A little over a year ago, I wrote about the best kind of roof for Central Texas, Metal!! Metal has reflective qualities, is recycled and recyclable and great for rainwater collection and solar energy collection. However, I am changing my opinion for some cases to another kind of roof…Green!

Green and living roofs have come a long way. Yes, I am talking about plants on your roof! When you think of a green roof, you might imagine building your home underground and mowing the grass on the lawn of your dirt roof. Or you might think of the Ford assembly truck plant in Dearborn Michigan with the largest green roof in the world!

But you might not consider a green or living roof on a conventional home with a typical sloped roof for either a new home or retrofit. It’s not just for extreme homes or large warehouse type commercial buildings! This company is making it easy! LiveRoof has created a modular and economical installation that is fully green the day it is installed.

So, why a green roof? A green or living roof will shade and protect your roof from the sun’s UV rays and other elements that can degrade the materials over time, so it is long lasting compared to a composition shingle roof. The shading and cooling qualities of the plants also keep your roof and attic cool. Additionally, plants transpire which create humidity for evaporative cooling and improved air quality.

A study done in Chicago on the Chicago City Hall building is interesting to note. The city hall side of the building has a green roof and the other side over the county offices has a tar roof. On each side of the building, weather stations are in place to monitor the differences between the 2 sides. One August day with temperatures in the 90’s, the difference in temperature between the green roof and the tar roof was 50 – 70 degrees! The heat from the tar roof will radiate through the night contributing to the heat island effect. Imagine having green roofs on all the city buildings in Austin! How much cooler downtown would be!

The LiveRoof system was developed by a horticulturist who has studied the best kinds of plants and soil for this application. The soil is very light weight and is predominately composed of high quality inorganic aggregates. When installed, the roof is instantly green because modules are grown by selected growers off site and installed by certified installers. The plants are typically drought tolerant succulent type plants and selected to be appropriate for the climate in your region. The plants seldom need additional watering but can be installed with an irrigation system. The rain that falls on the green roof is 99% absorbed so there is little water that is run off unless we have a typical Texas gulley washer. There is little need for maintenance because of the cushioning and shading qualities of the plants. There is currently not enough study to know exactly how long your green roof will last, but they speculate it could be more than double the typical composition shingle roof.

The LiveRoof grower for Austin is Texas Green Roofs in Lindale, Texas. Ed Borger says that there are 20 affiliate growers around the United States for the Live Roof system. I asked Ed if he had ever had any problems with nesting animals. He said that at the last Live Roof conference, they did discuss that issue but there have not been any reported problems of that nature. He did say that it is a good idea to walk around your green roof every couple of weeks, especially during the big growing season, to investigate problems or pull weeds from seeds that might blow onto your roof. Contact Ed at 800-777-9849 for more information about the LiveRoof system.

I also asked Ed about what the process is for installing a green roof on an existing home. He referred me a LiveRoof certified roofer installer for our area, Charlie Glaze with A.D. Willis Co. Inc. Charlie says, “Retrofitting a garden roof onto any building should begin with a engineering study, to determine whether the existing structure can handle the additional weight. The weight of the LiveRoof system is 27-29 lbs. That’s over a ton for every 10ft by 10ft area.”

Charlie also recommends removing the shingles from your home and replacing them with a waterproof membrane. This would remove some of the weight from the structure. With a sloped roof, install a “cleat system running horizontally across the slope of the roof” to keep the system in place. Charlie says that you have more water runoff with a sloped roof, but he has seen green roofs on pitches at steep as 6:12. This might be a little extreme, but it gives you an idea of what can be done.

Whether you use LiveRoof system or more traditional green roof methods, Charlie recommends attending classes on the subject or employing the services of someone educated in all aspects of the subject. The wildflower center is a great source of information. He also recommends that native local plants will work best in any green roof situation. Contact Charlie Glaze at (512) 385-3993.

Some great applications of green roofs for homes would be a combination of metal and live plants, especially if you have tree cover on some areas of your roof. On a particular hot area on the west side would be a great place for the green roof, and metal in other areas so you can collect solar energy and rain water. Green roofs are also really great on a patio or other outdoor areas for a cooling effect on your outdoor living.

Austin is a Green city that we are proud of. But when we look around at other parts of the country and the world, we see that we are far behind cities like Chicago and countries like Germany who are encouraging and in some places requiring a certain percentage of green roofing.

Green Living Tips!

This tip comes from my very own Mom!! I welcome inspirations from your home to put into future newsletters. Email them to me; Cammi Klier. Thanks!!

Tip by Vicki Jurica:

My bathroom sink stops up periodically, and I really do not like to use chemicals because our house is on a septic system. So I thought…I will try a small little plunger and see if that works. I purchased a small plunger [which also happened to be green in color..most fitting] and tried it on my bathroom sink. There are a couple of things you will need to do when you “plunge” a bathroom sink…..

1. Put a washrag in the sink’s overflow drain to keep it plugged while you plunge

2. Hold down the stopper while you plunge so that the drain will not close while you are plunging.

3. Then plunge!!!

It works very well! I am amazed at how easy, inexpensive, and “GREEN” this was.

