How to Avoid "Handyman Horror Stories"

Video: "Weird Al" Yankovic performing Handy. (C) 2014 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment

Source: YouTube: "Weird Al" Yankovic - Handy 

“You need only two tools in life: WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn’t move and should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn’t, use Duct Tape.”

~ Unknown

Image: Basic Home Repairs Engineering Flowchart.

Quote & Image Source: Pinterest: diyhomerepairs: Handyman Humor: Home repairs made simple

Whether they’ve watched an episode of Holmes on Homes or not, it’s safe to say EVERYONE has seen, heard or experienced a “handyman horror story” at least once in their life.

And on some level, the whole self-image of the handyman is funny. After all, whether they adhere to “the-duct-tape-and-WD-40” school of home repair or are of the “A-type-military-grade-equipment-and-preparation” variety, they all seem to have a kind of “can-do attitude” which borders on the mythical.

Image Collage by Wo-Built: Multi-armed Handiman…mystical powers for fixing things!?

Sources: http://www.handymanstartup.com/assessing-handyman-skills-and-creating-a-services-list/; 

http://www.santabanta.com/photos/goddess-durga/9103035.htm

But there’s a real problem with having an “I can fix anything…” attitude, especially if that statement is finished with the words “…Duct Tape and WD-40.” But it’s just as bad if it’s completed with the phrase “…just look at my awesome toolkit.”

Unfortunately, “experience” doesn’t count for much these days, either. If someone has been doing cut-rate, patch-up repair and/or contracting work all their life, it doesn’t help—it makes matters worse! It’s like a musician who’s been playing out of key for twenty years. Their twenty years’ experience doesn’t mean they qualify to play in London’s Philharmonic Orchestra, it means they’re tone-deaf!

We all know people like that, have meet people like that, or have been on the receiving end of their work. Some of them honestly mean well. Many of them just don’t care. It’s not that they don’t care at all necessarily…it’s that they don’t care enough.

People who think they are god’s gift to renovations but have not made the effort to really observe what it means to do “a job well done,” simply don’t know what it takes. They just don’t know how to “make it right,” as Mike Holmes would say.

Following codes and guidelines with precision and attention to detail is one thing, but then there’s also a “feel” that comes into play. Like anything creative, one must put one’s heart into it—to really want to do the best job one’s capable of. It takes focused attention on oneself, the project, and of course, the client.

Anyone can follow a recipe, but it takes someone who loves cooking to make the ingredients and directions on the page spring to life in a way that’s almost magical. And we can ALL relate to that: mom’s home-cooking, grandma’s baking, our own signature dish. You know: the one you make when you want to really treat friends, family, or a romantic partner. The one you know how to do the best. Or if it is a completely new recipe, you make sure your approach it the same way: you, at your very best.

What you want in “handyman” is someone who approaches anything and everything they do with that same spirit…that sense of care and dedication; not just someone who thinks they can do anything and everything, in any old way. The slacker’s attitude “it’s good enough” is a slippery slope.

What’s true for the handyman goes DOUBLE for a designer and contractor. 

Do you want someone who looks at your requirements and says—without so much as a pause to consider the job—“oh, I can do that no problem!” Then proceeds to deliver you a ridiculously low quote, knowing full well their “can do” attitude hides a “what I know I can get away with” approach?

Or would you prefer someone who takes their time to really understand you, get to know your needs, desires, tastes, preferences, timelines, and budget, then come up with a realistic estimate—including those sub-contractors they need to bring in on the job who REALLY KNOW how to deliver what you’re looking for?

In short, would you prefer to work with a team who LOVES doing amazing work? Or do you want someone who likes making money at the project’s expense?...Your expense? Which do you think will make you feel special? Whose work will give you a real feeling of satisfaction?

Remember: at the end of the day, you’re the one who has to live with it.

So picking a contractor must be something you put your love and commitment into. You’ve got to feel it. It’s a relationship, a bond of trust and an expensive commitment. You wouldn’t get into bed with some sweet-talking “hottie” who tells you EXACTLY what you want to hear! So don’t fall for the gimmicks and rationalizations that “sounds really good” in the head. Don’t fall for the nonchalant charmer (“hey, relax, it’s no problem”), or for the pushy expert (“trust me, just look at the tools I’m packing”).  

Go with your gut instead. Go with the one who shows heart. Your life is a labour of love, and anyone entering it in a capacity where they have the ability to affect you and yours in any meaningful way should approach you and your life with the same level of commitment as you do.  

The choice is yours: Your renovation / building project can be a story filled with joy to share at your first dinner party in your newly renovated home; or, it can be another in a long list of handyman horror stories.

To see the difference LOVE makes to any project, check-out the latest article by PeapodLife on “Organic Landscaping.”

Image Collage by PeapodLife, Division of Wo-Built Inc: Organic Landscaping in Bloor West Village, Toronto

A Unique Look at Living Space: This Box Gives New Meaning to “Outside the Box”

Imgur - Just a box..Oh wait! by krimpaa *

“Think outside the box” is so inside the box!

