Practical Sustainability: Get Smart About Your Thermostat!

School’s out for Winter Break.  The holiday season is in full swing.  And, like many, you may be heading south for a touch of sunshine.  Or north to find a “White Christmas.” Or away to visit family in another part of the country.  When you’re making a pre-travel vacation "to do" list, make sure to include “Change the Thermostat” as one of your entries. 

According to the US Department of Energy, “heating and cooling account for about 48% of the energy use in a typical U.S. home, making it the largest energy expense for most homes.”  Not only does heating and cooling impact your wallet, but it also takes a toll on the environment in the form of excess electricity that needs to be generated and additional carbon-emitting fossil fuels that are burned to generate the warm or cool air.

Smart or programmable thermostats are everywhere these days.  Standard features include the ability to handle multiple settings per day and special schedules for weekends or vacation times.  Many will let you monitor and change your home’s temperature from your smart phone.  Some, like the Nest Learning Thermostat, are even smart enough to learn your habits when you don’t have time or inclination to set up a program.

By using a smart, programmable thermostat, you may be able to save 10% - 20% on your heating and cooling bills (savings calculators abound on the Internet - just search "programmable thermostat energy savings calculator" and have your utility bill handy so you can enter your fuel costs into the calculator). 

Many of us remember the old TV announcers imploring “don’t touch that dial!”…well this time, I say go ahead and “touch that dial.”  Set your thermostat to turn down the heat when you sleep or when you are away at work.  If you live in an air conditioning climate, do the opposite. 

And, this holiday season, remember to change the thermostat when you leave your home on vacation.  You’ll see a difference in your bottom line and make a difference for our planet.

Happy New Year and safe travels from Sunset Green Home!

Progress Update: A Flurry of Activity to Finish the Year

While a lot of businesses are slowing down for the holidays, work at Sunset Green Home is in full swing.  I arrived for my weekly site visit to find the roofers from J.P. Hunter working on the pool house's ATAS standing seam aluminum roof.    

By the time I left in the afternoon, they had completed the cupola and a section of the main part of the roof.  Several people on the J.P. Hunter crew were installing shingles on the main house.

Chris Mensch's crew from Coastal Management were busy on the south side of the pool house installing the horizontal cedar boards that will enclose the piling area underneath the structure.

Inside, the crew from Cary Insulation were spraying FortiCel, a protective coating by CertainTeed Insulation that inhibits the growth of mold on structural framing members.  

The attic had been sprayed with open cell polyurethane foam the previous week, so Flanders Heating & Air Conditioning was able to start the HVAC installation by setting in place several of Sunset Green Home's Mitsubishi Electric Multi-Zone Hyper Heat system air handlers.

Flanders has also started to install the project's Zehnder ComfoAir 550 ERV system, by running individual ComfoTube flexible air distribution pipes from the ERV unit to each room that will be served by it.

The interior space is starting to shape up.  Here we can see:

• Blue FortiCel on the exterior framing and sheathing
• Open cell spray foam insulation in the roof, which will receive an "ignition barrier" in the attic and will be covered by CertainTeed AirRenew gypsum in the living space and cathedral ceilings of the bedrooms below
• ComfoTube piping leading from the ERV to each of the bathrooms and bedrooms on the second floor of the house 

As 2014 comes to a close, we thank the terrific crews who have helped Sunset Green Home take shape this year.  We've come a long way since March, when Details, a division of non-profit Humanim, "deconstructed" (click here to watch the video) the home that Sunset Green Home replaces, and which was made uninhabitable by Hurricane Sandy two years ago.  

Get to Know LEED®: Healthy Air and Greater Energy Efficiency – a Win-Win for Sunset Green Home

According to the LEED for Homes Reference Guide,

“Outdoor air has historically been provided through leaks in the house envelope, but energy concerns have led to construction practices with reduced natural infiltration.  Homes with insufficient outdoor air have problems with humidity, odors, and pollutants that can lead to discomfort and increased health risks.”

As a prerequisite in the LEED for Homes green building program, a project must “design and install a whole building ventilation system that complies with ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2007,” a standard developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers that details ventilation rates and strategies for healthy homes. 

LEED for Homes awards two points to projects that go beyond basic ventilation measures and “install a system that provides heat transfer between the incoming outdoor air stream and the exhaust air stream.”  An additional point can be earned by projects that undertake commissioning to verify that the ASHRAE 62.2 ventilation requirements are being met by the system.  Sunset Green Home plans to capture all three of the available points.

To earn the points and provide healthy air while increasing the home’s energy efficiency, Sunset Green Home will install the ComfoAir 550 ventilation system by Zehnder America.  In simple terms, the ComfoAir 550 ERV “pre-conditions” the fresh air as it enters the home by moving it past the exhausting air in a “heat exchanger” to capturing the warmth in the exhaust air in the winter and coolness of the exhaust air in the summer. 

Why did we choose Zehnder?  As mentioned above, we have two goals for Sunset Green Home’s ventilation:

1.       Provide healthy air to occupants, by exhausting stale air from bathrooms and kitchens while supplying fresh air to bedrooms and living spaces

2.       Improve the home’s ventilation energy efficiency

Providing fresh air to bedrooms and living spaces is only comfortable for occupants if the temperature differential between the ambient air and the incoming air is very low.  After all, in the winter, who wants fresh air in a bedroom if the temperature difference is so great that the air feels drafty?  The reverse is true for warm fresh air in an air conditioned room in the summer.  We look at a metric called Apparent Sensible Effectiveness (ASE), which compares the temperatures of the two air streams – fresh and stale – as they travel through the ERV, and predicts the difference an occupant will sense.  Zehnder’s ComfoAir ERVs are the most effective in the industry at minimizing the temperature differential between fresh and ambient air. 

But that’s only part of the story.  Sunset Green Home hopes to achieve LEED Platinum certification at completion, and has very aggressive energy efficiency goals.  So we also look at Sensible Recovery Efficiency (SRE), which factors in the energy used by the ERV to do its job. And again, Zehnder's products lead the industry in SRE.

We considered other factors as well, that are not specific to Zehnder, but that represent best practice for ERV selection.  Best practice ERV design calls for separate dedicated ductwork for supply and return air, which facilitates balancing of the system.  In an existing home, installation of an ERV may necessitate using existing ductwork, which tends to be much larger than is needed for balanced ventilation.  But Sunset Green Home is new construction, so we are able to install dedicated ducts for the ERV.  Another best practice – for healthy air, comfort, and energy efficiency – is to provide continuous ventilation rather than intermittent ventilation.  By operating through its own dedicated ducts (rather than relying on a central air system to move fresh air through the ductwork), the Zehnder system is sized to always be “on” – and delivering fresh air to the home.

Sunset Green Home co-hosted a two-day workshop in November with Zehnder America that was attended by trade professionals from as far as New York City and Connecticut (the workshop took place at the office of Coastal Management, Sunset Green Home’s builder, and at the Sunset Green Home site in eastern Long Island). 

On Day One, Barry Stephens of Zehnder America lectured the group on the benefits of balanced mechanical ventilation, the various technologies employed by ERV manufacturers, and the characteristics of the Zehnder ComfoAir products.

On Day Two of the workshop, which took place on site at Sunset Green Home, Barry demonstrated how each of the elements of the system functions, and how it should be installed. 

Zehnder reviews its customers’ architectural plans as a free service and then engineers customized systems that include the heat exchanger, controls, ductwork, registers and all other required components. 

During the installation demonstration portion of the workshop, Barry worked directly from the plans with Sunset Green Home’s HVAC installers from Flanders Heating & Air Conditioning, to assess field conditions and determine any changes that would have to be made based on the location of structural framing members and other factors. 

“We’ve been designing and installing these types of systems for over a decade now,” says Doug Matz, owner of Flanders Heating & Air Conditioning. “They really are remarkable in terms of both reducing environmental impact and increasing cost-savings for the homeowner.” He adds, “To be honest, engineering ventilation for LEED-certified projects can be a challenging process. But in this case in particular, given what the owners went through as a result of Hurricane Sandy it’s especially rewarding."

Whether you’re building a new home or undertaking a major renovation, get to know the LEED green building program.  You don’t have to seek LEED certification to apply the program’s guidelines to your project.  And in the case of balanced mechanical ventilation, you’ll breathe easier knowing that your home is getting all the fresh air it needs.

How are Your Walls Performing?

What Makes a High Performance Wood-Framed Wall for Sunset Green Home?

21st century building scientists have developed new technologies to ensure that wall assemblies control rain, air, water vapor and heat, which makes new homes today more airtight and watertight than ever.  And tighter building envelopes can lead to healthier and more energy efficient homes.  With a goal of LEED Platinum certification, Sunset Green Home needs to have a high performance wall assembly.  Here’s a look – from the outside in – at Sunset Green Home’s exterior wood-framed walls.

 Cladding

Exterior cladding is a home’s first line of defense.  The best performing cladding is designed to resist wind and water, and is made of renewable or recyclable resources.  Sunset Green Home has purchased G&R “Choice Brand” #1 R&R (rejointed and rebutted) Western Red Cedar wood shingles from Liberty Cedar for their high quality and consistency with the historic shingle-style homes in the region.  Proper installation is critical to prevent moisture from penetrating the walls. 

