Quote of the Month- Helena Rubinstein /  by Admin

What shines Helena’s Beauty Empire?

Helena Rubinstein, a Polish-American businesswoman, once said this inspiring quote. 

Why is it inspiring?

You might find her cosmetic empire was irrelevant to our built environment. However, in order to see how we are in the mirror, it is inevitable to talk about lighting sources and how we should select one that truly reflects our beauty. By looking at the table below, we would know that the incandescent lamp and tungsten-halogen will be the best suited for Helena's perfect beauty world.

Characteristics of Lighting Source (Source reference: ARE Review Manual, by Professional Publications, Inc)

CRI & CCT

Two essential measurements telling us what our environment might "look" like are CRI and CCT. 

CRI stands for "Color Rendering Index." It is a quantitative assessment that indicates how faithfully the lighting source reveals the colors of various objects compared to a natural light setting. This index ranges from 0-100; the higher the CRI number, the more it renders color faithfully and close to natural daylight.

A perfect 100 indicates that colors under the light source appear the same as they would under natural sunlight, since its light spectrum closely approximates a blackbody radiator.

CCT stands for "Correlated Color Temperature. " It is essentially a way to measure how the yellow (warm) or blue (cold) hue of the light emitted from a light bulb. It is estimated with degrees of Kelvin, ranging from 1700K to 6500K. The lower the number, the warmer it appears.

A little science behind the light bulbs

Generally speaking, incandescent light has a color temperature range from 2700K to 3100K. They have the best color rendering effect, which is almost close to 100 CRI. Their light output can also be easily controlled with reflectors and lenses.

An incandescent lamp consists of a tungsten filament placed within a sealed bulb with an inert gas. It produces light when electricity passes through the filament. They are manufactured in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and wattages.

On the other hand, the tungsten halogen light is produced by the incandescence of the filament with a small amount of halogen gas. This leads to the filament burning under higher pressure and temperature. To resist the operational heat, the tungsten-halogen bulb uses a quartz capsule to contain the light, which is much smaller than a standard incandescent bulb. Due to their compact and directional features, jewellers favor them for their intricate jewellery inspection and tasks.

How about LED,light-emitting diodes (LED), you might have wondered. Unlike incandescents, LEDs produce light through a process called electroluminescence, which occurs in a semiconductor material when electrons and holes recombine at a p-n junction. A larger band gap produces higher-energy photons (shorter wavelengths, e.g., blue or green), and a smaller band gap produces lower-energy photons (longer wavelengths, e.g., red or infrared). Therefore, it can provide lighting with various color temperatures. Also, LED's chip accelerates and wears on the semiconductors and phosphor layers. This results in the light output slowly decreasing over its operational life. Their gradual degradation in brightness also influences the LED's CRI value.

By the way…

If you like to use Hazel's card to enhance your "place" related knowledge and memory, you might also like:

How to Design Your Reading Space /  by Admin

“A room without books is like a body without a soul.” — Cicero

And … “the eyes are the windows to the soul.” While you are excited to pick your favorite book and find your preferred corner in the house, here are some questions to help you design your reading space.

Is your reading space bright enough?

Ensure Comfort: Is your reading space bright enough? When people talk about comfort, we often invest in seating accessories, such as pillows, a soft woven throw, a side table, or even a footstool. However, in a reading space, the first and foremost thing we need to take care of is our eyes. Proper lighting protects our eyes from glare and helps us avoid fatigue. So we can fully immerse ourselves in our reading world.

There are three zones when light reaches the reading material: Zone 1 is the surface light for visual tasks, Zone 2 is the immediate surrounding, Zone 3 is the general surrounding, similar to ambience. Generally speaking, we need about 500-1000 Lux at Zone 1 for handwriting, reproductions, or investigating poor copies; and about 200-500 Lux for reading books, magazines, or newspapers.  We also need 1/3 to 1/5 of the recommended luminance of the visual task at Zone 2, and 1/5 to 1/10 of the luminance at Zone 3.

If our reading space is small, a proper and well-positioned task light can not only make our eyes comfortable, but also help us reduce energy consumption.

Glare is proportional to source’s luminance and its apprehended solid angle. Therefore a small, bright source is usually not a problem, yet large, low brightness source (a large window or a luminous ceiling) might cause glare issue. (Reference source: MEEB)


Does your reading space have enough shelves to organize your books?

Ensure Orderliness: If you are a big Kindle reader, you can skip this section. However, if you enjoy reading your childhood comic books, a unique set of encyclopedias, or lingering on nostalgic photo albums, then you definitely need an orderly shelving system to organize your reading material.

But how?

Other than freestanding bookcases, the safest and most durable shelf installation would be anchoring your bracket directly into wall studs. Studs are the vertical framing members behind the drywall, typically spaced 16 inches apart in most residential homes in the U.S.

When installing, first you need to locate the stud: use the stud finder to locate the 2x4 (or 2x6) framing member, and avoid hitting electrical wires. Secondly, plan your bracket positions based on the type of shelves you want to mount. For the decorative light shelves, you can use a single stud per bracket. For the heavy shelves, you need additional heavy-duty anchors for mounting. There are a variety of types of anchors, from as light as a plastic expansion anchor (10-25lbs), to a molly bolt (25-50lbs) or toggle bolt (70-200 lbs). You will find them helpful for your reading environment.

