The new (old) facade...

The mason FINALLY finished the new brick face. We used reclaimed brick from a salvage brick & stone place in Norristown. They are 100 yr old original Philly face brick from a few different jobs. The interesting thing about using reclaimed brick is...well, you never really know what your going to get (unless you lay the whole thing out beforehand, and...uhh, good luck with that.) We are generally very happy with the result. It has lot of character and tells a great story, in addition to being a very sustainable solution.

I suppose the only part that we weren't too happy about was the conglomeration of bright red bricks around the middle of the facade. We feel these were not mixed in to the rest as evenly as the blues, yellows, and blacks toward the bottom (which we love.) We took a chance by using old brick and we feel it was well worth it. Even the mason (who hated the idea all along) had to confess (begrudgingly) that he was very impressed with the final product and never imagined it could look this good. We even had a nice older woman by and say that she has lived in this neighborhood for over 50 years and has never seen anything quite like it. She loved it.

The only work left to do out front now is put in the reclaimed marble steps and then eventually redo the sidewalk.
















Now the question is: what to do, if anything, about all the bright red bricks? It's purely a question of aesthetics. And please...if anyone out there has an opinion on this, please let us know by leaving a comment. We are open for suggestions. Below is a concept we came up with (using Photoshop) where we could "tone down" the red brick and maybe bring a little bit of the blue, yellow, and black up to the top area. This could be achieved by stripping the paint off a few of the red bricks (using a great product from Dumond called Smart Strip by Peel Away) and then painting a few of the bricks up higher with matching blue, yellow, and black from the lower part. The purist side of me says "leave it alone, that's the way the cards fell and it's beautiful." But the developer side of me keeps reminding me that this is a spec house and has to have some degree of 'curb appeal" (as much as I hate that term.) Aesthetically speaking, we like the "after" version better but are torn by concept of messing with the quasi-chaotic purity of the whole process.

















ADDENDUM (8/27/08):
See image below. A good friend, "Dubin" (who has commented a few times on the blog) has helped out by taking a stab at another version...this one, going in the opposite direction by accentuating the color variations. Looks great! Maybe a bit crazy for our taste but we like what your thinking. Thanks for participating!

Non-PVC drain pipe solution

So after many futile efforts of trying to find a non-PVC pipe that can be used for the drain lines in the house, I think I might have found a solution. I had been calling around to various plumbers, engineers and colleagues to try and find an alternative when, on a chance phone call to Superior Plumbing in South Philly, I was turned on to a product I hadn't heard of before. Now...the most ridiculous part: the product has actually been around for almost 50 years! It's a testimony to the fact when this industry finds something they like to work with (i.e cheap and easy like PVC) they seems to close off all other avenues and then become very resistant to change.

Here's what happened on the phone. I called the plumbing supplier (which I have used before and are great!) to ask if they know of any other pipe material besides PVC and cast iron that can be used for drain lines. He responded with an adamant, "No....that's it. Those are the only two." As I fained disbelief and pursued the question further, he held his ground. But just as I was thanking him for his assistance and was about to hang up the phone, he burst in with a "Hang on a second", and proceeded to ask another guy in the store to remind him what the name of that "black plastic pipe they use for drains" is. He came back with, "ABS". ABS?? What is that? He then informed me that ABS is an acceptable alternative but he didn't think of it right away because he doesn't stock it. "It's the stuff they make TVs and VCRs out of", he said. I asked if it was approved by the City of Philadelphia. He said, "Only for residential." I said, "Perfect." I then thanked the man again and began my usual background check.

An important aspect I found out was that ABS is actually a "thermoplastic", which means it is able to be safely recycled. This is not the case for PVC, which cannot effectively be recycled, as it is a difficult process, releases dangerous chemical when melted down, and needs more chemicals added in order to reform it. ABS is derived from acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene. The advantage of ABS is that this material combines the strength and rigidity of the acrylonitrile and styrene polymers with the toughness of the polybutadiene rubber. The most important mechanical properties of ABS are resistance and toughness.

From the PPFA's (Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association) website: "ABS pipe and fittings are made from a thermoplastic resin called Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS for short). ABS PIPING SYSTEMS are easier and less expensive to install than metal piping; Feature superior flow due to smooth interiorfinish; Do not rot, rust, corrode or collect waste; Withstand earth loads and shipping (with properhandling); Resist mechanical damage, even at low temperatures; Perform at an operational temperature range of -40°F to 180°F; Are lightweight (one person can load and unload); Take less time to rough in than metal DWV materials."

ABS pipe and fittings were originally developed in the early 1950s for use in oil fields and the chemical industry. In 1959, John F. Long, a prominent Arizona builder, used ABS pipe in an experimental residence. Twenty-five years later, an independent research firm dug up and analyzed a section of the drain pipe. The result: no evidence of rot, rust or corrosion.

To see the PPFA's ABS Publications, click here You can also check out the FAQ's here.

Energy Recovery Ventilation

Another mechanical item we are looking into that I forgot to mention yesterday is the integration of a ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator) unit into our HVAC system. It's a great strategy and I am excited about the possibility of doing it. I am not sure about the total cost of this addition and we'll have to see if it makes sense with our budget (in addition to whether or not we have the room for it). Although the HVAC unit that we have selected is a high efficiency unit (over 92%) and pulls in 100% fresh air for combustion, the ERV adds the heat exchange and the dehumidification element. Here is a link to an article (from back in 2000) that explains in detail how the whole heat exchange system works.

