Douglas VanderHorn, an award-winning, classically-focused Greenwich architect noted for combining contemporary innovations with traditional styles, shares his insights into how some of New England’s greatest homes are embracing green technologies and sustainable materials. In his new YouTube channel, VanderHorn discusses green and sustainable trends in Greenwich and Fairfield County.
VanderHorn, a 30-year veteran in the field of architecture, designs seamlessly incorporate newer green and sustainable innovations in building technologies, including both new construction and renovation. He was honored in athome Magazine’s seventh annual A-List Awards for Fairfield County, and was also named to the 2015 New England Design Hall of Fame.
The video series, titled “Green Technologies & Sustainable Materials are Here to Stay,” is part of the athome in Fairfield County “Designer Insight” panel discussion. In the video series, VanderHorn tackles some of the most important topics to home builders and home buyers today, including green alternatives to conventional mechanical home building systems, noting that cogeneration systems – where you are generating your own electricity in the home – is one of the most efficient methods available today. In the video, VanderHorn says, “Electricity is inherently inefficient because of the transportation of it through the wires, so there’s a large loss. If you’re generating your own electricity in the house, you have no loss.”
VanderHorn also takes on topics including how smart home technology contributes to green and sustainable design. He notes in the video series that smart home technology is advancing quickly, with wireless innovations forming the next big trend. “The current smart house and the one we’re all familiar with requires a great deal more wiring,” he says. “The real innovation in smart house is coming from wireless,” he says, using smart light bulbs as an example, where the light bulb itself communicates wirelessly to the source.
The videos also offer insight into other green and sustainable topics including the best green strategies for buying and installing windows, using green technologies during a renovation of an older home, and the top building features in use today in sustainable home design.
Check out Douglas VanderHorn Architects YouTube channel, beginning with, “Green Alternatives to Conventional Mechanical Systems.”
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