We have all heard it said that one’s garden should be a like a series of outdoor rooms unfolding one after another as one explores and wanders about. This succinct succession of experiences is essential to providing interest and excitement [...]]]>

A Sense of the Whole;  Art as a Part

We have all heard it said that one’s garden should be a like a series of outdoor rooms unfolding one after another as one explores and wanders about. This succinct succession of experiences is essential to providing interest and excitement in not only the garden but in a home as well.

Done right, each individual space works towards the creation of the overall feeling of a property or space. But what about the spaces that occur even before encountering the garden proper? The house becomes also an element in this experience – as does the entry, the drive, and yes, even the road leading to the house and the quality of the experience beyond. How was your flight?

Henry David Thoreau had it right when talking about the concept of wilderness – without the notion of a place apart, the world would be a different place. The mere fact that one knows wilderness exists is enough to change the way we think about the world. In a similar way, places such as Sun Valley provide the missing element to those that make it a home on a temporary basis. The mere knowledge that the Valley exists makes and changes those life experiences one has while apart from the direct experience. The idea of Sun Valley becomes just as important year round to the visitor as does actually experiencing and spending time in the valley.

In a similar way, the details of the garden work silently to convey the sense of place. They in effect act as hidden rooms and places within the garden that add up together with our other non-garden experiences to create the entire garden experience; the parts of the garden add up to create something that is something completely other than the whole.

Recently we have been working a lot with metal, concrete and wooden forms to act as structural counterpoints to the wild and uncontrolled nature that surrounds the Sun Valley area. This is not unlike the notion of the original French Gardens and ancient Japanese gardens that strove to carve out structure and control out of the plant material and landscapes that they inhabited. Here the control of forms creates a gestalic statement that allows one to not only see the forms of the garden but the forms and presence of nature as well.

Many of these forms take clues from Nature. The mass and angular forms of a concrete bench echo the feel of boulders in a canyon. A panel of simple color provides a mirror to the peace of the blue sky; a row of trees with a simple groundcover allow one to sense the simplicity that nature offers without trying to recreate that nature itself. By making forms that allow one to better see and experience what nature inherently brings us we can do better than simply trying to recreate that nature itself, for the feel of nature requires the context of our experiencing it in order to be at its best.

One cannot see wilderness without a context to see that wilderness in, and one cannot see color were it not for the other colors around it. I encourage everyone sit and see the contrasts that make our lives so varied and interesting, ideally while sitting in a beautiful garden.

Technology has always been important to designing and building a home, and the advances in technology make it more vital than ever today. Designs that incorporate [...]]]> Technology and Design: Improving our Built Environment
By Kevin Carey, CCPD Founder and President, Home Media, Inc., Ketchum

Technology has always been important to designing and building a home, and the advances in technology make it more vital than ever today. Designs that incorporate technology are nothing new. Architects do it every day, and responding to technology is part of the tradition of architecture. In fact, the term architecture is common in the information technology world as well, regarding electronic structures. This aspect of technology has progressed to where it requires considerable expertise and deserves special attention by experts when it comes to your home. This shift has been coming for decades, but now it is here in a big way because it adds a great deal of comfort for little expense. Designing for technology is important because electronics play a pervasive (and possibly an invasive) role in today’s homes. Home architecture without proper electronic architecture is dated before it is occupied. Home Media is uniquely able to provide the perspective, expertise, and experience to produce the best overall design.

Over 20 years ago, Witold Rybczynski, a highly accomplished and regarded professor of architecture, wrote Home: A Short History Of An Idea. His history of domestic comfort is a development of our idea of home. “Domestic wellbeing is a fundamental human need,” he asserted. Yet many contemporary architects and interior designers, and to even a lesser extent, builders, give slighter consideration to matters of comfort as it is related to technology than his assertion would lead you to expect. Technology plays a proven role for “domestic well-being.” Statistics show that people heal faster in well-designed hospitals and learn more in well-designed schools, so wouldn’t it stand reason that a well- designed home is more comfortable? Electronics now have an effect on every building system. Even our local cable company is in the midst of the analog sunset; all is digital. Electronics and technology are very much a part of domestic lifestyle and comfort, and it is what we do at Home Media.

