CasaSugar

House Tour: A Net-Zero Energy Home in Vermont

CasaSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:00:34 -0700

I recently visited beautiful northern Vermont, and the South Farm Homes development in Hinesburg. This six-home development aims for "net-zero" status, meaning that the homes will generate as much power as they use over the course of a year. Environmental features include active PV solar panels integrated into the metal roofing of each home and significant southern glass, which provide solar gain (as well as lovely views of the surrounding valley). The project is a collaboration between Rolf Kielman, AIA and Lee Grutchfield, AIA of TruexCullins Architects of Burlington, VT, and Reiss Building of Hinesburg, VT. The home that I visited also served as a temporary showcase for pieces and products made by local Vermont artisans and companies. I snapped photos of some of my favorite pieces in the house, which are definitely worth a peek.
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Michelle Kaufmann Designs Closing Doors

CasaSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:15:02 -0700

I am very sad to report that Michelle Kaufmann Designs is closing, due in part to the credit crisis and the closing of factories used to manufacture MKD homes. The green prefab firm, located in Oakland, CA, designed homes guaranteed to achieve either gold or platinum LEED ratings, the two highest ratings from the US Green Building Council. Homes such as the Glidehouse and mkLotus won MKD international acclaim, and were proof that prefab and green were a natural fit.

According to the LA Times:

Kaufmann has been working with her clients -- some with houses in construction, others earlier in the design process -- to put them in a position to build their projects with other firms, if they choose. She said she has been in preliminary talks with large home-building companies that may be interested in producing her designs or working with her as a consultant.

While I've been saddened by a number of stories in the real estate and architecture world lately, this one definitely hits me the hardest. Michelle Kaufmann is truly an inspiration, and I wish her the best of luck in her next, undoubtedly impressive project in the world of architecture and sustainable living.

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Coveted Crib: Cottage Rehab

CasaSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:00:12 -0700

The owners of this 1930s cottage loved the feel of their home, but not its lack of spaciousness. The homeowners turned to CG&S Design-Build , one of Austin, TX’s premier residential design-build firms, to renovate and expand their home.

Even though the cottage has now doubled in size (to a little over 2,500 square feet), the home still retains the small footprint and feel of the original home. To maintain the look of the property, and to minimize environmental costs, the addition was built around mature shade trees, instead of removing them. Additionally, French drains were installed to move rainwater away from the home. The existing faux stone exterior walls were left intact and turned into the foyer stair hall, which helps to unite the old structure with the new addition.

To hear about the home's green features, as well as to see more photos, read more.

The foyer’s ceiling features high-efficiency operable windows that provide daylight and exhaust hot air. Large windows in all of the home's rooms also provide ample daylighting, which reduces the use of electrical lights. The home also uses high-efficiency Energy Star appliances, and a high-efficiency HVAC system (including air conditioner) make the muggy Texas climate more bearable.

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Coveted Crib: An Austin Green Home

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:00:47 -0700

When planning a new home, the owners of a home in Texas wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous views in the neighborhood. Thus, a three-story, 3,100-square-foot home was envisioned for a steep hillside in Austin. The public areas of the home, such as the living and dining areas, are located on the top floor, where the family and guests can gaze out at the stunning views. The house's expansive glass walls not only encourage gazing, but also provide natural lighting for the home, minimizing the use of electricity.

This home's cutting-edge look and smart, eco design shows that green building is compatible with any number of designs, whether they be traditional or modern.

For many more photos, as well as information on the green features of the home, read more.

Rated a four-star (out of a possible five stars) project by the Austin Energy Green Building Rating System, the home boasts a number of green features in the design itself, including passive heating and cooling and daylighting. Water-saving features include low-flush toilets and waterwise landscaping, and electricity is saved through the use of fluorescent lighting, a high-efficiency water pump, and Energy Star-compliant washer, dishwasher, and refrigerator. The home also used low formaldehyde insulation, double pane LowE windows, sustainable lumber, and non-toxic/low-VOC finishes and paints.

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In the News: Rammed Earth Construction Gets Updated

CasaSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:15:52 -0800

From adobe to cob masonry, people all over the world have built with earthen materials to create their homes. Now, one form of earth building - rammed earth - has been given a technological update. In the San Francisco Chronicle article "Sonoma Couple's House Shows Mexican influence," husband and wife Bruce Needleman and Edna Hayes recount the process of building their beautiful earthen home.

The rammed earth building technique, which entails pounding layers of soil, mixed with a small amount of cement, into molds, has been around for literally thousands of years: Pliny, who wrote before the Common Era, recounts Hannibal seeing rammed earth towers in Spain. However, this ancient building technique is perfectly at home in the modern world.

To find out how the Hayes-Needleman's home used an update of rammed earth, read more.