There are so many cool ways to build the structure of a home. SIPs panels, ICF blocks, Steel framing, Rammed Earth, Straw bale, Earth ships, they just keep getting more interesting!

The advantages of these alternatives is that they are more resistant than wood to fire, wind, insect and moisture damage. They also practice an efficient use or reuse of materials. It makes sense to check into these materials to explore what might work for your building project.

But the fact is that 90% of homes are built with typical dimensional lumber. Sometimes it is the initial cost of an alternative building material that deters home owners. It can also be the labor if some alternatives are so labor intensive that it is expensive or so unique that a local experienced trade does not exist. More often it is the builder who either is not familiar enough with an alternative and does not want to experiment or is building a spec home and does not want the added cost to pass onto a potential buyer.

So, that leaves most people with a traditional dimensional lumber built home. This does not have to be bad; it just has to be done right.

Start by using lumber with the FSC stamp (Forest Stewardship Counsel) FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. The FSC certified forests must follow the rules in managing their forests. The basic principles are:
• Prohibit conversion of forests or any other natural habitat
• Respect of international workers rights
• Prohibition of use of hazardous chemicals
• Respect of Human Rights with particular attention to indigenous peoples
• No corruption – follow all applicable laws
• Identification and appropriate management of areas that need special protection (e.g. cultural or sacred sites, habitat of endangered animals or plants)

Many forests around the world are harvested illegally. By using FSC lumber you can guarantee that the wood in your home was taken with care.

Engineered products are an efficient way to minimize the wood required and to strengthen your structure. Manufactured finger jointed studs made from shorter lengths of lumber, have no knots and actually are stronger than a single piece stud. Finger jointed millwork also have no knots and are straight and smooth for a more quality finish. Trusses for roofs and floor systems are stronger and better too. Less lumber is used especially when attic trusses are specified and they are easier to run duct work and other mechanicals through them. I-beam floor joists are made from wood particles and are engineered to hold the load.

In construction, wall studs are typically framed at 16” on center spacing. Code allows 24” spacing and works well structurally and even helps because roof and ceiling framing that is typically at spaced 24” on center can be stacked directly onto the stud.

Sometimes exterior walls are framed with 2×6’s instead of 2×4’s to allow for thicker batt insulation. Save the lumber, cost and space by using 2×4 exterior walls with a quality total fill insulation such as damp blown cellulose or open cell spray foam. These choices are better than batt because they guarantee a total fill application. The spray foam also will create an air barrier that eliminates the need for caulking all the joints in your wall system. These insulations do cost more, but you will get a much better wall and a higher R-value using 2×4’s and higher quality insulation.

In the demolition phase of remodeling a home, make sure your builder saves every scrap of studs, trusses, joists and rafters for reuse on your own job site. Trusses can be either reused as is or the 2×4’s can be cut out for reuse. Even small pieces can be used on site for blocking or fire stopping between studs. Watch the dumpster every day and pull out scraps that might have been tossed in and make sure your builder understands your desires. If you don’t have a need for all of it, find another use in a future project, with a neighbor or a reputable resource for recycled building materials. These values can be used in new construction too. For small projects, try to find a source of unused or discarded lumber from another job.

When building a “stick” framed home, your builder is going to be your best advocate for building sensibly and smart. Be sure that your choice in a builder is one who believes in and understands green building the way that you expect them to. Check their references and make sure they are a member of Austin Energy Green Building.

In Green building, the things you don’t see are sometimes more important that the things you do see.

Green Living Tips!

Please welcome this new segment of our newsletter! I welcome inspirations from your home to put into future newsletters. Email them to me; Cammi Klier. Thanks!!

If you have children that play hard like mine, you have to deal with stains on their clothes. Nothing seems to work better than a conventional stain treatment like “Shout”. To keep as much of this out of our ground water as possible, I dilute it 2/3 parts water, 1/3 parts solution and I do one stain load a week. After spraying it on the stains, I put the clothing in my washing machine and close the door (with out turning it on) to sit for about 20 minutes. During this time, the watered down solution soaks into the clothing. Then I start the wash as normal and do an extra rinse at the end if needed. Before the clothes go to the dryer, I check to make sure the stains are gone. Usually only the heaviest stains are not completely gone and they skip the dryer and go into the dirty laundry again to repeat the process.

Here’s an interesting, natural way to clean your clothing! They are called Soap Nuts and they come from a tree in the Himalayan Mountains.

Cabinets…Green?

Yes! They are off the grid, wireless and you don’t even have to plug them in! They do not consume an ounce of energy, except for your elbow grease when they need cleaning.

The cabinets in my home are green, really. They are painted in Kelly-Moore”Desert Moss” or something like that. Other than that, they are the most un-green cabinets ever. Years ago, I knew less about the importance of healthy cabinetry than I do now. The installer I hired used MDF, oil based paint and tried building the “frame” (there should be no frame work like this inside cabinetry) in 2×4’s!!! Can you BELIEVE that??? The original cabinets were solid wood but are almost falling down from the 1978 furr down. Thankfully, I know better now!

So what do green cabinets really mean? Healthy and Sustainable.

Jeff Mitzel, the owner of GreenAward Custom Woodworking, was kind enough to share his perspective on this subject. Jeff’s green cabinetry practices start in the shop which uses radiant heat and also bio gas heating which burns the hydrogen in the wood. He also uses common sense ways to keep warm and radiant heat strips are aimed to keep the back of your neck warm which warms the entire body. Waste materials are recycled and used in children’s art classes and in art therapy around Austin. Jeff is green down to his core and his values are present in every decision he makes every day of the year.

Back to the cabinets! The sustainable part, past the green of the shop, will depend on the client. Each has their own sense of green, different for each individual and in different moments in time. Jeff likes to find out what is the client’s next green step. He has created a pricing model to help clients have quality healthy and sustainable cabinets for different budgets. The best way to go green affordably is to use products in the mainstream like low formaldehyde plywood. Buying something local and commonly available helps avoid large shipping fees which helps his customers make choices that fit their budget.

The healthy part of cabinets is all about air quality. Jeff uses finishes on the cabinetry that are cured with ultraviolet light rather than by evaporation. Products that cure through evaporation need the volatile properties, VOC’s. Waterborne finishes are replacing traditional finishes but also contain VOC’s, though in smaller amounts. UV cured finishes don’t require VOC’s to dry and cure, and the level of quality of UV cured finishes are equal to anything else out there and are durable enough for commercial floor grade traffic while saving money. A high end quality finish is affordable, very green and very consistent quality.

This is important because we want clean air in our homes. Many of us have heard of off gassing, the evaporation process of VOC’s that can go on in some products for more than a year.

A Researcher at UT, Richard Corsi, has studied indoor air quality from a toxicity perspective and how products break down over time. Ozone bumps into molecules and breaks them apart and creates an exponential rise in new chemicals. What are they? We don’t even know, maybe something ok. Maybe not.

Off gassing from new products we bring into our home often falls off after a few months while small amounts of ozone in our air continues to break down chemicals in our home every day and becomes the major factor in our indoor air quality over time. The UV cured finish Jeff uses has been tested at the University of Texas and shows a very low interaction with ozone which makes for a very safe finish. No off gassing in the short term and very small ozone effect over the long term.

The important thing to think about is that the kitchen is our food storage and prep area of the home. We ingest the airborne chemicals that off gas from our cabinets and that also break down from ozone and which deposits on our cookware, tableware, plates, and cups and glasses.

We do respond to chemicals. We can become sick now or sick later, and they can change our DNA, especially in our children, while studies show infants raised in nurseries with new stuff have higher incidence rates of asthma.

When our children are born, many families seek out a healthier life style and begin to learn about other options. We buy organic foods that have been carefully grown to eliminate chemicals in the products, but then we put them in cabinetry that is both off gassing and that will go through the ozone effect.

Where do we go from there?
Jeff likes to show his clients samples with traditional finishes like shellacs and natural varnishes. In his shop, he has taken the time to study different finishes, what it does and how it looks. Stain versus not. Often we are looking for color and we want our kitchen to feel warm. Wood is appealing, but stains muddy up the grain of the wood. The point of a good finish is to show off the natural beauty and grain of the wood. You can spend thousands on a specialty finish, but you are better off with less because you going to lose the grain. You can really see the difference; you can see the natural shine of a hard wood that is not there in most cabinetry.

Natural varnishes can take longer to dry and have been replaced by modern chemical finishes in mass production facilities which value the speed in which these finishes can be applied and dry while the finishes and techniques used to apply safer natural finishes which also show off the beauty of wood have largely fallen by the wayside.

Now that we have brought back some of these techniques, we apply some of the same techniques on modern green materials. A technique used to create the rich dark Cherry color in our grandparents furniture can be applied to caramelized bamboo to bring out greens and yellows and then finished with a dark garnet shellac for a very rich and varied finish.

Creating unique finishes opens the door for combining materials in unique ways, and many green materials combine well with each in creative ways and also with local woods. Caramelized bamboo combines nicely with a flooring material made from waste wood products that has some of the same colorings and which Jeff has recast for use as doors. Locally harvested Mesquite combines nicely with a board made from Sorghum, Kirei. There are so many more ways to be creative!

Jeff Mitzel is definitely contributing to a better and healthier air quality with his natural and simple use of materials. Jeff likes to take his love for cabinetry, wood and beautiful finishes and share it with anyone who wants to know more. He can be reached through his email address; build@greenaward.com.

As we begin this year with a new president on the horizon and a slow market, we wonder how this year will progress. I think this is going to be the year that sustainable building and living green takes center stage. You may think that it already has, but there are still so many builders and people who do not think it is cost effective to build green and it is inconvenient to live green. In fact, you may have seen news articles that represent green building as too expensive for people to afford in this market and green builders that are losing money on building green. Well, show me a builder who is not losing money right now and I would bet that they are building more green than others who are not.

In the real estate market, we have seen a trend over the last 18 months or more in people wanting to purchase properties that have been green rated by the city or that have green features built into them. It is more than just the latest trend, “it’s a cultural shift that helps protect our environment and reduces our carbon footprint”, says Laurie Loew of Give Realty Austin, a philanthropic realty company. She says that “sales of “green” homes increased by 88% from 2007 to 2008. The national projection is there will be a 10 fold increase in green construction between 2005 and 2010, with green construction making up $20 billion of the new home market (national level) by 2010.”

Buyers are specifically looking for energy star rated appliances, a clean air environment with low VOC content and natural materials used and water conservation features. The biggest thing a buyer wants to see is the annual cost of energy savings and how quickly they’ll see a return on their “green” money investments.

This is where it can differ from home to home. If a home is built with a total fill insulation like open cell spray foam and a sealed attic, the energy star rated appliances and high seer rated HVAC will add great value to a very efficiently built home. Otherwise, the quality equipment may not be enough to show the savings they want to see. From a real estate perspective, the visible energy features of a home make a big impact on the buyer. But the way a home is designed and built is even more important and is often overlooked and hidden from the buyer eyes.

Laurie advises for a buyer who wants a green home; “If new construction is not an option, fairly simple modifications can be made to help reduce energy costs and increase efficiency. If you do major remodeling and finance the updates, weigh the cost of the upgrade vs. the money that will be saved over the life of the improvement.”

Whether you are buying new or used, or building your home, it pays to take advantage of the many incentives through Austin Energy. “Realize that small changes can have a very positive impact on the environment and your pocketbook!” Laurie Loew specializes in green and has recently completed her elective course and is anxiously awaiting the ability to use her new GREEN designation from the National Association of Realtors®. She can be contacted through her website at www.giverealtyaustin.com.

Since we typically spend about 80% of our time indoors, it pays to make sure that our indoor spaces are GREEN!  When we remodel or build new, the finishes installed and furniture we buy can make a big difference in indoor air quality.  If we were to paint, install carpet, install new cabinetry and purchase new furniture, the amount of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) that will be off-gassing could be very high.  These VOC’s can come from the paint, adhesives in the carpet backing or applied during installation, and formaldehydes in furniture or cabinetry, to name a few. There are many reported cases of illness, including asthma in both adults and children, which have been caused by a dramatic increase in airborne chemicals in a new home or newly remodeled residence.

Bonnie Nathan, LEED AP Interior Designer of Nathan Design Group, has shown that her clients do not have to sacrifice luxury and beauty to enjoy a more earth-friendly lifestyle.  She offers sustainable, gorgeous and healthy options for new construction and home renovation projects.

In paint, it has become very easy and affordable to find many colors in low VOC and Zero VOC.  The lighter the color; the lower the VOC’s.  I recently painted the interior of my home for the first time in about 6 years, and was delighted at the quality, selection, and ease of using Zero VOC paint.  In addition to the peace of mind I got from not exposing my family to harmful chemicals, it was so nice to not have any lingering paint fumes or odors.

The backing of carpet can now be made of recycled materials and use Zero VOC adhesives, and wallpaper made from recycled content or recyclable content can be found readily in major supply houses.  Always use Zero VOC adhesives when installing any finishes in your home.  Look for water-based, low VOC stains and varnishes as well.

When installing millwork, new cabinetry, or wood flooring, check for wood that has been certified by the FSC, Forest Stewardship Council.  This organization regulates harvesting and makes sure that foresters are replacing trees properly and practicing fair trade.

When buying furniture, be sure it is built from sustainably grown or recycled woods and that the stains and varnishes are water based.  Good furniture manufacturers are doing lifecycle assessment (LCA) for all of their products, in an effort to understand every material in their process like organic fabrics, wood adhesives, water soluble dyes, wood origins, distance traveled from where it was manufactured or harvested, and even the packaging for shipping and disposal.  This process is expected to eventually become mandatory. 

Another Green furniture option is to buy antiques or pre-owned furniture.  This offers a second life to a piece that might have otherwise made its way to the landfill.  There is also no further out-gassing.  If you choose to refinish antiques, always try to choose water based or low VOC products.

When buying appliances, check for an Energy Star rating.  Also Green Guard is a great way to see a 3rd party certification of a variety of products from adhesives to finishes to furniture.

Here’s a surprise!  Vinyl, linoleum and rubber flooring are making a comeback using recycled content made from pre consumer and post consumer products.  They have the percentages of recycled content that home environmental certifications require. 

Bonnie recommends that you find a “Green comfort level” that is complimentary to your lifestyle and budget.  Any level of sustainable living is better than none and it is getting easier and more cost effective to be Green now. 

If you would like to discuss Greening your interiors with Bonnie, please contact her at (512) 415-8111 or Bonnie.Nathan@gmail.com

Volume 6: Choices Series

When you think green building, solar panels are the first thing that comes to mind. But few think of it as the last thing to consider when going Green! If you are starting with new construction and have put little thought into proper design for your site or insulation that seals every crevice, slapping solar panels on your roof is not going to pay off big. Similarly, adding solar to an existing home with leaky ducts, sagging insulation and an outdated HVAC system will leave you wondering where your big savings are. Hunter Berry, residential sales manager, at Meridian Energy Systems says “that’s like putting lipstick on a pig”. I have talked about this concept before but have not said it quite so eloquently!

To avoid this problem, make sure you pay attention to several basic green building concepts which can be done on existing homes and new homes. Make sure that your home is tightly sealed, that your HVAC system is operating properly and at 13 SEER and that your insulation is performing to code and to the insulations specifications. If your roof will need to be replaced in the next 5 years, do this before installing solar. When your home is working properly you will see more advantage from your solar PV installation.

