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MRM Ushers in Earth Month with Green Tour

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MRM Ushers in Earth Day with a Eastside Harvest House Green Building Tour

On March 29th almost 100 participants personally experienced the nearly completed Eastside Harvest House project.  The home’s design team hosted design / build professionals, realtors, city staffers and interested neighbors – all eager to see what’s been happening at this new construction site on the eastside of Lake Washington for the last year.

This green building educational tour was among several offered throughout the project’s development, not only to built environment professionals and enthusiasts, but also to several Environmental Science and Sustainability Design students from local junior and senior high schools.

Key features of this net zero energy concept home are:

  • Use of energy efficient and renewable resources, including a highly insulated enclosure, energy simulation to optimize design, and 17Kw solar array to provide all of the home’s electrical energy needs, extensive battery back up and on-demand, energy use management systems
  • On-site, high-capacity stormwater management and rainwater harvesting will provide 60 percent of the home’s needs; harvested water will be filtered to municipal standards for potable use
  • Permaculture design with extensive edible and functional landscaping including fruit and nut orchard, berry bushes, bee fountain and terraced vegetables beds
  • Materials and finishes included using 100 percent FSC lumber, low or no toxicity materials and finishes; minimum PVC used; highest standards set for indoor air quality; recycled content nails used in construction; recycled content counter tops and materials chosen for durability and low maintenance properties
  • Waste management deconstruction plan recycled over 98 percent of previous onsite structure; advanced framing techniques reduced waste
  • Design dedicated only a quarter of the expansive, one-acre site to the home and garage footprint while the balance works to harvest the sun, soil and rain
  • Neighborhood attributes include a walkable community with nearby trails and lakeside walking promenade; located on main Metro bus routes

The home is targeting both Built Green 5 Stars, LEED for Homes Platinum and may be a candidate for a future net-zero-energy certification.

If you want to know more about building a new high-performance home or remodeling green, contact us anytime. — MRM Family

 

The post MRM Ushers in Earth Month with Green Tour appeared first on Model Remodel.


Eastside Harvest House Scores High with Deep Green

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Eastside Harvest House Scores High with Deep Green

Conceived and built to achieve the highest point value for any Built Green 5 Stars and LEED for Homes Platinum project to date, the Eastside Harvest House is one of the most sustainably innovative, single-family residences in the region. Completed in May 2012, the home is designed to be beautiful, functional and green, as well as celebrate Kirkland’s farming culture that defined the community a century ago.

The home’s western-facing orientation optimizes stellar sweeping views of Lake Washington, the Olympics and the Seattle skyline. It sits on a quarter of the one-acre property, which includes an orchard, vegetable beds and edible landscape, as well as a giant rain garden.

Built to last, the home uses the highest standards in residential engineering and construction. Its complex, self-sufficient backup systems are enveloped by the home’s simple, modern and clean interior space design.

The 3,570 square feet home was designed with a separate mother-in-law suite for multigenerational living under one roof.  The open floor plan includes a light bathed great room, living / dining / kitchen, a modest master bedroom and bath, a private guest bedroom and bath, and highly functional his and hers offices. An exercise room supports the homeowners healthy lifestyle.

This home was also built with the design/build team’s impressive professionalism, communications, and construction protocols.

And finally, we offer a special thank you to the visionary homeowners who continually pushed the team to design and deliver a technically advanced model for future residential development.