Partial installation of Sunset Green Home's Certi-grade Western Red Cedar shingles from Liberty Cedar

Drainage Plane and Rigid Sheathing

Even the best cladding is vulnerable to water intrusion, so building scientists recommend including a drainage plane (also known as a water resistive barrier, or WRB) behind the cladding.  Behind the WRB, a layer of rigid sheathing provides structural integrity for wind-resistant building.  Traditional wood frame construction typically includes a sheathing layer of plywood or oriented strand board (OSB).  Experts recommend sheathing of at least ½” thickness to protect the building envelope from damage by wind-borne debris in a severe storm.  Sunset Green Home is using ½” ZIP System sheathing from Huber Engineered Woods, which includes a WRB integrated into the structural sheathing.  When sealed with ZIP Flashing Tape, the assembly is water-tight and airtight.

Sunset Green Home's 1/2" ZIP System sheathing with integrated water resistive barrier

Advanced Framing Techniques

It is difficult to meet the insulation requirements of increasingly stringent energy codes using conventional 2x4 framing.  High performance wood framed wall assemblies like the one found in Sunset Green Home use at least 2x6 framing.  Sunset Green Home has also used material efficient framing techniques, such as ladder blocking where interior and exterior walls intersect, to allow for greater insulation to be placed in the walls.

2x6 framing with ladder blocking at the intersection of Sunset Green Home's interior and exterior walls

Mold Inhibitor

Sunset Green Home has included a protective mildewcide coating to inhibit mold growth inside the walls.  Cary Insulation has applied CertainTeed’s proprietary FortiCel™ product, a mold inhibitor that is sprayed onto the interior wall cavity after framing and sheathing is complete and before insulation is installed, to prevent mold growth on structural framing surfaces. 

CertainTeed's FortiCel protective mildewcide on Sunset Green Home's interior framing

Insulation and Smart Vapor Retarder

Insulation minimizes heat transfer through the wall assembly and contributes to a home’s energy efficiency.  A high performance wall assembly will include high R-value wall insulation to meet the home’s energy efficiency goals.  However, while insulation will reduce heat transfer through walls, it cannot prevent mildew-causing moisture from moving through a wall assembly.  21st century building science has given birth to smart vapor retarders that allow a wall cavity to dry out under humid conditions and deter moisture from moving into the walls under dry interior conditions.

Sunset Green Home’s walls will be insulated to R-21 with CertainTeed’s innovative SMARTBATT™ insulation, which combines insulation with a smart vapor barrier in a single kraft-faced fiberglass batt product and eliminates the need for installation of separate insulation and vapor barrier products.  By blocking moisture from entering the wall cavity when humidity is low and allowing the wall to breathe when humidity is high, SMARTBATT helps reduce the potential for mold and mildew growth.   

CertainTeed's SMARTBATT with smart vapor retarder will be installed to R-21 in Sunset Green Home's exterior walls (photo courtesy of CertainTeed)

Gypsum

Gypsum board is interior sheathing that acts as a fire-resistive barrier and encloses the home’s framing and insulation.  Specialty gypsum products have been designed to reduce noise transmission, fight mold and mildew, and withstand abuse in high traffic areas.  And, a high performance wall assembly can even actively contribute to healthy indoor air quality.  Sunset Green Home has selected one of the most innovative gypsum products available.  AirRenew by CertainTeed uses a patent-pending, independently tested, technology to clean the air by absorbing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde that may be present in other building materials or home furnishings.

Sunset Green Home will use CertainTeed's AirRenew gypsum throughout the project (graphic courtesy of CertainTeed)

Low/No VOC Paint

Paint is Sunset Green Home’s final line of defense in its high-performance wall system.  Earlier generations contained VOC-emitting solvents with associated health risks.  All major brands now offer GREENGUARD certified low/no VOC interior latex paints.  Sherwin-Williams’ Harmony paint with Formaldehyde Reducing Technology may even reduce VOCs from other sources in the air.  In spaces where Sunset Green Home doesn’t have AirRenew gypsum, formaldehyde reducing paint could be a helpful final layer.  And choosing paint with integrated mildewcide will complete the high performance wall assembly in Sunset Green Home’s bathrooms and laundry rooms.

If you're renovating or building a new home, make sure you understand what's in your walls!  Harness 21st century building science to include a high performance wall assembly.  Want to learn more?  Check out the slide show we wrote for bobvila.com: What Makes the Ultimate Wall?

We're Freezing! So Let's See if a Window Checkup Can Help

We live in a 100-year-old apartment building whose exterior envelope hasn't been upgraded, so thermal comfort isn't one of the building's strong points.  Heat is delivered through giant clanking radiators that are oversized for the rooms, so most of the winter we need to crack open a window in order to get the temperature down to something comfortable.

Except in the Master Bedroom. Where. We. Are. FREEZING.  All winter long.  For the past 12 years.  So this is the year that I'm systematically reviewing the perimeter of our master bedroom to try to figure out how to warm things up a bit.  What better place to start than the windows, where our lower sash seemed to be slightly out of alignment, causing a gap between the sash and the window frame, and resulting in a noticeable draft along the side of the lower sash.

I called my friend Bob Murray, Regional Sales Manager at Super Enterprises - distributor of Marvin Window & Door Products on Long Island - and asked for his advice.  He set up an appointment for his colleague Ron, Super Enterprises' Field Manager, to come and take a look.  Here's what I learned during our window checkup...

Our windows were manufactured and installed in 2003.  They are Marvin MTO clad ultimate double hung (CUDH) windows, Marvin's most popular window.  They are generally in good condition.  However, while the windows are double-pane with insulating glass, they do not have a "low-e" coating - an optional feature that improves the insulating value of a window while also reducing the amount of the sun's heat that is admitted into the room.  The insulating property of a window is expressed by its U-factor - and the lower the number, the better it insulates.  But Ron says that the higher U-factor of our clear glass (absent the low-e coating) windows isn't the main reason why we're chilly in the winter in our master bedroom.  He did, however, find - and fix! - a number of other issues with our windows.

One of the great features of these windows, which is particularly helpful in a sooty urban environment, is the ability to tilt the sashes into the room to clean them.  We clean our windows two or three times each year.  But it turns out that we haven't been careful enough when using the tilt mechanism to clean the windows - so we created two problems that Ron and his colleague, Emil, were able to repair. 

First, because we hadn't lifted the lower sash up enough before tilting it in for cleaning, we managed to disengage the lower sash from its clutch...a part of the balance tube mechanism that sits on the side of the frame and enables the sash to go up and down.  Ron felt that, after re-seating the window sash into its clutch, the sash was sitting a little straighter - which could help with the draftiness of the window.

Another result of our tilting the window in the wrong position during cleaning was a bent pivot pin on the side of the sash.  The pivot pin enables the sash to tilt and engages the mechanisms on the side of the window so the window can go up and down. Ron changed out the pivot pins on the master bedroom windows and several others that were also damaged.

Bent pivot pin on the side of the window sash...

...replaced with a new - straight - pivot pin.

With the windows open, Ron pointed out another window maintenance issue that we needed to address.  Our outside sill had accumulated a fine layer of soot, which is not uncommon in Manhattan.  Ron recommends cleaning the exterior sills regularly (four times/year) to prevent the soot from getting into the working mechanics of the window.  After cleaning the sill, he sprayed a little bit of silicone onto a rag and cleaned all of "the vinyls" on the windows - the weatherstripping, the outer ledge, and the channels inside the window.  Seasonally lubricating and cleaning the windows is imperative in urban and coastal environments.

Soot on the exterior sill of the window...

...clean sill and window channels keeps the window operating smoothly.

As for the cold air leaking through the side of the windows?  Ron examined our window's weatherstripping to see if a repair was needed.  The weatherstripping was in excellent condition.    But, he had one more "trick" to address the draft.  He pulled the frame weatherstrip out of its channel ever so slightly, so more surface area would make contact with the sash.

I was hopeful that all I needed was a window tune-up to fix the thermal discomfort problem in our master bedroom.  But Ron correctly pointed out that our master bedroom is on the corner of our building, where there are three exterior walls.  And the architect who designed our original renovation had replaced the room's large radiator with a slim one, which is probably undersized for the space.  I'll address these issues in subsequent posts...but for now - thanks to Super Enterprises - our windows are in great working condition, we know how to maintain them, and we're hopeful that when the really cold weather comes, we will have eliminated the draft alongside the window sash.

Get to Know LEED: The Bathrooms Are Gorgeous…But That’s Not the Point!

Sunset Green Home’s bathrooms will be beautiful.  Each bath will feature Duravit’s Vero bath furniture series, which was awarded a 2014 Iconic Award from the German Design Council.  Axor/Hansgrohe, the manufacturer of Sunset Green Home’s faucets and shower products, took home the “Best of the Best” 2014 Interior Innovation Award.  But in a home that hopes to achieve LEED Platinum certification, beautiful baths are nice to have, but that’s not the point.

Duravit's Vero vanity and washbasin.  Image courtesy of Duravit.

Sunset Green Home hopes to earn five out of six available points for Indoor Water Use in the LEED for Homes rating system’s Water Efficiency category.  And that’s where both Duravit and Axor/Hansgrohe will make real measurable contributions.

Toilets

To earn two points for water efficiency, a project’s toilets must have a flow rate of less than 1.1 gallons per flush (gpf).  According to the LEED for Homes Reference Guide, high efficiency toilets (HETs) achieve their flow targets “by employing improved hydraulic designs, improved technologies, better valving, and in some cases smaller tanks.”  Not all low flush products can deliver high performance, so the US EPA has created the WaterSense program to certify products that deliver at least 20% greater efficiency without sacrificing performance.

Sunset Green Home has chosen Duravit’s WaterSense dual flush Durastyle toilet.  A high efficiency toilet, the Durastyle toilet uses 0.8 gpf for liquid waste and 1.6 gpf for solid waste.  Using the LEED green building program’s weighted average flow rate calculations, the Durastyle HET toilet comes in at 1.07 gpf – which will allow Sunset Green Home to capture the maximum Water Efficiency: Indoor Water Use points available for the project’s toilets.

