I love lighting a home. Light brings the interior of the home to life. It’s one of those areas where you can be infinitely creative. The lights used in Calecho are set to the period of the home, which is about 1908. Many of the lights are industrial with glass globes and wire mesh protecting the bulbs (otherwise known as cage lights.) We used an oversized round vintage lightbulb in some of the overhead lighting as well. And in the kitchen, for a truly industrial period look, we actually built a very large light fixture from electrical boxes and pipe.

Lighting Calecho's Kitchen with Period and Handmade Fixtures

The price of lighting varies tremendously. Thoroughly shop lighting fixtures because the price of two similar fixtures can vary tremendously. Given time we can usually find the right light fixtures to suit any client’s budget.

Vintage Cage Light

Here’s an important tip about lighting design… overhead lighting creates shadows and visual artifacts that can easily be tempered by using lamp lighting. So maintain a good balance between floor level lighting and ceiling lights.

Materials from Rematerialise, Kingston University London (Credit: Image courtesy of Kingston University)

ScienceDaily (Feb. 24, 2011) — After 17 years of research sustainable design expert Jakki Dehn is launching Rematerialise, a catalogue of eco-friendly materials for use in the construction industry.

From insulation made from mushrooms to kitchen tops created from recycled glass, Kingston University has catalogued more than 1,000 different sustainable materials for use in the construction industry. The result is a materials library, Rematerialise, which is being launched at EcoBuild, the world’s largest event for showcasing sustainable design and construction practices.

Reader in sustainable design, Jakki Dehn has been developing Rematerialise at Kingston University’s Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture for 17 years and believes designers will find it invaluable when planning new products. “They can come and touch and feel a whole range of materials all in one place — materials which, otherwise, they might have to spend weeks investigating themselves,” she said.

Several firms have already drawn on Dehn’s expertise to help with ongoing projects. Product design company Jedco, based in Weybridge in Surrey, has developed a scaffolding board made from recycled polymers and a solar-powered bus-stop. “The scaffolding boards have proved useful on oil rigs, because unlike wood, they don’t absorb water. So, in this case, the sustainable product is actually better than the material it’s replacing,” Dehn said.

Dehn began her research into sustainable materials in 1994 and received Arts and Humanities Research Council funding in 2003. Rematerialise now houses more than 1,200 materials from 15 different countries. It contains recycled materials, products made from resources that are very plentiful and easy to re-grow and products made from resources that are not generally used very much. The University hopes eventually to put the entire library online so planners can do initial research before making an appointment to view the materials themselves at Kingston University’s Knights Park campus.

As word about the resource has spread, new products have started arriving on an almost daily basis. “We recently received a new type of insulation material made from mushrooms. The piece we were sent was only an inch thick but, apparently, you could put your hand on one side of it and take a blow-torch to the other side and you wouldn’t be able to feel the heat,” said Dehn, who admitted she was yet to put it to the test. Another eye-catching material is resilica, which is used to make kitchen worktops as an alternative to granite or formica. It’s made mainly of glass recycled from cars and building sites.

Source: Science Daily

At Trilogy we make every effort, within the confines of our clients wishes, to design sustainably. This is not new theory or practice to us, but something we have been doing for 13 years. In fact, our first home built more than a decade ago, would still rank even today as one of the most energy efficient in all of Summit County, Colorado.

The intention of sustainable design is to reduce the impact of design and that which results from it, on the planet and or environment. From Wikipedia comes the following list of sustainable design principles:

