A Green Future in the past – Habitat Registers 100th LEED Home in Grand Rapids

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After dozens of new and gut-rehab LEED projects, the Grand Rapids, Michigan Habitat for Humanity affiliate is ready to begin a new era. That happens to be a really old era too.  

With LEED for Homes-registered project #100, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County will start work on their ambitious “Wealthy Heights” neighborhood effort to rebuild homes built in the 1880’s as affordable, workforce housing. After building one new LEED platinum home (Grand Rapid’s 1st!) and preserving a single-family home and a two-unit in Wealthy Heights over the last couple years, Habitat is ready to start seven more projects this fall. It will also coincide with major road and infrastructure improvements by the City of Grand Rapids. Neighbors in Wealthy Heights get ready for construction season!

“The neighbors and business owners who have led the revitalization effort in this neighborhood over the last three decades made it possible for Habitat to step into the mix. Being historic has been a challenge and a blessing but now become a really desirable location for our home buyer partner families,” said Habitat’s Chris Hall.

As Director of Strategic Initiatives, Hall has been part of this project since 2009 when it was first brought to Habitat. With a history of results, Habitat Kent was in the right place at the right time. “It all happened as we were starting to look at ways to become more effective in transforming entire neighborhoods through our work.”

Since then, Habitat has completed the three home projects but also built a community garden and hosted an AmeriCorps Signature Service Project which offered basic exterior repairs, landscaping and a fresh coat of paint for home owners on Donald Place SE.

“We’ve seen residents show up at hearings in support, out working on site, and they have embraced our new families as part of the neighborhood. For-profit builders are doing work in the neighborhood too. This week I heard from folks as far away as New York City regarding a possible LEED-ND certification. Considering we haven’t even begun the major work yet you’d have to say it’s already been an amazing success story.”

After committing to 100% LEED for Homes certification in 2007, Habitat Kent has gone one to become recognized internationally as a leader in affordable, sustainable design and construction. In fact, they were awarded for “Outstanding Program Commitment” to LEED for Homes at the 2011 Greenbuild Conference and Expo in Toronto.

While the positive energy surrounding this project is building, Hall says there is still opportunity for you to help, “We are always looking for partners—either through financial contributions, donations of materials or professional services, as volunteers on site and even as home buyers.” Anyone can visit habitatkent.org to find out more. “Someone can even gain LEED project experience to use toward a LEED AP credential through Habitat! Anyone interested sustainable design will find something cool about this project.”

Future posts will feature a profile of the 100th registered home at 327 Freyling Place SE as well as the other upcoming and completed projects.

Research is being done by MSU and FSU students and faculty with support from Dow and Habitat. They begin with the lowest cost and simplest forms of energy efficiency including cans of spray foam at joints and in gaps, spray foam in rim joists, and other air sealing measures. From there they will test other wall insulation and mechanical system combinations. At each step the homes are tested and analyzed.

Habitat Director of Strategic Initiatives Chris Hall enjoys seeing young people included in the project, “The Michigan State and Ferris State students have really been on the frontline the whole way and they’re getting their hands dirty—in a good way. What they’re learning will directly be applied to what they do in their careers in architecture, engineering, construction management or beyond. And that their work on these homes specifically will benefit a low-income family is especially cool.”

More details on the research project https://greenhomeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Black-Hills-Home-Energy-Research-Project-Habitat-for-Humanity-Kent-County-.pdf

 Want to learn more about affordable Green/LEED major rehabs to existing homes? Free recorded webinar on Habitat’s success here https://www.fuzemeeting.com/replay_meeting/50e23e6d/2385117  Need CEUs for watching this? Email us Info@allianceES.org

Wisconsin Passive House owner says drop on by anytime!

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“I want as many people to come into this house as possible. Anyone who reads this can knock on my door and I’ll give them a tour. The whole point is to share and learn from each other, to take ideas from here and do them elsewhere.” – Sonya Newenhouse

With Carly Coulson as the certified Passive House designer. This tiny (968-square-foot) kit house has a treated floor area of 888 square feet (82.5 m²). This project sports local windows and Cardinal triple-pane glass, while the doors are Energate. The NewenHouse is wrapped in a jacket of cellulose – and similarly comes in well under the specific space heating demand.

Carly recently presented the project at the Hannover Passivhaus conference. Here are some of the project specs:

  • Space heating demand: 11.4 kWh/m²a (3.61 kBTU/ft²a)
  • Primary energy demand: 104 kWh/m²a (32.9 kBTU/ft²a)
  • Blower door: 0.51 ach50
  • Wall U-factor: 0.09 W/m²K (R-63)
  • Slab U-factor: 0.10 W/m²K (R-57)
  • Roof U-factor: 0.06 W/m²K (R-94)
  • (7,795 HDDs)

The project is also rocking a solar domestic hot water system (Velux) that is expected to provide nearly two-thirds of the domestic hot water needs, and a PV system for site net zero energy.

The project went through BRE in Watford, UK, for Passivhaus certification, is Energy Starcertified, and is expected to hit LEED for Homes Platinum after Landscape verification by the Green Rater Laura Paprocki.

