Located at Bass Cove on Lake Sammamish, along the West Lake Sammamish Parkway, the Zero Energy Idea House will combine innovative green building products and technologies with inspiring and modern design elements. The Zero Energy House is endorsed by Built Green™, ENERGY STAR® Homes, and the US Dept. of Energy’s Building America program.

In order to achieve net zero energy consumption, the home will generate its own power by use of photo voltaic panels and a wind turbine. The home will also be equipped with an energy monitor that measures and displays energy input and output in real-time.

Specs:

- 1630 square feet of living space
- 2 BR, 2 BA

Features:

- Warmboard radiant heat subfloor
- 1200 square feet of vegetative roof
- photovoltaic solar power generation
- solar hot water
- wind power generation
- SIPs (structural insulated panels)
- non-toxic materials and finishes
- rainwater harvesting system
- vegetated “living wall” privacy screen
- energy efficient windows

The Warmboard hydronic in-floor radiant heating system is described by Mike Lubliner of Washington State University Extension’s Energy Program as the most efficient heating system available. Lubliner’s office manages the Northwest ENERGY STAR® Homes program as well as the US Dept. of Energy’s Building American program, which has adopted the project as a case study.

Computer modeling by Lubliner’s team estimates the home’s total energy bills will come in at less than $500 a year. The WSU specialists will conduct a series of tests to see how well the home performs and will also install a monitoring system to provide real-time reports on energy use.

For more information and updates: http://www.zeroenergyideahouse.com/

1840 N. Leavitt in Chicago, IL is an existing 100 year old multi-unit residential building being converted to a single family residence. The project is seeking Chicago Green Homes and Energy Star certification and is a wonderful example of a large sized home that works to counteract its substantial size with a variety of green measures. Warmboard radiant heat will ensure the occupants are comfortable and warm on those cold Chicago nights.

Specs:

• 9,000 square feet of living space
• 6,000 square feet above grade / 3,000 sqaure feet below grade
• 6 bedrooms
• 5 baths

Features:

• solar thermal used for primary heating source and domestic water heating
• Warmboard radiant heat subfloors
• geothermal cooling system, also backs up the solar thermal heat
• soy-based foam insulation
• triple-pane windows
• green roof, rain garden and rainwater cistern to address stormwater management

On the materials side, existing structural framing members being removed are being re-milled on site for use as exterior cladding, and numerous other recycled-content or certified-wood products will be used.

The firm working on this project is Norsman Architects, a full service architectural practice. Their work avidly explores and experiments with sustainable design and development believing that a sustainable practice and approach can meet the demands of any project and is simply responsible design.

The exhibit home – designed by Michelle Kaufmann Designs™ and built by All American Homes™ - is open May 8 through January 4, 2009. Celebrating exciting new directions in sustainable living and spectacular, environmentally-friendly technology, Smart Home: Green + Wired will offer guests guided tours of the 2,500 square-foot home and grounds, located in a park on the east side of the Museum. Within the home, guests are able to view the latest innovations in reusable resources; smart energy consumption; eco-friendly landscaping; and clean, healthy-living environments in a contemporary setting.

One of the high performance, energy efficient building systems being used is Warmboard Radiant Subfloor.  Warmboard radiant floor heating is utilized as the heat source on the first and second floors of the building because of its contributions to both energy efficiency and healthy, clean Indoor Air Quality. Germs, dust, pollen and mold spores generally associated with forced air systems do not apply to Warmboard radiant heat. Additionally, the high conductivity of the Warmboard radiant panel leads to lower water temperatures, creating greater efficiency that ultimately benefits the environment.

“Smart” technologies are incorporated throughout the home, including a full-home automation system that allows homeowners to control heat, window coverings, lighting, security sensors and cameras. A touch screen will track electricity and water consumption in the home on a real-time basis. The technologies will demonstrate how a home can inspire lifestyle choices and be equipped to save resources while residents are away, as well as keep a home and its occupants protected.

Smart Home: Green + Wired is a must-see exhibit for anyone who wants their home, and life, to be smarter, more efficient and more in tune with the environment than it is today.

Smart Home Exhibit Resource Guide PDF

Links

‘Smart Home’ Exhibit Features Warmboard, Radiant Panel Report, June/08

‘Smart Home’ Shown in Museum, Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 19/08

Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry – Smart Home: Green + Wired Exhibit

Michelle Kaufmann’s Blog

All-American Homes

- Winner of the 2008 National Green Award for Custom Home of the Year (presented by the NAHB)
- Winner of the Green Hammer Award from the Master Builders of King & Snohomish Counties

Dave and Anna Porter decided that they wanted to change their lifestyles to better help the environment in 2004. In 2006 they decided to remodel their home right on the beach.