• Low-impact materials: choose non-toxic, sustainably produced or recycled materials which require little energy to process
• Energy efficiency: use manufacturing processes and produce products which require less energy
• Quality and durability: longer-lasting and better-functioning products will have to be replaced less frequently, reducing the impacts of producing replacements
• Design for reuse and recycling: “Products, processes, and systems should be designed for performance in a commercial ‘afterlife’.”^[3]
• Design Impact Measures for total carbon footprint and life-cycle assessment for any resource used are increasingly required and available. Many are complex, but some give quick and accurate whole-earth estimates of impacts. One measure estimates any spending as consuming an average economic share of global energy use of 8,000btu per dollar and producing CO2 at the average rate of 0.57 kg of CO2 per dollar (1995 dollars US) from DOE figures.^[4]
• Sustainable Design Standards and project design guides are also increasingly available and are vigorously being developed by a wide array of private organizations and individuals. There is also a large body of new methods emerging from the rapid development of what has become known as ‘sustainability science’ promoted by a wide variety of educational and governmental institutions.
• Biomimicry: “redesigning industrial systems on biological lines … enabling the constant reuse of materials in continuous closed cycles…”^[5]
• Service substitution: shifting the mode of consumption from personal ownership of products to provision of services which provide similar functions, e.g., from a private automobile to a carsharing service. Such a system promotes minimal resource use per unit of consumption (e.g., per trip driven).^[6]
• Renewability: materials should come from nearby (local or bioregional), sustainably managed renewable sources that can be composted when their usefulness has been exhausted.
• Robust eco-design: robust design principles are applied to the design of a pollution sources).^[7]

Ways that we at Trilogy Design sustainably would include

• Use of reclaimed and recycled materials
• Use of robust, long lasting materials such as timber frame and engineered structural materials
• Sourcing of materials: If at all possible we choose materials that are manufactured in a geographical radius of no more than 500 miles
• Energy Efficiency : We produce highly energy efficient dwellings through the use of technologies such as Structural Insulating Panels and cold roof systems.
• We encourage the use of passive and active energy reduction technologies and systems. Many if not most of our current builds incorporate passive solar, geothermal, and/or solar panel systems.
• We ask our clients to think carefully about their space requirements so we are building dwellings properly sized for function.

Here’s a question we ask all of our clients. Would you be willing to pay 5-10% more to build a home that was 50% less impactful on the environment? How would you answer that question?

Toxins. Volatile Organic Compounds. Off-gassing. Ten years ago, these terms made their way into our mainstream vocabulary. And for good reason.

People were beginning to realize many materials used to build our homes were toxic and caused adverse health effects. Volatile Organic Compounds — or VOCs — in carpets and furniture, evaporate and release harmful toxins into the environment, a process that can happen over a period of years after products are initially installed. Because we spend about 90 percent of our time indoors, exposure to chemicals such as formaldehyde can trigger headaches, allergies, respiratory problems, and damage to nerves, the kidney and liver — to name only a few symptoms.

The Environmental Protection Agency says the biggest VOC offenders are in adhesives and sealants, paints and coatings, carpet systems, composite wood and laminate adhesives, furniture and seating.

Needless to say, more and more people are demanding safer materials for their homes and, although it has taken a while, the building industry is signing on to the “green” trend.

“In the past three years, there’s been a drastic change and green has become more popular,” said Kate Dayton, consultant and owner of Green Courage, a New Paltz-based company that sells environmentally responsible materials and supplies. “People want it — even if they are not chemically sensitive. The whole purpose is to offer customers more healthy options.”

Consumers educating themselves about environmentally safe materials for their homes are on a parallel path with builders, contractors and architects. They’re even slightly ahead. The path means weaning oneself from toxic, oil-based paints because they contain harmful petrochemicals that can be absorbed through the skin and scalp, affecting human organs and tissues.

Water-based latex paint is somewhat safer, although some use as many as 15 percent chemicals that emit solvents after being applied. Mildew-resistant paints can emit toxins because they use fungicides such as arsenic, disulphide, ammonium compounds or formaldehyde.

A green option for both is to use low VOC or “zero VOC emissions” paint, which is odorless and costs about the same as known brands. But the paint industry is also starting to produce less-toxic paints that are sold at most home building stores. It’s a good idea to ask for solvent-free or odor-free paints and to check out the labels.

