DC Home Renovation ImagesFriday, November 5, 2010Augusta Project Featured in Richmond MagMonday, February 22, 2010 While of course we see ourselves as an essential component of the city in which we live, we were none the less very excited to find ourselves listed in the 2010 Sourcebook issue of Richmond Magazine.The R. Michael Cross | Design Group was founded with a passion for sustainable design and has been working for the last year to show its accessibility to the average home owner via basic best building practices through the design of Richmond's First LEED Registered Home: the Augusta Project. To chronicle the process and reach out to the like minded and/or curious within the local community and beyond, we launched a blog dedicated to the Augusta Project. As it turns out, it was the blog that caught the attention of the folks at Richmond Magazine, as it has so many in Richmond who share our excitement about all things green. Solar Panels vs HOAFriday, November 13, 2009 Architecture, be it commercial, residential, large, or small, is subject to a seemingly infinite amount of regulation. The regulations span from the pragmatic health, safety, and welfare regulations of the international building codes to the most ambiguous, subjective usually enforced by home owner associations(HOA) and community architectural review boards(CARB). Such groups range in their oversight and authority, but are in place to guarantee that the overall aesthetic and perceived value of a community is maintained.
One item that many communities have banned for years are solar panels, be they for hot water or electricity generation. Today, the fastest growing economy in this down market seems to be the "green" economy, and domestic solar may very well be the Prius of tomorrow. Even with solar powered homes leading the headlines of just about every real estate section, many homeowners are finding that their HOA and CARB prevent them from installing solar. Many groups have even forced homeowners to remove systems that where installed without community approval. The authority to enforce restrictions on solar installations is quietly being taken way from HOAs and CARBs. To bolster their tax incentive programs for homeowners to invest in renewables, many states have enacted laws that prevent HOAs and CARBs from having the power to prevent citizens from installing solar panels. Such legislation was introduced on a federal level in 2007 but seems to have died in committee. It is my understanding that the new, house-passed Energy and Climate Bill includes a provision which would have the same effect. R. Michael Cross Design Group was proud to assist a client in Maryland this last week after he received a request from his CARB stating he had to remove his newly installed solar panels. Luckily, in the State of Maryland, Bill 117 denies HOAs and CARBs this authority. DC Kitchen Reno ImagesFriday, October 2, 2009 CLICK TO VIEW GALLERY It is not common for us to have images of a private residential job upon completion (that don't have the painters elbow in the frame or cardboard on the floor) so we are very excited to have received this set from the contractor, AllenBuilt, Inc.
R. Michael Cross Design Group Website LaunchWednesday, August 19, 2009R. Michael Cross Design Group has launched its official website. The launch of the website celebrates 2 years in business and over 40 projects completed. The website features some of their most recently projects, both residential and commercial, all which have been completed using the state-of-the-art Building Information Modeling software called REVIT. The website will be updated frequently, so be sure to check back in with us! R. Michael Cross Design Group is an architecture firm founded by principal architect R. Michael Cross. With licenses in Virginia, DC, and Maryland as well as LEED Professional Accreditation, R. Michael Cross looks to serve the region with sustainable design in both the residential and commercial sectors. Check it out @ http://www.rmichaelcross.com
R. Michael Cross Featured Architect on NCARB.orgSaturday, August 1, 2009We are excited that principal architect R. Michael Cross has been chosen as the first in a series of architects to be profiled on the National Council of Architectural Registration Board website. As a young, board certified architect practicing in a tri-state region, R. Michael Cross is profiled for aspiring and emerging architects to better understand the path toward licensure and the benefits that board certification holds. The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards is committed to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public through effective regulation and exemplary service.When people think about the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards—or NCARB, as they are better known, they often think about the programs that they administer. Programs like the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®) and the Intern Development Program (IDP) are a big part of what they do.
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