GreenBuild Project
The Story
Two LEED Platinum homes built side-by-side with identical design and HVAC systems – but two different building envelopes – one with wood framing and one with ICFs. This blog will follow the story of this development.
- Two Affordable LEED Homes to be Built for Greenbuild August 11, 2010 Jason
Habitat for Humanity Lake County has teamed up with USGBC and Bank of America to build two LEED Platinum homes side-by-side as part of the Greenbuild 2010. The homes will offer a miniature regional green building case study in occupancy costs down the road for two construction types.
Both homes will have the same floor plan and appearance but will be built using two different construction methods. The Greenbuild Legacy Home project will feature state of the art ICF and panelized construction, while the second home, targeted for 75% competition by Greenbuild, will be built using conventional stick construction as an opportunity for Greenbuild attendees to view its construction process. Currently both homes are aiming to achieve LEED for Homes Platinum certification. Construction cost data and performance will be tracked and published for both homes once both are complete. USGBC’s commitment to affordable green housing extends beyond Greenbuild, as fully 40% of the homes in the LEED for Homes program are affordable.
The Alliance for Environmental Sustainability will serve as the LEED for Homes Provider on the project. Learn more about this affordable housing project by viewing the full article at Real Estate Rama.
Wood frame home on left, ICF home on right
- Greenbuild Legacy Project uses LEED for Homes September 17, 2010 Laureen Blissard
The Greenbuild Legacy project is using one of USGBC’s latest additions to the LEED product line-up. This overview is for those of you not familiar with the LEED for Homes program.
In January of 2008, LEED for Homes officially became an active rating system for the residential market. Its introduction offered an opportunity for single family, multi-family, and low-rise housing to be considered for LEED certification. At this time, only new construction and major gut-rehab projects are eligible for the program.
Since its introduction, over 25,000 homes have registered and 6,300 have been certified. This compares to about 20,000 registered and 5,000 certified projects for all of the other commercial LEED products combined. USGBC, recognizing that the volume would be greater for the LEED for Homes program, has instituted a different process and delivery method for LEED for Homes. The first difference is noticeable within the composition of the project team and documentation requirements. A LEED AP must be credentialed as LEED AP Homes to count as part of the team since the rating system is extremely specialized. Additionally, while a LEED AP Homes involvement is optional, a Provider and a Green Rater are required on every LEED for Homes project and need to be involved from the very beginning.
Essentially, the Provider serves in the role of quality assurance and is the field administrator for the program. Projects are submitted at least twice to the Provider, first for design review with registration approval and then final certification. Green Raters are also trained and managed by the Provider and serve in the role of the third party verification entity, much like a commissioning agent for commercial versions of LEED. The documentation process is also streamlined. Only the project checklists, durability documentation, and accountability forms are submitted for certification. All other documentation provided by the project team is verified by the Green Rater and typically is either code required or is already provided by builders committed to market differentiation.
The next difference appears within the LEED for Homes program itself. Each of the familiar credit categories from other LEED ratings systems makes an appearance, with the addition of Locations & Linkages and Awareness & Education. Also, the Innovation & Design credit is recognized as a true credit category because it includes solar orientation design, durability planning, point recognition for an integrated team, and prerequisites. Additionally, the Materials & Resources category has a new twist. Instead of recognizing materials as a percentage of a project’s overall material costs, LEED for Homes awards project points for each building component (e.g. interior framing, flooring, doors, etc.) constructed with Environmentally Preferred Products (EPP).
The program differences do not stop there. Overall, LEED for Homes has 18 prerequisites, 136 total available points, and two paths of compliance for water efficiency, energy, and indoor environmental quality. The two paths are prescriptive and performance. The prescriptive path outlines exact measures that must be implemented to comply with the credit intent. The performance path allows the team to be more flexible with their design strategies and leaves open the opportunity to introduce ideas that normally would not comply with the prescriptive path.
Unfortunately there isn’t time to go into more detail but hopefully your interest has increased in learning more about LEED for Homes. Your chapter Residential Green Building Committee is constantly working to bring more education programs to your area including 300 and 400 level implementation that can be used regardless of the residential rating system you choose. They are also developing a course that will help you green your existing home. If you’d like more information, please consider the USGBC-Illinois chapter as your resource for residential green building education.
- Legacy/Habitat Homes Counter tops October 8, 2010 Vicki Aleck Gumbiner
Can you be environmentally aware, considerate of Life Cycle Impact, cost conscious, and still have beautiful counter tops in your home or commercial building? Yes!
Habitat for Humanity Lake County is using an exciting new cement counter top product in the Waukegan homes being built for Greenbuild 2010.
i Counter has the versatility of both indoor and outdoor use. This application will be for the kitchen counters and bath vanity counter. A chameleon type product it can look like whatever you choose. Have a hankering for exotic granite you saw in an expensive hotel? Or do you like white marble but not the upkeep? What about your company’s logo embedded in the reception counter? You can achieve virtually any look you can image.
The Habitat Homes are new construction, but the core strength of the i Coat Cement Product is in its ‘resurfacing system’.I Counter can be applied directly over existing counter top materials such as tile, Formica or other solid surfaces. You are not removing your existing counter top. You are not putting it in the landfill. You are reducing waste. You are reusing existing countertop.
But this is a kitchen, so what are the factual merits of i Counter?
- Its durability rivals or exceeds the durability of most naturally occurring or synthetic countertop materials with compression strength of 900psi, three times harder than standard concrete.
- i Counter is FDA & USDA Food Approved. Its seamless and non-porous surface reduces the potential of food contamination without routine resealing. It is impervious to moisture and contains no known carcinogens.
- It is capable of withstanding heat to 500 F
- It maintains its installed beauty with only standard cleaning routines and an occasional wipe down with a material like Windex.
- Low weight construction eliminates the need for special support generally required for granite, quartz and Corian countertop materials.
- Pricing starts at $40.00 psf ranging from basic granite to an exotic stone or a metallic urban look.
I Counter, with minimal material creates great strength and beauty. We hope you can visit the Habitat homes and see this product first hand.
More information about the I Coat products can be found at icoatproducts.com
The Chicago land distributor is www.artesahomevisions.com
Vicki Aleck Gumbiner is an Interiors Artist at www.artisticwallfinishes.net a consulting company for sustainable interior product from floors to cabinetry. She has shared in the procurement of the flooring, counter tops and cabinets for the Greenbuild Legacy Home Project.
- Greenbuild Affordable Homes Tour: 11/20 October 21, 2010 Jason
Affordable and Green: Greenbuild Legacy Home Project
November 20, 2010
8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Early: Member $45/Non-Member $45
Regular: Member $65/Non-Member $65Organizations like Habitat for Humanity have been successful in providing affordable housing to families they determine can handle the financial and maintenance obligations of the new homes they build. The anticipated energy and maintenance costs of ownership figure prominently in qualifying potential future homeowners. This project is designed to demonstrate, through the cooperative effort of various local consultants, product manufacturers, and volunteers, the idea of next-generation affordable housing. The combination of durable, long-lasting, sustainable materials will provide a safe, secure and efficient living environment that will substantially reduce maintenance and energy-related operation costs for the designated Habitat for Humanity family. Through this redefining of best practices for affordable housing, more families can be qualified for homeownership through the benefits of reduced ownership costs.
Register under “Green Building Tours” at the official Greenbuild Registration Page.
