Episodes
Reflecting on the Journey
"It all started with a single straw bale and became a great and challenging undertaking."
— Building Green host Kevin Contreras
The process started off slowly due to limited information resources and understanding about green building. But once Kevin was able to convince his building partner Jay Hanseth that a straw bale home was a good idea, they were finally rolling.
Architect Larry Graves embraced the idea and incorporated all of Kevin's green goals into the plans, and foreman Michael Gordon joined with enthusiasm. The team devoured every manual and book on green building they could get their hands on, and they spoke with every expert they could find.
Once they got through the approval process, the building began with deconstruction of the previous house, taking care to reuse, sell, or donate as much of the previous structure's materials as possible. They reoriented the house to optimize the sun's energy in the winter and keep the heat out in the summer.
The house incorporated concrete floors with a high concentration of fly ash, radiant floor heating, a steel frame to house the straw bales, earthen plasters to cover the bales, reclaimed wood for doors, closets, windows and floors, solar panels, a home automation system, a grey water system, and much much more!
Living Green
After spending so much time and effort trying to build green, Kevin realizes that it only makes sense to learn how to "live green" as well. He invites health expert Sloan Barnett of Shaklee to his home, where she shows him how natural cleaning products can help avoid bringing unhealthy chemicals into the home, reduce the amount of water that is shipped around the world in undiluted cleaning products, yet still clean just as effectively as conventional products.
Kevin also talks about the importance of purchasing products with minimal packaging, and disposing of trash properly. He reviews the basics of recycling, which typically differs in each city or town, and he discusses the composting system that he's set up at his home.
In preparation for the party, Kevin is joined by interior designer Vanessa Grant who shows us that while it's always best to use washable dishes and silverware, various biodegradable and compostable paper products, utensils, and storage systems (like Biobag) are getting more ubiquitous all the time.
Kevin is also joined by Zem Joachim of ecofabulous. After giving Kevin some pointers and ideas on green interiors at her own house, Zem has come down for a tour to review Kevin's choices and to join the party.
Party Time
Looking significantly cleaner than in previous episodes, various members of the building team arrive at the party, fill their biodegradable cups with organic beer and Veev, and discuss their involvement in the project and how proud they are to have been a part of it. It has been an educational and inspiring journey for everyone. "The concept of building green really does work!" Exclaims Michael Gordon.
"If everyone does it, we'll at least have a chance at keeping this planet in a good way," says Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum. "I am very very proud of my son and all the people who have helped him," reflects Kevin's father who guided Kevin along the way.
It was a perfect evening to realize how important a support network can be when it comes to bringing sustainability into our lives, and as we have reached the conclusion of the construction of Kevin's home and Season One of "Building Green," it was a chance to look forward and reflect on the future of "Building Green."
What's Next?
His own house is finished and Kevin is filled with adrenaline, enthusiasm, and curiosity about what other people are doing to change the way we live and build. Stay tuned and join us as the journey continues and Kevin leaves home to learn about some of the exciting projects and initiatives that are making our world a more sustainable and healthier place to live!
Photo Credits: Jeff Clark, Amber Bergherm
Green Projects
CONGRATS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM!!!!!!
I am building one of the first LEED certified homes in Colorado. The house is a luxury home located in the Vail Valley. The goal is to focus on homes that are on the large side and make sure they are doing there part to be green. Here is some more info:
The mission of the Dream Home 2008 project and the Developer, ECOEXISTENCE, is to construct the most environmentally responsible, high performance residence possible that will serve and create a living classroom for the building community.
Our vision is to leave the world a better place, and to inspire the building community to take part in the solution by using environmentally sound building techniques & materials that have a positive impact on the earth in which we live.
Goals
• To give more than we take away from the environment
• To build a beautiful, efficient and sustainable 8,000 square foot high performance
home
• To produce more energy then we use.
• Achieve LEED for Home GOLD Certification or higher.
• To educate builders, designers and consumers on sustainable strategies for single
family homes
• To enhance and improve the quality of the surrounding air, water, and habitat.
• Continue to grow as a leader in sustainable living
• Set high standards
REACHING OUR GOALS
1) Set High Standards
We worked with Eco Build, Built Green Colorado and LEED building guidelines - these programs were developed by experts to provide clear design criteria using a common language for the design teams, allowing for a more efficient and effective process. By defining benchmarks and organizing critical issues into specific divisions the guidelines served as our road map to navigate through the sustainable design process, providing the tools needed to reach our goals. It became apparent early on that we did not want to just comply with these guidelines, we wanted to exceed the expectations. Our motto became: COMPLY IS NOT A VISION!
2) Low Construction Impact
Building a large home or building a small home....All Construction and development are in most cases detrimental to the earth. There is a destructive process that goes into clearing and reshaping land to prepare it for a structure. To minimize the ecological destruction we focused on creatinig a home and landscape that reduced the impact on natural systems and, ultimately, enhanced and improved the quality of the surrounding air, water, and habitat. Because this home is considered a Large luxury home with about 8,000 square feet of living space we held ourselves to the highest standard througout the project.
3) Resource-Efficient Minimize Energy Consumption
This High Performance home will provide the homeowner with the strategies and the tools they need to lead a healthy and sustainable lifestyle while minimizing their energy consumption. We are only using high performance products such as windows, insulation, non-toxic paints, glues and finishes, energy star appliances, whole house fans to provide good air change, recycled content materials, and following sustainable practices such as sealing air leaks; installing water-smart landscapes and eliminating the use of pesticides & chemicals to construct the highest performing home in the state.
4) Long-Lasting Use Environmentally Preferable Products
We are using environmentally preferable products and practices in the form of building materials, tools, and fuels, human energy and resourcefulness. The longer the lifespan of the home, the less of an impact it will have on the environment.
5) Healthy
To sustain healthy lives, it is our goal to sustain a healthy indoor and outdoor environment. This home will reduce the impact on natural systems and ultimately reduce the environmental impact of all new construction.
6) Beautiful – Gorgeous and Green
Green can be gorgeous. With a little extra time anyone can find the resources to think green, build green, and to live green. This project will share with you the steps we took, the products we used and the solutions we found to reach our goals.
The Home will be finished this summer.........please let me know if you want to come out and see how this project has inspired and motiviated an entire state.
Margie Hamrick
Developer/Builder
ecoexistence@aol.com
the finale
Kevin incorporated a lot of nice "green" aspects. But, I can't help but notice the huge lawn in the front. Lawns are a huge waste of space & water. Lawns don't take in carbon dioxide & replace it with oxygen or filter the bad chemicals out of grey water (like oaks would do). Lawns are also high maintenence, require fertilizer, weeding, edging, mowing. So, why did he stop his research before landscaping? And, why lawn in the front yard which isn't used by families?
Lawns
The "huge lawn" you mention could only have been seen in the Episode Thirteen lead picture. For your information that is off the rear of the house and is a patch of lawn 25 feet by 35 feet in size. The photo was taken with a wide angle lens, so it looks fairly deep. If you see the photo of the front of the house you will see that there is not one blade of grass. We used all drought tolerant, native plants. As Larry Santoyo, a great Permaculturist, puts it, lawns have their place. When you really need a clean like place for children to play, you pick the right type of grass for your climate and can care for it appropriately, it works. You are right, however, in your assessment of lawns in general. They are a huge contributor to global warming, use ridiculous amounts of pesticides if cared for normally, and require excessive water and maintenance. Watch episode thirteen to hear me talk all about lawns.
Thanks for your concern,
Kevin
lawns
here is a little segment from the show on landscaping. And for what it's worth I can vouch for Kev that it's a pretty small patch of lawn.
- maxmsf