Saving energy, saving money --
environmentally sound buildings take center stage
by Jan Buchholz
Environmentally sensitive construction methods
and products have homebuilders seeing green. Green is the
buzzword for construction that emphasizes natural resources
conservation, pollution control and energy efficiency. In
Colorado especially, builders are responding to an increased
consumer and industry awareness that "going green" is smart --
smart for business and smart for buyers who want homes that will
be healthy and energy efficient for years to come.
Savvy consumers are enjoying a growing selection
of green options. Flats 15, for instance, is a small
multi-family development being built on the bluff overlooking
I-25 near Speer Boulevard. What makes this particular housing
project unique is the insulated concrete form (ICF) construction
method.
Concrete is poured into pre-made casts that
contain lightweight insulation in the middle. The resulting
insulated concrete walls are stronger and more durable than wood
frames, resistant to inclement weather and free of chemical
treatments that can give off toxic gasses.
"With ICF there's better energy efficiency and
less sound transfer -- that's huge," said Liz Richards, a real
estate broker with Leonard Leonard & Associates, which is
marketing Dorado Construction's Flats 15 project.
Though ICF has been a patented construction
method since the 1960s, it's growing in popularity with many
consumers looking for ways to stem rapidly escalating energy
bills. In the past ICF construction was significantly more
expensive than conventional wood or steel construction, but with
inflated energy prices, that gap has dropped to an average of 10
percent.
Paying a little more for ICF is worth it to
consumers for a variety of reasons ranging from wanting a
quieter home environment to conservation values -- no need to
cut down forests to build homes -- to durability issues,
especially in areas where catastrophic weather, like hurricanes
or tornadoes, can level a conventionally built home in seconds.
But lower energy costs over the long run usually
hold the highest appeal for buyers.
According to www.icfhomes.com, homes built with
insulated concrete forms require about 44 percent less energy to
heat and 32 percent less energy to cool, a significant cost
savings over the long haul.
Dorado Construction isn't stopping with its
concrete solutions, however. The boutique builder is using other
environmentally sensitive products, including imported Brazilian
soapstone and redwood. "They're both durable materials and very
low maintenance," Richards said.
Brazilian redwood, for instance, is harder and
lasts an average of three times longer than other wood-decking
materials. Also, Brazilian suppliers adhere to strict industry
standards that minimize impacts on that country's environment.
Meanwhile, Brazilian soapstone -- often the surface of choice in
science labs because it resists staining -- is mined from small
quarries that minimally impact the environment.
Recycling will take on a new twist once
residents move into Flats 15. At a community compost site,
residents can take food items that would normally go into the
garbage disposal and put them into an outdoor grinder. Once
chopped up, the resulting compost is added to the soil for a
community garden. The garden will be a cooperative of the
residents and its use overseen by the homeowners association.
"This kind of thoughtful development is where Denver is going
right now," Richards said.
In fact, Denver and Colorado as a whole are
considered pioneer locales for environmentally sensitive home
construction. BuiltGreen Colorado, a nonprofit organization
created in 1995 to encourage better construction methods, is the
largest of its kind in the country with a membership of more
than 100 builders.
Though many are small, niche builders, even the
larger companies are getting into the green groove. Companies
like Village Homes, John Laing Homes and McStain Communities --
as well as many custom home builders -- adhere to an extensive
BuiltGreen checklist that addresses these major criteria: energy
efficiency, pollution reduction, healthy indoor air quality,
water conservation, natural resource preservation and use of
durable, low-maintenance construction materials.
Beyond the BuiltGreen designation, homebuilders
can apply to become certified through the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Energy Star program. Qualified homes include
features like high-performance windows, sealed construction and
insulation, energy-efficient appliances and lighting, and
fresh-air transfer systems. To earn the Energy Star
certification, homebuilders must allow independent
auditors to run a battery of tests on a sample of new homes.
Denver-based McStain Communities insists on
going beyond the minimum requirements. "E Star requires a test
on 15 percent of homes, but we test every house," said Eric
Wittenberg, McStain Communities' president and CEO.
Like many green builders, McStain incorporates
high efficiency windows, low-flow toilets and showerheads, and
low-leakage heating and air conditioning systems. "Ducts for
average heating and A/C systems typically leak up to 50 percent,
so you are using more energy to heat or cool your house,"
Wittenberg said. "With ours it's less than 10 percent leakage."
Jim Latsis, owner of Latsis Custom Homes, has
been a longtime supporter of energy-efficient construction.
"The one thing that sets us apart is that we
emphasize conservation," Latsis said. To minimize leakage and
increase energy efficiencies, Latsis puts each new home through
a two-step process. Before the drywall goes up, "we take theater
smoke and put it through the duct system," Latsis said. The
smoke trail shows workers where they need to seal leaks. Once
the house is finished, Latsis brings in a giant fan that is
tightly positioned in the front door. Suction is created to
subject the entire house to negative pressure. Again theater
smoke is pumped in to determine where any remaining leaks need
to be sealed. That kind of extra effort has paid off, Latsis
said. "It's a real honor to say that we've been inducted into
the BuiltGreen Hall of Fame," Latsis said.
Created in 1997 by BuiltGreen Colorado, the
annual awards program honors builders, suppliers and community
activists who have advanced the mission of the nonprofit
organization. Latsis was inducted in 2003 for his "exemplary
application" of green-building techniques.
With tight construction a new environmental
hazard may emerge: the unhealthy build-up of stale or toxic air.
"You do have to worry about air quality,"
Wittenberg said. McStain's mechanical fan system refreshes
the indoor air in 45-minute cycles. Colorado Custom Homes uses a
similar product to re-circulate air. "It's a cool device," said
David Tschetter, CEO for Colorado Custom Homes. "During the
winter months, it takes air out and introduces fresh air. The
fresh air is warmed through a filter so cold doesn't come back
in."
Here's a look at some other green features
offered by Colorado homebuilders:
