10May/120

Define Green Building

May 10th, 2012

No Longer a Trend, Green Building is a Tried and True Way to Build for a Sustainable Future

Even 10 years ago, people used to shrug their shoulders and cock their head to one side when you told them that you were into green building consulting and energy efficiency. I wouldn’t say that things have gone mainstream, but yeah, things have gone main stream. With more builders, developers and architects getting the education about how to build in a more sustainable and energy efficient manner, the dollars and cents of it all are starting to add up into just making cents into sense. Many architects add sustainability features into their design plans without even knowing that they are “going green” because of a long standing sense of beauty that comes from the final product, such as eves and overhangs that shade from sun, or useable front porches. How about using 16 on center for structural integrity for a more energy efficient framing program and more cost effective use of lumber? Everyone likes when costs go down on a build, right?So, what is green building really, aside from the idea that the home will be more kind to the environment, so to speak?

Green Building Defined

Green building is the practice of understanding the construction science that incorporates the air quality, water quality and ultimately the energy consumption of the building and of course, the products selected to actually construct the building. When you take all of these elements and design a plan that incorporates the acknowledgement of each part, you can work to create a building that functions as a system. How many times have you heard me talk about the house as a system? It is true! The awesome thing is that there are so many different levels of sustainable building from someone just doing the bare minimum just to improve their indoor air quality, to a home that is entirely net-zero (a home that has zero-energy emissions or off-put annually)! If you want to talk more about the true meaning of green building and energy efficiency, let’s start a conversation!

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26Apr/120

Penrose Brings Added Value

April 26th, 2012

Columbia Pike Revitalization is doing its job.

In a recent discussion with Takis Karantanis, Director of the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, it is brought to light that the updates that have already occurred along the Pike have brought an increase to the value of the neighborhood behind the Pike.

If you had driven down Columbia Pike even three years ago, let alone fifteen years ago, a totally different street facade close to Barton Street would probably be what you recall. To take the stroll down the Pike now infront of what is now the new Penrose development gives a whole new face to what the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization hopes to see down the entire 3.2 mile stretch of this great road with so much potential to be a pedestrian friendly, multi-modal community in South Arlington. Interestingly enough, Karantanis suggested that the Penrose neighborhood, that the new development is aptly named for has seen an increase in property values since the completion of the development project. People find the community more approachable and the amenities that the new grocery store and convenience of the vibrant restaurants and soon to be lush park squares give the area a new-found air of superiority to the areas of the Pike which are yet to see the revitalization.

With revitalization, always comes push-back, there are of course, some folks within a few of the fish-boning communities that offshoot from Columbia Pike whom are concerned that if the multi-modal revitalization gets too out of hand, that property taxes will rise and that some people, people who can afford to live in South Arlington now, may not be able to afford to live there later after the revitalization of the area is complete.  It is a double edged sword; however, there are over a dozen subsidized low-income multi-family developments along Columbia Pike that are also being developed in a sustainable fashion and are incorporated into the same multi-modal, form-based-code program that the rest of the revitalization projects are conforming to. Is this a double edged sword or a win-win situation?

If areas such as Penrose Square are seeing an increase in the desirability in the neighborhoods behind the newly revitalized Columbia Pike development, what will happen when the rest of the over three miles of proposed roadway is re-vamped to be the same gleaming building style with bits and pieces of the charm, character and charisma that is South Arlington? Can you say multi-modal boomtown?

 

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12Apr/120

Spring 2012 Events Around NoVa

April 12th, 2012

There are so many green things going on this Spring, it is hard to keep track. Let us try to help keep your calendar full through the end of April!

Saturday, 4/14/12 10-4pm

Arlington Home Show- Come by and learn listen to lectures from 10-4 or persue the line up on amazing Northern Virginia Home Goods and providers. Conway Energy, EarthCraft, Maid Brigade, Arlington Green Home Choice, EnviroHomeDesign and more!

Sunday, 4/15/12 2pm

Bluebell Walk- Bull Run Park at the historic park. Come walk the beautiful bluebells and other wildflowers in the 1.5 mile path in this 30 year tradition at The Bull Run Regional Park in Centerville, VA. Great for all ages!