Make up air: Most of the time, houses (especially older ones) get fresh air from incidental air infiltration - leaks in the home's envelope (much like the 120 yr old old house we live in now!). Since many new homes are constructed so 'tight' (extremely well insulated), the only way to get fresh air into the house is opening the windows - which is not very energy efficient in the hot and cold months. So, installing a 'make-up air' vent brings in small amounts of outside fresh (albeit Philly) air. This vent will have an adjustable damper that will only allow air to enter the system when the unit is running. The main problem with this is that in the dead of winter and height of summer, the fresh air going into the unit can be anywhere from 10 degrees to 100 degrees and takes a lot on energy to bring it up or down to 70 degrees. But this is where a heat exchanger comes into play. The heat exchanger involves exhausting some of the stale air out of the house. The incoming air passes over outgoing air (exhaust) because one pipe is located within the other. When the two airs pass each other, there is a heat exchanger that takes the heat from the exhausting stale air and gives it to the incoming fresh air, without mixing the air. This is a way to preheat or precool the incoming fresh air and have your heating system work less. The biggest issue with this method comes during the summer: humidity. But there the ERV (Energy Recovery Unit) comes into play as it gets rid of the humidity.

The whole system makes a lot of sense and it's becoming more commonplace these days and getting more cost effective.

So, the way we see it is between the use of the "whole house fan" (discussed in a previous post) during the temperate months and our high-efficiency unit and possible ERV during the cold and hot months, we should be able to have some fresh air continually circulating through the home throughout the year using a lot less energy.

The 'trades' move in

Well, it's been a while since the last official post and a lot has happened. I'll try to run though some of the important issues and get everyone up to speed.

The 'trades' (the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical contractors) will begin work this week...with plumbing going first, then electrical, then mechanical. Not necessarily the 'normal' order but our GC had some good reasons for doing it this way. This part of the project was a bit delayed from the original schedule due to a number of issues that are related to the masonry work (more on that later) as well as a few modifications to the plumbing and mechanical systems...a few of which are a result of our last LEED meeting and our desire to obtain a few extra points.

Electrical

This area has had the least amount of changes. The most important issue here is that we finalized most of the light selections. We needed to order all the lights that are recessed in the ceiling before the electrician gets started for, unlike lights like pendants and sconces that can be installed later, the 'cans' all need to be in place before the drywall is hung (which is still several weeks away).

One interesting item we discovered related to LEED points and lighting is that although we are already doing a lot in this house in the realm of energy efficiency, the lighting requirements (in order to get the max points, which is 3), are not as strict as we thought they would be. The prereq for this section requires installation of at least 4 Energy Star labeled fixtures OR install E.S. labeled CFL bulbs in the high use areas in the house. Since we have around 15 E.S. labeled fixtures and CFLs basically everywhere in the house, this was not an issue. Then there are two credit options - 1.5 points for installing 3 additional E.S. labeled fixtures AND using motion detect or p.v. for outside lights OR 3 points for installing E.S. labeled light bulbs in 80% of the home and using E.S. labeled ceiling fans. We are doing all this and a bit more so we see no problem in getting the max points here. This was reassuring but at the same time thought they would have been a little more strict (not that we're complaining...we'll take what we can get!)

Lastly, we are looking into installing an "Energy Miser" in the house. Typically, a house is using only 70% to 95% of the electricity that is coming through the electric meter and ultimately showing up on the electric bill. An energy miser reduces the electricity used by increasing the building’s “Power Factor”– which improves its electrical energy efficiency. It is essentially a panel that is attached to the main electrical panel. It captures and stores energy that would otherwise be lost, and routes it back into your building's system. It also reduces 6,000 pounds of carbon from your building’s carbon footprint. They cost about $500 but you can get various energy rebates that can be up to $100 and it can ultimately save you up to 20% on your electric bill.

Plumbing

The biggest change we made with the plumbing is related to the supply lines but we have also been discussing fixture and appliance selections too (which we'll get to in a different post). Originally, the plumber spec'd out PVC (polyvinyl chloride) for the supply and drain lines in the entire house. We immediately raised a red flag and stated that we do not want (if possible) any PVC in the house. In case you didn't know...PVC is a toxic carcinogen and releases dioxins (an extremely dangerous compound) when produced and when burned. So a few weeks ago we had the plumber price out the alternatives for us - which are copper or PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) tubing for the supply lines and cast iron or (possibly) polyethylene pipes for the drain lines.

Copper:

Although copper is the most trusted material for water supply lines (and plumbers swear by it), there are a few major drawbacks to using it these days: First, even though some percentage of the copper you buy off the shelf has recycled content, some of it will inevitably come from the mining process, which is environmentally devastating. Second, copper pipes need to be insulated (usually just the hot lines but LEED requires both hot AND cold pipes be insulated...this obviously involves an additional amount of material. Third, there is a lot of soldering involved as it comes in stock lengths and even a straight run often needs multiple connections, and additionally, every turn needs to be welded, which means there is a lot more labor involved. Which ties into the last drawback, it's just very expensive these days due to the high demand and short supply in the construction industry. As much as I respect the devotion of 'old school' plumbers, this material simply does not make much sense to use anymore.

Cast iron:

Cast iron is regarded in the plumbing industry similar to the way copper is. It really is one of the best solutions for drain pipes. BUT it has many of the same drawbacks that copper does...the most important one being cost. Let's just say we'd be paying almost three to four times as much to have cast iron pipes.