In his same work from 25 BC, Vitruvius described the many innovations made in building design to improve living conditions. Foremost among them is the development of the hypocaust, a type of central heating. That was the technology of the time. Today, this is accepted as a matter of course and you have a mechanical consultant/engineer on the team.

In 1983, Rybczynski wrote another book, Taming the Tiger: The Struggle to Control Technology. In it he examines various historical examples of attempts to control or even roll back technology such as the Luddites and Maoist China. Home Media tames the tiger every day, sifts out what doesn’t enhance a home and makes available what does.

As an example, Vitruvius instructed how to design buildings to maximize heating fuel efficiency. Home Media instructs how to obtain LEED points, how to comply with EnergyStar, and how to reduce carbon footprint through the coordinated use of electronics. It’s not that different, but when looked at relative to the existing established system that has been maturing since craftsmen formed guilds, it can cause resistance. However, it is just change and a natural progression: solving, resolving and helping are what we do.

So to follow this progression, firmness, commodity, and delight are the three principles that in synthesis make the perfect building. Then you add comfort for domestic wellbeing to make it a home, and finally electronic information technology is now a basic modern necessity. Then, it stands to reason Home Media should be a part of envisioning and completing a home.

Simplify, but Not Simplistic “Performance Made Simple” has always been our trademark: simplify, but not simplistic. Having designed over a thousand home electronic systems for over twenty years, I have never had

Home Media can best be understood through the lens of designing. This extends to designing the look and feel of the user experience, the industrial design of the products themselves, the system design, and even things like how the buttons on the wall are laid out. As an example, a lighting control system by a lighting designer or electrical contractor can consolidate the things you do with lots of buttons in less space, or can create scenes and other global commands. But, these systems do not integrate and eliminate things, and really do not simplify. That’s what we do.

Poor design quality wastes an enormous amount of money and time. Academics have estimated that between 5-7% of all construction costs are attributed to deficiencies in design, leading to “rework.” How much of that, especially in recent times, is due to neglecting or misapplying information technology?

By simply defining ubiquitous critical project elements, we tackle the deficiencies. This reduces costly project delays and leads to reduced project cost, decreased development time, minimal change orders, shorter procurement time, reduced operating costs, lower capital expenditures, smaller energy costs, and increased asset value. It also reduces occupant and user complaints, improves functional efficiency, and enhances quality of life.

On time and on budget is not enough. Demand “Performance Made Simple,” and demand what it is simple for you. It may seem innovative now, but it won’t be in 2030.

]]> http://westernhomejournal.com/2011/02/2495/feed/ 0 http://westernhomejournal.com/2011/02/sol-ice-no-more-ice-damns/ http://westernhomejournal.com/2011/02/sol-ice-no-more-ice-damns/#comments Thu, 03 Feb 2011 07:05:53 +0000 admin http://westernhomejournal.com/?p=2482 Snow country creates problems for roofs of all kinds. Attention to detail is needed to make sure any roof functions properly. If the home is built with a simple A-frame design with entrances through the gable ends then there is no question that metal is the easiest and most effective system in [...]]]>

Snow country creates problems for roofs of all kinds. Attention to detail is needed to make sure any roof functions properly. If the home is built with a simple A-frame design with entrances through the gable ends then there is no question that metal is the easiest and most effective system in adverse climates. Design and location often makes it impossible to create such a simple roof. I have spent the last 17 years roofing in Park City Utah; this experience has given me great insight into how to deal with a complicated roof design in alpine conditions.

Anatomy of an Ice “Damn”

Anyone who has dealt with an ice dam knows what a nightmare they can be. The solution is found in understanding how they form. Ice dams buildup as a result of the unequal temperature between the cold eave and the warm roof over the living space. Heat loss from inside causes the snow to melt. Since the eaves are not heated this water freezes causing buildup known as an ice dam. Once the ice grows past the exterior wall it will no longer freeze but the ice dam will hold the water. Since all pitched roofs are designed to shed water this water looks for the path of least resistance. Unfortunately that is straight through all those “covered” but now immersed fasteners holding on the roofing material.

