Category: GreenStar Homes Certification

The 2020 Green Homes Smart Market report is out!

Post author By admin
Post date May 26, 2020

The 2020 Green Homes Smart Market report is out!

“Third-party verification, whether through a HERS score or through certification, is the top way that home builders demonstrate to their customers that projects that they build are green”

A 3rd of single-family home builder’s top marketing tools include the Home Energy Rating Score (HERS) and a 3rd party Green Home Certification. Remodelers find that Green Certifications are the top for them compared to other forms of marketing. Even though builders and remodelers say green appraisals are important, they believe these 3rd party certification methods are a better means to help market their projects.

I think it is important because while we want to see more green appraisals occur, we know that the whole idea of a 3rd party rating is to give the appraiser assurance it is green and not necessarily rely on them to be green building experts.

Over 50% of those builders who say more than half of their projects are usually green projects are using green certifications AND HERS as a way to show it.

Check out the report here below, and if you are ready to take your business to the next level, you can learn more about our 3rd party green building certifications here. https://greenhomeinstitute.org/services/

Click to access green-homes-smart-market-brief-2020.pdf

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Arts and Crafts Goes Green – ADA and LEED – Midland, Michigan

Post author By admin
Post date April 24, 2020

Give a summary of the project

Built on a beautiful three-acre lot in the City of Midland – this is not just any home. This home is the future of housing in America today: a home that pulls from the past to re-create the future. The house has obtained LEED® certification. The list of green technology incorporated into this home is extensive and includes:

Dow POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingles
Durisol Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF’s)
Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) Roof
Geothermal heating and cooling
Radiant floor heat
Passive Solar design techniques
Aging in place design strategies

Give us success stories as well as lessons learned

Taking a home that is larger in size and designing it for near net-zero energy usage is not trivial. Optimal site place for maximum solar exposure and extensive energy modeling had to be complete before finalizing the design.

Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project

The juxtaposition of centuries old building methods combined with the latest building science technology combine. The structure itself is constructed of Durisol Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF’s) instead of the standard concrete poured foundation and stick frame wall construction. This product that acts as structure, insulation and thermal mass, is one of the most energy efficient and durable products available today. Durisol is an all-natural material made mostly of recycled wood and clay, and uses a technology that is based on the “wattle and daub” material that has been used for at least 6000 years. Durisol ICF’s do not rot or decay, are vermin, termite and insect proof, and will not support fungus growth. Durisol ICF’s are environmentally safe, do not contain nor emit any toxic elements, and are fully recyclable.

Solar shingles are used to combine the latest in solar technology in a product that is more aesthetically attractive than the typical raised solar panel.

Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?

Aside from the properties described above, Durisol ICF’s create a home that is not only energy-efficient and earth friendly, but it also creates an exterior wall that modulates energy and moisture transfer very effectively, thereby making a structure that cannot harbor mold and produces negative ions that work with biological processes to create a sense of well-being and healthfulness. Our clients tell us that they just feel better when they are in their home.

Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them

Geothermal heating and cooling, ducted air returns and an ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator) ensure that the occupants of this home will be comfortable with extremely healthy air quality.

Explain your water conservation strategies

PEX manifold water system with re-circulating hot water. Low-flow water fixtures

Explain your materials & durability strategies

Durisol ICF envelope, SIP roof structure

Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits

Durisol ICF’s regulate moisture and create positive ions

Geothermal Heating and Cooling maintains a constant temperature year round

Energy Recovery Ventilator maintains healthy air quality and humidity

Tell us about your place or location strategies (Access to community resources, walk score, location to parks and nature, density, site re-development, brownfield, bike routes, bus routes and etc.)

Our clients have accessibility issues thus ADA/AIP design strategies were used throughout this home.

This home is in the heart of Midland. Parks, elementary and middle schools are less than a mile away. Entrance to the main access highway is also under a mile and grocery stores and a shopping center are within a 2 mile radius.

Would you be willing to share the project cost per square foot?

$450/SF

Can we share the project address?

712 Sterling Drive, Midland, MI 48640

Can we share your checklist and energy ratings to help others learn?

Yes

What else should we know

The clients had a large family who come from long-time residents of the Midland area and wanted to create a place where they would be able to handle the large gatherings created by being one of nine siblings. It was important to them to also keep project sourcing local and look to their family for specialty items like wood from a brothers sawmill in Sterling, MI and custom metalwork from a nephew in Ann Arbor who is a metal artisan.

In addition, since one of the homeowners has accessibility issues it was important to have a home that was not only easy to navigate, but also extremely low maintenance with the best air quality available.

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Prokopp Residence – LEED Silver – Lake Angelus, MI

Post author By admin
Post date April 17, 2020

Is there a project name?
	Prokopp Residence
Give a summary of the project
	The Prokopp Residence is a LEED Silver home built on an infill lot overlooking Lake Angelus MI. Situated on a tall bluff, the main living spaces all enjoy dramatic views of the lake. There are three bedrooms on the main floor and two bedrooms on the upper level. Total conditioned square footage, including the 3398 sq.ft. unfinished lower level walkout, is 7754. The garage is prepped for charging an electric vehicle. An 8KW Cradle to Cradle Certified solar array secured to the roof supplements electrical use and feeds electricity back into the grid, which contributes to a final HERS score of 28.
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
	The project achieved its primary goal of satisfied clients in a LEED certified home. Another success is that a significant amount of the heavily wooded lot was left undisturbed. The most important lesson is to stay engaged with the project team, as it helps achieve the goals of the project as well as ease the certification process.
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
	By preserving the wooded nature of the lot, the house site sits apart from the “green lawn” approach of its neighbors and the surrounding homes. The installed native vegetation requires no irrigation and compliments the natural feeling of the lot. The native and low mow grasses eliminate the need for regular lawn mowing. Set far back from the road, a gravel driveway connects to a concrete apron in front of the home, increasing water permeability and reducing runoff. In the interior, a unique custom look was achieved by using dimensional wood rather than pre-profiled trim.
Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
	The house incorporates a panelized, insulated basement wall system, advance framing techniques including insulated headers and a continuous foam board exterior sheathing. Taping, sealing or caulking all joints at the exterior building envelope, including the intersection of the drywall to the ceiling, greatly reduced air infiltration and the contributed to the low HERS score. The majority of windows face south towards the lake, requiring careful planning of the size and location of the fenestration.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
	The walkout basement has a radiant slab, the first and second floors use a high efficiency, zoned gas force air system. The zone system allows for the segregation of the less used second floor bedrooms and thus results in additional energy savings. All bath exhausts vent through a central ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator), which introduces fresh air for the occupants while capturing the temperature and humidity from the outgoing conditioned air, thus reducing utility costs.
Explain your water conservation strategies
	All fixtures are Water Sense or Low Flow. All hot water lines are insulated. Per the client’s goals, the native vegetation allows for elimination of an irrigation system.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
	To lower maintenance requirements, the exterior uses stone, brick and synthetic trim. Materials with recycled content were used throughout the project, in the foundation, the brick and stone, the trim and cabinets. Many of these materials were sourced from with 500 miles. All insulation exceeds code requirements. Seventy four percent of waste was diverted from the landfill by weight.
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
	To address the client’s concerns regarding dust and particulates, all supply and return air ductwork were protected from dust and debris during construction. A pre-occupancy flush-out to remove any remaining construction debris was performed. To guard against the accumulation of dust once occupied, the home has ninety percent hard surface flooring and media filters on each furnace. To further improve air quality over time, low/No VOC paints and caulks were used throughout out the project.
Tell us about your place or location stratagies
	The project is located near major shopping and bus lines. There is a community common area within walking distance. The site was the last undeveloped lot in Lake Angelus and achieved the project goal to preserve and showcase its wooded character.
Would you be willing to share the project cost per square foot?
	$250/sq.ft.

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First ever certified GreenStar Homes Multifamily improves occupant health

Post author By admin
Post date April 10, 2020

Built for the informed buyer. First GreenStar certified condo building–twice as energy-efficient as the average new condo. Construction quality inspected by a 3rd-party, verified, and documented during construction, so you can trust that things were done correctly. See additional media for how we’re different, including science-backed construction to prevent leaks & mold, and utility cost savings worth over $10,000. Live your #bestlife with a relaxing and healthy indoor environment including exclusive health-oriented benefits: state-of-the-art HVAC system that activates fresh air ventilation system to maintain air quality, hospital-grade air-cleaning drywall, TONS of natural light from forever-view West windows, and soundproofed windows and floors. Lifestyle features like mudroom bench, radiant-heated sidewalks (never shovel snow again), two huge balconies + huge very private rooftop deck, master bath with double showerheads + soaking tub + heated floors + double sink + vanity area + private toilet room. Speaker pre-wiring. Two extra (heated) garage spots available. HERS = 51

Success: was able to apply a lot of building science that got recognition and lead to probably the best-built multi-family in Chicago. Got innovation points for using a thermostat that came out just a month before we ordered it and was–as far as we know–the first time it was used in a development in Chicago. The design work got us featured on a House Hunters episode.

Lessons Learned: most buyers wanted an elevator for the penthouse units; many coming from 2/2 units in River North wanting more space so were used to it. The market still not recognizing value of quality build features sufficient to get a 100% return on investment, has to be considered an investment in reputation.

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Building a Sustainable Garden Shed | Jessica Bliss of shedplans.org

Post author By admin
Post date February 25, 2020

There is often a misunderstanding that building a “green” or “environmentally-friendly” shed is the same as building a sustainable one. While closely related, there are distinct differences between the two. Building an environmentally-friendly structure involves using means that will not hurt the environment. However, building sustainably has even higher standards and is not only about not harming the environment but protecting it for years to come. This means a product or method might be “green” but it may not be sustainable if it takes a lot of resources to manufacture, releases pollutants into the environment, or there isn’t a viable way to dispose of it.

Photo Credit: Construction Executive

Benefits of a Sustainable Outdoor Storage Building

Utilizing this method isn’t just beneficial to the environment, it also advantageous to your pocketbook. Benefits of sustainable building include:

Minimal operating costs
Reduced carbon footprint
Potential tax incentives
Production of less waste

Constructing a sustainable garden shed is easier than you might think. This is your guide to building a garden shed with minimal impact on the environment.

Let Your Shed Do the Work

There are features you can incorporate that will allow your shed to self-regulate its temperature by keeping the heat in during the cold winter months and keeping the cool in during the hot summer months.

Insulation – Make sure you use plenty of insulation in your storage building. It may come as a surprise, but many structures lack adequate amounts of insulation. Insulation made from sheep’s wool, cork, cellulose, and types of fabric such as denim is made with minimal manufacturing which makes them great sustainable options as opposed to your traditional fiberglass insulation. A little-known fact is that adequate insulation can also improve the acoustics of your shed.
Thermal Mass – Optimize the thermal mass of a building, which is the ability of the exterior of your shed to absorb and store heat energy to combat external heat fluctuations. Concrete, brick, tile, and masonry are excellent options to choose for the exterior of your outdoor storage building.
Ventilation – Adequate ventilation is important when your shed is well-insulated and air-tight to circulate fresh air and control the level of moisture in the shed. Poor ventilation can also be a potential health hazard. There are two main types of ventilation that you can incorporate into the design of your shed. Passive ventilation is openings near that roof that are typically screened to allow air to pass through. Wind ventilation uses the power of the wind to force fresh air through your structure.

Reduce the Need for Artificial Light

Maximizing natural light is a key part of building a sustainable outdoor storage building. Incorporating skylights, sun tunnels, and adequate windows throughout the building will reduce the amount of artificial light needed and thus reducing your energy bill and carbon footprint.

Tip: Make sure to use only energy-efficient products, such as double and triple pane windows, and make sure installation is airtight. Otherwise, your efforts will be counter-productive, and you will end up losing heat through the fixtures.

Alternative Forms of Energy

A beta hydrokinetic generator to be installed near Eastport, ME—location of some of the largest tides in the U.S. Photo Credit: Ocean Renewable Power Company | WBDG

The use of solar energy or wind energy as alternate forms of energy to run your shed compared to traditional electricity reduce operating costs. These are excellent methods that require minimal resources and do not emit pollution into the environment.

How to Select Sustainable Materials

Incorporating these types of features is only part of building a sustainable shed. The second part is making sure to choose materials that meet the requirements. Here’s what you should look for when purchasing construction materials for your outdoor storage building:

Choose items that require minimal processing, manufacturing, and shipping. All three of these require resources. The more that is involved in producing and delivering the product to its end location, the larger the carbon footprint.
Look for products made with recycled materials. Repurposed materials mean fewer resources were needed to make the product and materials were used that would have otherwise ended up in landfills.
Have an eye towards durability. Durable products will last longer, which means they won’t end up filling up landfills in a few years. Long-lasting products emit less pollution, ultimately save resources, and reduce your carbon footprint.

Photo Credit: Shedplans.org

The Bottom Line

Sustainability is about taking advantage of what mother nature has already provided and caring for our resources so that generations to come have a healthy world to live in. Constructing a sustainable shed is easy to do with a little planning from the start. Get started on your own backyard garden shed by browsing FREE shed plans at shedplans.org.

Author: Jessica Bliss

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Come See the GHI Executive Director, Brett Little, Speak at the Net Zero Build Summit in Novi, Michigan on March 24-25, 2020

Post author By admin
Post date February 17, 2020

Due to COVID-19, this event is postponed and will be hosted on August 25-26, 2020.