~ Christopher Peterson, Ph.D. in The Good Life

Source: psychologytoday.com: The Good Life: Positive psychology and what makes life worth living

So you’re confronted with it: an empty room with only a rather innocent-looking (or is it ominous-looking?) box awaiting you.

You approach it with trepidation and perhaps some tepid curiosity. It looks innocent enough; there’s nothing particularly special about the markings or materials. Entirely unremarkable. But curiosity gets the best of you. Moving in for a closer look, you find latches and hinges.

You really have no choice but to begin fiddling with it.

Well that was unexpected. It’s clearly a configurable box, and it’s beginning to configure itself in the empty space of the room.

A little more configuration reveals the contents of the box. They will need to be removed and arranged, but into what?

Removing the top piece, you seem to have created…ANOTHER BOX! This is either a very good sign or a sign of regression.  But let’s continue…

Great. MORE BOXES! Still, I doubt anyone would have gone to these lengths to play a practical joke on you. There must be SOMETHING worth getting at, so let’s continue our configuration.

Still more boxes within boxes.

Is that a little stool for the desk? Things are beginning to look up.

A closet appears to be forming in the corner…

I don’t know about you, but I’m beginning to get the sense there’s more to this box than meets the eye: is that a mini wardrobe and a shelving unit?

I’m getting the distinct impression this box belongs in a college dorm room…

…or a Jr. bachelor apartment in Tokyo.

If our eyes don’t deceive us, that’s a bed…

…complete with wardrobe and plenty of storage…

…for all the stuff you could need in your bedroom!

At Wo-Built, we’re all about clever use of space and get a kick out of innovations like this complete bedroom set in a box.

We hope you got a kick out of it too. And for more kicks, checkout the video, below! (Also for those sceptics who are thinking to themselves: “yeah, but it probably takes FOREVER to take apart and set-up!”).

Well, the video is UNDER 3 MINUTES, so you be the judge!

VIDEO: Room in a Box: complete room packs into a small cube! by UpBeatnik

Source: YouTube: http://youtu.be/ajzM8nRfkfY Uploaded by UpBeatnik

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build
Project Director
PeapodLife - Advanced Human Habitat via Building EcoSystems & Technology

* Images and Original Story Source: viralnova.com: It Looks Like A Boring Box In A Room. But What Came Out Of It Blew My Non-Engineering Mind.

Habitat for Humans: Indoor Vertical Garden of Eden

CBS News: God's Architect: Antoni Gaudi's glorious vision

Architect Antoni Gaudi's vision for the Sagrada Familia, a church under construction for over 130 years, is aided by modern technology. Lara Logan reports.

Published March 10, 2013 4:00 PM

Can “God’s Architect” show us how to design & build heavenly spaces here on earth? Naturally!

Whether you are a devout anything or not, there is no question: La Sagrada Familia must be counted among the architectural wonders of the world. And it’s not even finished yet.

The vision granted to Antoni Gaudi some 130 years ago has been under construction for most of the time since. We won’t recount the history in detail; see the above 60-Minutes feature video for a good overview.

Rather, we’d rather focus on snapshot images like these; “majestic” and “awe-inspiring” come to mind.

Image: La Sagrada Familia – Interior, showing giant “tree” columns supporting “canopy” ceiling.

Credit: Jeremy Jones; Source: Paperblog: A Sincere Apology to La Sagrada Familia

What immediately captured our interest was the majesty and reverence invoked by this building’s interior. It is entirely inspired by nature. Natural light casts shafts of illumination down through the spires in what amounts to a pure white forest of other-worldly design. Inspired design. (Where do you think the word “spire” comes from?)

The following two images capture this effect in greater detail. The feelings evoked are truly that of a magical forest. One can imagine oneself in the mystical Loth Lorien from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. In truth, the space captures in essence, the purity and genius of any forest ecosystem.

It manages to uplift the spirit not unlike the majesty of West Coast Redwoods do when one encounters those columns reaching toward the heavens.

Two Images: La Sagrada Familia Interior Space Interior Detail of tree trunk and branches columns supporting canopy ceiling, and the heavens above. 
Credit: Warwick Mihaly; Source: Panfilocastaldi | Architecture, design and photography: La Sagrada Familia forest + La Sagrada Familia ceiling

This image of the space above the sanctuary (the altar and surrounding area) perfectly illustrates how natural themes and elements reach upwards toward the heavens, where natural light floods the space from above in harmonious union with the divine (religare: from which we derive the word religion).

Image: La Sagrada Familia Interior Space Above the Sanctuary.

Credit: Jeremy Jones; Source: Paperblog: A Sincere Apology to La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familia is the epitome of how natural light and themes transform a space into something more…much more. They bring a vibrancy, life, vitality, energy, to a building. They evoke positive feelings of peace and tranquility, even in the face of such majesty as this cathedral…exactly like nature itself does. It is a perfect union of architectural mastery and building technology with the essence of nature – light, energy, the foundations of the natural world.

Antoni Gaudi’s vision was to immortalize in glass and stone the glory of God, the majesty of nature, and the mystery of how the heaven’s and earth unite. Heady stuff. Sort of requiring a building project on the scale of La Sagrada Familia. Wo-Built can’t help but ask: can this same effect be created in a home? An office? Any building?

