beausoleil

Can green = cash? Part 2

It's been a busy few weeks, which hopefully is a sign that the economy is picking up! 

Part of our busyness has been getting this particular project in for permit, and having discussions with the owner, contractor, Title 24 consultant and window suppliers, to start to evaluate the potential "greening" of this home.  Now, many of you may think that "greening" means some strange design with plants on the roof, or perhaps covered in solar panels, perhaps using technology or materials that are not tried and tested, or subject to "green-washing" by manufacturers hoping to enter into the construction product market.   (How green is a countertop material that is manufactured sustainably, but comes all the way from Israel, for example?) Though these can certainly be analyzed and defined as green and be beautiful, most homeowners we come in contact with still prefer more traditional looking homes.   I wanted to start out by assuring you that this home is a very traditional French Mediterranean design with stucco walls and clay tile roof, found all over the Bay Area as well as in Europe, and its' construction materials are very traditional,  tried and true.

There are three basic requirements of a BuildItGreen Green Point Rated home that have to be met before you start to calculate any points. 

One: A2a Divert/Recycle demolition waste and construction material waste. 50% is required for the rating. 
The city in which the project is located already required 60%, so there is no additional cost required. Many municipalities in California have understood the importance of recycling/reuse and have developed their own standards. There are also companies such as The Reuse People, which will organize the demolition process for you to maximize the recycling effort and obtain tax credits for the homeowner,  which can sometimes offset all the costs of demolition, resulting in a net savings.

Two: J2. Design and Build Energy Efficient Homes - You must exceed California Title 24 requirements by at least 15%. 
This required a bit of research as the preliminary Title 24 calculations prepared and submitted for permit showed we were only 2% over Title 24.  Our consultant, Mark Madison of Energy Code Works told us that for our climate, we did not need to add extra insulation or do anything differently, we needed to take a closer look at the windows. Since for most of our projects the windows are chosen during construction by the owner and contractor in light of the overall budget, we do not have a particular manufacturer's specifications to plug into the calculations.  Mark is then forced to use a lower default value for the U-value (.58) and shading coefficients.  After getting quotes from several manufacturers for double glazed clad windows, we opted for low e glazing with a .32 U-factor (vs .43 for clear).  With a total window price of about $28,000, the clear glass would have saved about $2000, but the owners had planned to use low e so for now, there is still no additional cost incurred. Mark Madison revised the calculations, and we are now at 22.4% over Title 24, garnering 44 points, with no changes to the project design or budget!

Three: N1 Incorporate Green Point Checklist in Blueprints.  This should take about two hours of our time, to put in the list,and also add notes throughout the drawings and specifications.  Estimated cost $250.

We are currently filling out the Green Point Rated checklist and having some things priced, so this discussion will continue.  Stay tuned for part 3!

10 things from the GreenV Sustainable Center grand opening

The Greenv Sustainable Center  of South San Francisco just opened for business under its new name and new sponsorship, and I took the opportunity to visit their grand opening event last Saturday. Points of interest:

1. The GreenV Sustainable Center of South San Francisco is a mixed-use green marketplace. Housed under one roof are alternative vehicles, sustainable building components, green retail, education, and events for the public and private sectors to access. They are a dynamic community resource for local governments, green businesses, and the public to utilize. The Sustainable Center is a networking junction for people to co-op their skills and marketing to advance the growth of the new green market.

2. The Center is located just off of El Camino Real and across from the South San Francisco Recycling Center. It’s a short walk from Bart. For more info contact: Evan Herceg, Green Building Exchange, 1 Chestnut Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080. Tel. (650) 588-1113, eherceg@greenbuildingexchange.com

3. The ‘GreenV’ in the Center’s name is from its major sponsor. GreenV is the manufacturer of the Apex-Block, an environmentally correct and sustainable advanced ICF (insulated concrete form) wall system. Unlike many similar products, Apex-Blocks are made of cement and recycled polystyrene foam. They are formed into large 51 pound homogeneous recyclable blocks (think fewer, larger parts to put together) with interlocking surfaces and networked inner cavities for filling with reinforced concrete. They form a load-bearing, shear resistive grid and can even be used for retaining walls. The blocks can be sawn, routed out for electrical installations, fastened to, and plastered inside and out.

4. Apex-Block details:
Fire Resistant: Tested to 4 hours at 2000 degrees F, the Apex-Block system does not burn or develop smoke. Unlike steel, it does not soften or bend in extreme heat.
Energy Efficient: Apex-Blocks are impervious to continuous frost and cold cycles. With a lab tested thermal value of R-52, buildings constructed with Apex-Blocks use up to 50% less energy to heat, and up to 60% less energy to cool (compared to traditional wood framed structures).
Healthy Environment: The Apex-Block does not absorb or retain moisture, instead - sheds it. The ability to keep dry makes it resistant to mold and mildew. Apex-Blocks will not rot, even in the wettest of environments, and provides optimal vapor release by allowing the building to breathe.
Infestation Resistant:Apex-Blocks are made from materials that are inhospitable to insects and rodents. For more info, contact Rick Rios, GreenV, rrios@verdevinc.com, (650) 588-1113

5. Keynote speaker David Gottfried was quite inspirational, talking not only about his involvement in founding the USGBC and the World Green Building Council, but about his struggle to ‘green’ his own personal life.  It’s not ultimately about buildings and technology, but about our life as human animals on the planet. Read David’s book “Greed to Green”.

