Homes Inspired by Ecomagination

Today we are pleased to announce that homes inspired by ecomagination™ will be available in Brytan. Based on commitments to utilize the most innovative building techniques and to provide energy efficient features, the builders at Brytan have agreed that the GE program provides the best value in today's marketplace. New homes in Brytan will be certified to meet the stringent Environments for Living Green Building program, which incorporates the latest energy saving technology.

Today's decision to work with the Environments for Living program will allow Brytan to be a place where not only the designs of the homes, but also the design of the community work together to provide for a sustainable lifestyle. We believe that we have a responsibility to preserve our environment so we are working with a select group of builders who are committed to creating energy efficient homes for you and your family to enjoy. All homes in Brytan are certified green by independent third parties so you can be assured that your home is truly "green" not just a home with a few energy efficient appliances. Brytan is proud to be the first community in Alachua County to sell homes inspired by ecomagination™.

Brytan is truly Gainesville's greenest community.

Green Living...how do you know you are doing your part?

I have yet to meet someone who is against the principles of green living and sustainability. People generally seem to want to do "their part" towards protecting our environment, whether it is picking up trash, turning off lights, turning up the thermostat and recycling cans and plastic bottles. The one point that is often made to me when talking about "green homes" is the fact that it really depends on the persons living in the house and their habits. Well, I guess the answer to that question is "yes" and "no." When people make the decision to purchase a LEED-H certified home, they are paying a bit more because they want the house itself to have an impact on the environment. LEED-H homes are built recycling materials, separating waste and using less toxic or non-toxic products. Those homes are more "green" just by virtue of how they were constructed. The "no" component comes about because of the behaviors and habits of the people that live in the homes. How do you know how "green" your lifestyle is?

How do you know when you are doing things that lower electrical consumption or decrease water usage? The lifestyle habits are a large component of truly being green.

Stay tuned as more information on understanding the impacts of your lifestyle habits on energy, water and air.

Green Certification...Good News!

Despite our disappointment with certification for the neighborhood, we are extremely pleased with how well the houses in Brytan are doing. We just found out that the most recent house may achieve LEED-H Gold certification!! We should know soon and will keep you posted. E.G. Gonzalez built a wonderful home with many green features. Not only does the house have icynene insulation but it also has a tankless gas water heater and dual-flush toilets in all of the baths. Dollar for dollar, this house is one of the most value-added buys on the market today.

Other good news pertains to the home currently under construction by DMCS, Inc. Many of you have been following the construction of this home and attending the green construction series presented by the builder and area LEED consultants. The home is on track and may obtain platinum certification, which would be a fantastic achievement!

Brytan continues to be Gainesville's Greenest Community!!

Stay tuned and we will keep you informed!

Anybody ready for a parade?

Yes, it is that time of year again...the annual Builders Association of North Central Florida's Spring Parade of Homes. The Parade starts this week-end, April 18th and runs until Sunday, April 26th. Of course, Brytan is one of the sites that is in the Parade. The Parade is a wonderful time to visit the homes and see what new products are available for homeowners. With the introduction of numerous "green products," saving money on electricity, irrigation, and energy use is not only easy but stylish. At Brytan, the homes are verified green, meaning an independent third party tested, rated and scored the homes in several categories, not just energy consumption. I really like how the yards have been designed to minimize water requirements. With more water restrictions being placed on irrigation days and times, the design of yards is increasingly important.

When you visit Brytan, be sure and visit all 3 homes...each has unique features that are really worth seeing. From an apartment over a garage that could be used for a caretaker, renter or college student to open floor plans with lots of storage niches, there is lots to see!!

Enjoy Brytan, enjoy the Parade and enjoy the day!

Spring is here!

Not only are the houses green in Brytan, but the wonderful street trees are showing their green side! The many plants in the Butterfly Garden are beginning to bloom and the entire area looks great. This time of year is perfect for strolling on the trails and envisioning what your home could look like. Brytan is the place to live if you believe in sustainable design, energy conservation and walkable communities. Go and enjoy the wonderful weather!!

Are you Green Today?

Today is St. Patrick's Day -- A day associated with corned beef, cabbage and potatoes; Irish Whisky and Guiness; shamrocks and leprechauns; and, last but not least, wearing green so you don't get pinched.  