The Fix

The key is equalizing the temperature difference on roof in order to stop the buildup of ice. This can be done with a cold roof design or by heating the eaves in some fashion. Let’s take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Cold Roofs

A cold roof is one roof built over another with open air space between the two surfaces. The air space above the standard deck is open at the bottom of the eave and runs unobstructed all the way to the top of the ridge. The size of this space is dependent on pitch, eave to ridge length, intake and exhaust length. The more complicated the roof the harder it is for a cold roof to function. If there is not enough intake or exhaust to keep the air flowing through the cavity then a cold roof will not function.

heated eaves
There are many ways to heat the eaves. The most simple is heat cable, which involves a zigzag pattern up and down the eave. In many instances heat cable doesn’t work. I have seen heat cable that is cold to the touch, even while pulling full wattage, due to an ambient temperature of -10 deg F. In these temperatures it can’t produce enough heat to melt snow and ice.

One important fact to keep in mind with any heat system is if you start to melt the snow and ice you need to keep contact between the heat systems from the top of the heat source all the way to the end of the down spout. Another important rule of heated eaves is that the system must go at least one foot above the warm wall. If a system only goes up onto the roof 6, 12 or even 18 inches but the eaves are 3 feet long you will have freezing between the top edge of the system and the heated area of the roof. This will result in pooled water and the worst of all four letter words, a LEAK!

My years of ice dam prevention, repairs and removal helped me develop a completely concealed system that clears the entire eave and follows the rules discussed above. The Sol-Ice SubDynoMelt system clears the eaves completely using heat cable embedded under the roof. This gives the designers, architects and home owners the ability finish the roof as they desire since any roofing product can be installed over the top.

The largest SubDynoMelt system we have installed is on the Montage Resort Hotel in Deer Valley Utah. This hotel is at 8,600’ and has over 10 miles of heat cable concealed under the shingles. Chris Piper, Head of Vertical Construction, knew they would have problems if they did not get the right system installed to handle the snow. Talking about his years building in alpine regions Chris said “My experience in the past was that roofers tend to react to the problems of snow country instead of looking at the “Why” and “How”, and providing solutions from the start.” He has also said “Every other snow melt solution has been nothing more than a “Band-Aid” but the SubDynoMelt system has truly fixed the problem.”

Never satisfied we sought a better solution than heat cable. We have created a hydronic system called SubHydroMelt. This product has been able to clear snow when heat cable could not, and has produced energy savings to our clients as well. This system is able to operate better than SubDynoMelt or heat cable while costing 90% less to operate. Our clients are extremely pleased with how well our products work for them.

If ice dams have been your plague or if you are building a home and want to make sure they don’t damage your investment contact Sol-Ice to design your system or contact our local Authorized Installer Scott Miley Roofing to talk about how our products can be integrated into your next roofing project.

For more information contact Dennis N. Duce of Sol-Ice Engineered Systems, Inc. in Park City, Utah at 435.565.1423 or
DDuce@Sol-Ice.com. Follow him on Facebook.com/SolIceInc or via Twitter feed: @DennisDuce

This year the iconic Sun Valley Resort marks its 75th season of creating joyous memories for its visitors. The celebration of this milestone inspires reflection on its early days and the importance this foundation has been for the growth of Sun Valley as a recreational innovator and standard-setter.

This season on April 2, 2011, skiing recognizes the force behind Sun Valley, owner R. Earl Holding and the Holding family. The Ski Hall of Fame will induct Holding as a member for his contribution to the sport in ceremonious evening, as well as inducting local Paralympic alpine skiing champion, Muffy Davis. This event culminates a weeklong celebration of the International Skiing History Association and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame and reunion of great athletes of the sport.

Go Higher Spirit Inspires Firsts

Sun Valley has always been known for a “go higher spirit,” a term coined by Friedl Pfeifer, an early head of Sun Valley’s ski school. The area itself is prone to firsts, beginning with the first electric lights in Idaho at a Ketchum smelter in 1882, and a year later the first telephone service in Idaho initiated in nearby Hailey. But despite an early mining boom followed by a waning sheep industry, by 1935 the area was a difficult place to carve out a living. It was then that W. Averell Harriman, a successful industrialist and Chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad, set his sites on developing an American ski resort along the tradition of St. Moritz in the Alps, and transformed the gritty mining area and sheep range.