Meridian specializes in photovoltaic solar technology which takes light and turns it into electricity. Another solar technology is solar thermal which takes heat from the sun and heats water.

Each Kilowatt, every thousand watts, of solar modules requires ~100 square feet of roof space and will produce 100 – 115- kilowatt hours ( kWh) per month. The highest production will be on a South facing roof; however, there can still be significant electricity production from East and West facing roofs. In Texas, a South facing 20 – 30 degree pitch yields highest production. A standing seam metal roof is best because a PV system can be installed with out making penetrations. Obviously there will be no production in the shade.

The well known rebate for solar installation, subsidized by Austin Energy, will pay $4.50 per Watt with a cap of $13,500 per fiscal year. To fully leverage the $13,500 Austin Energy rebate, one must install ~ 3,200 watts or 3.2 kW. Add to this a Federal tax credit of 30% and much of your installation will be paid for. The 3 utilities in Texas which offer rebates are CPS, Bryan Utilities and Austin Energy – being the most robust.

For example, a “Rebate-maximizing” PV solar system would be 3200 watts and cost $25,000 before incentives. In Austin Energy’s territory, the instant rebate would be $13,500, lowering the out of pocket cost to $11,500. The 30% fed tax credit would be $3,450, for a net cost of $8,050.00. This system will produce about 350 Kilowatt hours per month on average, with higher production in summer than winter.

For further savings, you could roll the cost of a PV (photovoltaic) into your mortgage and be able to write off electrical cost as mortgage interest.

Hunter says that the grid tied system is the most popular because it is the most cost effective, most efficient, comes with little to no maintenance. To offset electrical consumption the system is hard wired into breaker panel and the solar electricity is used on site. If more solar electricity than is consumed on site is produced, then the surplus electricity will be exported back to Austin Energy and the meter will spin backwards!

A grid tied system, however, does not provide back up power that is stored on site. If there is a black out there will be no power because it actually uses some Austin Energy electricity to run. Solar modules produce DC (direct current) electricity and the homes use AC (alternative current) electricity. An inverter that changes DC to AC for our circuits requires Austin Energy grid power to turn on. Additionally, it would be dangerous to have excess power to be exported to the city in a black out. It is possible to use a battery to store power, but due to the expense, maintenance, and lowered efficiency of this system, it is not as popular as the grid tied system.

PV systems are typically designed around 4 criteria:
1. Defining the available space which is appropriate for solar PV
2. Defining a budget
3. Defining a monthly or annual energy production (kWh) target
4. Maximizing rebates – only in rebated areas

A properly installed solar electric system would be installed out of the shade, ideally facing south. All the components employed would be produced specifically for the solar electric industry and are engineered to withstand local wind speeds and code requirements. A properly installed system will be installed by experienced technicians and should last for 30+ years without problems. Most solar modules carry a 25 year warranty, and the inverters should have a 10 year warranty. A grid-tied PV system has no moving parts and is essentially maintenance free. In the event that they are damaged due to hurricanes or hail, homeowners insurance should cover replacement cost.

The certification for solar contractors is the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). It is important that you are working with designers for the system and technicians in the field who are certified. Currently in Texas, there are 17 certified practitioners, 6 of whom are with Meridian Energy Systems! Also, Meridian employs the first woman in Texas to be certified. It is also important to work with a licensed electrical contractor.

Meridian Energy Systems was started 9 years ago by a 7th generation Austinite, employs 30 people full time, does not use subcontractors as installers in order to keep tighter control and is active in the community. They specialize in commercial and residential installations and have installed the largest system in Texas which was 180 kW at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio – 2006 TREIA project of the year. In 2006 Meridian installed a little over 70% of the solar electricity in Texas.

If you are considering adding solar panels to your roof check out Meridian Energy Systems and call Hunter Berry at 512-448-0055

Based upon what I saw first hand during the 3 months of construction on my personal remodel addition in 2002, I learned more about construction waste management (or lack there of) than I have in my professional experience over the last 2 decades. The first day of demolition, I was very satisfied with how the workers neatly organized on my lawn the reusable parts removed from my home. Then they threw them all in the dumpster! I was appalled, amazed, disgusted and many other emotions, not to mention stomping mad! Over the whole of the project, I probably removed at least 1/3 of the “trash” from the dumpster in my driveway, then only to see it in the dumpster again later that day. This is the kind of absurdity you can expect to find on a job site with out a construction waste management plan.

The first assumption is that the builder automatically believes what you believe about saving the planet. (maybe, maybe not) The second assumption is that the workers believe the same. (even less plausible) So obviously it is important to select a builder who not only has good intentions but has a plan in place. Have the builder show you how this is being handled on their current job sites. Watch for neatness and organization on the job site and ask how frequently waste is taken and where during different phases of construction.

It is also very helpful to have directions written into the specifications or construction documents of your home plans. Your building designer can help by implementing specific directions into their plans. A designer with a specified waste management plan is a huge advantage in aiding the builder with a means to an end. Largely, you are going to be the best advocate for your construction waste to be reused on site or recycled properly, so this can help direct you also.