PEX:

[From the Plastic Pipe and Fitting Assoc. website] "Developed in the 1960's, PEX tubing has been in use in many European countries for plumbing and was introduced in the US in the 1980s. PEX 's flexibility and strength at temperatures ranging from below freezing up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit makes it an ideal piping material for hot and cold water plumbing systems. It is flexible, making it easy to install and service. PEX is able to withstand the high and low temperatures found in plumbing and heating applications, and is highly resistant to chemicals found in the plumbing environment. Flexible systems are quieter than rigid piping. The smooth interior will not corrode which can affect other materials long term pipe flow characteristics. PEX systems have fewer joints and are easier to install providing a lower cost installation over traditional plumbing materials. " So as you can see, there are many advantages to using Pex including the fact that it is so easy to install many homeowners who are building simply run the supply lines themselves. Also, there is no need for all that pipe insulation since the tubing is already insulated. It is also by far the most cost effective solution.

As far as the manufacturing process of Pex...as I understand it, there are basically three ways:

The Engel process, where the cross linking happens "hot" (in its amorphic state above the crystalline melting point) since the polyethylene, anti-oxidants, and the cross linking initiator (peroxide) are extruded under pressure while in a molten state.
The Silane method, where a vinyl silane agent is added to the resin/polymer base prior to the extrusion process, thus forming a grafted copolymer.
The Radiation method, which involves bombarding previously extruded PE tubing with Gamma/Beta electrons while sealed in a vacuum chamber

Not sure yet which is the 'greenest' process (my instinct would go with either the Engel or Radiation method) nor do I know if we will even have a choice in the matter. I just figured it was good information to know.

Basically, the system works as follows: In the basement, there is a "manifold" that ties into the water heater and main water supply. This has a bunch of pairs of connections (red for hot and blue for cold). The amount of connections pairs depends on the amount of fixtures you have. Separate flexible red and blue pipes run from the manifold all the way to the fixture (uninterrupted). The pipe makes "bends" instead of turns which is actually more efficient than 90 degree turns (like copper) in relation to pressure drop. There is an open/close valve at the manifold too that let's you easily control the supply.


















PEX piping and manifold

Up to now I have been told that there really isn't any other alternative (other than cast iron) to PVC as far as drain lines are concerned. BUT, through some research I found that they do make a rigid polyethylene pipe that can be used for drain lines. I need to find out a bit more about this and then get a price difference from the PVC drain lines before we make a final decision. Obviously this would be a great solution for it would eliminate virtually all of the PVC plumbing in the house.

So as you might suspect, we have decided to move forward with the PEX system (for at least the supply lines at this point). But as with any product that is new to me, I start my web search with "Problems with ____", and see what comes up. The only real negative story I found was someone reported that they thought rodents seeking water had gotten into their floors and ceilings and chewed through the pipes and thus caused some leaks. This was never really substantiated, but the way I see it is that if you have rodents running through your floors and ceilings...you have bigger problems to deal with.

Mechanical

The unit we chose is the Goodman 14 SEER 92% Efficient furnace and a 3-ton rooftop A/C unit.

The main change regarding the HVAC system is related to LEED points and the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating and HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) of our unit. SEER rating is the Btu of cooling output during a typical cooling-season divided by the total electric energy input in watt-hours during the same period. HSPF is a ratio of BTU heat output over the heating season to watt- hours of electricity used. The higher the SEER and HSPF, the more energy efficient the system. Originally, the mechanical contractor had spec'd a 13 SEER / 8.2 HSPF unit. This is a good unit but only satisfies the pre-req for LEED. We needed to upgrade to a 14 SEER / 8.6 HSPF unit to get 2 points for using a "High-Efficiency" system. I have not gotten verification but I would speculate at this point that the cost difference is somewhere around $500...giver or take a few hundred. It's a good thing to do regardless, as jumping up even 1 SEER saves a pretty decent amount of energy when it comes to heating and cooling.

Another thing we are verifying (and what will be tested) are the "distribution losses" that are caused by leaks in the ducts and poorly insulated systems. Our mechanical contractor is now aware of the values (measured in cfm) that we need to achieve and assured us that it would not be a problem. The less cfm lost, the more efficient the system, and the more LEED points we'll achieve (up to 3 if we do well.)


What's next? The next task at hand is for us to complete our "Durability Risk Evaluation Form" (which we began a while back but never finished) for LEED which is part of the "Durability Management Process". But more on that later.

A few comments on Treehugger.com

Got some good comments about the house and the blog on the "Forum" at treehugger.com. You can check them out at this link: http://forums.treehugger.com. Thanks!

New posts coming soon...I promise! A lot has been happening regarding HVAC, electrical modifications, and plumbing concerns along with final fixture and appliance selections, the new brick facade, wrapping up the framing, and pricing out the kitchen and the steel stair. Exciting stuff!

some press for the Montrose House

The good folks at Green Building Elements (a great, web-based resource for sustainable design & construction) have written a nice article about us and our project. You can check out the article at: "Showing the Green Building Process". Thanks guys!

natural ventilation = money saved

The time has come to finalize and order a whole house fan, which will help to naturally circulate the air within the house and reduce the need to run the air conditioning system. "Whole house fans" are often confused with "attic fans", but there's a big difference between the two. While attic fans merely exhaust hot air from an unfinished attic space, whole house fans draw cool, outside air into the house through operable windows on the facade and exhaust the hot, overheated air through the exhaust fan directly to the outside. It's important to make sure that you have enough ventilation (open area) when operating a whole house fan. Usually you need to open at least 1-2 windows (preferably on a shaded side of the house) to ensure that enough air can be drawn in and cycle through smoothly. Because these fans are really only effective when the outside air is cooler than the inside air, they're unfortunately not going to help offset those unbearably hot & muggy Philly summer days. They will help the most during the spring and fall swing seasons when the temperature drops at night. By cooling down the house and fully exchanging the stale indoor air with fresh outside air, whole house fans reduce the need for mechanical cooling during the day and- depending on your climate- can allow the elimination of some or all mechanical cooling at night.

