Green Studio Blog

Durability- a True Measure of Green for Homes

What is the lifetime of a typical house? Define typical.

The typical house in the developing countries is either made of all recycled materials such as cardboard and corrugated scrap metal, and is meant to last until the next big rain, or is made of cement and lifetime materials such as clay tile roof, cement block, aluminum windows, and is meant to last a lifetime. The later type of house has been around since colonial times, and continues to be the vernacular architectural legacy of those cultures. They are built for durability.

Why is durable GREEN? It’s a simple concept: durable homes are structures and materials that don’t end up in municipal landfills. They are built environments that give shelter and sustain the living of many generations, and that stand the test of time. They are a good initial investment of natural resources; products that keeps on giving.

What is our vernacular architectural legacy in America? It is disappearing, unless we green( verb to green) older homes and make new ones more durable.

The houses built in suburban America circa 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s took a turn for the worse in the history of home construction. The clearing of lands that were serving as lungs for the big cities, with mature trees and underbrush threw a huge punch to the environment. The race to build faster and cheaper houses by the hundreds threw the next punch, and that speaks to the issue of durability.

What is the target lifespan of your house?

I’ve asked three realtors if buyers ever ask point blank that question. So far no one ever has. That doesn’t surprise me, given that we stopped thinking of houses as family and intergenerational homes. Houses became commodities such as cars, that we change every certain number of years for location, style, or number of bedrooms. If the intent is to stay temporarily in a house, then it is reasonable to not ask such a far-reaching question. It’s the “don’t ask, don’t tell” of architecture…

I learned early in my career as a designer to ask the client a more relevant question:
How long do you intend to live in the house that you want to build or remodel?

I asked that question to my good friend Dr. Billy C., as he talked about the drafty windows and high energy bills that he pays, in the home where he has grown three beautiful boys and two huge Labradors. We got a little green talk in while my new puppy Seamus ( pronounced Shamis) got to meet his two dogs. Before he answered, I warned him that if the answer is more than three years, we should be replacing all the windows in his house with energy efficient windows next week.

The math is simple: if it costs him $15,000 to replace his windows, and he could potentially save $400 per month in energy bills, it would take 3 years and one month to re-pay his investment.

Dr. C’s response to my question was: “We are here, we can’t afford to move”.

Dr. C- if you chose to replace the original windows in your house with lifelong windows, double insulated, low-E coating, thermal break- if metal- or clad if wood, you will not only be saving money, but also making your lovely family older home more durable.

Way to go Billy! You’re already on your way to thinking and being green! And when you do decide to green your house, and to preserve it for another generation of family, call me. It will be my honor to help preserve the beautiful memories of our children- and now dogs- playing together in that wonderfully older house you call home.

Indoor-Outdoor Living..and POLLEN

Since I’m in the business of designing houses, I make it my priority to do constant research on what is in the marketplace locally as well as anywhere I go. I mean anywhere! I’ve been known to knock on the door of strangers in Antigua Guatemala (my favorite World Patrimony), as well as calling on architects in Venice, Santiago, and Barcelona to show me the the concepts of living that pervade those cultures.

Many standards are different by city, country, and culture. But a few important ones unite us, including putting a premium on indoor-outdoor living. From the large balconies and endless rooftop parks of La Pedrera building by Gaudi in Barcelona, to the colonial entry courtyards, or patios, in Antigua, quality of life is gauged by the availability of views, natural light and natural ventilation.

This concept of living is important to our health, both physical and mental. Studies have shown for years that natural light and green outdoors can stave off depression and boost immune systems. The bottom line is that our homes need to be part of our healthy living.
Natural ventilation is not being taken seriously enough in the construction of new housing, and in remodeling of older homes. The reason is simple: the differential in price of an operable window and a stationary one starts at $30 and can get much larger than that. The construction budget is in a different league if the window package becomes a premium one, to include operable windows and screens in every part of the house.

It will be up to every client, or potential buyer like you, to demand that windows are operable, and that our homes can be ventilated naturally in beautiful days. But what to do about POLLEN season? Keep your house closed. Keep an eye on the fine greenish dust that covers cars and everything outdoors. Don’t let that get into your air system indoors. Go a step further: after the pollen season is over, start opening windows and doors and clean with wet disposable rags the windows, doors and sills, where pollen has accumulated and can be blown indoors when you open your house. If you believe in screens the way I do, this is a good time to wash them.

Your energy bill will shrink when you manage your naturally ventilated home throughout the year. Every day or night of using less energy will save you money. And what about your sanity and well-being? Priceless.