Does your reading space include soothing ambience to help you focus?

Ensure Quality: There are many ways to make a soothing ambience to your liking. Music, fragrance, or greenery will all enhance our reading environment and boost our reading mood.

By the way…

  • What is Lux?

    Lus(lx) is the measurement of how much of the light actually illuminate a specific area or surface. For example, a flashlight might have a high quantity of lumens, but if we shine it on a surface 100 feet away from it, the lux will be much lower than if we shine it on the desk 2 feet in front of us.

Want more creative planning tips or brainstorming a moodboard? Why not shoot Hepburn a message and let's get your reading-space therapy started!



Playing LEGO Matters /  by Admin

LEGO, the creative toy originally manufactured by the LEGO Group in Denmark . According to Wikipedia, “Lego” was derived from the Danish phrase “leg godt,” which means “play well.”

LEGO’s interlocking block system made their pieces easy to assemble and connect for constructing a project. Many schools have used it as part of teaching tools. So far, the most impressive way to utilize this education program we’ve seen is the UrbanPlan. UrbanPlan is an educational program initiated by ULI America (Urban Land Institute).

Similar to the video game SimCity, where the player acts as a town’s overall planner to build and manage the town’s growth. UrbanPlan is a more realistic “game” and engaging exercise for people interested in learning the fundamental forces of developing a city or a neighborhood.

When discussing building a town, we inevitably think about a green neighborhood. What is a green neighborhood? You might ask. It is a neighborhood developed in a way with sustainable practice and design. A good example is the project certified with LEED-ND.

“To encourage development within and near the existing community and public transit infrastructure…To reduce the incidence of obesity, heart disease, and hypertension by encouraging daily physical activity associated with walking and biking.” — LEED ND- Smart Location.

On this momentous day, we design the card for planners and developers. Thank them for applying the Smart Location principle, so that everyone could enjoy walkable, bikeable, and even healthier neighborhoods!

How to Transform a Deck /  by Admin

"I did not wish to take a cabin passage, but rather to go before the mast and on the deck of the world."

--- Henry David Thoreau

It is said that a color tells the story of a space. It is also true on your deck. transforming your deck by refreshing it with a new layer of color would be the very first step. There are two ways to add a new color to the deck: staining and painting. But which one should we choose?

Stain

Staining a deck is the easiest thing to do to refresh a deck. It is recommended that your deck is fairly new; typically less than five years old. With a gentle cleaning and a coat of stain, it is sufficient to transform the deck and have a finished look.

Due to the stain's material properties, it enhances your deck by highlighting its natural grain and texture. Other than solid stain, many stains offer transparent or semi-transparent coating that allows the wood decks' natural beauty to show through. Stain also penetrates the wood and does not peel or chip, which can simplify the following maintenance in the long run. However, stains fade faster. It is recommended to reapply it every one to three years.

Paint

Painting, on the other hand, requires more labor-intensive prep work, including thorough cleaning, sanding, and applying primer before adding a coat of paint. Painting is better for aged wood planks or dated decks, typically more than 10 years old. As the deck wood might experience extensive wear and tear, resulting in wood peeling or cracking, paint binds to the wood and acts like a protective layer.

Using paint can also hide imperfections, knots, and cracks, and allow a wide range of colors from neutral to bold hues. If you want your deck to be a statement piece in your yard, painting would be a perfect choice. It can also give your place a customized look and manifest your lifestyle.

Moreover, if we do it right, the paint lasts longer. It provides strong protection against UV rays and moisture damage, making it ideal for decks exposed to intense sunlight and heavy foot traffic.

Final Takeaways

  • When to use Paint: If you have an aged deck, want less recoating maintenance, or simply want a customized color.

  • When to use stain? If you have a fairly new deck, don't mind regular maintenance, and prefer your deck in a natural tone.

 
 

By the way…



How to Create a Thankful Environment /  by Admin

“Gratitude brightens even the smallest corner.”

You might have heard that practicing gratitude can help our health and wellbeing. Creating a thankful environment not only helps us develop positive thinking and cultivate empathy but also improves our health and well-being.

Here are some tips for building a thankful environment

Make a thankful wall:

If you work with interior designers, you must have heard of "mood board". When creating our thankful space, having a thank-you board is a must-have. Carve out a wall space, hang with a magnetic board, a charcoal board, or simply leave the wall blank. Post a love lyric, a kind message on a sticky note, or a hand-drawn heart on the board, etc. These spaces can all help us form a gratitude habit.

Build a memorable entrance:

Do you have a foyer? What is the first thing you see when entering your house? Whether it's a counsoler's table, a coat closet, or a shoe bench, putting a memorable personal item when entering your home so you would feel instant gratification.

Keep a gratitude bookcase:

Nowadays, many things are "digitalized," and we often keep our memos and notes in our phones. Having a standalone bookshelf to keep all your important "books" there would also help us form a thankful behavior. Whether it is a photo album, a music record, a personal journal, or a shoebox full of dummies, you can find your love memories in this special bookcase that only belongs to you and your loved one.