Two important things to keep in mind when selecting a whole house fan are:

CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) - Basically, how much air can it move? In order to determine whether a certain CFM is enough, you'll first need to calculate the approximate amount of cubic feet in the building (SF x avg clg ht). We have roughly 15,000 cubic feet of space in our project. The fan we selected is 800 CFM which means that (after a bit of math) we found out that it would be able to empty the entire house of the inside, stale air in about 20 minutes. Which means that after 20 min of running the fan, theoretically, the house will be totally filled with outside, fresh air. Crazy, huh? Now this is all a little subjective for the ideal "CFM per SF" for one project might be different than another project. You should consult an expert, if necessary. All I can say about our situation is that we could only find one fan to fit that would work and it only has one speed, so there wasn't much of a choice this time. Fortunately, it will work very well for this size house.

and the other factor is...

Sones (unit of perceived loudness) - Essentially, how much noise does it make? To put this in perspective...1 sone = about 40 decibels. But it gets tricky here because the ratio is not 1:1 (i.e. 2 sones do not equal 80 dB) when determining how "loud" a specific sone rating is. "Loudness" ranges from 0 dB (inaudible) to around 200 dB (loudest sound possible). "A quiet library" is around 30 dB and "normal conversation" is around 60 dB. The fan we selected is 3 sones, which actually equals about 48 dB - right in between the two. So, for a fan that moves that much air...well, that's pretty darn quiet! BTW...how loud is the 'loudest sound possible'?

Most whole house fans are designed for sloped roof homes that include a traditional attic space above the conditioned area. Because the fans are not directly exposed to the elements, it's not necessary for them to be weather-tight. In our case, since we have no attic, we are planning to mount the fan in the wall at the top of the stair at the third level which means that it will be oriented vertically rather than horizontally. We will also need the fan to be weather-tight or at least capable of being somehow retro-fitted to prevent cool air loss during the warm months and heat loss throughout the winter months. Through our exhaustive (no pun intended) research (or at least according to Google) there only seem to be three commonly used whole house fan manufacturers. Of these brands, there is only one fan that we've come across that is designed for installation in a location that directly meets the exterior. This model (by RE Williams) includes exterior insulated panels that prevent air leakage and provide a rating of R-6. While our exterior walls will be achieving an R-25 rating on average, this does represent a large reduction in performance which we will have to address in some fashion. Maybe with an additional removable panel on the interior? Oh, and the price of the fan is in the $800 range- a big jump over the typical $300-400 mark. While the "payback" might not be as good as we had hoped, we feel the benefits are worth the extra money.


















Another thing to keep in mind is that whole house fans aren't for everyone. They may not work well for individuals who have allergies, as they draw in air directly from the outside (unless, of course, maybe some sort of HEPA filtration is put into place at the point of air intake.) HVAC systems filter the outside air and therefore have a better ability to reduce particulate matter. Whole house fans don't do much to control humidity, either. Some HVAC units integrate dehumidification systems into their cooling systems which can be a big help during the summer. We are currently looking into how much it would be to add this feature onto our system. During times of high humidity, whole house fans can create a cooling effect by creating a light, constant breeze during operation, and as they won't help with the actual humidity, they do increase the overall IAQ (indoor air quality) by circulating fresh air through the entire home. You can also easily run the on/off switch directly through a thermostat that kicks the fan on when it gets up to a certain temp and then turns it off automatically, in order to save electricity.


If you've ever experienced Grandma's whole house fan that almost took your socks off , you'll be happy to know that today's fans are much improved. Think quieter, gentler, smarter, and more efficient than the days of old. Sound like anyone you know?

In the end, we're convinced that a whole house fan will still save money in the long run, despite a higher up-front cost. And while it's by no means the most technologically advanced option out there, it's a least a time-tested strategy that relies on good ol' Mother Nature to provide comfort. For a row house with a relatively small footprint, we think it will make a big difference. One of the toughest things about the long, narrow shape of a row house is getting good cross ventilation since the only openings are usually only at the front and rear. While we're fortunate to be able to have additional windows on one side (due to our lot's placement next to an adjacent utility easement) the fan can only help to promote more of those rare South Philly breezes. And hopefully that's a good thing. :)

LEED update...

Well, today was a very exciting day indeed. We had our second meeting with Ted and Karin at the ECA (Energy Coordinating Agency), the LEED for Homes provider for Pennsylvania. We spent a couple of hours running though all the sections on the checklist and figuring out various interpretations. Since our first meeting with them we have made a few 'green' upgrades, with the most significant being the green roof, so things have changed a bit. When the dust cleared and we finished adding up all the sections, guess what we discovered...











We were not expecting this. Of course, it is 'preliminary' and there is still a long way to go as far as this becoming a reality, but it is very encouraging. The last we left it, we were comfortably in the Gold category (and very happy about that.) We figured achieving Platinum was frankly an impossibility for this project. More on all this later...

Also, we finally got the straw bales in place to help with our erosion control during construction. The images below show the bales at the rear of the back yard (basically, the property line) and at the front gate where the side alley easement meets the sidewalk.

Gimme Shelter... (preferably well-insulated with a lot of natural light and good ventilation)

Here are some images of the roof insulation arriving last week. All those palettes of white plastic contain separate layers of 2" thick rigid insulation. We have 4 layers laid on top of each other (staggered) and then adhered together. The resulting 8" thickness gives us an R-value of 40. Typical insulation provides roughly R-5 per inch. Our roofer, Ray Nocella (of Nocella Roofing) did a great job on the installation and subsequent waterproofing. After the insulation was installed, a 1/4" layer of "DensDeck" was adhered to the insulation, he then applied 2 layers of "modified bitumen" roofing membrane (laid in alternate directions to ensure water tightness), then added a "silver coating" element. Next, goes the root barrier, and at that point, the green roof installation guys take over. So by the end of last week, the roof was totally waterproofed which allowed us to install all the windows. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, after all is said and done, we should have an R-value of about 50 for the roof. Very cozy indeed. And oh yes... many thanks to our next door neighbors for the letting us use their roof as an access point.














