As the world has turned upside-down, building owners are facing new and unprecedented challenges in protecting and leveraging their business assets. We’ll cover some of the most common questions we are seeing right here. Ultimately we hope that finding common ground with other property owners, managers and investors will provide insight for future planning. Better yet, perhaps...

As those of us working with multifamily housing projects know, some of the greatest challenges we experience are related to ensuring that design and construction teams are using the most stringent of both Federal law and local code. On December 8, 2020, HUD published a final rule in the Federal Register amending HUD's Fair Housing Act (FHA) design and construction regulations....

At a recent Certified Access Specialist Institute (CASI) presentation, three presenters—Janis Kent, Terry McClean and Rachelle Golden—discussed how they are seeing detailed accessibility work being performed. Janis Kent is an architect and CASp, and Founding President of CASI. Terry McClean, an architect and CASp, served as a Legislative Chair for CASI. Rachelle Golden is a law...

The winter months are especially hard on the built environment. Once minimal concerns over rain and drainage can manifest as troublesome, costly repairs as freeze-thaw cycles work their magic on debris-filled roof drains, clogged gutters and drainage inlets, open sealant joints and cracks in masonry. So, the time to prepare is now. Here’s how. Clear leaves & debris: Begin w...

It’s been 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed. So why are design and construction errors still so prevalent in new and existing construction? The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. So, after all of this time, why do barriers that have frequent and greater impacts o...

We’ve covered the latest mandates coming out of California that will guide Zero Net Energy (ZNE) building around the country. But what does ZNE look like in the real world? One common misconception is that different climate zones will impact ZNE applications. But so far that has not been the case locally — or globally. In fact, ZNE buildings have already been designed and built...

The nationwide mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 — rolling out under the umbrella of Zero Net Energy (ZNE) — relies heavily on smart solar roofs. (Read our previous blog on ZNE and who’s leading this building revolution.) In 2013 the Building Energy Efficiency Standards first required that roofs be “solar ready” or designed...

Like our banner on the fence of a Denver construction site, we (and likely everyone we all know) would have the current caption: “Maybe a little battered and bruised, but definitely still standing.” Wow, looking back now, who saw this—and to this degree—coming, just two months ago? Really, none of us. It's always hard to take any blows when you may be anticipating them even a l...

Among the many challenges facing real estate owners and operators today, perhaps the most relevant at the moment is how your building operations teams prepare to reopen properties, especially taking into account the complexity of higher density properties like office buildings and hotels. As shelter-in-place orders expire and building occupants start to return to work, many wit...

While it may take years for scientists to uncover exactly how COVID-19 can spread through building systems, it’s better to be safe than sorry. We can all do our part to make sure our working and living environments are as safe and sterile as possible. The World Health Organization (WHO) tells us that the COVID-19 virus spreads mostly through saliva droplets or discharge from th...

Construction project costs continue to rise. In an environment where every penny counts, developers need to count on architects to deliver the greatest value. And sometimes that means spending more upfront to avoid costly pitfalls later on. Architects are highly educated, experienced individuals. Their firms spend lots of money to hire the best and in return provide the best se...

As building consultancy professionals, we are vested in the future of Zero Net Energy (ZNE). California’s ZNE has a direct impact on the entire industry and involves building owners, operators, and managers, as well as builders. Historically where California leads, other states tend to follow. But like any new legislation, ZNE can be a confusing topic for our clients. So, let’s...

“Pay me now or pay me later…” A commercial from the early 70s made this phrase popular. And when it comes to the maintenance of building systems, the adage is still true today. You can pay incrementally now to preserve the life of a structure — or pay big later when you least expect it. Buildings begin to deteriorate from the minute they are completed. No matter how well a buil...

We are often asked what the difference is between a facility condition assessment or FCA and a property condition assessment also known as a PCA. Some clients use the two interchangeably, yet they are two very different services. Simply put, a FCA is a financially focused review while a PCA is a more technical condition tool. A few other services, including forensic reviews, re...

Many people will tell you that buildings aren’t built the way they used to be. What does that really mean? And what do professionals in the field believe? Yes, it’s true, of course, that things we did decades ago are very different today. Just like about everything else, building technology has changed dramatically in the past 25 to 50 years. The real question is: Do those adva...

An old proverb goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." As a building owner or operator, you know that accessibility-related lawsuits are not an everyday problem–but they happen frequently enough that you need to be on guard to protect against the expensive possibility of one occurring. Staying compliant with accessible parking, restroom layouts and building ent...