Mauve Paint, Coal Fired Power Plants, and Soda Bottles.
When we think of our homes and the finishes on the interiors, we have realized that many of these materials can be better for our health and better for the environment. We do not want to sacrifice quality or aesthetic but we are not going to pay more for it. This is accomplishable now and there is a way to take this one step further. Using materials that have recycled content within them is a great way to get the same (or a lot of times a better) aesthetic without spending more in terms of cost. In this eighth installment of looking into the NAHB’s Model Green Building Guidelines, we will look into this concept deeper.
There are essentially two types of recycled content: pre/post-consumer and post-industrial. Pre-consumer content comes from materials generated in manufacturing, such as damaged or obsolete products, overruns and trimmings. Post-consumer materials contain materials that have been used and discarded by a consumer – this includes paper, plastic, steel, rubber and similar items. Post-industrial content are byproducts of industrial processes that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Using products with a level of recycled content has gotten much easier as these products have proliferated.
There are some products that are already in widespread use that people may not be aware contain recycled content. These are things like concrete that contains fly ash. Fly ash is one of the residues generated in the combustion of coal. Also, backing paper that is a part of gypsum wall board is made almost entirely of recycled newspaper. The gypsum board manufacturers also rely increasingly on “synthetic” gypsum as an effective alternative to natural gypsum. Synthetic gypsum is a byproduct primarily from the desulfurization of flue gases in fossil-fueled power plants. This material, too, would otherwise be disposed of in landfills were it not used to manufacture gypsum panel products. This is why we support coal fired powered plants – without them we wouldn’t be able to harvest these recycled products – KIDDING. Seriously, these two products are great uses of recycled content – there should be labels on the products indicating the amount of the content.
Other products that are available with high amounts of recycled content are tile, carpet, insulation, countertops and, most interestingly, paint. Ceramic tiles may be made from post industrial waste generated by the production of conventional tiles. Some manufacturers produce tiles that contain 50 to 100 percent manufacturing waste. Recycled carpet can be made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or from used carpet. PET plastic is usually found in plastic soda bottles. About 40 two-liter soda bottles are recycled per square yard of carpeting. The backing used for recycled content carpet is the same as traditional carpets. Recycled content carpet fiber is said to be more resilient and colorfast than virgin fiber carpet. Fiberglass insulation uses waste glass in up to 40% of some manufacturer’s products. Spray foam insulations can be made with recycled newspaper and telephone directories. We wonder if you source this locally would you still be able to use the telephone directory after application…probably not. Countertops can use recycled content made out of recycled newspapers with soy based resins. Certain lines of this product look like granite. On the higher end, recycled glass countertops are stunning – looking at times like radiant sea glass.
Recycled paint caught our attention as this is something new to us! Made out of unused latex paint collected from households, government, businesses and painting contractors with some added new materials to improve the paint's consistency and make standard colors. The standard colors kind of bothered us – we were hoping it would have a mixture of all the colors per brush/roller stroke. There are two types of recycled-content paint: reprocessed and reblended. Although both types originate from the collection of leftover latex paint, there are important differences. Reprocessed paint is mixed with virgin materials. Reprocessed paint typically contains a minimum of 20% post-consumer content. Reblended paint is re-mixed, screened, and packaged for distribution. Virgin raw materials such as resins and colorants may be added in much small quantities. Typically, reblended paint contains anywhere from 80% to 100% post-consumer content.
All of these products divert what would just go to a landfill into useful building materials. The price is consistent with products only containing virgin materials in many cases the product is more durable. From a life cycle costing perspective this is a home run. Similar upfront cost and will last longer – couple that with reducing landfill volume – and you have achieved the perfect triple bottom line. Besides, you get to tell people that you redirected products from the landfill to your foyer – well, maybe you should phrase that differently.
House Painters Beware!
In the world of Sustainable Design and Construction, the goal is minimal impact to the environment, conservation of materials and the use of durable products that will stand the test of time. Taking this to the practical environment where costs and efficiencies are of the utmost, Designers and Builders must find those products that meet all the criteria because, in general, Home Owners that are renovating or Clients that are designing/building homes will not pay more than 3% more for “green” products. One way to achieve this and deliver a product that is low maintenance for the End-User is by using “pre-finished” materials.
Pre-finished materials are those that arrive ready to install with no additional work in the field required. This can save the Builder time and, because no field finishing labor is required, the Client money. The environmental upside is achieved as most pre-finished materials, if specified correctly, are much better for the environment because they are finished in a factory and constructed of environmentally preferable ingredients. In this installment of our on-going series about the NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines, we will look into the types of products that can come to the site beautiful, healthy and sustainable.
