Cascade Built Blog
March 29, 2011
Madison Valley Home for sale
Posted by sritchie, 5:41 PM
We’re about to list this house for sale in Madison Valley. It was originally built in 1980 but needed a major overhaul, so we did basically everything inside and out.
Home features:
- Upstairs – 3 bedrooms, bath with laundry, loft
- Main – kitchen, powder, living, dining, pass thru bar, rear deck, front yard patio
- Lower – Garage, storage, media room or guest room with full bath, patio
- Approx 1900 SF plus attached garage
- Close to downtown Seattle, Capitol Hill, right in Madison Valley
- Walkscore = 80, Very Walkable
Some of the green features in this home are:
- Dual flush toilets
- Zero VOC paints
- Bamboo hardwoods
- Caeserstone countertops
- Rainscreen siding, cement board panels 50yr warranty
- Energy Star windows and doors, Low-E, argon gas filled
- Energy star appliances
- Cradle to Cradle carpet
- Native drought tolerant landscaping
- Upgraded insulation
March 23, 2011
PACE
Posted by sritchie, 11:02 PM
From Wikipedia: “PACE stands for Property Assessed Clean Energy. In areas with PACE legislation in place municipality governments offer a specific bond to investors and then turn around and loan the money toconsumers and businesses to put towards an energy retrofit. The loans are repaid over the assigned term (typically 15 or 20 years) via an annual assessment on their property tax bill. PACE bonds can be issued by municipal financing districts or finance companies and the proceeds can be used to retrofit both commercial and residential properties. One of the most notable characteristics of PACE programs is that the loan is attached to the property rather than an individual.”
Pretty interesting. If you knew your utility bill would go down by more than your “assessment” would go up, who would NOT do something like that? Financed over 20 years, efficiency, insulation, solar hot water and probably even solar panels make economic sense, and would be cash flow positive from day 1. Not to mention the secondary job creation benefits.
Wonder why PACE programs haven’t taken off in Seattle? City Light? PSE?
March 22, 2011
Debunking Green Building Myths
Posted by sritchie, 8:33 PM
Debunking Green Building Myths
Just like everything, green building is bogged down by myths that end up preventing homeowners from enjoying a healthier more energy efficient home. We’re taking a stab today at dispelling the more common ones.
Green homes are unsightly and unstable
Not true. Being green, however, doesn’t mean you need to line your roof with solar panels or build your home out of mud and sticks. There is no specific ‘green building style,’ and with today’s technologies and innovations, nearly any architectural style can incorporate green building practices. Check out our featured projects for a look at a few of our contemporary, modern sustainable homes built using materials like a 50-year roof, forest stewardship council certified lumber and Hardie panels
Building green is more expensive
With every product there are varying price points. It’s true that some products used in a green home are more expensive, but there are many that are not:
- Advanced framing in new homes
- No and low VOC paints & sealants
- Recycled content drywall
- Passive solar heat gain
- RecycleTop countertops (100% recycled content)
Green building is just a trend
Many, many years ago, this could have been debated, but today, this notion needs to be completely thrown out your energy-efficient window. According to the Environmental Leader, the green building market is expected to increase from about $70 billion to $173.5 billion by 2015. With President Obama’s help (check out our last blog post on his ‘Green Buildings Initiative’), the green building industry is expected to continue growing long into the future.
For us, green building is not negotiable. It’s the future of our home and building landscape.
Send us other myths or questions surrounding green building that you’d like addressed.
February 25, 2011
Better Buildings
Posted by sritchie, 6:51 PM
Obama’s Commitment to Better Buildings
During President Obama’s State of the Union earlier this month, he said we have reached this generation’s “Sputnik moment” with an opportunity to invest in green technology. Honing in on our nation’s ability to reinvent itself, he said it’s time to focus on innovation. And we agree.
Last year, commercial buildings consumed about 20 percent of all energy in our economy. Increasing efficiency is going to be one of the fastest, easiest and cheapest ways to reinvent our country.
