Sealing a home against air leakage is one of the most critical aspects of energy-efficiency. See how our house is sealed to control leakage and how we bring in fresh air.
Twenty for Twenty – Episode Six
Our countertops are completely recycled materials. The Baths are Paperstone, made from 100% office paper waste and the Kitchen is Squak Mountain, made from recycled glass and paper.
Twenty for Twenty – Episode Three
Sustainable includes the site. Location, infill, previous-developed, existing utilities and infrastructure — all contribute to environmental stewardship.
Twenty for Twenty – Episode Two
Here is our second video. LEED. What is it and why do we want to achieve LEED Platinum?
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Twenty for Twenty – Episode One
My architectural firm, Arbor South Architecture, PC, has theSAGE on the Home Builder’s 2009 Tour of Homes. We are doing twenty short videos for the twenty days before the tour, highlighting one sustainable aspect of our home.
Enjoy!
Twenty for Twenty
We will soon be posting twenty second videos of theSAGE and all the sustainable features. Our plan is to do twenty videos for the twenty days before the start of the Home Builder’s Tour on July 25. So, if I figure out my camera work and uploads, we will start Monday the 6th of July!
theSAGE results coming in better than expected!
Eli Volem, from Earth Advantage is doing some of our final checklist items on our way to LEED Platinum. Our blower door test came in at 0.56 ach, which is a third what our April 1 test was and one of the best ratings ever seen by Earth Advantage and EWEB. Woo Hoo!
theEMERALD – Floor Plan
Here’s the plan. You can download a flyer of the whole thing at the link below. This plan will fit on many urban infill sites. Designed to fit on a 60′ x 75′ lot which is what we’ve found is becoming very typical in urban settings. Many lots in the downtown core were originally 60′ x 150′ and newer zoning codes encourage dividing them into 4,500 sq ft 60′ x 75′ lots. The porch would project 3′ into the front yard setback, which is also generally allowed by local zoning codes.
theEMERALD – Front Elevation
Here’s the front elevation of our latest plan: theEMERALD. This series will have a more traditional flavor to blend into existing urban contexts. But theEMERALD will still have sustainability at the forefront of its concept. More to come…
theSAGE Rainwater Collection
We installed the rainwater pipe today. 2′ diameter x 39′ long. Will hold water for our pond and water some of our drought-resistant plants as needed. The gutters drain down the chain to the funnels. Overflow visible at the bottom of the picture. We’ll also have a hand pump for hand watering potted plants.