The Forever Home: Going Green

When Iris Harrell and Ann Benson decided to remodel their two-story home, they were sure about two things. First, they wanted “The Forever Home” so they could age-in-place and have people of all ages and abilities visit. Curb-less showers and an elevator were installed. Secondly, they wanted to implement as many Green practices and materials as possible.

As a Green guideline, they used a rating system from “Build It Green”. When a choice was needed, good judgment was foremost. “It’s about making the right decision and doing what’s important,” says Iris Harrell. Instead of replacing the old furnaces, ducts were sealed and tested. At 93% efficiency the furnaces avoided the landfill. 

With Genie Nowicki, a Certified Interior Designer in the State of California and a Certified Green Building Professional, Iris and Ann achieved their goals. Here are some tips for your project:

Energy Savings:

Add solar panels 

Use dual-glazed windows

European Rolling Shutters at windows - shades on skylights  

Reduce furnace use with “Zone Heating” such as gas fireplace 

inserts and heated floors 

Consider heat recovery ventilation systems 

Insulate walls and floors     

Use fluorescent and LED lights 

Energy Star appliances 

Whole house fan and ceiling fans 

Indoor Air Quality/Health:

HVAC–seal ducts, install Hepa filters

No VOC paints

Use exterior plywood in interiors—no formaldehyde

Check crawl space for dampness and drainage

Materials:

Use Forestry Stewardship Certified Woods (FSC)

Recycled glass countertops or other man-made countertops

Engineered floors or refinished floors

Wool carpet

Water Conservation:

Use a re-circulating pump with timer

Consider automatic faucets

Water conserving appliances 

The concept of The Forever Home and being Green was laced into every decision. Throughout construction photos and videos were taken to document the project. Serving as a model for professionals and homeowners alike, this project documentary can be seen on PBS stations: “The Forever Home: Going Green.” Visit http://www.theforeverhome.com. Remember, good design is always beautiful regardless of the specialty you’re designing for. A house should be built not just for whom you are today, but also for the person you’ll become tomorrow.

Patsy Zakian-Greenough is a Senior Designer with Harrell Remodeling, Inc. Residential Design + Build in Mountain View, California, http://www.harrell-remodeling.com.  For a list of Certified Interior Designers in your area or to view the CID Pages (a visual directory of CID’s), visit http://www.ccidc.org/cidpages.