Naomi Sachs, a landscape architect who lives in Beacon, renovated her house with recycled items. (Karl Rabe/Living)

If you’re considering wallpaper instead of paint, you might want to re-think it. Wallpaper is coated with PVC, commonly known as vinyl, and is composed of poisonous chemicals that emit gases, causing major health risks, including cancer and birth defects. Because of the toxic adhesive backing, wallpaper also emits VOCs. But, as with the low VOC paints, there are wallpapers that use low VOC and non-toxic glues.

However, another problem with wallpaper is that because vinyl isn’t porous, it traps moisture underneath the surface — a ripe environment for dangerous mold in humid climates.

And what about floors? The favorite low terrain of babies, kids and pets can also send out a batch of harmful chemicals. Carpeting uses many materials from petroleum-based sources that emit VOCs used in the padding, backing and in the carpet itself. Carpet also harbors all sorts of dirt, dust, pollen and other allergens that are hard to remove and contribute to poor air quality.

There are some greener carpets made from recycled materials such as jute backing, instead of PVC, or recycled Polyethylene terephthalate bottles.

In fact, many carpet manufacturers have “take-back” programs in which they recycle your old carpet with different types of non-chemically treated fibers. HealthyStuff.org, a nonprofit group that reports on toxic chemicals and government regulations, found many residential floors contain heavy metals, chemicals and other additives such as lead, cadmium, flame retardants, tin compounds and phthalates. The harmful chemicals are linked to asthma, reproductive problems, developmental and learning disabilities, hormone problems and cancer. Floor products that don’t contain dangerous substances are cork, bamboo, hardwood and linoleum.

“Some people think linoleum is vinyl, and that’s not true,” said Gina Porcelli, an interior designer based in Rosendale. Porcelli teaches college-level courses focusing on green materials and energy usages.

“Linoleum was the original flooring in the 1940s and was installed in New York City subway cars. Today it is a completely green product, and it’s making a comeback.”

For homeowners wanting to install wood floors, Porcelli suggests they check out flooring certified by the Forest Stewardship Council for wood that comes from a forest maintained for sustainability. The council is one of many certification programs that have surfaced to provide environmental information on products sought by home owners.

Architect Rick Alfandre says wood for flooring or for cabinetry should not only be council-certified but be environmentally harvested.

“There is a certification for healthy indoor air products, particularly for wood products,” said Alfandre, owner of Alfandre Architecture, P.C. in New Paltz. “You want to know where the material comes from and you can ask cabinet suppliers what their process is regarding healthy indoor cabinets.”

Alfandre, who has been in the construction industry for 30 years, says if you are in the market for “green” cabinets, stick to solid wood and plywood rather than particle board, which uses harmful chemicals in the glue.

Wood with urea formaldehyde is particularly dangerous because it is an unstable chemical that emits gasses for a long time. Cheap to manufacturer and colorless, urea formaldehyde is used in many building materials, such as the popular wood particleboard otherwise known as MDF, or medium-density fiberboard. Emissions can cause headaches and respiratory ailments.

In 1998, the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit trade organization, was formed specifically to promote sustainably designed buildings. The council is known for developing the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green building rating system that fosters a holistic approach, from how building materials are made to how they are disposed of.

“It’s called the ‘cradle-to-cradle’ theory,” said Richard Miller, a New Paltz-based architect. “It’s what happens to the product all the way through its life, especially how we dispose of them and put them back into the environment. Many of the dangerous chemicals in building materials go right into the groundwater, water you are drinking.”

Miller is big on re-using materials that might otherwise be dumped into the landfill.

“We have made counters out of former bowling alleys and sometimes use old barn siding. We also buy wood from local mills or use trees that are on the homeowner’s property.”

Naomi Sachs, a landscape architect who lives in Beacon, renovated her house with recycled items, including a used stove and bathtub from Hudson Valley Materials Exchange.

We tried recycled lumber from a building that was being demolished and for the inside we used low or no VOC paint,” she said.

Sachs decided to spring for a long, 14-foot stainless steel countertop because “it’s durable, not like a vinyl counter and it will last forever. If we ever decide to change it, it is recyclable.”

