Ivon Street Studio

*this* is why I advise against vinyl windows and other building products with PVC. Cheap products often have a hidden high cost - in this case, it's the health of the workers making the products and those that live nearby.

Incredibly, the company calls it "The Sunshine Project".

In ‘Cancer Alley,’ Judge Blocks Huge Petrochemical Plant The company, an affiliate of Formosa Plastics, said it intended to move forward with the $9.4 billion complex in St. James Parish despite the ruling.

Interesting - a welcome change...

Energy Star Removes Gas Appliances from “Most Efficient” List Gas appliances are no longer eligible for Energy Star’s “Most Efficient” designation.

Nerding out (read: getting distracted) while working on taxes. My 2020 mileage was *HALF* that of 2019, thanks to WFH Zoom meetings. 966 miles not driven, saving 1/4 metric ton of CO2 (not even accounting for the commute)!

Interesting - TreeHugger shares National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) findings on how kitchen needs/wants are changing due to Covid.

How is COVID-19 Influencing Design? A new study from the NKBA suggests that it is going to lead to substantial change.

Ha! I thought I was alone in this...

The Video Call Is Starting. Time to Put on Your Zoom Shirt. When homebound workers need to spiff up moments before a meeting, they reach for the breakout garment of quarantine season.

My architecture news feeds have been full of new reports about how unhealthy gas ranges are. Remodelista comes through with some handsome (and healthy) alternatives - magnetic induction ranges.

10 Easy Pieces: Induction Ranges - Remodelista Last year, Berkeley, California, became the first city to ban natural gas in new buildings, starting in 2020. Paving the way for other cities in California

I'm happy to see my blog worlds colliding. My favorite eye-candy blog finally treads into high-performance/low-energy Passive House design (and still delivers the eye-candy with some gorgeous examples).

What is a passive house? The passive house approach to construction offers the ultimate in energy efficiency. To achieve its standards, builders have to follow 5 exacting rules.

This is good news. Product transparency in a global economy is often time-consuming and maddening, so I'm grateful first for a market (architects and consumers) that's asking for transparency, and second for the companies that are delivering on that request. High-five, Kohler!

Kohler Co. Announces First Ever At Scale Third-Party Verified Declare Labels Kohler Co., a global leader in the innovation and design of kitchen and bathroom plumbing products, today announced...

I was pleasantly surprised to hear Hyla Woods' Peter Hayes on my radio earlier this week. Give the third segment of Think Out Loud a listen to hear his thoughts on climate-responsible forestry and local cap & trade legislation.

"The family-run timber company Hyla Woods prioritizes the health of its forests over profits. Peter Hayes, the forester for Hyla Woods, wants more timber companies to consider climate change prevention in their policies. Hayes is a supporter of cap-and-trade legislation Oregon lawmakers are considering and joins us to discuss his thoughts on the timber industry and climate legislation."

Christian Trial | Coronavirus Response | Sustainable Timber The defense begins its case in the Jeremy Christian trial. We hear how Multnomah County responds to communicable diseases like the novel coronavirus. And a forester gives us his perspective on climate change and the timber industry. 

Introduction to a new (to me) home score, Hayward Score, via our friends at Small Planet Supply. I like the focus on healthy indoor air quality, and the role homeowners play.

The Intersection of Healthy and High Efficiency Building — Small Planet Supply Recently Albert Rooks and I went to California to participate in a presentation to a builder about Hayward Home Score and energy-efficient building with Hayward Score Founder Bill Hayward and Healthy Building Scientist Joe Medosch.  Hayward Home Score helps homeowners identify major issues

Scout's an office dog today!

I was lucky to spend yesterday at Hyla Woods as part of a Build Local Alliance board retreat. It was a perfect autumn day spent with thoughtful people talking about effecting more positive change in the local wood market.