As we near LEED Certification

As an update to the May 14th LEED Home Tour, I decided to post the "Sustainable Features" of the home for all who attended and the followers of this blog as we seek Silver Certification. We have not really made keeping score a prioriety, but used the LEED credit scorecard for integrating concepts and best practices that we have not thought about. The house will aways evolve to get a little "greener" every year. Before and after photos are included at the end of this post to show the tranformation.


We are planning an aquaponics vertical garden  to be our next project to start next month and produce food year round. A new blog will start for that project. 

Sustainable Features are  as follows:

- Closed Cell foam / Batt Insualtion (Flash & Batt) biggest investment & value.Insulation is  R27 for walls & R 49 for ceilings. Some tradition batt and blown insualtion was used in 2nd floor ceilings (approx 40%).

- HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilator ) needed for any tight home

- Dual flush toilets (Kohler and Costco brand label)

- Low flow lavatory faucets (1.0 gal) & low flow shower heads (1.75)

- Tankless water heater Navien 98% Combi heater/ boiler (future radiant heat)

- 5 KW of Helious solar panels with Enphase Micro Inverters (thin makes the house NetZero Electric)

- High Efficiency Carrier Infinity two-stage Furnaces at 95% (with HRV connected to 2nd floor furnace)

- 17 SEER A/C unit only for 2nd floor. No A/C on first floor. Only Energy star ceiling fans

- Programmable thermostats

- Energy Star Appliances

- Energy star exhaust fans (had to take the new non-Energy Star out and return to the store).

- 10 watt LED lighting for the entire first floor and part of 2nd floor.  13 watt compact fluorescent were used for the balance of the house.

- Occupany sensor switches for Mud Room, Garage Light, laundry Room and Master Closet

- PEX water piping distribution to reduce 30% heat low of hot and cold water.

- Central 2nd floor water distribution system to reduce hot water distribution heat loss and supply 2nd floor laundry room in the same room. No long waits for hot water for showers.

- American made locally made lower level wood flooring and ceramic tile in bathrooms (such as Crossville, Dal-tile and Marrazzi tile).

- Material reuse of demolished lumber, marble tile from previous owner, and habitat purchase items such as two bath faucets, LED lamps, blinds and master bedroom doors.

- Custom Made cabinets with non-urea formaldehyde products and water based stain (however no FSC wood).

- Energy Efficiency Andersen Windows

- Miritec Fiber 50 year exterior trim

- James Hardie Hardiplank siding on 1/4" fandfold foam cold-break barrier

- Radon Fan (for indoor environmental health)

- Solar attic fans

- Chamber septic system (3 time more efficient)

- 1/8 acre vegetable garden to fee us, friends, family, and enough to donate to the food shelter

-  Pear & Apple tree for fall fruit

- Rain water harvest barrels (one in back & one in front for flower watering)

- Water tolerant native plants for a majority of plantings (some were existing and relocated). Only a few non-perennials are incorporated for color until perennial can be established next year.

- Mohawk Sonora carpet with recycled content

- Waste management. All waste was reused, disposed as recycled or waste in weekly small residential garbage cans weekly. Only one dumpster was used to haul 50% of the excessive drywall scraps. The other 50% were incorporated into the garden or given to friends for lawns & gardens.

- Low VOC adhesives used and "Recycle Content" green label drywall was purchased via Home Depot

- Low VOC caulk and foam sealants were used for infiltration sealing and seaming

- Borax, Murphy Oil Soap, water & lavender was used as a "Green Cleaning Product" that performed better than chemical cleaning agents

 

Before & After photos:

Event photos are to follow in the next post. A total of 55 people attended.