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Times Union of Albany, NY Clean and greenCommon-sense building methods build good health and conservation into living quarters BY FRANCES INGRAHAM HEINS The kitchens in Capital Construction's green homes feature formaldehyde-free cabinetry and fireslate counters made from recycled concrete. The room also includes window frames from recycled wood, low- or zero-VOC paint. Energy Star-rated appliances, an energy-saving automated lighting system and long-lasting hickory flooring. Builders and architects in the Capital Region are seeing green. Not in terms of paint or dollars, but as in green building practices, basic principles of building structures that are durable, long-lasting, low-maintenance, energy-efficient and healthful for the environment and the people who live in them. The term "green building" arose from a need to conserve after the energy crisis of the 1970s, says Michael R. Phinney, owner of Phinney Design Group in Saratoga Springs. "By the 1980s, buildings were being built really tight to conserve energy," explains Phinney. "As a result, this type of tightly sealed structure becomes a bubble filled with a lot of off-gassing from materials high in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with no way to filter or vent it. Volatile organic compounds are the odoriferous chemicals found in paints, solvents and glues used in furnishings, carpeting and various woods." New green ways were developed to counteract these toxic accumulations. But in addition to being healthful for their occupants, green homes are just common-sense buildings, says Phinney. They require less energy, use recycled, renewable and reused materials and have a smaller impact on the environment, he says.
Existing homes can be retrofitted to become greener, at least in terms of adding a few of the components of an energy-efficient home, says Phinney. "But there are specific features to consider when building new from the ground up." Frank Laskey, owner of Capital Construction in Ballston Spa, has built one of the five demonstration homes that are part of a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) project highlighting green building practices. The house, in the town of Wilton, is also a pilot project for the National Association of Home Builders Research Center. The project, which will be used to help establish guidelines in New York state for green building, meets or exceeds Energy Star standards as well as the guidelines established by the American Lung Association for a "healthy house." The first formally documented green house in the region was a Habitat for Humanity project built in Schenectady in 2000 with the assistance of the Capital Region Builders and Remodelers Association, NYSERDA, and the National Association of Home Builders Research Center. Although the trend has been slow to catch on, it is growing. Laskey's demonstration home is one of a subdivision of 22 green homes he is building. Richard and Jane Leifer are the owners of a green house built by Laskey in the town of Greenfield. "The motivation for us was that my wife is chemically sensitive, and a lot of modern building materials are dangerous to her health," says Richard Leifer, director of executive programs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. "It's great to be able to walk in your house without having breathing problems, a runny nose and headaches. "A lot of people I have talked to say they don't feel good at home, but don't know why. ... We moved into our home a year ago April and my wife hasn't had any of the symptoms that she experienced in our other house." Leifer says he did a lot of research before the house was built and helped make a lot of the material choices, such as the use of natural sisal grass carpeting on the cellar stairs and bamboo and cork flooring for interior rooms, instead of carpeting. Even though Leifer's house was built using
energy-efficient products, the couple added radiant heat in the
floors to keep the home drier and keep moisture-caused bacteria from
growing and a heat/recovery system to remove stale air and heat the
fresh cold air coming in, says Leifer. Phinney says most builders ignore the natural site features, especially in subdivisions. "Many builders are more interested in maximum economy for the number of lots yielded, rather than responsible development," says Phinney. "Townships are adding new language to allow us to add these basic principals again." Another factor in constructing a green house is the choice of building materials. "With a green house, you use very little fiberboard and plywood, because it's held together with glues made with formaldehyde, which off-gasses for a five-year period," says Laskey. "Formaldehyde is an irritant. If you have allergies or sensitivities, your allergic symptoms can increase or turn to asthma. It could also result in deterioration of your nervous system." Because there is little or no off-gassing from the materials a new green-built house doesn't have a new-house smell, Laskey says. And that's something visitors comment on often. The reason? "All the paints have low or zero VOC ratings and we use very little carpeting. We don't use carpeting, because many people are sensitive to the latex backing. Carpeting also holds dust and allergens," Laskey says. Another key to the green house is Smart Home technology, which saves energy by controlling lights, heat and quality of air. Marc Leidig, president and CEO of Ambience Systems in Clifton Park, says home automation can control a good portion of lighting, heating and cooling. "The demonstration home features two motorized skylights, window dressings and blinds," says Leidig. "The cupola has four motorized windows for passive cooling at night. Rain sensors close the windows automatically. There are also cold and heat sensors in the house." Leidig says the system is set up according to the owner's habits. Homeowners like to do things in one step instead of having to run through the house turning everything off or on before they go out, says Leidig. Components of the Smart Home system are sold a la carte, says Leidig. You can buy a heating and cooling system or a lighting system. And with wireless technology, older homes can be retrofitted with Smart House features. Leidig says to add 5 percent to your total construction budget if you want to build a house with just a smattering of the technology, such as a heating system. For a top-of-the-line home that includes the ability to open and close your house windows from your cellphone, plan on another 15 percent. So, just how much can you save with this type of technology? Based on an engineer's model, Laskey says, the present annual cost to heat, cool, power and light a 3,600-square-foot green-built house is approximately $1,490, or $120 per month. Another factor making the new environmentally friendly updates more appealing is they can be designed in any architectural style. "A lot of people associate environmentally friendly buildings as pretty nonconventional-shaped buildings," says Phinney, who also designed the headquarters of the state Department of Environmental Conservation in Albany, while working with WCGS Architects. In June of 2002, the DEC's 13-story office building became the first structure in New York state to be certified as "green" under a system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. "We've proved that these buildings, whether commercial or residential can be very beautiful and unique," Phinney says. BUILDING-GREEN SOURCES
SEE FOR YOURSELF
Re-used by permission of the Times Union of Albany, N.Y. - www.timesunion.com  
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