Drawdown – LED Lighting
January 25, 2018

This is the first in a series of posts presenting the work of Project Drawdown. We’ll focus on Buildings and Cities, however if you would like to explore more about Project Drawdown, we encourage you to visit their website.

What is Project Drawdown? The intention of the founders is to identify, analyze, and develop a database of the most effective solutions already in place for arresting and reversing global warming. Can these solutions be scaled, and if so, what are their impacts? What’s the ultimate price tag — what are the costs and savings related to each solution?

“Drawdown Fellows include 75 individuals from twenty-two countries. Forty percent are women, nearly half have PhDs, and others have at least one advanced degree. They have extensive academic and professional experience at some of the world’s most respected institutions.”

Nearly all of the solutions presented by Project Drawdown result in “regenerative economic outcomes that create security, produce jobs, improve health, save money, facilitate mobility, eliminate hunger, prevent pollution, restore soil, clean rivers, and more.”

LED LIGHTING: Residential and Commercial

Through these links, you can read more about the technical reports on both residential and commercial use of LED lighting.

LEDs work like solar panels in reverse, converting electrons to photons instead of the other way around. They use 90 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs for the same amount of light, and half as much as compact fluorescents, without toxic mercury. By transferring most of their energy use into creating light—rather than heat, like older technologies—LEDs reduce electricity consumption and air-conditioning loads.

The price (per watt equivalent) for LEDs is two to three times higher than incandescents or floursescents, but falling rapidly. And an LED bulb will last much longer than either other type. Still, upfront cost remains an obstacle for household adoption.

Drawdown’s analysis suggests that by 2050, the potential impact of a significant conversion of household lighting to LEDs would result in:

  • 7.81 GIGATONS REDUCED CO2
  • $323.52 BILLION NET IMPLEMENTATION COST
  • $1.73 TRILLION NET OPERATIONAL SAVINGS

Drawdown’s analysis suggests that by 2050, the potential impact of a significant conversion of commercial lighting to LEDs would result in:

  • 5.04 GIGATONS REDUCED CO2
  • $-205.05 BILLION NET IMPLEMENTATION COST (yep, you read right…negative implementation costs!)
  • $1.09 TRILLION NET OPERATIONAL SAVINGS

(Sources: Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reduce Global Warming. Paul Hawken, editor. Penguin Books. 2017. drawdown.org)

Arcollab Awarded Best Of Houzz 2018
January 19, 2018

Lori Bork Newcomer in Athens, GA on Houzz

Athens, GA, January 19, 2018 – Architectural Collaborative – Arcollab of Athens, Georgia has won “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz®, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. Arcollab, a leading architecture firm in Athens, was chosen by the more than 40 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than one million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals. This marks the seventh consecutive year that Arcollab principal Lori Bork Newcomer has won a Best Of Houzz award.

The Best Of Houzz is awarded annually in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 40 million monthly users on Houzz. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2017. Architecture and interior design photographers whose images were most popular are recognized with the Photography award. A “Best Of Houzz 2018” badge will appear on winners’ profiles, as a sign of their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.

“We are honored by this award which reflects our firm’s commitment to deliver inspiring design and to offer the highest level of customer service to our clients,” said Lori Bork Newcomer, one of the firm’s three principals. “We enjoy the relationships we have built with our clients, helping translate their dreams into reality.”

“The Houzz community selected a phenomenal group of Best of Houzz 2018 award winners, so this year’s recipients should be very proud,” said Liza Hausman, Vice President of Industry Marketing at Houzz. “Best of Houzz winners represent some of the most talented and customer-focused professionals in our industry, and we are extremely pleased to give them both this recognition and a platform on which to showcase their expertise.”

Follow Arcollab on Houzz

 

Coming Soon to the Madison Livery Stable…
December 17, 2017

We’re excited for construction to begin on the new Amici restaurant in Madison! Joe Smith has masterfully worked his magic on a new set of plans for the old Livery Stable building. Next time you’re in Madison, check out the construction progress, and once it’s finished this spring, stop in for some delicious wings!!!

Arcollab Inspires!
December 16, 2017

Renoviso recently ranked Architectural Collaborative as one of the top 100 Houzz pages which inspire home design. We hope our work inspires you, too!

Check our our projects on Houzz. In addition to the projects found on our website, our Houzz.com page includes many more projects and photos of the residential work we’ve done, along with reviews of our work.

Fairview School Project in the News
December 4, 2017

Joe Smith had a great time meeting folks from the Rome area and North Georgia and introducing them to the Fairview School project.

The Rome News-Tribune wrote a nice piece highlighting the extraordinary generosity of Wes Walraven and Brian Moore with their donation of $75,000 to the project and sending out the call to others to donate. We’re well on our way to a fundraising goal of $175,000 to restore the First Grade Classroom building at Fairview.

Seeking Project Architect / Project Manager
December 2, 2017

Architectural Collaborative is looking for a project architect / project manager to join our team in Athens, GA. Minimum 5, preferably 7 years’ experience working on all project phases, strong REVIT skills, and expertise in design detailing are required.

Our ideal candidate is a demonstrated team leader who enjoys working collaboratively to produce inspiring designs that respond to our clients’ interests, each unique site condition, and the surrounding environment. We’re looking for someone whose project interests span residential, commercial, institutional, and public, and whose vernacular interests range from historic preservation to modern with creative ideas about how we integrate the two.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture
  • 5 to 7 years’ related experience
  • Strong REVIT skills
  • Technical expertise in construction detail documentation
  • Effective communication and team leadership skills, including time management
  • Detail-oriented
  • Self-motivated
  • Licensure and LEED credentials are a bonus

 

Please send cover letter, portfolio, professional references, and two letters of recommendation to studio@arcollab.net.

Athens, Georgia is recognized as a dynamic, hip community. Athens boasts an established art and music culture, strong public schools including the University of Georgia, great restaurants with multiple CSAs and farmers’ markets, beautiful parks, a vibrant and quaint downtown, and close proximity to rivers, lakes, mountains, coastlines, and the thriving Atlanta Metro area. We love Athens!

We’re wrapping up 2017 with the launch of Architectural Collaborative LLC!
December 1, 2017

Depth of talent and breadth of expertise have converged in the form of the Architectural Collaborative—Arcollab—in Athens, Georgia. Over the past several years, Bork Design and Hall Smith Office have produced a diverse portfolio of collaborative work on multiple projects, including:

  • a landmark historic residence,
  • the creative adaptive re-use of an old Masonic lodge, a turn-of-the-century cotton gin, and a cotton seed mill,
  • renovation of several libraries, and
  • the design of multiple modern homes.

Gabe, Joe, and Lori enjoyed working together so much that they took on one more project—forming a new firm together.

Grounded in the spirit of collaboration, Arcollab reflects the old adage that the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts. Individually, the three principals have established themselves as talented and respected architects. Each have carved out their own niche and areas of specialization. Looking to the future, Gabe, Joe, and Lori are excited for this next phase of bringing thoughtful, sustainable design to their clients. They also look forward to mentoring talented young architects and designers interested to join the Collaborative.

We invite you to explore some of our projects on our new website and on Houzz.