Total cost for NewenHouse – including solar DHW, PV, and accessory structures – is a whopping $173/sf. If there was a LEED Titanium, this über-tiny Passivhaus in an “extreme” environment would surely qualify.

Newenhouse, who aptly describes herself as an eco-entrepreneur, is also founder and president of Community Car LLC in Madison, and just sold the Madison Environmental Group, a business she founded 13 years ago, to an employee. In the next year, she plans to launch a business selling three house designs — a 500-square-foot one-bedroom, an 800-square-foot two-bedroom, and a 1,000-square-foot three-bedroom. An option for a detached stuga, Swedish for “cabin,” includes storage space, a root cellar, sleeping loft, sitting area and wood stove. With her business, Newenhouse says she is trying to bring together three movements: the green building movement, the small house movement and the sustainable- or simple-living movement.

A brief overview of her kit house can be found at http://www.madisonenvironmental.com/documents/NewenHouseHandout_10%2010%2011%20(3).pdf

You can contact Newenhouse at 608-220-8029 or Sonya@madisonenvironmental.com. A link to her blog is on the a at madisonenvironmental.com. Or if you’re planning to drop in, which she says she welcomes, she lives at 422 Hickory St. in Viroqua WI.

Want to learn more about Passive House features & LEED?   is hosting a free webinar of another Homeowner’s journey in Michigan who attempted passive house & is on track for LEED Platinum. Missed it? It will be recorded and a 2 hour video series on it’s construction & post occupancy living will be out by Fall. https://greenhomeinstitute.org/education-and-events/a-journey-to-passive-house-leed-homeowners-tale-free-webinar/

This article is a mash up between Joe Orso of the Lacrosse Tribune and Mike Eliason of Green Building Advisor. Their stories can be found here

http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/joe-orso-building-for-the-future/article_b4265ffc-709d-11e1-8457-001871e3ce6c.html

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/guest-blogs/cold-climate-passivhaus-construction-costs?utm_source=email&utm_medium=eletter&utm_term=energy-efficiency&utm_content=20120606-2012-iecc-specs&utm_campaign=green-building-advisor-eletter

 

Become LEED for Homes Green Rater

Chicago Green Rater Training – AIA/GBCI/Resnet CEUs

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USGBC LEED® for Homes™ Green Rater Training

Co-sponsored with Energy Finance Analytics

There are currently over 75,000 registered LEED® for Homes™ projects nationwide, and each project requires third-party on-siteverification and performance testing. If you’re interested in filling this need as part of USGBC’s new LEED for Homes Green Rater program, this training is for you! The two-part LEED for Homes Green Rater Training is designed to prepare qualified participants to provide verification services on LEED for Homes projects. Applicants must meet initial qualifications and complete a two-part training (this two-day workshop and an online course component). Following the training, participants will take a computer-based exam provided by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) and complete a mentorship on real projects before earning the LEED for Homes Green Rater Certificate.

Learning Objectives

Identify responsibilities of a LEED for Homes Green Rater in each phase of a project
Manage and conduct verification activities
Effectively use the project checklist file
Communicate effectively with project teams and LEED for Homes Providers
Apply the sampling protocol on applicable projects
Prepare accurate and complete certification submittal packages
Audience
This training is intended for professionals with a minimum of three years’ experience in the residential construction industry and basic residential green building knowledge who are interested in providing verification services on LEED for Homes projects. Those with a background in on-site verification and/or energy rating are particularly qualified. This program is being co-sponsored with Energy Finance Analytics LLC, a RESNET training provider.

Prerequisites
Meet LEED for Homes Green Rater Eligibility Qualifications.

Continuing Education
This course, like all USGBC LEED education programs, meets GBCI eligibility requirements for the LEED Green Associate.

RESNET: 14 professional development credits
GBCI CE: 14 hours (LEED Homes Specific)
AIA/CES: 14 HSW/SD Learning Units
BOMI: 14 (CPD)
CoreNet: 14 (CPD)
CSI: 1.6 (CEU)

Tuition:
Regular: $650
Early Bird: $595 (register before 6/8/2012)

Steps to Become a Green Rater

Step 1: Meet LEED for Homes Green Rater Eligibility Qualifications and submit application form to USGBC.
Step 2: Once accepted, complete five self-guided online learning modules prior to participating in the two-day LEED for Homes Green Rater Training.
Step 3: Take and pass LEED for Homes Green Rater exam through GBCI.
Step 4: Complete Green Rater Mentorship with a LEED for Homes provider within 24 months.
Step 5: Receive LEED for Homes Green Rater Certificate.
If you have any questions about Green Rater eligibility or working with a LEED for Homes provider, please contact Brett Little, Administrative Director.

Instructors
Jason La Fleur, LEED AP+Homes and LEED for Homes Green Rater
Frank Pipal, Certified RESNET Trainer

Lodging
Discounted lodging is available at a nearby Extended Stay America for $69.00 a night. When calling (630) 226-8966, mention the reservation name “LEED Homes” to receive the discount rate. Hotel Details.

Optional Mentorship Visit
Out of town class participants can sign up for an optional mentorship site visit to occur Thursday evening after class. Contact us for details.

Register here https://greenhomeinstitute.org/education-and-events/green-rater-training-1/

Registration problems? Contact info@alliancees.org or (616) 458-6733