Make an appreciation kitchen counter island:

If you work in an office or a store, you can also try to foster gratitude in a group setting. A kitchen counter island would be the best location for any kind of celebration. Whether winning a big project or gaining the favor of a small client, no small achievement is too small to gain recognition and reward. Appreciating our team and leaders each step of the way can enhance workspace morale and also boost productivity. Plus, many creative ideas can be inspired by a breakfast croissant or a birthday cupcake. Every thank you note can also be shared over a meal. And all you need is a good-sized countertop. What dimension is considered a good size? A 3-foot by 4-foot island would be enough for a handful of teammates to share their achievements. It is also not too big like a conference table (often they are 8 feet by 4 feet) to keep people apart.

Pick your Gratifying Color!

"What kind of color can boost our happiness and induce calmness?" You might also have such a question when you create your thankful corner. Color is really a personal choice. Colors that are known to bring us such feelings include light blue, soft green, and all the neutral tones. Especially the shades like sky blue reduce blood pressure and heart rate. Soft green can evoke nature and improve working memories. It restores us from mental fatigue. Neutral tones can also calm our minds and reduce unnecessary stimuli. These colors can be used in various settings to create a soothing environment that supports our daily routine and ongoing gratitude projects.

By the way…

Here are some additional thoughts from Color Psychology and CooniFit to help guide your color choices.

Home for Nursery /  by Hepburn

" Bring Your Baby Home For the First Time?"

Taking your baby home is one of the best times in life. Other than your unconditional affection and unlimited attention, a baby doesn't need much more than just a safe and quiet environment with a few essentials, such as a crib/bassinet, a changing station (for diapers and outfits), and a storage area that needs to be adapted along with the baby's age.

Key considerations before starting your design are:

Determine the suitable location

  • Your bedroom: Infants aged 1-4 months require a lot of hugs and holding because they are still adjusting to their new environment. Holding a baby and touching them triggers the release of oxytocin, which helps regulate their heart rate, stress levels, fosters attachment, and promotes feelings of warmth and calm. Therefore, using the mother's bedroom would be ideal if they have the same life routine and daily schedule.

  • A dedicated room: It could be a den or a small room. As the baby needs a routine sleep cycle, if the room is prone to noise that is subject to the mother's daily activities, it is hard to develop a good sleep cycle. Therefore, a dedicated room away from other distractions would be the best. It is also easy to control the quality of the room through specific temperature/humidity and lighting settings.

  • A walking closet: An infant doesn't require a lot of space. Transforming an unused closet would instantly give the mother a compact and organized area for nursing the baby.

  • A living area nook: Carve out a quiet corner in a living room or family room that is close to mother's daily activities. So it is convenient for the mother to check on the infant regularly.




Determine the essentials

  • A mattress: A firm mattress. Infants need a certain amount of tummy time to build up their strength. To avoid areas where the baby could fall, a firm mattress in a crib would be one of the tummy time locations.

  • A changing station: A dedicated changing table will make it easier to change when needed without moving stuff around.

  • The sitting area: A comfortable chair for feeding and bonding

  • The curtain: It is good for adjusting the lighting throughout the day, ensuring the baby will always sleep in a dark, calming environment.

  • A safe surface: Avoid any sharp angles from the furniture and equipment. Always keep the surface firm, the furniture secured, and the storage area tidy and decluttered.




Defining the style

  • Color Palette:

  1. Beige: Natural tone on earth is always calm and relaxing. A muted color is ideal for a soothing atmosphere.

  2. Pastels: Soft blue, green, pink, and yellow can also encourage sensory, create a playful environment, and support cognitive growth.

  3. Monochrome: Gray is a sophisticated shade that is easy to complement various decor and styles. Carve out a corner with black and white patterns. High contrast images are beneficial for newborn development. They help stimulate the visual system, encourage longer attention span, and enhance the baby's ability to discern shapes at an early stage.

  • Theme: Any playful and dreamy theme is suitable for the infant and the mother, creating a calming and relaxing environment and subtle stimulation.

  • Natural Touches:  incorporating natural elements, indoor plants will create a unique identity of the space and inspire human delight. This strategy is also reflected in the WELL Mind concept, which promotes mental health, a fundamental component of our health as a whole.

  • Lighting: In order to help infants develop a healthy sleeping cycle, lighting plays a critical role. Adjusting interior lighting to coincide with the baby's sleep schedule and allowing a quality space for naps are tips to ensure the baby has a good bedtime routine.

  • Adaptable furniture: If you only have limited space for the infant, choose convertible cribs and dressers that can be transformed as the baby grows. For example, Mom's armchair for swaddling the baby can turn into a mini playground for a toddler. For example, flip the ottoman and create an instant gym for a toddler to climb and crawl.

Last Step: Lay it out!

---- By the way, resources from the expert of subject matter:

  • “Whether you are deep into the Darwinian playbook or not, the size of a baby's brain is really evidence of Homo sapiens' evolution. If the baby's head were too small, the baby would die; if the baby's head were too big, the mother would die. The solution? Give birth to babies before their skulls become fully evolved to kill the mother. And consequences? Children come into our world before their brains are fully developed. And a well-established parenthood will help grow and enhance the baby's neural connections through in-person care and various activities.” — “Brain rule for baby”, John Medina

  • “Oxytocin and early parent-infant interactions: A systematic review”, Scatliffe N, Casavant S, Vittner D, Cong X. Oxytocin and early parent-infant interactions: A systematic review. Int J Nurs Sci. 2019 Sep 12;6(4):445-453. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnss.2019.09.009. PMID: 31728399; PMCID: PMC6838998.

