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Below are frequently asked questions about green housing and Spire Architecture & Design. If you have a question not listed below, please contact us.
- What is sustainable architecture?
Sustainable architecture is a general term that describes environmentally-conscious design techniques in the field of architecture. Sustainable architecture is framed by the larger discussion of sustainability and the pressing economic and political issues of our world. In the broad context, sustainable architecture seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by enhancing efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, and development space.
- What does it mean to be LEED certified?
According to the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs) are building industry professionals who have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building and the LEED® Green Building Rating System™. The LEED AP credential indicates that the professional has the knowledge and skills to facilitate the LEED certification process. LEED Professional Accreditation is a voluntary designation achieved by over 60,000 individuals who have passed the LEED Professional Accreditation exam. The Green Building Certification Institute recommends that LEED AP candidates have building industry knowledge, as well as experience working with green building professionals from multiple disciplines.
- How does Spire Architecture & Design go beyond the LEED certification standard?
The LEED Process is an organized set of standards that set the minimum criteria for being environmentally friendly. You begin with 0 points and work your way up based upon the LEED rating system.
While LEED has made great strides in environmental awareness in the building industry, Spire Architecture & Design believes that all building designs can easily achieve a sustainable status that exceeds LEED certification standards by focusing our attention to the often-overlooked details in building systems and design. We begin by ignoring the conventional thought of building design and construction and instead think outside the box. We examine how the building envelope is constructed, the installation of windows and doors, building placement, material usage and the like to determine the maximum environmental benefit and experience for the homeowner.
- What is a Net Zero Home?
A Net Zero energy home is capable of producing, at minimum, an annual output (extra) of renewable energy that is equal to the total amount of its annual consumed/purchased energy from energy utilities. The extra energy depending on its type and source is distributed back into a local utility grid for others to use.
- What are the social benefits of going green?
The social benefits of going green include:
- Improve air, thermal, and acoustic environments
- Enhance occupant comfort and health
- Minimize strain on local infrastructure
- Contribute to overall quality of life
- Enhance and protect ecosystems and biodiversity
- Improve air and water quality
- Reduce solid waste
- Conserve natural resources
- What are the economical benefits of going green?
The economic advantages of going green include:
- Reduce operating costs and energy cost
- Enhance asset value and profits
- Improve employee productivity and satisfaction (businesses)
- Optimize life-cycle economic performance
- In some cases can produce excess energy that could be sold to a utility further reducing energy cost
- Improve occupant health (less trips to the doctor)
- Are there grants and/or loans available for green development?
Yes, there are many State and Federal programs that offer tax incentives and low interest loans to home owners and businesses. Many local utility companies also offer rebates on "off the grid" energy producing systems and, in some cases, will allow you to sell excess energy back to them at the current market rate.
Even the installation of newer energy saving products (doors, windows, water heaters) can have tax and rebate benefits.
If your state or local utility does not offer any incentives, certain energy producing systems (such as solar panels) can earn income by selling Renewable Energy Certificates (REC’s) or Green Tags. In 2008 utilities traded REC’s for $20 to $30 per megawatt-hour, and could steadily rise in the future if a national cap is set on carbon emissions.
For more information, check out:
New York State Energy Resource and Development Authority
Green Power Network: Green Power Markets Overview
Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency
U.S. Department of Energy
- How do I calculate my home’s carbon output?
To calculate your home’s carbon output, visit: http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/
- What are Spire Architecture & Design’s fees and what are they based on?
By maintaining a low overhead and by focusing our resources on maintaining project quality, schedule and budget, Spire Architecture & Design can deliver reliable value to your bottom line.
Most architectural firms will base their design fee on a percentage of the construction cost. Therefore, you will end up paying a design fee that is about 30% to 40% higher than it should be in most cases. This "higher" fee is a result of decisions made by the project team throughout the design process. Many of these decisions result in changes to the cost of construction, but do not require any additional work by the design team.
By basing our fees on the actual amount of time required to complete the project design, regulatory submissions, bidding and construction administration, Spire Architecture & Design can reduce the cost of design fees paid by the client. This total fee varies based upon the scope, size and specific requirements of each project. Spire Architecture will always provide a written proposal that is specific to your project so that you will know the cost of the design process ahead of time.
- Will Spire Architecture & Design help us locate and select a builder?
Spire Architecture & Design will help you find a builder or we can build your project for you.
We offer an integrated design/build approach. Our extensive experience in construction, management and design allows us to provide a higher quality construction project to our clients.
Our elite group of contractors brings over 30 years of construction experience to your project. Our team approach starts in the schematic design phase and continues to the completion of construction. By overseeing the design and construction of a project, we can monitor the project scope and material quality of the project. We can then adjust accordingly to lower or increase the project budget and scope.
The client will be continually updated with current information including material pricing, labor required for project tasks and the project schedule.
This process greatly increases the efficiency of the design and construction process. In return the client is provided with a project that is "On Time" and "On or Under Budget".
It is the exchange of information and close contact between all parties that creates a successful project.
Occasionally clients have a contractor that they would like to work with or have worked with in the past. Spire Architecture will work with your contractor through the design and construction process.
- How long would you estimate the design process to take for a project?
The design time can vary based on the size, scope and complexity of your project. Upon meeting and reviewing your project, we will provide an estimate of the design process schedule. This schedule will be reviewed at each client meeting and adjusted if necessary.
- What would you estimate the length of the construction process to be for a project of our size and scope?
Much like the design time, construction time can vary based upon the size, scope and complexity of your project. As the project drawings progress, we will continually analyze the construction schedule. Prior to the start of construction we will hold a "kick off" meeting with the contractor to finalize budget and schedule.
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