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Demystifying Color

  • Written by Andrea Murray
    |
    March 20 2019
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  • Posted In : Design , Inspiration
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  • 0 comments
Blue kitchen
Elderly Services kitchen.

Years ago I was walking down Main Street in Middlebury, and a gentleman stopped and asked, “Weren’t you the architect who designed the Elderly Services building?”

I replied puzzled, “I was one of the architects, yes.”

“Well, because of you, my wife made me repaint every room in our house! Thanks a lot.”

I chuckled a bit, and he softened, “and the cheerful colors really do make a difference.”

Choosing paint colors for your home, and really any building, inside and out is never and easy task. Some things we consider as we recommend colors to our clients are:

  • Light Reflectance Value (LRV) – this is a percentage of the total amount of light that falls on a surface that is reflected back. Most paint chips have this value printed on the back for your use. The lighter a color, the higher the LRV percentage. For example, white is nearly 100% depending on the white. The darker and more saturated the color, the lower the percentage. On the interior, use light colors on ceilings and in spaces where brightness is desired. Reserve darker colors for ambiance and accent. LRV is also relevant to heat. For example, when we have a thermal mass such as a stone or tile floor in front of a south-facing window, we often choose a dark colored one as it will absorb heat and contribute to the passive heating of a space.
  • It’s Only Paint – Relatively speaking, paint is cheap. Do a mock up. Most paint companies sell small samples (enough to paint a 4’ x 4’ area). Choose a couple of colors and try them out before committing 100%.
  • Go Bold – Choose one “zinger” of a color and weave it throughout the project. It could be an accent paint on a column, a thread in your carpet, a display wall, a piece of furniture. Don’t use too many zingers.
  • Orange program room
    Waterbury Muncipal Center Program Room
  • yellow and blue bathroom
    Master Bathroom
  • Know Your Finish – matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, high gloss –  these are different finishes, or sheens, that are available for your paint.

Flat or Matte – Absorbs light and is not so easy to clean. I almost never use this finish, but it is best for low-traffic, low-abuse areas.

Eggshell – In between satin and matte, this is a great finish for walls in common spaces. Not too shiny, but still cleanable. Best finish for darker colors as fewer flaws will show through.

Satin – Lustrous for sure and beautiful, yet trick y to tough up as variations in strokes or rolls are quite obvious.

Semi-Gloss/High-Gloss – Shiny! Use where cleanability is important. Consider for wood trim such as baseboards and trim at doors and windows. Also use for doors and windows themselves. Use high-gloss for furniture.

  • Not All Whites Are the Same – For trim and other elements you want to appear “clean,” choose Bright White. For ceilings, use “Ceiling White.” For walls, get to know the subtleties of the many whites out there that have various undertones that make them cooler or warmer. I tend to use cooler whites on exterior surfaces and warmer whites inside. If your home or building is flowing and open, choose one white and stick to it!  Coordinate your white with your “zinger.”

Finally, pick the colors that make you happy! It really is only paint, and it can be changed.


VIA is Efficiency Vermont’s Commercial Building Design & Construction Partner of the Year

  • Written by Gwen Nagy-Benson
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    February 07 2019
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  • Posted In : Building Science & Technology , Design , Energy
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  • 0 comments

In February, Vermont Integrated Architecture, P.C. (VIA), was named Efficiency Vermont’s Commercial New Construction Partner of the Year. Nominated by Efficiency Vermont (EVT) collaborative partners, VIA garnered a unanimous vote of EVT officials to receive the award. EVT announced this and other awards at its annual conference, Better Buildings by Design. Award winners demonstrate excellence in designing, building, and renovating energy efficient and sustainable buildings.

In the award narrative, EVT noted that “Vermont Integrated Architecture’s commitment to energy efficiency goes beyond its project design work. Sustainability is embedded in VIA’s culture and evident in its buildings. Under the leadership of principals Andrea Murray and Ashar Nelson, the Middlebury-based architectural design firm takes a holistic approach to high-performance building design, weaving in considerations of people and planet while remaining focused on the client’s goals. With an attitude of collaboration, VIA engages all project players to achieve the most efficient design.”
 

