Jetson Green - Development

Madison Wisconsin's Capitol West Development Goes Modern + Reuses/Deconstructs +94%

It seems like cities all over the United States are jumping into the green building fray–it’s an exciting time to witness the radical transformation of the construction industry. In Madison, Wisconsin, there’s a neighborhood development called Capitol West. The project is a $110 million, mixed-use development in the center of Madison, occupying an entire city block bounded by West Washington Avenue, South Henry, West Main + South Broom Street. The development will include a diversity of housing types, shopping spaces, + urban parks–all clean, contemporary + modern.

This urban redevelopment will include about 375-400 townhomes, condominiums, and lofts + penthouses. The first phase (173 condos + 10,000 sf of retail) of condominium homes will range in size from 650-3,000 square feet, with prices ranging from $170,000-$900,000. I was really surprised by the diversity of architecture and offerings for this neighborhood: Capitol Court Townhomes, Washington Rowhouses, 309 West Washington (10 floors), Main Street Townhomes, + Broom Street Lofts. This looks really exciting.

What’s really impressive is the steps the developer, The Alexander Company, took to make sure this development didn’t place undue burden on the city’s resources. It retained Madison Environmental Group to head up their reuse/deconstruction phase. The reuse phase diverted 66 tons of material from the landfill via donations, walk-throughs, and public sale events. The deconstruction phase yielded 94.86% of recycled material, totaling 24,500 tons! Granted deconstruction can take more time, but it’s a lot better on the community, environment, and neighborhood. In total, 59,536 cubic yards of material was diverted from the landfill via reuse and deconstruction efforts–that’s 19,772 Ford F-150s full of waste lined up back-to-back stretching 65 miles. Nice job Capitol West.

No word yet as to whether any of the individual projects will go after LEED, but the architects are designing with the environment in mind. Lots of natural light, air + ventilation design with incredible views, green spaces, and roof gardens. Thanks for the tip Stephen Schenkenberg.

By Jetson Green|November 27th, 2006|Modern architecture, Modern design, Nature, Vegetation|0 Comments

During the summer, I was able to study businesses in Taiwan, Hong Kong, + China; one particular session with top-level executives at Shui On Land, which is basically the best property developer/operator in mainland China, really stuck with me. This company builds entire cities with multiple skyscrapers holding millions of people. But, because the government owns all the land (land is rented under long-term leases), developers, like SOL, need to be able to relocate existing land occupants (this is not a debate as to whether such development is necessary; these issues are rather complex, to say the least). Specifically, developers need to do the following things: (1) secure the cooperation and oversight of the Chinese government; and (2) pay the people that are living on the land to move. The result: these poor farmers and families that have been living on land (on lease from the government) get paid $$ to relocate–the Chinese government + development companies make rich people out of these people that initially occupied the land.

Couple this with a recent news story coming from China: "during the 11th Five-year Plan period (2006-2010), China will build 10,000 eco-villages in 500 counties that are based on the recycling of resources. This is part of a national program to make people rich by constructing environmentally friendly homes." To make people rich. This blows me away. I understand the intricacies involved with command and market economies and I’m not going to trash on the one that has blessed me, but we can see how a command economy can lead to positive outcomes. China has the power to see where change needs to happen and make that change, without having to rely on the slow, and often corrupt, processes of democratic government. Understandably, command economies don’t always work out this way, but as it relates to green innovation, China is taking the lead (See Tom Friedman). I have a lot more faith in good old American ingenuity, but under our system, which is more market than command, I think we need to internalize the costs of what happens to the environment, especially if we want to be effective at innovating for the future. Via Linton; picture.

By Jetson Green|November 25th, 2006|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Have you ever been to Bend, Oregon? Bend is smack dab in the middle of the state, it’s Central Oregon, and it’s beautiful. Central Oregon is not to be confused with the rainy, western part of the state. Bend is in close proximity to some of the best golfing, hiking, camping, rock climbing, and skiing locations in the world, which is why lots of Californians either relocate or have a vacation home in the area. And real estate isn’t cheap, either (speaking from a Texas frame of mind). But in Bend, you have an innovative, forward-thinking real estate company, Abacus GC, that has just received the first LEED-H (LEED for Homes) certification in Central Oregon for its Newport District Modern House Project. It’s also Earth Advantage certified and will save about 54% more in energy consumption than a standard code-built home.

