Editor’s Letter – FALL 2020

First Thoughts

everyone spending more time at home has led to new opportunities for technology and design firms.

LONGMONT, COLORADO | DECEMBER 2020

Greetings. As fall gives way to the first hints of winter, the novel coronavirus continues to dominate the news. There has been unprecedented opportunity for the technology and design trades, due in part to families being cooped up together and contemplating upgrades to their residences, as well as businesses looking to maximize operations and the productivity of their work-at-home business units. Designs are evolving and the reliance on technology has never been more apparent.

We welcome two new voices to our chorus, kicking off the magazine with Cris Pyle’s high-level interview with Jerry Howard of the National Home Builders Association. Cris will be taking the pulse of other trade association leaders throughout the next year and the impact technology has on the design-build community at large. Sean O’Keefe joins us with a fascinating look at 3D laser scanning – perhaps the future of not only architectural rendering, but interior design as well.

The posse returns with some brilliant articles – George McClure profiles a cool project in Colorado Springs, Steve Panosian interviews architect Eric Davenport, Stephanie Casimiro profiles the amazing work being done at Screen Innovations, Bill Hensley talks about the relationship between the designer, architect, builder and technologist, and David Warfel is back with more on designing with light.

We’ll be exploring the latest mesh technology and how simple it is today to get a reliable wireless network set up in your office or home, as well as the benefits of automating motorized window treatments and outdoor products like awnings, pergolas and rolling shutters.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Troy Adams of Troy Adams Design & Development to talk about the amazing Summitridge project and his collaboration with Colorbeam Lighting. This seven-year project will take your breath away – and Troy shares his unique insights on design.

Our good friends at Starpower walk us through their process, from initial discovery to their incredible experience centers where clients get their first hands-on experience, through to the build and post-sales phases on major remodels and new build projects.

And finally, Steve Haas adds his thoughts with regard to acoustics and the role the science plays in performance home methodologies. If we’ve learned anything during the pandemic, it is that the fundamentals of performance home strategies – clean air, purified water, acoustics, music, light, sustainability and resiliency – are more important than ever. How we control and automate our environments and monitor the performance of our spaces is also part of the grand scheme.

Let’s go see where technology meets design.

D.

Technology Designer