Monthly Archives: July 2011
Posted in Architecture | Building Systems | Current Events | Energy Conservation | Housing | Innovative Solutions | Structural Engineering | Sustainable Design | Urban Development by Brad Breneisen (Graphic Design) on July 20, 2011
Is the push towards sustainability strong enough for the design and construction industries to kick old habits and reconsider the Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU)?
Personal views aside, I think it is safe to say that society at large is becoming more and more conscientious about our impact on the environment. With the growing push towards sustainability, we are starting to see long established practices go under the microscope.
This post came about when a friend of mine named Gary Summers told me that he was in the process of obtaining a full patent for the first modular self-locking building block. Basically, he wants to usurp the existing concrete masonry unit (CMU). He sees his design as the connecting link between energy efficiency and structural design. I have always sensed that the existing CMU design is a bit primitive in relation to the progress society has made in other areas; but considering how entrenched it is in the way we build, it’s hard to imagine using anything else…until you talk to Gary.
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Posted in Communities | Employees | Leadership | Professional Development | Stewardship by Brenda Nichols (Accounting) on July 12, 2011
LDG CFO Brenda Nichols reflects on her recent honor from the YWCA and her mother’s influential wisdom.
“Every day is a new day.” I remember hearing my mother tell me this as I was growing up. She also ended it with, “so what are you going to do with it?” My statement to my kids (and their friends) has been, “Make good choices.”
Both of these are relevant for me on a daily basis. A job can be something you do or an opportunity to grow and learn. At Larson Design Group (LDG), it is definitely the later for me. I get the chance to do something meaningful each day by being an active participant in a dynamic company with a culture that matches mine.
My personal drivers are family, community, organizations that promote and help others, being respectful and learning. I think one of the reasons I have been at LDG for 18 years is because my personal drivers are very similar to LDG’s core values.
Recently I was humbled and fortunate to be recognized as a Women of Excellence by the Williamsport YWCA in recognition of my community volunteer efforts. In the audience at this award ceremony were co-workers, family and friends. This is just one small example of why I like my job. It was so easy for me to see that the choices I made to help others because I cared about the community were supported by LDG.
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