Sustainable Design Concepts
Energy Efficiency:
The overall goal of any “green” building is to maximize energy efficiency. Primarily, this is achieved through proper siting; improved methods of construction that focus on a highly insulated building envelope; comprehensive air sealing and better-performing windows and doors.
Renewables:
A natural by-product of a tighter and better insulated home is the reduction of fossil fuel consumption required for heating and cooling. Alternative methods for providing heating and electricity from renewable sources are passive solar heat gain, solar hot water generation, solar photovoltaic, wind and geothermal generation. Effective use of natural light, improved appliances, high-efficiency boilers and lighting fixtures that accept fluorescent bulbs also reduce energy consumption.
Healthy Homes:
It is important to address the quality of a home's indoor environment. Through the thoughtful selection of building materials, it is possible to greatly reduce the off-gassing of VOCs and toxic vapors within the home. Some homes produce additional noxious gases through the un-sealed combustion of wood stoves, boilers and gas appliances. These gases as well unwanted excess moisture can be ventilated to the outside by means of heat-recovery ventilation, which exhausts stale indoor air while conditioning fresh air as it enters the home.
Building to scale:
A well designed home is large enough when it meets the day-to-day space requirements of its owners. A smaller overall building footprint minimizes wasted space and generally means that less materials are required in its construction and less energy is consumed by its inhabitants. In addition, by implementing durable building products, less maintenance is required throughout the life of the home.
A home that is constructed in an environmentally responsible manner and is a healthy space for its occupants requires a thoughtful approach addressing the overall project goals, budget and the relationship of the building and its site. Our goal is to produce a home that is comfortable, elegant and complementary to its natural surroundings.
- Trading Post, South facade
Green Building Products:
- Salvaged materials, including: doors, millwork, recycled wood, bricks, hardware and fixtures
- Materials with recycled content: cellulose insulation, rubber flooring, tile
- Materials that conserve natural resources: engineered lumber
- Materials that require low maintenance: fiber cement siding, standing-seam metal roofs, clad windows and doors
- Rapidly renewable and certified wood products: linoleum, MDF, flooring and structural lumber from local forests, bamboo flooring
- Materials that avoid toxic emissions: borate-treated products, low VOC paints, formaldehyde-free sheet goods, natural fiber furnishings
- Materials and techniques that save energy: high performance wall construction, air sealing, solar water heating, PV systems and passive solar design, fluorescent lighting