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In this Thanksgiving season, we are truly grateful for our clients, collaborators, and friends.
We hope you will all join us at our upcoming Holiday Open House on Thursday December 5 from 4-8 pm. It is our chance to celebrate all of you! See below for more details.
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Last week, VIA employees gathered at Blueberry Hill Inn in Goshen for our seventh annual firm retreat. We spent the day reflecting on the work we've done, goals for the coming year, and ways to improve the efficiency of our daily operations. The time together, which includes a hearty lunch and a walk through the woods, strengthens our team dynamics and reminds us why we do this work. It helps us improve services to our clients, support education and professional development of staff, and ultimately steer toward a net zero energy future.
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VIA to Work with Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium
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VIA is honored to have been selected by the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium to help improve access to the iconic historic building. Built in 1890, the building was designed by St. Johnsbury architect Lambert Packard in the Richardson Romanesque style. We look forward to working with the Fairbanks Museum enhance the experience for all of its patrons. Stay tuned for more details...
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Affordable Housing Projects by VIA
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Housing news is rife with stories of extremely low vacancy rates, “housing-burdened” people paying more than 30% of their income toward housing, and median wages that don’t come close to the minimum needed for adequate housing. Housing agencies in Vermont continue to support low and moderate income housing projects throughout the state. With Vergennes Community Housing under construction and a new apartment building in Morrisville now in design, VIA is pleased to be helping in the effort to provide desirable, energy efficient housing for everyone in Vermont.
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Perspective sketch of the Village Center Apartments project in Morrisville, VT.
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The Village Center Apartments project, a 24-unit building on an infill parcel on Hutchins Street, aims to create more quality housing options in the walkable downtown area of Morrisville, building on current development patterns and existing utility and transportation infrastructure. Constrained by existing buildings on three sides and complicated by a steep slope, the project site poses a unique set of challenges. After working through various iterations, VIA, Housing Vermont (HVT), and the Lamoille Housing Partnership agreed on a 4-story plus partial basement solution with a mix of studio, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom apartments. Construction is expected to begin in the late summer or early fall.
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The Vergennes Community Housing project, a 24-unit apartment complex on Armory Lane, is under construction and on track to be completed by the summer of 2020. This project is supported by HVT and Addison County Community Trust.
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For a wealth of Vermont housing data by county and statewide, check out this website.
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Images of the new Shelburne Pierson Library are now up on our website.
Many thanks to Ryan Bent, photographer.
We invite you to take a look!
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VIA VIDEO
If you missed our video last time, here's another link to our YouTube channel.
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VIA Website Update Coming
We are working on a few updates to our website to improve its functionality and to reflect our growth as a firm over the past nine years. Please bear with us as the changes come about. We welcome your comments and suggestions at any time.
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Tip #21
Address Window Condensation
As temperatures drop outside, you may begin seeing condensation along window sashes. Higher indoor humidity levels cause moisture to condense on the cold window glass and frames, leading to mold growth and even damaged wood. Tightening up a house without addressing ventilation can increase this issue. There are actions you can take to reduce this problem:
1. Reduce indoor humidity levels - Winter indoor humidity of around 40% is comfortable and healthy for occupants (inexpensive temperature/humidistats are worth the investment). Run bath fans or other ventilation systems longer (30-45 minutes following a shower can be prudent). Install balanced heat recovery ventilation.
2. Address moisture at windows - Run a fan to help dry windows or manually dry them by mopping up any accumulated excess moisture on a weekly basis.
3. Replace windows - Insulated window frames with warm edge spacers have a higher resistance to condensation because the interior surfaces stay warm. Most windows now include a condensation resistance rating. Passive House programs mandate that interior surfaces of windows stay above 60 degrees (typically with triple glazing) to prevent any possibility of condensation and improve comfort. Proper installation of the new windows is also important.
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