Duravit's Durastyle dual-flush toilet.  Image courtesy of Duravit.

Faucets

Faucets and showers are measured by their flow rates in gallons per minute (gpm).  According to the US EPA, “If every home in the United States replaced existing faucets and aerators with WaterSense labeled models, we could save nearly $1.2 billion in water and energy costs and 64 billion gallons of water across the country annually - equivalent to the annual household water needs of more than 680,000 American homes.”

To earn two points for faucets, Sunset Green Home must install faucets with flow rates no greater than 1.5 gpm.  All of Axor and Hansgrohe faucets include the company’s EcoRight technology, which limits their flows rates to 1.5 gpm, without any sacrifice in performance, and allows them to earn the EPA’s WaterSense label.  Using Axor and Hansgrohe's design-forward faucets not only contributes to beautiful bathrooms, but permits Sunset Green Home to capture the maximum two points available in the Water Efficiency: Indoor Water Use category for faucets. 

Hansgrohe's PuraVida faucet.  Image courtesy of Hansgrohe.

Showers

The final Water Efficiency: Indoor Water Use category addresses the flow rate of showers, which must be less than or equal to 2.0 gpm per stall to earn one point and 1.75 gpm per stall to earn the maximum of two points.  Sunset Green Home has selected a variety of showerheads and hand showers with flow rates of 2.0 gpm and 1.75 gpm.  With these WaterSense shower fittings, Sunset Green Home will earn one of two possible points in the shower category.

Hansgrohe's Raindance S150 AIR Green showerhead.  Image courtesy of Hansgrohe.

Most people who visit Sunset Green Home (sign up for our newsletter to learn when we will be offering house tours) will remark on the aesthetics of the home’s bathrooms.  After all, they will be outfitted with furniture, sanitary ceramics, fixtures and fittings that have won a host of design awards. 

But we know what really matters is that the bathrooms are saving water with each gorgeous rinse and flush!

Practical Sustainability: Recycle Your e-Waste

Both of our printers died recently.  Our workhorse laser printer, which started the 21st century on my desk, finally gave up the ghost, as did my multifunction inkjet printer.  When I crawled under the desk to unplug everything, I rediscovered an old desktop computer that I had decommissioned earlier this year.  And when I opened the “computer stuff” box to put away the cables, I found a couple of old cell phones and their chargers. 

If you’re like me, you know you shouldn’t throw old electronics away in your garbage (in fact, more than half of the 50 states have e-waste recycling laws), but if you don’t know what to do with the products at the end of their lives, you end up with a junkyard of old equipment cluttering your closets and drawers.  By the time we scoured our home for e-waste, we had amassed a carload of computer equipment, empty toner cartridges, cell phones and cables.

When cell phones, computer monitors and other e-waste are discarded into landfills, they risk contaminating soil and groundwater with lead, bromine, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and other toxic chemicals.  And because of rapid obsolescence, the amount of e-waste our society generates is accelerating.  In “Electronic Waste Management Approaches: An Overview” published in the scholarly journal Waste Management, the authors, Kiddee, Naidu and Wong cite proper collection and recycling of e-waste as one of several strategies that are key to successful e-waste management.

So, with this in mind, I set off last weekend to find a place to properly dispose of my trove of obsolete electronics.  My daughter, my nephew and I loaded up the car and made our way across the Brooklyn Bridge to the Gowanus E-waste Warehouse run by the Lower East Side Ecology Center.

The Gowanus E-waste Warehouse is a vast warehouse filled with unwanted electronic equipment. 

New electronics, like overstocked chargers still in their packaging, are sold in the warehouse store, as are movies, video games and refurbished electronics.

“Vintage” pieces are cataloged and held in an area where they can be rented as props for movie or theater productions. 

Decommissioned computers and phones are boxed or shrink-wrapped on pallets and sent off-site for recycling. 

The Lower East Side Ecology Center guarantees data security regardless of whether the donated equipment is recycled or reused.

The Ecology Center’s electronic waste program has been operating since 2003.  The organization explains, “According to the E.P.A., electronic waste contributes 70% of the toxins found in landfills, while only contributing 1% of the volume of materials in landfills…Recycling your electronic waste decreases energy and water use, reduces pollution, and keeps hazardous chemicals out of our air and water. Reusing unwanted electronics offers even bigger environmental benefits along with social benefits: creating local jobs and making technology accessible to people who might not be able to purchase new computers.”

If you reside in the New York City area, consider dropping off your e-waste at the Gowanus warehouse.  If that’s not convenient, the program offers events throughout the city.  Click here to see the Lower East Side Ecology Center’s Event Calendar (or here to learn about the 12th annual “After the Holidays” E-Waste Collection Series).  And if you live elsewhere in the country, check out the US EPA’s eCycling web resources to learn about regional and state ecycling programs near you.

As you gear up for Thanksgiving, consider gathering up all of your electronic waste and taking it to a recycling center.  Or, if you have children, ask their school’s sustainability club or department to host a school-wide e-waste recycling drive. 

Let’s give thanks to our planet by keeping these materials out of the waste stream!

Where Does Your Fresh Air Come From?

This week’s post is going to be a short one…really just an announcement of sorts.  But it comes with a preamble.  Here it is…

Have you ever thought about where the fresh air in your home comes from?  If your windows and doors are closed, how are you getting fresh air and expelling stale air?  If you live in an older home, air seeps in through cracks and crevices in your building envelope.  While envelope leakage is detrimental in terms of energy efficiency and possibly occupant comfort (for example, if your home is drafty), in fact, air infiltration can be helpful in terms of indoor air quality.

Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

But if you live in a new home, whose envelope is airtight, you run the risk of trapping toxins inside your home if you don’t have an explicit means of refreshing the air.  What do I mean by toxins?  I described it in detail in an earlier post.   In a nutshell, toxins find their way in on the bottoms of your shoes (dirt, fertilizers, etc.), as a byproduct of cooking and combustion appliances (like your fireplace), from your furnishings (carpeting, sofa cushions and other furnishings may release volatile organic compounds – VOCs – into the air), and even from your cleaning supplies (check out my earlier article on green cleaning).

New homes – and those that have gone through deep energy retrofits that include air sealing measures – need to use balanced mechanical ventilation to bring fresh air inside and expel stale air to the outdoors.  Mechanical ventilation systems can run through existing ductwork or their own separate ducts (there are significant advantages to this latter design).  I’ll be writing about Sunset Green Home’s ComfoAir system by Zehnder in future articles (which will include installation photos as well). 

But for now, I’ll close with our announcement that we’re co-hosting a two-day workshop next week with Zehnder and Sunset Green Home's builder, Coastal Management, on ventilation systems for energy efficient homes.  The first day will include a three-hour classroom-style presentation on mechanical ventilation and system design.  The second day will be a three-hour installation demonstration at the Sunset Green Home site.  The event is free and open to the trade and industry professionals (CE credit available).  If you’re going to be on Long Island on Tuesday November 18th and Wednesday November 19th and are interested in participating, please send us an email at info@SunsetGreenHome.com so we can forward the details to you.

Join us!  You’ll breathe easier if you know more about where your fresh air comes from.

Progress Update: Sunset Green Home Gets Windows and a Roof

Nearly all of Sunset Green Home’s windows have been installed as of this chilly Friday morning.  And the roof of the main house is almost complete (we’ve had a few rainy days recently, and nobody wants the roofers on a slippery wet roof!).

Jim Hunter of JP Hunter Co., Sunset Green Home’s roofing subcontractor provided some terrific aerial photographs of Sunset Green Home’s roof under construction.  The photos show the beauty of Anbrook Industries’ taper sawn Western Red Cedar shingles.

Photo courtesy JP Hunter

But we also got up close to see how the roof was being constructed and the windows installed. 

In an earlier article, we discussed in detail the many layers that comprise Sunset Green Home’s high performance roof assembly.  The slide show below shows the materials that comprise Sunset Green Home's beautiful, energy efficient and durable roof.

Lead-coated copper for roof flashing

Ventgrid drainage plane and air gap

Roofing nails by Simpson Strong-Tie

Certi-labeled shingles from Anbrook Industries

Grace Ice & Water Shield

Anbrook taper sawn roof shingles

Up on the roof we were able to see how all of the components interact.  In this photo, lead coated copper flashing is installed in the valleys and around the chimney to defeat the forces of gravity, wind and surface tension on areas of the roof that might be susceptible to water intrusion.

Underneath those durable taper sawn Anbrook shingles, and atop the lead coated copper flashing, the roofers have installed Grace Ice & Water Shield at rakes, eaves and other areas where ice damming might occur.  They installed a layer of Ventgrid12™ a product made from post-consumer recycled content that acts as a drainage plane and air gap - allowing the shingles to breathe and letting any water that gets behind the shingles drain downward and away from the roof structure.

While JP Hunter's team has been up on the roof, the crew from Coastal Management, Sunset Green Home’s builder, has been in the house installing the home’s impact resistant Integrity Wood Ultrex windows by Marvin.  The photo below shows windows in various stages of installation.  The opening at the top center has received a layer of Grace Ice & Water Shield at the sill, which is installed before the window.

The window crew installed flanges (also known as nailing fins) around each window, and the structural brackets that are required for the special impact-resistant windows used in the project.

The team applied a bead of caulk around the exterior of the window and lifted it into place. Working in pairs, one person leveled the window while another secured it to the home's framing.

