Paul Welschmeyer Architects & Energy Consultants is a small architectural firm specializing in three core areas of architectural design services: Residential, Commercial, and Historic Preservation; all of which incorporate energy efficient design and greenbuild strategies, ranging from voluntary efforts to jurisdictional requirements. The breadth & diversity of the practice is supported by 28 years of experience serving the full spectrum of clientele, from corporations to individual home owners. The design challenges brought to the practice come from the cultural wealth of our clients regardless of budgetary constraints. Cost effective design solutions are crafted through design-build collaborations, professional cost estimating services, and or phased construction methods.more

PWaec provides energy consulting services to other Architects and General Contractors in the form of Title 24 Compliance, General Energy Efficiency Consultation, HERS Energy Compliance Testing and HERS II Ratings, also known as Whole House Energy Rating.

Energy efficiency and Architectural Design services are also combined into a service called Energy & Architectural Master Planning, which optimizes the energy efficiency of a design through iterative thermal performance modeling. This in-depth process also includes numerous educational opportunities for the home owner regarding proper construction and operation of an energy efficient home.

For new construction, this results in increased efficiencies (30% - 50%) beyond the minimum defined by California’s Energy Code (Title-24), and required for any city enforced Green Building ordinance, such as LEED for Homes or Green Point Rated.

For existing homes, these services result in a HERS II Rating of the existing house and the new design, defining the energy efficiency improvements (30% - 50%), which is required to receive financial incentives from Federal, State and Utility energy efficiency incentive programs.more

Having an energy efficient dwelling is always the most important step in obtaining a Greenbuild rating, as approximately 30% of the required points are energy related. Without energy efficiency, a LEED for Homes or a Green Point Rating can not be obtained.

PWaec provides Advisory Consultation and Rating Services to clients, other architects, and developers for dwellings (Single Family and Multi Family) requiring a Green Point Rating as administered by Build it Green and enforced by the local building department. In the rare case where LEED for Homes is desired by a client, the expert services of our LEED Consultant are used. Our LEED Consultant also assists us when our commercial (nonresidential) projects require LEED certification.more

THE SOCIAL ART OF ARCHITECTURE

Buildings make a place, place makes a situation and a situation entices social events, good or bad. In this way, our built environment has a dramatic impact on the quality of our lives, which is why good buildings are so important. Why architecture is so important. Combining the dynamic between building and situation with California’s mythical expectations of prosperity, popularity and nature is not a science, but an art. Values are needed to balance the complexity of the design process that creates architecture. Inevitably, there is imperfection in the process, which leads to flaws—or, in actuality, to soul and character. The Japanese call it wabi sabi. This imperfection is a natural attraction, a place of comfort, a condition to embrace when the situation presents itself, as it reflects our human condition. Architecture is an experiential art, bringing our desires into balance to improve our contemporary home life, work life and community life.

WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO US?

What are the character defining features of being Californian?

What shapes our cultural outlook? How do we balance environmental ethics, an open economy and popular culture? How do we celebrate and promote our outdoor lifestyle? more