Category Archives: Home / Energy

By Susan E. Campbell

The quest for larger, healthier, cozier homes is driving residential interior design trends and is manifest in the colors, textures and atmosphere of living spaces today, say design professionals.

The footprint of today’s homes has generally gotten larger, by about 400 square feet, according to Danny Williams of Williams & Williams Designers Inc. of Glens Falls.

If anyone can make such an estimate, it is Williams. His family business has been creating custom plans for new homes, expansions and renovations since 1916.

By Warren Evans

Zero energy (ZE) commercial buildings are grid-integrated buildings capable of generating as much energy as they consume through advanced efficiency technologies and onsite generation systems such as solar power and geothermal energy.

Beyond the environmental benefits, ZE projects provide owners with significant business value through resilience, employee and tenant retention and the ability to enjoy higher rents. Through intelligent design, clean construction and well-planned financing, developers can substantially increase the value of a commercial building with ZE.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

One thing homeowners don’t want to hear is, “you have mold.”

Area professionals can provide help with a series of steps to remove mold from a home.

“The most important thing for a homeowner or business owner to first understand is that there are steps to mold remediation,” said Mario Gonzalez, of Bio Armor in Ballston Spa.

He said before the mold can be removed, a “mold assessor” has to first meet with the homeowner to determine if there is mold and how it can be removed.

“The most important things to know is that once you find it, you have to determine the reason, fix it, remove the mold and cleanup and then monitor it,” said Bob Serafini of Quick Response Restoration in Round Lake. “Have proper ventilation, use dehumidifiers if necessary and work with a trusted professional.”

Serafini said many times people don’t realize they even have mold issues until they go to sell their home and an inspector discovers the problem.

Once this is determined, the property owner is given a report. They can then contact a mold remediation specialist to take care of the problem.  Gonzalez said the assessor’s report protects the homeowner and the company removing the mold, ensuring there is no discrepancy regarding the severity of the problem.

By Maureen Werther

Fall is a busy time of year for architectural and interior design showcases and magazines, which are full of new and upcoming trends in home design and décor.

Now is the time to see what’s new, what’s hot and what’s “not” in the world of interior design. Many people don’t want, or can’t afford, to completely redecorate an entire home every few years. Sometimes, all it takes is adding accent pieces in new colors and materials to update a home’s look, or renovating one room to give the kind of space a person is looking for.

“People are using more mixes of metals, like silver, bronze and gold tones, instead of having the same tones throughout the house,” said  Shelly Walker, an interior designer for nearly 20 years and owner of Finishing Touches Home Décor, Ballard Road in Wilton. She added that she is seeing a lot of bronze, mixed with black and gold.

In terms of architectural style, Walker said that an open floor plan is still hugely popular.

She said that the architectural trend of blending farmhouse rustic with contemporary and industrial design is still extremely popular, particularly with millennials, who are quickly becoming the largest category of home buyers.

John V. Bove, left, CFO of G. A. Bove and Sons says customer service is a priority. ©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com By Susan E. Campbell Trends in the heating and cooling fields and the sciences behind them project lower costs...

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has $16 million available to support the design and construction of new energy-efficient housing and to complete similar improvements in existing buildings across New York state. State officials said...

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced that applications are being accepted for the third round of support for Solarize campaigns for communities across the state. Under the NY-Sun program, Solarize campaigns make going solar...