Dominick Tringali Architects was cited in a HomeTownLife.com online article that discussed how 'Going Green Is The Way Of The Future'.

"Recently, one of our Chamber members, Dominick Tringali Architects, worked in conjunction with a local builder to put the finishing touches on an affordable home that has been submitted for LEED-certification. The one-story home built for Habitat for Humanity Oakland County in Pontiac will soon become the residence of a family of nine". The Full Story...

Content courtesy of HomeTownLife.com

Dominick Tringali Architects is a residential, custom and community architectural firm specializing in the methodology lifestyle by design. To learn more, please visit www.dtarchitects.com or Contact Us.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Commentary From Dominick Tringali

Written By: Dominick Tringali, AIA NCARB

I just returned from visiting two of our national projects where European Copper's new Freedom Gray color chimney caps were installed. The Freedom Gray caps, designed by Jack Arnold, blend wonderfully with French Country style homes. I have started to mix these chimney caps with zinc gutters and downspouts on some of my homes, which seems to be an affordable alternative in today's marketplace. The quality of European Copper's chimney caps are the finishing touch - as they project majestically over the home, they are the perfect architectural detail for high end homes. You can view the entire line of European Copper chimney caps at http://www.jackarnold.com/copper-chimney-pots.html

Dominick Tringali Architects is a residential, custom and community architectural firm specializing in the methodology lifestyle by design. To learn more, please visit www.dtarchitects.com or our Custom and Luxury Home Design Blog.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Two New LEED-AP's on DTA's Staff - How Can This Benefit You?

Written By: Stephen McKay Jr. Associate A.I.A., LEED-AP, CNU, Certified Green Professional

Dominick Tringali Architects recently added two LEED-AP's to their staff. Mark Garagiola and myself have passed the LEED-AP exam and are now qualified to provide consultation for your project to achieve LEED certification.

A little bit about the LEED-AP exam first...(Check out http://www.gbci.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=28 for more info on what a LEED AP is). LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (http://www.usgbc.org/). Our study and testing process was very rigorus. The exam prepares you to design and construct a project taking into consideration Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Environmental Air Quality. The point based scoring system takes into consideration your compliance with these factors and rates your proposed building against set point values to determine your score (Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum). Mark and I are now accredited to assist developers, building owners, investors, etc. design their project to these standards, and assist in the certification process.

So what exactly does this mean to you? Here are a few facts and figures first to provide you with some info on where the "green market" is going...

-Consumers estimated spending double on green products and services during 2008, totaling estimated $200 - 500 Billion.

- 70 percent of consumers said they were more or ‘much more inclined’ to invest in a green home over a conventional home in a down market.

- 63 percent of green homeowners were motivated by lower operating and maintenance costs that come with energy and resource efficient homes.

-In addition to lower maintenance costs, environmental concerns and their ‘family’s health’ were significant factors for going green.

-I recently found a diagram describing a cast study of building cost lifecycles. For the same building type, for an office building that cost $10.0mil and was built to code, it would have nearly $350.0mil in operating costs over its life.

For a building built to LEED Platinum standards the design/construction cost would be $12.1mil, but have $62.2mil in operating costs over its life. That is nearly a $285.0mil in savings, not to mention the marketing potential of this building!

Therefore, as our society places more value on green products and living environments, the demand for LEED Certified buildings increases. Across the country, LEED Certified offices, medical buildings, daycare centers, etc. return greater rates than non certified buildings as occupants place a premium on healthy buildings. In addition, we have seen a dramatic increase in new client interviews asking for green, healthy homes. This has just been reinforced by the recent stimulus package passed by The President has also placed greater incentives on sustainable buildings and technologies.

DTA currently has two projects seeking LEED Platinum Certification. We recently completed a 1768s.f. 5 bedroom home for Habitat for Humanity which will be constructed for less than $100k. In addition, we are completing a project seeking LEED Platinum Certification in Birmingham which will be the 2009 Somerset Showhome.

We will be conducting additional tours and educational presentations throughout the coming months. Please contact JamieQ@DTArchitects.com for more information.

Dominick Tringali Architects is a residential, custom and community architectural firm specializing in the methodology lifestyle by design. To learn more, please visit www.dtarchitects.com or http://dtarchitects.blogspot.com.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

DTA is gearing up to launch a brand new website!

Dominick Tringali Architects will be launching our brand new website on Friday morning!

Over the past few months we have been very busy working on the new site, which will feature all new imagery of custom residences, commercial projects, and award-winning communities we have designed. We will also have a section featuring on-the-boards projects which we are currently working on across the country.

We will also feature two new online services - our Online Plan Review Service, where clients can submit existing plans or elevations through our website and our design team will review and mark them up to make sure the floor plans are efficient and livable, and the elevations are properly designed with correct massing and materials.

The second service is a quick and easy portal for purchasing our pre-drawn plans over the internet. Now builders and custom clients can view our designs and order affordable, DTA designed plans in just a few mouse clicks.

Be sure to visit the website tomorrow and check out all the new features! The link is listed below.

Dominick Tringali Architects is a residential, custom and community architectural firm specializing in the methodology lifestyle by design. To learn more, please visit www.dtarchitects.com or http://dtarchitects.blogspot.com.