Geos - Colorado's First GeoSolar Neighborhood

"Geos is an innovative master planned community that emphasizes the importance of neighborhood and utilizes technologies that are right for our time. It is Colorado’s first sustainable, integrated community where energy from the Earth and the Sun replaces all fossil fuels." ( from their website) In Arvada, Colorado, close to Golden and Denver, the location is next to the West Woods Golf Club and borders on the Ralston Creek Trail which is part of the Denver Regional Bike Trail System. The development is going to be arranged in four sections and will provide different housing options, as well as access to common areas, parks, plazas, businesses and playgrounds , the four Geos neighborhoods will connect a diversity of people and lifestyles.

Eco Features - Solar and Geothermal from their website: "Over 300 sunny Colorado days per year and a constant temperature of the Earth at five to seven feet below ground level are the power sources of Geos, the first fossil fuel free community in the United States. Homes that incorporate passive solar, super insulated building shells, high thermal mass and mobile window insulation provide for optimal solar energy gain and retention. A heat recovery ventilation system provides clean and filtered fresh air and conserves internally generated heat. On hot summer days, an Earth tube chills incoming air to 60°F to cool the home. A district ground source heat pump, which also serves as a back-up heat source for extended cold spells, provides domestic hot water.

The entire climate conditioning system and all household electrical equipment are powered by a photovoltaic system tied to the utility grid for net metering. Excess power generation, particularly on hot summer days, is delivered to the grid for storage and to compensate for nights or cloudy daytime needs when electricity is drawn from the grid. Space conditions are thermostat controlled and an energy monitoring system keeps Geos homeowners informed of their specific energy uses. This technology has been used in Europe for many years and is proven, simple and low maintenance. Be part of the first community in Colorado to live a life free of fossil fuels." Also see the Denver Post's Geothermal article for more information about this technology.

The project was developed by Norbert Klebl and Zen Development and the architecture was designed by Michael Tavel Architects and David Kahn Studio.

The master plan has been approved and in May of 2008 the infrastructure construction will begin, which will include the roads, sewers, and utilities. The public opening of the pre-sale release occurred last week on Earth Day, April 22, and the those who sign up will have access to the June 2 pre-sale release.

The crew from Yert.com visited with some of the key members of this project last November and this video gives good insight to the current nature of sustainable design in Colorado.

Also a recent article from the Boulder County Business Report.

Denver Architecture Firm of the Week 4/24/08 Michael Tavel Architects

Image Credit:Mark Sink Project: Solar Village Prospect

From their website: Michael Tavel is a fourth generation Coloradoan. He studied fine arts and structural engineering as an undergraduate and interned as an architect in New York City before receiving a masters degree in Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley in 1989. He won the top prizes in architectural design at Berkeley including a one-year traveling fellowship. Michael also worked for three internationally known architects: Mark Mack in San Francisco, Christopher Alexander in Berkeley, and Heinz Tesar in Vienna before returning to Colorado in 1991 to teach in the graduate school of the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado. He has lectured locally, nationally and in Europe and South America on architecture, landscape, and town planning.

While teaching at CU, Michael co-founded and directed a summer study abroad town-planning program in Prague, Czech Republic that worked with city officials on challenging urban projects from 1993 to 2000. In Colorado, Michael simultaneously worked for Hoover Berg Desmond Architects from 1993 to 1996 and was a Senior Associate at Wolff Lyon Architects from 1997 to 2002 gaining extensive professional experience in traditional mixed-use neighborhood development. After one year with Van Meter Williams Pollack Architects in Denver, Michael was offered the Solar Village mixed-use project in Longmont, and with this he founded Tavel Weise Architecture and Urban Design in collaboration with Jack Weise. Jack’s specialization is construction documents. He now works as a subcontractor to the practice recently renamed Michael Tavel Architects.

"Michael’s work with other firms has won numerous national and regional awards including ones from Progressive Architecture, AIA and HUD. Michael Tavel Architects has recently won seven awards for their first two major projects: Solar Village Prospect (with Solar Village LLC) and Geos Neighborhood (in collaboration with David Kahn Studio). More about these projects from the AIA Denver Chapter Awards website.

