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Since starting our blog in 2013, we have authored hundreds of articles to promote knowledge-sharing within the industry. Within these posts, you will find topical overviews, technical deep-dives, op-ed pieces, and more.

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Rendering of gray toned apartment building on a city block. A rock formation and playground are visible at ground level. A green façade works its way up the building and a green house is provided on the roof.
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Rendering of gray toned apartment building on a city block. A rock formation and playground are visible at ground level. A green façade works its way up the building and a green house is provided on the roof.

Inclusive Design and Building Performance: An Inclusive Approach to Improving the Built Environment

What is inclusive design, and how is it different than accessibility and universal design? See examples of inclusive design in practice.
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Section drawing through kitchen sink with knee and toe clearance dimensioned below. A red dashed line shows faucet controls aligned with the front edge of the toe clearance.
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Section drawing through kitchen sink with knee and toe clearance dimensioned below. A red dashed line shows faucet controls aligned with the front edge of the toe clearance.

Accessibility Tech Notes: Obstructed Forward Reach

Technical standards referenced by federal, state, and local laws and building codes include design criteria developed to ensure that operable parts are accessible.
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Air-Source Heat Pumps in Homes: Step #2: Pay Attention to the Envelope

In most homes, insulation and air sealing are the most effective ways to improve comfort and reduce heating and cooling costs.
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Construction with mass timber
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Construction with mass timber

Choose Your Adventure: Constructing New vs. Adapting Old

To meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, we must make decisions that take into account both embodied carbon and operational carbon.
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EGC logo
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EGC logo

Utilizing Enterprise Green Communities to Drive Equity in Affordable Housing

The Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) criteria is one tool we can use to drive green building efforts to affect populations most in need.
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Image of home with air source heat pump
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Image of home with air source heat pump

Air-Source Heat Pumps in Homes: Step #1: Be clear about goals

Building new homes that are all electric makes TONS of sense. I’ve written about that before. Electrifying existing single-family homes, however, is not necessarily straightforward.
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Concrete courtyard surrounded by planting beds with tables at intervals throughout the courtyard.
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Concrete courtyard surrounded by planting beds with tables at intervals throughout the courtyard.

Trends in Healthcare: Hospital Gardens

Designing spaces to be accessible to all is essential to ensuring that patients, visitors, and staff can benefit from the benefits a hospital garden offers.
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graphic of cool home and heated home
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graphic of cool home and heated home

Best Practices for Designing & Installing VRF Systems in Commercial and Multifamily Applications (Part 1)

And as we look to electrify our buildings’ heating and cooling systems, Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems have emerged as one solution.
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ASHPs on the exterior of a home
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ASHPs on the exterior of a home

Air-Source Heat Pumps in Homes: Soup to Nuts

Modern air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) can provide reliable, efficient, clean, affordable, and sustainable heating and cooling.
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Gardner’s Supply Wheelchair Accessible Garden Bed
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Gardner’s Supply Wheelchair Accessible Garden Bed

Innovations in Accessible Products 2021

Our accessibility consultants are constantly on the lookout for new products that will make it easier for our clients to comply with accessibility criteria.
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SWA staff spotlight
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SWA staff spotlight

Staff Profile: Joe Andracchio – Senior Sustainability Consultant

For our first staff profile, we have Joe Andracchio, a Senior Sustainability Consultant on our Residential Buildings Services group.
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word bubbles with a question mark and exclamation point inside

The New FHA Safe Harbors: FAQs

FAQ of the most common questions that our Accessibility Team has been asked about the use of the new safe harbors since they became effective.
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