Finally, ZIP System flashing tape was installed around the window flange to create a watertight assembly.  Not shown here, but equally important, the window team applied a custom sill and casing fabricated from Boral TruExterior trim to each window.

When the insulation work begins next week, the insulation company will install expanding polyurethane foam to the gap between the framing and the window, leaving Sunset Green Home with a completed window assembly.

We'll leave you with another aerial shot that shows the changing face of Sunset Green Home's neighborhood.  The beautiful home under construction next door by Joe Burns Contracting is another Hurricane Sandy rebuild.  Two more homes in the neighborhood have been elevated onto pilings to keep them above the flood plain.  I recently wrote about the transformation of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans.  All you need to see is the construction activity in the vicinity of Sunset Green Home to know that our neighborhood is changing too.

Photo courtesy JP Hunter

House Tours: One More Home Arrives to a LEED Platinum Community Rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina

I was in New Orleans last week attending Greenbuild, an annual conference and expo for the sustainable building industry.  The conference ended Friday after three amazing days of classes, inspiring speeches, late-night dancing, networking, and visiting with manufacturers of green building products and technologies.  There was so much to take in that I can only describe it as "drinking from a fire hose!"

With the Greenbuild conference over and a little time on my hands, I knew that the place I wanted to visit was the Lower Ninth Ward, a neighborhood of New Orleans that was particularly hard hit by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  So I rented a bicycle and set out to see for myself the extent of reconstruction in this hurricane damaged neighborhood. 

If you've been following Sunset Green Home, you know that the project is also in a storm-damaged area - a neighborhood that was badly affected by Hurricane Sandy two years ago today. 

Sunset Green Home after Hurricane Sandy

The previous house on the site of Sunset Green Home was made uninhabitable by the storm, as were two homes just east of the project site that are still boarded up.  Two more neighbors on adjacent properties have made repairs to their storm-flooded homes and have raised the houses up onto pilings.  Another neighbor next door has demolished a home that was affected by Irene in 2011 and then Sandy in 2012, and has broken ground on a new house.  Everywhere you look in the neighborhood of Sunset Green Home, you are reminded of the havoc a powerful storm can wreak.  So, for me, a visit to the Lower Ninth Ward was imperative.

Coming across the bridge that connects the St. Claude neighborhood to the Lower Ninth Ward, the first thing I saw was the damaged shell of a home that was never repaired after Katrina. 

Hurricane Katrina damaged home in the Lower Ninth Ward, still not repaired after nine years

As I rode on, I was struck by the seeming randomness, block after block, of the wrath of the storm, which left some homes standing while adjacent homes were rendered useless.  I saw boarded up roofs, reminders of the rescues that took place when residents who thought their upper floors would be safe had to break holes in their roofs to escape the rising flood waters.

Hurricane Katrina damaged home, nine years later, standing between two occupied homes

And then, after riding along the top of one of the levees, I turned onto a street and saw the first sign of the rejuvenation of the Lower Ninth Ward - a grouping of five single family homes sponsored by Global Green USA and completed from 2008 to 2009.  These energy efficient homes, which are elevated above the ground and include resiliency measures to help protect residents from the next storm, are part of the organization's overall plan to help the community of the Lower Ninth Ward recover from Katrina.

Five homes in the Lower Ninth Ward sponsored by Global Green USA

A placard on one of the homes explained the technologies and systems included in the homes.

Sustainable features of the Global Green homes

Continuing along the route that had been suggested by the bike rental shop, I rode up Flood Street (a sadly fitting name) to Florida Avenue on the northern border of the neighborhood.

Flood Street in the Lower Ninth Ward

Florida Avenue runs along the edge of the Bayou Bienvenue Wetland Triangle.  According to NOLA.com, the bayou "was once a thriving cypress-tupelo wetland forest that protected the Lower 9th Ward...from hurricane storm surges."  But 20th century development - in particular the completion of the seldom used Mississippi River Gulf Outlet shipping channel in 1965 - permitted saltwater intrusion that eventually decimated the forest and took with it the natural storm surge buffer it represented. 

Bayou Bienvenue Wetland Triangle

Today there are signs of the post-Katrina restoration efforts that are underway to restore the bayou's protective properties, as evidenced by the newly planted young cypress trees that pepper the bayou.

Bayou Bienvenue Cypress Tree Pilot Program

Continuing on to the northwestern section of the Lower Ninth Ward, I finally found what I had hoped to see - a LEED Platinum community that has resulted from the efforts of the Make It Right Foundation.  Each one of the homes that Make It Right has sponsored in this neighborhood has achieved this extraordinarily high standard in terms of resiliency, energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor air quality and other sustainability measures. 

The homes are attractive and seem well cared for by their occupants.  Clustered together, they serve as beacons in the neighborhood - encouraging us to think about what will be rather than what has befallen the area. 

Make It Right's LEED Platinum community in the Lower Ninth Ward

At Greenbuild, I had the pleasure of touring the next Make It Right Foundation home destined for the Lower Ninth Ward.  A modular construction by LivingHomes, with sustainable technologies and products donated by numerous manufacturers (such as Advanta Cabinets, Andersen Windows, CertainTeed, Electrolux and Kohler, the project's Platinum Sponsors), the home will be energy efficient, water efficient and have healthy indoor air quality for its occupants. 

I was thrilled when I stopped to speak with a construction crew that was working on a raised piling foundation and learned that the Greenbuild Make It Right home would be delivered to that site the next day.  I had to go back!

Pilings under construction for Make It Right's newest home

So, Sunday morning before I left for the airport, I took a second trip to the Lower Ninth Ward to see the installation in progress.  One of three sections of the modular home had been delivered, and the remaining sections were due later in the day. 

Delivery of the first section of Make It Right's newest home

I spoke with a member of the construction crew who told me that they hoped to set the three pieces in place Sunday.  Linking them together and completing the construction would take several additional days.  By the end of this week, there will be one more home in a growing LEED Platinum neighborhood.

LivingHome rendering courtesy Hanley Wood

The Lower Ninth Ward still bears the scars of Hurricane Katrina, and as of 2014, nine years after the storm, more homes are still boarded up or have been demolished than have been rebuilt.  But Make It Right Foundation's LEED Platinum community in the Lower Ninth Ward is demonstrating that we have the ability in the 21st century to build resilient, healthy, energy efficient, affordable communities.

Practical Sustainability: The Cost of Cleaning Green...It's Lower Than You Think!

I am the first to admit that I’ve come late to the “green” cleaning party.  I’ve been buying organic groceries and local produce for years…but I’m a creature of habit and I just haven’t found the time to look for new cleaning products.  And I also figured it would probably be expensive to make the switch to products that might not clean as well as what I already had on hand.  If you’re like me, and you haven’t gotten around to changing your cleaning supplies, it's time to think again! 

We are building Sunset Green Home to LEED® for Homes standards (LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).  The house will have a very tight building envelope with minimal air leakage, which makes it more difficult for toxins that enter the home to find their way out.  So the LEED® for Homes green building program prescribes a number of ways to maintain healthy indoor air quality (read my earlier article on indoor air quality here) - including keeping toxins from entering the home in the first place.  LEED also provides strategies for keeping pollution out of our community's fresh water sources.  Combine these two elements of the LEED program, and it makes no sense to bring toxic cleaning supplies into Sunset Green Home only to have them either dissipate into the air or be flushed down our sinks and toilets.

With indoor air quality and clean waterways in mind, I recently set out to understand the availability of highly rated non-toxic cleaning supplies that are safer for the environment.  

First I took a walk down my own hall of shame and identified 10 cleaning products in my home that were given a failing grade of “F” by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization whose Guide to Healthy Cleaning “analyzes toxicity and safety information relevant to human health and the environment and gives cleaners a letter grade corresponding to how well or poorly they rate.”  Next, I identified a product in each of the categories represented by the products in my cleaning cupboard that had received a grade of “A” from EWG.  I looked up both products on Amazon.com, converted to a unit price (for example, price per load for laundry detergent pods), and made the price comparison (I included the cost of shipping if an item was not available in the Amazon Prime subscription delivery service).  I tallied things up across all of the categories using a quantity that represented my best guess at our household’s annual consumption. 

Here are the results (click here to open as a PDF)…

What I learned is that I can use "A" rated cleaning products for essentially the same total annual cost of using brand name products that receive failing grades.

In case you’re wondering how these environmentally friendly cleaning products stack up against the competition in terms of their ability to get the job done, all but two of the “A” graded products I used for my comparison carries a rating greater than 4 out of 5 on Amazon.com. If you want to learn more about the safety and effectiveness of green cleaning products, check out organizations like Consumer Reports, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Environmental Working Group.    

In researching this article, I reached out to Peter Graham, the Chairman of the Board of Seventh Generation, one of the leading companies in the healthy cleaning products industry.  He stressed that, in formulating its products, his company practices the "Precautionary Principle," telling me that Seventh Generation "will not use a chemical in our formulations unless it is proven safe."  The Seventh Generation Blog explains "So what is the 'precautionary principle' all about? Basically, if an action is suspected to cause harm to the public or to the environment, those taking the action must prove that it is not harmful. That means corporations or governments must take responsibility that their products and policies do not cause harm to people or to the environment. The principle implies that there is a social responsibility to protect the public from exposure to harm."  

Seventh Generation is not alone, and the cleaning products industry is changing for the better.  The American Cleaning Institute, whose vision is to enhance "health and the quality of life through sustainable cleaning products and practices" highlights its members' sustainability initiatives and successes and provides information on steps consumers can take to make better cleaning product purchasing and disposal decisions.  