Exposed to the sun, rain, wind, and, now popular here on the Coast in Delaware, snow, the exterior of a home must be durable. The elements (plug intended) that can be either finished on-site or prefinished can help this durability. The exterior products available that are pre-finished are mainly a form of fiber cement. There are several great manufacturers – James Hardie, Nichiha, and CertainTeed to name a few – and all provide great exterior cladding. The look is timeless and can match the vernacular of most regions. From Craftsman detailing, to Colonial, to Modern, fiber cement siding can create the aesthetic. Additionally, fiber cement is made from water, sand, wood fibers (usually post-industrial waste) and cement. Those are four of the most readily available materials on the planet. Most fiber cement manufacturers now make their products impregnated with color. This means no painting – and no maintenance for a LONG time – up to 50 years on some products. The impregnated color is important because that means the color is a through color – if it gets nicked – sorry – WHEN it gets nicked the color is still there.
The trim around windows and doors, as well as, soffits, corners, and fascia pieces all can be found pre-finished. Manufactures like James Hardie, MiraTEC, and AZEK come ready to install. These, too, have 30 to 50 year warranties and are obtainable in smooth and wood grain. Detailing with these products puts the finishing touches on the home. One word of advice, found out the way all wisdom is gained – the hard way, check the thickness of the product you are trimming and the thickness of the trim. Some products are ¾” or thicker, so trim pieces will need to be 1” or great to make the reveal authentic instead of the ever so popular movie set fake look.
To a great extent, the cladding of the home is typically the only field finished product. These days, most windows, doors and garage doors come pre-finished. Decks are typically all floored with synthetic materials made in a wide variety of widths, colors, and finishes. Remember the great part about pre-finished is that it typically will not have to be finished again – if you are like us, that takes a potential weekend killer off the old “to do” list. The environmental benefit comes in the form of durability, as it doesn’t have to be replaced as often, and factory finishing in a controlled environment with preferable products. Next week we will move inside to pre-finished interior finishes – wood floors, plaster walls, doors, cabinets and counters….but if you think of any questions before then, contact us, we would love to help.
Economy, Efficiency, Ease and the Environment.
The methodologies of residential construction have not changed in the last 50 years. A typical single family home – whether new construction, an addition, or a remodel – starts with a bunch of wood being dropped off to the site. Sure, there have been plans drawn, a Permit has been granted, and there has been some amount of take-off done, but a truck pulls up, drops off dimensional lumber and the framers have a go at it. The construction industry is starting to change – in this week’s installment (the seventh in a series) addresses the next portion of the NAHB’s Model Green Guidelines – but also is worthwhile information whether you use this program or not.
The change lies in how walls are built. Most people, especially builders, understand the efficiency and economy of using factory built trusses and factory built floor systems for construction. Not only does the builder save time and potentially money, the trusses are stronger and more efficient than conventional framing. All of these concepts can also be applied to walls – panelized wall systems.
Beginning with the ideas of panelized wall construction, there are several varieties. Most truss companies are now set up in order to provide wall panels in the same way that floor systems and roof systems are delivered. Using the electronic plans from the Architect/Designer and Builder, the truss company designs segments of the wall that will work for shipping to the site, produces a plan for the factory to fabricate and then, in a controlled environment, the wall sections are built. These wall sections are built with rough openings for windows and doors and are labeled ready to assemble in the field. When delivered, the Builder will have a framing crew that can put the walls together with ease. The end result is less waste and quick assembly with straighter walls that have a higher quality control aspect to them. The environmental win lies in less waste because of the factory control and less possibility of trapping wet/damp lumber in a wall that is going to be covered up.
That is a conventional framing system. But there are new ideas that are gaining ground in the world of panelization (yes, an alternate world…). One of the most popular on the sustainable side of the table is Structural Insulated Panels (SIP’s). This technology utilizes panels made from a thick layer of foam (polystyrene or polyurethane) sandwiched between two layers of Oriented Strand Board (OSB), plywood or fiber-cement. The benefit is increased insulation and more importantly a huge savings of dimensional lumber – there are not studs in the traditional sense – the wall itself is the structure. The additional benefit is that you don’t have to find a stud to hang a picture – the whole wall will support art, shelves and more. OSB itself is a product made from “scraps” of wood from various types of trees and they use most of the pieces of the tree. The resins must be kept in check so as not to use formaldehyde but even when used it is well under the amount allowed by the EPA. The next step in sustainability up from these SIP’s is to use Agricultural by-products instead of polystyrene or polyurethane. The use of Compressed Agricultural Fiber panels substitutes wheat and rice by-products treated with Borates to form a dense insulated panel that has a natural pesticide built into it. This type of thinking accomplishes two sustainable goals. It uses waste from two industries – lumber production and agriculture. The second goal that is accomplished is keeping the production and products close to the site. This is an industry that could be placed in almost any area – certainly the Delmarva Peninsula with its prolific Pine plantations and Agri-business, we are uniquely suited to embrace and expand this industry.
