We all know the earth-friendly slogan “reduce, reuse, recycle.” While the mantra was likely created to target actions individuals could take in their own lives, this recent West Asheville home proves it can be carried out by an entire building crew and also be present in their completed project.

The home was built on a vacant city lot that had been taken over by exotic invasives and storm water runoff from other nearby homes; the site also contained a small, urban stream. But, Hans Doellgast and his team at Jade Mountain Builders were up to the task of making the site usable for their HealthyBuilt project.

They first cleared the invasives and a few trees that were in the center of the lot. To keep with the motto of reuse, the trees were taken to another site to be stored for crew members and others to take and use in their wood burning stoves. Portions of the trees were also milled into mulch or were left to be milled for use in one of the teams’ future projects.

To combat the storm water runoff and keep as much water as possible away from the home, Hans and his team engineered a system to divert the runoff, including water from the gutters, into the stream on the property. Not all storm water is diverted to the stream, however. A rain barrel near the rear of the home catches rain for reuse in landscaping. When it fills up, the water is then diverted back down the gutter to the stream and away from the home. Concrete pulled from near the stream was also reused to create the new runoff system for the site. The permeable gravel driveway will also help with water management.

With an additional eye toward landscaping and reuse, before construction, the topsoil of the site was scraped off and set aside. After building, it was redistributed on the property.

During building, waste was reduced as materials, like cardboard, were recycled. From each project, including this home, Hans holds onto additional “waste” that could be used further in the building process. Additionally, the house was built using finger-jointed 2x4s, or 2x4s created from scrap pieces that are put together to create the size of wood needed. Window trim used in the home is also finger-jointed and leaves zero waste on the construction site, as it comes in kits with just what is needed for each window size.

The team of builders was also sure that the environmental focus taken during construction would carry into the final product, addressing energy conservation and indoor air quality.

The home was sealed tightly during building, including the caulking of all sheathing and framing as well as windows and recessed can lights; despite manufacturers claims that the lights were airtight, the team sealed them with firecaulking foam and taped the manufacturing holes with metal tape to make them as efficient as possible. The homeowners also chose to use Icynene® in their floors to add to the tight envelope. These efforts all significantly reduce air infiltration, the number one cause for energy loss in a home.

Low-e energy efficient windows were also installed, as well as an Energy Star rated heat pump, compact fluorescent bulbs in all fixtures and Energy Star® appliances.

In addition to addressing energy conservation, the heat pump, appliances and insulation also play an important part in achieving the builders’ and homeowners’ desired goals of quality indoor air. Formaldehyde-free fiberglass insulation was used throughout the home. A vented stove exhaust fan helps ensure any contaminants are pushed out of the home, and a fresh air intake on the furnace with a fan only option gives the homeowners the option to leave their windows closed and not run the AC, but circulate fresh air through the home. Additionally, all low- or no-VOC paints and finishes were used, and the bamboo flooring was finished prior to installation, giving the finish time to off-gas away from the home. Along with the bamboo, tile was used, and carpet was purposefully omitted in the home as to avoid trapping allergens.

Indoor air quality was important to the new homeowners, Aidan Hoyal and Ethan Fesperman, who were worried about chemical-based paints with their new baby. They were also attracted to the energy efficiency of the home. “Before, we lived in older houses where we had to do a whole lot of work and spend a lot of money trying to make them as efficient as possible. We decided that the next time, we were going to buy one that was already efficient,” says Aidan.

Many of the green features of the project are also time savers that helped ensure Hans and his team could offer the home at an affordable price. For example, to give the home more square footage, a second story was added. However, the second story was created using trusses originally designed to go above garages as bonus rooms, decreasing construction time. “We feel as if we have a positive impact on the way homes are built, by proving that you can build an ecologically sensitive home without spending a ton of money,” Hans says.

Despite only being in the space for a short while, Aidan and Ethan have many plans in the works to increase the green footprint of their home, including the creation of a vegetable garden, instillation of a clothes line and the possible expansion of the rain barrel system for irrigation. They will also continue their relationship with Hans’ and his team, as a member will be on board to help the new homeowner’s with landscape design and usage of the outdoor space.