With green on your mind, it is a good time to consider how green you are every day:

• Are you conserving energy by adjusting your thermostat, using a programmable thermostat, or even opening your windows and not using your AC or heater at all (particularly during pleasant Spring weather!)
• Are you conserving water by installing appropriate landscapes that don't require irrigation, by installing low flow bubblers on your faucets, waiting to run your clothes washer or dishwasher until you have a full load, or by simply turning off the water while you brush your teeth?
• Are you recycling your metals, plastics and paper products, and better yet, are you thinking about unnecessary packaging when you purchase products?
• Are you buying local products and using local businesses which not only helps your local economy but can also save transportation costs?
• Are you starting slow and slowing when approaching red lights by removing your foot from that gas (which will conserve fuel) as well as keeping your car maintained and your tires inflated?  
• When choosing a new place to live, do you consider proximity to work, schools and basic needs such as grocery stores, banks and libraries?  
• Are you keeping the filters changed on your AC, choosing low VOC cleaning products and considering the ingredients in your cleaning products?
• Are you choosing to give services or gift cards or recycled gifts rather than adding to increasing piles of belongings that your friends have?
• Are you choosing to walk or bicycle or carpool to some of your destinations?
• Are you eating lower on the food chain more often and choosing organic, local or healthier choices for your family?

These are just a few of the many ways that you can lessen your impact on our planet.   While today may be one of the few days in the year you may choose to wear green, tomorrow and every day after could be a day you choose to live green.    

What does this have to do with Brytan?   Living in a sustainably built, energy efficient home with water saving fixtures and clean air systems, that is located in an urban environment will lower your carbon footprint and save water and electricity.    While we hope to see you you in Brytan, we hope that you choose to live green every day.

One of These Things is Not Like the Other....

A reader commented on a previous blog entry:

I have driven by this Subdivision several times and the homes look like any other homes in Gainesville. What is the difference between these homes and the other Subdivisions surrounding it? Is the difference inside the walls?

Then, later, she asked:

After driving by this subdivision several times, what is the deal with your signs up front? First LEED Community in Alachua? can you explain what this means to me as a consumer?

These are great questions.....

First of all, I am going to disagree. I don't think these homes look like any other home in Gainesville - they are like homes you may find in some of the other New Urbanist developments, but they are not what you find in a typical subdivision. Obvious differences include the height off the ground (provides privacy in houses that are close to the street), higher end windows that have depth and add contour to the house (rather than the flat windows you typically see), high level design with attention to proportion and scale (these houses were designed by an architect, not a builder, with an eye towards the entire picture of the neighbhorhood and how the houses fit together), classic design details versus trendy home finishes, lack of garages on the front (garages are located off the alley behind the house), and a neighborhood planned to fit into the urban community.

Secondly, I will agree that yes, there are many differences behind the walls. The houses were planned for efficient use of wood and other materials to reduce waste -- walls use "pre-cut" lengths of wood, as well as full sheets of OSB siding materials. This not only saves money during construction, but prevents our landfills from filling up with needless waste -- did you know that 10% of the material ordered to build a house is wasted? That is a lot of garbage in our landfills, a lot of needless transportation costs, and a lot of expense in our pockets. The houses were carefully insulated and sealed -- insulation was inspected by a third party energy consulant to make sure that nothing was missed (such as behind the bathtub) and that the insulation met not just Energy Star, but the highest Energy Star standards. All houses are also prewired to be a "Smart House" and fiber optic cable is run to each house, giving these houses some of the fastest internet speeds in the country. Why is that environmental you may ask? If you can stay home and work effectively, then that is one less car on the road. Other items that are included in some of the houses include insulated hot water pipes, built in vacuums, and products treated with non-toxic chemicals to resist pests and fire.

Finally, LEED certification - what is that? The US Green Building Council, which manages the LEED programs states:

LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance.

There are other green building programs out there -- the better known ones in this area include programs by the Florida Green Building Coalition and the National Association of Home Builders. LEED stands out as the program that these newer programs are measured against. The USGBC, through the LEED program, not only certifies homes through the LEED for Homes program but they certify commercial and office buildings, hospitals, schools and government buildings. And, if you did not know already, the University of Florida requires all of it's buildings to be LEED certified. There is an up front cost to this certification, but there are lasting savings in energy, health care, quality of life and carbon footprint cost.

