Who is Virtual Reality Good For?

Last year at the Capital Home Show we set up a Virtual Reality demonstration, allowing show goers to explore the inside of a computer generated building. The initial impression that we got was the typical stereotype: the younger crowd was excited to use the new technology, with the older generation being skeptical of its use. During the show we also asked volunteers to fill out a quick survey about the experience, and some of the results we got were surprising.

Despite the idea that the older crowd is not interested in technology, over 60% of the people that wanted to try out the headset were over forty. So what’s the real story behind the discrepancy of who seemed excited about Virtual Reality during the show and the numbers from our survey? One possibility is the challenge of setting up the headset and the software that it needs to run. Right now Virtual Reality headsets are mainly geared towards video games, and converting that system to display finished, the opinion of the older generation for the Virtual Reality experience seems to be quite positive.

Another question we asked was what devices people used. Most of the people that tried out our Virtual Reality experience had some sort of computer or tablet, and only a few people didn’t own a smartphone. With such an abundance of smartphones, the accessibility of Virtual Reality has never been higher. Companies like google are mass producing cheap ways to turn smartphones into miniature Virtual Reality headsets, putting the power of the virtual world into the hands of the average person, even if they aren’t as powerful as dedicated equipment. Now anyone with a smartphone and fifteen dollars can explore both real and conceptual buildings while comfortably sitting in their own home.

There are still some challenges in using Virtual Reality; it can be difficult to transfer models between software, high quality headsets can be expensive, and there are latency issues that give some people motion sickness. Even with these challenges more and more people are willing to try it out. The technology, both on the software and hardware sides, is only getting cheaper and more accessible as time goes on as well. Will Virtual Reality soon be the new standard for viewing? Probably not, but it certainly will be playing an increasing role in the future.

Making your Remodel or Renovation be a Piece of Architecture

I have often heard the comment "you can tell an architect was involved with this"  when friends are talking about a renovation or a remodel. This is not to bestow some type of all knowing talent to the architect, rather it implies that someone thinks that the renovation possesses characteristics of style, proportion and balance that they tend to associate with a piece of architecture.

WRITE IT DOWN

When planning a renovation you should spend time developing your scope. Write it down. It can be a simple paragraph, but by writing it down you start to commit yourself to the project.

GATHER SOME IMAGES

It is also very helpful both for you and your architect if you can compile a good number of images of things you like. (window seats, counter tops, lights, windows, etc) You can rip these out of magazines or post them on the internet in a place such as an Idea book on the website Houzz. A picture really does paint a thousand words.

TALK TO AN ARCHITECT

You will constantly hear us beat the dead horse of stating that Renovation is an "exercise in prioritization", but if you can simply state what it is you want to do and accompany that with some photos of components that you find appealing you will be well on your way to developing the scope.

An Architect can be a great resource in helping you filter through this content, discover patterns, and navigate through potential problem areas to help get your renovation planning process off to a clear and productive start. You can retain an architect for a very reasonable hourly fee at the beginning of the project to help you prioritize what you need to do so that your renovation ends up looking like a beautiful piece of architecture.

Building Sciences - Spray Foam Insulation

To Spray or Not to Spray (Insulation that is)

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Foam insulation after it has expanded

Spray Foam insulation is a great alternative to traditional batt insulation for your home renovation project or addition. On one hand the batts are readily available at you home improvement stores and are easy to install. But batts can’t get in to all the cracks that are a potential for the leakage of air movement.

Types of Spray Foam Insulation.

There are two types of spray foam insulation:

1. Low Density (Open Cell) – This type of insulation has a thermal resistance of R-3.5 to R-4.0 per inch. Once open cell insulation cures, it is soft and flexible, like memory foam pillows. This type of insulation uses water to create the reaction similar to bubbles in a bath the insulation grows with water. Low density insulation can be sprayed in a cavity on one pass because the insulation expands ten times.

2. Medium Density (Closed Cell) - This type of insulation has a thermal resistance of R-6.0 to R-6.5 per inch. When closed cell insulation cures, it is hard and rigid. This type of insulation uses a chemical component to cause the reaction which is why it gets hard when it cures. This type of insulation needs a couple of passes to allow time for each layer to cure before applying another layer.

Cost.

Most people will tell you that spray foam insulation is way more expensive than other forms of insulation. The answer is yes and no, it all depends on how you look at it. On the one hand, batts are cheaper and you can install them easily. On the other hand, batts do not cover all the crevices in the wall so your HVAC equipment will have to work harder to keep the space at the your comfort level. The more work, the higher the cost of operating the equipment and the reduced life of the equipment.

Some Benefits of Spray Foam Insulation.

·         Because spray foam expands, it reaches into all the cracks improving the building envelope. You could apply the spray foam insulation in your home improvement project without having to remove the entirety of you wall surfaces.

·         With the more common batts, if you compress the insulation, you reduce the thermal rating.

·         Spray foam insulation has better long term insulation versus batts.

·         It is a bit more difficult for pests to maneuver within the cavities.

Not A DIY Project.

Spray Foam insulation can greatly reduce the drafts in the house and improve the energy efficiency of your home improvement or addition project, but you really need to get a professional installer. One reason is that when the spray is applied is quickly expands to fill the cavity. If too much spray is used the foam will come out of the cavity and you will have to do more work to cut the excess foam. This is a little easier with low density (open cell) insulation vs medium density (closed cell) insulation, but the cleanup is messy. Professional installers have been trained on how to apply the insulation, so it is best that they take care of the application.

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Foam insulation at an area difficult to properly insulate with traditional batts

All insulation types have their advantages and disadvantages. Regardless of the type of insulation you decide to use for your next home improvement, remodel or new construction, you will always need to insulate. Check out our other posts for more information.

Check out this video of foam insulation being installed.