Sachs describes her renovation as an “adoptive reuse,” and praises the building industry for becoming environmentally conscious.

“It’s healthier not only for us to use products with little or no off-gassing, but think about the people who have to work with this stuff to begin with,” Sachs said.

Using less toxic materials in our homes requires a certain vigilance. Porcelli said there is a lot of “green washing” from manufacturers wanting to sell a product that might not be truly safe, but who are misrepresenting the product’s true nature. She suggests people read labels and not be afraid to ask if the product is recycled or how and where it was made.

“If it’s made in a place as far away as China, you may want to think twice about the amount of fossil fuels that were used to get the product to you,” she said.

Identifying a safe product can be tricky not only for consumers but for architects and contractors in the field, Alfandre said. “You (the manufacturer) can slap a green picture of a leaf, call it green, and it won’t mean anything.”

The real problem is that, to date, there are no national standards or legislation that forces companies to use safe materials. President Barack Obama signed the Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act requiring federal building managers and contractors to participate in green building training so they can better manage sustainable government building

In 2010, two bills were introduced in Congress aimed at improving the safety of toxic chemicals and reforming the 34-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act. Under the current act, the EPA can only test for chemicals that have been shown to have health risks.

The Toxic Chemicals Safety Act in the House and the Safe Chemicals Act in the Senate would give the EPA the teeth it needs to require safety testing of all industrial chemicals and force businesses to prove chemicals are safe before using them. The bills are scheduled to be re-introduced this year.

“We want the onus to be put on the government to ban more chemicals used by manufacturers,” Dayton said. “That will take some strong policies. Now, there is no system in place to require testing for safety. These bills will change the industry. Builders don’t have to worry about the safe, conventional materials they are choosing and can be confident about the materials’ quality and integrity.”

Abby Luby is a freelance writer in the Hudson Valley. She can be contacted atabbylu@abbylu.com

Source: PoughkeepsieJournal.com

You may recall that a few days ago we told you that the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) named Denver the “greenest” city in the U.S. Just a few days ago, the USGBC released the list of the “Top 10 States for LEED Green Buildings,” and we are excited to see that Colorado placed in the top 10!

The USGBC based the list of the top 10 states for LEED certified buildings per capita on information collected from the 2010 U.S. Census, according to a USGBC press release. Scot Horst, the USGBC senior vice president of LEED, said “Using per capita, versus the more traditional numbers of projects, or pure square footage, is a reminder to all of us that the people who live and work, learn and play in buildings should be what we care about the most. 2010 was a difficult year for most of the building industry, but in many areas, the hunger for sustainable development kept the markets moving.”

The top LEED states per capita, including the District of Columbia, are as follows:

Colorado is one of the top 10 states for LEED certified buildings!

• District of Columbia
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• New Hampshire
• Oregon
• South Carolina
• Washington
• Illinois
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Minnesota

Here at Trilogy Partners, we’re proud to do our part in creating LEED certified, sustainable, green homes. We think it’s awesome that Colorado placed in the top 10, and we look forward to continue building more LEED certified homes!

Photo credit: U.S. Green Building Council Colorado Chapter.

Vacant Land For Sale

This has actually happened. A client contacts us. They want to build a new home. They’re about to close on a lot in a neighborhood development. At our introductory design meeting they  describe to us the kind of house they wish to build. A certain number of bedrooms, bathrooms. Energy effeciency. Passive solar design. Sustainable building. A two car garage. A relatively simple design without complex rooflines. And then we go to the site for the first time.

The site the clients had chosen was steep and in the trees. The building envelope was rather small, and because of height restrictions, the home would have to be built so that it stepped up and down the slope, complicating construction dramatically. Solar gain would be limited by shade and trees that by development covenant could not be removed. The steep lot also made it imperative that we locate the garage up-slope and to the front of the home so as to meet requirements that stipulated the maximum slope of the driveway at 7%. Expensive retaining walls would also be necessary. As much as we at Trilogy enjoy a challenge, we had to tell the clients that the lot they had chosen was not conducive to building the rather simple, super energy efficient home they were seeking. The clients did not take this news well for they loved that this lot was adjacent to community open space. They purchased the lot and hired another architect. About a year later the lot was back on the market, I suspect, because the clients had finally discovered for themselves how difficult a lot they had purchased.