This project (corner of NW 12th Street + Newport Avenue) includes 5 green, modern, luxurious homes, scheduled for completion in December 2006. Each lot is 3,000 square feet, and each home is 2,000 square feet (prices starting at roughly $850k). Here are some of the green features: cool metal roof that reflects UV radiation and keeps the house cool in the summer; green roof trellises; xeriscaped lawns with drought tolerant and local plants (require less water and maintenance); Sierra Pacific windows made from timber that meets the Sustainable Forestry Initiative requirements; grid-tied solar energy system (2 kilowatt) from photovoltaic panels that run backwards; extensive use of FSC-certified lumber; blown in formaldehyde-free insulation (exterior walls, R-23; attic, R-50!) for energy-efficiency, sound control, and improved indoor air quality; lightweight all-aluminum garage doors that are maintenance free and recyclable; hydronic radiant floor heating systems powered by a 96% energy-efficient boiler; tons of strategically placed windows to optimize natural light and shade; locally harvested Madrone wood for the stairs and kitchen counter tops; Caroma dual-flush toilets that save up to 80% of annual water usage; 80% energy-efficient Ribbon fireplace by Spark Modern Fires (with the enclosure made of Eco-Terr recycled tiles); and Green Seal-certified, zero-VOC YOLO Colorhouse primer and paints. These are just some of the many green features of the five homes in the Newport District Modern House Project.

In addition to the green features, these homes are stylish: top of the line hardware (Kohler, Grohe, Blum, Sub-Zero, etc.), 9-foot ceilings, Category-5 Ethernet cable installed, etc. We’re are talking about luxury everything, in an extreme, environmentally-friendly orchestration. The Newport District Modern House Project is everything that Jetson Green espouses: Modern + Green + Healthy Living. But specifically, these homes help an owner achieve water and energy independence, which is valuable in a world where energy prices will continue to rise and water will continue to become more scarce. I really like the trajectory of this company and the projects they have in the pipeline–I’m sure this won’t be the last abacus GC project on Jetson Green.

Extra Links:
Abacus Take Lead on LEED-H Certification [Press Release]
Earth Advantage Features [pdf]
Abacus GC Builds Modern Dwellings [Cascade Business News – pdf]

By Jetson Green|November 22nd, 2006|LEED, Modern architecture, Modern design, Nature, Recycled, Solar, Vegetation|9 Comments

Prefab. Prefab. Prefab. If you’re interested in the green building movement, you probably get pumped up when the usual rhetoric–green benefits versus money savings versus factory-built convenience versus design premium versus modernize-the-building industry–kicks in. I do. Prefab, which includes the modular and the panelized varieties, is an interesting industry phenomenon. So, I wanted to share Amy Gunderson’s newest NY Times article, which I thought was very well-written and thoughtful. I will say, however, as a warning: this article walks on the edge of conflating prefabs with manufactured homes (actually, it pretty much puts them in the same boat and then parses them out by explaining the differences), but I think it’s handier to deal with prefabs and manufactured homes in separate discussions. For example:

VS.

In the article, it is explained that Adrienne Shishko + Joel Sklar retained the popular Resolution: 4 Architecture to put the 3,000 square foot home on their vacation property. Not a bad choice, I might add. The modules are built in a factory and the home arrives at the lot roughly 70% complete, you just need to put the parts together + do the finish out (electrical, plumbing, drywall, painting, appliance installation, etc.). The firm’s average building price comes out to $200-250 square foot, which is lower than a comparable, custom-built home, which averages $300-400 square foot. The home has the potential to get built faster, assuming the permitting goes smoothly, and it qualifies as a residence (unlike mobile homes). Plus, factory built homes incur less construction waste. One additional caveat, shipping modules is not cheap (@$8,000 per module, I’ve seen) + so there is that pollution premium to think about, but … this is an exciting industry for the future of building. Art by Nancy Doniger.