In 1936, Harriman’s team established Sun Valley resort on a former ranch, and the doors of the concrete lodge opened to greet visitors to first US western ski destination resort. The resort’s innovative thinkers built the world’s first chairlifts by adapting a banana-loading device. The year-round outdoor rink was the first in the world, setting the tradition of the resort’s ice shows that feature the greatest skating athletes of the day. The ski school was unique in that it was the first Austrian-based ski school, and through today Dollar Mountain is considered the finest teaching locale in the United States with over 250 instructors in the resort’s ski school.

There are so many firsts and innovations, like the obscure first performance in the U.S. of the Hokey Pokey at Sun Valley’s Ram Restaurant in the 1940’s, but what is telling in the 74 seasons leading up to today is how the resort has aimed and strived to be the best. The starting place for Sun Valley’s greatness lies in place: 300 days of annual sunshine, the consistent vertical pitch of the ski terrain, little wind, abundant snow, and the year-round all-encompassing beauty of the Wood River Valley. And through its continuing efforts to “go higher,” every year the facilities and activities expand and quality increases.

Taking Skiing to the Top

The question at Sun Valley has always been how to enhance the sport and the experience of skiing. Gentle Proctor and treeless Dollar Mountains had the first runs, but the first Austrian ski instructors climbed up and skied down Bald Mountain, declaring it to be the best ski mountain in the world. In 1939, three lifts brought skiers to the 9,150-foot summit of Bald Mountain, and Sun Valley has remained at the top since.

The same conditions and variety of challenges at Baldy that inspired the Austrian ski-school instructors and trained

Ketchum’s Christin Cooper captured the Silver Medal in giant slalom in the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics. A decade later, Picabo Street won the Silver Medal in downhill (1994), the Gold for Super G in the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, and became the first American to win the overall title in the World Cup. Local Muffy Davis took three Silvers in the 2002 Paralympics in Salt Lake and a Bronze in Nagano. Sun Valley’s Baldy continues to be an important Olympic training mountain.

Last season initiated operations for the Roundhouse Gondola that carries passengers from River Run up to the Roundhouse Restaurant. In addition to skiers and riders, the gondola extends enjoyment of the vistas and dining at Roundhouse to non-skiers, summer visitors, and evening diners. One of the things that sets Sun Valley apart is the absence of lift lines, as there is lift capacity at Bald Mountain to take more than ten times the average demand. Dollar Mountain makes for easy access with two quads, one triple, one double, and the ever-so-easy Wundercarpet.

Recent Dollar Mountain upgrades focus on challenging fun for adventure-seeking boarders and skiers. The Terrain Park has 25 new features and rails for all different skill levels and there is a practice area for freestyle jumps. Last season saw the tubing hill relocated closer to the updated and refined Carol’s Dollar Mountain Lodge. Only a quarter of Dollar’s runs are for beginners despite its reputation as a great beginners’ hill, so there are great intermediate runs on Dollar, as well.

One of this season’s innovations is the lift ticket exchange program. It allows flexibility to swap out an alpine ski day for dining, a spa treatment, something at the shops, or Nordic skiing.

Nordic skiing has steadily grown at Sun Valley since its introduction in 1970 because of its exceptional terrain with over 200 kilometers of groomed trails. This is the third season for the new Nordic Ski Center north of the Village in a shared space with the Golf Clubhouse and a 40 K groomed trail. The quality of Nordic skiing attracted the Norwegian Ski Team for six weeks of pre-Olympic training, as well as the US Nordic Team. Named Nordic Town USA, this year the resort again hosts the nine-day Sun Valley Nordic Festival January 29th through February 6, 2011, with races, sprints, clinics & demos, and music, including (it makes the mind wander) 2nd Annual Snowshoe Dance Competition.

Offering Something for Everybody

Skiing, skating, and entertainment in the clubs and Opera House occupied the time of the first guests. Over the 74 preceding seasons, there has been no greater change than the expansion to a year-round resort and the varying opportunities for recreation, relaxation and enjoyment.

“You can’t do it all in one stay is saying around here,” said exec Jack Sibbach. “Our statistics validate the truth of the statement, as we have a 75% return rate for visitors. We offer so many diverse experiences, it is impossible to accomplish everything in one or even two visits.”

Sun Valley Resort is now busier in the summer than winter. Golfing at Trail Creek has enjoyed a superb reputation. Two seasons ago Sun Valley even improved the experience by opening its luxurious new clubhouse and White Clouds, a challenging alpine-links course with unmatched views.