Here is a list of the significant strategies used throughout the home and site.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY SYSTEMS

  • Highly insulated building envelope
  • Insulation used to achieve R-20 to R-50 levels
  • Energy modeling to inform and evaluate design options
  • Highly-efficient heating, water and cooling systems
  • Air-source heat pump is used to heat the house
  • Renewable generation through photovoltaic system
  • Nearly all of the home’s energy will be provided from the sun
  • Sunshades deflect unwanted summer heat
  • Energy Star efficient appliances
  • Efficient LED and compact fluorescent lighting

MATERIALS AND FINISHES

  • Only low- or no-toxicity materials and finishes inside and out
  • Mechanical ventilation systems continually filter indoor air
  • Utilized 100% Forest Stewardship Council certified wood throughout
  • Low total carbon footprint in concrete installations
  • Very little PVC
  • Triple-glazed, argon-filled windows
  • Materials spec’d with low maintenance as a key criterion in selection process

WATER-RELATED COMPONENTS

  • Water efficient plumbing fixtures used throughout home
  • High-capacity, onsite stormwater management system
  • Rain collected in four, NSF-certified, HDPE plastic tanks totaling 12,000 gallons
  • Water captured will be filtered to one micron and sterilized for use as the first permitted potable water in King County
  • Rainwater harvesting system to provide 60 percent of the home’s total water needs
  • Black and gray wastewater directed to municipal sewage system

WASTE REDUCTION STRATEGIES

  • During site demolition, 98 percent of the debris was recycled, reused or repurposed
  • Advanced framing construction methods used to reduce construction waste
  • Materials chosen for durability, ease of upkeep, and where possible, high-recycled content

SITE FEATURES

  • Soil conservation strategies whereby all excavated soil was reused on-site
  • Erosion control construction plan
  • Tree retention and protection plan
  • Utilization of drought-tolerant plants
  • Edible landscape design with orchards and beds for extensive vegetable garden
  • Extensive rain garden design for beauty and functionality

NEIGHBORHOOD ATTRIBUTES

  • Walkable community with easy access to schools, retail, restaurants and personal services
  • Nearby trail supports healthy lifestyle of walking, jogging and biking
  • Transportation options – personal electric car, bike to work, major bus lines to Seattle and around the Eastside

If you are in need some residential green building insights and expertise, please contact us we are always inspired to talk about our unique experiences and to learn more about your vision and goals for your new home or remodeling project.

The post Eastside Harvest House Scores High with Deep Green appeared first on Model Remodel.

Model Remodel in Alaska Airlines Magazine

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2015-07-01 Alaska Airlines Built Green photo spread

Frequent flyers can find the magazine on Alaska Airlines flights during the month of July

If you’re traveling by air this month, and you’ve chosen Alaska Airlines, give that in-flight magazine another look. Flip to page 124. Alaska Beyond Magazine’s July issue features Model Remodel, partners CAST Architecture, and the two companies’ wonderful Laurelhurst clients who chose green building.

The story highlights the area’s Built Green program. The article opens with a two-page photo spread of the beautiful, 4-Star Built Green Remarkable Laurelhurst Remodel project—a second-story addition to accommodate the home’s growing family. The spread pinpoints the project’s sustainable features, such as refinished floors, radiant heating and natural lighting. The piece also covers the process of remodeling or building within the Built Green program; the financial and environmental benefits of sustainable design; and the cool features of this Built Green home.

So, if you’re on an Alaska Airlines flight, instead of wishing away the minutes, read up on green building! For everyone else, view the story online here.

The post Model Remodel in Alaska Airlines Magazine appeared first on Model Remodel.

4-Star Built Green ADU in Seattle’s Columbia City Neighborhood

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Pre-construction meetings have just wrapped up for this modern Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) in one of Seattle’s most up-and-coming neighborhoods. The Columbia City unit will be a photography studio and guest house, with a smart, modern aesthetic.

Sheri Newbold of live-work-play is designing the ADU, with construction going from the ground up. (For the companies’ previous partnership on ADUs, see photos from the Ballard Backyard Cottage.) The lower level will be a garage, with the living area designed above that. Sheri has created a space that is much more than a box; it incorporates an interesting mix of textures and angles. The siding will comprise boral and Hardie lap, with a standing seam metal roof. The materials are resistant to rot and provide “a fortress to the Northwest weather,” according to Model Remodel sales director Mark Lowe.

Model Remodel is especially happy to team up with the clients and designer, as all three parties highly value sustainable remodeling. With features like Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) framing lumber, salvaged items for finishes, and fortified insulation, the project is trending toward a 4-Star Built Green Rating.