Warmboard radiant floor heating was installed in order to provide this 100 year old home with energy efficient, environmentally responsible heat. In order to make this project an inspiration and model for others “Going Green at the Beach” was created.

“Going Green at the Beach” aims to set a record by meeting the requirements of all five residential green building certification programs active in this area:
- Built Green™
- ENERGY STAR® Home
- American Lung Association Health House®
- Environments for Living®
- LEED® for Homes

In meeting the requirements of those programs, the “Going Green at the Beach” house will highlight products and systems relating to all aspects of green building. The following is a list of just some of the home’s many green features.

Energy Efficiency
- 1.2 KW photovoltaic solar system
- Geothermal heat
- Warmboard radiant floor heating system
- High efficiency windows
- ENERGY STAR® appliances
- Compact fluorescent lights
- Passive solar
- Spray-foam insulation and air barrier
- Heat recovery ventilator

Water Conservation
- Dual flush toilets
- Low-flow showerheads and faucets
- Rainwater collection system
- Tankless hot water with recirculation system
- Drip irrigation
- Drought-tolerant lanscaping

Reused Materials
- Deconstruction of original structure (80% of material diverted from landfill)
- Salvage and reuse of doors, cabinets, and other items from original structure
- Wine racks made from salvaged decking from original structure

Sustainably Produced and Durable Materials
- FSC certified wood products
- Recycled glass tile
- Cork flooring produced from leftover material from wine cork production
- 50-year siding
- 40-year metal roof
- Locally manufactured materials when possible
- Sustainably produced materials
- Fireplace façade made from local stone

Healthy Indoor Air
- Warmboard radiant heat
- Low VOC paint
- Nontoxic finishes on flooring and cabinetry
- Formaldehyde-free insulation
- Minimal use of adhesives
- Formaldehyde-free cabinets
- Operable windows
- No carpet
- Efficient ventilation
- ENERGY STAR® ventilation fans
- Heat recovery ventilator

Efficient Use of Space
- Modest-sized home on a small lot
- Home rebuilt on footprint of original structure
- Multiple-use rooms
- Built-in bookcases
- Guest retreat
- Universal Design features to allow for use by individuals with disabilities

Low Impact Site Development and Natural Landscaping
- Use of compost for stormwater management
- Jobsite recycling
- Vegetated “green” roof segments for energy and stormwater management
- An “insectory” designed to attract beneficial insects
- Edible landscaping
- Drought tolerant plant selections
- Pervious paving material

Website: http://www.goinggreenatthebeach.com

This will be the first house in Park Meadows which is located adjacent to Hurricane Ridge in Port Angeles. To our knowledge, this is the first exclusively “built green” subdivision to this extent in the area of Port Angeles, Sequim, and Port Townsend. All houses will be built utilizing low impact and sustainable construction techniques.

Specs:

• 1950 square feet of living space
• 11,903 square feet of property
• 3 BR, 2 BA
• 2 car garage

Features:

• 6″ wall SIPs and 8″ roof panel SIPs
• 4KW photovoltaic system and solar hot water
• Warmboard radiant heated subfloors
• Bamboo and ceramic floor coverings in the bathrooms
• Cork floor covering in the kitchen
• Complete EnergyStar appliance package with all CFL or flourescent lighting
• Paperstone countertops (recycled paper and resin) from the Ecohaus in Seattle
• Pervious concrete and walks with native plants and rain gardens to add to stormwater management
• Solar powered exterior path, yard and deck lighting
• Jetted tubs in both bathrooms

The SIPs package (structural insulated panels) was provided by Premier Industries located in Fife, WA. It was assembled in approximately 5 days by a team of 3-5 people.

The roof is made from 85% recycled content and is 100% recyclable with a 50-year transferable warranty. FSC lumber was used for supports and steel studs used for interior framing. The home has fiber and cement siding with a 25-year paint warranty and is outfitted with Sierra Pacific windows made of aluminum clad fir.

The Warmboard radiant heat panels were simple to install and the plans provided were easy to read and follow. Warmboard radiant heat was chosen to be used in this subdivision for its energy efficiency, high product quality, and ease of installation. Eco-Green Builders also liked the controlled zoning flexibility of Warmboard and the structural soundness of the product.

The homes will be healthier than stick built houses for many reasons. There is no potential for mold as there are no air spaces in the walls due to the use of SIPs. Warmboard radiant heat contributes to the clean indoor air quality of the home because germs, dust, pollen and mold spores generally associated with forced air systems do not exist with radiant heat. All paints used are non- or low-VOC and water based interior finishes will be used for the woodwork. No urea formaldehyde is present in any of the wood materials. A whole house air exchanger will be utilized to refresh the air and eleminate the potential for Radon gas.

The energy savings of the home are unknown at this time, but testing will be done upon completion.

