We are excited to announce that Iowa City Public Works has earned a COTE Top Ten Award. Each year, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) honors ten projects that exemplify sustainable design excellence. This marks the second time a Neumann Monson project has received this national honor.

Visualization is foundational to the design process. When working with an architect, you’ll encounter many ideas and concepts. Visualizing these concepts and understanding the design intent will help you find solutions that fit your needs.

Value engineering (also known as value management) is the process of analyzing a building’s features, systems, and equipment and finding alternative, lower price solutions. It aims to reduce a project’s construction costs without sacrificing quality.

imagine: Your architect has finished the contract documents, and your project has gone out to bid. Then, the worst-case scenario happens–the lowest responsible bid is over your budget. You now face a difficult decision. Either you can find more funding, or your architect can start the value engineering process.

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the way we work. When lockdowns went into effect in 2020, many organizations had to adjust to working remotely—a model that many came to embrace.

Schedules and deadlines are some of the most important aspects of a building project. While everyone hopes to see a project delivered on time, many factors can delay a construction timeline. Some factors are based on human error, and others are beyond anyone’s control. It helps to be aware of both.

You’ve been working closely with your architect for months, exploring concepts, and making design decisions. Suddenly, Design Development ends, and you hear from your architect less frequently.

Sustainability is one of the architecture industry’s top priorities. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2030 Commitment encourages designers to share energy performance data with AIA, helping the entire industry work toward a zero-carbon future.

The architectural process can be long and complex, so it helps to break it into manageable phases. Schematic design is the first step in taking a concept and turning it into a design. In this phase, your ideas start to become tangible.

Cost is often a major concern for anyone considering solar power. Although the price of solar panels has decreased in recent years, they are still a sizable investment. Thankfully, the solar industry has numerous financing options to fit different budgets and project types.