Missouri Smith Residence is First Active House in the USA
Written on May 9, 2013 at 19:15
A new, green, custom home that has been built in Webster Grove, Missouri, is the work of Active House USA, a team of designers, builders, and materials manufacturers who are pooling their experience in environmentally conscious and sustainable building practices to construct homes around the world that utilize their Active House specifications, which combine focus on energy efficiency, healthy indoor climate, and minimal impact on the environment. To date, Active Houses are located in Portugal, Austria, Norway, UK, Italy, Netherlands, and Russia. The Webster Grove residence for the Smith family is the first Active House to be built in the United States and recently held its first open house.
Principal architect on the Smith residence is Jeff Day Associates Architecture and interior design is by Lusso at Home, both of St. Louis, Missouri. The interior space makes generous use of natural finishes, including locally-sourced stone that is made from recycled materials and high fly-ash cement, custom shale, and flagstone. Local remnants of granite, marble, and Silestone were used for countertops.
Wood features are Northern red oak and repurposed wood that is made from reclaimed timber. Water-based, formaldehyde-free stains were used on the flooring. Custom cabinets were locally constructed of maple, walnut, and bamboo using low-VOC plywood and hardwood components; stain and sealer is also low-VOC. The open, three-level pine staircase channels light from rooftop Velux skylights. Other green choices for the interior include Green Label carpet and padding, Sherwin Williams no-VOC Harmony paints.
Energy efficiency in the Smith home is made possible by solar orientation, solar energy collectors, airtight building envelope, HVAC and water heating design, use of daylight, and natural ventilation.
Article tags: air quality, conservation, energy efficiency, green building, home builders, IAQ, materials, modern architecture, modern design, passive house, projects, recycled, single family, solar, surfaces, water efficiency
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jetson_green/~3/M48yrCWcQ6I/missouri-smith-residence-is-first-active-house-in-the-usa.html
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Caverly Couple Creates Clothesline Tiny Homes
Written on May 9, 2013 at 07:14
Carrie and Shane Caverly built their first tiny home last year to reduce their overhead from a $1500 per month mortgage payment to $350 per month, which includes land rent, electricity, and water.
The Caverly’s eco-friendly 204 square foot home is built on a 5th wheel gooseneck trailer and features passive solar design, closed cell poly-iso foam insulation, low-E double-paned windows, FSC-certified manufactured wood siding, engineered wood flooring, post-manufacturer recycled framing lumber, on-demand hot water heater, low water incinerating toilet, recycled steel roof that collects rainwater, and grey water collection tank.
The bedroom is situated over the gooseneck hitch, with steps up to the bed that hide storage space and a dog kennel. More storage space is available over the bathroom, where they have located the bathroom sink inside the shower, and below the couch in the living room. The built-in porch at the back of the house is suitable for hauling a motorcycle or bicycles.
Shane is a building contractor and Carrie is an architectural designer. Together, they built their tiny home and have started a Clothesline Tiny Homes to build smaller houses and help others live a more efficient lifestyle in small spaces. A replica of their first tiny home is being sold being sold for $48,000 and they are accepting custom orders while fleshing out an online shop for downloadable design drawings, construction documents, and design consulting by the hour.
Article tags: affordable, energy efficiency, green building, home builders, recycled, single family, tiny home, tiny house, water efficiency
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jetson_green/~3/gq4Z2Qt7Ce0/caverly-couple-creates-clothesline-tiny-homes.html
Historic 1950s-Era Austin Duplex Gets Sustainable Renovation from Alterstudio Architects
Written on May 7, 2013 at 07:07
This sustainable remodeling project by Alterstudio Architects renovated a 1950s-era duplex in the Hyde Park historic district of Austin, Texas, into a contemporary single-family home that is both energy-efficient and water-conserving.
The locally-made brick facades and steel casement windows of the existing structure of the Avenue G House were maintained with the addition of a second story to create two double-height spaces with opposing interior box windows upon entry into the home. A family room and loft is accessible by a glass-railed steel stairway. In the private areas of the second floor, white oak panels connect spaces that feature natural lighting and cross-ventilation. On the main floor, walnut cabinetry hides storage spaces and a powder room.
“In an area of town where the houses are all made up of a collection of small rooms, entering into this home is radically different,” said Kevin Alter, one of three Alterstudio partners, in an interview with EcoBuilding Pulse. “The house is now spatially open and dynamic, with sight lines going all the way through, and up into two double-height spaces, all filled with natural light.”