Thursday, 4/19/12 6-8:30pm

GreenDrinks Arlington is hosting another fun happy hour for greenies over at Sauca on Columbia Pike in South Arlington! Come on out and listen to Koube Ngaaje of the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) discuss why AFAC is not just a seasonal center and why sustainability isn’t just about being “green in your living” but about community vitality. Sauca is an amazing place with a great flair where you’ll be surrounded by like-minded people. Join up! 21+

Saturday, 4/21/12

Live Green’s Green Rush 2012 fun for all who sign up to scout the city for all things Green! Make a team and adventure out to learn more about DC and how you can live a healthier lifestyle. Grand prize… $1,000!

Sunday, 4/29/12 8am-noon

Naturalist Guided Canoe-marsh trip at Pohick Bay Regional Park. Check out the bald eagles, osprey and everything in between on this naturalist guided canoe trip! 16+please! and $30/person 703-528-5406 for more details and reservations. Space is limited.

Do you know of some other cool earth friendly events? Tell us about them here or share on our facebook page!

 

 

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3Apr/120

Getting Pumped up for the Green Rush

April 3rd, 2012

Last Year was Huge and this Year will be even Bigger! Learn More About Live Green’s Green Rush 2012!

Green Rush Scavenger Hunt- Megan Barrett: Live Green

At Live Green, we’re all about making green living easy. That said, what’s life without a little friendly competition? So, this Earth Day we’re challenging you to go green with DC’s best, and greenest, scavenger hunt on April 21st – the Green Rush.
Last Year had a huge showing and this Year will be even Better! Sign up for Live Green’s Green Rush 2012!

Part Amazing Race, part adult field day, the Green Rush embodies everything Live Green is about: making eco-friendly living accessible and fun. Teams of 2-5 explore DC, complete challenges, and answer clues to earn as many points as possible. One team will walk away with a $1,000 cash grand prize.

We keep the celebration going afterward at Liv with food and drink, a performance by Tabi Bonney, and the crowning of the new Green Rush champions.

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29Mar/120

EarthCraft Builder Awards 2012

March 29th, 2012

Today, EarthCraft Virginia Hosts their Annual Builder Awards in Richmond, Virginia with the best of the best in Energy Efficient building and design.

Take a peek below to see who won all of the awards and who will come back to their office tomorrow able to say that they are top-dog in the Green Building industry in the region.

Congratulations to all of the winners of this year’s Sustainable Leadership Awards! There were so many amazing people, teams and programs to choose from, it was amazing to see everyone in their prime.

  • Single Family Builder of the Year: AM Yoder & Co
  • Single Family Project of the Year: Shelter Alternatives
  • Single Family Developer of the Year: Eagle Construction of VA- certified 99 homes in 2011!
  • Multi-Family Construction Project of the Year: South Bay Apartments
  • Multi-Family Renovation Project of the Year: Martinsville Lofts
  • Multi-Family Developer of the Year: People Incorporated- 7 projects and over 276 units certified
  • Habitat for Humanity Affiliate of the Year: Richmond Metro Habitat for Humanity
  • Architecture Firm of the Year: CJMW Architecture
  • Home Builders Association of the Year: Blue Ridge HBA
  • Technical Advisor of the Year: Steve Tetreault
  • Most Energy Efficient Home of the Year: Bain-Waring’s 3637 Stone Harbor Drive with a HERS Index of 30!
  • Visionary Award: Karl Bren, co-founder of EarthCraft Virginia
  • Visionary Project of the Year: Ft. Belvoir River and Woodlawn Projects

Thanks to EarthCraft, VHDA, Superior Walls and SB Cox for hosting us all.

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22Mar/120

NoVa Habitat for Humanity’s Perry Hall

March 22nd, 2012

Last Sunday’s dedication of Perry Hall was another huge success for Northern Virginia’s Habitat for Humanity team.

It was an honor to be a part of the Perry Hall project team on behalf of EarthCraft. From start to finish, these folks did their very hardest to make this project come to fruition. After seven long years of going through county hoops and regulations, this project is finally complete and ready for twelve lucky families to call home. With its energy efficiency standards up to EarthCraft standards to be certified and the project being a part of the Nauck community’s history and spirit, Perry Hall is now a new and (much) improved place for these home owners to call… home.

A ceremony to dedicate the property was held Sunday, March 18, 2012 on the steps of the project with over a hundred community members, Habitat for Humanity project team participants, sponsors, volunteers and politicians. Special guest, Dr. Alfred O. Taylor Jr., current president of the Nauck Civic Association accepted a plaque on behalf of the community. The building itself is named for Perry S. Hall, the first president of the Nauck Civic Association in the 1920′s.

Take a look at the dedication ceremony  photos if you weren’t able to make it out last weekend:

The front of the building was an addition of 2400sf as well as the N and S sides which were also additions to the original footprint.

