Tag: Building engineering

Maintenance What Lies Beneath
2013 March What Lies Beneath

 They say a house is only as strong as its foundation. A bad roof, or shoddy  plumbing can set your building back a lot of money. But, a foundation in  disrepair can put the entire building's structure at risk. It can also cost  tens of th…

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Real Estate Trends Green by Committee
2013 March Green by Committee

 Green truly is the new black in New England. As more and more condos and HOAs  look to save money as expenses rise, more and more boards and unit owners are  exploring ways to incorporate “greening” into their building community.   …

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Maintenance Green Exteriors
2012 March Green Exteriors

More often than not, when boards or associations broach the issue of their buildings “going green,” images of bamboo flooring, hemp drapes, or solar panels on the roof suddenly spring to mind. The impression seems to be that in a condo,…

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Energy Conservation LEEDing the Way
2009 Sept LEEDing the Way

Real estate professionals, developers and builders are all reporting the same thing: today’s homebuyers who are looking for maximum value are asking for more than granite countertops and hardwood floors – they want energy savings and green…

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Energy Conservation Green in Real Life
2009 Sept Green in Real Life

As Kermit the Frog once sang, it’s not easy being green. In many cases, going, “green” for condominium units (which can encompass a wide range of practices) comes with paperwork, additional maintenance, and, least app…

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Energy Conservation Rebranding the Green
2009 Sept Rebranding the Green

If one wants to ascertain the state of the green building industry, shared vacation condos – also known as “fractionals” – are a good place to start. While many will settle for an uninspiring exurb lot near a convenient highway entrance…

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Maintenance Not Your Father's Foam
2008 March Not Your Father's Foam

The building envelope, as many already know, is a term used to describe the six sides of a building which "envelop" the building (if the building were a perfect cube). The underlying goal of excellent construction is to makethe building …

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Breathing Room
2008 Jan Breathing Room

With oil prices soaring and talk about "going green" on everyone's lips these days, homeowners and developers alike are making an effort to button up homes to keep warm air in and cold air out. But those efforts to increase comfort …

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Water, Water Everywhere...Revisited
2007 Aug Water, Water Everywhere...Revisited

In the fall of 1989, I delivered a presentation at the National Conference of Community Associations Institute in Dallas, Texas. My presentation was about why buildings leak. At that point in my career, I had been involved with thousands…

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A Call to Action
2007 June A Call to Action

When most people hear the term green building, they often think of photovoltaic solar panels, cisterns, wind turbines, or straw bale homes. With these images in mind, it's no wonder that people think green building is a fringe alternativ…

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