  • Here is a video clip on how to properly change baby’s diaper: “Proper Diaper Changing Procedure” , by 4C Florida

Home for Mother /  by Admin

"Let's create an environment for our beloved mothers, not just for Mother's Day. "

This Sunday is Mother's Day. Have you thought about how to create an environment that mothers would love?

Many of us moved out of our homes when we went to college. During the recent economic shifts, some people chose to move back to their childhood house and live with their parents again. The mother-children home becomes a practical and rewarding choice.

So how can we make an environment that honors our mother and expresses our love?

Create a comfortable and relaxing linkage space

Two generations often have different schedules and routines. You might be a night owl who socializes with friends on weekday nights. And your mother is an early bird who enjoys morning coffee and looking over her flower garden. If we do not intentionally create a shared space between two individuals, you might end up rarely seeing your mother and lose the purpose of the bonding experience provided by your special home.

What kind of space is considered a "linkage space"? This special mother-child bound area could be the big kitchen counter that you share your laptop work while your mother bakes the cookies for her next charity event. It could also be a renovated garage-sunroom where you leave your electric car to charge overnight while your mother enjoys the new knitting pattern by the electric fireplace on the other side of the partition.

Build an accessible and safe place for moms

If you've followed our blogs, you probably already know how handy it is to look up the building code. Here are a few other reminders that can ensure we are making the right decision for moms.

Make Sizable Ramps “Accessible”

In the past, building a ramp for the elderly was always a challenging project to comply with because of the limitation of the lot width. However, the recently updated International Residential Code has made this rule easier, from the previous 1:12 requirement to 1:8 of the ramp slope (R318.8.1 Maximum Slope). This version helps many homeowners to reduce the ramp length on the property and provide easy access for multiple purposes. Whether it is for rolling a wheelchair or a grocery basket to the house, having a sizable ramp is definitely a way to love moms.

Worry-free From Lead Paint

Houses built before 1978 are often subject to lead-based paint risk. This kind of paint contains toxic heavy metals that could cause health problems. Of course, if we paint over the existing lead-painted wall, it can reduce such risk, but the interior surface would only become safe when using a specialized encapsulant.

Encapsulants are a method recognized by the EPA for managing lead paint without full removal. If the lead paint in the existing home has already cracked and chipped, it is better to remove it. But the painted surface is still intact; it is recommended to apply this specialized coating. It binds and seals the underlying lead paint.

P.S. Check out page7-9 of the document “Lead Abatement for Workers. Chapter 7”, published by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Carefree From Fire Hazard

Since the wildfire in recent years, people have paid more attention to fire hazards than ever. The recent building code also changed the method to prevent fire risk (R302, Fire-Resistant Construction). Other than installing the smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm, having an updated construction, so you can leave home for work without worry, is also a good way to love your mother.

Personalize Mom's space

Roll-up Our Sleeves

Respecting mother's need for individuality is vital. Helping our mothers decorate their space and reflect their personalities is a simple way to express our love. Creating a designated outdoor area, making a customized bench with salvaged wood, can all build up a sense of ownership, honor her and enhance her individuality.

Build the Tranquility Mom Desires

For many mothers, noise is an issue in a shared house. Effective soundproofing can ensure your privacy and give mom the tranquility that she needs.

The sound transmission requirement used to be included in Appendix K in IRC. But such a requirement has been removed, and you can only find it when looking up IBC 1206. Although it is no longer a requirement, such code can still function as our guideline. Selecting material with a higher Sound Transmission Class(STC) and Impact Insulation Class (IIC) rating to keep the individual space without disturbance. If you are unsure how the material performs in your home, you can do a field test and get the location's Normalized Noise Isolation Class (NNIC) measured by your acoustical consultant. Surely your mother will be convinced how much you love her!

By the way…

If you have a tight budget and cannot make all the space in your home? Focusing on quality time, comfortable gifts, and personalized items would make your mother's day memorable. Check out shop’s Floral Card Collection. I hope you find something your mom would like.

XOXO, Hazel




Home for Bakery /  by Hepburn

“How to Design Your Kitchen Like a Pro?”

Do you like to bake? Would you like to design your own kitchen?

Do you have a large floor plate, or a small one?

Follow this basic steps and you can get a professional kitchen layout yourself.

  1. Start with the work triangle. (The work flow circulate among sink, stove/range, and refrigerator)

  2. Place them in efficient proximity (about 4 to 9 feet apart).

  3. Divide the space into functional zones: such as preparation zone, cooking zone, cleaning zone, and storage zone. Don't forget to give those areas enough countertop to "land". (aka, the landing space.)

 
 

4. Design your kitchen with a common shape, such as an L shape, U shape, or gallery style.

5. Ensure you leave your kitchen with clear walkways. Generally, it is recommended to have path that is 42 to 48 inches wide. If you want to design an ADA-compliant unit, 40-inch-wide passage is required.

6. If you are lucky enough to have ample kitchen space, consider adding an island.

 

  • Thinking of color choices after finish planning your kitchen? check out this video for kitchen color tips.

 

Swimming Pool Matters /  by Admin

 
 

The last Saturday in April is the Pool Opening Day in our neighborhood. It is the day marked that summer is around the corner, and we can enjoy the social and physical benefits of many summer activities, including swimming.

