Successful Green Building Stories

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Successful Green Building Stories
Mark Galey and Kirk Lyman Barner
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Two examples

• The first non-profit to receive EarthCraft
  certification for a rehab in the US was
  completed by volunteers from the Greater Atlanta
  FCH
• A gold rated duplex built by Americus-Sumter FCH
  certified by the National Association of Home
  Builders Research Center Green Building program

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www.earthcraft.org

• Established in 1999 by the Greater Atlanta Home
  Builders Association and Southface, EarthCraft is
  a green building certification program that
  serves Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama,
  South Carolina and North Carolina.
• To date, more than 13,000 EarthCraft homes,
  multifamily units and commercial buildings have
  been certified.
• Homes, businesses and communities certified
  through the EarthCraft program must meet a number
  of criteria that ensure sustainable, efficient
  design and function. Areas of focus include
• Indoor air quality
• Energy efficiency
• Water efficiency
• Resource-efficient design
• Resource-efficient building materials
• Waste management
• Site planning

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This existing house needed some repairs!
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House Dedication and Celebration with Aarons who
donated Energy Star appliances.
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The Elizabeth Street Duplex - Americus
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Our local construction committee designed the
home based on Chuck Daviss needs and monthly
disability income (850/month)
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Permaculture Strategies
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The SIPS Manufacturer Provided Engineer Drawings
from the Floor Plans we Provided
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(No Transcript)
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Features

• Structural Insulated Wall Panels (SIPS) used for
  walls and ceiling which cost about 3,500 more
  for the duplex over traditional framing
• In line on demand gas hot water heater
• Stained concrete floors no carpeting
• Cathedral ceiling allowed for HVAC ductwork to be
  inside the condition space
• Permaculture designing for exterior

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Blower Door Testing
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The factual evidence
49.42 average per month
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 The average bill for other Georgia Power
residential customers during that same period was
113.96 per month, 57 percent more than the
Harris' bill.
For a 30 year savings of 23,234.40 and this was
duplex so we saved both households over 46,000!
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Dick Edwards, Independent Energy Rater
This is a great success story, Edwards said.
What is remarkable is this last year was a very
hot summer, and the outstanding tightness of the
house combined with the outstanding thermal
insulation of the SIP panels did not show a spike
in cooling costs. Based on the initial REM/Rate
software analysis, the energy costs are 20
percent less than originally calculated.
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Lessons Learned

• New Construction
• Keep plans for new construction small keep to
  the minimum square footage
• Consider the long-term ethics of each major
  purchase decision (20 year shingles, 20 year or a
  reflective metal roof)
• Calculate cost of wall and roof systems available
  (SIPS vs. 2x4 vs. 2x6)
• Be mindful of material size units to keep waste
  to a minimum
• Consult with a third party certification program
  to obtain building decision checklists
• Consider orientation and minimize windows on east
  and west side
• If at all possible keep heat and cooling ductwork
  within the building envelope
• Keep the distance between the hot water heaters
  and the appliances at a minimum
• If possible eliminate floor finishes (stained
  concrete is one option)
• Consult with local utility companies for rebates
  and discounts on any Energy Star rated appliances
  or HVAC systems
• Caulk is cheap seal every penetration, the
  bottoms and tops of the walls
• Plan for moisture abatement house wrap and make
  sure no water gets trapped behind window and door
  trim

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• Renovations
• Affordable and Green both need to both be
  considered
• Is the house too big for the homeowner to afford
  to heat and cool?
• Create an air-sealing check list and meet the
  recommended insulation requirements for the
  region
• Storm windows are often a wise and more
  affordable solution instead of replacement
  windows (due to cost saving, lead and asbestos
  issues)
• Blower door tests can measure the effectiveness
  of air sealing and can be used by an energy rater
  to predict utility bills

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http//www.southface.org/default-interior/Document
s/airsealingkeypoints.pdf
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A final thought..

• Construction waste recycling is the separation
  and recycling of recoverable waste materials
  generated during construction and remodeling.
  Packaging, new material scraps and old materials
  and debris all constitute potentially recoverable
  materials. In renovation, appliances, masonry
  materials, doors and windows are recyclable.
• 8,000 lbs of waste are typically thrown into the
  landfill during the construction of a 2,000
  square foot home.
• The most important step for recycling of
  construction waste is on-site separation.

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Look closely at the fish scale gables..
Thad made them out of scraps of cement board
siding. But we didnt have enough for both
houses so we went to New Horizons Habitat for
Humanity and asked for their left over trash
pieces!
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Questions?
www.nahbgreen.org www.earthcraft.org www.southface
.org