6. David was the founder and the first staff president of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The USGBC has been quoted as the leading global green building organization, having the greatest impact on climate change. In 1998 Gottfried invented and incubated the World Green Building Council, now with established and emerging green building councils in approximately 50 countries. Collectively, the world's green building councils have likely done more for climate change reduction than any organization. USGBC is considered the fastest growing non-profit in the world, now with almost 20,000 organizational members and 80 U.S. chapters.

7. One of the Center’s main functions is to host classes. They have a year-long commitment to working with the Solar Living Institute to house their classes on solar and renewable energy, alternative fuels and vehicles, gardening and permaculture, and so on. (707) 472-2450.

8. Fluid Stone finishes made from minerals, recycled aggregates and flexible, low VOC acrylic binders, were interesting.  Can be used on walls, floors, roof decks, driveways, decorative surfaces. Contact: (619) 491-0671 .

9. I also liked Liberty Valley Doors, Inc., (707) 795-8040. They have a line of beautiful doors made from recycled ‘rediscovered’ wood.

10. Freebies you missed if you didn’t make it to the party: 1.5 GPM Evolve ‘Gecko’ shower head; compact fluorescent lamp; California Poppy seeds; Green Zebra savings coupon book.

Green Home Guide Posting

We are pleased to announce that we have been selected as the Green Professional of the Week by the USGBC's Green Home Guide website.  Check out their site Green Home Guide to see our technical responses to questions regarding wind energy analysis, options for environmentally friendly entry doors as well as residential solar installation options and costing.  They seem to be a great source of practical technical information from professionals in the design and construction fields.  Let us know what you think.

10 things I learned at the Green Building Professional Training

Earlier this Fall, I attended a two day "Certified Green Building Professional" training organized by BuildItGreen.  The training was sold out and the room was packed for those two long days.  I was expecting to see other architects, contractors and design professionals, but was surprised to also see real estate agents, mortgage brokers, material suppliers, cabinetmakers and many city officials from all over the Bay Area.  It is exciting to see the changes developing in our industry and the commitment to environmental issues coming from all sectors.  It will take a concerted effort by all of us to reverse global warming, but it is possible!

Many of the topics covered in the training, such as proper building siting, planning and drainage, passive solar heating and cooling, use of efficient framing, proper insulation, use of long lasting and renewable materials are well known to architects, who are trained in building science as well as design.  I won't go into those issues here (or I would need to write a whole book), but here is a list of 10 things I learned at the training:

1. The construction industry is the number one cause of climate change. 8% of greenhouse gases come just from our use of cement.
2. In our lifetime, we will have used 80% of the earth's resources.
3. Water conservation issues will become more and more critical in the future.  Saving water saves treatment chemicals as well as distribution, pumping, and heating energy. Carefully select plumbing fixtures, check for leaks, and minimize the use of lawns.
4. Building codes and Title 24 energy regulations are a minimum guide; strive to exceed their requirements, not just meet them.  Energy costs will continue to rise as our supplies dwindle and the costs of heating and cooling will become much more critical to the cost cycle analysis of buildings in the long term.
5. The R value ( a measure of the insulative properties of a component of a building) is reduced by 1/2 in steel stud framing because of the conduction properties of the metal.  Steel is a good material in terms of its' recyclability, but the insulation details are key.  Wood framing (especially if the wood is sustainably harvested according to the principles of the Forest Stewardship Council) is still an excellent material and choice for construction.
6. Soil is a living breathing organism; one teaspoon of compost has 1 billion organisms. These organisms are similar to the plankton in the oceans.  They are the foundation for a healthy site ecology. Value and protect your topsoil that has taken millions of years to be created.  Carefully plan projects to avoid a lot of cut and fill.  Do not stockpile topsoil more than 6 feet high or the organisms may die.
7. On average indoor air pollution is 2-5 times worse than outdoor air and yet the EPA tells us we spend 90% of our time indoors.  The indoor air quality issues around green building are critical for health and productivity. Be especially careful of carbon monoxide from gas appliances and cars.  A strong vent over a stove can actually create negative pressure pulling in dangerous gases from attached garages and other sources. Install carbon monoxide detectors which will alert you to a dangerous level in your home.  A continued low level of exposure is also dangerous though.  Look for a detector that meets UL2034 and CSA 6.19 that measures both of these dangers.
8. Building materials offgas (think of that new car smell...) and some of these gases are dangerous to our health.  Urea formaldehyde (often used in interior glues in cabinets, furniture, fabrics, curtains) is the main culprit.  It is a known carcinogen and mucous membrane irritant.  The gases are sweet smelling and tend to hang at low levels, so be especially careful when you have young children who like to play on the floor.  There are other options and glues available, it is a matter of asking the question of the manufacturer you are considering. The denser the material, the longer it takes to offgas.  Particleboard can take 3-5 years... Also try to avoid soft PVC (polyvinyl chloride) products, such as sheet vinyl (the beach ball smell).
9. Carpet, especially wall to wall, which cannot be removed for proper cleaning, should be avoided wherever possible.  Here is a scary bit of data - carpet can weigh 2-4 times more when removed from a project than when put in...Just think of all those particles stored that a vacuum cleaner and carpet cleaner cannot remove...Carpet is also a source of VOC's (volatile organic compounds) that are known health risks.  If you must have carpet, try to let it offgas for 30 days before installation, or buy recycled or natural wool carpet.  With wool, double check that insecticides have not been used for moth control on imports.
10. Regular maintenance of a home, checking for leaks, replacing filters, etc. is key to maintain a healthy environment and to protect your investment in the long term, thereby increasing the usable life of the project.

Buckminster Fuller once said "The best way to predict the future is to design it."  I would like to challenge all of us in the industry to be conscientious in thinking of the future in every step and in every detail of the design and construction process.