LINC UP, a community non-profit housing developer working to create the infrastructure for residents to lead change in their neighborhoods, has earned a LEED Silver Certification under the United States Green Building Council’s new version 4.1 rating system. This home is a single family residence built in Grand Rapids’ Seeds of Promise neighborhood.

LINC UP partners with a variety of organizations to develop affordable housing ensuring that longtime residents of Grand Rapids and surrounding cities can continue to live and work in their own neighborhoods. The single-family home is LINC UP’s first newly constructed home to achieve LEED Silver Certification, which is the result of working through the Grand Rapids Affordable Housing Program and in consultation with the GreenHome Institute to fund the cost, testing, and verification of green building certification.

Becoming LEED certified is a comprehensive process that requires 3rd party testing and verification midway through construction. LEED requires Final verification and testing include an exhaustive evaluation to confirm that all green and energy efficient features are in place.

Adam Vanderlaan, LINC UP’s Construction Manager, noted “In our midway Green Rater test, we learned that we needed a higher level of ventilation.The house was a slightly below standard. We converted a bath fan to run all the time, and we hit the correct requirements. By the final verification process, we reached the proper standard for the safety of the occupants of the home and to achieve the Silver LEED certification.”

LEED also requires a home to receive a Home Energy Rating System Score (HERS) to determine how energy efficient it is compared to other homes. This score includes air leak testing, water conservation reviews, and a durability inspection. LEED now includes a point for a building if it qualifies for affordable housing, which is part of what allowed the LINC UP residential new-build to receive Silver Certification.

“Home ownership helps build equity,” says Brett Little, Program Manager of GreenHome Institute. “Because LINC UP is selling these homes to people at varying income levels, the LEED certification could potentially add to the home’s equity based on several studies around the country of green-certified homes and their value.

IVNA was pleased to work with LINC UP, serving as Architect on this high performing affordable home. Isaac company owner says “We are excited that this project has received LEED Certification-Silver and that it has also received an Honorable Mention Award from the USGBC Regional chapter. We believe that the design and construction of energy-efficient affordable housing is essential to address all concerns related to environmental stewardship thus, promoting quality of life for all.”

The project scored 10 of 10 location and transportation points with 2 bonus points in Exemplary Performance. Better LT scores equate help reduce costs for the occupants by allowing more ways to get around than driving. LT section first confirmed the project was not located in the 100-year floodplain and the project was built 100% previously developed land with a majority of all land in 1/2 mile being developed. Connectivity-wise the project is in 1/2 mile of a public park, existing sidewalks, 7 community resources and significant transit opportunities.  The project is efficient with space use at the equivalent of 9 dwelling units per acre.

To improve the home’s durability it features a single fiberglass insert in the shower and tub with no paper to get wet. No carpeting near entry ways, in the kitchen or bathroom. The clothes dryer is ready for outdoor venting with a rigid duct, overhangs keep water and the sun out of doors to prevent rot and the energy-water management checklist was followed which included proper install and use of gutters.

You can take a virtual self-guided LEED tour of the house here thanks to a donation from www.invision-ds.com

Other Green Features

HERS Index Rating 55

Fully Ducted HVAC Runs

Owners Manual and Owner Training on Operations

R410a Refrigerant in AC

Vented Hoodrange

CO2 Detectors

Sealed Combustion water heater and furnace

Shoe removal area

Detached Garage

MERV 8 Furnace Filters

1.5 GPM bathroom aerators

1.75 GPM showerheads

1.28 GPF toilets

Pollution prevention measures during construction.

Baker+Myers SmartHaus is a LEED registered home aiming for Platinum v4.1 and is pre-certified to be Zero Energy Capable brought to you by our member company Smart Haus Wexler / Kollman and verified by members Eco Achievers. 

It will ideally use about a tenth the heating energy of a built- to-code home, and about 109% less energy overall.      The home has a preliminary -9 HERS rating.

The home is powered by a 8.9kW solar PV grid-tied array, and was designed so the solar electric array produces as much energy as the home uses.

As a single-family deep energy re-hab, we were able to recycle much of the original 1960’s split level into the new home. Indoor air quality and occupant health were primary objectives as well. No-added-formaldehyde cabinetry and trim materials, no-VOC paints, and Greenguard certified sealants, caulks, and adhesives were used.

An on demand-controlled ventilation system (CERV) provides superior air quality. Ductless Mitsubishi minisplit heat pumps provide energy-efficient heating, cooling, and dehumidification.

The home and site are interlaced with each component working symbiotically together. All storm water is captured and directed to landscape features designed to harvest for garden to table enjoyment. Rear deck leads to roof garden with cistern and cold frames.

SmartHaus was fortunate to work with inspired owners seeking a healthy, modest low-energy house. As with all our projects, here we sought the harmony of performance and aesthetics, integrated into the fabric of the community.

You can meet the owners on our virtual tour of their home during the net zero homeowner roundtable recorded webinar

Get your LEED project started here! 

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.