Andrea Murray echoed the sentiment, commenting that “We have enjoyed our collaboration with Efficiency Vermont over the years, most recently on the Vergennes Community Housing project and the new Pierson Library in Shelburne. Our close work with Efficiency Vermont ensures that our projects showcase the best strategies for energy efficiency and help advance sustainable design. We are delighted by the honor and look forward tackling new challenges with the support of Efficiency Vermont. We are very fortunate to have this unique utility in Vermont that is championing the challenges architects and builders face with respect to climate change.” VIA has been working with EVT for many years, specifically with a pilot program promoting Net Zero Energy buildings in Vermont. The Waterbury Municipal Center, designed by VIA and completed in 2016, was among the first in the program and helped solidify its viability. In addition, VIA has conducted research into energy modeling software for EVT, and as a result now shares that knowledge with its clients.  VIA also contributed to evaluations of commissioning services, which help ensure that building envelopes and building systems operate optimally for the most efficient outcomes.
 
“This year’s winners are achieving the highest levels of building performance in a state that boasts a statewide network of highly skilled efficient designers, builders, and contractors,” said Efficiency Vermont Director Rebecca Foster. “We are proud to support and celebrate Vermont’s building professionals, who are critical to our small state’s nationally renowned success in bringing the benefits of energy efficiency to all Vermonters.”


Practicing Gratitude

  • Written by Andrea Murray
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    November 26 2018
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  • Posted In : Inspiration
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  • 0 comments

By Andrea Murray

Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday. The usually brown November landscape makes me feel okay about being in the kitchen, and the foodie in me appreciates the excuse to cook and eat some of my very favorite dishes without feeling guilty. Bar none, however, I love Thanksgiving because it is not about “stuff,” maybe just “stuffing.”  To me Thanksgiving is an opportunity to share the kitchen and food mentioned above with the people I love, with people who may be less fortunate, and to practice the act and art of gratitude.

BLACK FRIDAY – HMMM?

I woke up early this morning, the day after Thanksgiving, intent on continuing the practice of gratitude in my writing to you, and I notice 164 email messages have clogged my inbox with offers of sales and deals, “just for me,” on this Black Friday. I am not sure what to make of this.  My first thought is to be annoyed and to turn my nose up at all of those people out there who left their Thanksgiving dinner tables, warm beds, and families early to wait in lines at stores to take advantage of the aforementioned deals.

“What have we become as a society?”  I ask myself.  I turn on the TV, and our local reporters are interviewing people taking advantage of Black Friday in Burlington (at 6:30 in the morning!). One woman explains that this is a tradition for her and her sisters and that they have so much fun together and try to get all of their Christmas shopping done on this one day so they have more time to celebrate other holiday activities with family and friends. Another person notes how the deals are “unreal,” and that he couldn’t afford to shop at any other time with the same results. The reporter then goes on to state, “A recent study shows that Vermont leads the country as the safest state for shopping on Black Friday!” Wow! I actually find myself proud of this.  Of the many violent crimes that occur on Black Friday, trampling tops the list.  Was I wrong about Black Friday?  Perhaps it does serve an important role?

So, here I am on Friday morning at a critical juncture. Do I jump in, start my Christmas shopping, scour the web for the best deals? Or, do I try and re-frame the conversation?  Well, if you’ve read this far, you can probably guess.

MEANINGFUL COLLABORATION

I set out to write a piece about gratitude. So, here it goes I want you the VIA community (clients, consultants, contractors, vendors, friends, and family) to know how grateful we are not just for your patronage, but for your leadership, hard work, dedication, friendship, and support. Over the years we have noticed the following about our partners and collaborators:

  • You are doing what you can, in your own unique way, to make the world a better place;
  • You care about the future and understand that we as architects are uniquely trained to help you imagine and realize the future you want to live in;
  • You are open-minded and willing to “think outside of the box;” to consider ideas and opportunities that never occurred to you before;
  • You value excellent communications; and
  • You measure success not just by the financial bottom line, but also by impact on the natural environment and the community.

How fortunate I am/we are to work with so many of you. I am grateful to be in a position to work on projects with you that have a positive effect on so many. I am proud to be working to create spaces that foster community, have a net positive impact on our beautiful natural environment, help restore beautiful historic structures and make them relevant for future use, and simply make life a little easier and better for all of you and the people we collectively effect. I have learned so much from each of you. Thank you.

OPEN HOUSE #8 DISPLAY: SOMETHING NEW

In gratitude, on behalf of our entire firm, we hope you will join us for our eighth annual Holiday Open House at our studio in the Marbleworks in Middlebury. We will have the usual spread of local food and libation.

This year, instead of having our project work on display, we are creating a gallery of mentors, elders, and friends. Ashar has suggested that each of us in the office put up four (18” x 18”) photographic “portraits” of individuals who have been influential to us as mentors or elders. He noted, “In some ways, I think it would highlight the fact that we are in a people profession and a field that relies on mentorship and teaching. It’s a different approach than just pinning up a bunch of pretty pictures of projects.”