Solar Village Prospect Awards:
2005/2006 Architects' Choice Award from the Rocky Mountain News and AIA Denver
2006 Sustainability Award from AIA Denver
2006 Design Award from the Colorado Renewable Energy Society
2007 AIA Denver Citation Award

Geos Neighborhood Awards:
2006 Colorado AIA Citation Award
2006 Denver AIA Honor Award
2006 Denver AIA Sustainability Award

Michael Tavel Architects

Green Drinks Denver Thursday April 24th

Every month people who work in or who are interested in the green design industry meet at informal sessions called Green Drinks which will be this Thursday, April 24th at 6pm at Marios' Double Daughter's Salotto, 1632 Market St. in Lodo Denver.

This month the featured guests will be Colorado Green Properties and C² Sustainable Development Consulting.

Colorado Green Properties is a multimedia website all about building, buying, selling and investing in green real estate from Denver to Durango. Colorado's largest selection of green homes and commercial properties for sale, as well as a growing collection of green real estate news and video, and many links to local sources of green building materials, experience and expertise.

C² Sustainable Development Consulting can assist you with all of your green building objectives. Whether you're planning a LEED Platinum office building, a LEED-ND resort or simply considering remodeling your home with today's healthiest, most energy-efficient products, they are here to guide you every step of the way.

Happy Earth Day! AIA Announces the2008 COTE Top Ten Green Projects

Photo by Nic Lehoux
The building pictured above is the Pocono Environmental Education & Visitor Center, designed by architecture firm, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and one of the ten winners of the COTE 2008 Green Project.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment (COTE) have selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design solutions that protect and enhance the environment. Unfortunately no Colorado buildings this year...

AIA Top Ten Green Projects 2008

...And the Platinum goes to Canada

North America’s first LEED platinum certification for multi-family residential awarded in Calgary. The Vento, designed by Busby Perkins and Will in conjunction with green developers, Windmill Development Group, is a three-storey inner-city development comprised of 20 two-storey town houses atop several ground level retail outlets.

via World Architecture News

A Floating World

"A set of zero-carbon floating buildings has been chosen by RIBA as the winning design for the visitor center at the new Brockholes Wetland and Woodland Nature Reserve in Preston, northern England. Nicknamed ‘A Floating World’ and chosen over five other shortlisted entries, this design from Adam Khan Architects uses buildings made of low embodied energy materials such as thatch, willow and timber, drawing on the heritage of wetland dwellings and embodying a sustainable agenda."

via Inhabitat

Deconstruct, Reuse, Repeat

I've been reading a lot of articles recently as well as seeing the PBS e2design program "Grey to Green" on reusing construction and demolition materials to use in new buildings. The idea of reusing discarded building materials also caught my eye last week in my entry about BioSIPs. My interest in Deconstructivism back in my school days as an architectural style has evolved into more support of an idea about current green construction practices such as actual building deconstruction and adaptive reuse.

Colorado has some companies that deconstruct and supply others with these materials, such as Colorado Demolition, Haul Away Recycling Inc., ReSource Yards in Boulder and Fort Collins, the ReUse People, and the national Freecycle network. Recent articles include a Plenty Magazine article about an ebay-like material reuse site called PlanetReuse started by a Kansas City architect. And Treehugger's Deconstruct, Don't Demolish article is about a community oriented group in Western New York called Buffalo ReUse.

According to the U.S. EPA, construction and demolition debris is generated when new structures (residential and non-residential) are built and when existing structures are renovated or demolished. Components typically include concrete, asphalt, wood, metal, gypsum wallboard, glass, plastics, and roofing. Public works projects, such as streets and highways, bridges, piers, and dams, are also included. Many state definitions of construction & demolition debris also include trees, stumps, earth, and rock from the clearing of construction sites. Building demolitions account for 48% of the waste stream, or 65 million tons per year; renovations account for 44%, or 60 million tons per year; and 8%, or 11 million tons per year, is generated at construction sites.

Will the building materials of the future be the building materials of the past?

Using Solar Panels as a Material Design Element Pugh + Scarpa - Colorado Court

From a few years back, found this video about the first Gold LEED Certified Multi Family Residence. More info at Pugh + Scarpa.

