Archive for the ‘Interior Design’ Category
June 24th, 2008
Green Condos Coming to a City Near You
Do you long to live in an attractive green home with the latest and greatest in green building technologies, but know you can’t afford to build one? Then you and I have something in common.
But do you know about all the amazing green condo developments cropping up across the country? There are gorgeous, cutting-edge eco-friendly condos available or being built now in cities all around the U.S. We can’t possibly cover them all in this post, but we’ve selected a good sample. I will cover green condos in the West next week. Read on to find what might become your dream green home!
In Chicago, eco18 is an interesting development currently underway. Located in Chicago’s South Loop area, it provides access to plenty of public transportation options and also green spaces. eco18 is striving to attain a Gold Certification under the LEED program of the US Green Building Council. This is a lofty goal and we hope they make it! Their plans include a massive green roof, solar water heating, geothermal heating and cooling, rainwater reuse, energy-efficient lighting and much more. You can get a 1 bedroom/1 bath unit for around $285,000 or a 2 bedroom/2 bath unit for about $430,000. Learn more about eco18 here.
In New York there are many outstanding green condo developments. One I particularly like is the Kalahari in Harlem. The Kalahari’s distinctive facade design is modeled on motifs from the San Bushman of Southern Africa. The building was designed and built to the US Green Building Council’s LEED Silver Standards with the goal of limiting the building’s impact on the environment while still providing luxurious and modern living options. The building features 25% renewable energy sources (solar and wind), stainless Energy Star appliances, air filters for good indoor air quality, bamboo flooring, native landscaping and (we love this!) an on-site Zip Car service for residents. Learn more about Kalahari here.
Other green condos in the New York area worth checking out are Greenbelt in Brooklyn, The Lucida, and the Williamsburg Edge.
In New England, there are several great options. The Villages at Brookside are lovely Cape Code-style townhomes. (Shown at right.) Homeowner benefits associated with these LEED-certified homes include lower utility bills through energy and water conservation, reduced carbon footprints due to lower greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality for occupants. The Macallen Building Condominiums in Boston are another exciting green option. In Vermont you’ll find the snowy, sustainable get-away of Spruce Creek at Stowe. Spruce Creak says of its environmental commitment: “Stewardship of the land is a Vermont tradition that has guided Spruce Peak at Stowe since its very beginning…From recycling to the protection of bear habitats, plumbing to wetlands protection, nothing has been overlooked.”
The Southern United States has some wonderful green condos cropping up– in Atlanta, Nashville, Chapel Hill, and several other cities. In Chapel Hill, East 54 will be a new urban eco-village. The project is currently being developed and it is a participant in the US Green Building Council’s Neighborhood Development pilot program. Incorporating sustainable site development measures, water and energy conservation, materials re-use, and indoor environmental features, East 54 plans to achieve or exceed a Silver LEED Certification. Learn more about East 54 here. And to learn about the Terrazzo project in Nashville, click here. To learn about the Brookwood in Atlanta, click here.
Please tune in next week when we cover green condos in the West!
To find green real estate for sale across the US., please click here.
To find real estate agents specializing in buying and selling green homes, click here.
June 12th, 2008
Green Prefab: Everyone’s Going Modular
It seems everyone is “going modular” these days with the rapid growth in the movement of green prefab design and construction. The buzz in modular construction is causing a rush of new designs, innovative products, and advanced modular systems being introduced. The goal of prefab is still the same as minimizing waste while maximizing efficiency. To learn more about prefab design and what makes it a compelling form of green building, please click here.
No longer are the days when just calling yourself a prefab company is considered environmentally progressive. Homes are now being made from materials like reused shipping containers, recycled steel, and certified sustainably-harvested wood. The new challenge for prefab companies is balancing the economics of innovative sustainable design with the realities of construction and raw material costs.
We want to highlight some companies doing some very interesting work in the prefab space.
Envision Prefab shows their commitment to the environment by attempting to maintain a zero carbon footprint in both manufacturing and production of their models. Their e-House reuses shipping containers transformed into seamless interior spaces, while including a laundry list of green systems such as tankless water heaters, solar panels, and LED lighting.
