Happy Holidays from TruexCullins

To our cherished clients, colleagues and friends, both around the corner and around the world, we would like to extend a warm wish of peace and joy during this special holiday season. 

We have had the great fortune to work with some wonderful people over the past year on many successfully completed architecture and interior design projects.  We have also enjoyed building our ongoing relationships with some of our cherished community organizations in 2012 such as the United Way, Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, and the King Street Center.

This week, we take a break to enjoy the holidays with our family and friends, while looking forward to some exciting projects we have in store for 2013.  On behalf of all of us at TruexCullins, Peace, Joy and Happy New Year!

Cover image: Private Residence, Jericho, Vermont.  Photo by Jim Westphalen.
Bottom image:  TC Staff at King Arthur Flour, Norwich, Vermont.

Architecture for the Birds and King Street Center

TruexCullins Architecture and Interior Design hosted our annual holiday party. This year's soiree was a unique fundraiser for King Street Center. We raised over $4,200 by auctioning off bird houses created by the staff. 

The avian homes will be on exhibit in our office at 209 Battery Street in Burlington until December 18, 2012. You may visit our office Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm or just enjoy the show in this online gallery.
 
Photos by the very talented Lindsay Raymondjack.

"Pillow Palace" by
Architect and Interior Designer
Marjorie Dickstein

"Out on a Limb"
Intern Architect
Andrew Chardain

"Coppertops"
Edgar Fandrich
Father of TruexCullins' 
Intern Architect and IT Director
Karl Frandrich

"Triple Tweet"
by Marketing Coordinator
Carmen George
(Not a licensed architect)

"Skydeck"
by Intern Architect
Josh Chafe
(Made of cement and wood)

"Color Cabins"
Intern Architect and IT Director
by Karl Fandrich

"The Grand Feather Resort Hotel and Spa"
by Principal of the Interiors Studio
Interior Designer, Kim Deetjen

"Bird Bunker"
by Interior Designer,
Rebekah Bose

"Ode to Paris"
by Architect and Lead Principal of the K-12 Education Studio
David Epstein

"Bird Home" 
by Children at King Street Center

"Quality Lodge for the Migrating Bird"
by Cliff Deetjen, husband of 
Interior Designer and Principal Kim Deetjen

"Twin Beaks"
by Architect and Associate,
Matt Bushey








  





"The Rustic Robin" by Architect and Lead Principal of the Homes Studio, Lee Grutchfeild

"Salvaged Secret Hideout"
by former employee
and author of Salvage Secrets
Joanne Palmisano

"Tree House" 
by Interior Designer,
Kristen Trottier

"iBirdpad" 
by Interior Designer,
Emily Gold

"Bird Chapel"
by Architect and Principal specializing
in Homes and Resort
Rolf Kielman

"Tunnel of Dove"
by Architect
Daniel Goltzmann

"Chick Magnet"
Managing Principal,
Director of Operations
Robert "Sparky" Millikin

"Avian Duplex"
by Architect and Principal of 
the Higher Education Studio and
Workplace Studio
Richard Deane

"Home is Where the Beak is"
by Project Manager and Associate,
Keith Nelson

"A Bird Abode"
Son of Interior Designer,
Rebecca Bose

"Tweet Retreat"
Friend of the firm and King Street Center,
Dean Percival

Friend King Street Center and volunteer at ReSource and
Environmental Sculpture, Brian Goblik.

"The Bird Bus"
by Interior Design Purchaser,
Pam Picker

Architecture for the Birds
Photos from the 2012 party










TruexCullins' Marketing Coordinator, Carmen George, King Street Development team; Kelli Shonter and Susannah Kerest

Managing Principal, Sparky Millikin with guests at the client party.

Guest with Principal David Epstein learning more about his Paris inspired bird residence.

Principal Richard Deane getting serious about bird digs.

Guest, Chapin Spencer, Executive Director of Local Motion contemplating his bid.

Chair of King Street Center, Board of Directors, Clarence Davis (second from the left) and the KSC development team letting the ideas fly with TruexCullins Dan Goltzman. (far right) 











TruexCullins Principal
Lee Grunchfeild and King Street Center 
Executive Director, Vicky Smith taking about the future of this wonderful nonprofit.

Principal of the Interior Design Studio, 
Kim Deetjen discussing bird houses flights of fancy with jewelry Designer and wife of Richard Deane, Ina Deane. 

A good time was had by all! And we raised money for a wonderful organization.

Digital Crayon: Article 8 - Sustainablity

posted by David Epstein, AIA, LEED AP

Sustainability, Green Schools, Environmental Design – it goes by many names these days. Everybody wants it for their schools, but few schools understand what it means and the level of commitment required to make it happen. We believe sustainable design is a great fit for schools because it creates healthy productive environments that help students excel and are resource and earth-friendly facilities that are durable and energy efficient. With so many schools teaching environmental stewardship and global citizenship, it is a unique opportunity demonstrate its commitment to these concepts. At its highest level, we can create buildings that teach these fundamental ideas through their thoughtful design.

We use the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System as the starting point in our discussions. Over the past several years, it has become the defacto green building credential.  It provides a useful conceptual framework by which to assess environmental design opportunities at a school.

LEED is divided into  five primary categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources and Indoor Environmental Quality. There are also Innovation and Regional credits available as well. In each of the five categories, there are credits that are mandatory and some that are optional. The idea is to select the credits that make sense for your project. Each credit is documented and reviewed by the LEED accrediting group. Based on the number of credits accepted, a project can receive a Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum certification.
What does LEED look for? In Sustainable Sites, credits are available for projects to be located in dense area near mass transit, on brownfield sites, to maximize open space and restore habitat. LEED also encourages responsible storm water management. This is a big issue when storm water runs on the surface or in pipes directly to nearby waterways, carrying pollutants, fertilizers and pesticides with it. In this case, green design is about being good for the environment. Implementation costs money and there is no financial payback. This is when commitment to the goals of sustainability is strictly about environmental impact and the future of our communities.

The Water Efficiency credits encourage the reduction of potable water use for landscaping, wastewater and process water use. The Energy and Atmosphere section addresses energy performance, and is where the mother lode of credits are available. Central to LEED’s approach to energy performance is the use of a computer energy model, that predicts the building’s energy performance. This interactive tool allows the design team to optimize the building performance by looking at the interrelationship of the building design envelope, HVAC systems, and site orientation. On-site renewables and green power are also encouraged.

In Materials and Resources, the emphasis is on using regional, recycled, low-emitting and rapidly renewable materials.

The Indoor Environmental Quality section tends to start quite a conversation, especially in international schools. Here LEED shows its U.S. bias, where mechanical ventilation in classrooms is common. In most of the world, however, it is not. In these places, ventilation is achieved with operable windows. The issue becomes in the winter, when the heat is on and windows are closed. The same is true in the summer with schools that have split system air-conditioning, which does not bring in fresh air.  We breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.  In these sealed environments, the carbon dioxide level can build up resulting in drowsiness. We believe effective ventilation strategies in all temperature conditions are key to creating healthy, productive environments.

LEED is but one path to making our buildings more sustainable. In the UK, they use a similar system called BREEAM. In any case, we always the welcome the opportunity to talk more about this important issue, so don’t hesitate to chime in.


Next Article - Article 9 - School Safety and Security

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