Expertise

Full Architectural Design

Adaptive Reuse

Historic Preservation

Sustainability, Net Zero Energy, LEED Consulting

Community Engagement

Space Assessments, Facilities Planning

Feasibility Studies

Value Analysis Studies

Historic Structure Assessments

Historic Tax Credit Applications

Cost Estimating

Construction Administration

3D Modeling and Renderings

Thought Leadership

Liz Hallas serves as guest judge for AIA Washington’s Civic Design Awards

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Liz Hallas speaks as Chair of the 2024 Taliesin Colloquium

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Liz Hallas, Rebecca Silva, Noel Michel and Victor Olgyay (RMI) present on the effects of carbon at the Saving Places Conference

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Liz Vergillo presents “Understanding the Evolution of Existing Wall Assemblies” at the Saving Places Conference

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Wells Squier speaks at “The State of the Art of Architecture”

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Liz Hallas featured in Traditional Building’s “Six Women Who Make a Difference”

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Liz Hallas serves as guest judge for AIA Washington’s Civic Design Awards

The Washington Civic Design Awards celebrate the remarkable achievements that emerge when architects and civic clients collaborate to create exceptional design. This year, Liz Hallas had the honor of serving as a guest juror for the AIA Washington Council, where she evaluated a selection of projects that exemplify the finest standards in innovation, sustainability, building performance, and seamless integration with both the client’s vision and the surrounding community.

Liz Hallas speaks as Chair of the 2024 Taliesin Colloquium

As leader of the AIA Historic Resource Committee, Liz Hallas Chaired the 2024 Taliesin West Colloquium - “Adaptation in Preservation: Concepts, Contrasts, and Collaboration.”

Held in Scottsdale, AZ in April 2024, the event is focused on the topic of Adaptations to historic buildings including the dynamics of climate, equity and resiliency. The program included the ‘macro’ industry level updates of how organizations are adapting followed by the ‘micro’ level of informative and inspirational case studies on a range of projects that have successfully integrated adaptations, operations of sustainability, accessibility, seismic mitigation and resiliency.

Liz Hallas, Rebecca Silva, Noel Michel and Victor Olgyay (RMI) present on the effects of carbon at the Saving Places Conference

To quote Carl Elefante, “The greenest building is one that is already built.” This session will seek to substantiate that claim by examining the carbon footprint of historic buildings and the science behind why preserving Historic Buildings can help fight climate change. 

Each year, buildings account for 39% of global energy-related global carbon emissions. A quarter of these emissions result from embodied carbon, or the carbon emissions associated with building materials, construction, and end-of-life.

Existing buildings are an important part of the solution to our climate crisis. By preserving and reusing existing buildings we can reduce both operating and embodied carbon emissions. Using existing buildings avoids significant embodied emissions when the majority of the building is preserved. Aspects that are restored or reconstructed can be constructed with low embodied carbon and even carbon sequestering materials. Done correctly this will result in a resilient building with a greatly reduced climate impact. 

This session will define what is carbon, how it negatively impacts the environment, and why it is an important topic in architecture and historic preservation. This includes an explanation of embodied carbon, operational carbon, and carbon sequestration, and how they relate to historic buildings. We will review common methods of calculating the carbon footprint of a historic building including free online calculators, accessible to all. 

This session will identify opportunities for reducing embodied and operating carbon while improving their projects environmental performance. It will include an example comparison, calculating the carbon footprint of constructing a new building versus preserving a historic building, as well as actual case studies. 

Liz Vergillo presents “Understanding the Evolution of Existing Wall Assemblies” at the Saving Places Conference

This presentation explored the investigative processes of understanding the evolution of existing wall assemblies at four historic buildings. Investigations were informed by a variety of historic documentation and on-site analysis. Projects discussed include: Grant Grove Cabins Rehabilitation at Sequioa and Kings Canyon National Park, Install New Visitor Center Fire Suppression at Tumacacori National Historical Park, and Rehabilitate Texas White House at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park.

Wells Squier speaks at “The State of the Art of Architecture”

One of our Principals, Wells Squier, was provided the opportunity to speak at The State of the Art of Architecture that took place Thursday, July 27th at the Aspen Art Museum.

As a member of the public panel, he joined the presentations and explorations of the present and future state of sustainable architecture in Colorado and the Roaring Fork Valley.

Liz Hallas featured in Traditional Building’s “Six Women Who Make a Difference”

Women across the industry are making waves in the male dominated field of architecture. Featured alongside five influential women in the bustling design world, Traditional Building named our very own, Liz Hallas, Principal at Anderson Hallas, as one of their top “movers and shakers”. Highlighting projects such as The Sperry Chalet and Many Glacier Hotel, we are thrilled to see Liz recognized for her leadership and diverse experience in the field.

To read more, please follow the link below:

https://www.traditionalbuilding.com/opinions/six-women-who-make-a-difference