For progress photos and project updates, keep your eyes on the Model Remodel blog!

The post 4-Star Built Green ADU in Seattle’s Columbia City Neighborhood appeared first on Model Remodel.

Columbia City Backyard Cottage

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Location: Columbia City

Type: Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU)
Year Built: 2016
Building Recap: Detached office and guest house built in the backyard
Considerations: Sustainability, multi-purpose usability, maximizing square footage

The DADU is a building by many names: backyard cottage, mother-in-law unit or carriage house are also widely used. This backyard cottage in Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood was recently built by Model Remodel and designed by live-work-play as an extension of the existing bungalow home, though a separate structure entirely. The owners intend to use the dual-purpose space as a home office and extra storage, and have found new use for their backyard space with the fun, blue dwelling. Receiving a Built Green 4-star certification means the property is not only functional, but it’s highly sustainable too!

Detached Accessory Dwelling Units are small structures next to, most-often behind, the existing home on a lot. They can be used for a variety of purposes including: guest house, rental property, yoga or art studio, hobby space, and more. DADUs are a great way to supplement living space without creating a traditional home addition. Since they’re separate from the main property, they have more flexibility and opportunity for evolution as the owner’s needs change. In 2001, Seattle legalized the addition of these small properties on residentially zoned lots, making this couple one of the many homeowners taking advantage of the change.

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Though more common today, Seattle backyard cottages are held to a strict list of DADU requirements that must be considered during design and building:
– Maximum size of 800 sq. ft.
– Must have a dedicated off-street parking spot
– The property owner must occupy either the home or the backyard cottage as a permanent and main residence for more than 6 months out of the year
– Entrance placement restrictions

With these considerations in mind, designer Sheri Newbold created a plan that met these requirements and satisfied the multi-functional needs of the clients. The upstairs space is designed to be a home office, but may also serve as a guest house as needed. As the larger space, it is cantilevered to give it a treehouse atmosphere. Juxtaposed with the exterior stairs and deck, the upper level is partially shaded by the lot’s large cherry tree. This natural element, along with smartly placed landscaping, gives the space a natural environment that is too often missing from modern backyard cottages. Putting the stairs on the exterior of the building was a thoughtful way to save precious interior square footage. Contrarily, the lower level serves as extra storage and is open and accessible by the adjacent driveway.

In order to receive a Built Green 4-Star certification, the property had to meet a lengthy list of requirements during a third-party inspection. Some of these requirements include:
– Using low toxic/low VOC paint on all major surfaces
– Achieve 20% improvement over the Washington State Energy code
– Landscape with plants appropriate for site topography and soil types, emphasizing use of plants with low watering requirements
– Practice waste prevention and recycling and buy recycled products
– Achieve a minimum recycling rate of 50% of waste by weight

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Careful consideration was paid to use lasting, durable, high-performance materials such as: Boral TrueExterior siding and trim, dense-packed cellulose R-21 insulation, and standing seem metal roofing. During the building process, our team recycled 1.84 tons—yes tons!—of material that was a natural result of demolition and building. Recycled materials included: wood, cardboard, cement board, plastics and treated lumber. They were dropped off periodically at Drywall Recycling Services in Georgetown, which is a recycling facility we work closely with on many of our projects. The building crew was diligent to protect trees during construction and the clients worked to create a thoughtful and grass-free landscaping solution for the surrounding lot after construction.

We’re thrilled with the outcome of this DADU, its Built Green certification, and another successfully completed project with live-work-play.

Photos: Cindy Apple Photography

The post Columbia City Backyard Cottage appeared first on Model Remodel.