The future of environmentally sustainable and healthy construction lies in the use of materials and like-minded technologies discussed above. We feel that this is not just applicable to those that are “green” focused – it makes sense – common and dollar sense. By focusing on these efficiencies, the product is produced faster and more economically, the field labor does not have to be as skilled and the build is tighter with less supervision required. The end result of this paradigm shift allows local businesses to expand or be created to meet these needs and the overall win for the triple bottom line are local jobs and with local jobs and local businesses more of the money stays within the local economy. Creating community, jobs, and a better product is attainable – and sustainable.
Two, Four, Sixteen, Forty-Eight….
Who do we appreciate? From a Sustainable/Green Building perspective: the person that figures out how best to lay out the home and the framing package in order to minimize waste and maximize the use of materials. In this installment (number six), we look deeper into what it means to design a home and it’s window and door locations to reduce waste and redundant framing. This may sound complicated but it’s really a game of logic and math.
In the 1960’s several modules were commonly used. Building materials were standardized and many Builders were able to do detailed take-offs in order to buy just the right amount of materials. As time went by this practice seemingly stopped and, in fact, it was barely covered in Architecture School back in the late 1990’s. Many reasons abound as to the why of this practice going by the wayside. Chief among them are the fact that material costs were low and labor was high – it was easier to buy too much material and to not have to pay attention to module design in residential.
Watching your dimensions during the design phase is essential. If you are working with an existing plan, take a look at the dimensions based on the tips below and see if the home can be tweaked in order to accomplish less waste. The way that we look at it, if there are a few feet of wasted plywood lying around the jobsite, you just lost square footage you could have had or paid for square footage now in a dumpster.
The first principle has to do with dimensions parallel and perpendicular to the main joist span. Obviously, right? Kidding. The joists in the first floor and second floor of the home (for most homes) will span the same way between bearing points. Perpendicular to these joists, dimensions should be able to be divisible by two. Parallel to these joists the dimensions should be divisible by four. The two foot dimension allows typical spacing to work best and will not have a “wasted” cavity. In the perpendicular direction, the four foot dimension allows full sheets of sheathing to be used without waste.
The second principle has to do with placement of doors and windows. One side of the opening should be aligned with a stud – be that 16”, 19.2” or 24” – in its normal spacing. This will save a stud by not having to use a mid-span stud for the bracing/support of the opening. If you are really good – both sides of the opening will fall within the typical stud spacing. This is done by using modular window/door sizes that are dimensionally appropriate. This should be done where possible – with the need for egress windows (windows in sleeping areas allowing an occupant to get out in an emergency) and accessible doors (doors for disabled persons – which are also necessary for things like refrigerators, washers, dryers and that HUGE couch you just had to have….) – it is not always possible but keeping it in mind will optimize the layout.
The best way to accomplish this and reduce waste elsewhere is to create a framing plan and a detailed take-off list. A detailed framing plan will illustrate where each framing member will be located and the take-off list will produce the “shopping list” that is needed by the Builder to purchase just enough materials. These can be time consuming but we think money well spent. It reduces cost by only purchasing the materials that you are going to use – no reason to donate lumber to your Builder’s next job, right? It reduces waste by using whole sheets of plywood and other dimensional members. These two pieces of information along with an onsite cut list will insure this is time well spent. An on-site cut list is basically the “recipe” to the “shopping list” that is the take-off. This cut list shows the framer where each piece of sheathing is to be placed and where the studs will line up. The first time a framer sees this you will hear words or combinations of words that you may have never heard before. The purpose is not condescension or to show how big a brain your designer/truss engineer has – the purpose is to alleviate waste by figuring difficult areas in 2-D not IRL (sorry, just learned that and had to use it. IRL=In Real Life).
The tough part of these two principles comes into effect because bath tubs and hallways are not based on these two and four modules but, hey, the whole reason designers and architects exist is to make good decisions on layout and optimize conformance. And you thought it was only to take your money and annoy your Builder. We are here for that but it is secondary to laying out a perfect living space for Clients. Remember, each decision that we make that is beneficial for the environment, whether big or small, is a positive. If you have any questions or comments about this or any other sustainable ideas, let us know we are here to help.