So what do those signs mean to a buyer? It means the this developer and these builders picked the most stringent and most carefully documented green program available. It means that they followed the rules, tracked the materials and waste, carefully chose their materials and paid for third party certification. It means that not just a builder built your house, but an architect, a green consultant, an engineer, a landscape architect, and an energy expert. And that benefits you because you, as a homeowner, would have a copy of all of this documentation, all of the warranties and information, and access to these experts if you have questions. What does this sign mean? It means that the builder did a "good job" -- and you do not have to take their word for it. They can prove it.

What Makes a LEED® Certified Home Different?

The homes in Brytan are all LEED-H certified - which means that they are registered with the US Green Building Council LEED for Homes program before construction is started, a group of experts (including an architect, the builder, the developer, the green consultant) all carefully scrutinizee the plan and chenge the home to make it more durable, more efficient, healthier and more sustainable.   There is not a standard checklist, the builder and developer can choose to incorporate items that are appropriate to the location of the home and can also choose a level of certification.  For instance, in Florida we are concerned about moisture intrusion, hurricanes and certain pests.   So those risks must be evaluated and mitigated during construction.  Also, during the building process, a third party follows the building process and verifies that the home is built as planned. 

Some homeowners think this process happens with every home.  However, typical builders consider floorplan, cost per square foot, and a trendy facade (the latest finishes that sell the house - round top windows, stone veneer, granite countertops).  Durability is considered equal to code compliance and Energy Star certification is sometimes offered since buyers are showing more interest in lower utility bills.  Often, Energy Star and other energy conservation measures are marketed as "green", even though that is the only green component of the project. 

LEED for Homes certification (and other similar programs, when properly administered) offer more than just energy efficiency.   Additional areas that are addressed include the following: 

Sustainable Sites:   Most people think only of the structure when thinking of a green building, however the design of the site can have a significant environmental impact.   Managing stormwater onsite, landscaping appropriate to the region, plants that are easy to care for without fertilizers and pesticides, removal of invasive species, and minimization of other adverse impacts. 

Water Efficiency: Water efficiency measures in new homes can save an average of 30,000 gallons per year per home with little to no impact to the homeowners through appropriate water saving fixtures and careful planning of landscaping and management of irrigation.   This not only saves water, a limited resource, but saves the homeowner money in both water use and sewage fees.  

Energy and Atmosphere:  Energy conservation can be demonstrated through Energy Star certification in the LEED for Homes program.  In addition, there are incentives to use refrigerants that have less environmental impacts and to incorporate simple energy saving strategies such as insulated water lines. 

Material and Resources:  Choosing the best building materials is more than just putting in a bamboo floor and using VOC-free paint.   Using wood products from sustainably grown forests, providing recycling for the waste generated during the building process, and designing the building to take advantage of pre-cut lengths of wood all contribute to a sustainably built home. Products that are locally produced, the contribute to indoor air quality, and that contain recycled materials are encouraged in the program.  

Indoor Environmental Quality: We spend much of our time indoors, and due to energy efficient building, levels of pollutants within the home can grow to unsafe levels.  Preventing problems from moisture which leads to mold and mildew, limiting use of materials containing formaldehyde and other chemicals, and adding fresh air ventilation all contribute to healthy indoor air.   

Innovation and Design:  This area of the program addresses long term durability and regional issues and also allows for improvements and innovations that may not have been addressed when the program was designed.  

Awareness and Education:  Homeowners may be overwhelmed by everything they hear about their new home, and there may be systems they are unfamiliar with.  The LEED for Homes program requires builders to familiarize buyers with their home and teach them to operate it effectively.  In addition, each home comes with an "Operating Manual" incorporating all of the instructions and warranties for not only the appliances, but for all the fixtures and finishes installed in the home.   It also can provide information about the neighborhood, transit, and local amenites, making it especially valuable to someone unfamiliar with the community.

Location and Linkages: Location and linkages not only addresses the impacts of the location of the site itself (selection of location that promotes environmentally responsible land use patterns) but also the neighborhood. Credit is given for infill and redeveloped areas with existing infrastructure, connection to sustainable transportation options (such as transit, cycling and walking), and proximity to community resources (schools, stores, services) to minimize dependence on automobiles. 

Future blogs will address some of the specific areas in more detail.   For more information, check out the USGBC website and specifically, the USGBC's LEED for Homes program.   More questions?  Shoot me an email!