Dr. Alfred O. Taylor Jr. surrounded by other county and elected officials is preparing himself for his speech.

Perry S. Hall was the original Nauck Civic Association president in the 1920′s responsible for bringing curb and gutter to the community and whom the building is named for. Current Civic Association president, Dr. Taylor educates the ceremony visitors about the community and accepts a plaque.

Chris Conway was the lead technical adviser for the EarthCraft Virginia energy efficiency program throughout the Perry Hall Project and represented ECV from the background.

All of the many hundreds of volunteers and sponsors were recognized and thanked for their contributions to this energy efficient, Habitat for Humanity project.

 

 

 

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15Mar/120

Cross Ventilation

March 15th, 2012

With this unseasonably warm weather, it is high time we open out windows and take advantage of some cross ventilation!

You know our mantra, right? Build tight, ventilate right. Smart. We think that if you properly utilize architecture and construction practices, you can achieve a very energy efficient, comfortable and healthy home. Ventilation is super-important in your home. Take for example a home that has a mold problem and everyone who lives inside has chronic respiratory infections. You would want to get rid of the mold problem and flush the home to make sure that the folks inside weren’t getting sick anymore. You wouldn’t want to put a cloche over them and say, night night. That isn’t how it works. Having proper ventilation to prevent problems like that from happening in the first place is imperative. When you aren’t in a place to have to introduce mechanical ventilation systems, you go the old-school route… cross ventilation, which can be just as effective and smart!

The Daily Green gives us a dose of a scoop on why cross ventilation is a smart way to take advantage of good design and what the earth has given us. They have done a good job of defining this wonderful building concept as  when “breezes enter through a window or vent, bringing fresh air, while the pressure difference on both sides of the building pulls stale air out an opening in the other side. The key, of course, is to have open windows (or vents) on opposite sides of the structure.” Sounds easy enough, right? Well, it is!

Why cross ventilation is a smart way to save some money and cool off:

  • It removes indoor pollutants- which are typically higher inside than they are outside
  • It is free.
  • It is easy.
  • We all have access to it- ahem, if we have windows.

Certification Programs dig on Cross Ventilation, too.

With LEED you will get points for utilizing cross ventilation points after you get past a certain tightness level. With Passive House design, there is no specific mandatory level for cross ventilation, but there is a mandatory ventilation level which can be achieved either mechanically or through cross ventilation. Even EarthCraft will acknowledge cross ventilation in design plans to grant points for this design concept as a great energy saving model. If you think you might need some assistance with your home’s ventilation and energy efficiency, let us know, we’re happy to do an energy consultation and help you identify what is causing the issues you are encountering!

 

 

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8Mar/120

New Uses for Old Things

March 8th, 2012

Every once in while, we have a guest send over some information that we think is pretty darn useful or cool. In this case, Genevieve Concannon, Ecobroker Realtor in Northern Virginia is supplying us all with some cool and useful information about a site called Houzz.com, which many of you architects and designers may already know about, but for those of you who aren’t in the know, this is sweet. You can also glean some keen details about the imagery that she has pulled from her own ideabook. Check it out.

Reclaimed wood  and old factory windows can give your home a whole new look; yes, old can be new again.

Have you been trying to get some ideas for some a new look at your home that includes reclaimed wood or reclaimed factory windows? Reclaimed wood doesn’t have to be a lodge feel, it can be vintage modern, it can even be french provincial. A couple of weeks ago, I was talking with an architect friend of mine and he asked me if I had been using Houzz. and I asked him to repeat himself, because I actually didn’t know what he was talking about. Then he whipped out his iPad and showed me; I blushed a bit. It was quite impressive. It like house porn. Really. You can’t stop looking at these gorgeous, angled, sumptuous, curvy, shapely, sexy… ahem… homes, kitchens, gardens and well, all things design. The best way to describe Houzz.com is that it is like pinterest, only for all things related to home design- from fixtures to finishes and everything in between. It is perfect for people who are looking to design a new home, or who are looking to update what they already have. Simply put, house eye-candy. Take a look at some of my recent favorites from my ideabook on Houzz.com.

This is a fantastic idea: A barn door on a rolling hinge, almost like a Japanese kabuki door.

This image is from a Private Residence / Siemasko + Verbridge

These stunning reclaimed floors are fabulous, not to mention the hand hewn trusses which are absolutely divine.

Lake Country Builders did an outstanding job on this open concept kitchen.