Swimming is an activity associated with water. It relies on a neutral buoyancy of the human body to create a movement in the water. The technique was initially taught for athletic training in palaestras during the ancient Greek and Roman time. It is considered aerobic exercise. According to CDC, just two and a half hours per week of aerobic physical activities can decrease chronic illnesses and improve health in general.

Swimming is an excellent exercise to work out the entire body and cardiovascular system. It burns calories and helps build muscle memories. It is also a suitable exercise for any age and many ability groups.

For people with arthritis, fibromyalgia, or muscular dystrophy, “this exercise improves the quality of life and decreases disability.” That is because of the water buoyancy feature, which makes a low impact on joints and with little risk to the injured parts.

This aquatic activity is also beneficial for people who suffer from mental health. According to the studies, swimming can improve mental status by stimulating endorphins, as well as dopamine and serotonin, which help reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Moreover, it is a recreational activity for making a parent-child bond. Survey shows parents see swimming interaction as a way to enhance family relationship and provide opportunities for skill and self-development within an accepting and supportive environment. Under the guidance of a certified swim instructor, children as old as six months old can learn breath control and submerge underwater for the first time. Most children are ready for swimming lessons by the age four. At that stage, they can learn basic water survival skills such as floating and treading water. These swimming lessons also benefit children in many ways, including improved social, cognitive, and physical development.

From a land usage perspective, a swimming pool only requires a minimum footprint to accomplish our physical needs compared to bike lanes or baseball fields. While reading about the incredible health benefit of swimming, it reminded us of a WELL feature.

“When considering physical activity education and programming, it is vital to consider the needs of the population that a project serves. Events and education should be relevant to the community (i.e., ability and age-appropriate).”— WELL V06, Physical Activity Opportunities

On this momentous day, we design this card for swimming pool instructors. Thanks to them for their knowledge and coaching so people can all benefit from the activities and lessons around by the pool.

Immunization Matters /  by Admin

The last week of April of each year is World Immunization Week. The week was designated to promote vaccine use and our collective effort to protect people of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Immunization, by definition, is the “process” by which an individual’s immune system becomes more robust against the disease. The process is often activated by vaccination or inoculation. They are the treatments to introduce the specific pathogen into the human body. The means to include those pathogens in three formats:

  • using a whole virus or bacteria

  • only using parts of the virus that trigger the immune system

  • only using the core of the virus, the genetic material.

These different vaccine formats also represent different strategies to induce a beneficial immune response and further involve immunization.

While controlling those stimulating immune responses seems forward-thinking, the concept of immunization was conceived as early as in the 15th century. During that period, healthy people from various parts of the world intentionally exposed themselves to people with smallpox to prevent similar illnesses.

After Dr. Edward Jenner first tested his scientific method against smallpox in 1796, the vaccine technology took a different scale. In the latter half of the 19th century, Louis Pasture created the first laboratory-produced vaccine. In 1918, the Spanish flu pandemic killed tens of millions worldwide, making the influenza vaccine the top priority. The vaccine then became mass-produced throughout the 20th century.

In 2020, this month marked the number of Covid-19 cases worldwide passed one- million; revisiting the vaccination history became particularly meaningful. That reminded us of a WELL feature.

“Providing free on-site flu vaccines with education on good health habits can increase vaccination rates and reduce flu cases.” — WELL, C06, Health Services and Benefits.

And the fourth part of that feature is letting the project identifies an immunization relevant to the target population and implements an immunization program for all designed spaces.

On this momentous day, we design this card for healthcare providers, thanks to them for increasing their vaccination locations so we all benefit gotm their knowledge and services.

Library Matters /  by Admin

The last week of April is National Library Week. It was first sponsored by the American Library Association in 1958 and observed by many places across the United States. During the time of every year, it reminds us how much libraries have motivated and supported us to read.

The term “Library” was rooted in a Latin word, Liber, which means a collection of books. The place first considered as the library was in Sumer in Mesopotamia, Middle East, where people discovered clay tablets and cuneiform scripts that were organized systematically.

Libraries offer both physical and digital access to reading materials. Their collections range from newspapers, journals, and books to cassettes, CDs, DVDs, or even video games.

Due to the library’s immense collections, they are often arranged in a multi-level system. The most efficient way to access all clusters of books is to place a vertical connection from the Circulation Desk (or Access Service), such as staircases. With this vertical circulation, readers can quickly access various documents and collections.

To make this card, a memory from a neighborhood library came to mind. This library’s atrium staircase reminds us of a WELL feature:

“Evidence suggests that improving aesthetic and atmosphere with design, music and artwork, as well as tailoring motivational signage and prompts to the audience or population the space serves, may help increase intervention effectiveness.” —WELL V03, Circulation Network: Design Aesthetic Staircases

Moreover, individuals typically burn around 2 to 5 calories when climbing a flight of stairs. When climbing stairs for 30 minutes, an individual could burn about 235 calories, almost equivalent to a hamburger with a single patty.

On this momentous day, we placed this card by the elevator so that we would remember to boost our knowledge and health the next time we visited the neighborhood library.

Earth Matters /  by Admin

April 22nd is Earth Day. It marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement. This planet protection movement was organized by a young activist, Denis Hayes, whom a Wisconsin senator at the time (Gaylord Nelson) inspired. It was first held in 1970 after a massive oil spill event in Santa Barbara in 1969.

