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At first glance, the North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood (NTPLLN) at the University of California, San Diego, doesn’t seem like a project with much to offer residential designers and builders. The 1.8-million-sq-ft, six-building development—designed by HKS in collaboration with Clark Construction and Safdie Rabines Architects—replaced a 10-acre parking lot with a dense academic […]
I’m converting an unused indoor concrete pool into usable floor space and would appreciate guidance on vapor barrier placement before installing geofoam. A picture of the pool area is attached. The hot tub in the far left corner will be demolished and filled to floor grade. The pool is approximately 35′ × 15′, with an […]
Hello All, I’m working on a retrofit of a large 1980s passive-style A-frame in coastal Nova Scotia (~5,000 sq ft). Previous siding work (on gable walls) was done poorly – new cedar shingles and metal cladding were installed over the existing siding with very little attention to window or door flashing. The clients now want […]
Replies Expert Member MALCOLM TAYLOR | Mar 16, 2026 11:56am | #1 Billy, You can, but it presupposes your stem-walls and the framing above are going to align very closely. If I were doing it I’d have a drip-flashing, and whatever material you are planning to use as a covering for the mineral wool stopping […]
Q&A Spotlight A GBA member planning a new home in Alaska wonders if a 200-amp service will be enough for future electrification—or if installing 400 amps now would be a better long-term investment. By Chuck Bickford | March 16, 2026 A utility employee prepares to install an electrical meter for a house with 200-amp service. […]