Building a Green Home!
It’s Easier Than You Think—with some Forethought!!
Agenda!
• Who Was Involved?!
• Ensuring “Green” Success!
• Making the Project “Green”!
• Challenges!
• What We Did Right!
• What’s Next?!
Who Was Involved?!
Who was involved?!
• Me: Tom Termini, the owner, and eventually the General Contractor!
• Mairin Coleman, my wife and the ultimate customer/boss!
Architect!
Tom Shiner, AIA!
Sub-Contractors!
• Tim Bennet, Mason!
• Harvey Hottel, HVAC!
• Franklin Plumbing!
• MR Electricians!
• Corely Roofing!
• Christian Sanchez, general carpentry!
Ensuring “Green” Success!
Three Things Made this Project Work:!
1. Site!2. Budget!3. Design!
First, a We Got a Site!
Location, Location, etc.!
• Patience — we looked for more than a year!
• We knew roughly what areas we liked!
• We lucked out — the property backs to a park and has older trees!
• The site allows for excellent south-eastern exposure, and is on a hill top!
Second, Budget!
• Baseline: We priced houses that were larger, wouldn’t need work, and that we could afford!
• We opted for reasonable size and amenities that were not extravagant!
• We made “green” a goal, because it met our requirements for efficiency and low maintenance!
Finally, Design!
We knew some things we wanted...!
• Efficiency, Low Maintenance!
• Simple, Modern Look!
• Something Affordable!
...And Some Things We Didn’t:!
• Cost-Overruns!
• Cheesy!
• Half-Baked!
“Green” Came Naturally—We Got an Architect to Help!
• Cohesive, “Big-Picture” Approach –! Design!!
• Technically Complex – Expertise! Required!
• An Ally!
Making The Project “Green”!
Design To Aid Cooling !
High-placed Celestory !Windows Promote Convection!
Sky Light that opens to !help make the!Central Stairwell a “Chimney”!
Trees on site provide shade in!summer and from western sun!
Overhangs!
Reflective Membrane Roof!
Renewable Materials!
Bamboo Floors!
Linoleum!
Recycled the!Concrete from!Demolition!
Gas-charged!High-R-Value!Windows +!Doors!
Extra-Thick!Walls Permit !
More Insulation!
The Drill Rig!
Geothermal �Heat Pump!
Geothermal !Heat Pump!
Not Just a House, But a Home for My Family!
Challenges!
Retrofitting �is Tough!
What We Did Right!
What We Did Right!
• Got an Architect!• Sized Appropriately!• Choose Three Things to! Go “Green” With!
What’s Next?!
What’s Next?!
• We pre-wired for a residential Fuel Cell, which is being tested by Ballard Power in Japan!
• New types of Photovoltaics may be an option (rate-of-return on current systems too low)!
