AZEK and Hardie LEED-H Certified Gold

Last November, Campaigne Kestner Architects completed construction on the first LEED for Homes, Certified Gold project in Connecticut. They named it Tall Timbers.

We’re finalizing construction documents for a green renovation in Pleasantville and the project team was debating the use of AZEK trimboards and Hardie siding. This project used both materials in combination with farmed white cedar.

From ck-architects.com:

Durability and low maintenance where priorities of the design. We used deep overhangs to protect the siding, while enhancing the craftsman feel. Cement siding was used as a band closest to the ground to minimize splash back damage while farmed white cedar siding was used in the areas under protecting overhangs. Vinyl clad high efficiency windows and solid pvc azek trim further extended the maintenance cycle of the home. We used hardiboard panel siding with azek battens to distinguish the garage from the house and the texture of the siding and trim details give the smaller home an elegance the owner desired. Locally quarried crushed stone and patio materials were used in the hardscaping and the landscaping used non invasive drought tolerant plants, with minimized lawn area. Inside we used environmentally friendly materials such as prefinished bamboo floors, MDF doors, and American cherry for the numerous built ins and accents.

Read more about Tall Timbers by CK Architects.

Read more about Hardie’s green products.

Habitat for Humanity’s Green Initiative

From Habitatwc.org:

Habitat for Humanity International’s Environmental Initiative promotes energy-efficient, environmentally friendly construction. They encourage affiliates to be good stewards of natural resources by raising awareness of the environmental impact of home construction. The Environmental Initiative embraces the concept of sustainable building which can be defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Habitat for Humanity of Westchester is dedicated to building affordable housing in an energy effective, environmentally mindful, and health conscious manner. The principles of green building design promote a conscious use of energy, a commitment to waste reduction, and a pledge to improve the health and well-being of the building’s occupants, builders, the general public, and future generations.

Learn more about what Habitat for Humanity of Westchester is doing to green every house they build by visiting their website.

Check out their blog here.

Guide for Green Renovation

From GreenHomeGuide:

The American Society of Interior Designers’ Foundation and the U.S. Green Building Council have partnered on the development of best practice guidelines and targeted educational resources for sustainable residential improvement projects.

This program will increase understanding of sustainable renovation project practices and benefits among homeowners, residents, design professionals, product suppliers and service providers to build both demand and industry capacity.

Whether you’re a renovation professional or a savvy do-it-yourselfer, let REGREEN help green your next project. REGREEN is easy to use and chock-full of information.

Download your copy of REGREEN Guidelines 2008 here.

LEED for Homes

LEED for Homes is a voluntary rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes, including affordable housing, mass-production homes, custom designs, stand-alone single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses, suburban and urban apartments and condominiums and lofts in historic buildings.

LEED Homes are safer, healthier, more comfortable and more durable.

LEED homes have lower energy and water bills, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and fewer problems with mold, mildew and other indoor toxins.

LEED certification is something that consumers can look for to readily identify homes that have been third-party inspected, performance-tested and certified as truly green homes that will perform better than standard homes. Homebuilders using LEED are able to differentiate their homes as some of the best on the market.

Visit USGBC’s LEED for Homes consumer website, The Green Home Guide, to learn more about designing and building a LEED Home.

Looking for more specifics? Click here for the LEED for Homes Rating System manual and the official LEED for Homes Checklist.

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The Certified Gold LEED for Homes house shown above was built by Lisa Martin, owner of the Rolling Bay Land Co. You may read more about the house and its construction here.

Greener Buildings

A great resource for information on the rapidly growing green building industry.

Greener Buildings

Providence Sustainable Housing

My friend Bob Swinburne, AIA won the 2008 Providence Sustainable Housing Design Competition in the “affordable” category.

Check out his winning entry here.

Way to go Bob!

Not So Easy Being Green

From metroGREEN+BUSINESS:

It’s Not Easy Being Green

A family builds a super-efficient Energy Star home in Scarsdale but has to fight the town for the right to install solar panels.

BY SYLVIA O’HAGAN, PHOTOS BY ROY GUMPEL

Despite all the advances in ecofriendly design, green building still carries certain “crunchy” connotations and suggests a self- and style-sacrificing lifestyle.

One house, however, belies everything you ever thought about green building. Heather and Joe Sarachek’s new prestige home showcases how eco-minded building can be not only what’s best for the environment, but also impressively sleek, sophisticated, and state-of-the-art.

The large kitchen, with enough room for the Saracheks and their five children, features cherry cabinets and quarzite counters and has windows and a French door that look onto the terrace.

This green glamour project did not, however, come without a price—and more than a little controversy. In addition to the added cost of going “stealth green,” as the Saracheks’ building contractor, Rob Knorr of Nordic Construction, describes it, there was also the matter of a dispute with the Saracheks’ town, the wealthy suburb of Scarsdale, and immediate neighbors regarding one of the home’s most important sustainable energy feature: solar panels.

Read more…

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Not only is going green more expensive, sometimes its tough to convince your neighbors to let you do it. I read about this project a few years back while the Saracheks were trying to convince the Scarsdale planning board that their proposed PV panels, on the back slope of their roof, would not be offensive to their neighbors. Looks like they were successful.

This article was sent from one of our clients. We’re working on a green renovation for her own Pleasantville home. Nordic Construction, the contractor for the Sarachek’s project, is on our bid list.

Thanks Helen.

Your Green 3

Amazon.com has gone green too, and much like everything they do, they’re doing it in a very innovative way. They have launched a store dedicated to green products, just like you would expect. But then, they’ve taken it to the next level. Your Green 3 gives you a chance to share the three favorite green products you wish everyone in the world had. So far, 500+ customers have recommended over 2000 green products. See the complete list here.

When you finish browsing their list and sharing your favorites, be sure to check out the Green Scene, the new Amazon.com green blog.