The company that your builder uses for hauling waste can also have a big impact. Many haulers just pick up anything regardless of the type, take it straight to the landfill and add the dump fees to their service fees. This is the most conventional way of doing this, but no longer is a feasible option. Other hauling companies specifically look for ways to reduce their dump fees by recycling.

A company I recently became familiar with is Dirty Work Hauling. Kyle Jones’ business was born out of a bad hauling experience he had as a customer with a hauling company that was tardy, expensive, messy and rude. He knew there was a better way.

Builders have subcontractors and typically 9 out of 10 of them are difficult to work with, so Kyle created a good service that was easy to work with. Builders said, “Since you are hauling, you may as well do the demolition as well”, so then he hired a demo crew. His company now does complete interior and exterior demo with clean up. If a builder needs a wood floor to be taped before paint, he does it. He rents stump grinders, hauls just about anything and is a great resource for builders to do almost any labor efficiently.

Dirty Work Hauling was good at hauling, demolition, cleaning and labor, so naturally recycling became Kyle’s next service to tackle. Recycling makes sense because it’s a good way to dispose of materials for free. People want their construction waste to be recycled and it is cheaper so now he is focusing on recycling anything he can.

In demolition for remodels, it is hard to recycle materials because of paint and other chemicals or dust and debris. What works best is for builders to develop a proper waste management plan and where ever possible to reuse materials on the jobsite. If there is a piece of rotten fascia board, then cut off what is rotten and reuse the other part. Doors and windows can be reused if removed properly. Carpet can be cut and bound in to an area rug, brick and stone can be reused. If builders and homeowners think through this creatively, there will be less waste on the job site, less materials to haul off and more happy customers.

Habitat for Humanity is a very good place to recycle building materials. However; because of volume of materials turned in and not enough ware house space, they must be now very particular about what they take. Kyle would also like to expand his company’s services with a builder warehouse where builders can bring in building materials that Habitat cannot take. Then just like Habitat resell these materials to individuals and builders. Something you can do to help? Shop at the Habitat Re-Store to help create more space in their ware house for more quality materials!!

The 3 main materials to be recycled on the jobsite are dimensional lumber to be chipped into mulch or sold for small jobs, sheet rock to be ground up and cardboard recycled into future cardboard products. On the jobsite, they build a plywood box in a size that is right for the job and the space available to put it. During the framing stage of construction, the box is used specifically for framing material. Then about a 2 week gap before sheet rock, then cardboard from windows, doors and appliances. Separate boxes for other recyclables such as glass bottles, plastic, paper and metal and another for real trash can also be built of plywood. The advantage for the builder is that Dirty Work rewards cost reductions when the bins are properly sorted by the job crews. The materials are picked up every 4-5 days. This entire service comes with a fixed cost and can easily be written into the bid for the job.

The amazing thing is that Dirty Work has touched so little of the market. Their goal is to not be a pain in the neck for the builder! They do the job right the first time, are efficient, tidy, follow instructions and are polite! This doesn’t seem like much to ask, but if you have ever hired anyone for a construction job, you know that this is few and far between.

On your next construction job, big or small, make sure you know what you can reuse on site, what you can recycle and what you must throw away. It’s simple and just takes a little advance planning. Check out Austin Energy Green Building for recommendations in construction waste management before you get started and give Dirty Work Hauling a call at (512)657-4006.

If you need design services on a remodel or new construction project coming up, Call Custom Design Services before October 31st to take advantage of our 20% discount on all services. Just mention this newsletter!

By Debra Blessman, C.P.B.D.

It doesn’t seem to matter what the exact question is but we hear so many similar when it comes to doing residential work within Austin city limits. In September of 2006 the original Subchapter F: Residential Design and Compatibility Standards went into effect. Since that time many issues have come up which have ignited the formation of a task force to reevaluate these standards. Through much hard work and dedication from industry professionals along with key people at the city there has been some revamping of those standards that has only recently been approved and passed.

Gosh isn’t that exciting! What does all that mean? And what’s a Subchapter F: Residential what ever? Maybe you would recognize it better by its other name the “McMansion Ordinance.” You know the one that keeps your neighbors from tearing down their house and building one that is twice as large, blocks your view and basically sticks out like a sore thumb in your neighborhood. The one that has everyone that’s doing residential construction work in the city, in uproar because they feel they can’t do anything the city will approve.

As I sat down to write this newsletter, my original thought was “Oh, this will be easy. A few pointers, a few definitions and….” Well that’s where I stopped. The McMansion Ordinance in the two years since its enforcement has continued to be a hotbed of issues and problems that continue to plague the construction industry in our wonderful city. It’s a sensitive issue and can’t be taken lightly. As design professionals in this industry we are required to keep up with current city codes and ordinances, deed restrictions, national codes, handicap codes and much more; all the things that govern how your house is designed and built.

