Pick a focus

Although we learned many lessons during the design and construction of our “green” home, the most important lesson we learned was to select the parameters of our project early and agree on them with our architect and builder so they could help us stay on track.

“Green” building projects are pretty new, and although there are more and more eco-friendly construction materials and methodologies on the market every day, there are still many trade-offs and elements of the construction for which there are no eco-friendly options yet. When referring to trade-offs, I mean the fact that there are some eco-friendly solutions that are not perfect. For example, while fluorescent light bulbs cannot be thrown in the trash (because God forbid they make their way to the landfill) because of the toxic mercury contained inside of them (need to dispose of them at the toxic waste dump), they still emit less mercury when they burn and use WAY less energy than incandescent light bulbs. Another example of a trade-off is the use of lots of windows to provide more natural light and heat and reduce the amount of energy needed for artificial lighting and running the furnace. All of those windows, however, even if they are double- or triple-paned, are not as air-tight as walls, especially the concrete walls we chose, so we lose a little warmth in the winter time. Another trade-off is cost. Jeff and I had a limited budget to work within – and other than a few lucky souls, I am sure that most people do. So we had to be as “green” as our budget would allow, and there are some eco-friendly elements we would have loved to incorporate into our house, but couldn’t – at least not right away – due to budget constraints. My point is, that doesn’t mean the house isn’t “green,” though. There are going to be trade-offs for most everyone who builds a “green” home, at least in the early years of the movement, and you just have to select some “green” themes and philosophies you want to focus on for your project. Being as “green” as you can afford is good, even if it’s not 100% green. It is certainly preferred over not incorporating any eco-friendly elements and using up more of our natural resources and emitting more harmful C02.

For our project, Jeff and I chose to build our house as energy-efficient, water-efficient, sustainable, non-toxic, and space-efficient as possible, and produce as little waste as possible. We knew we could not afford alternative energy sources right away, so Shelter Architecture looked for other ways to help us achieve our goals for this project. We have the middle of our roof wired and reserved for solar power in the future, but knew there was no room in the budget for it today. Instead, Shelter recommended we build our house using a thermal-mass wall system that includes 4 inches of concrete on the outside, 3 inches of Styrofoam insulation in the middle, and 2 inches of concrete on the inside. This wall system gives our house an R-Value in the 30’s – twice that of a traditional home. Shelter also strategically placed large windows throughout our home and incorporated an air-to-air exchange system to keep the air we breathe inside the home fresh and clean. As I mentioned above, the windows also maximize the natural light and heat in our house from the sun to help reduce our energy use. We could not afford a geo-thermal heating and cooling system, and the water table on our land was too high anyway, so Shelter and Elements of Earth (our builder) helped us find the most energy-efficient furnace on the market (from Lennox) and provided us with the most energy-efficient air conditioner on the market, which also does not utilize toxic Freon.

We purchased energy star appliances whenever possible (there is no such thing as an energy efficient stove, oven, or microwave yet) to also help us reduce our energy consumption. To minimize our water use, we selected low-flow shower heads and dual-flush toilets in all bathrooms. Our landscaping plan provided by Colin Oglesbay at Shelter also incorporates several systems that will reserve and reuse rain water and reduce our overall water consumption. We’ll talk more about the landscaping elements once we start implementing those plans in the spring.

For us, building a sustainable house meant making our home here for the next 30 years. It meant designing a house that we will not tire of in a couple of years and building a home that we will not need to renovate or put a lot of effort into maintaining on a regular basis. Shelter helped us plan for the life of the house before the design phase even started. They helped us think about how many total residents and guests this house would have to hold over time, and how we intend to use the house over the years. Shelter introduced Jeff and I to the concept of universal design: designing a house that fits all the phases of our life. This thinking led us to put the office on the main level and add a third bathroom to the house so that we can live entirely on the first floor if our physical condition or old age ever make it difficult for us to climb the stairs. It also caused us to make this first-floor bathroom a handicap-accessible bath. Another thing we did to make the sustainable was select quality, versatile fixtures, and materials – such as the concrete walls, FSC-certified real-wood floors and concrete countertops – that are durable and able to update without having to create waste.

The way Shelter laid out the house and the extensive use of cabinetry and built-ins (provided by Larson Cabinets) helped us be space-efficient and build a smaller house. Our finished footprint is 1700 square feet, but we still have 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a mudroom and two offices. The total footprint of the house is 2600 square feet. Our basement is unfinished, holds the mechanics in the house and will provide space for future children (we hope) to play.

Aaron Krause, owner of Elements of Earth, helped us build the house as non-toxic as possible. There are still some products for which there are no non-toxic versions on the market. But where possible, Aaron was finding non-toxic options for us and reminding us to consider toxicity when we were selecting different materials to install. For example, he helped find a non-toxic sealer for the wood floors and ABS, a less-toxic alternative to traditional PVC piping.

Although we could not afford to take advantage of every eco-friendly material and construction methodology, our home has still qualified for Platinum-level LEED certification – the highest level possible. We have completed the LEED testing and submitted the paperwork, and will officially receive our certification in the next month or two.

In summary, if you are starting to embark on your own “green” house project, I recommend making it easy on yourself and determining just how green your means will allow you to be, setting the parameters for your project early and communicating those to your builder and architect so they can help your project stay on track.

- Salena