It came and went, and for those that missed out, shaaaamme. Our "Sustainable Architecture & Design" lounge night was a smashing success…we got all Low-E, passive solar, heated thermal up in this biz. It was a right good turnout, too…a boatload of goodly locals packed into our dimly-lit, comfy-couched, booze- and snack-stocked lounge to listed and learn. As promised, we gave 'em something worth hearing; Chris Price [LEED, AP, CGP] of Park City Design + Build and Angela M. Dean [AIA, LEED, AP, CPHC] of AMD Architects came to enlighten and engage.

Chris chatted with us about the sustainable home he built in Summit Park with--literally--his own hands. It's the first of its kind in Park City, and was constructed per the stringent standards of Passivhaus pre-certifications. What does that mean? Well, for starters, it's 90% more efficient than most homes in Utah. It's a modern work of genius, and Chris shared each step of the planning, design, and construction of a steep hillside home. Something worth noting: the R-values for insulation are insane, with walls at R-65 and the roof at R-91 [that's so high…look it up!]. Angela Dean, our second speaker and author of the book Green By Design: Creating a Home for Sustainable Living, took some time to offer up some mighty applicable tips and tools for those looking to remodel existing homes to a greener standard. We'll sum up a couple of her points: 1) Plan for timelessness [a.k.a. do a remodel that won't be a remodel again in five years]; 2) Bigger homes are less efficient. More space isn't necessarily the answer…just more wisely-planned space. Well said, Angela. We're shaking our heads in agreement.

All told, a fabulous evening full of knowledge and a touch of wine/beer. COLLECTIVELY, we were thrilled to see so many folks interested in the kind of beautiful design that goes far beyond aesthetics [though, we love those, too]. We hope to do this more often, and we hope you'll consider joining us. A few dark and moody photos below will give you the vibe [just think: candle light, education, and few good chums].