Two of the biggest goals from Obama’s “Better Buildings Initiative” are to achieve a 20 percent improvement in energy efficiency by 2020 and to reduce companies’ and business owners’ energy bills by $40 billion per year.
While some economic and environmental perks of green buildings are obvious, we’re also excited about other benefits green buildings provide, such as:
- In green schools, a reduction of absences and an increase on test scores because students are healthier.
- Better health and productivity in employees. Green buildings report drops in absenteeism and estimate $20 to $160 billion in productivity gains.
The net – without toxic chemicals permeating the surfaces where we spend much of our day (paint, carpets, cleaning supplies), and with better lighting (use of natural daylighting) and a comfortable climate (shading to prevent sun heat gain and then the increase in air conditioner use that has everyone wearing parkas in the office in the middle of summer) people feel better. This is true at home too, which is why our focus is on helping people live better in homes designed to be comfortable, toxin-free, and resource friendly (read: wallet friendly too).
Do you work in a business that is focused on creating a healthier, more efficient workplace?
January 19, 2011
Facelift
Posted by sritchie, 12:01 AM
We’re doing a rehabilitation project in Madison Valley, and have completed the interiors, so we’re on to the exterior. Replacing 30 year old siding and windows with new hardie panel and cedar accents, including installation of a rainscreen. This is the appropriate wall assembly for our NW marine climate: ventilated air cavity provides drainage & drying, and house wrap is taped, windows are taped, metal head flashing with end dams, etc. and will be ready for paint as soon as we get a couple dry days in a row…
December 29, 2010
Seattle Green Project Highlights of 2010
Posted by sritchie, 7:30 PM
Here’s to a Green Year!
It’s been quite a year for green building, particularly in Seattle! Here snapshot of highlights for sustainable buildings in 2010:
Earlier this month, Seattle’s first LEED Platinum modular home was assembled – the highest level of certification on LEED’s 100-point scale. Seattle-based Greenfab built the home with shorter construction time and less waste, targeted net-zero energy and strived to achieve the goals set by the 2030 challenge, including a 60 percent fossil fuel reduction. Watch videos of the home’s assembly here.
In June, the Bertschi School was the first building in Washington to attempt the Living Building Challenge. The school’s new Living Science Building will be net-zero energy, using solar power, and net-zero water, utilizing rainwater harvesting, a green roof and composting toilets. Once completed (targeting Jan 2011), the school will be the first to meet the Living Building standards in Washington, and the first elementary school in the world! Check for status updates here.
Seattle is also now home to two of the first Passive Houses in the country. Passive Houses use about 75% less energy to operate compared to other new homes, as a result of super insulation. One is a single family home built by Blackbird Builders, and the other is a small backyard cottage unit on display at the Phinney Neighborhood Center.
And, we’ll break ground for another sustainable speculative home in the Madison Valley neighborhood – next door to the acclaimed Alley House.
Here’s to a much more prosperous and environmentally productive new year!
December 8, 2010
Ho, ho, hold the holiday waste
Posted by sritchie, 11:15 PM
Ho, ho, hold the holiday waste
The holiday season is here and that means over-indulgence is in full force. Forget the added food and alcohol consumption; I’m losing sleep over the 25% increase in household waste. That’s an extra one million tons of trash we’re putting into landfills each week during the holidays.
So in the spirit of considering the environment this holiday season, we’re sharing some ways to celebrate more cautiously:
Instead of Wrapping Paper…
- Use old newspapers or magazines
- Use cloth bags your loved one will be able to reuse
- Put your gift in a metal tin or a small basket
- Give a service gift that only needs a bow
Decorate from Nature
- Use pinecones, tree branches or berries to embellish your home. You can compost them at the end of the season!
