Zonda - Resource Library

Zero net energy (ZNE) construction represents a vast opportunity for builders and contractors. So what is a zero net energy home? In the simplest terms, a ZNE home produces as much energy as it uses, most commonly using efficient construction methods. Achieving ZNE performance involves a whole-building design approach to consider all of a home's systems — the building envelope, mechanical systems, and lighting and appliances — in an integrated way.

This e-book collects our most valuable resources on ZNE projects to help you define what ZNE means for you and examine factors such as energy prices, net metering policies, solar resources, incentives, and budget. You’ll see that getting to zero doesn’t mean giving up desirable and high-performance gas systems.

How are architects elevating design for the world's finest homes? And how are their forward-thinking philosophies reshaping the future of design?

In this ARCHITECT panel discussion, hear editor-in-chief Paul Makovsky explore these questions with Lauren Rottet of Rottet Studio, West Chin of West Chin Architects & Interior Designers, and Katherine Mendez of ODA, and see project examples from the trio’s boundary-pushing firms.

Combining design elements is a powerful way to build curb appeal. This guide will help the non-designer to focus on three general areas, helping to create the exact result your clients are looking for.

The design of the Chowa Home is focused on balance and harmony, derived from the Japanese meaning of the word. This video shows you how the collaborative effort between Japanese and US Builders created a luxury concept home that provides solutions for creative building through flexible design and better building processes.

Learn how the latest geographic information systems (GIS) technology can help create happier, healthier, more prosperous cities. Research has always played an important role in what architects, designers, and urban planners do.

As we more closely examine equity and sustainability—and how to make our cities better places for everyone to live, work, play—research is especially important. In this Session ARCHITECT's Editor-in-Chief discusses projects driven in part by research using tech tools, including GIS.

This On Demand CEU is a recorded presentation from a previously live webinar event. For many architecture and engineering firms, the business is not just a career, but a lifestyle. However, when the time comes to retire or slow down, the most important investment you can rely on might not be your 401(k), IRA, or real estate portfolio—but your firm. Succession planning is not just about ensuring your practice can continue without you; it’s about building a valuable asset that can provide significant financial security and wealth, potentially making your firm your most significant retirement asset.

Presented by Steve Burns, FAIA, Founder of The Well-Designed Firm, this session is an essential webinar on the best practices for succession planning and leadership transition designed specifically for firm owners who may not have considered the long-term financial benefits of planning ahead. Steve will show you how to strategically grow your firm’s value, preparing it for a successful transition that can offer you the financial freedom to step back when you are ready.

Take a deeper dive with industry experts on their latest sustainable design projects and how they are leading the way to net zero.

Housing represents one of the greatest challenges we face within the architectural profession and society as a whole. Innovative design is essential to the evolution of the multi-family housing market. Architects and designers are a major part of the solution—designing new and reimagining existing buildings in beautiful, sustainable, and cost-effective ways.

In this session, we discuss a range of projects that exemplify architectural ingenuity in affordable housing. One of the highlighted projects features modular sunscreen/rainscreen walls, an architectural solution which enhances both the projects' aesthetics and residents' sense of community.

U.S. housing affordability has declined due to increases in home values and rents, prompting the need to build affordable housing supply. To meet demand, it is projected that 2-5 million new units will be needed over the next 10 years. Read more about the current trends, challenges and opportunities.

Layton Construction, a leading firm in the construction industry, has revolutionized its visualization workflows using NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada Generation GPUs. These GPUs have empowered Layton Construction to produce high-resolution still images, animations, and 4D sequences that capture every detail of their construction projects with unprecedented realism and efficiency.

Layton Construction’s adoption of NVIDIA RTX™ technology has led to improved project outcomes and client satisfaction by delivering more realistic and reliable visualizations and responding swiftly to client demands.