Brett Little, Executive Director of the GreenHome Institute is joining together with key stakeholders involved in the Midwest’s value chain for net-zero construction at the very first NetZeroBuild Summit in Novi, Michigan on March 24th and 25th.

Brett will be speaking on the topic of ‘Veridian at County Farm: Intro to Net Zero Energy Living Community Challenge’ alongside Mat Grocoff (4:55 pm EST on 03-24), and will be Moderating the Panel for ‘Examining the Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainable Residential Construction’ alongside panelists Michael Klement, Kurt Neiswender, Alison Lindburg, and Peter Skornia (5:15 pm EST on 03-24). Click here to see a full agenda of speakers, panels, and presentations.

The NetZeroBuild Summit is hosting more than 250 leading architects, policymakers, contractors, system manufacturers, building owners, and real estate executives in a unique opportunity to access the latest green building expertise and identify suppliers to help deliver sustainable, energy-efficient construction, and renovation projects.

With an interactive two-day conference program, NetZeroBuild Summit has been expertly crafted to facilitate networking in the sustainable build community and allow the latest projects to be showcased. Download the full agenda, you won’t want to miss this one!

Register here today!

Tags: architects, brett little, Brett Little Executive Director, building owners, contractors, events, Events at GHI, ghi, GreenHome Institute Events, michigan, Net Zero, Net zero build summit, net zero homes, Net Zero Legislation, NetZeroBuild Summit, Novi, Novi MI, Novi Michigan, policymakers, real estate executives, Speaking Events, summit, system manufacturers, Zero Energy

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Brainerd Park Apartments – LEED Gold + 100% Affordable

Post author By admin
Post date January 9, 2020

Give a summary of the project
	We all know that eating well, staying active, and following our medical provider’s care plan are key factors to staying healthy. But we often forget that our health is also fundamentally impacted by where we live- our neighborhood and our home. Christian Community Health Center (CCHC) and Full Circle Communities (FCC) realized that some of the most important ‘medicine’ couldn’t be found within the walls of a clinic.So the two Chicago-based non-profits teamed up to bring 36 units of integrated supportive housing to a long vacant site at 8920 S Loomis in the Washington Heights neighborhood. After more than seven years of planning and tremendous support from the City of Chicago and eight other funding partners, Brainerd Park Apartments finally opened its doors to residents in August 2018. The LEED Gold development, located steps away from the Brainerd Park Metra Station is affordable to families at a variety of incomes, with a quarter of the units reserved for tenants referred from CCHC’s transitional housing program, whose main clinic is a mile away. CCHC will provide on-site supportive services and FCC will provide on-site property management.
Give us success stories as well as lessons learned
	The site was long vacant, and as a former home to several dry cleaning operations, required extensive environmental remediation and removal of old foundations. We sited the building, parking lot, and hardscape strategically, using these necessary project elements to act as a cap where possible to minimize the amount of extra haul-off and clean fill needed.
Tell us what is unique or innovative about this project
	Brainerd Park Apartments has achieved LEED Gold status AND is 100% affordable to families earning 60% or less of area median income. The service partnership brings on-site supportive health care supports to families keeping them stably housed and healthy. The energy and water efficient nature of the building helps the non-profit owner keep operating costs low and the interior air quality measures fit right into the healthy living service model.
Any special thermal envelop, insulation or passive heating & cooling details?
	The development includes low u value windows, high r roof insulation, reflective roofing membrane, horizontal insulation around perimeter of slab on grade and an insulated thermal break between foundation and slab on grade.
Any special HVAC systems worth mentioning? Describe them
	Each unit has a high efficiency furnace.
Explain your water conservation strategies
	Rare for a project in the City of Chicago, Brainerd Park Apartments achieves all stormwater detention requirements above ground through infiltration. The site combines a permeable paver parking lot with on-site bio-swales.Inside the building, there are centrally located hot water heaters with re-circulation pumps to efficiently deliver hot water to all units, low flow fixtures, and insulated all hot and cold piping.
Explain your materials & durability strategies
	A flash and batt insulation approach was used to not only reach the desired insulation level but also to assist in air sealing efforts.We also utilized local products for the structural elements ( ie. foundation cement, aggregate, and interior gyp board. All were recycled, which minimized the addition of new materials. The exterior has a durable fiber cement siding and brick exterior.
Detail the health and indoor environmental quality benefits
	Smart exhaust switches were used in conjunction with energy star bath fans as the ventilation strategy for the apartments. Each fan’s ventilation rate was tested and was set to run min/hour based on its tested exhaust rate to meet ASHREA ventilation requirements.Fresh outdoor air is directed into each unit furnace promoting indoor air quality. We used all low voc finish materials, adhesives, paint, caulk, etc. as well as NAUF/CARB2 wood products.
Tell us about your place or location stratagies
	Brainerd Park Apartments is a TOD site immediately next door to the Brainerd Park stop on the Rock Island Metra line, giving residents and affordable place to call home with easy access to downtown Chicago within 30 minutes. The site is also across the street from a library, within walking distance of a grocery store, multiple bus lines, an elementary school and large park.Though services are provided on-site and through a mobile health van, the site is also a mile away from Christian Community Health Center’s main clinic location.
Would you be willing to share the project cost per square foot?
	$240/psf in hard costs
What else should we know?
	The project also exceeded the City of Chicago’s requirements for local hiring, and women and minority owned business participation.