Sustainable features include Energy Star-rated windows, use of SFI-certified engineered lumber and low- and zero-VOC paint, a ground-source heat pump, Austin Water Conservation-certified toilets, abundant air sealing, and insulation that exceeds requirements of the Austin energy code. The mechanical systems and ductwork are located within the thermal enclosure and features a high-efficiency HVAC filter. Bathroom exhaust fans are connected to a timer and humidistat. A rainwater-harvesting system redirects roof runoff to a catchment system.
Alterstudio Architecture LLP of Austin, Texas maintains a “commitment to enhance and protect both the cultural and natural environments of the communities” for which it builds projects with a focus on long-term sustainability, promoting “an ecological approach that acknowledges the impact of finite resources as a positive contributor in the creation of an ethical architecture” while being “uplifting to its users and in harmony with its cultural context and natural surroundings.” The firm has won over sixty design awards.
Article tags: air quality, conservation, energy efficiency, green building, home builders, materials, modern architecture, modern design, remodel, renovation, single family
Cornerstone of Nashville Riverfront Master Plan Showcases Sustainable Adaptive Reuse
Written on May 6, 2013 at 19:04
When Nashville built its new stadium for the Tennessee Titans, the former headquarters of the Nashville Bridge Company were spared demolition. Built in 1908, with additions made to the 5,000 square foot building in 1924 and 1965, the compound was modernized by Hastings Architecture Associates as part of the Nashville Riverfront Master Plan. Renovations were recently completed, including a newly-built modern wing, and has been re-dubbed The Bridge Building.
The adaptive reuse required significant modifications to reflect sustainability concerns, which have resulted in a 46 percent decrease in annual energy costs, including solar hot water, a ground source heat pump, automated electrical monitoring, LED illumination, and smart operable windows.
Storm water runoff from the 7,300 square feet of roof and patio space, along with rooftop air conditioning condensate, is collected and reused, and is expected to total nearly 173,000 gallons, which will be utilized by low-flow toilets, to reduce water usage by as much as 32 percent.
Designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification, The Bridge Building shares services with other projects that are part of the Nashville Riverfront Master Plan, such as irrigation water that is captured in a rainwater cistern and green space that doubles as a permeable parking surface. The Plan incorporated reclaiming of wetlands to revitalize three miles of Cumberland riverfront that passes through downtown Nashville.
Article tags: conservation, corporate, energy efficiency, green building, green tech, LEED, LEED P, modern architecture, modern design, solar, water efficiency
Wood Pallet Facade Provides Shade and Ventilation to Parisian Student Housing
Written on May 6, 2013 at 07:03
When French architect Stephane Malka decided to provide AME-LOT, a Parisian student residence with additional shade and ventilation, he took an interesting and very ecological approach. The entire street front of the building is covered in hinged shipping pallets hinged together that transform and can be adjusted for changes in light, shade, and ventilation.
Malka’s belief is that sustainability and ecology are all about repurposing old materials, which limits the need for additional processing, energy, and money that results in byproduct pollution.
More information and photos available at architizer.com.
Article tags: paris, repurposing, shipping pallets, stephane malka
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jetson_green/~3/rB31Di7i47Q/wood-pallet-facade-provides-shade-and-ventilation-to-parisian-student-housing.html
Certified Passive House in Oregon Maximizes Reduce-Reuse-Recycle Concepts
Written on May 3, 2013 at 06:51
The founder of Oregon-based STUDIO-E Architecture, Jan Fillinger, is a Certified Passive House Consultant and LEED AP who has over twenty years experience in sustainable design, including the use of sustainable and non-toxic materials, integration of energy-efficient building systems, and the design of site- and climate-responsive buildings. Switzerland born and raised, with a Master of Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley, Fillinger has designed projects that have won multiple awards and incorporate environmental and social responsibility, with a primary goal of creating “harmonious and comfortable spaces in which people truly enjoy living and working.”
In an interview with GreenSource, Fillinger says, “I fell in love with the Passive House approach the moment I learned about it, because it is the most effective way I have ever encountered to achieve the highest level of energy efficiency. [Passive House Institute U.S.] also has a modeling system that allows you to fine-tune systems and assemblies to that sweet spot where you get the most bang for the dollar spent.”
