There has been a dramatic increase in the construction of homes that feature healthy and sustainable design over the last ten years in the United States. Increased consciousness from consumers, businesses, and governments about the impact buildings have on climate change as well as a greater concern for healthy indoor environments have driven and are driving this demand. Fortunately, new materials and technologies make the design and construction of these homes far more cost effective.
Some Background on the Problem
Climate Change/Sustainability
Most climate scientists agree that human action is now the major cause of climate change, and that this trend is increasingly and alarmingly negatively impacting the quality of life for all living things. It turns out that buildings are the worse problem. According to the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), buildings, as a category, use more energy than is used by industry and transportation (39 percent) and they account for the greatest percentage of carbon emission in the US (40 percent). Currently, 72 percent of the electricity generated in this country is used to heat, cool and light buildings.
Indoor Air Quality/Health
Average Americans spend 92 percent of their time indoors (65 percent of that time at home). Unfortunately, the EPA says that on average, indoor air is four times more polluted than outdoor air. Paints, building materials and furnishings emit VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and can contain compounds like formaldehyde and urea that can cause skin and respiratory irritation, nausea and even cancer. Pesticides can be unintentionally tracked indoors. Molds, bacteria, and dust mites can trigger allergies and other ailments.
LivingHomes was started to design and develop homes that are as healthy for inhabitants and the environment as possible. Inspired by the “Cradle to Cradle” ethic, we consider our homes\’ ecological footprint at every stage, from planning and construction, through a lifetime of operation and change, to the end of its life cycle, when the home or pieces of it must be replaced, deconstructed or salvaged. As much as possible, we strive to eliminate waste, use as little energy as possible and use renewable energy when we need it, minimize indoor and outdoor air pollution; and minimize water use. Overall, we seek to create LivingHomes that respect both human and natural systems.
Ray Kappe, FAIA, designed the first LivingHome we built. It was constructed in a factory and the eleven modules that comprise the LivingHome were assembled by crane in 8.5 hours. It was the first home in the nation to achieve LEED Platinum, the highest level of certification in LEED. Twelve LivingHomes have been certified LEED Platinum, making the company one of the most experienced designers of LEED Platinum homes.
LEED, developed by the USGBC, stands for Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design and it is the nation’s largest green building certification program. There have been a number of studies that have confirmed that LEED certified homes are selling for more than similar, non-certified homes, so in addition to the advantages that offer from an environmental and health perspective, there appears to be financial advantages to building in a more responsible way.
We use external, objective programs like the USGBC’s LEED and the EPA’s EnergyStar programs to provide objective measure of our performance, but we developed our own internal environmental program, called Z6, which clarifies and quantifies the six key metrics which we aspire to achieve/minimize: Zero Energy, Zero Water, Zero Emissions, Zero Carbon, Zero Waste and Zero Ignorance. It’s worth reviewing what we do to achieve Z6 because the strategies are available to all homes – and buildings. In most cases, the materials and systems described below are available from major home supply companies like Home Depot and they’re no more expensive than non-sustainable materials. With little to no difference in cost, and far less impact to the environment and indoor air quality, there are few barriers to building healthy, sustainable homes – and increasing advantages for doing so.
THE Z6 GOALS
• Zero Energy
Goal: Very low energy requirements that are completely satisfied from renewable sources. Reduce energy use as much as possible and produce all power needs from renewable resources. Strategy: To make every LivingHome as self-sufficient as possible, we find ways to dramatically reduce the demand for energy (insulation, high performance windows, low energy lights and appliances, etc.) and integrate technologies that produce the majority (or all) of the power it needs.
• Zero Water
Goal: No potable water for landscape irrigation and at least 30 percent less indoor water use than the average home. Strategy: To conserve water, all LivingHomes use low-flow water fixtures and are made grey water ready so that wastewater from the bath, shower, washing machine, and dishwasher can be used for landscape irrigation. We also advocate native and climate-appropriate landscaping wherever possible.
• Zero Emissions
Goal: Clean indoor air with very low levels of harmful off-gassed emissions, including mold, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and formaldehyde/urea. Strategy: To achieve this, we minimize and/or eliminate the sources of these pollutants from paint, millwork and engineered wood with formaldehyde, wood-burning fireplaces, and poor ventilation. We also include indoor plants that absorb the dangerous compounds.
• Zero Waste
Goal: No construction waste. Strategy: Modular design and fabrication processes reduce construction waste because materials do not spoil by being left outside, cut-offs and surplus materials are easily reused, and better workmanship results in fewer mistakes. We also work with fabricators who carefully separate construction waste to recycle as much as possible. We try to use materials that are recycled or reclaimed, as much as possible, and that are Cradle-to-Cradle certified or inspired (see Carbon below).
