Zonda - Resource Library

Americans are increasingly turning to professional builders and remodelers for their home renovation projects. But homeowners looking to increase the value of their residences need to be strategic in their upgrades. For builders and remodelers, that means the opportunity is now back on the table to offer homeowners cost-effective and stunning ways to improve the value of their homes, while employing one of the most versatile and easy-to-work with building materials available: wood.

Renovating for long-term ROI can be a balancing act. For homeowners, it’s important that renovations offer immediate benefits while also standing the test of time, both functionally and aesthetically. The key to timeless renovation is functional design rooted in tradition. One of the oldest and most renewable building materials—wood—is sustainable, stylish, and classic.

This year our focus is on renters by choice. These demanding renters can easily afford to purchase homes but opt not to due to factors such as lifestyle, mobility, flexibility, and convenience. Learn who they are and what makes them tick.

Kai-Uwe Bergmann, a partner at BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), discusses the innovation behind the SMILE building in New York’s East Harlem neighborhood. Hear how reinterpreting the NY building code allowed them to create a design winning mixed use space that appeals to renters while investing in the good of the community.

Most people don’t consider vinyl an eco-friendly building product, but data shows it actually is. See why it is a great choice for all your siding projects.

MFE editor Christine Serlin interviews COO Greg Lamb of Jefferson Apartment Group. Greg shares his expertise on the challenges and problem solving solutions that define mixed-use developments and the lessons learned over his past 30 years in the industry.

Greg recently sold his home to become a renter by choice. Hear why he has chosen this lifestyle and what he knows to be the reasons people choose to rent instead of own.

A collaboration between Masonite, Yale and Ring has created the next generation front door. This short video shows you why these doors will change the future of residential building.

Ensuring facilities have a backup power source for resilience and redundancy is gaining traction as a goal by organizations everywhere.

In this Studio Session with ARCHITECT's Editor-in-Chief watch to learn how the energy and engineering team behind an Army National Guard project specified micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) systems to cut energy costs and carbon emissions while improving resilience.

Wellness is a growing trend in many industries, including building design. This is especially true since the COVID-19 pandemic markedly disrupted how we work, learn, live, and play in the spaces we inhabit.

This course will analyze the growth of the wellness industry as it relates to the built environment and will introduce the learner to the WELL Building Standard, which is a rating system to help buildings and organizations deliver more thoughtful and intentional spaces. Concurrently, we will explore how hearth products such as electric fireplaces can be incorporated into commercial and residential design to enhance occupant health and well-being.

Consumers and the design industry are taking notice of newly embraced lifestyle and workplace shifts, coupled with an increasing focus on climate change, health, and wellness. There is a more conscious effort, even a responsibility, to plan, design, and develop for well-being. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have heightened awareness of hygiene and the challenges that high-touch surfaces present, such as those found in commercial restrooms.

This course will explore v2 of the WELL Building Standard and how commercial restroom products can help designers achieve WELL v2 Certification. We will identify the plumbing industry’s role in health and wellness and how reducing water consumption in commercial restrooms impacts the health and well-being of building occupants.