 
lthough the most widely recognized benefits of green homes are environmental, it is their quality craftsmanship and healthy living environments that are really winning over previous skeptics. They are truly high-performance homes, making them far superior to the average houses on the market. Attention to detail and durable, sustainable materials mean quality construction, energy efficiency and reduced maintenance, as well as consistent temperatures and humidity levels from room to room.
The addition of environmentally sensitive products leads to drastically improved air quality and reduced exposure to mold, mildew and toxins (of great comfort to allergy sufferers). Plus, rapidly advancing technologies have enabled green homes to become chameleons, with the capability to be designed in any style or form, from a modern oceanside condominium to New Urban townhome to cozy mountain retreat.
Even a green home’s cost, which has long been considered a deterrent, can be viewed as a benefit. The key is to learn to view upfront costs as an investment and to consider the home’s “total cost of ownership,” which makes a green home a fantastic value. In many cases a green home costs only a few percentage points more than a traditional home (a decreasing statistic as green becomes mainstream) and additional expenses will literally pay for themselves in lower energy and water bills, tax and insurance credits and reduced repair needs. Furthermore, going green is a valuable way to protect your investment for the future, when green elements will likely become standard on homes.
Whatever the motives, there is no doubt that building green is a responsible investment in your family and environment.
Certifiably Green
There are numerous “shades of green” to build a home, which can make knowing what is and is not green difficult at times. Green building certification programs aim to iron out the grey-green areas by outlining criteria against which potential green homes can be checked. Everything from tree preservation to building products to the home’s performance on a variety of tests is taken into consideration, and points are awarded for each component that is met. The following are the most notable programs in the Carolinas:
LEED for Homes: The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Rating System (or LEED for short) is perhaps the most widely recognized standard for building green. A new LEED for Homes program will publicly launch in late 2007. A home can qualify for one of four levels of certification (Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum).
EarthCraft HouseTM:
EarthCraft, a well-established residential green home rating system, actually served as the model for the new LEED program. It was developed by the Southface Energy Institute and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.
ENERGY STAR®: In addition to rating the efficiency of individual appliances and products, ENERGY STAR also affixes its blue star of approval on homes that meet efficiency guidelines as prescribed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Healthy Built: Across the country there are numerous localized green building certification programs. One example in the Carolinas is the North Carolina HealthyBuilt Homes Program.
back to beginning of this page
A Home for Everyone
Not everyone who wants a green home realizes it at first. Those searching for a quality, high-performance home often are surprised to discover that their ideal home is actually green, making its environmental and health benefits the “icing on the cake.”
When Brent and Dee Dee Sleight were planning a move from Macon, Georgia, to Asheville, N.C., finding a green home was not foremost on their mind. They made several visits to the area in search of the perfect home for their family of four. The gorgeous scenery and plethora of outdoor activities were instantly appealing, as were the good school and health systems. Eventually their appreciation for the outdoors guided them to settle on The Ramble, an environmentally-minded community located on land that once belonged to George W. Vanderbilt, the famed owner of the Biltmore House.
Vanderbilt’s interests in forestry, conservation and agriculture are honored by the thoughtful design of The Ramble. When a raindrop study of the land revealed that a golf course would inhibit the water flow, one wasn’t included, and to encourage homeowners to go green, the community has a standing offer to pay all necessary registration fees for homeowners who pursue HealthyBuilt Home certification. The Sleight’s home, like many of their neighbors, has been awarded this designation.
Nestled in the trees with a charming, French Provencial exterior, there were no obvious green signs giving away the home’s true colors. Besides its aesthetic appeal, Dr. and Mrs. Sleight were attracted to the new home by its quality construction and minimal maintenance requirements, which made it a great value. “At the time, we didn’t realize that all of the details our builder was pointing out were green,” remembers Mrs. Sleight, “but we appreciated the high quality and performance.”
Their builder, Brian Monroe of PebbleDash Builders, has been trained by HealthyBuilt and has many green homes going up in the Asheville area. “As a company, we just feel that it should be standard,” he says of green building. “I think that a big component of building green is high performance systems, which is also a sign of quality construction.”
As first-time green homeowners, the Sleight family is learning about their home’s superior performance and is enjoying its numerous comfort and health benefits. “The air quality is wonderful,” says Dr. Sleight. “There are very consistent temperatures – the upstairs and downstairs floors are very comfortable, which hasn’t been the case in many of our other homes. Even the attic is cool in the middle of the day, thanks to all of the insulation.”
Mrs. Sleight agrees. “Buying a green home was not a compromise,” she insists, referring to whether she felt limited by the home’s green qualities; “we feel like it is a luxury to have these things.”