By Jetson Green|November 21st, 2006|Modern architecture, Modern design, Prefab|3 Comments

OPPENheim Architecture + Design just received unanimous approval for a $40 million, 25 story, 380 foot tall, multi-use green tower for Miami’s Design District (4025 NE 2nd Ave., Miami, FL 33137). It’s called COR and construction will start July 2007 + complete in 2009. COR will have 113 condominium units, 20,100 square feet of office space, and 5,400 square feet of retail space (includes cafe + furniture store). Chad Oppenheim designed COR with the assistance of energy consultant Buro Happold + engineer Ysrael Seinuk. As you can see by looking closely at the pictures, the 10 inch, energy-efficient exoskeleton incorporates wind turbines near the top and provides numerous environmental benefits (thermal mass for insulation, shading, enclosure for terraces). In addition to wind turbines, the tower will use also photovoltaic panels and solar hot water generation.

The funky, modern building design is expected to attract creative, design-oriented businesses and trendy, eclectic professionals. Restaurants and retailers will occupy the ground floor, in an attempt to capture the urban energy of the building. Of course, the interior will benefit from a mixture of natural sun and shading and design plans call for a high-tech building infrastructure. Residences will range in size from studio to two-story penthouse units, which range in price from $400,000 to $1 million. We’re talking about Energy Star appliances, recycled glass tile flooring, bamboo lined hallways, etc. Residents will have access to the pool and fitness facility as well. So far, so good I say. Via Archiseek + Multi-Housing News.

UPDATE: I was hearing from various sources that this project wouldn’t happen. Now, there’s an interview with Chad Oppenheim about the COR Tower. This is legit and this is pretty cool.

By Jetson Green|November 19th, 2006|Gadgets, Modern architecture, Modern design, Skyscraper, Solar, Wind|4 Comments

LEED-H Prototype Heather's Home: Modern, Green + Affordable

DFW builder Don Ferrier‘s daughter wanted an affordable, green home, so they retained the best, local green architect, Gary Olp of GGOArchitects, to get the job done. The result is Heather’s Home, which has its own website at www.heathershome.info. What’s interesting about this home is that it’s economically pragmatic, but it looks goods–it’s proof that a modern, green home can be relatively affordable. We’re talking about a 2,038 square-foot home in the price range of about $117 per square foot ($230,000). After getting the home design, she had to wait two months due to materials shortages, but the home took four months to build after that. The monthly home heating and cooling bill averages $20-30 month. That’s amazing, especially in Texas.

Green Features:
There’s a rainwater collection system connected to a 3,000-gallon holding tank, which is used for irrigation and toilet water. Toilets are low flush, of course. She landscaped with drought-tolerant, native Texas plants, to conserve water. She didn’t install a full blown solar system (costs about $30,000), but she did install enough solar panels to power the tankless water heater (also saves water). The home design called for Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) to create a more energy-efficient, tight building envelope. For heating and AC, the builder installed a Daikin HVAC system that runs at 20 SEER. The HVAC system price tag was $5,500, which is cheaper than a geothermal heat pump and about 90% as efficient. Of course, low-VOC paints and stains were used throughout. Lights and appliances are energy star.

The stairs are bamboo and some of the floors are stained concrete. The kitchen island surface is a grenadine Formica (Green Guard certified) and the cabinets were created from regionally produced ash, treated with a low VOC stain. You’ll notice the 33 glass block windows on the northerly wall, which invite natural lighting without diminishing interior privacy. There’s a solar tube in the closet for natural lighting. In the rooms with carpet, it is PET (polyethylene terephthalate) carpet, which is created from reclaimed polyester resins of two-liter soda bottles and and other plastic containers. Some of the other carpet is InterFLOR modular carpet, made from corn husks. The list of green features goes on and on! You can go to this link to find the source of all the products used in this home.