Absolutely.

With lots of natural light; a living breathing ecosystem; some nature-inspired design and a healthy dose of sacred geometry, even the smallest of buildings, the tiniest of spaces can be transformed into tribute to the glory and majesty of Divine Mother Nature, the Divine Father of Everything, and where the two unite in mutual harmony and symbiosis to create something truly wonderful and magical together: habitat worthy of true human beings…a building suitable for us…the so-called Children of God.

Advanced Human Habitat. A space to thrive in; to feel better about yourself and others in. A building which makes you gain more by consuming less. Saving energy and warming your heart instead of burning energy and warming only your body.  A space which provides purity of air, water, and atmosphere. A place that is your sanctuary. An Indoor Vertical Garden of Eden. A little bit of Heaven on Earth…for you and your loved ones. A habitat for human beings to aspire to their highest selves, perform to their utmost abilities and achieve their greatest achievements.

And you don’t have to believe in anyone or anything but your own senses: you can see, feel and benefit from such inspired habitat. You don’t have to believe…you need only be human!

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Home Automation Trending at CES 2013

Image Montage by Wo-Built: Home Automation Technology at CES 2013
Images: Top-Left: Lowe’s Iris automation system 
(Source: cepro.com: CES 2013 Shocker: Lowe’s Iris Home Automation Has Legs)
Top-Right: Ivee Sleek voice activation assistant 
(Source: ces.cnet.com: Voice-controlled home assistant is like a nicer HAL 9000)

As CES 2013 kicks into high gear in Las Vegas, it’s clear that our homes are about to become much more interactive, in the digital sense of the word.

Gone are the days of getting up out of your La-Z-Boy to check the thermostat, turn lights on or off, check door locks and much more. You don’t even need to be physically in your home anymore. Interacting with your home is becoming more a matter of remote touch or voice-enabled app via tablet or smartphone.

Lowe’s Iris automation platform works with Zigbee and Z-Wave technologies and sells as a service in the U.S. for $9.99 a month. It offers remote security and home management features, including the ability to monitor cameras, windows and door locks, adjust thermostat, operate compatible devices in real time.

For those within earshot of their house, the Ivee Sleek offers impressive voice-activation capabilities and is compatible with a variety of other devices to give your home that “2001: A Space Odyssey” or “Star Trek” feel. One device which it can control is Nest’s “learning thermostat.”

youtube.com: Meet the Nest Learning Thermostat

Uploaded by Nest on Oct 2, 2012

The Almond+ router by Securifi offers a 2.8-inch touchscreen with Smart Hub integration with Zigbee and Z-Wave technologies. It appears to offer many of the same features as Lowe’s Iris, but without a monthly fee. Still, currently a project on Kickstarter, it may be some time before you can have one in your home.

Image: Securifi’s Almond+ Router
(Source: pcmag.com: CES 2013: Securifi's Almond+ Router Tackles Home Automation)

Want to be able to take command of your interior lighting without waiting for a complete home automation platform? Why not try GreenWave Reality’s WiFi-enabled light bulbs. With available remote controls, dedicated WiFi gateway, and iOS/Android app, you’ll be taking command of your home’s lighting from just about anywhere.

Image: GreenWave Reality’s WiFi-enabled light bulbs with remote control and wireless gateway can be controlled by a custom app running on Apple and Android mobile touch devices.

(Source: latimes.com: CES 2013: Lighting up the smart home)

It looks like the age of the Jetsons may finally be approaching (don’t hold your breath on the flying car, though). Do these gadgets really make a home come alive, though?

In the same way that Las Vegas itself is filled with bells and whistles, but cannot hold a candle to the vitality and vibrancy of a rainforest, home automation technology is no substitute for living organisms.

The technology that gets us more excited is home revitalization: PeapodLife.



Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

links:
wikipedia.org: Home automation

pcmag.com: CES 2013: Securifi's Almond+ Router Tackles Home Automation
At CES, Securifi took the wraps off Almond+, a color touch-screen router with an integrated Smart Home hub.
by Samara Lynn

latimes.com: CES 2013: Lighting up the smart home
Smartphones. Smart TVs. Smart appliances. Smart ... light bulbs?
by Jon Healey

smithsonianmag.com: The Gadgets of the Future From the Electrical Shows of Yesterday

The latest and best tweets on #2013CES and #2014ces.
Read what people are saying about the International Consumer Electronics Show or simply CES, and join the conversation.

Organics make List of Best New Restaurant Designs

Image: Mexico City’s Tori Tori restaurant by Rojkind Arquitectos and Esrawe Studios. 

Photo by Paúl Rivera

Credit: Architectural Digest: Best New Restaurant Design

Architectural Digest has put a spotlight on a dozen restaurants whose designs, it says, are “as exciting as the cuisine.”

One eatery in particular caught our eye: Mexico’s Tori Tori restaurant by Rojkind Arquitectos and Esrawe Studios. Located in the Mexican capital’s residential Polanco district, where a three-story house once stood, a “glowing, futuristic cube of contemporary design” now takes centre stage in a lush garden-like setting. 

