Seattle Architects Blog
Mean Radiant Temperature – an Important Factor in Comfort
The Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT) indoors is an important factor in determining if a home is comfortable or not. The MRT is essentially a measure of the average temperature of […]
Simple Modern Upgrades
With a few simple improvements, a drab old house can become beautiful. Often clients come to me looking to upgrade an older home, not just aesthetically, but also functionally and […]
Passive House – a Strong Component in Green Building Rating Systems
Passive House is sometimes criticized for limiting itself to Energy and IAQ, and not being a more comprehensive green rating system, such as LEED, or Built Green, or the Living Building Challenge. […]
Rain-Screen Siding
Rain-screen siding is an exterior assembly which holds the finish siding away from the surface of the drain-plane […]
Pioneers of High-Performance Buildings
I’m inspired by pioneers in any field, but particularly those who were doing low-energy buildings long before most of us even heard of “Green […]
The 2000 Watt Society – a Good Metaphor for Passive House
The 2000 Watt Society is a vision for the future, formulated in 1998 by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, in which the energy use of every First World citizen […]
Building to the Passive House Standard Equals Money Saved
Building to the Passive House standard not only ensures that your house is comfortable, healthy, and energy efficient, but also benefits you economically in […]
Seattle Green Design and Passive House Consultants
Jim Burton Architects, aka BLIP Design, is dedicated to the integration of sustainability and modern design.
Buildings should touch the land lightly (like a “blip” on the landscape). Using this dogma, […]