Eco-Steel Homes focuses on streamlined design and their homes use 76% recycled steel sourced from recycled vehicles, appliances and industrial scrap metal. They encourage us all to “start dreaming in steel.” Their models use no wood, making them mold and insect resistant, and come pre-engineered and pre-insulated making them ultra-efficient. You can combine different modules to create your dream (metal) home.
In sharp contrast to these visions of ultra-modern prefab, look at these warm, rustic homes from International Homes of Cedar. Their homes carry an impressive insulative value using interlocking layers of construction lumber from sustained yield second growth forests. Cedar is an extremely durable wood and one of the best choices for construction due to its moisture resistance, pest resistance, and thermal resistance.
Prefab structures don’t always have to be an entire home. With gas prices soaring, why drive to the office when you can set up a modern working space right in your backyard? Start small and own a prefab home office or even a prefab garage. Modern Shed designs are colorful, fun, and utilize green materials in both the interior and exterior finishes and options for their prefab structures. For example you can choose insulation made from recycled denim, cork flooring, recycled decking and more. Modules start as small as 8’ x 10’ sheds for under $5,000 and go up to 1,200sf dwellings. The sheds are ideal for home office space, artist’s gallery, machinery work space, or even a child’s playhouse.
Envision Solar sees the garage as an opportunity to have not only a prefab structure, but having it powered by energy from the sun! The Lifeport garage (23’ x 23’) or its smaller counterpart the LifePod solar structure (10’ x 12’) allow homeowners to own cost-effective and attractive shade structures to protect their cars or serve as a pool house that will pay for itself over time. The entire roof structure is covered in solar panels and will not only power your garage, charge your vehicles, and can also contribute to offsetting the electricity use for your house. The modules are easy to construct and actually give back to the environment rather than taking away.
Lastly, maybe you just can’t get to the gym but would rather have a workout room like the Nomad Yurt by EcoShack? This yurt can be used as an outdoor luxurious portable room for yoga class or as an office. Kids would love it as a play-space as well. Think “outside the house” and maybe you will come up with a use of your own.
Click here to see still more examples of top-notch companies doing work in the green prefab sector.
We hope you have enjoyed our modular outburst of new ideas. Personally I am still waiting for someone to come up with a Biomimicry-inspired prefab structure. Until that happens, we can all feel good about the progress that prefab is making and will look forward to new innovations and technologies.
June 6th, 2008
Red Hot and Green: Finds at Dwell on Design
I just got back from the Dwell on Design exhibit hall at the Los Angeles Convention Center and I am pumped! (Did I just say that? Wow.) Seriously, I had an outstanding time. It’s official: design and sustainability are all one big delicious stew now, and you can get your own spoon and taste it at the Dwell event. It’s going on all weekend– learn more here.
Here are some of the favorite things I spied with my green eye:
FOODMAP– This great company makes rollable planters for your edible organic gardening needs. They are made of recycled plastic and recycled steel. They have rollers so you can move them inside, outside, and around your garden. They come in adult height and kid height (what better way to get your kids into organic gardening than giving them their own mobile garden!??). I’m so loving these.
LifePort from Envision Solar — These folks are based in San Diego and they are making solar-powered modular structures. They have a product called the LifePort, which is a fully integrated photovoltaic solar carport for residential and light commercial use. They also make modular solar-powered rooms, called LifePods. These would be excellent if you wanted to put an office or a guest room in your backyard and have it off the grid. I can’t do justice to the photos here– go to their site and check them out. Worth your time!
Modwalls– This is a wonderful company that makes amazingly beautiful tiles and other flooring/wall materials. They have cork tiles (yes that’s cork in that photo to the right!), a new bamboo flooring material (it’s really green and rough looking–so cool), and they are coming out with a whole new line of recycled glass tiles. They feel great to the touch and the colors are thrilling. They even told me they are soon releasing tile grout made principally from recycled glass. Even their grout will soon be eco-smart!
