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If I could retrofit my house and install a Sprinkler System I would do it in a New York minute. Sprinkler systems save lives and prevent fires from spreading, plain and simple. They are not complicated systems. They work by putting water on fire. [continue reading]
Recently, when it really started to feel like winter (cold, crisp mornings, snow-filled streets, and a pitch black ride home), I knew what it meant. [continue reading]
The past year has been an exciting journey for me – after buying my first place (an older {1985} brick, 850 sqft condo, in a walkable part of Ottawa) I went to work renovating it to both my aesthetic tastes as well as sustainable passions. I finally feel like I’ve accomplished what I set out to do – create a home that has its own story, which has been so uniquely woven into mine. I ... [continue reading]
Nothing gobbles up energy—and eats away at a homeowner’s budget—like heating and cooling the home’s interior. Considering the number of points in a traditionally-built home where air—along with the money you’ve spent to warm it up—leaks in and out, dad’s classic question of, “Are you trying to heat the outdoors?” comes to mind. [continue reading]
Consulting online reviews has become an integral part of the modern consumer’s buying process. A recent study from Dimensional research found that the buying decisions of 90% of respondents were influenced by positive online reviews, while 86% were influenced by negative reviews. [continue reading]
As someone aware of your environment, you know many areas have water issues. You see it every day on TV or in the press: Is our water safe to drink? Is there enough? Are we headed toward restrictions or rationing? How about water for farming? And water use has an impact on your wallet: The average home spends around 20% of its annual energy bill just heating hot water. [continue reading]
One challenge seems to be at the forefront of a lot of the discussions I'm having with colleagues and associates these last few weeks is sales. Closing sales. Making the sale. Getting some traction...getting any movement at all... Mark Mitchell is a sales and marketing consultant for the building materials industry who writes a good blog. I have been reading Mark's blog for a little while now, diving into the archives and really finding ... [continue reading]
It’s no secret that finances are often a barrier to home performance upgrades for homeowners. This is precisely why programs like the PowerSaver loan program are helpful as they work with contractors and equipment installers interested in offering energy efficient financing at the point of sale. [continue reading]
Without sales a terrible thing happens: nothing. In our corner of the shelter industry, the role of salesperson is played by craftsmen, technicians, diagnosticians, and others calling themselves designers, estimators, or consultants. Very few want to be called salesperson and fewer willingly expose themselves to sales training. The result may be that the public is able to buy our products and services at bargain basement prices, often below cost. This purchase is made from a ... [continue reading]
This posting will discuss three of the sensory inputs that affect how we perceive building design. It may seem a stretch to consider how taste, touch, and smell, would impact building design until you think about it from the perspective of evolutionary development. [continue reading]