So what are you waiting for?  "Green" cleaning products work.  They’re not more expensive. And did I mention that they’re better for human health and for the environment?  So the next time you need to buy detergent or glass cleaner or multi-purpose surface wipes, make a change to green cleaning products.  The environment will thank you...and so will your pocketbook!

Sunset Green Home Progress Update: Constructing a High Performance Roof

Sunset Green Home's roofing subcontractor, J.P. Hunter Roofing, arrived on the scene yesterday!  So over the coming weeks we will start to see the finished exterior of the house take form.  I'll post updates as the work moves forward, but today's Progress Update focuses on Sunset Green Home’s strategy for creating a high performance, durable coastal roof.  There are many possible high quality roof assemblies - ranging from ENERGY STAR rated asphalt to durable slate to metal roofing. 

But one type of roof - natural cedar - is traditionally found in the coastal areas of Long Island.  Sunset Green Home has elected to use a natural cedar roof on the main house (stay tuned for a post on the standing seam metal roof we're installing on the pool house).  A natural cedar roof has the added benefit of being energy efficient and resistant to wind. 

So what does Sunset Green Home’s roof assembly include?

Roof Sheathing

I’ve written over the past few weeks about Huber Engineered Woods' ZIP System sheathing, and how it helps Sunset Green Home achieve an airtight shell (a “must” for a LEED certified home) and provides continuous sheathing required for wind-resistant construction.  ZIP System sheathing is the base layer of Sunset Green Home’s roof system.

Huber Engineered Woods' ZIP System sheathing on Sunset Green Home's roof

Ice & Water Shield

Grace Ice & Water Shield, a self-adhering rubberized asphalt underlayment is the next important layer, as it is “designed to protect homes from wind-driven rain and ice dams.”  Installed at the most vulnerable areas of the roof (e.g., at the eaves, rakes and valleys), it helps to prevent ice damming and also forms a watertight seal around the nails that are used to adhere the roof shingles to the sheathing, thereby reducing the likelihood of a roof leak.

Rolls of Grace Ice & Water Shield for Sunset Green Home's roof

Flashing

Lead coated copper flashing is another important roofing component and is used for its ability to hold up against the elements as well as its ability to be soldered.  The product is used at the connection of the sloped roof to the sidewalls (with "step flashing" to the walls where the walls are terminated with "apron flashing").  It is also installed around the chimney area and is custom fabricated into roof boots for all plumbing vents that protrude through the roof.

Sheets of lead-coated copper flashing

Drainage Plane and Air Gap 

Ventgrid12™ is the third underlayment on Sunset Green Home’s roof.  Made of recycled - and recyclable - polyolefin, Ventgrid12™ is a rigid sheet in a 2” grid pattern that acts as a drainage plane and air gap between the roof deck and the roof shingles.  According to Ventgrid, “the sun’s intensity has increased dramatically in recent years...as a result, unprecedented heat build-up commonly occurs between the shingles and the roof sheathing causing degradation in the form of splitting, cracking, curling, warping and cupping resulting in significant openings for water to pour in." In addition to providing an air gap for heat control, a "secondary benefit is the drainage plane that is formed by installing Ventgrid12™ behind the roofing materials, thereby creating another layer of protection for the structure itself.”

Ventgrid drainage plane and air gap, made from 100% recycled material

Roof Shingles

Sunset Green Home’s roof will be finished with SFI certified 5/8” thick taper sawn Western Red Cedar shingles from Anbrook Industries.  The butts of taper sawn shingles are thicker than a 3/8” thick cedar perfection shingle, which is often used on a cedar roof.  Because of its additional thickness, a taper sawn shingle will perform better when subjected to the sun’s UV rays and the moist weather conditions of Sunset Green Home’s coastal location.

Anbrook's durable taper sawn shingles with 5/8" butts

In addition to their SFI certification, Anbrook’s shingles carry the “Certi” label, which indicates that the mill manufactures its products according to standards set by the Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau (CSSB), a non-profit industry organization, and voluntarily submits to random inspections by agencies contracted by CSSB. 

"Certi" label on Anbrook's Western Red Cedar taper sawn roof shingles

Stainless Steel Nails

The shingles will be attached to the rest of the roof assembly using Simpson Strong-Tie’s type 316 Stainless Steel nails, which resist corrosion and are manufactured especially for seaside applications. 

Simpson Strong-Tie type 316 Stainless Steel nails for coastal applications

Taken together, the elements of Sunset Green Home’s roof form a durable, energy efficient and environmentally friendly assembly – and a beautiful roof that Sunset Green Home will enjoy for many years to come.

Wind Resistant Building: Protecting Sunset Green Home from the Next Hurricane

Hurricane Season in the Atlantic typically runs from the beginning of June through the end of November.  September is historically the busiest month of the hurricane season.  The Sunset Green Home team is grateful that September is over and we managed to get the house fully framed and reinforced with hurricane ties from Simpson Strong-Tie®, one of Sunset Green Home’s sponsors.  We’re lucky that – so far! – this has been the quietest Atlantic hurricane season in nearly 30 years.

If you don’t live in a strong wind zone, you might not be familiar with strategies for protecting a home against severe wind loads.  So what are Sunset Green Home’s hurricane resistant construction features?

Hurricane Strapping

For Sunset Green Home, hurricane resistant construction began with the project’s architect, Bill Heine, who evaluated the building’s vertical and horizontal load paths, and created detailed instructions for the number and types of hurricane ties required for the house to be able to resist both lateral and uplift wind loads.  These instructions were integrated into the architectural drawings for the house.  Hurricane strapping is required by the building code and, according to Simpson Strong-Tie, “is used to provide a positive connection between truss/rafter and the wall of the structure to resist wind.”

Sunset Green Home's architectural drawings with load calculations and hurricane strapping specifications

This short video, from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety depicts how hurricane strapping is used to create a Continuous Load Path (CLP) that enables a home to resist the force of strong wind events:

Hurricane ties come in many forms, some of which are seen in the slideshow below:

Continuous Sheathing

Installing continuous sheathing on the exterior of the home not only provides an airtight and water tight shell but, when tied to the foundation below and roof above, sheathing also acts as a barrier against hurricane force winds.  Zip System sheathing helps make Sunset Green Home better able to withstand high winds. 

Protection From Wind Borne Debris

The final element of Sunset Green Home’s hurricane resistant construction is our use of impact-resistant (IZ3) coastal Integrity windows by Marvin.  When flying debris shatters a window during a severe storm, a home is not only susceptible to water damage from rain entering into the structure, but an even greater risk arises when a window or door fails and a home becomes pressurized from the inside.  Wind pushing against the roof and walls from within a home can potentially lead to catastrophic failure – and can literally blow the roof off the house!  With reinforced sashes, frames and locking points, Integrity IZ3 windows meet International Building Codes for coastal areas in Atlantic and Gulf Coast states.

Sunset Green Home replaces a house that was made uninhabitable when Hurricane Sandy struck in October 2012.  The LEED for Homes green building program requires a project team to consider durability measures when designing a home.  We’re confident that we’ve applied the building code and have made additional elective enhancements that will carry Sunset Green Home through the next major storm.

Practical Sustainability: Don’t Flush that Medicine!

In honor of the Ninth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which will take place tomorrow, this month’s Practical Sustainability column addresses the environmental impact of pharmaceutical products in our waste stream, and what you can do about unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medicines.

Discarding unused drugs and personal care products down the toilet is a common but poor disposal method.
Source: USEPA.gov

When you threw out your back last year, perhaps the doctor gave you a prescription for a stronger pain reliever.  Or maybe you found some bottles of unused medications after a relative passed away.  Or your kids have grown up and you don’t need pediatric cough syrup anymore.  There are many reasons why we accumulate unneeded and unused prescription and over-the-counter drugs.  You don’t want them lying around your home, but how do you get rid of them?  Whatever you do, don’t flush that medicine!

According to the University of Illinois, “Septic systems and most municipal wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to remove pharmaceutical chemicals from the water.  Different treatment techniques are successful at removing some of the chemicals, but current technology does not completely remove all pharmaceutical chemicals from treated water.  The presence of pharmaceutical chemicals in sewage sludge is also of concern, as it is often used on agricultural land as a fertilizer.” 

CitizensCampaign.org reports that 41 million Americans are exposed to trace amounts of pharmaceutical products in their drinking water.  According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), “Chemicals are being discovered in water that previously had not been detected or are being detected at levels that may be significantly different than expected.”  USEPA publishes a detailed diagram of how Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) can enter our water supplies.

Scientific research is underway to determine the long term effects of pharmaceutical products in our waterways.  More research needs to be done, and we need more facts about the long term human and environmental impacts of pharmaceutical disposal.  But even before all of the facts are gathered and analyzed, there are things we can do to reduce our impact when we dispose of medications.

Tomorrow, September 27, 2014 is the Ninth Annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.  So clean out your medicine cabinet today, use the DEA’s online tool to find a collection site near you, and then while you’re out and about tomorrow, stop by one of the sites where you can dispose of the medications safely and know that you’re doing your part to keep our agricultural lands and waterways free of medication contaminants.

Sunset Green Home Progress Update: Getting Ready for the Roof

It's been a few weeks since our last progress update, and there's been a lot of activity on the Sunset Green Home site.  

Here's what Sunset Green Home looked like toward the end of August...

Sunset Green Home on August 17, 2014

And what it looks like now...

Sunset Green Home on September 17, 2014

Over the past few weeks, the team from Fay Framing has been framing the house, installing ZIP System™ sheathing, and beginning to build the home's decks and porches.  This week, the framers started to seal the ZIP System sheathing with ZIP System™ Tape to create a water tight and airtight shell.

Applying ZIP System Tape to the walls...