Wood Butchers Beware
“Wood Butcher” is a colloquial name for Builders in general but more properly Framing Contractors. Poll Framers on whether it is better to have more wood or less in a home and you will get an almost unanimous “more is better.” In a home that has been properly designed by a Structural Engineer and coordinated with an Architect/Designer and the Builder, this is not always true. Harkening back to my college days and quoting a famous Architect – sometimes “less is more.”
Mies van der Rohe aside, there is something to advanced framing techniques that make this subject a portion of the NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines. This week, our fifth installment, addresses the techniques, principles and benefits of utilizing certain framing concepts.
In the Guidelines, the team must incorporate a few of the following performance requirements:
- 19.2-inch or 24-inch on-center framing/floor systems
- 19.2-inch or 24-inch on-center framing/bearing walls
- 24-inch on-center framing, roof systems
- 24-inch on-center interior partitions
- Single top plate walls, in exterior and bearing walls
- Single top plate walls, in interior non-loadbearing walls
- Right-sized headers or insulated (box) header (where required)
- Eliminate headers in non-load bearing walls
- Doubling the rim joist in lieu of header
- Ladder blocking at interior-wall-to-exterior-wall intersections
- Two-stud corner framing
Yes, the 19.2-inches – interesting, right? The 19.2-inch is based on using less wood in a framing wall than the traditional 16-inch on center framing. 19.2-inch spacing is one-fifth of a sheet of plywood. Works out great from a stud savings, it does make things a little interesting for the framer because there isn’t a .2 mark on most tape measures.
The point of the first four items on the above list is saving in the amount of wood in the “frame” of the home and increased R-Value because less wood, more insulation. With proper load analysis, the Architect/Designer and an Engineer (independent Structural Engineer or, even better, a Structural Engineer within the Truss Company being used to supply the roof/floor trusses). Generally, the thought is in typical framing conditions (not hurricane loading or seismic design), our stud walls are over built. The savings on this can be as much as 30% reduction of framing lumber. That’s significant.
A single top plate on interior and exterior walls is possible when the spacing of the roof and stud walls have the same spacing. A top plate transfers the load path from the roof to the walls in a bearing wall situation. The use of two top plates is when the wall and roof members do not line up – it provides a stiffer path for the load. It is best to employ this methodology only where all the top plates are single. There could be confusion otherwise as two different stud lengths would be used. The savings here is simply in wood and a tiny bit of increased R-value.
The next two ideas involve headers. Headers are the horizontal members above doors, windows and openings. Most of the time, for simplicity and accuracy, a Builder uses the same header regardless of interior, exterior, two-foot opening or six-foot opening. The sizing of these headers or, in some instances, the elimination of these headers can reduce the amount of wood – but more importantly, increase the R-value in an exterior wall. Here is another example of throwing the Bowtie (Architect/Designer), Blue Jeans (Builder) and, our new friend, Pocket Protector (Engineer) into a room to make sure the plans are clear which opening gets what as a header and to determine whether a header (on interior only) can be eliminated. It may seem like a lot of upfront work, but this exchange of information insures everyone is on the same page and is a team.
Two-stud corners (also called California corners) are a great way to increase the R-value (insulation) of a home. Typically, three studs are used for a corner, two for structure and one as a nailer for the drywall. If one of the studs is laid sideways, a portion of it can be used for a nailer and the remaining cavity can be filled with insulation. If it is more desirable, drywall clips can be used and you will still have a cavity for insulation.
Whew – this got a bit technical and a bit more involved in the actual construction process than normal. The idea here is not for you to grab a hammer and your local building supply company’s credit card and start nailing two boards together. The idea is strictly informative so that you are prepared to discuss these topics from the start – these are crucial concepts when talking to Architects/Designers and Builders. The benefits are very straight forward: reduced first cost (up to 5% of framing material cost), improved energy efficiency (up to 5% per year), and less wood consumption and less wood waste. This is not the end all – taking 5% off the cost of framing or 5% increase efficiency may not seem like a lot – and taken alone – it isn’t. The idea behind sustainable design and building is optimization of each component and summing them to optimize the entire home.
Function + Efficiency = Sustainability
In our fourth inside look at the NAHB’s Model Green Building Guidelines, we begin to look at Resource Efficiency. Resource Efficiency will be, ultimately, diving into a home’s design and construction detailing-including materials and methods. The overarching purpose of this section is to dig deep into the home from using fewer materials, using better materials – performance and environmentally, building the house in a way to maximize insulation, physically use fewer materials and minimize on-site created waste. Is this complicated? No. Is it different than the way 95% (there I go with throwing stats around) of homes are built? Yes.
