The diverse experience of Michels & Waldron Associates affords a broad spectrum of architectural services to our clients. An extensive portfolio of projects runs from the planning and design of multi-story residential towers to single-family homes, from new mixed-use, retail, office, hotel and industrial facilities to the interior renovations of those already long-standing, and from the design of state-of-the-art distribution facilities to the innovative, adaptive re-use of older hospital facilities and other structures now considered functionally obsolete for their original purpose.

Through the utilization of energy efficient ‘green’ materials and systems, coupled with the ability to capture the client’s thoughts and ideas in their project’s architecture, the result is embodied in a design that is captivating and unique in its appearance, yet efficient to operate and ‘friendly’ to both its occupants and the environment.

Realizing that a building is not a development by itself and must fit into its surroundings, Michels & Waldron Associates offers to better and completely serve the client by bringing together a Project Development Team that will design all phases of the project from both architectural and engineering perspectives. Landscape architecture, civil, geotechnical and structural engineering, and wetland/floodplain management are but some of those services that can embody a full-service design team guided by Michels & Waldron Associates.

Michels and Waldron Associates, LLC is a firm committed to the principles of sustainable design with a history of applying an expertise to sustainable projects. The office has been incorporating sustainable design elements in all projects regardless of size and scope; from energy efficient single family residences to large, complex projects obtaining LEED certification. Our firm works closely with the client, consulting engineers, facility managers and building occupants using the integrated or "whole building" design process resulting in a truly sustainable building.

Currently we are working on the new Anheuser-Busch distribution center for the New York City metropolitan area. In addition to architectural design services, our office is overseeing the LEED certification process for this project. In addition we are collaborating with Linens-N-Things in an effort to obtain LEED certification for their flagship store in Secaucus, NJ; this is currently being reviewed by the USGBC. We are assisting Master Cutlery in Secaucus, NJ coordinate with the NJ Meadowlands Commission the installation of photovoltaics on the building roof.

All projects whether they are LEED certified or not are fully reviewed for maximum energy efficiency through site analysis, building envelope analysis and the use of high performance building elements (glazing, efficient lighting and efficient HVAC systems).

There are several LEED Accredited Professional on staff assisting with the certification of the Anheuser-Busch project. Several other staff members are currently in the process of becoming LEED APs.

The following are components of sustainable design we would attempt to incorporate into retail power centers:

Site Design

• Building Orientation Analysis For Maximum Daylighting
• Brownfield Redevelopment
• Stormwater Management- Pervious pavement system and grid pavers
• 1) Increase on-site infiltration and manage run-off
• 2) Remove pollutants from stormwater run-off
• Heat Island Reduction- Helps overall energy performance of the building
by altering the microclimate of the site for the better
• 1) High albedo surface materials adjacent to building (i.e. white concrete)
• 2) Maximize landscaping as feasibly as possible
• 3) EnergyStar complaint roof system
• Transportation And Parking
• 1) Proximity to public transportation
• 2) Bicycle Commuting- route and path analysis; site storage 

Water Management / Efficiency

• High Efficiency Irrigation for Landscaping
• Low water fixtures and sensor controls 

Energy Efficiency

• Analysis of Building Energy Efficiency- Energy Modeling
• 1) Building orientation on site
• 2) Building envelope analysis
• 3) Systems analysis: lighting, HVAC
• Renewable Energy Analysis
• 1) Photovoltacis- Solar energy panels
• Daylighting
• 1) Light shelves
• 2) Exterior light fins
• 3) Skylights
• Building Commissioning 

Materials and Resources

• Recycled Building Materials
• Rapidly Renewable Materials
• Certified Building Materials 

Indoor Air Quality

• Low or No VOC Finishes
• Low Emitting Materials

The above is a minimum potential list of design strategies. With project site and program specifics, a more accurate list of what can actually be accomplished can be created. The above however should not be interpreted as a checklist of single items; they are an integrated list of design elements that work in concert with each other to create a truly sustainable building. These design elements must be analyzed early, before or during schematic design in order to produce a really effective sustainable building.

To meet the needs and expectations of our clients on every level of the interior design process is our first requirement and the ultimate goal of any project we undertake.

Within that framework, we are committed to developing interiors which fosters a healthy, functional, economical and aesthetically pleasing interior environment. Wherever appropriate, the interior design will echo the new exterior architecture.

We will design interiors which foster a clean, green environment to meet the requirements for LEED certification and/or the health of those who build and occupy the spaces which we design.

The principals of Michels & Waldron Associates are uniquely qualified to offer clients master planning services. Their experience in development and zoning administration in addition to architecture and planning enables them to prepare site plans that optimize land use and buildings’ aesthetics while minimizing costs and adapting to zoning restrictions.

Michels & Waldron Associates has served as the master planner for numerous large projects, including Springfield Avenue Marketplace in Newark and the Bloomfield Redevelopment Project in Bloomfield, New Jersey. If you require master planning services for your development project, please consider contacting the experienced professionals at Michels & Waldron Associates.

Today, the development of property for residential, commercial or industrial purposes is by no means simple. With every new year, more and more regulations and often perplexing nuances must be considered in the design and development process and those issues are woven throughout every phase of the project. The economical and timely implementation of these projects demands a complete and up-to-date knowledge of all factors effecting the design/development process.

Through years of development experience, Michels Waldron Associates has come to realize that owners and developers need professional assets that can get them from "IDEA TO INCOME" and need to be able to find them through one source. Through our affiliations with a broad spectrum of engineering, environmental and traffic consultants as well as landscape design services, lighting designers and many other specialists in the scope of project design, we can fit the right firms into the right project to provide a complete project development team.