...and to the roof of Sunset Green Home

Progress continued inside the house as well, where the framers have been putting the finishing touches on the interior walls and ceilings, and have begun to cut out the window openings.  The job site is always left clean at the end of a work day.

Looking up at the Double Height Entry

Interior - Framed and Clean!

While the team from Fay Framing was working on the house, the Sunset Green Home project team was busy learning about energy efficient and environmentally friendly technologies and products that might make sense to incorporate into the project.  We met with Chris Kroeter, LEED Green Associate and regional product representative for ATAS International, Inc.  Chris advised us about ATAS' energy efficient aluminum roofing and metal wall products (some of which will be incorporated into Sunset Green Home...look for our upcoming sponsorship announcement).

BillHeine, Architect, and Tom Downing, partner at Coastal Management reviewing ATAS International's product offerings with Chris Kroeter, LEED Green Associate and ATAS product representative

Our team also met with Chris Reardon, Strategic Account Manager at CertainTeed to hear about the company's innovative gypsum products, which include AirRenew, a VOC scavenging gypsum board that permanently removes VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds, such as formaldehyde) circulating within a home while also resisting moisture and mold conditions.  We think the product is a great fit, given Sunset Green Home's tight building envelope and desire for enhanced indoor air quality.

Kathryn Cannon, LEED AP Homes (left), Bill Heine, Architect (second from left) and Chris Mensch, partner at Coastal Management (right) learn about CertainTeed's VOC scavenging gypsum and other innovative gypsum products from Chris Reardon, Strategic Account Manager at CertainTeed

Our team visited an installation of Easy Roof, an innovative solar panel racking system that allows the panels to be attached directly to the roof sheathing, without a finished roof underneath.  

Easy Roof Demonstration Installation

Now that the framing is nearly complete, it's time to start on the exterior trim.  Speonk Lumber delivered Sunset Green Home's first order of Boral TruExterior® trim, a durable and dimensionally stable exterior trim product that contains fly ash, a by-product of coal combustion, and includes over 70% recycled content.  Sunset Green Home will earn credit toward our LEED certification in the Materials & Resources category by incorporating Boral TruExterior trim in the project. 

Brian Fay Delivering Sunset Green Home's First Load of Boral TruExterior Trim

That's a lot to report for such a short time frame!  Here's a slide show recap of four weeks of framing progress...

Four Weeks of Framing Progress...

August 17, 2014

Four Weeks of Framing Progress...

August 29, 2014

Four Weeks of Framing Progress...

September 3, 2014

Four Weeks of Framing Progress...

September 9, 2014

Four Weeks of Framing Progress...

September 17, 2014

Thinking of New Windows? Choose Wisely!

If you’ve been following the progress of Sunset Green Home, you have already seen images of the house almost completely framed.  So what comes next?  Energy-efficient and durable windows.  We’re about to place the order for IZ3 low-E Integrity® Wood Ultrex windows by Marvin®.  In plain English?  A coastal window with a set of features that is just perfect for Sunset Green Home.

Integrity Wood-Ultrex Casement Window

Before I describe why we selected that particular window for Sunset Green Home, it might be useful to present a primer of sorts on window characteristics that affect performance.  And understanding these characteristics is critical.  After all, windows comprise the building system with the greatest potential impact on your home’s energy efficiency and comfort.

How a Window’s Energy Efficiency is Described

A window’s energy efficiency is described by two values: the U-Factor and the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient. 

According to the LEED® for Homes Reference Guide, “the U-Factor is a measure of the thermal resistance to heat flow of the overall window.”  The lower the number, the better the window insulates.

The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures how much of the sun’s energy is transmitted in through the window.  The lower the SHGC, the more a window will block the sun’s heat.  In warm climates, homeowners will likely want windows with a low SHGC, while in colder zones, higher SHGC will allow the sun’s rays to warm a room, thereby reducing the load on the home’s heating system.

The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) has developed rating and labeling standards that allow consumers to compare windows across manufacturers, based on their U-Factors and SHGCs. 

NFRC labeling standards allow consumers to compare window qualities across manufacturers

Several variables play a part in determining these important window rating values, and may include:

Window Frame Materials

Windows come in a variety of materials – wood, aluminum, vinyl, fiberglass and combinations of these materials.  Wood offers versatility and can be painted or stained.  Vinyl is a durable, lower cost window material.  Fiberglass is extremely strong, is dimensionally stable – particular with large temperature swings – and requires less maintenance than other materials. Aluminum is strong and rigid and can be configured for very large panes.

The frame material and the ratio of glass to framing will impact a window’s energy efficiency.

Number of Glass Panes

The more panes of glass, the more the window will insulate a home and block the sun’s UV rays.  Modern windows typically consist of two panes of glass (the leaky windows in the turn of the 20th century house where I grew up were single pane windows – now thankfully obsolete). Homes in regions with extremely cold winters or in noisy urban areas may elect to install triple pane windows.  Triple pane windows can be significantly more expensive than double pane windows.

Panes of glass are separated at the edges by a spacer bar.  Specially engineered Warm Edge Spacers can improve a window’s energy efficiency by up to 5%.

Gas Filling Between the Panes

The space between the panes can be filled with air or may be injected with a gas (krypton, xenon or argon) that provides better insulation. 

Low Thermal Emissivity (Low-E) Coating

Manufacturers may apply a thin film to one or more of the glass panes to reduce the amount of ultraviolet light (which may cause furnishings to fade) and infrared light (which heats up a room in the summer) that passes through the glass without compromising the visible light that is transmitted to the interior. 

One More Window Option to Consider – Impact Resistant Technology

Although it doesn’t have a significant effect on energy efficiency, choosing an impact resistant window is critical in certain parts of the country – particularly those in a hurricane zone.  Impact resistant windows are engineered to withstand the forces of flying debris at high wind speeds.  Window modifications may include shatter-proof lamination, heavier frames, and special installation assemblies.  They are generally rated for one of several geographic “impact zones.” 

So Many Options…How to Choose?

With so many options, how does one choose a window? 

ENERGY STAR® labeled windows are a good place to start.  ENERGY STAR window labels are region-specific, so they factor in the most important drivers of energy efficiency by climate zone. 

ENERGY STAR Climate Zone Map

Southern zones will be more concerned with heat gain, as indicated by the SHGC.  Northern zones require better insulation, as described by the U-Factor.  These considerations are reflected in ENERGY STAR's zone-specific qualification criteria.

ENERGY STAR Criteria by Climate Zone

If you’ve read our House Tours articles, you know we’ve written about several extremely energy efficient homes.  James Whittaker, developer of the LEED Gold home we profiled in Grand Cayman tells me that “we now use SIW exclusively.  We vetted their product quality extensively and we are very happy with the results.  We think it's the best value for money for this hot humid hurricane zone. U-Factor doesn't matter much in this climate.  All the windows and doors we use are impact rated to at least 150mph.”  The windows that Whittaker specifies are double pane, impact windows that are either casement style or fixed.  In the hot environment of the Cayman Islands, opening a window to let in the breeze isn’t a requirement.

By contrast, U-Factor was the most important consideration for the LEED Gold home in ski country that we wrote about last winter.  Frank Navarro used triple pane aluminum windows by JELD-WEN with significant insulating properties that make sense for a colder climate.  The aluminum frames made it possible to incorporate very large windows that maximize the home’s views.

View through one of the large JELD-WEN windows in a LEED Gold home in Colorado

For the Passive House in Queens that we profiled more recently, the owners "seriously researched" five window manufacturers, before selecting Schuco triple pane PVC windows both for their insulating properties and because of their ability to block out street noise.  And, according to the owner, Architect Tom Paino, "the PVC with special UV coating stands up better than any other material (aluminum clad, etc.) considering the air pollution" of New York City.

Triple pane Schuco windows provide insulation and muffle street noise in this urban row house built to Passive House standards

It’s important to think about how you’re going to use the windows.  Sunset Green Home is in a breezy coastal location, where temperatures are moderate for more than half of the year.  We enjoy opening the windows and letting the breeze into the home.  So we’ve chosen a double hung configuration for many of the windows.  All of Sunset Green Home’s windows will open and close.

If your region is prone to severe weather, check to see if your building code requires impact resistant windows or if your insurance company will lower your premium if you voluntarily elect to install them.  In some cases, homeowner insurance policies may not pay for damage repairs unless precautions have been taken – so arm yourself with information about your policy before you choose your windows. 

Finally, budget will also drive your choice of window. Purchase the best windows you can afford!

Sunset Green Home’s Windows

So why did we choose IZ3 Low-E Integrity Wood Ultrex windows by Marvin for Sunset Green Home?

• IZ3 denotes impact resistant glass for Impact Zone 3, represented by coastal areas in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states.  Sunset Green Home is on a waterfront lot whose previous home was damaged by two hurricanes, two years in a row.  Flying debris is a real consideration, so the old house that Sunset Green Home replaces was boarded up in preparation for both storms.  Attaching plywood meant drilling holes around the windows – which has the potential to undermine the airtightness and water tightness of the building envelope – not an option for Sunset Green Home, whose LEED certification hinges on having a very tight building envelope.  By choosing an impact resistant window, Sunset Green Home will always be storm-ready
• Sunset Green Home’s principal façade faces south to take advantage of a water view and to provide for a large south-oriented roof to accommodate solar panels.  We selected Integrity’s LowE2 glass – with two layers of silver oxide – that minimizes solar heat gain from the summer sun while allowing light to pass into the house
• Integrity from Marvin’s Ultrex pultruded fiberglass construction has several features that make sense for Sunset Green Home.  Unlike aluminum, which may “chalk,” and wood, which requires considerable maintenance under salt air conditions, Integrity’s patented Ultrex material resists corrosion and is the ideal material for a coastal area.  Ultrex also makes sense in Sunset Green Home’s northeast climate, which experiences hot summers and cold winters.  Because Ultrex expands and contracts at nearly the same rate as glass, the windows are more resistant to leaks and seal failures. 
• ENERGY STAR considers Suffolk County, New York, where Sunset Green Home is located, to be in the “North-Central Climate Zone” (use ENERGY STAR’s Zone Finder to find your zone).  With U-Factors of 0.31 and 0.32, Sunset Green Home’s windows are ENERGY STAR compliant and considered “Exceptional” according to LEED for Homes.