Here's a shot of the Third Floor windows installed (and opened up). The small image on the right is looking out the side window of the Master Bedroom. There is a beautiful tree next door that provides a bit of privacy and lot of shade. As you can see, when these large casements are opened it allows a tremendous amount of fresh air to pass through the house. We are very impressed with the overall look and the quality of the Kolbe windows and doors. We decided to go with the factory pre-stained for the wood interior (Chestnut color) and flat black for the exterior aluminum cladding. It's a nice combination.

The contractor says the enormous front window in the bedroom (which he is still cursing my name due to the difficulty in getting it up there!) makes the Third Floor feel like a airplane hanger. Just wait till we clad it in metal.


















A few images of the casement windows and patio door installed in the kitchen. Being able to have all these casements (along with the door) open up will really connect the kitchen with the back patio. If you look at the upper left image, the horizontal wood blocking in the wall framing indicates roughly where the kitchen counter will be and the generator (on the floor) is roughly where the kitchen sink will be (centered on the middle window.)

The mansard roof goes up, the front windows go in, and a peek at the south facade

The Third Floor mansard roof and the new cornice (with integrated gutter) are almost finished construction. Unfortunately, the existing cornice was rotted out and fell apart when they were trying to remove it...so what we're going to do is rebuild the framework for it and acquire salvaged corbels from Provenance Architectural Salvage in order to restore it the best we can. It was really exciting to see the mansard roof go up as it is one of the most prominent features of the house. As you can see, the window in the master bedroom is quite large and will bring an incredible amount of northern light, along with a great view. Due to the nature of the sloped mansard roof, this window has a very deep sill. We have decided that instead of constructing a typical window (flower) box here, we are going to install a shallow planting bed that will have similar plants as the green roof above. Kind of a miniature green roof.

Also, the Kolbe double-hung windows have been installed in the front facade and they look great! We are very happy with them and the contractor has had nothing but good things to say about the quality.























A first look at the south facade. The sun shades have yet to be installed over the large windows.

The facade comes down & the view from up top

Now you see it...now you don't. The old brick face came down today. The image on the left shows the facade a couple of days ago and the one on the right is from today. It was sad that we had to lose it but there was simply too much spawling and with all the renovation work that's been done, it would have most likely gotten worse over time. She stood strong for over a hundred years but it was time to say goodbye. I would have liked to reuse these bricks but we couldn't because the new facade is taller and many of them were cracked already. The new brick face will be stronger and much straighter. We will be rebuilding the facade with locally salvaged bricks. The biggest challenge now is finding bricks that are as good as the ones that were in our original facade. They were turn of the century 'engineered' (very modular) bricks called "iron spots" and are highly sought after now. I have gone to at least 5 different salvage yards to look at bricks and none of them "stack up" to the ones we had. But I have another week or two before the new bricks needs to go up and I do have a few different people on the look out for me.

The brick portion of the facade is only two stories. The third floor facade (the wood framed area with the big window) will be getting a 'mansard' roof (a very steep sloped roof...almost more like a tilted wall). This is not yet constructed. A mansard roof at the highest story is a fairly common Philadelphia style facade element. [The main reason we decided to do a mansard here was due to the fact that most of the homes on this block of Montrose are two-story, so we were able to maintain the two-story scale of the street by keeping our cornice line and slightly stepping back a mansard at the third story.] This portion of the facade will be clad with a flat seam, folded panel product called Zalmag. Zalmag custom-made panels have a service expectancy of a lifetime (or two). The panels have a unique galvanized coating on steel that consists of 1% Aluminum, 3% magnesium, and the rest is Zinc. It is made from 95% recycled material and is 100% recyclable. It weathers to a nice blueish-gray tone.

From the first and second floor looking out with no facade






The spectacular view from up top. The blue tarp in the bottom center of the image is our roof.

Water management

One of the biggest challenges in sustainable design is how to properly manage the water that falls from the sky onto your building and your site. There are a few different schools of thought on this topic. These range from 100% on-site management to channeling all of your run-off into the city's storm water system.

There is also an interesting dialogue happening now between the various governing entities within the city that seems to have conflicts of interest and can be quite confusing to the rest of us. The Department of License & Inspections seems to approach the issue from one end and requires that all storm water be collected and channeled directly into the the City's piping system (with downspout boots and site drains.) I suppose I understand this mode of thought in that they are simply trying to prevent storm water run-off from going places it shouldn't and causing damage and erosion. The PWD - Office of Watersheds, on the other hand, approaches the issue from the other end and is encouraging people NOT to connect to the City's infrastructure by taking measures to manage your storm water 'on-site'. This can be done in basically two ways: harvesting and retention/infiltration. After speaking with a number of landscape architects, green roof designers, and environmental planners, we have decided that the Office of Watersheds' approach is the right way to go. Now it does appear that L&I and PWD are approaching a common ground on some of these issues and PWD actually wants to register all on-site stormwater management projects with L&I.

There's just too much pavement these days. Basically, when it rains, water that falls on impervious surfaces is typically channeled into sewer pipes that travel 'downhill' and eventually lead directly into our rivers, carrying with it many pollutants. By allowing rain to slowly infiltrate directly into the ground, it is able to be naturally 'filtered' by the earth before it makes it's way into the water table and/or rivers. Also, this infiltration allows "groundwater" to recharge naturally, at it's own pace.