Studio H:T and In Situ Design Win Young Architecture Firm of the Year

Last night at the Denver Chapter AIA, Young Architects Award Gala, Studio H:T in Boulder and in situ Design in Denver won Best Young Architecture Firms of the year.

Young Architect's References

Recently, I found a new website blog that has several good articles that relate to getting a job in architecture and the trials of the early years of practice based on his own personal experiences. YoungArchitect.net and sub link to articles about The Profession.

I also recently met with an architect who is involved in submitting and editing a new AIA website that is a great set of online resources for aspiring and established architects. It is called AIA Soloso.

The best forum for architects that I have found and have followed for years. Archinect Discussions. So if you have questions, these sites may have the answers. If you know of other sites that are similarly helpful please comment below.

Tonight is the Colorado AIA's Young Architects Awards Gala, the kick off event to Colorado Architecture Week and one of the most exciting events of the year. Celebrate the achievements of Colorado's passionate young architects, interns and students on Friday, April 11, at the Exdo Event Center (1399 35th St., Denver, 80205.

Birambye International Benefit at Cervantes Tonight

From the Birambye International website: "Birambye International is a non-profit charitable organization comprised of engineers, architects, planners, and other professionals from the greater Denver area. We are committed to participating with communities in need and developing sustainable environments that restore the health and wellbeing of community life. The Birambye team implements innovative solutions by combining our skills and knowledge in green design and construction."

Their current project is called the Birambye Lodge, in Rwanda.

L'Esperance Aid Rwanda operates the Children's Village Kigarama, an orphanage in Western Rwanda with 105 children. Once these children reach the age of 18, they are asked to leave the orphanage. Numerous problems have risen in helping these children become successful adults. Many of them have little to no education or financial means of supporting themselves once they leave. Victor Monroy, Director of Children's Village Kigarama, holds a vision of a sustainable society and a brighter future for the children that leave the orphanage. After visiting the orphanage and meeting Victor, Birambye Internation President, Mark Reiner agreed to kickstart this project. Birambye International will help plan and develop a lodge with the Children's Village Kigarama Orphanage can operate and manage. The project will provide the economic self-sufficiency that will nurture the intellectual, spiritual, social and physical growth of the children, while supporting the harmonic stewardship of the environment.

Benefit PDF Link $8 Thursday April 10th at 8pm Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom - 26th and Welton, Denver

Bands performing are U.S. Pipe, Apex Vibe, S.T.O.I.C., Kollage, Isolated Generation, AddVerse

Birambye International

Denver Architecture Firm of the Week 4/9/08 Faleide Architects

Image Credit: Tectograph / Leonard-Congello Residence, Morrison, Colorado

From their website profile:

Based in Denver, Colorado, Faleide Architects has established a reputation for creating designs that enhance clients’ quality of life where they work and live. In addition to being highly respected by his clients, Ron Faleide has also been regularly acknowledged by his profession. Most recently, he received two awards from the AIA’s Colorado chapter.

The firm’s clients include corporations, schools, churches, restaurants, banks, the U.S. government, and owners of fine homes and affordable housing. Faleide Architects creates enduring spaces that blend tradition and progress, reflecting rigorous education in architectural history and theory and nearly 30 years of wide-ranging office and field experience. Because Ron first began practicing in Colorado in 1979, clients also benefit from his thorough understanding of the local construction industry.

Founded in 1995, Faleide Architects works in collaboration with Carsten Roth Architekt (Hamburg, Germany). The partnership grew out of a long-standing personal and professional relationship between Ron Faleide and Carsten Roth, also an award-winning architect. Together, they are committed to fulfilling the potential of design to create transformative experiences. The two offices bring a depth of experience and a broad range of skills to every client, including extensive experience in carpentry, electrical systems, plumbing and finish work, computer graphics, environmental and sustainable design.

Born in 1952 in Fargo, North Dakota, Ron holds a degree in Architecture from North Dakota State University and has masters degrees from Harvard University and Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Balancing his knowledge of architectural history and theory, Ron has nearly 30 years of design experience, including experience in these area: site analysis, schematic design, design development, environmental and sustainable design, construction document services, bidding and negotiation, construction contract administration, and architectural photography.