This boils down to another one of those times that the Client/Home Owner will need to sit down with the Bowtie (Architect/Designer) and the Blue Jeans (Builder) and talk through the approach, the design, and the plan to execute. Is Bowtie and Blue Jean comment being stereotypical? Yes, but if your builder is dressed nicer or hipper than your Architect/Designer – one of the two of them may needs to be questioned.
This section starts off with a short section that may be one of the most important in terms of starting points of this Guideline. Titled: “Create an Efficient Floor Plan that Maintains a Home’s Functionality”. With a title like that, there must be something behind it. There are two areas of consideration – first, raw square footage and second, complexity of the design.
Square footage – how big is your home? People a lot of times get hung up on numbers. Truly, the mindset should be one of functionality. There are people and there are neighborhoods that require a certain size square footage – and there is nothing wrong with that. Element has designed a home with a “Present Wrapping Room”, so we are not above using some area! But for the “rest” of us interested in “right sizing” our spaces, square footage drops out of the equation. Determining how the occupant will live in the space and really learning and studying how spaces are used is an important, if not vital, component. It is interesting to note that secondary bedrooms were not that long ago 10’ x 10’. Then, 11’6” was the new 10’. Two years ago, 12’x12’ was the “perfect” second bedroom and, now, 14’ is starting to have a nice ring to it. Depending on how and what you are doing in those bedrooms, 11’ to 11’6” is a great size room for sleeping. This does not consider the Master – that is a different argument. Perhaps the growing of rooms has something to do with the physical size of our population – oh, wait, wrong column.
Regardless, there is a metric to determine if your home is above or below average. The NAHB Research Center has data supporting homes with different amounts of bedrooms and the goal is to be under the average to acquire “points” within the scoring system. The numbers are:
2 Bedrooms = 1,382 sq. ft.
3 Bedrooms = 1,890 sq. ft.
4 Bedrooms = 2648 sq. ft.
5+ Bedrooms = 3,424 sq. ft.
These are not numbers to get hung up on – they are simply a guideline to follow or a goal to set. The important part to remember is how the house lives, door locations, bed walls, furniture placement, where the coffee pot goes, and where to store the stuff that you haven’t used or seen in 20 years (oops, sorry about that last part – donate that stuff).
The complexity of the design is something that if thought through will result in a beautiful home that is not difficult to frame, sheath, construction or figure out for that matter. This is not to be read as “boring design is efficient.” There are just better ways, more environmental ways to design a beautiful home that doesn’t involve complexity. The less complex a home is the simpler it is to build, it’s a more efficient use of materials, and using the right metrics (which will be a column unto itself) will reduce waste.
Because every home is different, this is a tough discussion area requiring specific vagueness. Some will tell you I am the person for the job – the specific vagueness part, that is. Element describes this portion of the design as determining what color blue your sky is. We start to design a home by listening to the Client and, from that, determining what is important to them – there are general sizes that work for most people but the arrangement of those spaces can radically differ. This allows everyone to get a point of perspective. When someone tells us they want a big kitchen – it is good to listen to what size their current kitchen is, what they need this kitchen to do and a host of other questions. The great part about designing and building in this manner is it is a conversation about how people live and putting a volume around that to satisfy their needs, wants and desires while focusing on reducing materials, reducing waste and bettering the built environment.
Shovel Ready…How a Theory Becomes Practice – “Green Building Standard” Series – Part 3.
In the last two weeks we established where to build a sustainable home and how to make sure the siting correlates to that sustainability. This week we move into the next phase: planning for site construction. If you have ever built a house you have undoubtedly learned this next point – but if you have not yet experienced a new home building process or even a major remodel there, is something that you need to know. Builders and their Subcontractors don’t always follow the plans. That may sound like a slight to a Builder – but it isn’t. Well, not completely.
The industry standard for Residential Construction is a bit looser than one might expect. In Residential Design and Building, one finds themselves at the crossroads of certain types of Builders and certain types of Designers. There are the “this is the way I have built a house for the last 15 years – blue prints are for Permit” all the way to “if it isn’t on the plan set, it doesn’t happen.” Likewise, you have designers that do this type of design work on the side to those stereotypical “I must know where every switch and outlet are placed or I will not release my drawings” people. As you can see there is a chance there could be conflict between bow-ties and blue jeans. In the realm of sustainable design, constraints on both must be in place and the aforementioned team must be formed. The Designer/Architect and the Builder must be in communication throughout the entire process for the home so that the end result equals the original vision.