Every drop of water that falls onto the earth's surface, falls within what is called a "watershed". A watershed is an area of land where all of the water that is under it, or drains off of it, goes into the same place. Watersheds cross all boundaries. No matter where you are in the world, you're in a watershed. [From the EPA's website]

The ultimate goal behind PWD's mission here is "to restore our watersheds, by converting our streams, creeks and surrounding green spaces into healthy systems that local residents, along with native fish and wildlife, can use as amenities, sanctuaries and habitats. Stormwater management projects will not only help protect our invaluable drinking water sources, but they will help green the city, restore our waterways and improve quality of life for all residents."

So here's our strategy...

1. Green Roof. We are moving forward with the green roof installation (opposed to the white membrane). We were back and forth for a while as to whether or not we would be able to install a green roof. The only thing holding us back was cost. We always knew it was the right thing to do (and even planned for it structurally) but the choice comes with a considerable fee...especially to do it right. But after many conversations with different folks, we believe that we will most likely be able to recoup the cost in the purchase price of the house, which is all we are really after in regards to this decision. Also, we have decided against going with the 'modular tray' system and are pursuing a more conventional installation. I have had the privilege of speaking with and getting some advice from Charlie Miller with Roofscapes, Inc. Charlie (the 'guru of greenroofs') is responsible for such projects as Chicago City Hall and Life Expression Wellness Center. After speaking with him, I was able to establish the waterproofing and root repellent system, thickness of media, and types of plants best suited for this project. He then pointed me in the direction of JIG. JIG is the construction arm and 'green roof division' of Onion Flats, a design/build/development firm in Philly. I am meeting with them next week to discuss the possibilities of the project. As I have continually admired the work of Onion Flats over the years, the possibility of a collaboration with them on this project is exciting.

















Various types of green roofs

Benefits of a green roof:

• Longer lifespan of the roof membrane
• Energy savings due to increased insulation
• Sound insulation
• Aesthetic amenity (your own little park)
• Improved air quality and biodiversity
• Reduces urban heat island effect
• Storm water: in summer, can retain 70-90% of the water that falls on them; in winter they can retain between 25-40%

Obviously, the last item is the one that directly relates to the topic discussed here.

Green roofs have actually been around for 1000's of years and other countries have been utilizing them much more than the U.S. [From the Greenroofs for Healthy Cities website]: "In North America, the benefits of green roof technologies are poorly understood and the market remains immature, despite the efforts of several industry leaders. In Europe however, these technologies have become very well established. This has been the direct result of government legislative and financial support, at both the state and municipal level. Such support recognizes the many tangible and intangible public benefits of green roofs." Although, I would venture to say that in the last couple of years (and since this statement was written), the green roof industry has exploded in this country, with no end in site. And, with the new administration here in Philly (and soon the U.S. government!!), we are seeing some real exciting changes for the better.

2. Rain Barrels and Rain Gardens. The remaining amount of water that does not get absorbed by the green roof will travel down a downspout and into a Rain Barrel where it will be stored and used for watering the plants in the backyard. A pipe will also be connected to the bottom of the rain barrel which will slowly feed water into a Rain Garden, located under the kitchen windows.












Rain Gardens and a Rain Barrell

In addition to helping recharge groundwater as well as preventing pollutants from traveling into rivers, rain barrels also help lower water costs when the stored water is recycled for landscape irrigation. Keep in mind..."Whether you buy or build a rain barrel, the most important thing to remember is that they are only effective at stormwater management when the stored water is emptied in between storms, making room in the barrel for the next storm." (from Philadelphia Stormwater Management Guidance Manual)

To read more about rain barrels, rain gardens, and many other things you can do as a homeowner to help successfully manage stormwater, check out "Appendices K-L: Voluntary Small Sites Checklist" at www.phillyriverinfo.org.

3. Pervious paving. So I know we have mentioned in the past that we intend on paving the backyard with the salvaged bricks from the demolition. Outside of the sustainable strategy of using reclaimed material, this feature will also be beneficial to our water management. Now I realize that this is not "pervious paving" in the true sense of the term as the actual brick pavers are not pervious (which they do make and and which work beautifully) but it's more the surface as a whole system that will allow water to infiltrate...as opposed to pouring a solid concrete slab which is the usual strategy. You see, these bricks will be 'sand set' (not grouted) and laid on bed of compacted gravel about 8" thick. This will allow the water that does fall onto the back patio to infiltrate into the ground. Another option that we are pursuing is having a raised wood deck as the central surface with gravel and pervious 'landscape fabric' beneath. We would then find another use for the salvaged bricks...maybe pave the path of the alley running along side the house. Both systems would allow water to percolate into the ground, and in the end, its mostly an aesthetic decision. Also, we are planning on creating a continuous planting bed (no bricks), that will have an increased absorption capacity, around the perimeter of the back yard in order to catch any overflow during heavy rains .

4. Storm Water Planters. The Philadelphia Water Department Office of Watersheds has embarked on an ambitious program to install storm water planters that are designed to capture and infiltrate street run-off. There was actually a presentation of this at PHS ( Pennsylvania Horticultural Society) on Monday night that Emily and I (and Nicholas) attended. It was a very nice event with a great turnout. The concept is pretty simple: basically, instead of having continuous impervious paving along the street (with the occasional tree), we can create small stretches of pervious planting beds (up to 20' long) that will infiltrate sidewalk and street run-off. There is also a scheme to do an island 'bump out' that essentially takes the place of a parking space and replaces it with a lush vegetated area that can capture run-off. Obviously, these also greatly enhance the aesthetic of the street as well as contribute to better air quality.



















