Soho Design

The recent boom in Passive House technology is beginning to make Portland, Oregon’s ambitious carbon emissions reduction goals a lot more doable.

Portland has long been recognized as a national environmental leader. For the past few decades, a host of green features – things like the bottle bill, the urban growth boundary, bountiful bike lanes, MAX light rail, and a rich tapestry of walkable neighborhoods – have placed our town at the vanguard of sustainability in the United States.

So it should come as no surprise that the City leads the nation in pledged carbon emissions reductions. The current goal is to reduce total carbon emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by the year 2030, no small undertaking given the major population growth projected for the metropolitan region during the same period.

Of course, given the severity of the global climate change threat, we need to be working toward goals like these. But how do we achieve success? Transportation reform, land use changes, and technology improvements are all key pieces of the puzzle, surely. But a big part of the solution has to be energy efficiency in housing. After all, fully 40% of the nation’s carbon emissions come from our buildings.

And in the world of energy-efficient housing, Passive House is the gold standard. What is a Passive House? A structure that employs a simple set of building technologies to achieve big energy efficiency gains. Really big. In fact, consumption is cut by 80-100% compared to conventional buildings. In a climate like Portland’s, one of these homes can be fully heated all winter long with a heater the size of a hair dryer.

Just what the climate doctor ordered.

Choosing the correct bed for your child depends on the age of your child and also space that is available. Part of the qualifying process should include child’s own personality and your preference. Apart from being an essential item in every kids bedroom, children’s beds are an excellent way to liven up kids bedroom.

Kids beds are normally built to be as sturdy and comfortable at the same time as possible so you can have what is in your child’s best interest. They are a stylish piece of furniture and give some modernity to any room.

Most shops will have these available in variety of styles and designs, including canopy beds, kids bunk beds, loft beds, platform, storage and sleight beds. Some of the materials that they are made of vary and include chipboard, iron, maple, pine, oak hardwood to mention a few.

Buying a decent child’s bed is an investment that pays for itself over the years. A good children’s bed can last for the whole of his or her childhood.

Modern children’s beds come in all sorts of wonderful shapes and themes -space ships, boats, cars, princess’ castles. You name it – there’ll be a bed for it, if children like it. How do you decide what to actually buy at the end of the day?

Here are my 6 tips that will help you chose your next bed for your child carefully:

1. Bedroom size – observe the size of your child’s bedroom. Ask yourself questions. What shape, is it rectangular of square? Does the room have some sort of architectural feature that you would like emphasize?

The spring is a time of renewal. The grass grows and becomes green. The snow melts and the air temperature gradually increases. The birds begin singing, and people walk around with smiles on their faces. It is a period of change, and if you own a condo or loft, there are a few easy ways to update your home to reflect the turn from winter to spring.

Spring-cleaning

Set aside a day to clean your place. Washing the windows is an easy way to let more light in and improve your view. In most places, dirt and grime accumulates on windows during the winter months. There are all sorts of window-cleaning options, but using newspaper and a little vinegar mixed with water works well. It’s also a good time to clean your closets and stash your winter clothes. Have some furniture that just clutters your space? It is a great time to get rid of it.

Fresh flowers

One of the best ways to bring the outside inside your condo or loft is with fresh flowers. Choose bright colors and put them on your table, the mantle or in your bedroom. You can get flowers just about anywhere, but check and see if there is a farmers market where you live. Many urban areas have them, and you likely will be able to find a wide selection of flowers at a good price.

Paint

There is no better way to change the look of your condo or loft than applying a coat of paint. Spring is the time of renewal, so why not renew the walls? You will see a big difference even if you paint the walls the same color they are currently. Remember, too, that furniture can be painted. So if you have a piece that is showing its years, rejuvenate it with a fresh coat of paint.

Construction Loans are sometimes the most complicated real estate loans a business owner can enter into. The reason being all of the moving parts to the transaction. And things must happen in a very specific order. These loans are for the construction of a building or for improvements to an existing building being purchased sometimes referred to as TI’s or Tenant Improvements. After the construction is finished that “construction loan” will then convert into a “permanent” loan. The Mortgage thereafter is just like a home mortgage in a lot of senses such as if the payment is not made the lender would have rights to take the property. The details and intricacies of the note need to be made clear to the borrower so that after the construction is done your permanent financing will be easily handled.

Qualifying for this type of loan is similar to any other type of loan with a few additions. These supporting documents help illustrate to the bank the borrower’s strength, property details and basic requirements to show that the borrower can qualify for the financing and actually complete their construction on the building.

•Plans and Specifications of the Construction Project
•Estimate prepared by a licensed General Contractor
•An Appraisal of the property and the plans
•Title information about the property (meaning a Title Report)
•Hazardous Materials survey and report

Personal and Business financial information required:

•Business Loan Application & Business Schedule of Debt Current Year Interim P&L and Balance Sheet
•3 years Business Tax Returns
•Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable aging report
•3 months banking statements for your principal banking relationship include CD’s, Business Checking accounts, Savings accounts, etc.
•Personal Financial Statement for each owner
•Most Recent Brokerage/Bank statements
•3 years Personal Federal Tax returns