http://blog.elementdg.com land planning . engineering . architecture . beyond Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:00:43 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Over the past few years of designing living spaces for clients, we have discovered that the establishment of a starting point is critical.  Architects and Designers have been criticized, and at times, rightly so, for laying out what they want and what they think would be best.  There are trends ... http://blog.elementdg.com/?p=211 So it has occurred to me that some trends in housing are simply the result of fear.  We have the privilege of working with Clients on the design of their custom homes and have realized this is a concoction of one part creativity, one part counseling, one part discernment, and ... http://blog.elementdg.com/?p=205 So here we are – Earth Day forty years on – and for the better.  What started as a “teach in” by a Senator from Wisconsin (my home state…) in 1970 has grown to be an international day of reflection, demonstration and dedication for over a billion people.  The best ... http://blog.elementdg.com/?p=202 Every movement begins with a few people with shared ideas that slowly gain like-minded people that ultimately begin to change the way things are done.  Sustainability is no different.  Sustainability is not intended to create Utopia – it is intended to allow our society, our community, our place to survive ... http://blog.elementdg.com/?p=200 Today is literally the 80th day with recorded precipitation in Coastal Sussex since September 2009…doing the quick math that is around 3 times per week.  All this rainwater brings to mind the concept of rainwater harvesting.  In ancient times, this was a very common practice as many societies around the ... http://blog.elementdg.com/?p=198 We have been talking and writing a lot recently about what makes Delaware unique.  There is no shortage of topics there – from our rich history, to our waterways, to the people that call Delaware home.  The one thing that does get neglected from time to time is our incredible ... http://blog.elementdg.com/?p=196 With record breaking snow amounts, and now consistent nor-easter’s bringing April showers one month early, I’m wondering when summer is going to arrive with its bright sunny days and less saturating conditions.  But since everything seems to have wet feet nowadays, let’s go with the flow and talk about wet ... http://blog.elementdg.com/?p=194 You have likely heard talk about building with “renewable resources” and potentially some of us even know what that means.  There are products available that are renewable and products that seem like they should be.  Couple this with locally harvested, processed and manufactured products and you get like 4 or ... http://blog.elementdg.com/?p=189 When we think of our homes and the finishes on the interiors, we have realized that many of these materials can be better for our health and better for the environment.  We do not want to sacrifice quality or aesthetic but we are not going to pay more for it.  ... http://blog.elementdg.com/?p=187 In the world of Sustainable Design and Construction, the goal is minimal impact to the environment, conservation of materials and the use of durable products that will stand the test of time.  Taking this to the practical environment where costs and efficiencies are of the utmost, Designers and Builders must ... http://blog.elementdg.com/?p=185