The restaurant’s glass walls are encased by a pleasantly organic mesh of precision-cut steel, while the striking geometric interior features a wooden-clad tea lounge with a lush living wall at one end. “This new branch of Katsumi Kumoto Kawasaki’s beloved Japanese restaurant focuses on traditional sushi and sashimi cut from the freshest seafood and features an extensive sake menu.”

We like it.  As far as Wo-Built is concerned, this building points toward a trend of contemporary organic design—combinations of natural materials and organic shapes with crisp lines and striking geometry.  In one way, it captures the essence of Peapod Life: the harmony of contemporary design and technology with natural elements.

Below is an indoor ecosystem installed at Tel-e-Connect Ontario by Peapod Life’s indoor Ecosystem Designer, Wolfgang Amelung.  Like all Peapod Life installations, the design, below, features a fully functioning aquaponic ecosystem.  The Tel-e-Connect installation also featured a multi-tiered waterfall.

Image: Fully functioning aquaponic ecosystem by Peapod Life’s indoor Ecosystem

Designer, Wolfgang Amelung, designed for at Tel-e-Connect Ontario.

The original artists rendering (below) show how deliberate design choices were made for every item of rock, flora and fauna; and still, the finished product looks suitably “wild” (natural and organic).  Compare that with the typical vertical grid-layout of plants common in most living walls. 

Image: Original illustrations of Tel-e-Connect indoor ecosystem (above left) featured all plants

& other design details correctly drawn to scale (above right).

It is this special attention to detail that sets Peapod Life’s indoor ecosystems apart from other vertical gardens, on simply a level of design. Beyond design, living systems that flourish enjoy longevity and this makes ours cheaper in the long run (with much lower plant mortality and replacement costs.)

Our systems are also aquapoic; a step above hydroponic. Peapod Life features true ecosystems where flora and fauna live in balanced harmony within a contemporary living space, requiring very little maintenance and no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or supplements.

This all-natural quality of Peapod Life offers a huge potential for chefs and restauranteurs. Whereas Tori Tori in Mexico uses organics as a design element, Peapod Life believes the real opportunity for restaurants is to take indoor ecosystems to the next level—organic food production.

With Peapod Life, the architecture, design, and bio-design of the space can contribute directly to the value proposition of the cuisine being served. Far from a disassociated design language, Peapod Life is a value-added hospitality services enabler: local, organic, vine-ripened and fresh-picked, from garden to table, 365-days a year, right before your very eyes.

It’s another reason why we call it Peapod Life: form and function working together in perfect harmony; contemporary design, natural beauty and living ecosystems, all working together in a balanced way to enhance people’s experience.

For more information, contact us at info@peapodlife.com.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

link:
architecturaldigest.com: Architectural Digest: Best New Restaurant Design
AD spans the globe to spotlight a dozen eye-catching eateries where the architecture and interiors are as exciting as the cuisine
Text by Andrew Sessa

The Power of Imagination Knows No Boundaries

Emily Schaefer: Fluff, 2011
Acrylic on Panel, 24" x 30", Private Collection
Telephone Booth Gallery | Emily Schaefer's collection of paintings

Imagination is very important to push the boundaries and I believe the world needs more of it.

The following is an excerpt from my speech to Toastmasters.

Imagination
the faculty of imagining, or of forming mental images or concepts of what is not actually present to the senses.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution. It is, strictly speaking, a real factor in scientific research.
Albert Einstein

Not just in scientific research, but in very day life. Imagination is very important to push the boundaries and I believe the world needs more of it.

Our imagination is of course influenced a lot by popular culture, recently I watch the remake of Total Recall, set design was a bit Star Wars meets Bladerunner, indicating that even the movie makers are influenced in their imagination on what was before, but since imagination knows no boundaries there is the potential to dream up more original stories. Kids are a great example.

My nephews were visiting and they are at the age where they still act out their imagination and don’t care where it leads them. I get into the door and immediately the 3 year old latched onto my leg and shouts "Aunty Martina, lets play cave, come, come, come …." And off I go, because in their company I can be a silly as I want to be. Refreshing.

Playing with them in their world of monsters, dinosaurs, ghosts, Star Wars and other, it really hit home again that imagination does not know any boundaries: ghosts can shoot laser guns, they were special ones, they could be held up with ghost fields, our cave people had high tech lighters, we rode bats as big as ships to get around (lassoing them was a task).

We imagined whole alternative worlds during playing. With, I might say, very little props. And the beauty is that even though their pictures in their mind where different than mine, but we could bring together stories. And the story evolved and developed. It’s like brain-storming.

But somehow as we grow older we do this less and less. We are mired in a world of reality, having to be realistic. But I think having a great imagination is important in life, I chose after all to have architectural training. Having to go through design processes you need to look at situations from different point of views, to think outside the box, so to speak.

I can only speak from my personal experience, and I always had a vivid imagination, sometimes it got me into trouble, sometimes I push the envelope too much, sometimes I rush into things because I imagined great outcomes, but I would feel lost without my imagination.