A playground to the stars in the early days as well as now, entertainment has always been a focus at Sun Valley. This year marks the third season for the Sun Valley Pavilion, an architecturally stunning outdoor amphitheater that is new home to the symphony and draws an increasingly exciting line-up of performers. The resort still has more intimate venues for music, comedy and theater performances.

Enduring Timelessness

There is no question that the improvements that grace Sun Valley will endure another 75 seasons, and much, much longer. The Sun Valley Pavilion features Italian marble from the same quarry as the stones cut for the Coliseum. This same mindfulness can be seen in the timber frame and stone in the Golf Lodge/Nordic Center. The other lodges are similarly designed and built with quality to endure and become landmarks for the future.

Accessible Solitude

Trains, planes and automobiles—since the beginning Sun Valley has balanced easy transportation with being far enough away for secluded relaxation. Union Pacific discontinued passenger rail service 47 seasons ago in the early days when dogsleds (and various other inventive transportation) took arrivals from the depot to the lodge. In its continual effort to make transport easy, this season the resort is offering Horizon Air passengers traveling from Seattle a half-day lift ticket for the day of arrival.

Last season, Avis opened a no-fee rental car drop-off at the Village. This is handy for guests who find that without a car they can get to all their Ketchum and Sun Valley destinations with the convenient shuttle, or for those interested in renting a car for just a day to see the outlying area. Now, there is also shuttle and van service between Boise and the Village.

In its 75th season, Sun Valley is still aiming to improve, and Jack Sibbach explains why the resort is always striving. “Sun Valley’s momentum is fueled by guest surveys. We aim for 100% guest-satisfaction, so if a survey suggests we can do something better, we do it.” This explains how Sun Valley is still seeking new heights, the go higher spirit: it has an altitude attitude.

The world recognises talent by what they see, taste, hear and read. Great bakers are [...]]]>

What brings excitement and ambition into the work of an interior designer? For Susan Flynt of Embellish, it is looking at a project and realising the potential for what she can bring to a client’s home.

The world recognises talent by what they see, taste, hear and read. Great bakers are recognised by their pastries and the genius of artists is found in paintings. For designers, their art is realised when a house is transformed into a home. The interior spaces in Susan’s home are useful measures of success in design. Embellish, her newly launched design firm, exemplifies her natural eye and love for home design. Susan has realised the finished product of turning dirt into a home several times.

A special service Embellish offers is procuring architectural elements. Susan has collected beautifully carved doors, headers, arches, metal works and other remarkable pieces to make her homes personal.  She is keyed into the best sources. “Architectural elements work so well in a home and they tend to not be very expensive. These elements are eye candy; they add character and interest, and offer great stories to tell about their discovery.”

CEO Ron Pierce compared the energy efficiency of buildings to cars, “Right now many cars are [...]]]>

Smart buildings are high-performance buildings that save their owners money. Western States Geothermal aims to make buildings do more with less energy by constantly updating and applying technology in new and better ways.

CEO Ron Pierce compared the energy efficiency of buildings to cars, “Right now many cars are engineered to let you know  how much energy they are consuming at the instant you consult  the gauge, and systems are in

The time is right to build and update buildings to save more  energy. The world’s remaining fossil fuel supply is more difficult  to access and refine, and delivery of these scarce resources is more  complex. Conservation is the logical answer not only for supply,  but also for addressing global climate change—attributed to  the release of carbon-based gases to the atmosphere and their  greenhouse effects on planetary warming.

Rebates and Credits Help pay for the Systems

As these concerns grow, the government and utility companies  have been motivated to offer tax incentives and rebates. WSG’s  first step is a feasibility study to determine what makes sense- -rebate options, system design, performance and savings.  The  federal Energy Star program offers a useful 30% tax credit  program for retrofitting residences that expires at the end of  this year. Another 30% residential tax credit extends through  2016 for geothermal heat pumps, small wind turbines and  solar energy systems. Pending Congressional approval this year  is a bill aimed at jump-starting commercial and apartment  construction with energy conservation financial incentives.