In order for the siting and site conservation and enhancement to be properly executed, a site drawing should be produced. This drawing may be assembled by a Civil Engineer, Landscape Architect, Surveyor, or the Designer/Architect. This drawing will locate the house vertically and horizontally. More importantly, this document will show what we call the “limits of disturbance.” Mentally, I passed those a long time ago but when it comes to site design – these are very important.
The Limits of Disturbance will set the boundaries outside of which no work will take place. This is how tree groves, wetlands, and natural features are preserved and not harmed. In the field these areas need to be noted physically. Typically, silt fence or “snow” fence is used. Silt fence is a black membrane stretched between stakes and snow fence is that attractive safety orange plastic fencing. There is a great alternative that we highly suggest. Filtrexx makes a filter sock that after its use as a barrier and sediment control device, you cut it open and spread out the compost held within. This is a great opportunity to minimize waste and kick start the new vegetation.
Within the Limits, various precautionary measures should take place in order to maintain the intent of a sustainable lot. The topsoil should be stripped and stockpiled for later use. It should be noted that when the topsoil is spread out on the finished site that organic enhancement (compost, ground up drywall, etc) should be added to the soil and worked prior to spreading the soil. With these practices, grasses will take root better, grow stronger and require less water. An area for staging and for transporting materials should be established. Over the six to eight months that it takes to construct a home, the ground can become very compact because of the materials, trucks, and people that are going to cross over it. Setting aside an area such as the future driveway will help eliminate the need to rework these areas. If there are trees to be saved within the Limits, those should be flagged and a small barrier set up around them so that they are not “nicked” by a back hoe. (A note on tree protection: the tree’s roots actually spread away from the trunk a distance equal to the tree’s drip line or canopy edge.) Additionally, we like to dig two shallow pits: one for the painter who cleans out his tools in vegetation that takes 3 years to wear off and one for the concrete guy that cleans out his tools and creates an impenetrable surface where grass is supposed to be.
A sustainable home takes supervision to be properly executed. The above process is something that the Project Designer and Project Superintendent need to discuss prior to the start of construction so that everyone is aware of what the desired outcome is to be. It is a conversation that we wish would happen on every project – big, small, new, remodel, etc. When all stakeholders are a part of the decision making process, the job goes smoother, faster and at the end of the day, everyone is satisfied and is still speaking.
The How of the Where – The Siting of Your Home – “Green Building Standard” Series – Part 2.
Last week we discussed the “Where” as it pertains to selection of Home Sites. This week in the second installments of a series of articles devoted to the national “green” building programs, we discuss the “How”. The NAHB’s (National Association of Home Builders) program is broken down into several sections. The first section(s) deal with selecting a site, orienting the house and developing that site for construction. We commonly refer to this as horizontal construction.
Many people and builders – sometimes those are mutually exclusive (kidding, that was just a joke – if you are a builder) allow the horizontal part of the construction process to go by the wayside in terms of “green building.” If one looks at this process from a truly environmentally friendly perspective, the where and how are, potentially, the most important factor. For starters, this is where the home is located; second, this is the baseline of not using too many natural resources. And third, yeah, your house touches the earth – that being the case – it’s, at least, something to look into.
Interestingly, this is where the NAHB’s program suggests “establishing a knowledgeable team.” We would argue that should have happened before you select a site – but regardless, this step cannot happen early enough. A knowledgeable team is necessary to achieve Sustainability, Efficiency, and Affordability. Who should be on this team? A designer (Architect, Designer, Person Who Can Put Your Thoughts on Paper), a Builder, and a person versed in Home Siting – which can be the designer, Landscape Architect or a Civil Engineer. The purpose of this team along with the Homeowner is to make sure the home is sited properly.
What goes into Home Siting? First is an inventory of what is on the building site. This ranges from the easements and restrictions to views to natural resources to solar orientation. Each of these factors has an impact and knowing them up front allows everything to flow more smoothly.
Some neighborhoods and some lots have restrictions – be that a stormwater or sewer easement, definitive building restriction lines, or various setbacks – that effect buildable area and position. It has been most recently described by one of our Builder Client’s as the rules of the game. These are the hard and fast restrictions that are imposed upon the lot.
Once the rules have been established, we can get down to the next two issues. The first is taking a look at the natural features of the lot. The first thing that we look for is topography. Topography, in Greek, means “place writing”. This is a perfect definition. The topography of the land is a description of the surface of the land and its features. The questions we are trying to answer here are basic. Where does the water flow now and how, and for the most part, can we keep that same flow happening? And, if the ground needs to be contoured, how can we do that in a way to keep the remaining natural features and not import or export the dirt? In other words, this is the “how “of situating a home such that the ground and other naturally occurring benefits are minimally disturbed.