The Future of Sustainable Building: Built Green Conference 2016

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On Tuesday, several members from the Model Remodel team attended the Built Green Conference held at Cascadia College in Bothell, WA. We send a few members to every green building conference each year so that we can stay current on trends and remain an active part of the discussion on the future of sustainable building. As Leah Missik, Built Green Program Manager, wrote in the event brochure “though understanding how green building is connected with complex issues such as equity, health, and climate change can be daunting, it is incredibly heartening to know that as we improve in one area, we also rise in others.” As a builder, we are committed to building in a way that is structurally sound, but also environmentally-friendly. We do this because we believe it to be right, it is a shared-value of our entire team, and it is the only way to build for the future. This is a view we thankfully share with a large community of advocates in the Puget Sound area, and it was a pleasure hearing from and speaking with some of these great minds. As Shannon Affholter, Executive Director of the local Master Builders Association, said “It’s about being a good neighbor.”

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The future is looking bright for green building in the Seattle-area. Roughly one-third of new homes built in King County last year were certified Built Green, and the goal is to have 100% enrolled in a green program by 2030. The Built Green team also shared preliminary data that shows how Built Green 4 and 5-star homes well exceed the energy efficiency numbers they aim for, meaning that the regulations are holding builders to a high standard and those builders are rising up to meet (and exceed!) them. It’s good for the clients, but it’s also good news for an industry that can seem radical to some. Who doesn’t want a gas or electrical bill that’s cut in half? What an accomplishment by the green building community!

The keynote speaker, Hunter Lovins, was an inspirational and energetic way to start off the day. As a consultant for sustainability, she had plenty of anecdotes and experiences to share about how standards for sustainability and green building need to change and grow. “If we don’t like the standards, we can reinvent them. We’re going to have the opportunity to do so, as [green building] becomes thee way we build.” It was a great sentiment that reminded the people in the room that they are pioneers of a quickly expanding industry that is poised to become the new norm. The pros: healthy environments, return on investment, increased building lifespan and higher property values, absolutely outweigh the extra cost during construction. Other speakers and panels expanded upon topics from smart home technology to financing and affordability to retrofitting the more than 398,000 homes in King and Snohomish counties that were built before 1979.

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Panel: “How Can Green Builders & Built Green Support Affordability” (from left to right) Aaron Fairchild, CEO, Green Canopy Inc (moderator) Shannon Affholter, Executive Director, MBA King and Snohomish Counties Hunter Lovins, Founder, Natural Capitalism Solutions Mike O’Brien, Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Vatske, Director, Washington State Housing Finance Commission

The event wrapped up with a wonderful awards reception, during which the community applauded those who embodied green building in the past year. As one of the award recipients, we know we could not have won this award alone. The project designer, Sheri Newbold of live-work-play, was an integral part of our project’s ability to reach Built Green certification. It takes a passionate designer to plant the seed of green building into the client’s mind from the start. A construction project is a huge undertaking, during which the focus on sustainable materials and practices can easily slide down the priority list without a campaigner to hold it in place. Many thanks to Sheri for being that campaigner. We were ecstatic to be the builder of a project that had sustainability built into its very bones. It is precisely how we approach our own design-build projects, and we are always excited to collaborate with a designer who shares our personal and professional values. With the support of this great community, the leadership of our office staff, and the hard work from our talented crew including: Ricky Bribiesca, Matt Everett, Cody Dance, Colin Eikeland, Andy Ryan, and Dave Marks, we accept the Judge’s Choice award for the Columbia City Backyard Cottage together. Thanks Built Green! A huge shout out to our peers:

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It’s always great to see friendly faces while having open and productive dialogues about the future of our industry. Many presenters focused on the idea that: there are no wrong ideas. As this fairly new program and approach to building grows, we as an industry must remain nimble and willing to try new things. Perfect solutions are not born overnight. It is events like the Built Green Conference that give our voices a productive place to interact and brainstorm new solutions. Our team was excited to participate this year, and humbled to receive the Judge’s Choice award for our recently completed 4-star DADU. We look forward to keeping the conversation alive and continue our commitment to sustainable building all year round.

The post The Future of Sustainable Building: Built Green Conference 2016 appeared first on Model Remodel.

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