The Hayes-Needleman house used an update of rammed earth developed by David Easton. This technique is called PISÉ, or Pneumatically Impacted Stabilized Earth. PISÉ utilizes a new type of mold, which is a quick-lock form that cuts down the time needed for the building process. In PISÉ, a cement, water, and earth mixture is sprayed through hoses into the forms, and a wall of two- to three-feet high can be constructed in about an hour.

The Hayes-Needleman's house, which utilized this method, is a gorgeous, Mexican-influenced 3,600-square-foot house. It features terracotta roof tiles, lavender and cacti landscaping, a tranquil pool and courtyard, and two-foot-thick walls that make heating and cooling the house a breeze. In fact, even in hot Sonoma county, this house doesn't require air conditioning. Read the entire article to find out more.

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The White House: A Model of Energy Efficiency?

CasaSugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:00:54 -0800

2009 will certainly be the dawning of a new age for the United States, and now that Barack Obama has been named president-elect, he should be prepared to follow through on his aforementioned goals. He needs to walk the walk. In the green building department, he proposed investing in infrastructure, advancing energy efficiency and sustainable buildings, and developing a 21st century transportation system. Sounds great. But, as we all know, no man is an island, and he'll need some help (lots) along the way. The American Institute of Architects, which led the “Greening of the White House” initiative in the '90s, has offered to help Obama with these goals. To hear about AIA's green building proposals for the White House, read more.

To start, the group has recommended that a high-level advisor on green buildings be put in place in the White House to coordinate executive branch activities and promote green building issues to the public. AIA has also offered to help develop a White House Office of Urban Policy to address national energy and infrastructure issues. One of AIA's most notable proposals (to me, at least) is to work with the Obama administration to make the White House a model of energy efficiency, and make federal buildings in general less reliant on fossil fuels. As much as I love to see high-profile Hollywood types like Leonardo DiCaprio living in eco-friendly condos, you can't get more visibility on an international level than the White House. So I hope Mr. President-elect will accept this generous offer, and I'm eager to hear more specific details of how they'd like to create the Green House. And, if the White House edible garden petition is a success, 1600 Pennsylvania will be a prime example of eco-consciousness!
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Guess What This Building Is Made From?

CasaSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:00:09 -0700

This Buddhist temple was constructed from over 1 million of these items. Can you tell me what it was? (Check out the color for a clue.)

Casa Verde: Michelle Kaufmann's Quick Construction

CasaSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:00:34 -0700

Whether she's making cool eco craft projects or designing innovative homes, Michelle Kaufmann is definitely one of my eco heroes.

Michelle designs green, prefab homes that are both beautiful and cost-effective. These homes are guaranteed to achieve either gold or platinum LEED ratings, the two highest ratings from the US Green Building Council. And since the homes are prefab designs, they can also be quickly erected.

Want to know how quickly they can be built? Then read more.

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Casa Verde: A Handmade Home Gets Some TLC

CasaSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:15:18 -0700

Last year, I told you about my brother's handmade home, which he built in an eco fashion for a surprisingly small amount of money. However, nothing much had been done with the home's interior. This year, he and his wife made a lot of interior changes in the home to spruce it up. To see what this previously unfinished home looks like now, check out the slideshow.

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Casa Verde: Ronald McDonald House Goes Green

CasaSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:00:20 -0700

While I may have some criticisms of LEED, the USGBC green building program, there's no question that the program is an important step in the right direction. Hopefully, thanks to green building guidelines and programs, green building will someday soon become a standard part of any construction project, and not an afterthought.

Austin, TX, has the oldest regional green building program in the country, with its Energy Star program established in 1985, and the green building program evolving from it six years later. Now, the city's Ronald McDonald House, which provides housing for families whose children are suffering from serious illnesses has been recognized for its new, healthy, and green building.

Austin is now home to the first green Ronald McDonald House in the world. It's also is the first building in Austin and only the third in the state of Texas to attain the highest level of green building recognition awarded by LEED - the Platinum certification.

To find out the green features of this house, read more.

Toxin-free building materials were used throughout construction and finishes.
Rehabilitation of a brownfield site means that no undeveloped land was used for this project.
The sod roof systems replaces greenery used in construction, while also controlling heat island effect. Rooftop gardens also are a place for guests to sit, visit, and relax.
Native landscaping reduces needs for water.
A 10.5 KW photovoltaic solar panel system will produce enough electricity for 15 of the 30 rooms.
Use of daylighting minimizes electricity for lighting while providing natural sunlight for guests.
Natural ventilation improves air quality, helping children with compromised immune systems.
Construction of air handling system minimizes shared air in guestrooms, also improving air quality.

If you're interested in finding out more about Austin's Ronald McDonald House, read all about it here.

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