I am not an advocate of unlimited day dreaming, or living in a make-believe world, but I believe if we as a society would put a little more emphasis on encouraging innocent play as adults, flights of fancy and being able to push the envelope with which on the surface might be "stupid" ideas I believe we could move the world forward.

Imagination is more important than knowledge. And I would like to encourage everyone just start playing to either use or rediscover your imagination. Write stories, they don’t have to be about goblins, fairies and giants or other make believe creatures, they could be about day-to-day life, solving problems or just flight of fancy.

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Fresh Air Indoors: Peapod Life Ecosystem Better Air Quality

Image: Indoor Ecosystem from Peapod Life
Can Achieve 10x Better Air Quality than Outdoor Air

Another humid day in Toronto, another air quality warning in effect. As the city waits with bated breath for a good downpour to refresh the city’s air, let’s take a moment to consider the implications.

Fresh Air Indoors
We all know the importance of having fresh air. We know how stuffy and unpleasant indoor spaces can become and so we open doors and windows in our homes and install expensive HVAC systems in our commercial buildings to either get fresh air inside or process recirculated air to make it seem fresh.

Given the air quality warnings we receive on a regular basis from the city, the methods we use to get fresh air indoors should raise a few eyebrows. How fresh is that air, after all?

What if you could achieve air quality ten times better than that available outside, with no HVAC system? This is the magic of utilizing nature’s air purification system, ecosystems, indoors.

Indoor Ecosystems
Peapod Life works with technologies and methodologies developed over decades by experts in the fields of indoor ecosystems. These deceptively simple systems allow Peapod Life to create fully integrated indoor garden living spaces that are a step above potted plants or typical living walls.

You wouldn’t want to live in a greenhouse, precisely because of the poor air quality! Unless you change the soil seasonally in your house plants, you’ll find they (and you) don’t do so well after a while.

Soil is alive. Eventually it dies. Then it starts to decompose. Thanks to fungus, mould, bacteria, etc., rotting soil releases putrid gases and noxious fumes that are anything but “fresh.”

One reason why the air seems so fresh in nature—especially forests—is because of proper ecosystems. Soil dies in nature, too. But rather than dying all at once as in a potted plant, it dies similarly to human skin: continually, constantly being renewed as it dies. The ecosystem itself is alive.

Living Structures
This is Wo-Built’s approach to living structures: buildings that support life…all life…Peapod Life. Our indoor ecosystems support vibrant, living growth media continuously regenerating itself, in turn supporting healthy plants that clean the air and feed the other elements of the complete living system.

The result? Commercial installations using the same methods and technologies employed by Peapod Life have achieved indoor air quality ten times better than outside air. Just imagine what it would be like living, working and/or playing in air so fresh; in space so alive.

It’s just another aspect of what we call Quality of Peapod Life.

Attila Lendvai
VP of Strategic Development
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

You could find the original article @ greenaddition.blogspot.ca: Peapod Life: Air Quality 10x Better than Outdoor Air for a Better Quality of Peapod Life

Screenshot: Peapod Life @ greenaddition.blogspot.ca:
Air Quality 10x Better than Outdoor Air
for a Better Quality of Peapod Life
2012 @ wobuilt.com

Being Inspired by the Little Bit of Magic in My “Backyard“

Photo: Being Inspired by the Little Bit of Magic in My “Backyard“
2012 @ Martina Ernst

This is part two of a two-part essay. You can read part one here.

Capturing what makes places like this park special
and translating this into livable and sustainable designs
would be magic in its own right.

This place resonates on an emotional level. This park is a place where you feel good and seeing the animals invokes a feeling of happiness and joy, not just in me, but in most people I observe. It has wow-factor in its inhabitants, people stop to watch the geese, they count the little ones and if they are regulars they keep track of their progress, they search for the turtles, sometimes you see people fish, but most of all you see them enjoying being near the animals. It’s the smiles, the awe, the wonder you see on peoples and kids faces when they watch. But even if you do not find any of the animals, it is a place of relaxation and peacefulness. The proof: people use it for walks, picnics, family outings and nature activities.

Why is understanding and capturing the essence of this so important to me? At heart, I am a designer who wants to make life easier and spaces more livable for people. Capturing what makes places like this park special and translating this into livable and sustainable designs would be magic in its own right.

Imagine spaces in your own home that would create this feeling of peace, recreation, joy and restoration. The key is understanding how we can in our limited way create an interior eco-system that mimics nature: making interior spaces feel alive. A few designers and architects are already attempting to do that, and in the future we will see more of this. And I will elaborate in the future.

At the end of my walk I stood on my favorite vantage point, the bridge that divides the main lake from the smaller ones. I had been looking out for one of the beavers, a real favourite of mine. And just when I was about to give up one of them appeared. It swam towards the bridge and just before the bridge it turned slowly, tail up, almost as to say “I am here, have a good look, bye, bye”. This is a little bit of magic right here!

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Photo: Being Inspired by the Little Bit of Magic in My “Backyard“
2012 @ Martina Ernst

Being Inspired by the Little Bit of Magic in My “Backyard“

Photo: Being Inspired by the Little Bit of Magic in My “Backyard“
2012 @ Martina Ernst

Inspired by nature - this is part one of a two-part essay. Part two will be posted on May 17.

