Credits

Sys·tem [sis-tuhm] noun / 1.  an assemblage or combination of things or parts forming a complex or unitary whole | 2.  any assemblage or set of correlated members…

I can conceive of no better explanations for a building, because this is exactly what they are, even in their most basic form. So why is it that people haven’t been thinking of them this way?

(Go directly to Foundations)

Credits: Acknowledging the Due

In 2008, Professor L.D. Danny Harvey  in the Department of Geography at the University of Toronto in Canada wrote a now world famous white-paper entitled “Energy Savings by Treating Buildings as Systems.” The paper is as much based on the physics of sustainable energy, using energy efficiently and producing it renewably, as it is about buildings.

Much of the way Abide Systems envelopes are designed are attributable not only to Professor Harvey, but to Joseph Lstiburek of Building Science Corporation, Dr. James T. Caldwell and Joyce Howard of E3 Regenesis Solutions, and many others who are credited throughout this site. William McDonough, an award-winning architect, who for at least 10 years has been advancing the concept that “…it is time for designs that are creative, abundant, prosperous, and intelligent from the start” is also responsible for influencing our designs and work.

It also bears stating that the field of “intelligent buildings” wouldn’t be in a position to become commonplace without the research and marketing prowess of innovative companies like Icynene, ARXX ICF, SpacePak, Unico, Owens Corning, Certainteed, Knauff, Bayer and Universal Forest Products - to name a few.

As we take you through our systems, we’re going to avoid dwelling on the obvious. For instance, we presume you have relatively stable site conditions, you know what wood frame structures and trusses are, you know what a mechanical system is, and you understand the concepts of a passive… anything. If you don’t, and you want more answers, you can do a search from the top right corner of any page and seek the answer. If the answer you seek can’t be found in the search, you can always click on the contact box in the lower right hand corner and send us a quick query.

For either RESIDENTIAL or COMMERCIAL (including MULTIFAMILY), this section of our site is divided into four MAIN CATEGORIES; Foundations, Structures, Mechanicals, Environmental Automation, and their related components.

“…from a system perspective, energy/resources sustainability is not about choosing the most efficient source; it is about optimizing the mix!” -Joseph Lstiburek

Additional Copyrights / Credits

Photos

Allison Bailes: Ductopus Insanity
Additional photos credits are available on individual pages, and will be added to this page presently.