During the 70s, extended attention was drawn by Rachel Carson with her book, Silence Spring, and NASA photographs from the “Earthrise” series taken from Apollo 8 in 1968. By the end of 1970, this significant earth protection movement led to the birth of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It also passed the first environmental laws, including the national environmental education act.

In 1990, the earth day movement took on a global scale and hugely influenced the recycling effort worldwide. It also helped to form a 1992 earth summit in Rio de Janeiro.

When entering the new Millennium, the Earth Day movement became more influential and prevailing, intensified environmental protection awareness in local communities, and formed organization such as earthday.org. To this day, Earth day has engaged more than 1 billion people worldwide annually and has laid the cornerstone for all planet protection movements.

After reading Earth day’s fascinating history, it reminded us of a WELL feature:

“There are a variety of ways to increase opportunities for civic engagement and establish a culture of social responsibility.” — WELL C11, Civic Engagement.

On this momentous day, we design this card for all advocates. Whether they advocate for human, animals or our planet, because of their engagement our earth becomes a better place.

As a side notes: There is no age restriction to become an activist. The younger generation has played a notable role in environmental protection. If you are interested in such topics, check out a webinar hosted by the Center for Green Schools showcased how student-led advocacy could happen in Massachusetts and other innovative climate programs in the schools.

In honor of the mother of the modern environmental activist, Rachel Carson, the Rachel Carson Greenway was developed in 2004. You can now visit Rachel Carson’s house where she wrote Silent Spring and this lush, 25 mile long trail when stopping by Burns Mill at route 29 in the Montgomery County, Maryland.

Easter Matters /  by Admin

April 9th is Easter Sunday.
Easter is a Christian festival and cultural holiday to celebrate Jesus resin’s resurrection from the dead. In a worldwide Christianity community, Jesus’ (Son of God) supernatural resurrection from the dead was one of the prevalent beliefs of the entire faith.

In many parts of the world where Christianity was practiced, Easter is often a public holiday that falls on a Sunday if the region uses the Gregorian calendar, such as in northern America and many parts of the European continent.

In Christianity, Easter eggs are the symbol of new life. Additionally, the egg carries a “trinitarian” significance, with shell, yolk, and albumen being three parts of one egg. Thus, traditional customs and events often host activities associated with the eggs.

For example, in the eastern Orthodox church, Easter eggs are blessed by a priest and distributed in church and elsewhere.
Easter has become a more culturally relevant event in modern western society and is associated less with its original religious intent. Many Easter events host outdoors. The egg hunt and easter egg rolling are the most popular Easter events. The egg hunt is a holiday game. During that activity, decorated eggs are hidden for children to find.

Egg rolling performed more like a sports game. In the United States, the egg-rolling event is hosted on a lawn where children push an egg through the grass with a long-handled spoon. In the United Kingdom, eggs were wrapped with onion skin, and children competed to see who could roll the farthest.

After reading Easter’s fascinating history and cultural story, it reminded us of a WELL feature:

“Outdoor spaces can also be used to promote calm and encourage restorative activities. Both indoor and outdoor spaces can also be used for individuals with a wide variety of beliefs, religions, and traditions, including prayer and meditation.” — -WELL, M07, Restorative Spaces.

On this momentous day, we place this card by the window. Whether we share the same beliefs or ages, we realized that watching Easter’s outdoor activities is also calming and therapeutic. May the WELL standard be our go-to guide when we help program outdoor activities next time.

Quote Of The Month- Enrique Peñalosa /  by Admin

What brings Enrique Peñalosa to Montgomery County?

Montgomery County began operating a Bus Rapid Transit system at the end of the pandemic. The BRT system was initiated in the 2013 countywide master plan. Till this year, the Flash BRT program has established 100 stops, 8 routes, and reached more than 11,000 people, helping them to reach their destination faster and less expensively. Reading Flash's Fall 2025 newsletter reminded me of this quote from Enrique Penalosa. Enrique Peñalosa, a former mayor of Bogotá, once said this inspiring quote:

Why is it inspiring?

Because, as a follower of the happiness economy, he understood the urban happiness cycle: only a city that respects human beings can expect its residents to cherish the city in return. 

During his terms, he worked on Bogotá Alameda El Porvenir-- the paved promenade that was reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, while cars were assigned to the edge. This strategy may not seem feasible in other parts of the world where car ownership prevails. However, most studies have shown that 68% of the world population will live in urban areas by 2050. Integrating our Land Use and Transit becomes an inevitable topic for growing our cities smartly.

How could LEED ND help?

As a city grows, ample public transportation choices not only increase land value but also make sustainable growth. These choices include public bike-sharing, public-run shuttles, buses, metro rails, etc. But the most effective way to let more people use public transit is to locate a project close to quality transit. Several metrics in LEED ND are standardized to help projects reach sustainable goals. 

LT Credit: Access to Quality Transit

What is considered a "Quality Transit"? In LEED ND, a quality transit is measured by its minimum daily service. A project served by multiple transit types (bus, streetcar, rail, or ferry) with a certain number of weekday trips and weekend trips are considered to be quality transits.