To summarize, we are grateful for the projects on which we collaborate, but mostly we are grateful for you!

JUST A SWEET STORY

Many years ago while teaching a section of “Architecture and the Environment” at Middlebury College, I asked my students upon returning from Thanksgiving break if anyone wanted to share an architecturally-related experience from their time off. I always ask this question of my students, and often I get: “I went to New York and walked the Highline;” “I was in Paris with my family, and I loved the Eiffel Tower;” “My parents just built a new house, and it was exciting to have our first Thanksgiving together there.”  But, on this one occasion, a senior Economics major who rarely contributed to class discussions had something to say.  He told us that his family has a very large house in Greenwich, CT, and that he has three siblings all of whom were present for the holiday. He said usually on Thanksgiving, we spend time in our own spaces and only come together at meal time. “My dad works constantly and is always on his phone or computer.”  This year was different, though, because there had been a big storm and the power went out. It was cold, and they made a fire for the first time ever in their fireplace. Everyone gathered around the fireplace to stay warm and conversations and board games ensued. Even this chap’s father joined. He reflected somewhat simply that it was the best Thanksgiving he’d ever had and that he learned how much he actually likes being with his family.  He also noted that they could have left the house and gone somewhere else, but it just felt right to stay put.

Several years after he graduated, I got a call asking for a written recommendation for graduate school (in Architecture no less). He said, “Andrea, do you remember me?”

“Of course,” I replied, and I recounted this story and told him what an impact it had on me. I said that when I am designing a house, I often ask my clients, “Where will you gather as a family when the power goes out?” He laughed and said they have new traditions in their family now as a result of that stormy Thanksgiving, and they make time to just “be” together.

He is, of course, a thoughtful practicing architect now.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Wherever you are this holiday season, we send you our well-wishes. Thank you for being part of our ever-expanding VIA community. Stay in touch.


Libraries Old and New

  • Written by Gwen Nagy-Benson
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    August 22 2018
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  • Posted In : Inspiration
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  • 0 comments

Public libraries have long been and continue to be essential community centers.  According to a recent article by Gareth Henderson in the Christian Science Monitor,  “In an era when memberships in social clubs and church attendance are down, and critics say social media appears to be fracturing rather than knitting society together, libraries are stepping in as so-called third places where people can meet and socialize.” VIA enjoys working with libraries to best meet the needs of their specific communities.

For some libraries, updating and reconfiguring existing space makes a big difference. With relatively minor upgrades to lighting, carpet, paint, and furniture, and the relocation of the children’s area to its own room, the small library that shares space with the town office in Cornwall, Vermont became a more inviting community resource where people are more inclined to linger.

Cornwall Library before

Cornwall Library after

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cornwall Library children’s area before

Cornwall Library children’s area after

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes, an addition creates enough breathing room to allow a library to reduce clutter and create more usable space for its patrons. In Rochester, Vermont, a more substantial reconfiguration and addition transformed the library into an accessible, inviting, sun-filled space that showcases its charming historic features.

Rochester Library before

Rochester Library after

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rochester Library children’s are before

Rochester Library children’s area after

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And for some libraries, a new building makes the most sense. In Waterbury, Vermont, creating a new, modern library cleared the way for its former location, the historic Janes House, to be fully restored and transformed into a fitting home for the Historical Society. Attached to the town’s municipal offices, the Waterbury Library is now a brighter, more spacious, and more accessible community resource.

Waterbury Library before

Waterbury Library after

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waterbury Library after

waterbury library pendant lights

Waterbury Library after

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waterbury Library before in historic Janes House

Waterbury Historical Society displays in renovated historic Janes House

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIA can be a valuable partner at all phases of library planning, from preparing events for gathering public input, to imagining reconfigurations of existing space for improved efficiency, to designing a brand new library from the ground up. Each community has its own character, needs, and challenges. VIA’s strength is tailoring each library project, whether large or small, to best suit its community.


Nicholas Wood Judges 3D Vermont Competition

  • Written by Gwen Nagy-Benson
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    March 29 2017
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  • Posted In : Education
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  • 0 comments
Nick Wood judging 3D Vermont competition

On Friday March 24, Middle School and High School students from around the state gathered at Vermont Technical College in Rutland for Third Annual 3D Vermont  Architecture and History Olympiad. Nicholas Wood, of Vermont Integrated Architecture, was there to check out the action and help judge the event.