The magic lies in something that is difficult to explain,
but in short it is an oasis in the middle of an urban environment.

My “backyard” is a park. The park is a mixture of paved pathways, parking spots, people amenities, a swimming pool, rough and cropped lawn areas. High rise buildings to the east, north and south low rise buildings, golf course to the west. The Humber River lies to the north. The park is totally man made, several little lakes act as reservoirs for the overflow run off rain water coming from the adjacent higher ravine areas.

But somehow the City of Toronto managed to create a basis where over time different stakeholders could claim their niches. Home to a whole host of animals: turtle, fish, geese, frogs, kingfishers, other birds, beavers, muskrats, domestic cats, raccoons (in the past I have even seen foxes and further on deer) which seem to be thriving in and around the lakes.

The City’s management seems to be limited to cutting some of the grass areas occasionally (the geese keep the grass fairly short), making sure that the overflow grills are clean, the beavers have a habit of blocking them off (I think the beavers are winning) and cleaning the garbage. Everything else seems to be left to its own devices.

The magic is not its spotlessness, believe me it is not. There is rubbish and goose poop everywhere. It is not that any of the views are spectacular, they are not, most views in nature are likely to be better. Nor is it the size of the lakes or their designs, they are tiny and probably more functional than anything else. And sometimes it smells of decay due to the decomposting of organic material.

The magic lies in something that is difficult to explain, but in short it is an oasis in the middle of an urban environment. A small working eco-system, where “wild” animals live side by side with humans; each is tolerant of the other. Most people there respect the animals and just enjoy watching them. The magic is in the co-existence of its stakeholders (animals, plants, people) in that environment and making it their own. It is making a potentially dead and boring space, exciting and alive.

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

Photo: Being Inspired by the Little Bit of Magic in My “Backyard“
2012 @ Martina Ernst

House My Nephew Wants to Build

My Dream House
"... a tree house with stairs, plumbing for the washroom,
roof that opens, an extra area for the kitchen/living room,
and additional supports for the structure."
2011 @ wobuilt.com

Where does our imagination go?

My soon to be 7 year old nephew Alex drew me his version of a dream house recently and I was totally blown away. Not only can I harbour hopes that there will be a designer or architect / engineer in the next generation, but I marveled at the depths of his ideas at his age.

All I asked him was if he could draw his dream house, the one he would like to live in and he immediately said: "Oh, I draw you a tree house." And not just any tree house, one that has stairs in the tree trunk, plumbing for the washroom, roof that opens and an extra area for the kitchen/living room. He even thought of extra supports for the structure. Amazing! I am so proud.

It struck me: if we as children have so much 'realistic' imagination, why do we end up with standard unimaginative boxes to live in when we are adults? Where does the sense of adventure go? Is it a question of supply and demand? Are we getting what we ask for or are we given only limited choices or are we conditioned to like boxes? These are questions that warrant lengthy answers, but maybe we just have to ask them. I am not advocating that we all live in a tree house or castle, but that we let our imagination loose.

If we have to end up with a box, maybe we can make it an interesting one. We can use the notion of inside-outside space, using orientation, playing with levels, daylight/sunlight, natural ventilation, window sizes, structure and other architectural themes and tools to bring wow into the space.

But talking again about tree houses. My nephew is not the only one dreaming about living in or around a tree. In our post Wobinna’s Dream Home Contest: Submission #2 Tree House we described a tree house with amenities, just as my nephew did. There seems to be something ancient and elementary in humans that likes the idea of back to nature, green and simpler, but with modern amenities. Maybe we need to bring this element back into our designs.

Hence we are considering reviving our dream house competition where we would like to push the envelope of home design; where we can let our imagination come true. We, as humans, have an abundance of imagination. We are influenced by many factors from popular culture to space travel, from traditional design to modern architecture. So dream away and something marvelous will come from it!

Martina Ernst
President/CEO
Wo-Built Inc. - Innovative Design and Build

That's Women's Work Inc. Toronto: Guest Blogging on Social Values

Collage: A Screenshot of Martina Ernst's post "Social Values a Basis for Our Company"
on That's Women's Work Inc. Toronto blog.
Credit: Women's Art Gallery & Meeting Space at That's Women's Work Inc. Toronto

Martina was one of the guest bloggers on That's Women's Work Inc. Toronto blog and she posted an article Social values a basis for our company:

I felt really inspired by having read the previous blog entries and I applaud the journey some of my fellow August bloggers had taken. So, I would like to talk about our journey and share some of our philosophies with you. ...

We were happy to contribute to this great blog. Please read the many inspiring stories.

Do You Have Toronto's Next Great Green Idea? Apply for Funding through the 2010 Green Innovation Awards

Screenshot: 2010 Green Innovation Awards
Credit: toronto.ca

Being environmentally conscious, we at Wo-Built always strive to minimize the ecological footprint in all our projects, and our passion is energy conservation and green building design.
We like to tell everybody about the 2010 Green Innovation Awards – the City of Toronto and the Toronto Community Foundation's new grant program to advance the development of new and innovative solutions to address the environmental challenges.

