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Eco-Friendly Architects

Designing Sustainable Homes That Last for Generations

Dream | Create | Inspire

Designing Sustainable Homes That Last For Generations

Designing Homes That Keep You Inspired For Life

DesignHaus is committed to applying our experience, values, and high standards of design, quality and sustainability to help you create a home that will inspire you to live your best life.

Our Philosophy

Gustav Stickley, a craftsman and one of the fathers of the arts and crafts movement, had as a motto the words 'als ik kan.' This statement, borrowed from the fifteenth-century Flemish painter Jan van Eyck, can be interpreted in a number of ways, from 'as I can' to 'all that I can,' or perhaps best translated 'as best I can.'

This is our philosophy at Design Haus Inc. In everything that we do, we strive to do our best. We view land as a special commodity. It is becoming rarer as we fill up our planet.

Every site has many potential possibilities. When we build on a site, we choose which of those possibilities will be realized, usually for a long enough time frame to be considered permanent.

This material monument becomes a record of our values, decisions, priorities, skill, and talent. We believe this record should be one that the designer, owner, builder, and everyone involved reflect them and feel their very best. On the less idealistic side, we realize construction is also serious business.

The pragmatics of construction practice, cost, and schedule must be acknowledged. The balance that must be struck is between design and pragmatics, between the technical aspects of a building and the feeling of making a space a home. We are successful at striking this balance because of our diverse background in structural systems and building techniques and technology, as well as the more aesthetic elements of design.

Stock Plans

Many of our previously built designs are available as stock plans. While stock plans typically require re-engineering for your particular site and area, as well as a site plan specific for your project, they can be an inexpensive starting point for your permit set of drawings. A comprehensive listing of our available stock plans can be found here

Our Design Process

The Design process begins by listening to you. A truly good designer often just gives substance to your collective, sometimes intangible desires. You may have ideas in your head, inspiration from books or magazines or local buildings that have elements you like. In this first stage - Programming - site, environmental interactions, dreams and desires begin to be distilled into a set of priorities which will steer the course of the design.

The site is studied in detail for opportunities and constraints. The natural design elements of light, wind, view, vegetation, privacy and site experience are combined with the technical elements of zoning and planning, site access, sol conditions and utilities to understand the optimal placement of e built form.

In the Schematic Design phase, these priorities begin to take the form of floor plans, site plan, sketches and 3D virtual models to aid the designer and owner in visualizing the project. Most often, elements of design are interconnected, meaning that

achieving a goal in one location may manifest an undesired change somewhere else. The design process is about massaging and refining all of these elements into a cohesive, functional and attractive whole.

In the Design Development phase, the schematic architectural design is further developed with the site as the building design progresses into form. The design is continually reviewed with you at critical milestones with finished renderings and technical drawings.

The Construction Document phase is the final follow-through of the design principles and conceptual vision to working architectural drawings. Architectural drawings, which include the site plan, floor plans, elevations, building sections, details, and structural plans, are the final drawings needed to get permits to build.

Green Building

What is green building? In the United States alone, buildings account for:

72% of Electricity Consumption
39% of Energy Use
38% of All Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions
40% of Raw Materials Used
30% of Waste Output (136 Million Tons Annually)
14% of Potable Water Consumption

This means our simple necessity for shelter has evolved to the point where it has a profound impact on our natural environment, economy, health, and productivity. This impact will become even more significant for future generations.

Significant for Future Generations

Simply stated, green building is a process of trying to optimize the resource utilization, health, and efficiency of a building, while minimizing waste and its negative impacts. As our level of understanding and technology increases, the bar representing what is considered 'green' will continue to be raised.

Part of building green is helping to raise this bar whenever possible. Design Haus Inc. is doing our part, not only to research and implement the latest building technologies but also to incorporate traditional, tried-and-true energy-saving design techniques.

Some of the benefits of green building are:

Environmental Benefits

Enhance and Protect Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Improve Air and Water Quality
Reduce Solid Waste Stream Into Environment
Conserve Natural Resources

Economic Benefits

Reduce Operating and Maintenance Costs
Enhance Value and Lifespan of the Building
Improve Productivity via Improved Health and Well-Being of Occupants
Reduce Demand for Energy Sources

Health and Community Benefits

Improve Air, Thermal, and Acoustic Environments
Enhance Occupant Comfort and Health
Minimize Strain on Local Infrastructure
Contribute to Overall Quality of Life

Get In Touch With Us

If you would like to learn more about what we services we offer or whether we are a fit for you, please contact us

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Your Eco-Friendly Architects