For more information:
http://www.ecogbi.com/

The home is being built by the homeowner, as a retirement project, and is anticipated to be completed in December, 2008. The homeowner is experiencing the fulfillment of a life-long aspiration to build his dream home and feels that building with his own hands and collaborating with other talented craftsmen is very satisfying.

Specs:

• 3400 square feet of living space
• 1050 square feet loft space
• Forested acreage

Features:

• Timber frame great room
• Great room views of Mahogany Butte across the Mill Valley creek
• Warmboard Radiant Heated Subfloors
• SIPs used for entire home
• ICFs used in foundation/crawl space
• Hardwood Floors

SIPs (structural insulated panels) will be used for the entire home and the foundation/crawl space is made from ICFs (insulated concrete forms). All ground level flooring is within the ICF to eliminate the typical rim joist heat loss area. The house will be entirely lit with LED and/or CFL lamps.

The heating system will be a geothermal heat pump with a ground loop that will also provide domestic hot water. Warmboard radiant subfloor will heat the home and ensure it is comfortably cozy for any season. The finished floor coverings will be tile and solid hardwood.

The timber frame great room was designed by Noble Builders owner, Chris Errington and fabricated and erected by Chris and Jeff Rounds of Anchorbeam Construction.

Warmboard radiant heat was selected to be installed in the home for 3 basic reasons: 1) the speed of thermal response, 2) the installation speed of subfloor/tubing layout in one step and 3) no limitations on floor covering options.

The homeowner promised his wife the warmest house she’s ever lived in and Warmboard radiant heat will deliver that. He found the one step tubing installation a real benefit stating, “No laying on my back stapling up tubings between floor joists or no pouring concrete in winter weather. I could do all the work myself.”

Homeowner/Builder Quotes:

“Warmboard customer service was excellent.”

“Layout drawings were without flaw.”

“Tubing install was about as easy as it could get.”

“The custom routes required to complete the installation were easy with the templates provided.”

To fully enjoy the beautiful lake and city views each condominium has an in-set private balcony that is sheltered on the sides and from above.  Other features include easy access elevators from underground parking directly to residences, a minimum of two owned and assigned indoor parking stalls, and extensive sound insulation for privacy between floors, ceilings and walls.  

The top three floors that feature Warmboard radiant floor heating are 6,200 sq ft each of luxurious living space.  There is one unit per floor and each contains 4 bedrooms and five bathrooms.  Hardwood finish floors are covering the Warmboard radiant heat in both the kitchen and living areas.  With an average January high temperature of 28º F, staying comfortable and warm during these cold Milwaukee winters is imperative.  Warmboard radiant heating has been optimized for maximum conductivity, which means maximum radiant heat delivered from each drop of heated water.

Other building amenities include concierge service, 24-hour security, temperature-controlled wine cellar and humidor, state-of-the-art fitness center, a business center, and furnished guest suites for family, friends and colleagues when they visit.  Kilbourn Tower is located at the corner of Kilbourn and Prospect Avenues and is a quick 15 minute drive from Milwaukee’s airport. 

For more information: http://www.kilbourntower.com/

December through March brings average high temperatures of 21º F and average lows of 1º F here.  With the cold weather comes beautiful white snow and more than 10,000 lakes of ice to skate on.  Snowshoeing, cross-country and downhill skiing, snowmobiling, and hockey keep Minnesotans busy and warm throughout the winter.

Warmboard radiant heat will be keeping this house warm and cozy throughout the extreme winter months.  Radical temperatures such as these make home heating systems and their energy efficiencies a very important decision when building a new house.  Radiant heat is the most comfortable method of heating as it gently and evenly warms the surfaces of objects in the room. Warmboard radiant floor heating has been optimized for maximum conductivity, which means maximum radiant heat delivered from each drop of heated water.

Warmboard radiant heating also contributes to healthy and clean indoor air quality, while providing superior comfort. Germs, dust, pollen and mold spores generally associated with forced air systems do not apply to Warmboard radiant floor heating. Additionally, the high conductivity of the panel leads to lower water temperatures, creating greater energy efficiency that ultimately benefits the environment.

Lake Minnetonka (meaning “Big Waters” in the native Dakota language), is located twenty miles due West of Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota. Formed by glacial melting following the last Ice Age, Lake Minnetonka is one of the largest lakes in the state, boasting 110 miles of shoreline (officially). Other estimates have placed the figure closer to 350 miles, but any way you slice it, it’s a BIG lake.

In a span of twenty five years, Lake Minnetonka was transformed from a remote outpost into a fashionable tourist destination. 150 years later, Lake Minnetonka remains a favorite playground for thousands of visitors annually. A number of cruise lines still offer tours of the lake, some even operate restored antique boats. There are dozens of beautifully maintained parks and beaches. And special events, exhibits and festivities of all kinds are held throughout the year.