To achieve Certified Passive House status in his residential design for Tim Gift and Sarah Peterman, Fillinger attempted to incorporate as many Passive House techniques as possible, including the use of exterior rigid insulation on the floor and roof instead of blown or batt insulation to reduce thermal bridging. The home is optimized for energy efficiency and solar heat gain by including a ground-source heat pump that is connected to radiant floors, solar domestic hot water, and a heat recovery ventilation unit.
“These are tight homes that often have a lot of human-made materials, which are not necessarily in their virgin state,” says Fillinger “We still don’t know everything about VOCs and toxic products. Even when we use what are touted as low-VOC products, we don’t know everything about the byproducts that can sometimes result from combining seemingly harmless building materials.”
Built on a 30-acre site, the project consists of three buildings: a main house with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, a 2,830-square-foot studio space, and a garage. In an effort to “maximize repurposed, recycled, non-toxic, sustainably harvested, and durable materials,” the treads of a floating staircase are made from a fallen black oak that was on the site, beams are made of recycled steel, kitchen countertops are made of wood from a former bowling alley, and siding is recycled cedar barnwood.
Article tags: air quality, conservation, energy efficiency, green building, materials, modern architecture, modern design, passive house, recycled, residential, single-family, solar, surfaces, water efficiency
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jetson_green/~3/AIhTNkOFyTM/certified-passive-house-in-oregon-maximizes-reduce-reuse-recycle-concepts.html
Certified Passive House in Oregon Maximizes Reduce-Reuse-Recycle Concepts
Written on May 3, 2013 at 06:51
The founder of Oregon-based STUDIO-E Architecture, Jan Fillinger, is a Certified Passive House Consultant and LEED AP who has over twenty years experience in sustainable design, including the use of sustainable and non-toxic materials, integration of energy-efficient building systems, and the design of site- and climate-responsive buildings. Switzerland born and raised, with a Master of Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley, Fillinger has designed projects that have won multiple awards and incorporate environmental and social responsibility, with a primary goal of creating “harmonious and comfortable spaces in which people truly enjoy living and working.”
In an interview with GreenSource, Fillinger says, “I fell in love with the Passive House approach the moment I learned about it, because it is the most effective way I have ever encountered to achieve the highest level of energy efficiency. [Passive House Institute U.S.] also has a modeling system that allows you to fine-tune systems and assemblies to that sweet spot where you get the most bang for the dollar spent.”
To achieve Certified Passive House status in his residential design for Tim Gift and Sarah Peterman, Fillinger attempted to incorporate as many Passive House techniques as possible, including the use of exterior rigid insulation on the floor and roof instead of blown or batt insulation to reduce thermal bridging. The home is optimized for energy efficiency and solar heat gain by including a ground-source heat pump that is connected to radiant floors, solar domestic hot water, and a heat recovery ventilation unit.
“These are tight homes that often have a lot of human-made materials, which are not necessarily in their virgin state,” says Fillinger “We still don’t know everything about VOCs and toxic products. Even when we use what are touted as low-VOC products, we don’t know everything about the byproducts that can sometimes result from combining seemingly harmless building materials.”
Built on a 30-acre site, the project consists of three buildings: a main house with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, a 2,830-square-foot studio space, and a garage. In an effort to “maximize repurposed, recycled, non-toxic, sustainably harvested, and durable materials,” the treads of a floating staircase are made from a fallen black oak that was on the site, beams are made of recycled steel, kitchen countertops are made of wood from a former bowling alley, and siding is recycled cedar barnwood.
Article tags: air quality, conservation, energy efficiency, green building, materials, modern architecture, modern design, passive house, recycled, residential, single-family, solar, surfaces, water efficiency
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jetson_green/~3/AIhTNkOFyTM/certified-passive-house-in-oregon-maximizes-reduce-reuse-recycle-concepts.html
The Sarah House Project Will Provide Shipping Container Shelter for Low-Income Families
Written on May 2, 2013 at 06:42
Jeffrey White, a real estate agent who resides near Salt Lake City, Utah, is spearheading the Sarah House Project, a nonprofit, community-based organization that aims “to provide fast, green minded, safe, affordable homes for the underserved.”