Okay. So what’s that got to do with the me and McMansion and that whole FAR business? Good question. FAR stands for Floor to Area Ratio. That basically means that the amount of floor square footage you have built has to fall within a mandatory percent of the square footage of your property. Under the McMansion Ordinance that percentage happens to be 40. Oh but the total can’t be more than 2300 square foot and you have to figure all that area in very specific ways and you have to count the part of your garage that’s over 450 square feet of area. But then you don’t have to count porches on the lowest floor; well unless there’s habitable space above it and then you’re limited to 200 square feet of that porch that you don’t have to count. Oh, I almost forgot, that porch can’t connect to a driveway or be accessible by automobile either. Then of course you have to count the area of all your conditioned space and you may even have attic space that must be counted. And here’s a tricky one, any area in your home that has a ceiling height over 15 feet has to be counted twice. Pretty confusing right?

Another item you must work with is what’s considered the Buildable Area of your lot. Seems simple enough right? The buildable area is basically a 3-dimensional tent that is formed to the constraints of your lot and within the limitations of the McMansion ordinance. This “tent” is what your house has to fit inside. It can poke out of it a little but even that has very strict rules you must follow. Oh and least I forget; all this is in addition to already existing city code issues like the allowed building height and impervious coverage restrictions and any easements or flood zone issues you may have. It all seems pretty daunting doesn’t it?

Whether you have a remodel or a totally new construction project in the city of Austin this McMansion Ordinance might come into play. Like many government rules and regulations put in to place for our protection, it also has its problems and weaknesses. The above information is just a tiny sample of the rules involved in McMansion. If you have done any information searching on your own already, you may feel it’s impossible to get what you want. Don’t give up, call us! We’d be glad to take on the challenge with you and help you design the home you want that the city will also approve. If you’d like to do more searching on your own, check out this link at the city for the McMansion Ordinance. Subchapter F: – Residential Design and Compatibility Standards How to calculate floor square footage (gross floor area) is in article 3.3, how to figure buildable area is covered in article 2.

“So what do we do? We just need to add a bedroom, we don’t want the world.” First off, relax. You may or may not have to worry about what you want to do. Your first step is to contact a professional building designer such as Custom Design Sevices or contact your architect or even your builder. Talk with us about your project; we can help you answer some basic questions. The largest being if your property is even within the area governed by the ordinance. After that we simply dive into what has to be done to gain approval from the city, we design within those standards and move forward with your project. And we can even run it all the way through the permit process so all you have to do is go pick up your permit and start building!

There is some confusion in terminology: “Geothermal heating” “Heat pump” “Ground source heat pump” and other combinations of words. What is all of this stuff and how does it relate to heating and cooling in our homes? All of these can be proper descriptions of the various ways to use a heat pump, so let’s start by defining what a heat pump is.

Through air to air transfer, the conventional HVAC expels heat in the summer and gathers heat in the winter. A heat pump uses the same principle but with water. Like a car radiator, a piped loop of water gathers heat from the heat source then takes it to the cooler source to expel the heat and cool down. Although the heat pump is commonly used for cooling, adding the components for heating is a nominal $100 – 200 additional expense. In the winter, the process is inverted; it gathers heat outside and expels the heat inside your home instead.

The most common way to use a heat pump is a ground source, or geothermal heat pump. In Texas, the primary climate control in our homes is cooling and to take maximum advantage of the cooling capabilities of the earth we need to go deep. Drilling is the best way, through 5-6” diameter bore holes about 250’ deep. Two polyethylene pipes with a U-bend at the bottom creating a “loop” are placed into the bore hole all the way to the bottom. An expansive clay grout is used to fill the bore hole and stays flexible while maximizing contact from the pipe to the earth.

At the surface, lateral trenches connect bore holes with a continuous loop to the pump connected to the unit. The pump uses minimal power, usually about 2 amps and is only powered when the unit is running. The ground temperature is in the mid 60’s and the heated water leaving the home is about 85deg. With the proper design and calculation of bores and pipes for the water loop for your specific home, the water temperature leaving the earth will be about 10 – 15 degrees cooler than when it leaves your home.

In a residential neighborhood, an installation can be easily done. The contractor will locate all underground services, plumbing, sewage, utilities etc. by contacting Texas 811 before digging. The 5-6” bore hole is so small compared to all other pipes that it is very simple to find a safe location for the bore holes. The lateral pipes are installed not too deep but deep enough to keep them safe from landscaping and general surface digging at about 3’. Sometimes if the soil is rocky, heavier equipment is used to get through the rock.

If you live near water, the water loop can be placed in the water to avoid the need to drill. This is called a water source heat pump. This would be a much cheaper possibility, however with some risks. The water level is a factor as well as boat anchors or other hazards in open water. If the water level falls too low to effectively transfer heat, literally nothing can be done to fix the system. Your options are to wait for the water level to increase to normal, or start drilling bores for a new location for the water loop. If you have a reliable water source, do consider this option as an alternative to drilling. Be creative, do you have an abundant source of rain water collection? Or a maintained water source for animal habitats?

The cost of installing a ground source heat pump is more than the conventional unit. The equipment price is comparable, but it is the labor and additional materials that increase the cost. For the excavation, pipe, grout, pump and additional labor the cost difference is about $2500 per ton. Depending on the tonnage, it can be twice the cost of the conventional air to air unit. The pay back in dramatic energy cost is quick and is worth considering the investment.