As a physician, however, Dr. Sleight is able to see beyond simply the advantages of a green home that his family enjoys, acknowledging the benefits that it extends to the home building industry. Everyone from the manufacturers to the construction workers to their families they go home to each night benefits from healthy, green products and building practices. “It’s a ripple effect,” says Dr. Sleight. It’s just another reason why building a green home is such a socially-responsible thing to do.
back to beginning of this page
Green Renovation
Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Building green is not limited to new construction – it’s ideal for home renovation projects, too (besides, you can’t get more green than “recycling” an older home).
A team of talented professionals from Spartanburg, S.C., offers an ideal example of how you can breathe new, green life into an older home. Jason Head and Litia Wellmon of JL Design Builders & Renovations, Beth Harley of H2R Interiors and Nancy Riehle of Keller Williams Realty gathered to incorporate Z-ecoscapes, a joint venture between their companies, with the aim to build luxurious, energy-efficient green homes. Their collaboration is a welcome sign that members of the residential building community are beginning to work together to make green homes more attainable for interested homeowners.
For their inaugural project, the EarthCraft-trained group tackled the renovation of a 1920s bungalow in the historic Converse Heights neighborhood of Spartanburg. In the spring of 2007, they unveiled the luxurious, energy-efficient, high-performance home.
And what does a renovated green home look like?
“Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful!” says team member Nancy Riehle. “When people look at the home, they are drawn by what a beautiful home it is even before they know it’s green.”
Ms. Riehle’s testament speaks to the fact that a modern day green home doesn’t have to be, well ... modern. New homes can be designed in any style and renovation projects can maintain historical beauty and integrity. The Converse Heights renovation, for example, preserved its Arts and Crafts style and charm.
Other than being fairly committed to a home’s original design style, there are few other disadvantages of green renovation, although being locked into the home’s orientation on its homesite is sometimes a problem. The green ideal is to orient your home to true south to take advantage of the sun’s natural path across the sky, but many older homes were not designed this way.
Fortunately, the Converse Heights home already had many other eco-friendly components to work from, including porches, high ceilings and window locations that take advantage of cross-ventilation. The home’s footprint on its homesite was also preserved, despite doubling its square-footage, growing from two bedrooms and one bath, to four bedrooms with three full baths and two half-baths.
With the added space came many other wonderful upgrades and a luxurious new look. The Arts and Crafts style is carried throughout the house, with clean lines and bead-board style doors, cabinetry and wainscoting.
The numerous green features blend in seamlessly, starting with eye-catching bamboo flooring. “Everyone just oohed and ahhed over them,” says Ms. Riehle. “We laid them in three-quarter inch boards and they really are lovely.” Since bamboo is a highly renewable resource, it’s a great green option. Another green floor that was utilized was carpeting that was laid in squares that require no additional adhesive. After the first glass of wine goes tumbling, homeowners will appreciate the fact that they can easily recycle and replace just one or two carpet squares, rather than a large section.
In the kitchen and bathrooms, concrete countertops “surpassed all expectations,” says Ms. Riehle. Composed of recycled materials, the concrete medium can be mixed in a variety of colors – a sea foam color coordinated with the bathroom and a darker shade was used in the kitchen to contrast with the maple cabinetry. Plus, it is resistant to stain and can be formed in any custom shape. Stainless steel, ENERGY STAR Bosch appliances add further efficiency to the kitchen.
Other green elements are even more difficult to detect. A tankless water heater instantaneously heats water as needed, reducing energy waste, as does superb insulation that nearly eliminates uncontrolled air leakage, allowing for smaller air conditioning and heating units. In fact, the home is so tightly insulated that during its open house in June, with more than 250 people in attendance, “We didn’t even have to turn on the air conditioning!” exclaims Ms. Riehle. Now that is impressive.
As the seasons progress, however, and the HVAC system does need to be turned on, Ms. Riele explains that the home should benefit from drastically-reduced utility bills. The entire home should be able to be heated and cooled for only approximately 2 cents per sq. ft., while an average home of its size would cost about 20 cents per sq. ft. to accomplish the same comfort.
The biggest testament, though, came from the Converse Heights neighborhood. “They loved it!” exclaims Ms. Riehle. “Neighbors were very curious, plodding around and asking questions to learn what they could do with their own homes. They really offered tremendous support.”
