Sneak Peak: Upcoming Exhibit to Benefit COTS

posted by Susan Weeks

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the home and studios of two wonderful Vermont artists, Judith Rey and Denis Versweyveld.  Judith, a painter, and Denis, a sculptor, graciously invited me out to their lovely home in Monkton to see their work.  What a treat, not to mention the fabulous lunch Judith made for all of us, straight from the couple's beautiful garden.

The two, who have worked separately for years, are now combining their interests in painting and sculpture in a collaborative show titled: "Shelter : Dwelling : House : Home," which will be on display at TruexCullins in early December.  Using conceptual house forms cast in plaster and concrete, Denis' iconic sculptures complement Judith's paintings of the same simple structural forms that shape our natural and built environment.  A portion of the proceeds from artwork sold will benefit COTS, the Committee on Temporary Shelter.  Opening reception and holiday party Thursday December 3rd at 209 Battery Street, on Burlington's historic waterfront. Stay tuned for more information.

Helen Day Arts Center Stowe Home Tour

posted by Susan Weeks, LEED AP

If you're looking for something fun to do in Vermont on Columbus Day Weekend, check out the Stowe Home Tour, "Home is where the art is," a Celebration of Art, Craft & Architecture.  TruexCullins is a proud sponsor of this event, which benefits the Helen Day Art Center.  The event is Saturday October 10th from 10:30am-3:30pm and features four homes, one of which is a TruexCullins Interiors Studio project, "Custom Trapp Villa #4", at Trapp Family Lodge, a collaboration with the Burley Partnership.  For more information visit www.helenday.com.  Another great way to support art, architecture and interior design!

So What’s an Eco-Lodge?

posted by David Epstein, AIA, LEED AP

My colleague and I just returned from Ethiopia where we are working on LEED certification for several new buildings at the International Community School of Addis Ababa.  As part of the trip, we were fortunate to travel 4 hours south to Bishangari Ecolodge.

Bishangari is on the shores of Lake Langano and consists of 8 cabins, a dining pavilion and kitchen, and office.  All are solar powered and the kitchen uses bio-gas for cooking.  Bio-gas is created from solid human waste and food scraps mixed in a digester.  The mixture off-gasses methane that is then piped into the kitchen for cooking.  The setting is natural and remote. Getting there is part of the adventure and requires 4 wheel drive and nerves of steel -- one of the bridges was a metal container!

But it was worth it.  After we parked and started the walk in, we could here the grunts of the warthogs that live among cabins.  The lush setting includes baboons, monkeys, pelicans…we even saw hippos feeding at dusk.  We walked through forest villages where life has not changed for thousands of years.

So what is an eco-lodge? Well according to The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), founded in 1990, ecotourism is “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” An eco-lodge goes a bit further. The Nature Conservancy published Ecolodge Guidelines based on the work of Hitesh Mehta, one of the leading authorities on ecotourism.  They define an ecolodge as a lodge having minimal impact, that fits into the physical and cultural context, utilizes green technologies, involves and benefits local communities, and integrates environmental and cultural education into the visitor’s experience.

The integration of sustainability, economic benefit and education is a powerful combination. Our experience certainly brought us a deeper understanding and appreciation of a different culture and habitat.

Architecture & Design Film Festival 2009

posted by Susan Weeks

TruexCullins is pleased to sponsor of the first annual Architecture and Design Film Festival, September 24th – 27th, at the Big Picture Theater and Cafe in Waitsfield, VT.  With over thirty films -- including feature-length films, documentaries, and shorts -- the event aims to challenge viewers to understand how architects and designers think, work, and create.  The films profile visionary architects, the creative design process, environmental issues, and the brilliant designs that we see and use every day.  The program also includes conversations with filmmakers, architects, and designers; and, an architecture tour of Mad River Valley homes.  For an up-to-date listing of the films and program schedule, visit www.adfilmfest.com.

The Architecture and Design Film Festival is being presented by Bergman Design Team, and all the proceeds of the festival will go directly to benefit Yestermorrow Design/Build School in Warren, Vermont.  Yestermorrow inspires students to create a better and more sustainable world by providing an architectural education that integrates design and building into one continuous process.  Hope to see you there.

LEED Goes International!

posted by David Epstein, AIA, LEED AP

These days many people are familiar with the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System.  Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is a credit-based system that addresses 5 categories:

Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality.  There are also Regional Priority and Innovation in Design credits available as well.  In each category, there are prerequisites that are mandatory and an array of available measures to be considered, each with their own documentation required.  LEED Version 3.0 relies on certification by GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute), an outgrowth of the USGBC.  Because of both its flexibility and rigor, LEED has become the de-facto green building standard in the U.S.

And it is growing rapidly.  Currently, there are over 35,000 projects participating in the LEED system.  More and more clients are requiring LEED certification for their new projects. TruexCullins' experience bears this out, having completed 2 LEED projects to date and with 2 more undergoing certification.  Virtually every RFP (Request for Proposal) we see these days includes LEED certification as part of the project.

Despite its U.S. roots and U.S. based standards, LEED is now growing rapidly overseas. According to Alex Palmer of Nielsen Business Media, international projects now account for “…27 percent of all square footage registered for LEED qualification.  The number of registered projects outside of the United States went from only 8 in 2004…to 1,120 in 2008…There are currently LEED projects in 114 of the world’s 195 nations.”  The highest concentration is in Scandinavia, where 43 LEED projects are underway.

Our work with international schools has made us acutely aware of this trend.  For several years, we have been using LEED as a framework for evaluating environmental design opportunities on our international school projects.  Recently, however, we were retained by the International Community School of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to coordinate the LEED process and certification for 5 new campus buildings to be built over the next 10 years.  That the standards have not been converted to metric or European equivalents is the least of the challenges.  Some of the prerequisites, such as energy modeling and commissioning, are new concepts, and local consultants are not yet experienced with these activities.  On the other hand, other credits, such as Daylighting and Views, are easy to achieve in Ethiopia's benign climate.

As LEED goes international, it will be interesting to see whether USGBC will adapt its standards to the metric system or European equivalents.  Currently, all documentation must be in the U.S. based “imperial” system.  Similarly, regional credits and climate zone choices are all based on North America.  With its growing popularity overseas, perhaps it is only a matter of time before LEED adopts standards that are viable across the globe.

Art Hop 2009

posted by Susan Weeks, LEED AP

Hey - if you're looking for a little culture in your life, check out this year's South End Art Hop September 11-12th. Voted one of the Top 10 2009 Fall Events by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Vermont's largest art festival, it's a weekend you won't want to miss. Plus, it's a great way to support locals artists as well as SEABA, the South End Arts & Business Association. Check out all the sites, from Burton Snowboards to Red Concrete, Flynndog Gallery to JDK Design, and there's even a fashion show. And hey, if you're hopping around on September 11th, make sure to stop by TruexCullins' office at 209 Battery Street (Site #44) and check out our Architectural Photography exhibit. Visit http://www.seaba.com/ for more details.