Table 1. Minimum daily transit service for projects with multipletransit types. (Reference Source: USGBC/LEED-Credit Library)

Table 2. Minimum daily transit service with commuter rail or ferry service only. (Reference Source: USGBC/LEED-Credit Library)

These transit options also need to be accessible to the project. Some requirements are as follows.

  • Locate at least 50% of dwelling units and non-residential use entrances within a 1/4 mile walking distance of at least one bus or streetcar stop.

  • Locate a project within a 1/2 mile walking distance of at least one bus, streetcar, or rideshare stops.

  • Locate a project within a 1/2 mile walking distance of a bus rapid transit stop, light rail, metro rail station, or commuter ferry terminals.

By the way…

Empanada Matters /  by Admin

April 8th, is Empanada Day.
An empanada is a type of turnover shaped bun like a crescent moon. It is a fried or baked pastry with a filling wrapped with delicate, flaky bread. The food was originally from Spain, as the word “empanar” means to coat with bread. Over time, Spanish colonists carried their “specialized meat pie” traveling to Latin America and the Philippines. As this pastry is convenient to consume, it soon became part of the local’s culture.

Empanada is a nutrition-rich food; one 89g of typical meat-based empanada contains 10g of protein and 2g of dietary fiber. 6–7 pieces of empanada can give us enough daily calories. Moreover, empanada has versatile fillings, from breakfast meat and cheese to dessert-flavor apples or bananas. Regardless of fillings, they are people’s favorites because they are usually cheap, quick, and suitable for on-the-go meals.

Street food vending is very popular in dense urban neighborhoods. You can see many empanadas stand popping out in the downtown area. Those food trucks function like mobile restaurants and travel and park based on the neighborhoods’ lunch demand. The vendors are licensed and considered mobile units with a non-fixed location.

When thinking about the readily-available food from those food trucks, it reminded us of a WELL feature:

“Mobile food markets, food carts, and fruit and vegetable stands are additional ways to increase access to fruit and vegetables in the environment where individuals live, work and learn.” — WELL, N13 Local Food Environment.

While this feature does not mention the word “food truck,” and the studies collected by WELL only focused on diets regarding fruits, vegetables, total fat, and saturated fat; we can still use this WELL fundamental to increase the overall accessibility and visibility of fruit and vegetables on wherever allows street food vending. In that case, we could expand the healthy food retail outlet and lower BMI on an areal scale.

On this momentous day, we design this card for foodtruck vendors. Thanks to them carry more fruit and vegetables around so people have more nutritious options at mobile food stands.

By the way, if you are interested in this topic, you might also want to check out “Start-Up City” written by Gabe Klein and David Vega-Barachowitz, published by Island Press.

Baseball Matters /  by Admin

March 30th is Major League Baseball Opening Day.

The initial baseball league was founded in the 1860s by a group of soldiers who played the game during the Civil War. It expanded into a national tournament and established the “National Association of Baseball Players” (NABBP).

In 1867, after Cincinnati Red Stockings was established as the first professional team, the NABBP split into amateur groups and the national league of professional baseball clubs. The first game in National League was on April 22, 1867, marking the beginning of Major League Baseball (MLB).

As baseball expanded throughout the 1960s to 1970s, many cities built multipurpose stadiums to accommodate the surging population of MLB and NFL fans. The popularity of these sports made a perfect reason for planners to include sports fields in their overall site plans.

Baseball also helps to train hand-eye coordination; swinging, catching, and running on the field could develop muscles in the arms and legs. The intensity level of this sport increase burning calories and prevents heart-vascular disease, which makes perfect sense to be included as part of the community’s amenity.

Nevertheless, three years ago at Nationals Park, Dr. Fauci threw the ceremonial first pitch on baseball’s opening day. While his pitch wasn’t perfect, it marked a critical milestone in predicting the reopening.

Reading baseball’s fascinating history and health benefits reminded me of a WELL feature.

“At a community scale, active design considers the ways in which communities can encourage populations to be active through public infrastructure, such as cycle lanes and green space.” - WELL V01 Active Buildings and Communities

On this momentous day, we design this card for community planners, thanks to their professional input on buildings and communities so we can enjoy many active public intrastructure.

By the way…

the exact day of Dr. Fauci’s first pitch was on 7.23.2020. He threw out the first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.

If you like this topic, you might want to check out our updated [Place] Scorebook to learn more out our places. And make them a better place.

Clean Water Matters /  by Admin

March 22nd is World Water Day.

This day was the official commencement date of the “Water for Life Decade” campaign in 2005. The purpose of this declaration was to draw attention to the importance of fresh water and sustainable water arrangement around the world.

From “too much water” like a flood to “too little water” like drought, climate change profoundly influences our lives. Water availability has become less predictable in many places. Thus, ensuring everyone has access to sustainable water and sanitation services is a critical strategy to help mitigate the impact of climate change.

Water is essential for the general public’s health. It also helps to reduce poverty, increase food security and maintain peace among the communities. Accessing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene is a human right. Though these items sound basic, protecting this right remains a global challenge. An estimated 3 billion people worldwide lack access to wash their hands at home safely, and 2.2 billion people lack safe drinking water.

While reading these astonishing statistics, it reminded us of a WELL feature.

“The first step toward increasing consumption of good quality water is to make it easily available and removing barriers to accessibility. When the addition of drinking fountains is combined with information sessions, consumption of plain water has been found to increase.” -WELL W06, Drinking Water Promotion.