The 14 teams were challenged to research and recreate historic buildings in the form of digital models printed on 3D printers. Through the process they would research and document the history of their building and create a multimedia presentation to accompany their printed 3D models. SketchUp is a key sponsor and is the software used to model the buildings. Montpelier State House 3DThe results were impressive, with students showing in-depth interest and knowledge of their buildings. This was gleaned from a variety of sources, from on-site exploration and historical sources to local community knowledge. Great technical skills came through as they nutted out some complex modelling and occasional unexpected technical challenges to deliver detailed printed models backed up with well-presented and informative research. The wide variety of projects taken on included: The Breeding Barn at Shelburne Farms, Wilcox-Cutts House, Brantview House, Proctor Marbleworks, Ira Allen Chapel, The State House and Bennington Battle Memorial.

The team from Rutland High School gave a professional and polished presentation to take away top honors and a new 3D printer along with scholarship offers from VTC. Some precise architectural detail models helped Windsor High School secure second place. On the Middle School side, Rutland also took away first place, followed closely by Williston Central. All the other teams put in an amazing effort with great results. They did particularly well at dividing up the various tasks and then combining the collective output into a cohesive presentation. Next year we hope to see a school from the Middlebury area represented and would look forward to supporting that effort.

 


Place, Path, Practice: The Spirituality of Architecture

  • Written by Gwen Nagy-Benson
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    November 17 2016
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  • Posted In : Uncategorized
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  • 0 comments

On August 7, 2016, Jean Terwilliger, Sam Ostrow, and Ashar Nelson gave a sermon during worship at The Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society in Middlebury, VT.  The three-part presentation entitled “Place, Path, Practice” explored the ways that architecture is spiritual.  Jean (“Place”) discussed how buildings, from modest homes to magnificent cathedrals, can evoke feelings of peace and awe and offer a means to greater appreciation of the natural world.  Sam (“Path”) explained how the underlying purpose of creating spaces is to increase opportunities for connection with our surroundings; how the construction of space, done thoughtfully and with care, can facilitate a deep sense of presence, much like meditation.  Ashar (“Practice”) illustrated how the craft of architecture in and of itself can be a meditative and spiritual experience. Click here for the full text of the presentation.


Reflections of a Summer Intern

  • Written by Gwen Nagy-Benson
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    August 24 2016
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  • Posted In : Education , People
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  • 0 comments

A FIRM; A FAMILY

By Jesse Gillette, 2016 Summer Intern

Jesse_webTwo years ago, I met Andrea Murray and was introduced to her firm, Vermont Integrated Architecture, P.C (VIA). While our conversation started on the topic of architecture, it quickly turned to one focused on the natural beauty of our state. Unbeknownst to me at the time, this conversation would align heavily with my own perceptions in relation to the role of architecture in a community (built or natural), and would not be forgotten when searching the state for an internship.

There I was, two years later, sitting at my own desk in the office of VIA; after months of preparation, I had received an internship that would influence me more in a summer than it seemed architecture school had in four years. On my first day, I was given my own design project, and, on day two, was working on my first professional project, a community center for the town of Westport, NY. A few days later, I was doing detail work for Pierce Hall, a community building for the town of Rochester, VT. Through these two projects, I began to understand how to communicate graphically the components and adjacencies of building systems, and the effort it took to organize and communicate these drawings to our consultants and clients. As the summer progressed, I was making design decisions for myself, conferring with consultants one on one, and making site visits here and there. And, to my surprise, I was given the opportunity to work on models for the Middlebury Natural Food Coop and new Shelburne Town Library, a three-dimensional way of communicating that I particularly enjoyed. There’s a trend here, and I quickly realized how crucial communication was to the responsibilities that VIA was entrusting me to fulfill.

Jesse, left, helps high school intern, Kai Dobek, with a model.

Jesse, left, helps high school intern, Kai Dobek, with a model.

Of course, this transition to and progression within the professional practice did not come easy, as the jump from school to the office is never easy (it is actually rather nerve-racking, coming from someone who does not often get nervous). Yet, there was a team of eight people that genuinely cared about my growth, and were there to answer my questions or help me with my problems. They were fantastic about communicating with me, and with others, and through that communication, they could not conceal their care for the communities that their projects were serving. This was endlessly beneficial to me, as I then started to see the importance of community that VIA’s website had addressed unfolding right in the office- they weren’t just preaching their vision, but were living it as well. Their welcoming personalities made me feel a part of the team, and the trust they bestowed in me made me feel like much more than a mere intern. I was performing at such a level I had not in the past because I was surrounded by these influential people who exemplified what it took to operate a professional practice, and do so in an attentive manner that stressed the importance of community and nature (as a native Vermonter, this hit close to the heart).