The second issue is looking into the naturally occurring features of the lot. The ideal is to inventory them with an eye on the above (topographic placement) and capitalize on what makes that lot unique. Unique features are views, trees, rock outcroppings, a neighbor’s yard with better landscaping (sorry about that last one). This inventory is important for a number of reasons but the main one is solar orientation.
Solar orientation involves positioning the home such that rooms that need daylight get daylight – not too much and not too little. Solar orientation is siting the home so that it uses the sun’s warmth in the winter and that same sun light is reduced in the summer. These basic uses will impact your homes efficiency more than any mechanical system known can do – why? Most importantly, it’s free and sitting right there. Secondly, it’s free and sitting right there.
The inside joke about siting that we feel brings home the point most is: a couple has a kick-off meeting with a Green Builder and a Green Designer/Architect and says, we bought a fully wooded lot and clear cut the whole lot in order to put solar on the roof. Now we want to start to design the home. If you laugh, great, we have this idea down pat – if you didn’t get it or thought that was the right thing to do, email us, we can help.
Good Better Best – “Green Building Standard” Series – Part 1.
The conversation about “Green” building has certainly increased over the last few years. What started over 10 years ago as the resurgence of a movement has now, for the most part, become mainstream. This has led to the formation of national rating systems that have been developed to guide “green” building. Each of these has do’s, don’ts and the ever “useful” checklist. It is, though, through these programs that we see truly where to buy property, how to design in the elements of sustainability and how it should be built….even if at times you have to dig to find those nuggets.
Over the next weeks, we will drill down into two of these programs – first, the NAHB’s National Green Building Standard and then the USGBC’s LEED for Homes. We have had the opportunity to work on homes that were designed and built based on these methodologies. This series will give us the opportunity to gain insight into the why’s, where’s, what’s and how’s of “Green” building from an overview perspective.
The NGBS (National Green Building Standard) begins with the first Guiding Principle of Lot Design, Lot Prep and Development. Under this broad principle are the ideas of site selection, natural resource inventory, slope protection, home siting, and, ultimately, the site construction.
Starting with choosing your lot there are a number of things to think about. Typically, it is never good to fall in love with a home design without a building site in mind. That isn’t to write that you shouldn’t have ideas and concepts – but making something inflexible like lot constraints conform to a home plan (which is flexible) is absurd if not frustrating to the home owner. Generally, a lot should be devoid of any environmentally sensitive features. If a lot is predominantly wetlands, is a known habitat corridor or serves as a natural open space or forestland – it should be avoided both environmentally and practically. From an environmental standpoint, land containing these types of sensitive areas is important for ecology and maintaining a natural preserve for water run-off, for flora and fauna, and a myriad of other natural resource needs. From a practical standpoint, sites with these types of constraints can make building difficult which in turn, normally, results in higher site development and building costs. From my standpoint, putting my house close to snakes and “critters” is not my idealized location anyway.
In addition to avoiding the above areas, areas to look for are infill, greyfield or brownfield sites. All of these types of sites are typically located in a “developed” area.
An infill lot is either a lot that was never built upon within an existing development or district or a lot that was under utilized and is ripe for redevelopment. Why infill? Why not? Kidding. An infill lot typically has infrastructure (roads, utilities, and stuff like that). Normally, these lots come complete with communities, future friends, and are co-located with amenities like shopping, restaurants, and the ability to leave your car at home.
Greyfield and Brownfield sites are for the more adventurous of us to dive into but shouldn’t be feared. A greyfield site is a bit difficult in most situations to come by. A greyfield is exactly what it sounds like – a lot with covered predominantly with an impervious surface (asphalt, concrete, etc.). Some towns have lots such as these scattered through out and the more progressive of towns will give you incentives to utilize these lots. A brownfield site is site filled with 55 gallon drums of uranium. Ok, that would be a Superfund site, but a brownfield site is one in which pollutants or contaminants are present and need to be remediated in order to be built upon. Governmental agency assistance is typically available for the remediation of these sites and is inspected for safety. These types of lots can be more complicated but the environmental impact is BIG. The restoration of these lots is a benefit for the community – the people and property.