On this momentous day, we design this card for water utility company, thanks to their dedication on providing us clean water sources.

By the way, “Clean Water and Sanitation” is also marked as the United Nation’s Goal of the Month. The UN Water Conference (March 22–24) will seek game-changing solutions to the multifaceted global crisis associated with water from the flood, drought, or polluted drinking water all-encompassing. Find a way to join them!

Sleep Matters /  by Admin

March 17th is World Sleep Day.

This holiday is celebrated on varying dates each year. It falls on March 17th this year, also known as St. Patrick’s Day — a perfect reason to have a good sleep after an exhausting parade.

According to CDC, “insufficient sleep has been linked to the development and management of several chronic diseases and conditions.” That is not only a slogan, but also back up by studies. Many studies have shown working over the weekend inhibits recovery from work-related stress. Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California Berkley, has researched sleep to human health and well-being. His studies have shown that sleep not only impacts our learning, memory, and immune system but also affects our genetic code.

People use the phrase “sleep like a baby” to describe having a good nap or getting complete rest from a night of sleep. Our modern innovation seems seamlessly linked to the historic baby carriage. From the 1950s baby coach to the recent sleeping pod, it is not surprising to find commonalities in their ergonomic designs.

While part of society still has this stigma associating sleep with laziness, we feel grateful that our employer understood this WELL feature.

“Short afternoon naps also provide an opportunity for restoration during the workday, leading to benefits in mood, alertness, and cognitive performance, such as productivity and learning.” — WELL M06, Restorative Opportunities

On this momentous day, we design this card for interior designers. Thanks to them for applying WELL features to all comfy and restorative spaces.

Making Your Own Lunch Matters /  by Admin

March 10th is the National Pack Your Lunch Day.

We have yet to learn who or when initiated this momentous day to raise awareness to bring lunch boxes, but stumbled a fascinating history of the school’s lunch box.

Lunchbox style

In the 1900s, the kids who attended school either went home to eat lunch with family or carried leftovers from home for lunch wrapped in a metal pail, many of which were recycled tobacco boxes.

Until the 1920s, lunch food from home was still covered in metal ware or wrapped in handkerchiefs. It was not until 1950 that school lunch entered a new era, and kids started bringing mini-suitcase-like lunchboxes to the schools. Those lunch boxes are often printed with a popular image to show off each one’s unique brand. At the same time, many private companies entered the school’s lunch business, and schools began to set up full cafeterias on campus.

Though plastics and vinyl make most lunch boxes that we see nowadays, it was only until the 1990s those metal lunch boxes were replaced by the plastic containers that were first invented during the 1940s’ Tupperware boom.

Lunch Choices

Speaking about lunch choices, while peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are still popular, turkey hotdog roasted vegetables and organic offerings have gradually become a trend for the carried lunch to schools. This nutrition-oriented focus was fulfilled in the 2010s, the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act passed in congress brought people’s attention back to the nutrition aspect of school lunches.

“Bring Your Lunch” is Healthy

A survey from the American Heart Association said that more than 56% of employed Americans who typically eat lunch during work hours struggle to make it healthy. While the reason why they don’t have healthy lunch choices was not apparent, reading about the lunchbox’s fascinating history reminded us of a WELL feature.

“Space that allows individuals to reheat or assemble food prepared at home can support healthy eating habits and cooking skills. Sufficient storage space can ensure safe food storage to accommodate the storage need of individuals who brings meals from home.”
-WELL N10, Food Preperation.

On this momentous day, we design this card for lunch box makers. Thanks to them for supporting everyone’s healthy eating habits.

Daylight Saving Matters /  by Admin

Daylight saving time always starts on Sunday, and the date is flucuate every year.

Today begins Daylight Saving Time. The core concept of marking this momentous day is to remind us to use natural light more smartly.

In 1784, Benjamin Franklin, an American polymath, suggested a form to reset the clock twice a year to take advantage of extra daylight in the evening hours. He wrote his proposal for the Journal of Paris. By his calculation, the total savings for the citizens would be equivalent to hundreds of millions of dollars today.

Besides saving energy and giving us an economic boost, scheduling our activities around natural light can regulate our circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm is the human body’s internal clock with a period that is slightly longer than 24 hours, and it resets every day by the natural light-dark pattern in the environment.

Human beings perceive images through visual cues that form on the retina. Those cues are shown by visible light, defined as electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between 380 and 750 nanometers. The light level must achieve our vertical plane. Our eyes’ vertical plane from 0° to 45° is suitable for viewing biological effects. The vertical plane from -90° to 0° is ideal for visual tasks such as reading letters or examing details.

The vertical illuminance on the eye should be measured to evaluate the impact on circadian rhythm; several light characteristics also impact our circadian rhythms, such as how we were exposed to light or our photic history.

Reading all these interesting facts about daylight saving and what influences our biological clock reminded me of a WELL feature:

“Since the circadian response of humans to lights depends on the light entering the eye, factors such as spectral properties of the light, brightness level, duration, and timing of exposure should be all considered.” -WELL L03 Circadian Lighting Design.

On this momentous day, we design this card for interior designers. Thanks to them for understanding the critical aspect of Circadian rhythm, so residents can enjoy their space which supports our eye-sight and biological clock.