2010 Green Innovation Awards

Nominations are now open for the 2010 Green Innovation Awards - a new award that offers up to $50,000 in seed money to help develop and bring new and innovative green products and solutions to the Toronto marketplace.

Are you an aspiring entrepreneur, inventor, student or environmentally-minded individual or group?
Do you have Toronto’s next great green idea?

Here is your chance to make your great green ideas come true. Through the generous support of the Toronto Community Foundation donors, up to $50,000 is available to be invested as seed money to help you get your green idea off the ground.

Green ideas may include any new technology, product and/or service that helps make Toronto a greener and more liveable city.

Successful applicants will be invited to present their green ideas and funding requests to our panel of experts. Award recipients will be announced at the Green Toronto Awards ceremony in April.

The deadline for submissions is March 12, 2010.

We've tweeted "#Toronto Community Foundation - Green Innovation Awards. http://www.tcf.ca/vitalinitiatives/greeninnovationawards.html - Deadline March 12"

Affordable Housing Opportunities in Toronto: the City’s Plan

Screenshot: Housing Opportunities Toronto:
An Affordable Housing Action Plan (PDF)
Housing Opportunities Toronto HOT Action Plan 2010 - 2010 -
a comprehensive 10-year strategy for meeting
the affordable housing needs of Toronto's residents
Credit: toronto.ca

Anyone who is interested in affordable housing in Toronto should read the City’s proposal for action for this new decade (2010 – 2020).

We are looking at this document very carefully to see if we can be part of the building of new and the renewal of the existing housing stock. These are large scale projects that would allow us to train women in the building trades and at the same time help the community.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

About HOT Action Plan
A new Toronto Housing Charter is a key component of the Housing Opportunities Toronto HOT Action Plan 2010-2020, adopted by City Council August 5, 2009.
The Toronto Housing Charter - Opportunity for All is the first of its kind in Canada. The Charter is designed to guide Council and staff in their efforts to assist those who often face challenges finding affordable housing, from newcomers and single parents to seniors and those with disabilities.
HOT contains 67 recommended actions to be undertaken by the City of Toronto and the federal and provincial governments. It calls for new investment of $484 million annually for the next 10 years to help 257,700 households struggling with high housing costs or inadequate accommodation.
HOT will serve as a roadmap to guide federal and provincial investments, as well as public and private sector activity.
Credit: toronto.ca: Housing Charter Highlights HOT

Interesting Reading: Renovation Is Like 'Whitewater Rafting' ... and Not Just for the Home Owner

Screenshot: Yourhome.ca: Renovation is like 'whitewater rafting'
"Even well-run renovation projects don't always look that way"
Article and Photo by Steve Maxwell
Credit: thestar.com: yourhome.ca

yourhome.ca: EXPERT ADVICE
Renovation is like 'whitewater rafting'

Building and renovation takes longer than you imagine, costs more than you expect, and (if you care a great deal about the outcome) involves more mental anguish than seems reasonable. But if you've chosen your contractor well, braced yourself for a sometimes wild ride, and are willing to keep things flexible, then it's all going to work out just fine.

by Steve Maxwell
October 24, 2009
SPECIAL TO THE STAR

This article came to my attention via clients of ours who saw it and remembered what we said before we embarked on ripping their home apart. We used words such as thrilling, heart break, apprehension, fun, excitement, rollercoaster of emotions and hopefully satisfaction and this is not just for the home owner.

We try to prepare people on what is going to happen, reduce the stress and manage expectations, but unless the home owner has been involved with something similar before, some aspects of the project will still come as a shock, disappointment or mental anguish.

In addition to the advice at the end of the article, we would add the following, stay focused on the end result – it is always worth it in the end.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

links:
Wo-Built: Turning Your Dream Home Into a Reality (Again !!!!)
Wo-Built: Renovations and Recession
Wo-Built: Getting Your Home Ready for Resale

Interesting Reading: Women Who Build Homes

Screenshot: thestar.com: Homebuilding Industry: A few good women
by Barbara Silverstein, Special to the Star, Jul 18, 2009
Illustration by Raffi Anderian / Toronto Star
Credit: TheStar.com

thestar.com: News & Features: Homebuilding Industry: A few good women
There aren't many women who build homes, but those who do say they are perfectly suited to the task
Jul 18, 2009 04:30 AM
Barbara Silverstein
Special to the Star

For everyone who does not read the Toronto Star. We loved this article. It is great to see women succeed in the building industry.

As a young, women run construction company ourselves we have to agree that the home building industry is a great place for women. What we love about the industry that there are always exciting challenges in both small and large projects. We are design focused and welcome the opportunities to make spaces unique, customized and ecologically friendly for our clients.

We are committed to helping women succeed in the industry and it is great to have examples like Julie Di Lorenzo, Co-President of Diamante Development Corp., Mary Lawson, Vice-President and General Manager of Dalerose Country Homes, and Laurie Gordon, President of Berkshire Homes mentioned in the article.