The advantages of investing in a heat pump are many. The equipment has a long life span considering Texas summers will kill a convention air to air unit in 10 – 12 years, much shorter than they were designed in a milder climate. A ground source heat pump is much more reliable because the temperature under the ground is constant rather than a wildly fluctuating ambient air temperature. There is no outside condenser making noise or taking up space. The unit is completely assembled at the factory where a conventional unit requires on site assembly with the outside condenser, inside unit and all the piping and wiring that must connect them. With the condenser and the unit combined into one piece, good manufacturers have taken great care to insulate for sound. It is, however, important to consider the location of the unit inside your home for sound. The greatest advantage is that using a water loop in lieu of air to air transfer is a highly effective way to cool air in your home and is usually doubly more efficient than air.

All of this wonderful information about heat pumps has come direct from Michael Scher of

All Year Heating and Cooling. Michael was one of the most gracious educators I have had the pleasure of talking to and was a wealth of information. He has spent time educating himself by being diligent with research and by attending a 3 day seminar at the OSU campus. “Water Oklahoma” is the home of the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association and has been the founders of research in the industry.

Michael also says that his favorite companies who manufacture the heat pumps are Water Furnace International (in business for ~65 years) and Florida Heat Pump (who are accustomed to dealing with higher temperatures). Michael started his career with a degree in architecture, then in 1986 had an opportunity to buy All Year Heating and Cooling. Since then, he has made heating and cooling his passion. You will see Michael with his company, All Year Heating and Cooling, at many of Austin’s “Green” events hosted by the Austin Energy Green Building and other sponsors. He takes care to design the best system for you and your budget and always uses correct calculations to design the right sized unit for your home. Next time you need heating and cooling service of either a heat pump or conventional type, please contact Michael at michael@allyearaustin.com

Good green building starts with good design and construction for little to no extra expense. With the proper design and building team, your budget can allow for sound energy systems like a heat pump.

In Texas, a very important component in our homes is the insulation.  The question for homeowners is which one is best and most effective.  So to answer that, let’s take a look at where we live. 

Here are the facts. Our climate in Central Texas is hot and humid.  The average daily high temperature for 6 months out of the year is 80 degrees or higher and the average humidity levels for Austin is 83% in the morning and 59% in the afternoon.   With this humidity, we have a greater chance of moisture accumulating in our homes creating mold and other problems, not to mention an uncomfortable space to live in! 

Moisture can enter our homes through gravity, capillary action, air leakage, and vapor diffusion.  Moisture entering by gravity is through leaks in your roof or driving rain into a window or door.  Water can wick up through your slab or between tight crevices by means of Capillary action.  Humidity from the air can enter our homes through leaks in our building envelope.  Vapor diffusion is the ability for either standing water or humidity to pass through a material.  Of these means of movement, air movement through small holes and leaks in your building envelope account for more than 98% of all water vapor movement.  When we run our HVAC, air pressure is created which moves air from a high pressure to a low pressure forcing air and moisture through small holes and cracks in the envelope.

If we can get moisture in our homes through these means, we must eliminate these holes in our houses!  So, how about a vapor barrier?  Consider an impermeable sheet of plastic, hot and humid on the outside and cold on the inside 6 months out of the year.  What is going to happen?  Just like an ice-cold glass of water on a hot day, condensation will collect on the outside.  If we have allowed humidity into our home, condensation can happen on the inside of the vapor barrier as well.  This is why a vapor barrier does not work in our climate.  An air barrier is what is best.

An air barrier will not let air leak through it but is permeable to water.  This does not mean that water can drip through it; it means that if water permeates in, it can dry out, though it is not an absorbent material.  Tyvek is a good example of an air barrier material and is used on homes everywhere.  What’s important in an air barrier in our climate is that our homes should be able to dry from the inside and outside surfaces.  So, what does this have to do with insulation?

There are many different varieties of insulation, but one in particular can create an air barrier while providing excellent insulation for your home.  Open cell foam insulation is the popular spray-in expanding foam that we are seeing everywhere.  When sprayed in your walls and roof it sticks to any building material, takes only 20 seconds to dry and cure, totally fills all crevices and can be covered with other building materials immediately.  It is not harmed by insects, it is flame retardant and it does not shrink, settle or degrade over time.  The R-value stays constant and it is an excellent thermal and sound insulator.  Additionally, this foam provides a complete air and moisture barrier using carbon dioxide rather than CFCs and produces no out-gassing.  The most popular brand name is Icynene, but there are other brands to choose from.   When checking brands, be sure that your choice is a brand that does not use CFC’s as a blowing agent.  This is what causes out gassing and is harmful to our ozone.

If you choose to spray your walls and roof, you will create sealed attic and a seamless air barrier throughout your whole envelope. The energy savings are about 40 – 50 %!

Jesus Rodriguez with Hill Country Insulation says that out of all the types of insulations he installs, the spray foam is his personal favorite because of the energy savings and quality of the product.  His company uses the Bayseal brand of spray foam insulation. Hill Country’s services, for Bayseal insulation, costs from .32 – .40 per square foot / per inch of thickness.  Contact Jesus at 830-515-9451.

Foam insulation is more expensive than fiberglass batt insulation but considering the installation will have no gaps and basically eliminate potential moisture issues and then mix with the energy savings; it’s clear to see that your return on your investment will be quick!