We are tearing up our sidewalk very soon. I approached a couple of PWD representatives and told them about what we are doing here at Montrose and how we are trying to successfully capture all of our own storm water. They were enthusiastic about the benefits that this system could provide for our project. I hope to meet with them soon to continue discussing the concept of storm water planters.

So... from the storm water planters at the street, up the facade, across the green roof, down the spouts to the rain barrel and rain garden, along the pervious paving at the patio, and all the way back to the planting beds along the fence, we are doing our best to properly manage all of the storm water (or at least the "first inch of rain", which I hear is the most important) on our site.

Some interesting energy facts

I was looking into some more specifics about energy savings in regards to using CFLs and LEDs for the lighting and I found some statistics that were quite startling. The Energy Information Administration website (Official Energy Statistics from the US Government) has a lot of great information about all kinds of power related issues. Check out the section on Potential Savings related to lighting. Here are just a few of the things they talk about:

The overwhelming majority of lights in residential households are incandescent--the least energy efficient of all light types . If households replaced the most intensively used bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, they would see a sizable savings in their electric bills. The total U.S. household energy that would be saved by replacing all incandescent bulbs used 4 or more hours per day would be 31.7 billion kilowatthours (kWh) annually, or 35 percent of all electricity used for residential lighting. ...compact fluorescent bulbs pay for themselves in 1.7 years.

The life-cycle cost of a light bulb includes the cost of the bulb itself, as well as the cost of the electricity required to power the bulb. Electricity costs are a large percent of the life-cycle cost of incandescent lights. Depending on the electric rates, electricity costs account for 78 to 91 percent of the life-cycle cost of incandescent lights, but only 37 to 63 percent of the life-cycle cost of compact fluorescent bulbs.

Compact fluorescent bulbs need about one-third of the power required by incandescent bulbs to emit the same amount of light. If one wanted to replace a 75-watt incandescent bulb, a 26-watt compact fluorescent would be an appropriate choice. Therefore, regardless of electricity costs, compact fluorescent bulbs offer a three-fold increase in efficiency. If compact fluorescent bulbs, by virtue of their high cost, do not produce large dollar savings to individual households, they still result in large savings of electricity and the fuels required to produce electricity.

Of course, one of the biggest issues related to compact fluorescents these days is that they contain Mercury and how does one properly dispose of them. I found the following information (from another bloggers website) to be fairly helpful:

You should consider that mercury emissions from power plants get into rain clouds and come down in lakes and rivers, poisoning fish and the people who eat them. Coal-fired power plants in the US are the largest source of mercury, spewing 50 tons a year into the air -- about 40 percent of the total.

While the amount of mercury used in production a CFL bulb is at most 6mg, the average mercury content is 4mg. The total emissions of mercury created by a CFL bulb from electricity consumption over its lifetime is about 2.4mg of mercury. In comparison the emissions from an incandescent light bulb is about 10mg. Therefore overall CFLs result in a reduced amount of mercury emitted over the lifetime of a CFL bulb. The real gain is the reduction of 38kg of Co2 per CFL per year and an overall saving of 14% on your electricity bill.

To ensure the safe disposal of CFL bulbs you should return them to the retailer, manufacturer or to an appropriate recycling facility. Once collected the bulbs are crushed in a machine that uses negative pressure ventilation and a mercury absorbing filter allowing the mercury to be reclaimed. Therefore if you use a CFL with renewable energy and recycle it, the mercury emission level is actually negated.

If you break a CFL, clean up broken bulbs with care. Open windows and allow to circulate to the affected area. Do not allow children or pregnant women to enter the affected area. First sweep up all of the glass fragments and phosphor powder (do not vacuum), then place in a plastic bag. Wipe the area with a damp paper towel to pick up stray shards of glass or fine particles, and place the used towel in the plastic bag as well. For proper disposal of broken bulbs, the best solution is to save them for a community household hazardous waste collection. Also, you can now get CFLs with ultra-low mercury levels.

The other hazard I recently discovered relates to LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) . It is not widely known to the basic consumer (yet) that LEDs contain Arsenic (a metalloid) that, although a naturally occurring element, has many negative connotations. Again, the main concern here is not that you will be exposing yourself to Arsenic if you install LED fixtures (which you are not), the main concern is about how to properly dispose of the lights if they break or when they die out. And hey, the amount arsenic used in the pressure treated wood deck that your dad built out back when you were growing up greatly exceeds the amount used is LEDs anyway. So by outlawing Arsenic in PT wood, we're much better off these days.

But keep in mind that Arsenic is commonly used in the electronics industry (as well as some cures for diseases) and I would not be sitting here typing on this computer if it wasn't for Arsenic. As far as LED lights dying out...let's keep in mind that the lifespan of a typical LED downlight is about 50,000 hours (CFL about 30,000; incandescent about 2,000) . Given that the average percentage of light usage in a home is around 2,500 hours per year, you will not have to be concerned with changing that LED light for about 20 years! By then, I would imagine we will most likely have addressed many of these concerns, if we haven't already moved on to more advanced lighting technology (and you will have long moved out of your house, anyway). The main disadvantage of LEDs (at this time) is that they cost considerably more than other lights and often have special power requirements. But in the end, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

Advantages of LEDs:

Produce more light per watt than incandescent bulbs and can be up to 80% more energy efficient

Capable of emitting light of an intended color without the use of color filters and can be designed to focus its light. Other light sources often require an external reflectors

When dimmed, LEDs do not change their color tint, unlike incandescent lamps, which turn yellow

Ideal for use in applications with frequent on-off cycling, unlike fluorescent lamps that burn out more quickly when cycled frequently

Difficult to damage with external shock. Do not contain Mercury

Can be very small and light up very quickly

Third Floor joists, temporary stairs, and the Second Floor plan begins to take shape

View from the Third Floor


































Views of the Second Floor
























At the entry, looking up the (temporary) stairs to the Second and Third Floor



















The Second Floor plans begins to take shape.