The State of Idaho echoes its support for energy conservation.  Under Idaho’s Residential Alternative Energy program, homes  with geothermal heat pumps, as well as wind, solar, photovoltaic  and biomass systems benefit from a 40% tax rebate the first  year and 20% for the three subsequent years with a generous  $50,000 ceiling. Idaho residents and commercial business  can also qualify for low-interest loans for systems, including  geothermal. Cash rebates of all kinds are available through  the gas and electric utility companies for upgraded insulation,  windows and appliances, and for more effective heating and  cooling systems.

Focus on Performance

Helping people use less energy is the business of WSG whose  headquarters is located in Ketchum. These savings are achieved  through feasibility studies, planning, innovative designs,  new and improved technology, retrofits, and performance  monitoring. According to Ron Pierce,   “WSG has roots in  geothermal heat pump applications and we design, install, and  monitor the latest in HVAC and heat transfer technologies.  We believe geothermal technology offers substantial benefits.  However, our engineering capabilities extend to solar, wind,  high-performance HVAC systems, conservation measures,  sophisticated controls and really anything that makes a building  more energy efficient and less expensive to operate. We take  a design-build approach that includes a feasibility study, a  collaborative decision process with clients, engineering, full  design, installation, monitoring, and maintenance.”

To accomplish this, WSG has assembled a formidable team  of skilled, licensed and experienced talent. The team and its engineers have all the necessary licenses for mechanical, plumbing, and electrical installations; the head electrician is a  wizard with controls; the technology expert delivers the needed  connections and communications; the project manager has 20  years experience with large complex commercial projects; and  the company holds an unlimited public works license and is  fully bonded and insured. Customer liaison Evan Lawler stays  with the project to ensure that the results fully serve WSG  clients’ needs, including alerting them to the rebates and tax  credits that make the bottom line and future energy savings  so attractive. “We stay tight with the clients, and even tighter  with their energy bills,” laughed Lawler, emphasizing that the  proof of their systems’ success is in lower energy bills.

Services Target Measurable Results

Clients come to WSG to initiate energy audits, building  monitoring, upgrades, or design-build projects. Typically with  the feasibility study and design-build process, WSG joins  the team at the onset of the building’s conceptual design.

At this point, the building can be properly oriented and  the best renewable energy system can be designed from the  ground up through close coordination with the architect,  builder and owner.

Building monitoring is a key program closely tied to service  and savings. WSG makes monitoring look deceptively easy  with a state-of-the-art monitoring system. “We monitor the  HVAC system’s performance from our office, and we can  tweak things from here to get maximum performance. If we  observe any problems with a pump, furnace or boiler, or sense  a leak, our service department is there, making the repair  before there’s damage or inconvenience. Owners committed  to lowering their environmental impact and bills have had  great success by observing the instant feedback. In fact, one  owner dropped the utility bill from $5,000 a month to $1,500  through monitoring and performance corrections,” recounted  Evan Lawler. At WSG’s headquarters in Ketchum, staff can  change temperatures and make adjustments for properties  located around the world with one thing in mind —high  performance, which equates to saving money. Similarly  homeowners can track what’s going on from anywhere with  an Internet or mobile connection. “We offer three different  packages for different levels of monitoring,” added Lawler.

For existing buildings, WSG offers energy audits. “We assess what the  current energy demand is by evaluating  existing equipment, counting appliances  and calculating the loads and energy  cost,” described Ron Pierce. “Then  with a target for savings, we make  recommendations through a feasibility  study. If it doesn’t make sense, we don’t  recommend it.”

WSG considers a breadth of systems in  the feasibility study: high-performance  HVAC, geothermal, a combination  of high-performance heating and  geothermal or solar, furnace or boiler  replacement, and hybrid systems that  maximize the benefits of temperature  differentials. “For the mountain  environment, geothermal-boiler hybrid  systems work especially well when  snowmelt is used,” noted Pierce.

Delivering on the Promise

WSG is committed to making homes  and buildings as energy efficient as  possible, and they assert the technology  is here. Lawler says, “There is a higher  initial cost, but it is rapidly recovered  through lower operating costs, tax  credits and incentives. After the initial  costs are recovered, the savings continue,  making it a great investment that raises  resale value.” “We embrace the saying  delivering on  the promise because we have the focus,  discipline, and commitment to get the  job done right the first time,” added  Ron Pierce. “We’re pragmatists, so our  energy solutions make sense and work  for the client.”

For more information call 208.726.0637
or visit www.westernstatesgeo.com