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)!

termini@bluedog.net!