• Zero Carbon
Goal: Carbon required to manufacture and transport the materials and the home itself are reduced as much as possible and any carbon that is expended is offset through a verifiable means. Strategy: To reduce the embodied carbon in the home, we use as many reclaimed and recycled materials as possible, and try to source materials that are manufactured locally and/or that are Cradle-to-Cradle certified. Carbon offsets are purchased to compensate for the carbon we project is required to produce the materials, build the home, and ship it to its final site.
• Zero Ignorance
Goal: Informed homeowners who are aware of the environmental consequences of their actions make people aware of the resources they use in LivingHomes. Strategy: Because the behavior of a home’s inhabitants has a significant impact on its environmental performance, we strive to make homeowners aware of their energy and water use. Studies have shown that people who get feedback on their energy use tend to use 20 percent less than those who are uninformed. A home walkthrough and a printed manual, as well as an installed energy monitoring system, ensure that our homeowners have all the information they need about how their lifestyle choices impact their resource use.
Summary
Thanks to greater consumer interest – and government regulation – the demand for healthy homes that are built and operate in a more sustainable way continues to grow. As a result, there is a large and growing number of materials, finishes, fixtures, and systems that offer energy, water, and resource efficiency at price points that are little to no greater than their non-sustainable peers. This virtuous cycle is making it possible to build more homes, more sustainably – and that’s happening across the country.
To learn more about LivingHomes and to configure a Virtual LivingHome of your own that you can share with others, go to- www.livinghomes.net
Article by Steve Glenn, CEO of Plant Prefab, Inc. (www.plantprefab.com), a spinout of LivingHomes, which is the first home factory in the country focused on sustainable, high quality, urban infill construction. Plant Prefab was funded by Obvious Ventures. Glenn is the founder and Managing Manager of LivingHomes, LLC (www.livinghomes.net), a premier developer of modern, prefabricated homes that combine world-class architecture with an unparalleled commitment to healthy and sustainable construction. The first LivingHome, designed by Ray Kappe, FAIA, was installed in eight hours. It became the first home ever to receive a LEED for Home Platinum rating. Thirteen LivingHomes have been certified LEED Platinum and one LEED Gold, making the company one of the most experienced designers of homes at the highest level of LEED certification. LivingHomes are available in standard or customized configurations to builders, developers and individuals. LivingHomes have garnered significant industry recognition including the AIA’s top sustainable award, Green Builder Magazine’s Home of Year, Business 2.0 “World’s 11 Coolest Products”, and Business Week’s “Architectural Wonders of the World.”
In addition to design, LivingHomes is developing affordable housing communities for Make It Right, at the Ft. Peck Indian Reservation in Montana and for an East LA Community Corporation project in Los Angeles, and for its own project in Atwater Village, Los Angeles. Before LivingHomes, Glenn worked with the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI) and managed the development of a $220 million program in Mozambique, the first program CHAI launched in Africa. Glenn is founder and former Chairman and CEO of PeopleLink, a leading provider of enterprise ecommunity solutions, which raised $35 million from AT&T Ventures, GE, Goldman Sachs, idealab and others. Glenn was a founding partner of idealab, a business incubation firm that raised $1 billion and that founded or invested in a number of successful companies including GoTo/Overture (OVER), NetZero/United Online (UNTD), CitySearch (TMCS), Tickets.com (TKTS), eToys and CarsDirect.
Glenn worked for Walt Disney Imagineering as co-director of the Virtual Reality Studio. Glenn co-founded Clearview Software, which was sold to Apple Computer where Glenn later served as a marketing specialist. He holds a bachelor’s degree with honors from Brown University, studied Urban Planning at Harvard Graduate School of Design, and was a Coro Fellow. Glenn is a co-founder and chair of the Sustainable Business Council, www.sustainablebc.org, co-founder of the Kaia Parker Dance Endowment, www.kaiaparker.org, and a co-founder and former board member of Hope Street Group, www.hopestreetgroup.org and the Brown University Entrepreneur Forum, www.brownentrepreneurship.com. He was a Judge for the US Energy Department\’s 2013 Solar Decathlon competition, www.solardecathlon.gov. Glenn was named the Clean Tech CEO of the Year by Clean Tech Week; Environmental Entrepreneur of the Year by LA City Council/Faith2Green; and Greatest Person of the Day by Huffington Post. Glenn holds two patents.