Storvino– These are slick, modular wine storage cases made of 100% recycled plastic. You can stack them vertically for a small unit, or you can make them into a whole Wall of Wine. Why buy (or want to buy) those expensive wood wine storage wall units when you can get them out of recycled plastic? They come in various colors, too, if you don’t like this red version.
Go to the show if you can, folks– it’s a treat!
May 31st, 2008
Green Kitchens on a Budget
Written by Joel Bittle, courtesy of GreenBuildingElements.com
Remodeling a kitchen is an expensive process, and those who seek environmentally friendly products but are operating under a tight budget may feel they can’t afford to go green. Fortunately, the opposite is true. While there are many excellent choices for those for whom money is no object, some lesser known and much less expensive options offer the same environmental benefits. With a little knowledge and research, remodeling green can be easy and within your budget.
When seeking green kitchen cabinets, countertops, and flooring, the three areas to consider are materials, emissions, and whether it is a regional product. Each of these can have environmental advantages, and while finding products that qualify in multiple areas is certainly possible, some seek a kitchen with all recycled products or one with the minimum of harmful emissions. It is up to you to determine which area of green is most important to you.
Cabinets
Your cabinets will be the toughest part of your kitchen to bring under budget, as Forest Sustainability Council certified wood cabinets - or those made from recycled wood particle board - can get expensive. You can seek out local custom cabinet makers who use water based glues and adhesives (to limit the amount of harmful formaldehyde,) but chances are they will come at a premium. An affordable option can be found among the members of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s Environmental Stewardship Program. An article on the program, including a list of companies, can be found here. Cabinet makers in the program lower the environmental impact of their products through their manufacturing process, often with dramatic results. They are encouraged to lower the formaldehyde level of their cabinets, but you will have to do a little research to find if the KCMA-ESP cabinets offered at your local kitchen and bath dealer are lower emitting cabinets. Some companies in the program, like Kitchen Kompact, offer only a limited selection of styles and colors, but are some of the least expensive cabinets on the market.
* Editor’s note– to learn more about eco-friendly cabinet options, click here. To find green cabinetmakers near you, click here.
Countertops
Easily the least expensive green countertop available is a recycled particle board laminate countertop, sealed with a water-based glue. Countertop fabricators are only now starting to realize the demand for these, as green builders love the combination of no emissions, recycled product, and very low price tag. They should price out at about a quarter of the cost of other, more popular green countertops. A growing number of recycled particle board manufacturers, like SkyBlend, Vesta, and Boise Evergreen, are popping up to fill the demand. For more information on green countertops, click here.
* Editor’s note — to find more sources of eco-friendly countertops, click here.
Flooring
You can’t beat linoleum for its combination of low cost and high environmental benefits. Linoleum is made from linseed oil, which is a renewable resource, and is hypoallergenic. It’s easy to keep clean and has evolved into cool looking patterns. When purchasing your linoleum, make sure it is true linoleum and not a “linoleum-like” polyvinyl flooring, which isn’t made from linseed oil and may contain higher quantities of semi-toxic flame retardant.
* Editor’s note– to find more sources of eco-friendly flooring, click here.
Plumbing
When it comes to plumbing, just keep it simple. You can get an inexpensive stainless steel drop-in sink and be comforted by the fact that all stainless steel made today contains at least 50% and up to 80% recycled steel. If you are so inclined, many faucets can be fit with an inexpensive aerator that cuts water usage.
Appliances
Always seek the ENERGY STAR rating on your appliances. To save money, you can limit the bells and whistles on your appliances but still keep the energy savings. Many are now using an inexpensive device that turns off all appliances with one switch, further reducing energy usage. You can also wire overhead lights to their own switches so you can only turn on the lights you need, rather than all of them every time.
* Editor’s note– to find Energy Star appliances, click here.
Miscellaneous
If you are going to splurge on one area, get a vent that vents to the outside. This will greatly increase your indoor air quality. Many tile companies offer beautiful and inexpensive recycled glass tile, or, if you are artistic, create your own tile backsplash with a random collection of tile pieces and close-out tile.