Building in the mountain regions often means dealing with slope and trees. But even when the lot is relatively level, the site can still have an enormous impact on budget and design. Today, modern design and technology allows us to create passively energized, super insulated homes with dramatically decreased energy consumption.  But if the lot orientation is north or if the lot is shaded then energy costs will necessarily increase. Views are always a concern and in some developments, homes are built without taking into account that the vacant lot next door won’t always be vacant and views may be impeded when the neighbors build. Other subdivision and local government codes can also severely limit design opportunities. Some neighborhoods put limits on the amount of glass, or the use of solar panels, limiting the use of sustainable energy resources.

Which is why, if at all possible, the Trilogy Design Team likes to assist our clients in the selection of the site for their new home. If the lot is indeed going to constrain design, it’s a great idea to have the design and build team assess exactly what those limitations are going to be.

What would be the ideal site for the home of your dreams?

Is it cold and wet where you are?  When it’s like this it’s so tempting to light up a fireplace isn’t it?  Except do you know it’s terrible for the environment?  It really is.  The NY Times had an article about that here.

Anyway, we love the idea of using firewood as decoration though.  It’s so organic (so overused, we know), but it just adds warmth to a room without having the hassles and expenses, you know?

Here are a couple of pictures:

Source: The New York Times

Source: Erin Martin Design

Source: InsideAvenue

As many of you know, I made a commitment to Haitian orphanages after the earthquake of January 2010 and soon after found myself in Haiti with my friend Mike Mahon, rebuilding an orphanage. I stayed for three weeks and I can tell you, the time flew by and when we left, 30 kids and caregivers had safe electricity, running water and flush toilets, brightly painted walls, mosquito-free screened in sleeping areas, and wonder of all wonders, internet access. Now some of the kids have Facebook pages and we regularly connect through the internet. We decided to call our organization Haiti Orphan Rescue Program because, indeed, there are between 500,000 and 1,000,000 orphans and displaced children in Haiti and most of them live in conditions from which they need rescue.

The amount of paperwork needed to start a non-profit in the U.S. is quite formidable, but we’ve achieved our tax exempt status and have been taking donations. We’ve raised enough money, finally, to return to Haiti at the end of March. During this short stay we’ll be looking at several orphanage projects, choosing which one will be our next. We’ll also be solidifying our relationship with the organization we helped found, Union Des Orphelinos Haitian en Action (Union of Haitian Orphanages in Action) so that they may continue to grow their roster of orphanages. Once we have chosen our next project we will return to Haiti, hopefully in May, to rebuild and rehabilitate another children’s shelter.

I am frequently asked why I chose Haiti and its children as my mission. Haiti had an earthquake, and lost many of its buildings. Many of the  remaining buildings need rehabilitation. So there’s is a lot of work in Haiti for people like me who know how to build. Organizational and management work, because Haiti has plenty of labor. That labor just needs supervision to tackle the millions of projects that Haiti needs to undertake in the near future. Projects that are essential to Haiti’s recovery and growth so that it may emerge as a stable, modern nation. I felt, and many share my conviction, that the children of Haiti are its future. And many of those children live in very bad places under terrible conditions. Kids were particularly vulnerable when the earthquake hit. So I decided to focus on orphaned and displaced children. Mike and I are basically builders who have taken what we know to another country to help kids. It’s really that simple. But we are not alone. We are well supported by our newly elected Board of Directors. Yes, we plan to grow HORP because if the last year has shown us anything, it’s shown us that our approach really has a positive impact on the Haitian children with whom we have had contact.

We are thrilled to be going back at the end of March. I encourage you to visit the HORP website website and blog to learn more about Haiti Orphan Rescue Program.