These reclaimed factory windows and floors are just gorgeous. You can do so much with the design in this space.

Hanson General Contracting, Inc. out of Philadelphia did this beautiful work.

A bunk bed of reclaimed wood paneling is a great way to create a feature wall and shelving!

Slifer Designs took Amy Lee Casey’s idea and ran with it here! Photo- Ric Stovall via Houzz.com

What do you think of these ideas? Isn’t this reclaimed wood situation cool?! The thing of it is, you don’t just have to use the wood on the floors; it can go on the walls, the ceiling, and more! Trusses can be old rail road beams, and architectural salvage. Factory windows make sumptuous shower stalls with an amazing look that will set your home apart from the crowd. If you haven’t done it already, start tinkering with Houzz.com. – it is a total blast! Plus, if you like these ideas, reach out to the designers and builders directly and buy plans from them and then we’ll work locally to have it accomplished for you! Hey- remember…if you find something cool, don’t be afraid to share it!  - Genevieve Concannon YourEcoBroker

 

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1Mar/120

EarthCraft has a Touchstone in Vienna

March 1st, 2012

Touchstone Custom Builders has a new construction in Vienna striving for EarthCraft Certification.

All this place needs is a picket fence and you’d be quite at home on mainstreet USA in this quality, high-end contemporary craftsman home built by Touchstone homes. Builder Clint Woodson has been on the ball with this one aiming for artisan craftsmanship throughout the home with stunning oak hardwoods and a gorgeous,gourmet kitchen with a French Chateau vibe that would inspire any cook to become a chef. Simply beautiful slabs of granite along with the Viking suite of kitchen appliances are just amazing and make this a truly high-end kitchen in and of itself! The stone patio off the back of the home is nothing to baulk at with its own outdoor grill/kitchenette- enjoy a glass of wine or a cup of coffee while you watch cardinals fly off into the wooded lot behind you on the ample .34 acre lot. This home is near perfection and it doesn’t hurt that Clint kept in mind health and comfort along with the ‘creature comforts’ of luxury as well on this home!

Dual zoned, energy efficient HVAC systems which are optimally insulated provide the home with the perfect level of heat and air for the size of the home. Motion sensor lights have been installed throughout the home for a very smart, high-tech and energy saving feature in a home of this size (5,215sf), it just makes sense that you want to save on energy! Solid surfaces on most of the flooring for the richly stained hardwoods to the travertine of the baths, this home will have minimal allergens, especially with the MERV8 air filters. Don’t let the decorative ceiling work and architectural detail work fool you, this home has energy efficient features hidden around all sorts of nooks and crannies! EarthCraft and Chris Conway were pleased to work with Clint and his team to achieve his level of certification and can’t wait to work with them again to make more of his beautiful, high performance homes! This home is currently under contract and set to close.

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23Feb/120

EPA’s New Guide for Protecting Health During Remodels

February 23rd, 2012

Last week, the EPA Released an New Guide for Protecting Health During Home Energy Upgrades

Haven’t you heard the great news?! The EPA has just released an online guide book for Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades! This is fantastic news because this means that the general public has access to this information when they are going to do remodeling jobs and therefore as a homeowner or someone who probably lives inside of one of these “Indoor Environments” can take advantage of the knowledge. The 48 page online guide books will run the reader through the scope of how to deal with contaminants that they might raise up in their home as they try to make their home more energy efficient or “green” on their own. The book has a very details yet limited scope, I know, totally vague, about things like asbestos, carbon monoxide, even pests- yeah, in that order. It is pretty interesting, actually! The EPA even delves into the systems of the house and safety issues. It is set up in a very user friendly- almost childlike way. Super simple and a great bit of information. Get spoon fed the information that will keep you safe in your home with this EPA document.

The EPA says that this book is the first book of its kind and it can be used to:

•    Identify, manage and reduce indoor air quality-related health risks during home energy upgrades, retrofits or remodeling.
•    Improve the quality of work performed across the energy efficiency industry.
•    Promote occupant health and safety.
On the recent release of the valuable tool to the online following, the EPA stated that “The Protocols were developed by EPA in collaboration with leading scientists, the building industry and federal partners. With your help, the EPA guidelines can improve quality of life for families and ensure homes across the country meet both the energy and health needs of future generations.”

Don’t forget that if you’re looking to do Indoor Air Plus on new construction, this is something very similar to this guide book that we can actually help you out with! To get your copy of the EPA’s online guide for Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades simply click on that link, and you can check it out!

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