- Shop vintage or consignment stores to find unique decorations if nature isn’t fulfilling your holiday décor dream
Give Creative Gifts
- Purchase a membership to an organization or a gym for a family member, we especially like yoga classes, passes to Art or Science Museums
- Buy music lessons for a special child in your life
- Give tickets to a sporting event or concert
- If you’re really like the tangible, give edible gifts or those that can be planted into the ground
It’s a rethinking we’re striving for here. A happy holiday season a little less filled…
November 21, 2010
Yellow Pages Sues Seattle?!
Posted by sritchie, 9:45 PM
Yellow Pages Sues Seattle?!
Have you read the recent article about how the publishers of Yellow Pages phone books is suing Seattle in the hopes of overturning an ordinance that allows residents to choose if they’d like to receive these directories? They claim that the ordinance violates First Amendment rights of free speech, and that it will hurt Yellow Pages financially.
How about our rights to not have to pay to recycle a phone directory that is antiquated and unnecessary? (see this entertaining You Tube video of a similar crusade in Montreal) According to the same article, the city estimates that Yellow Pages account for 3 percent of the paper that households recycle, costing residents $350,000 a year.
Needless to say, we don’t think Yellow Pages will win and appreciate the opportunity to opt out of receiving something we don’t want. What about you?
November 2, 2010
2012 IECC Codes to follow 2030 Challenge
Posted by sritchie, 4:58 AM
Policy makers are making bold steps on important energy measures for our buildings, voting this week to follow the 2030 challenge recommendations for the next iteration of the international energy codes 2012, which are adopted by most jurisdictions for their building codes.
From the 2030 website:
| Yesterday, code and government officials meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina voted to improve the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) standard by 30% beyond the 2006 IECC as called for by Architecture 2030, and by a large coalition including the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Association of State Energy Officials, congressional officials and the broad-based Energy Efficient Codes Coalition (EECC) of which Architecture 2030 is a member. |
Adopted proposals offered by the U.S. Department of Energy, New Buildings Institute, AIA and EECC addressed the 30% improvement, laying a strong foundation for future IECC building energy code reductions.
“This is the first step on our way to carbon neutral buildings by 2030,” said Edward Mazria, CEO of Architecture 2030. “The next steps include timely state and local government adoption of the new code and improving the IECC code standard by 50% beyond 2006 IECC in 2015.”
The 50% improvement will meet the next energy reduction target called for by the 2030 Challenge and by legislation passed in the House of Representatives (HR.2454) and in Senate Bills S.1462 and S.3464.
“It is notable that the votes that will have the most profound impact on national energy and environmental policy this year weren’t held in Washington or a state capital, but by state and local officials assembled in Charlotte, NC,” said William Fay, EECC Executive Director.
At the meeting, government voting representatives also rejected efforts by some to weaken the IECC’s efficiency standard by allowing less building improvements in exchange for more efficient equipment. “Efficiency shouldn’t be an either/or proposition,” said Fay. “We need to improve the efficiency of both our building envelopes and our equipment.”
It is important to note and thank all those who have adopted and are now implementing the 2030 Challenge targets (here). Their leadership puts pressure on government legislators and officials to pass meaningful energy legislation and improve building energy code standards. A special thanks goes to all our colleagues at the EECC for their tireless work leading up to and during the International Code Council hearings.
*30% below IECC 2006 meets the 2030 Challenge initial 50% energy reduction target called for by Architecture 2030 in 2006 (see Meeting the 2030 Challenge Through Building Codes). The 2030 Challenge target for 2010 is 60% below the regional average site energy use for each building type. Watch for our next ENews Bulletin on building codes coming soon.
September 24, 2010
Hybrid Electric Hot Water heater
Posted by sritchie, 11:05 PM
Hybrid Hot water heaters – you know you want one! They’re vastly more efficient than standard hot H20 tank heaters by around 50%. They do cost more but payback is in the 3 yr range and there’s a federal tax incentive for them. As a result they appear to be a good option for replacement of your old tank that’s about to die, or even for new construction where you might not have natural gas as an option. Read more here