Specifications
Location: West Asheville
Builder: Hans Doellgast and Jade Mountain Builders, in
partnership with Shaun McCullom
Size: 1,500 square feet
Price tag: Around $250,000
Completed: Spring 2007

Top Green Points 
Environmental
Urban infill home site on vacant lot
Bamboo floors
Rain catchment system for landscaping reuse
Materials recycled during construction
Finger-jointed studs to reduce waste
HealthyBuilt certified

Low-toxicity
Low or no-VOC paints and finishes used throughout
Bamboo flooring, pre-finished before placed
Fresh air intake added to furnace
Formaldehyde-free insulation

Efficiency
Compact fluorescent bulbs throughout
Low-flow fixtures
Energy Star certified heat pump and appliances
Caulking of all gaps in sheathing and framing
Icynene insulation in floor

New Life Journal’s Green Home Experts Say…
After our visit to the newly constructed West Asheville home, the Board members discussed the aspects they were most impressed with.

Marcus Renner of Appropriate Building Solutions: “I think the building team made some great choices. They chose not to do certain things, like solar panels, because they are costly. But, panels are a great choice and something the homeowners can come back in and add. I think they chose the important things, here. They got the fresh air intake into the home, so the whole ventilation system is taken care of, and they have proper venting for things like the stove. It’s so easy to put a $50 vent hood in there that just makes noise and blows back into your face, but they said, ‘Hey, we’ll spend $200 in order to get the bad stuff out.’”

Michael Figura of Eco-Concepts Realty, Inc.: “The size of the home is great. It’s a good, livable size, yet not that big, and the layout is nice. Some people will say that a home should make you feel alive, and that it’s not just about the environmental-friendliness, it’s how it makes you feel inside. This is a nice home.”

janeAnne Narrin of Eco-Steward Realty: “This has been a big sneeze season. I’ve noticed lots of watery eyes and AHHHchooos happening around town. So, it struck me as a big positive when I stepped inside this home and immediately became aware of the indoor air quality. What a relief for the person with allergies! Hans was proud of the details that may not be noticed that contribute to the excellent air quality. He pointed out that low-VOC paints were used and building materials (even the shelves in the kitchen cupboards) were sealed to prevent off-gassing.”

Marcus Renner: “Finger-jointed studs, like Hans used in this home, are so easy to do, but noboday uses them! HUD says that the average American home has to have a major refit, rennovation or tear down in thiry years, one generation. A lot of that has to do with studs starting to warp, nails starting to pull out and interior and exterior finishes starting to buckle, and they think it has to be redone. But, that’s not going to happen nearly as quickly with finger jointing, if at all. It’s a much more stable product.”

Michael Figura: “The urban infill is great. And, I like that the builders weren’t afraid of putting a $250,000 home in the area. They’ve really improved the neighbrhood. People on this street are going to see that this house sold for $250,000 and start fixing up their homes when they sell them. It has a ripple effect that’s pretty unmeasaurable.”

janeAnne Narrin: “The rain barrel to the rear of the home got me thinking: what if the City of Asheville or Atlanta were to set a goal to reduce water usage and offered a rebate on rain barrels the cities purchased at a discounted price? Besides helping the environment, harvesting rainwater can save money on water bills. Second, rainwater can be used in a number of ways— the homeowners will use it to water their lawn and garden, and I’ll bet they see lively native plants because they thrive on naturally soft water without chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals.”

One Step Further
The Board’s discussion continued into other areas of green building that could have been addressed with the home and are ideas to consider implementing with your own project:

No-VOC Caulk:
Michael Figura mentioned that there is no-VOC caulking available on the market. Although, if not using low- or no-VOC caulking, be sure to pay attention to ventilation. “By having fresh air intake on the West Asheville home, they’re going to have a positive pressure whenever that system’s on. So, they are pushing any contaminants out of the house,” points out Marcus Renner.

Crawl Space:
“Sealing is a tough choice, because it’s a more costly option,” says Marcus Renner, who notes that to eliminate any future moisture problems in this home or in your project, sealing the crawl space could have been and is a good choice.

Site Design:
“They could have paid a little more attention to the stream in their front yard,” Michael says. “Even though it’s a struggling urban stream, keeping site disturbance at least fifteen feet from any water body is a good standard of practice to follow, including in tight urban infill locations.”

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