Martina Ernst

links:
wobuilt.blogspot.com: We Were Mentioned in the Star
thestar.com: Building on women's skills: Etobicoke contracting firm encourages more to consider give their careers a finishing touch
by Donna Laporte, REAL ESTATE Reporter, The Toronto Star

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What is our ecological footprint?

Collage: What is our ecological footprint?
Credit: MS Office ClipArt - keyword: footprints

We all talk about our ecological footprint and how much our lifestyles impact on the environment. But what does it all mean? Well, this website calculator: Zerofootprint: Footprint Calculator which is designed for kids shows our impact really nicely. And it is great for adults too (just pretend you are the parent).

Taking the test was quite an eye opener. In my household, even though we recycle, switch off lights and computers, limit our garbage, don't own a swimming pool etc we still are using way too much carbon, water and land to sustain our lifestyle.

Everyone in the Wo-Built office had to take the test as well. Needless to say we all swore to use fewer resources. Try it out for yourselves.

The link was provided by Styrohome who I am following on Twitter.

Martina Ernst
CEO
Wo-Built Inc.

links:
wikipedia.org: Green building is an outcome of a design which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal.
Canada has implemented the "R-2000" in 1982 to promote better than building code construction to increase energy efficiency and promote sustainability. An optional feature of the R-2000 home program is the EnerGuide rating service. This service is available across Canada, allows home builders and home buyers to measure and rate the performance of their homes, and confirm that those specifications have been met.

rprogress.org: Redefining Progress: Shifting public policy to achieve a sustainable economy, a healthy environment and a just society.

wobuilt.com: Celebrating Earth Day - Striving to Be Green All Year Round!

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Smart Kitchen Upgrade Tips: Interesting Reading

Screenshot: articlesbase.com: Kitchen Upgrades
For The Money Conscious by Maria Polidoro

Credit: articlesbase.com

In these recession ravaged times everyone is looking to squeeze a lot more from their dollars. Renovations are no exception. With the home renovation tax credit in place that is good for one year, more people will be looking to renovate their homes for either resale or just to take advantage of the tax credit while it is in effect. We just came across an interesting reading for anyone thinking about a kitchen renovation with a few tips to get you started. And remember – if you have a project in mind that is too big for DIY, Wo-Built Inc. can come to the rescue!

Kitchen Upgrades For The Money Conscious
Author: Maria Polidoro

Most experts agree that if you are only going to update one room in your home, the kitchen will give you the most bang for your buck when it comes to resale value. The return on any home renovation investment will vary depending on your location, market conditions and a host of other factors.

Whether you want to freshen up the look of your kitchen for yourself or to put your home on the market, these ideas can help you achieve an updated look without undertaking a costly renovation:

Tip #1: One word: Paint. Outdated wall colors and chipped paint will make any room look drab and unkempt. The great thing about painting a room is that it is an easy and inexpensive fix. A new coat of paint in an appealing color will give any kitchen an instant update and make a major impact even if it is the only change you make.

Tip #2: Refurbish instead of replacing cabinets. Brand new cabinets make a beautiful addition to any kitchen, but are also a costly investment. If your cabinets are in good condition, you may consider painting, refinishing or re-facing them with new doors and drawer fronts rather than replacing them. Any of these projects will require time and work, but will give your kitchen an updated look and feel. Finish up with new hardware on all cabinets and drawers, and your kitchen will emerge with a fresh new style for a fraction of the cost of new cabinets.

Tip #3: Replace an outdated sink and faucet. Replacing an outdated sink and faucet is a relatively simple upgrade that is also easy on the wallet. If your sink is in good shape, you can spend even less by only replacing the faucet. Be sure to coordinate a new sink and/or faucet with the rest of the fixtures in the kitchen such as light fixtures and cabinet hardware. Mismatched metals such as a brass light fixture and chrome hardware makes for a less cohesive look, and a streamlined appearance is a major goal of a minor kitchen remodel.

Tip #4: Patiently seek out great deals on appliances. Saving money on appliances can be tricky. Scratch and dent warehouses are a great place to begin your search for deals on kitchen appliances. While those with obvious damage should be avoided, these warehouses can be the perfect place to find appliances with minor blemishes.

Be a savvy shopper when looking for appliances. Major holidays such as Memorial Day and Labor Day are popular times for big sales, and may present opportunities to find discounts. Ask salespeople if there is room for negotiation and if any sales are coming up. Find out if there are any floor models or discontinued models from last year. Seeking out energy efficient appliances is a great way to save money for the long haul.

Consulting with a licensed real estate professional in your area prior to making changes that will affect the value of your home is always advisable.

About the Author:

Maria Polidoro is the Founder of Ace Tool Online. Ace Tool is an authorized distributor for virtually all major power tool manufacturers and houses a full power tool service center. Please visit Ace Tool Online for Milwaukee cordless tools, Amana router bits and saws, Festool saws, Occidental Leather tool belts and much more.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/kitchens-articles/kitchen-upgrades-for-the-money-conscious-779521.html

links:
Wo-Built Inc.: Kitchen Design Tips
Wo-Built Inc.: Kitchen Design Trends
ezinearticles.com: Kitchen Upgrades For the Money Conscious

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