Perhaps one of the simplest green renovation projects to take to your own home is a new coat of low VOC-paint, meaning it releases little to zero volatile organic compounds. This new, “greener” paint can be applied right over an existing wall and covers as well as traditional paints. In fact, the painters working on the renovation didn’t even realize the difference. . . although they were quite excited about the product’s noticeable lack of toxic-smelling fumes (a prime example of workers benefiting from green homes). Now that’s a fresh way of thinking.
back to beginning of this page
The Big Picture
Today, when planning your new green home, it’s important to think outside the box, beyond your supremely insulated walls. If you truly want to honor your green home, consider building it within an environmentally conscious, sustainable community. There are many across the Carolinas, and prime examples are The Cliffs Communities – all six of them – located in the foothills of North and South Carolina.
For nearly 20 years, The Cliffs has been committed to conserving and preserving the idyllic, breathtaking scenery that its residents are lucky enough to call home. Being environmentally responsible “is part of our DNA – it’s our culture and has been with us since Day One,” insists Rick Hayduk, vice president of hospitality for The Cliffs.
Living in a community like The Cliffs enables homeowners to feel as though they are truly part of a community where the community planners and residents are in harmony, all working towards the same goals.
“We consider it a little slice of heaven,” says Sandra White. She and her husband, Ron, have been multiple property owners at The Cliffs for more than 14 years. The couple splits their time between The Cliffs and their home in Columbia, S.C. They’ve always been interested in the environment and living a healthy lifestyle, which makes The Cliffs a perfect fit.
But The Cliffs isn’t stopping with simply conserving habitats and reducing carbon footprints. In the spring of 2005, The Cliffs launched The Cliffs Organic Farm, which today spans four acres and provides over 100 varieties of all-natural, pesticide-free fruits and vegetables, all of which are consumed within the communities. The organic food is used by the chefs in all of The Cliffs’ dining venues and is also offered for sale at gourmet markets within the communities, including a Saturday Market held at the farm.
“It’s not unusual to see one of our chefs down in the farm, working alongside the farmers,” says Mr. Hayduk, “and each fall the executive chefs gather to help outline the plantings for the year. It gives our chefs the opportunity to know where their produce is coming from and how it’s being grown, and they are able to pick it at the peak of taste.”
Then, daily menus are written according to what is available from the farm. Consequently, the top-selling dish on every menu is The Cliffs’ Farm Fresh Salad. “It’s just amazing how tasty a salad can be,” attests Mrs. White. “You don’t even need dressing because the vegetables are so wonderful.”
All other produce that the kitchens require is outsourced from organic farms, all from within 100 miles, if possible. The farm also harvests plants and flowers that are used in the displays in all of the wellness centers and clubhouses.
The Whites have taken The Cliffs’ environmentally-responsible message to heart. When they decided to move forward with constructing a new home at The Cliffs, they had already decided to make it green. After doing plenty of research on their own (“I read everything I could get my hands on!” says Mrs. White), and purchasing property in The Cliffs at Mountain Park, they then took their plans straight to their community representatives. The Cliffs referred the Whites to Scott Johnston, of Johnston Design Group in Greenville, S.C., and following their first meeting the Whites knew Mr. Johnston would prove to be a great asset. When construction is complete, Mr. and Mrs. White will be the proud owners of a nationally certified green home – they are aiming for Platinum, the highest LEED for Homes classification. “We are flattered that The Cliffs have asked that our home be a showcase home as part of their green initiative,” says Mr. White, “and we are optimistic The Cliffs representatives will help us make this project a success for us all.”
But, to truly honor the sustainable community they call home, the Whites are also aiming to be accredited by the National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat Program. They will be careful to disturb as little of the landscape as possible during construction, will be conscious of planting varieties and will eliminate pesticides and chemicals from their yard. A zinc roof on their home will also be beneficial. “The rain runoff is completely safe for the land because zinc is a natural mineral,” explains Mrs. White. “A cistern will collect the runoff and will be used to irrigate the property.”
For the Whites, their environment and health-conscious lifestyle just makes sense, and their green home at The Cliffs will be an ideal testament to their convictions. “It’s about building a quality home with quality materials,” says Mrs. White. “It’s all about choices, and we really like the choices we’ve made.
It’s perfect for us.”
more about sustainable communtities
back to beginning of this page
Green Home Benefits
• Reduced Environmental Impact
• Lower Utility & Water Bills
• Heightened Comfort –
Consistent Temperatures
• Healthier – Improved Air Quality, Less Mold & Fewer VOC Toxins
• Heightened Durability –
Reduced Maintenance
• Design Flexibility
Get Involved!
Do you know of a community or idea home that should be included on our Carolina GreenHome Tour™?
Are you interested in becoming involved in our expanding Green Programs, either editorially or as an advertiser?
Please email Kristen Fischer at kfischer@carolinaliving.com
more about Going Green
back to beginning of this page
|