Built from converted, recycled shipping containers and named for a San Francisco artist who succumbed to cancer, the homes incorporate sustainability concepts, including the use of green materials such as eco-friendly plywood, bamboo flooring, and insulation that is made from recycled clothing. Electric radiant heat and insulating paint help to keep utility costs down. Seismically sound, the structures feature a termite- and fire-resistant exterior.
The Sarah House Project began with White’s attempt to convert a 40-foot container into a house on his driveway. After encountering problems with city officials, he started working with Crossroads Urban Center, a local nonprofit that “assists and organizes Utahns with low incomes, those with disabilities, and people of color to meet basic survival needs and to address essential issues affecting quality of life.” Through Crossroads, White was able to procure a parcel of land on which to construct his prototype with funding from a federal home grant, donations, and his own money.
Coming in at 672 feet, the Sarah House is being built from two containers and cost less than $120,000, including the land. When it is completed, Crossroads will sell the home to a low-income single or couple. White expects to reduce the cost of building future homes out of shipping containers for less than $75,000 and hopes to build small communities of shipping container homes for the impoverished or in-transition low-income households.
Article tags: affordable, conservation, container design, container homes, energy efficiency, green building, home builders, land use, materials, prefab, prefabricated homes, recycled, shipping container, single family, sustainable
Solar Powered Garage Garners Green Mountain College a $50,000 E2 Energy to Educate Grant
Written on May 1, 2013 at 06:40
Students who participated in last semester’s Renewable Energy and Ecological Design (REED) at Green Mountain College (GMC) have designed solar-powered garage that won them a $50,000 grant to build it from the E2 Energy to Educate program sponsored by the Exelon Company, Constellation.
The structure, which they have named after the Welsh sun goddess, “Olwen Solar Garage,” optimizes cold weather performance of electronic vehicles. Designed for use by the REED program and the working farm at GMC, it features a a 16 panel 3.86-kilowatt solar array with a fiberglass passive solar south-facing wall that can augment early-season germination of crops. Serving as a miniature power plant, the building consumes the power that it produces while serving a need for sustainable food production.
“It’s clear that oil is becoming increasingly expensive and that carbon based nonrenewable fuels are contributing to climate destabilization. This project will demonstrate that solar energy can be a less expensive and renewable fuel for cars,” said REED course instructor and energy expert, Dr. Steven Letendre, associate professor of economics and environmental studies. “In addition, cars that are connected to the grid can themselves become energy storage devices, potentially earning money for the owner.”
Having received the grant from Constellation, and working closely with contractor mentors and performing most of the labor, students broke ground on the project last September. “The building was designed and constructed in one semester,” said lead design-build instructor, Lucas Brown, assistant professor of environmental studies.
Article tags: conservation, energy efficiency, green building, materials, news, press releases
Prefab Hive Modular House in Canada Incorporates Passive Home Concepts
Written on April 29, 2013 at 18:34
Our friend, Rhonda Pike, over at Hive Modular was kind enough to share some pictures with us of a client’s custom-designed home in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada that is based on the X-Line 016 model. Not including the three-car garage, the three-bedroom, 2.5 bathroom prefabricated modular house provides its residents with 2273 square feet of living space.
Hive Modular used passive home concepts for both the lighting and the ventilation. The Low-E, argon-filled clerestory windows in the center hall help to bring daylight into the center of the home and create a “chimney effect” ventilation system during the summer. Additional window groupings throughout the home allow for natural daylighting.
The furnace and HRV are ultra-high efficiency models and the outside of the home is protected by low-maintenance fibercement siding.
All Hive Modular homes are built using the latest modular fabrication technology and feature 2×6 exterior walls with engineered floor and roof trusses that are strengthened and reinforced for transport, which makes Hive homes more robust than many site-built houses. The Hive design team includes high-end residential architects who manage their customer’s projects with care and ensure that Hive homes are built with high-quality products.
Hive Modular homes are built sustainably: small and efficient with tight building envelopes and environmentally responsible materials and systems. Custom features, such as bamboo floors, can be incorporated, and they can help you to achieve LEED Accreditation, if you desire.
Rhonda tells us that they are working on more Hive prefab home designs this year and a LEED-certified commercial building in Minnesota that will incorporate shipping containers.
Article tags: energy efficient home, green building, Hive Modular, home builders, modular homes, prefabricated homes
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jetson_green/~3/U9KjFsnlhEM/prefab-hive-modular-house-in-canada-incorporates-passive-home-concepts.html