Windows represent an extremely important building system.  They account for the greatest opportunity for heat gain and loss through a building’s envelope.  So, whether you’re renovating or building a new home, it’s important to select windows that meet your project’s specific needs.  There are many windows to choose from, and many window manufacturers that make high quality products.  So, get educated.  And pick the best window for your project and your pocketbook.

House Tours: A Passive House in the Heart of NYC

Walk through the streets of New York City, and you’re immediately aware of the ethnic and cultural diversity of its people.  Then look up – and study the buildings.  You’ll see the same sort of diversity in the city’s housing stock.  From 19th century tenement buildings to 21st century steel and glass towers, from single-family homes to high-rise apartment buildings, New York City has it all!  But, despite their apparent diversity, what most of these homes have in common is their lack of energy efficiency and environmental mindfulness.   

But that seems to be changing.  Around New York City, we are seeing residential buildings being built or renovated according to green building standards.  I recently had the opportunity to tour the first "row house" home built to Passive House standards in the borough of Queens.

Because the Sunset Green Home project is registered under the LEED® for Homes program, I generally write about LEED projects.  So what is the difference between LEED and Passive House?

Façade of the Climate Change Row House

Both LEED and Passive House (which is also known as Passivhaus, as it originated in Germany) comprise a body of standards for sustainable building.  In the case of LEED for Homes, the standards address many categories in addition to energy efficiency, including – among others – indoor air quality, the project’s location and links to its surrounding community, materials and resources used in its construction, and education of the homeowner.  Passive House is a narrower set of standards that focuses primarily on energy efficiency, and seeks to minimize energy demand, heating and cooling requirements, and envelope tightness (air leakage).  Passive House requires more of a project than LEED in terms of energy efficiency; LEED requires more of a project in terms of other important sustainability categories.

Google the two terms and you’ll find a lot of people opining on which of the two is “better.”  Although I am a LEED AP Homes (credentialed by the Green Building Certification Institute), I don’t have a dog in this fight!  I applaud anyone who voluntarily elects to participate in either one of the programs (emphasis on “voluntarily”…since current building codes are considerably less stringent than either of these two standards). 

Back to the “Climate Change Row House” (so named by its owner, architect Thomas Paino) – the first multifamily row house home built to Passive House standards in Queens.  Sunset Green Home and the Climate Change Row House have one thing in common: Flood zone requirements had a profound influence on both projects.  Although Paino’s home was not flooded by Superstorm Sandy, which blew through New York City in October 2012, its living spaces needed to be elevated nearly four feet in order to comply with current flood zone requirements.  Conventional house lifting doesn’t work when you have side walls in common with your neighbors.  So Paino, an architect who has worked for two decades in sustainable architecture, got creative.  He redesigned the home by raising each of the floors and keeping the walls intact.  The façade was completely rebricked (the house had undergone a 1970s renovation and had a featureless white brick façade when Paino purchased it; while some have dubbed the Climate Change Row House one of the ugliest in Queens, its current façade is a vast improvement over what Paino started with). 

The Climate Change Row House boasts a host of design features that make it one of the most energy efficient homes in the city.

Triple pane Schüco windows not only combat heat gain and loss through the building’s envelope, but they also provide extraordinary sound insulation.  On my tour of the house, I was completely unaware of outside noise.

Triple pane Schuco windows with Argon gas for superior insulation

Passive House homes have minimal penetrations to the outside.  So Paino's kitchen has a Best by Broan range hood that does not exhaust to the outdoors, but that instead uses two recirculating charcoal filters to eliminate cooking smoke and odors. And because Passive Homes do not have combustion appliances - so a fireplace and gas range were excluded - the kitchen features an induction cooktop by Bosch. 

Bosch induction cooktop with Best by Broan recirculating range hood above

Passive Homes are so well insulated and sealed that they do not require much in terms of heating and cooling systems.  All of the mechanical equipment for the Climate Change Row House fits into a small closet on the main floor, and includes a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV), which exhausts stale air and feeds preconditioned air into the house. 

HRV exhausts stale air to the outside and provides fresh air to the indoor environment

A small Mitsubishi heat pump system is on hand if supplemental heat and cooling are required.

Mitsubishi heat pumps provide supplemental heating and cooling capacity

Paino cautions that "when you seal up a house, you have to be very aware of materials" to make sure that they don't "offgas" toxins into the indoor environment - particularly important given the tightness of the building envelope (click here to read my earlier article on the impact of 21st century building practices on indoor air quality).  MDF doors from TruStile contain no added urea-formaldehyde resins.  Paints contain no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and the handsome wormy maple floor was finished on site using a UV sealing technology that creates a durable surface without any harmful offgassing chemicals.

TruStile NAUF MDF doors painted with no VOC paints in colors inspired by a western evening sky

The Climate Change Row House also collects rainwater from 50% of the roof into a cistern that was designed especially for urban homes.  Paino uses the water to irrigate a sizable vegetable garden that he has planted in the double backyard formed by the home and an adjacent brownstone building that Paino also owns (and rents out to a tenant).  He starts seedlings in the home's rooftop greenhouse.  By growing produce on site from seed and irrigating with harvested rainwater, Paino reduces his household's consumption of fresh vegetables that must often travel great distances to reach the New York City market.

A rainwater harvesting system collects rainwater from 50% of the roof to water the home's sizable vegetable garden

A “Green Roof” garden, planted with several varieties of sedum, serves as a layer of insulation that keeps the rooms below it cooler in the summer than if the house were built with a conventional roof.  The roof garden also absorbs rainwater, which means less stormwater runoff into the city’s already overburdened sewers.  According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, “In addition to being cited as a major source in one-third of all impaired waters, urban/stormwater runoff is noted as a major source of contaminants in 36% of all waters that experience lesser, but measurable, minor impacts to water quality, and a contributing source in nearly half (47%) of waters with minor impacts.”  Paino’s design is an example of how urban dwellers can work to protect local waterways. 

Six varieties of sedum comprise the home's green roof garden

Also on the roof is a solar thermal panel that generates the majority of the home’s hot water.

Solar thermal collector on the roof and hot water tank in the greenhouse below

Not only is the green roof attractive, but sitting on Paino's roof deck, one has a spectacular view of Manhattan just across the river.

Evening view from the roof of the Climate Change Row House

Because of the extent of the changes Paino needed to implement in order to conform with the flood codes, the City of New York designated Paino’s house as "new construction" rather than a renovation.  The result of this designation?  Paino told me that his ultra-efficient home would no longer be a candidate for Passive House certification by the Passive House Institute US (because the existing brick side walls would be maintained, Paino had originally designed the home to meet EnerPHit, Passive House Institute's renovation standard, which recognizes the challenges of refurbishing an existing structure and it less stringent in terms of envelope leakage).  But that doesn't matter.  The Climate Change Row House is still a superb example of how urban homes can be constructed for energy efficiency and minimal environmental impact.

*                *                *                *                *

Want to learn more?  The New York Times scooped me on this story!  Here's what they wrote: "Easy on the Environment, but Not Necessarily the Eyes" (August 18, 2014)

Practical Sustainability: No More Catalogs, Please!

Did you know…

• Each adult American receives approximately 41 pounds of junk mail annually, according to 41pounds.org
• About half of the junk mail we receive goes straight to the landfill…unopened.  That’s over 5 million tons of unwanted ads and catalogs
• Included in the tally are unopened preapproved loan and credit card solicitations – a boon for identity thieves
• The industry responsible for the largest use of water in manufacturing activity is the pulp and paper industry
• The response rate to all of this resource hogging direct mail is a paltry 4%

Fairly recently, I opened a plastic shrink-wrapped collection of catalogs from a direct mailer who claimed to be mailing all of its annual catalogs at one time in order to reduce its carbon footprint.  The only problem?  The catalogs weighed over 15 pounds in total and I dumped all but two of the multiple “books” directly into my recycling bin.  Not a very environmentally friendly marketing strategy, IMHO. 

And this is what I came home to today...2.2 pounds of junk mail (for the record, we have two adults in our household, so if every day were like today, we'd receive about 300 pounds EACH of junk mail annually):

One day's junk mail...2.2 pounds of catalogs and direct mail solicitations

This month’s Practical Sustainability column offers tips that you can use to reduce the junk mail you receive, shrink your carbon footprint and save our forests. 

First, tap into the direct mail industry’s free resource, the National Do Not Mail List.  Operated by DirectMail.com, a service provider to the direct mail industry, enrollment in the service takes just a few minutes.  DirectMail.com doesn’t promise that the service will eliminate all unwanted mail (they specifically don’t handle mail addressed to “owner” or “occupant”), but the company maintains the list and says that “mail-order companies don't want to waste their money sending mail to people who don't want to receive it. They'll gladly take your name off their lists when they're asked to do so.”

DMAchoice.org (which is operated by the Direct Marketers Association, a consortium of direct marketers) says its nearly 3,600 member companies “must follow the DMA member guidelines, including honoring a consumer's request to be removed from future mailings.”  The service is free if you sign up on line (there’s a small fee if you want to submit your preferences by mail).