As an overview, it is clear that “green field” development is not on the forefront of the sustainable movement. The idea of sustainability is based in conservation of materials, of land and of resources. There are buildable areas close in to “town centers” that are ripe for home building. These sites promote the use of bicycles and walking as opposed to cars. These sites also do not require the running of new infrastructure and more pavement. One of the ideas that we have struggled with over the last five years is just this topic. Some people do like to have a bit more land and some breathing room between neighbors. None of what is written above should then dissuade you from building sustainably. This is just one facet, not the whole. We feel that every act of sustainability and conservation adds up. Next week we will look into home siting and natural resource inventory.
a few of our favorite things
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens…
Over the last year, we have discussed a number of topics on “green building” and “green landscaping.” We have talked about everything from when to transplant trees to what type of paint to use on your walls….and almost everything in between. As the year ends, let’s hit the highlights (hopefully, there were a few highlights, right?) of the columns that address, as the title suggests, “a few of our favorite things.”
When making decisions based on “green”, we interpret that as making decisions that are healthy, that are energy efficient, and decisions that fit your budget. Healthy decisions from the built environment perspective deal with the quality of the air contained within your home. Energy efficient decisions are based on using less energy, creating their own energy, or using the energy that they use wisely. Budget decisions are based on the life cycle cost of a product. Life cycle costing is a methodology of balancing first cost, durability and benefit of that product over another. Using the above decision making process will produce great results that you will be happy with and that will serve their purpose. This is called achieving the triple bottom line – environmental, social and economic.
So what are the low hanging fruits that are examples of above that we have discussed over 2009? In no particular order of importance, they are:
Tankless water heaters – we feel that this is a great investment for a few different reasons. The distribution system is identical to a water heater – design space in a centrally located place (from a hot water demand perspective) and you will save water and energy needed to make that water hot. Just remember – don’t call it a hot water heater – if the water was hot you wouldn’t need the water heater. Sorry, Grandpa was a Plumber.
Faucet aerators – great concept. Low cost, easy installation (even novice DIY guys like me could do it and almost every tool that I have tried to use doesn’t fit my hand – other than a pencil) and big results – or is that small results. These aerators add air to the water stream in your faucets and showers to produce the same “pressure” without using so much water. You will not notice the difference in use – you will see it in your water usage!
Insulation – if you are building a new home or working on a major remodel – bump up the insulation as much as you can. Between spray in, rigid, and dense batting you can seal your home from those cold winter winds and that hot summer air. This will make your home more efficient to heat and cool – this allows your system to work less hard and costs you less each month.
Daylighting – if you are designing a new home, keep this in the forefront of your mind. Nothing saves you more money that simply not using energy you are paying for. While we feel that energy efficient lighting and lighting controls are important, not turning a light on doesn’t use any electricity at all. Daylighting is putting the windows in the right place to accept sunlight to light the room without adding “heat” to the room in the summer. You should be able to read in rooms that you work in without flipping on a light in the middle of the day.
Low VOC Paints, Stains, and Glues – if you are planning painting projects – or let me put it a different way – if someone in your home is planning a painting project – use a low or no VOC paint. These paints may cost marginally more but each manufacturer produces one and they will not off-gas harmful vapors. If you are having flooring or cabinets replaced, request low VOC glues and adhesives and make sure there are no urea-formaldehydes in the products. Your home air will be healthier and with the amount of time that we spend indoors, you and your occupants will be healthier.
HVAC – the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system that is in your home is one of the largest costs in your home and the largest consumer of energy. The higher the SEER rating the more efficient the system is. Geothermal and high SEER ratings will use less. It is important to work with your Contractor on this one. Make sure that your system is designed based on your floor plan, on your insulation package and on your needs. A well insulated home will demand less tonnage of air. A home designed with the Mechanicals centrally located will have less long runs of air which causes heat/cooling loss which makes the system run more. Add to this correct zoning for your lifestyle and a programmable thermostat and you will see a drop in your utility usage.
Energy Star – Replacing appliances? Purchase only products with the Energy Star rating. This will insure that the product has been tested and approved to use less electricity than a “standard” appliance. Energy Star has become rampant – in fact, we almost didn’t mention it because it is hard to find a non-rated appliance these days.
These are the highlights that we feel make a huge impact to you, your home, your bills and our environment. Next year we are going to start delving into sustainable series – multi-week articles that dig deeper into various systems, products and “rating” systems. We feel that “Green” has over the last few years grown to cover all kinds of things – too many to truly be able to distinguish good green from green washing. Over this next year we will develop these series that address Sustainable Design – sustainability is a lifestyle and a movement that encompasses only products, concepts and practices that are genuine. Remember, reduce, reuse and recycle – and let us know if there are topics that you would like to hear more about! Happy 2010 and thanks for reading.
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