With my internship nearing an end, I knew I would leave with an abundance of new design skills and knowledge in how the professional practice operates. Yet my greatest realization was how important the people really are, in any phase of a project, whether on our team or in the community. Everyone at VIA was doing more for others through architecture than they were doing for themselves in general. All the late nights and early mornings were not for extra pay or hopeful recognition, no. It was for the welfare of a successful project, and, in turn, an improved communal condition. I now understand my own place in architecture because I was connected to these people, connected to VIA. Although the projects I worked on were very important, I found this personal connection to be the greatest benefit I walked away with, and was thus of utmost importance for me to express here. On the eve beginning a graduate program at Norwich University, I look back on my three-month experience and smile (to say the least). I was hired as an intern, but left the office as a member of the VIA family, and for that, I am forever changed, and endlessly grateful.


VIA Selected as One of Vermont’s “Emerging Leaders”

  • Written by Gwen Nagy-Benson
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    March 28 2016
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  • Posted In : Education , Uncategorized
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  • 0 comments

SBA Emerging Leaders logoVIA was one of 20 applicants recently chosen to participate in the Small Business Administration’s Emerging Leaders Initiative beginning this April.  Over 70 Vermont business owners applied for this year’s inaugural offering of the federal program in Vermont.  Using the “Streetwise MBA” curriculum developed by Interise, a Boston-based entrepreneurial education organization, the seven-month program will help Andrea Murray, VIA’s president, develop a three-year strategic plan for the business, exploring areas such as financial planning, human resources, marketing, and profitability.  Taking place at Vermont Technical College in Williston about twice each month through October, the course promises to provide Andrea with the tools to plan for VIA’s future growth and become a greater presence in our local economy.


Andrea Attends Regional AIA COTE (Committee on the Environment) Leadership Summit

  • Written by Gwen Nagy-Benson
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    January 28 2016
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  • Posted In : Uncategorized
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  • 0 comments

In June 2015, Andrea Murray attended the Northern New England AIA COTE (Committee on the Environment) Leadership Summit in Portland, Maine (see video summary here).  Invited by AIA-VT to represent one of several Vermont firms notably committed to sustainable design, Andrea joined a select group of design professionals from Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Boston to discuss how they can work as individuals and firms as well as a regional community to achieve the Architecture 2030 Challenge.  The 2030 Challenge seeks to transform the built environment from a major source of greenhouse gases to a central part of the solution to climate change, calling for all new buildings, developments, and major renovations to be carbon-neutral by 2030.  Participants in the summit explored ways to move beyond a handful of model green projects to adopting sustainability as a cultural norm throughout a firm’s portfolio and ultimately across architecture as a whole.  VIA is pleased to be part of this conversation and will continue to make sustainability an integral part of our design work.


VIA Wins AIA-VT Honor Award

  • Written by Gwen Nagy-Benson
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    January 11 2016
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  • Posted In : Design
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  • 0 comments

Long out-of-use farm buildings are a common sight throughout Vermont.  Yet, on a pristine, historic farmstead in Cornwall, one old milking parlor has become a contemplative writing space that recognizes and honors its agricultural past.  At its annual meeting in early December, the Vermont Chapter of the American Institute of Architects recognized VIA with a 2015 Honor Award for Excellence in Architecture, Small Project for the transformation of this unassuming farm building into a contemporary writer’s studio (see Writer’s Studio in our portfolio).

The jury, made up of members of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada, noted that the building was “skillfully restored around a wonderful interior space that has been transformed with imagination, ingenuity, and technical virtuosity.”  Of the hand crank mechanism fashioned from a salvaged dairy barn stanchion and farm equipment gears, the jury stated that “the new hardware associated with the sliding mezzanine is simple, thoughtful, familiar, but clearly innovative, and even playful.”  Overall they felt the project was “marked by a high level of consistency between language and imagination.”


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Vermont Integrated Architecture, P.C. is a full-service architectural design firm located in the heart of Middlebury, VT since 2011.

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  • Carbon Priorities and Historic Windows – A Multi-Faceted Approach to Decision Making January 13, 2021
  • Beyond the Pretty Pictures: Nuts and Bolts Architecture January 13, 2021
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  • UVM Slade Hall Project Receives LEED Gold Certification August 1, 2020
  • VIA and COVID-19 March 19, 2020
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P.O. Box 862
Middlebury, VT 05753

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