My 108-year-old homestead needs some modernizing, so I started asking questions. I’ve heard that changing our homes can test our mettle, whether we move, remodel, or in some big way change the place we hang our hats, so I want to be prepared.
I also want to do the right thing for the environment. For most of us, after space and comfort needs, our criteria usually include staying within a budget. But for some of us, an ecological budget is also important. Fortunately, with some long-term thinking and planning, we can have it all – or a lot, anyway.
Design, insulate, reuse
I talked with John Demyanovich, former Ballard guy and owner of West Seattle-based WeBuild, about greener remodeling. He’s not a certified green builder, but he was on the bandwagon before there was one. A contractor since the mid-1980s, he’s well aware of the impact his industry can have on our environment, and he’s worked hard to lessen his.
“We do things that make sense, and we throw very little away,” said John. His company builds and/or remodels all over the city, both commercial and residential, and they do a lot of creative, clever stuff using salvaged materials, such as using old high school bleachers for kitchen cabinets.
“There’s a lot of waste, even within the green movement,” he said. “We try to re-use or repurpose as much as possible – whether it’s dirt from an excavating project, a rockery, or wood debris, which can often be reused or composted. It not only cuts down on hauling costs, it’s better environmentally. Almost everything has a second or third use. If we can’t use it, we offer it free online. We separate and donate metals. We rarely need a dumpster on our sites."
John says repurposing a house or refurbishing a building – rather than starting from scratch and building new – is one of the more green things we can do. He believes energy efficiency begins with design – and good insulation. Stud placement, corner construction, and using products that don’t trap moisture should all be considerations when designing a remodel.
For those of us looking for a contractor, or doing it ourselves, a few of his suggestions:
• Be specific about what you want, down to whether it’s a wood deck or a stone courtyard
• Always look for re-use options and be creative with repurposing
• Use materials appropriate for our Northwest weather conditions
• Talk with people who know what green really is, as there’s a lot of misinformation and the latest trend may prove to be less green than a tried-and-true best practice using long-lasting materials
John takes the advice he gives clients to heart. He’s building a storage shed out of an old K2 trade show booth.
Think small – and stylish
A change in city land use policy allowing “Detached Accessory Dwelling Units” to promote greater urban density in single-family neighborhoods opened the door to a micro house my partner, Forrest Jackson, designed and is now building.
The 360 sq. ft. structure (560 with deck) replaces a small structure at the back of owner Dimitri Kiefer’s property. More efficient than most, the micro house features a sleeping loft, washer and dryer, a full bathroom and kitchen, walk-in closet, a covered porch, and deck.
Some of the eco features include:
• Use of surplus tiles from a neighbor’s renovation throughout
• Scrap lumber and stone from a friend’s remodel for doors, tile inlays, and countertops
• Higher-than-required insulation values in the roof and vaulted ceilings
• Electrical fixtures and appliances throughout, compatible with photovoltaic solar panels
• Bamboo flooring
• Recycled composite decking
• A metal roof
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-approved fir beams and trim
“Our culture often only considers the up-front cost, rather than the inherent longevity of quality and subsequent lower maintenance costs,” said Forrest. “In most cases, the manufacturer externalizes costs, shifting the burden of cleanup, disposal, and replacement of inferior products to the homeowner.”
“I’ve rebuilt 150-year-old wooden windows, but not a single vinyl window. I have re-milled old structural beams to make gorgeous trims, but I’ve never been able to reuse a single piece of chip-board or other manufactured ‘inexpensive’ material,” he continued. “I think sustainability should be considered synonymous with quality, and quality should never be confused with cost, because replacing failed major house components, like siding, roofing, flooring, and cabinets every 15 years is very expensive in the long run, and simply is not sustainable.”
DIY repurposing
Ballard’s Jim Bristow has ‘greened’ his own home. His creative use of redesigned space was featured last summer on Peak Moment TV. Rather than expanding his footprint, he repurposed interior space, converting smaller spaces like hallways and attic space into bigger, more useful space. And he’s thinking long-term, choosing products like concrete siding – while initially energy intensive – for their lasting and low-maintenance qualities, and making use of solar to heat water and for electricity.
As noted last week in a Ballard News-Tribune article, he’s also working with Seattle Public Utilities on their RainWise program – innovative in that beyond controlling storm water to clean up Puget Sound, also under consideration are expanded domestic options, such as repurposing water for irrigation, toilets, and eventually clothes washing.
Speaking of water…
Cisterns collect rainwater, but ‘greywater’ systems are yet one more way to make your home more sustainable. I first learned about natural waste water treatment while at a green conference when someone described how they were using greywater from sinks, showers, and laundry to fill their toilet tank. A recent Mother Earth News describes how to create a greywater system at home here, and includes specifics about Washington regulations.
My interest further piqued when I toured Islandwood on Bainbridge Island. Extensive green features, particularly their waste water treatment, included a constructed wetland, or “Living Machine” that treats its greywater, repurposing it for use in toilets and irrigation. Not only was the water cleaner from this solar- and plant-based system, it was beautiful and ecologically beneficial.
Getting started
Interested in greening your house but not sure where to start? The city has a detailed site about green remodeling, and King County has a helpful site about what to do with construction waste. Good local sources of repurposed products are ReStore (lower Ballard) , Second Use, and Earthwise Salvage, both downtown.
