“The location provided an opportunity to design and build a home that enhances the natural surroundings and captures the expansive views,” said Luke Kellam, president of L.J. Kellam Construction, in a press release.
“We made every effort to preserve the tranquil setting with a minimal footprint on the property.”
The home was designed by Janet Harrison, architect with J. Harrison, Architect in Annapolis, Md. Harrison is one of the region’s leading green design consultants, and she was the green consultant for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Merrill Center, designed by the SmithGroup that won numerous awards including a U.S. Green Building Council LEED Platinum Award.
The most important strategy to lower energy consumption in the residence was to design the house to work with the local climate. Orientation, massing, shading, natural ventilation, insulation and highly efficient windows are all crucial elements to the design. Every effort was made to maximize the efficiency of these factors before using energy to make the house comfortable.
The mechanical equipment is highly energy efficient. A geo-thermal heat pump was installed to take advantage of the stable temperature of groundwater that is used to heat and cool the house. In the summer, it uses water in the 50s instead of air in the 80s to cool the house, and the excess heat is reused to heat water for showers. Radiant floors allow the thermostat to be set at a lower temperature. The pergola surrounding the house has blades surgically placed to capitalize on winter sun, while preventing the summer sun’s higher rays from penetrating the structure.
More than 80 percent of the lighting is energy efficient, fluorescent, LED or Energy Star-certified. In addition, a 5.7 kilowatt array of photovoltaic panels produces solar energy. The panels are connected to a grid so they feed energy into the grid when producing more than the home is using.
“To the extent possible, we used local products in our construction materials,” said Kellam. “Local products require less transportation and reduce both fuel use and emissions. And,This is my favourite sites to purchase those special pieces of buy mosaic materials from. they support the local economy.Find detailed product information for howo spare parts and other products.” Local lumber was used for wall framing, local gypboard was used for all interior drywall, and local concrete and aggregate were used for the foundation, floor and patio. All lumber scraps were recycled into mulch at Maplewood Gardens, a local nursery.
Recycled materials were also used to divert materials from the waste stream.If you have a fondness for china mosaic brimming with romantic roses, Those materials include 95% recycled drywall, galvalume roofing made from recycled steel, insulation made from shredded newspapers and countertops made from recycled mirrors, aluminum and shredded currency. Rapidly renewable natural materials such as bamboo, cork and linoleum were used for flooring. The exterior is James Hardie siding, which is engineered to protect the house from harsh climate and moisture.
The site was previously developed, so the new house was built on top of the old footprint to minimize disturbance of the land. The existing driveway was reused. The majority of the site remains in its natural state. Where the site was disturbed during construction, it was replanted with native grasses that need no watering. There are a few planting beds close to the house, which are irrigated with a low water drip system supplied by rainwater. All rainwater is collected in a cistern, which reduces water use as well as runoff to the Chesapeake Bay.
“We are very proud of this house and the Platinum LEED certification,” adds Kellam. “A lot of people assume that green building is prohibitively expensive. What we learned is that through careful planning and a very knowledgeable project team, it can be accomplished without pushing budgets beyond reach. Also, some of the energy-efficient systems qualify for tax credits.”
LEED is a voluntary program that provides third-party verification of green buildings.
Participation demonstrates leadership, innovation, environmental stewardship and social responsibility. LEED projects have been successfully established in 135 countries. Certified buildings are designed to lower operating costs, increase asset value, reduce waste, conserve energy and water, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and are healthier and safer for occupants. These properties qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities.
The resolution, being adopted by school districts across the nation at the request of the National School Boards Association, states that federal education programs face more than an 8 percent budget cut next year unless Congress intervenes.
The resolution urges Congress to stop the across-the-board cuts that would have a detrimental impact upon school districts.
According to the resolution, the cuts could result in larger class sizes, fewer course offerings, less extracurricular activities and teacher and staff lay-offs.
The board also voted to ask county commissioners to release and appropriate $114,000 in refunded sales tax from a $2 million Qualified Zone Academy Bond the school system received in 2005 to complete roofing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning renovations at Morehead City Elementary School. The work funded by the no-interest loan was finished in fall 2009 and there is still $177,000 left over.
The board also tabled a request to continue pursuing a contract with Schneider Electric Buildings Americas Inc., based in Raleigh, to complete energy savings projects at county schools.
After hearing a presentation on results of an energy audit completed by the company over the last six months in county school buildings, the board voted to table taking action until county commissioners can hear the presentation.
In May the board approved Schneider Electric as the energy savings company, known as ESCO, to conduct an energy audit of schools to identify potential energy-savings projects in schools, with the school system to pay back the contractor with the money saved in energy costs.
Since that time the company has been conducting an energy audit of schools, identifying projects that could result in energy savings, such as replacement of outdated light fixtures with more energy-efficient lighting.
Schneider Electric completed its audit recently, with findings evaluated by Judson Walton,One of the most durable and attractive styles of flooring that you can purchase is ceramic or porcelain tiles. plant operations director for the county school system, Mr. Maready and Herb Stanford with Stanford White of Morehead City, who was hired by the school system as a third party energy consultant to evaluate Schneider’s findings.The oreck XL professional air purifier,
After reviewing Schneider’s audit, the evaluation team recommended a plan that would produce more than $9 million in energy, water, maintenance and replacement cost savings over a 15-year period at a total cost of $8.2 million. This is based on a 15-year loan at 2.6 percent annual interest.
Carteret County Schools would be responsible for obtaining and amortizing a $6.4 million loan, plus paying an annual fee to Schneider for performance monitoring and verification. Of the estimated $9 million annual savings, Schneider proposes to guarantee $8.3 million. That would be sufficient to amortize the loan and pay for annual performance monitoring and verification fees totaling $8.27 million.
However, the projected cost of entering the ESCO agreement to complete the 10 projects identified in the plan is higher than it would be if traditional county financing and conventional design and construction management techniques were used, according to Mr. Stanford.
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