Skoda | Design & Architecture, PLLC

The American Dream has always been to become a property owner, which in modern times, means owning a home. But homeownership is increasingly becoming a challenge for the average American as the cost of new homes and new home construction continue to rise.

The average homeowner in the US pays 25 to 33 percent of their income on their home mortgage payment. Before the housing bubble burst, banks were letting homeowners buy homes with mortgages that accounted for 45 percent of their income. As a result, homeowners are having trouble paying for their homes. What’s more, other commodities used in the home …

What is universal design? The American Society of Interior Designers defines it as “design that serves the broadest range of people, regardless of levels of ability, mobility, age or gender and without the need for specialized design.” According to North Carolina State’s Center for Universal Design, it is “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.” Simply put, universal design most often refers to design that can adapt with the user without major upgrades or renovations. This means that the design of …

Every year, more people want to live in a sustainably built home or building. At the same time, they are moving to cities. In 2010, 82% of Americans lived in cities, and by 2050 it will be 90%. In order for already space-constrained city planners to simultaneously accommodate growing populations, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and meet demand for green homes, they will have to make cities more sustainable.  These are all challenges facing city planners, but especially in densely packed New York City (NYC), so it is no wonder that some of the most advanced sustainable buildings in the US can be found …

If I make one major energy efficiency improvement to my home, what should it be?

This is one of the most common questions from homeowners because most people who want to make their house more efficient cannot afford to update every aspect of their homes at one time. People want to know what will give them the biggest energy efficiency improvement for the lowest cost. Usually those asking this question have already adopted the easiest and cheapest energy efficiency upgrades, such as changing light bulbs, adjusting thermostats and getting more energy-efficient appliances. But once the easy upgrades are done, what …

The smart home of the future is here. Rooms detect your presence and change lighting, temperature, and airflow according to personalized settings. Smart thermostats learn our behaviors and appropriately adjust for heating and cooling. Appliances respond to signals from utilities that turn off when prices and demand are at their daily peak, saving the homeowner money. Sound like science fiction?

Smart homes are now possible because of the smart grid, a digitally updated energy grid that allows for multiple technologies and networks to operate and communicate with one another to better manage electricity. This is a big project, one that …

When polled, 89 percent of Americans say they support the development of solar energy at both the residential and utility scale. This proves true across the entire US, among all political and economic demographics. So why isn’t solar being installed on more homes?

For starters, many people have misconceptions about solar technology and the solar industry that are deterring them from installing solar systems. Below are four common myths about solar energy which continue to cause doubt among consumers:

Myth 1: Solar is too expensive

By far the biggest challenge facing the industry is educating consumers about how they can become …

Something is amiss in the US residential building sector today. People are simultaneously short on money and energy prices continue to rise. Prices are rising because of increased demand from utilities to produce more energy and the increasing demand of fossil fuel energy sources around the globe, according to the Energy Information Agency. With rising energy costs, finding cheap ways to reduce energy-use is even more critical for homebuilders.

But homebuilders do not have to reinvent the wheel in order to build homes that use significantly less energy. The technology already exists today and can easily be incorporated into home …

First introduced in 1987 and not truly a “new” technology, Building Information Modeling is computable information rich architectural 2D and 3D data model. The acronym BIM came about in 2002. It is an evolving concept and one that continues to change as the technology advances.  It offers advantages in time and cost with a much greater accuracy and the avoidance of error due to design alterations.  BIM is a process and one of collaboration between each team member.

Throughout the design and construction process, the project is passed through multiple team members. From the architect who developed the design, to the contractor …

When people think of efficiency they think of efficiency apartments that are typically 300-450 sq. ft. in the US. However, efficiency doesn’t have to mean a small space, but it does require some small details.

If you live in a cooler region, take a look at new houses being built. In all likelihood there won’t be very many windows on the north- or south-facing walls. By grouping windows on the east- and west-facing walls, the house becomes more efficient because it can use the sun’s natural light to brighten the house and also lower the heating costs.

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When you think of architecture, you likely picture the icons of skyscrapers and other interior spaces. All of the small details permanently affixed to the exterior of the building and how a space makes you feel. However, who determined that they should be there? The obvious answer is the Architect that designed the building or structure, but likely they didn’t do it alone. And those are just the exterior details! You also have to take into consideration the complete design and construction details that led to the final product.

At Škoda Design+Architecture, we pride ourselves on the smallest …