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Building green: A remodeler’s investment in the future
December 17, 2008
Recently, my wife, Carolyn, and I decided to undertake an enormous project and invest in my company, Superior Home Services, Inc., as well as in our future. We purchased a 7,500-square-foot lot, with a somewhat outdated and considerably rundown house in the Wesley Heights section of northwest Washington, D.C. We had been looking for an opportunity to create and build a builder’s showcase house for some time. So when the “Klingle Street” project presented itself, we jumped at the chance and were fortunate enough to obtain the property.
We immediately dove into the design phase of the project, with very specific criteria. Carolyn and I felt it was important to build a residence that fit in well with the neighborhood. Our goal was to have people walk by and see a brand new home that appeared as though it had been there for years. Furthermore, if we were going to approach the project from the perspective of providing potential clients with an opportunity to experience the newest trends in design and construction, we wanted to incorporate as many environmentally friendly products as possible.
One of our first priorities was to find a way to save the enormous, 100-year-old American Beech tree that graced the front-left corner of the property. Saving the tree presented us with a number of obstacles. The first was its inopportune location, which was approximately four-and-a-half feet from the existing house. The second was the extensive root system indigenous to the American Beech. How were we going to replace drain, water, electrical and gas lines, with a labyrinthine maze of 100-year-old roots to contend with? How were we going to protect the tree during demolition and construction? And what would happen down the road if the tree simply underwent too much stress and collapsed on our new home? In spite of these challenges, Carolyn and I felt that it would do a disservice to the project to remove a tree that had pre-dated the 1923 construction of the original structure. Our minds were made up. We would begin by making every effort to save the tree. We would also build an extraordinarily environmentally-friendly residence, down to its very construction, using some of the latest green products available on the market.
To begin with, we cared for the tree by providing a Plywood frame box, a silt fence and periodic visits from our tree expert, Mike Mulheron, of Mulheron’s Tree Service. The utility trenching was carefully supervised as we excavated by hand in order create lineal paths. The work was successful and as you can see, the majestic Beech survived, and still graces our house with grandeur and beauty today.
Our design and selection process focused on “thinking green.” Whenever possible, we considered green substitutes for standard industry materials. Given the older age and style of the homes in the area, we felt that a slate roof was a requirement. We immediately consulted our roof contractor, Russell Deighton, of Roof Solutions. He mentioned there was a product on the market called Eco-Star roofing, whose resemblance to true slate was virtually undetectable from street level. We could have the elegant and traditional look of the slate roof in an environmentally friendly product. Composed of recycled rubber, the roofing was durable enough to withstand a constant shedding of branches from our tree.
For exterior trim, we decided on AZEK. A cellulose-based, composite polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material, AZEK is an alternative to higher, select-grade-finished wood trim. Given the size of the property, this was the most sensible environmental choice. Although more expensive and labor-intensive than traditional linear foot lumber, AZEK will not rot; it comes without any knots or boughs, and holds paint well. We trimmed 90 percent of the home exterior with this product. Visit the Web site, www.azek.com, for more information.
Another green selection for the outside of the home was our TREX system for the deck. TREX is a leading brand of alternative decking and trim material composed of a unique combination of wood and plastic fibers from recycled sources. More information is available online at www.trex.com.Inside the house, we were determined to use primarily green materials, as well. Cyndy Alsaif, our designer, suggested a unique brand of flooring from the company, ecofinishes. Visit the business’ Web site, www.ecofinishes.com, for a look into a company dedicated to preserving the environment. This serious, green attitude is evident in the earth-friendly products available. From recycled rubber to reclaimed heart pine, this store is truly for those who care about the environment. My wife and I purchased their recycled cork flooring for the laundry room and for the basement storage closet, and recycled red brick, rubber flooring for the basement gym floor. Although more expensive than typical hardwood flooring and vinyl floor coverings, an ecofinishes product is as green as it gets.
Although we compromised and installed Brazilian Tigerwood, three-quarter-inch, hardwood flooring, we confirmed with Universal Floors, our flooring contractor, that the wood used in the manufacturing process was harvested under Sustainable Harvest International guidelines. To qualify, wood must be harvested from sustainably managed forests, making it a renewable resource. A simple inquisitive phone call to the flooring contractor can benefit the environment. Visit the Web site, www.sustainableharvest.org for more information.
As any remodeler knows, the amount of construction debris created during the demolition phase can seem endless. We at Superior Home Services, Inc., have created a save-as-you-go method of recycling. As the price of basic materials, especially lumber, has increased, our carpenters have been instructed to save and clean as much lumber as possible, to include it in future projects. Weighing the cost of the few hours dedicated to this task, with the positive effect on the environment and the savings on new rough-cut and framing lumber, the benefits are readily apparent. Remember: recycle, reuse and think “green.” We are all in this together; the one thing that we cannot recycle is Mother Earth.
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