I signed up for both services, each of which only took a few minutes.  Note that you’ll have to verify your email address when you set up your account – and the first email I received from DMAchoice.org went into my spam filter!

OptOutPrescreen.com, operated by the major consumer credit bureaus, provides a free service to manage the “preapproved” offers you receive for credit cards and insurance products.  Senior citizens, who may already have all of the credit and protection products they need, are good candidates to opt out of future mailings, as seniors are more vulnerable to identity theft and therefore may want to reduce the number of preapproved offers they receive. 

CatalogChoice.org is another free service that allows you to communicate your preferences to direct mailers.  Its parent company is TrustedID, a for-profit identity theft protection service.

Want to stop receiving Yellow Pages and other telephone directories?  Visit the National Yellow Pages Consumer Choice & Opt-out Site to opt out. 

There are several direct mail management services that you need to pay for, like StopTheJunkMail.com and 41pounds.org.  They claim to contact direct mailers individually on your behalf, so may be more effective than the free services.  As with any paid service, check user reviews before you make a purchase and understand exactly what the service is going to do for you.

While this article addresses the catalogs and direct mail solicitations that clog your physical mailbox, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publishes information on how to stop unsolicited phone calls and emails as well.  You can access their report here.

By reducing the volume of junk mail you receive, you’ll be saving our forests and our water supplies, and will reduce the carbon emissions from manufacturing and transportation.  Now that’s what I call Practical Sustainability!

Sunset Green Home Progress Update: Reaching New Heights!

This was another week of visible progress on the Sunset Green Home project.

If you've been following our updates, you'll notice that the pool house sheathing is now taped with ZIP System flashing tape, an acrylic adhesive tape that creates a weather tight (airtight and watertight) seal between the individual ZIP System sheathing panels. 

Pool House Roof with ZIP System Flashing Tape Installed

The tape is applied with a pressure roller and forms a permanent seal within 30 minutes of application.  Using the ZIP System panels and tape eliminates the need to apply an additional layer of house wrap around the structure.  Mike Machernis, Huber Engineered Woods’ Business Development Manager demonstrated the strength of the bond to builder Chris Mensch of Coastal Management LLC.

Mike Machernis (Right) Demonstrating ZIP System Tape Strength

Another big change from last week is the addition of Sunset Green Home's second floor framing, and the start of the first floor sheathing.  The views from the top are glorious!  The roof system will come next, and the placement of the home's gables will allow builder Chris Mensch to use cathedral and tray ceilings in the upstairs bedrooms to create a greater sense of volume in the rooms.  We've been discussing the features that will make each of the bedrooms unique.

Builder Chris Mensch on the Second Floor of Sunset Green Home

Note that the framers continue to use scrap pieces of wood to form the ladder blocking where interior and exterior walls intersect.  This saves lumber, reduces waste and enables the house to have additional insulation in the walls.  This is an advanced framing technique that helps the project to earn credit toward its LEED certification.

Framing Crew Working on Ladder Blocking

The pool construction team from Tortorella Group is busy creating the framing for the elevated gunite swimming pool.  All that remains visible from last week's grade beam work are rebar connections that stick up out of the ground.  Everything else has been filled in.  We've been discussing where the pool equipment will be located to keep it protected and sufficiently distant from the pool house septic system.     

Pool Builders Starting to Frame the Pool

Toward the end of the week, our homeowner's insurance company sent an appraiser to review our progress.  She was traveling with a team of summer interns.  All four were happy to have a chance to learn about a LEED registered home and the green features and technologies we're including.  She remarked that some of the measures we're incorporating - like impact resistant windows - will reduce the home's insurance premium when the project is completed.

Insurance Appraiser with Summer Interns

Check back next week for another update!

Get to Know LEED®: Indoor Air Quality

A friend just completed an elegant gut renovation – down to the studs – of her home.  She did everything right in terms of energy efficiency – installing insulation with an R-value considerably greater than what was required by Code, new windows and a geo-thermal heat pump.  The work included new sheetrock, hardwood floors and interior doors.  A fresh coat of paint and new draperies and furniture finished off the renovation.  The end product is a lovely home that will bring her pleasure for years to come.  But right now, her renovation is just one big headache…

After living in the home for just a week, she couldn’t figure out why she was having persistent headaches.  Her doctor ran some tests.  Everything was negative.  And then he asked if she had made any other major changes in her life.  Her doctor’s diagnosis upon hearing that she had just moved back into her renovated home?  Your house is making you sick.

Americans spend 90% of their time indoors.  So, if you’re building a new house or doing work on your existing home, there are some things you can – and should – do to make sure that the air you breathe inside your home is fresh and clean.

Image courtesy of Idea go at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In general, 21st century homes are very “tight,” which is great from the standpoint of energy efficiency.  We’re not paying to heat or cool air that then finds its way outside the home through leaky windows or walls.  But this also means toxins that enter our homes have a much more difficult time finding their way back out.  In fact, the LEED for Homes Reference Guide states that indoor “levels of pollutants run two to five times – and occasionally more than 100 times – higher than outdoors, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency” (EPA).

Indoor Environmental Quality is one of the major credit categories in the LEED for Homes green building program.  Sunset Green Home is selecting building materials and installing mechanical systems to ensure that the air inside the home is fresh and healthy. 

LEED proposes three strategies for creating healthy indoor environments:

• Source Control – making sure that contaminants do not enter the home
• Source Removal – capturing pollutants that are already inside a home
• Dilution – ventilating a home using fresh air and exhausting pollutants to the outdoors

But you don’t need to go for LEED certification to have high quality air inside your home.  Here are some practical ways that you can apply all three strategies within your home…

Source Control.  Be aware of potential toxins and keep them from entering your home. 

Many paints, adhesives and varnishes contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that have the potential for dangerous offgassing inside your home.  Read the labels!  And choose low- or no-VOC coatings wherever possible.  Many of us know that a “new paint” smell is not healthy.  Low- and no-VOC paints are now produced by all of the major paint manufacturers such as Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams and Valspar. 

And dangerous toxins are lurking in other materials that we don’t think about. Furniture, carpeting, wall coverings and interior doors may also emit toxic gases into your home. 

TruStile certified 75% recycled MDF doors with no added urea-formaldehyde (NAUF) featured in the 2014 New American Home, co-sponsored by NAHB and Builder Magazine

Take the time to learn what building materials are being used in your home, and specify those with the lowest offgassing potential.  For example, medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is a very stable material that doesn’t warp.  Given Sunset Green Home’s coastal location and proximity to the water, we plan to specify MDF interior doors.  But we’re specifying MDF doors made by TruStile that contain “no added urea formaldehyde” (NAUF) resins, as urea formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. 

In fact, the LEED green building program is so concerned about VOCs that many low-emitting building materials can earn a project ½ point each toward certification.

Radon gas is another dangerous pollutant that is linked to increased risk of lung cancer.  The EPA publishes a radon risk map and a Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction, and recommends that all homes be tested for radon gas.  If your home is found to have an elevated level of radon, you will need to hire a qualified radon mitigator to install a system that will pipe the radon from under your home to prevent it from finding its way inside.  LEED for Homes requires homes in the highest radon risk areas to incorporate radon-resistant building methods and offers credit to homes in lower risk areas if they voluntarily include such strategies.

Keep mold and mildew from forming by running bathroom fans, venting attic spaces, and maintaining relative humidity in the home in the range of 30% - 50%.  The LEED green building program offers credits for projects that install bathroom fans with occupancy and/or humidity sensors that operate automatically when conditions warrant.

Broan QT Series Humidity Sensing Fan

Delta BreezSignature Ventilation Fan

Panasonic WhisperGreen Fan

Pesticides and fertilizers are widely used outdoors and can be tracked inside on the bottoms of our shoes.  One simple way you can prevent these toxins from entering your home is to remove your shoes or use walk-off mats just inside the door.  In fact, LEED for Homes awards one point toward certification to projects that create a dedicated shoe storage area just inside the home.

Beach Style Entry by Lewes Home Builders Lane Builders LLC

Source Removal.  If toxins find their way indoors, find a means to remove them. 

For example, use high quality filters to remove pollutants from the air that circulates through your heating and air conditioning systems.  Clean or replaces the filters regularly.  LEED awards points to project that use high quality HVAC filters that remove very small particles from the air that circulates throughout the home.

Dilution.  Introduce fresh clean air into your home to dilute any pollutants that are circulating in your air.  If the air outside your home is clean, open your windows to bring in fresh air.  If you live in a newly built home with a very tight building envelope, consider installing a mechanical ventilation system - an Energy Recovery Ventilator or a Heat Recovery Ventilator - that exhausts stale air and introduces fresh air into your home.

And, if you’re like my friend and have a recently renovated or new home, consider following the LEED protocols for a Pre-Occupancy Flush.  According to the LEED for Homes Reference Guide, “flushing the house removes VOCs, ureaformaldehyde, and other air pollutants that remain after construction.  These pollutants are mostly caused by off-gassing paints, adhesives, and sealants.  Flushing the home also removes some of the dust and particulates that remain from construction.”  Flush the house with fresh air for at least 48 hours by taking these steps:

·         Open all windows and interior doors (including closets and cabinets)

·         Run all fans (bathroom, kitchen and central air/heat system)

·         Use additional fans to circulate the air within the home

·         Clean or replace all central air/heat system filters at the end of the preoccupancy flush

Regardless of whether your home is LEED certified, you’ll breathe easier knowing you did what you could to improve your indoor air quality.