If you are determined to remodel green, don’t let budget constraints get in your way. The products you want are out there and in your budget. It may take a little detective work on your part to find them all, but that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?
Image courtesy of Bencogee via stock.xchng
May 22nd, 2008
Dwell on Design– A Must-Go + IT’S FREE
If you do not already have it marked on your calendar, please plan to attend the 3rd annual Dwell on Design event in LA June 5-8. The event is a multi-faceted gem– it includes a loaded conference, exhibition hall and even home tours. The entire offering focuses on the fusion of good design and a very healthy serving of sustainability.
The Conference is designed and manged by the editors of Dwell, and includes talks by Eric Garcetti (LA City Council President), Andy Lipkis (Tree People founder), Fritz Haeg (Edible Estates and Gardenlab founder). Many of our favorite companies will be exhibiting there– pieceHomes, Kirei, EcoShack– as well as many more we’re eager to check out.
AND, courtesy of our friends at Dwell, YOU can get in for free! When you register here, use the code BDODEC to get free addmission.
We’ll see you there!
May 20th, 2008
LEED Version 3 Is Coming
Written by Philip Proefrock, courtesy of GreenBuildingElements.com
Since 2000, the U.S. Green Building Council has been transforming the built environment through the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. If you’re at all paying attention to green buildings, you are well aware of LEED. There are now over 10,000 projects, representing over 3.5 billion square feet of buildings, that have been registered with LEED. And today, a new draft version of LEED becomes available for public comment. You can see the draft here.
The new draft version will be LEED version 3, and will be the next step in the LEED program. Rather than another incremental improvement in the existing LEED, the new version promises to take new steps in order to advance and improve upon the already successful program. LEED version 3 is intended to ” strike the optimal balance between market uptake and technical advancement.” The building industry has already begun moving in a new direction, and the pressure that LEED has applied has certainly been a factor in that. For instance, many more building products incorporate recycled materials (and their manufacturers broadly advertise that fact as well). In some instances, that is used to obtain points in the LEED rating system. But whether a building is registered with LEED or not, the benefit of those improved products applies to all buildings across the board.
An outline of the major changes being incorporated in the new system was provided in advance by USGBC and includes four major points:
Alignment of Prerequisites and Credits
There are now many different flavors of LEED, with special rating systems for schools, hospitals, and other niches in addition to the basic LEED-NC for new construction. The credits for different specialties are now coordinated and unified. This makes it easier for building designers and does not require separate analysis of the building depending on its particular sub-specialty.
Predictable Development Cycle
For many years, building codes have been regularly reviewed, updated, and re-issued in order to continue to advance the industry and to respond to best practices in construction as well as accommodating new advances in building technology. Architects and builders are accustomed to the three year cycle for building codes that has been in place for many years. And, while LEED is not a building code, it too needs to be updated and improved on a regular basis. This revision should begin a regular schedule of evaluation and improvement, so that LEED continues to represent leadership in green buildings.
Transparent Weighting of Credits
Different credits are now going to be given different points “so that a given credit’s point value more accurately reflects its potential to either mitigate the negative or promote positive environmental impacts of a building.” This should help offset the criticism that “a bike rack is worth as much as the whole building mechanical system.” The truth of the matter is not as simple as that, but the new system should make that less of an issue, and help improve the overall rating of buildings and make it more meaningful.
Regionalization
One point that many green builders have stressed is that different regions have different needs as far as the building performance. LEED recognizes the use of regional materials, but has not given different weight to credits based on regional needs and priorities. Water use reduction is far more crucial in other parts of the country than they are in the upper midwest, where I work. The new system will give more credit for those measures that are most beneficial to their regions, and adopt less of a one-size-fits-all mentality.
There will still be generalizations within the LEED system. Green building is far more than a single checklist, but LEED has proven to be a powerful tool for promoting green building. Once the draft version is out and discussion is underway, we will aim to bring you more information about the new version of LEED.