Financial resources for low income GHI Education Manager GHI Youtube Channel Subscribe list GreenStar Homes Certification Net zero energy conference On-Demand Green Home Videos

What are the top 5 YouTube green building education sessions of 2019?

Post author By admin
Post date December 29, 2019

If we had to summarize the sessions it’s that people are craving all-electric net-zero homes that are built from natural and healthier building materials. We hope to see this exciting trend continue into 2020 and will work to bring in speakers, thought leaders, and courses around these topics.

Here is a summary of our top 5 in order. Check them out for your needed continuing education and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube to keep up with 2020 courses!

5. 7 Steps for designing economical zero energy residences.

Professor Ty Newell joined us to discuss the Build Equinox ZEROS tool which is free to use on your next project to give you more assurance you are on track to take your next project to net-zero which includes using smart ventilation for lower energy use.

4. Natural Building in Cold Wet Climates.

Sigi Koko, Down to Earth Design, joins us in one of our very old webinars that’s still way ahead of its time discussing old traditions in a new way of using natural materials and insulations. Sigi shows us that we can use local, healthy and beautiful materials in a smart way to avoid the fears of rot and mold.

3. How to design and build affordable zero energy homes.

Bruce of the zero energy project spreads the message that zero energy can be done with the right upfront planning for minimal extra costs and a quick return on investment in new homes and apartments.

2. Introduction to natural hempcrete construction

Now with industrial hemp legalized in North America, it’s becoming easier to spec and build with healthier, locally sourced and potentially carbon-negative material. Join Chris Magwood to discuss strategies to implement this on your next project.

1. Introduction to fully ducted heat pumps for all-electric heating and cooling.

Our top-rated course for the year is hardly a surprise. Heatpumps use to be confined to geothermal and ductless systems only but now work as plug and play electric furnaces that can replace old gas systems or used in new homes who still want fully ducted systems. Join Mike Schaefer from Mitsubishi who will walk you through the benefits of these new systems.

GreenHome Institute continues to grow our YouTube channel with over 160,000 views this year and nearly 4000 subscribers! Please make sure to subscribe today to keep with our 2020 CEU webinars that you can watch anytime, on your time!

Financial resources for low income GHI Education Manager GHI Youtube Channel Subscribe list GreenStar Homes Certification Net zero energy conference On-Demand Green Home Videos

Kay T. Rose, Hope Network Housing Development Corp joins GHI Board of Directors in 2019

Post author By admin
Post date October 3, 2019

Kay Rose, a West Michigan native, has an extensive background in professional administration and customer service in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. She brings an overall understanding of business and a passion for being environmentally conscious to the Board. Always looking to learn more about green building options, she is excited to join efforts with GHI to educate and encourage residents to explore greener alternatives. An avid believer in reuse, recycle, repurpose, she enjoys breathing new life into ‘funky junk’ in her spare time, as well as travel, exploring the outdoors, hiking, camping – always with camera in hand. Currently, Kay works with the Hope Network Housing Development team focusing on affordable housing solutions and integrating supportive services for those most in need of help.

Financial resources for low income GHI Education Manager GHI Youtube Channel Subscribe list GreenStar Homes Certification Net zero energy conference On-Demand Green Home Videos

Will Gallmeyer, Green Projects Group joins GHI Board of Directors in 2019, Elected Treasurer

Post author By admin
Post date October 3, 2019

Will is President at Green Projects Group, currently focusing on LED lighting supply. His background is in utility rebate programs, residential energy auditing, and construction/remodeling. He is passionate about affordable housing, energy efficiency, natural building, and cooperation. He is also on boards at Circle Pines Center and Fountain Street Church. His wife, Samantha, is passionate about birth work. Their dog, Tawny, is just an adorable dog. He was recently very inspired by Drawdown and wants to create a vehicle to implement those solutions hyper-locally.

Will serves as the Treasurer for GHI.

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