Our e-friend Bryan is doing an amazing renovation of an Eichler-built house in the South Bay and is opening up the house for informational tours/sessions. Might be worth a look-see for many folks. We can't make it as we're having a party at the house that day (and unfortunately, Bryan won't be able to come up).
He's also running a blog on the process: EichlerVision.com … check it out — some amazing stuff.
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You are invited to the first of six collaborative informational sessions to see the construction of a zero net energy, zero carbon house that is applying for LEED-H Platinum certification.
The benefit of seeing this house as it is being built is that you will see how green materials are used during the construction process. Many of these materials will be 'covered' when the house is completed so this is an opportunity to understand what is behind the walls. Attending the informational sessions allows you to see how innovative building materials and innovative construction practices are being utilized throughout the construction process.
During the informational sessions, you will be able to ask questions regarding the green building materials to better understand how these innovative building materials affect the cost of construction, the skills required to use these materials, and how using these materials affects the construction timeline. And, of course, the green benefits of these innovative building materials and construction practices.
The project involves constructing a full lower level (basement) under an Eichler home, built in 1969, while renovating the main floor. The green features of the house include:
- Roof made with SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels) by Insulspan (12¼ inch – R47)
- Geothermal heat exchange with 3,000 ft. ground loop in 25 vertical concrete piers
- Floor constructed with 50 hollow core concrete panels, manufactured in Los Angeles (Irwindale) that were placed in 4 hours
- Concrete mix that includes high slag content (70% in the mat slab and 50% in the shotcrete foundation retaining walls)
- Water-to-water heat exchange with radiant heating throughout the house
- 48 roof-mounted photovoltaic solar panels, with two inverters, to be a net generator of electricity
- 3,700 gallon cistern, to harvest 100% of the rainwater, that will be used to irrigate drought-tolerant native California plant species
The original design of the house included generous roof overhangs that limit direct sunlight, reducing solar gain in the summer. This passive design has been enhanced with the use of 1.5 million lbs of insulated thermal mass (concrete) in the house that will slow heating from solar gain and slow night time cooling.
Overall, the house performance exceeds (is better than) the Title 24 standard design by 72.9%, which is one of the highest performing single family dwellings in the State of California.
There are a limited number of spaces spaces available for each informational session so you will have to register in advance to attend the event. Also, given this is an active construction site, you will have to sign a waiver acknowledging the inherent risks of an active construction site before entering the site.
For further information on this project, please visit the construction blog at EichlerVision.com.
If you have questions on this event, please contact Bryan Mekechuk at 408.655.0400 or bmekechuk@teamwrkx.com.
We look forward to seeing you at our first collaborative informational session.
- Date // Saturday, October 24, 2009 from 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM
- Location // 17509 Via Sereno, Monte Sereno, CA 95030