A few of the sustainable products & finishes

I met with Eric King from Greenable last week to continue discussing the selection of the interior finishes for the house along with some of the other sustainable aspects. All the folks at Greenable have been extremely helpful with this project and they continue to be a great resource for information and samples of sustainable materials. The areas we are currently working on are flooring, countertops, stair treads, paints & stains, and other sheet materials. Also, we talked about the installation of the BioBased spray insulation and the timber for the sunshades on the back of the house, both of which we are sourcing through Greenable.

Flooring: We will have only two types of flooring in the house - bamboo and tile. We felt that carpet is not a very sustainable flooring strategy for a residential project.

For the bamboo flooring we are considering the Strand Woven Carbonized "Nutmeg" from Green Choice Flooring. [From Green Choice's website]: "Our Strand Woven products are made by taking strips and strands of bamboo and weaving them together. We then compress them under intense pressure and heat resulting in one of the hardest and most stable flooring products on the market today. Strand Woven Bamboo flooring is also the ideal green product because it actually uses the by product that you get when making more traditional bamboo floors. Nothing is wasted during this process." Strand Woven bamboo is 100% harder than Oak and 20% harder than Mahogany. In addition to bamboo being a rapidly renewable resource, we feel this is a great option for the floors due to its beauty, durability, and low maintenance. The cost per SF is also very competitive.














Strand Woven Carbonized Bamboo Flooring

For some of the tile (in the kitchen & bathrooms ) we are looking at recycled glass tiles by companies like Trend and Oceanside. There are some really beautiful recycled glass tiles on the market these days (that don't all look like 'sea glass'). You can get mosaics, large squares, running bond, and many other types. We are also considering locating some salvaged 'subway' tile (white, running bond) if its not too expensive. For this project, we are looking to use glass tile for the backsplash above the counter in the kitchen and also in the master bath shower. Since many of the finishes in the home will be subtle, earth tone colors, we thought that these areas might be a nice place to have some fun. Below is an example of some of the various glass tile colors and patterns we are considering.

















Recycled glass tiles from Trend and Oceanside



Countertops: This has been an ongoing search for many, many months. We are still torn between a few different products. The options have included Paperstone, Ecotop, Fireslate, poured concrete, Icestone, and Caesarstone for the kitchen . I really like the concept of the Paperstone material but I have reservations about the amount of wear that the counter shows (scratches, etc). I have also heard stories about Fireslate having problems during installation and not holding up as well as one would hope. The only one we have totally settled on is Icestone for the bathroom vanities. Although, we are leaning heavily towards Caesarstone countertops ("Raven" color, honed). Caesarstone is composed of 93% crushed Quartz held together by resins. The only real drawback I see with Caesarstone is the fact that it is made in Israel and thus has to travel a long way to get to Philadelphia. The element of sustainability that deals with how much effort is involved in actually acquiring a material (i.e. the steps in the manufacturing process and the distance it has to travel to get to the project) is call "Embodied Energy". If you can get products that are manufactured locally, you cut down dramatically on the amount of 'embodied energy' related to that product, thus saving a tremendous amount fuel and energy.

On the other hand, one really great advantage to Caesarstone for this particular project is the extremely small waste factor. You see, their standard slabs are 56.5"Wx120L". Our kitchen is comprised of 2 "L-shaped" pieces (with a 36"H turn down piece at 2 ends) and a 16"Wx72"L high bar slab. The "L-shaped" pieces are 56"Wx98"L. The leftover piece from one of the "L" cut outs will be cut in half and used for the turn downs and the other will be cut in half (lengthwise) and laminated together to become the high bar slab. The remainder of the material (2 - 20"Wx56"L slabs) are good size pieces and will definitely be utilized in another part of the house. So you have to make sure you look at all the sustainable factors involved in the selection of a particular material and then prioritize those factors.

Icestone countertops, however, cover all the sustainable aspects very well - a beautiful, green product and manufactured fairly close: in Brooklyn. [From Icestone's website]: "IceStone is proud to be the first and only durable surface in the world to receive the coveted Cradle to Cradle™ certification. Cradle to Cradle assesses products on a number of criteria, such as the use of safe and healthy materials, design for material reuse and recycling, efficient use of energy and water throughout production, and instituting strategies for social responsibility. At IceStone we manufacture our products with 100% recycled glass in a cement matrix, diverting hundreds of tons of glass from landfills each year. We operate out of a renovated, day-lit factory in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, creating U.S. jobs for workers in an eco-friendly, safe and respectful environment."











Caesarstone countertops
























Icestone countertops


BioBased Insulation: [From the BioBased website]:"BioBased Insulation markets building products that allow residential and commercial structures to be more sustainable. BioBased Insulation seals a structure's thermal envelope, making it is more energy efficient, healthier, more comfortable and durable than traditionally insulated homes. BioBased Insulation also is water-blown and soy-based, so it is more environmentally responsible." "The "Bio" in BioBased Insulation is soybeans. It is an energy efficient, American-made product that incorporates natural, renewable oil-based polyols as a replacement for a portion of the traditional petroleum-based polyols found in spray polyurethane foam insulation." And for any architects/builders out there: "BioBased 1701 is a Class 1, closed-cell, air barrier that is spray applied using water as the blowing agent. It is a Class II vapor retarder at 2.5 inches, has no VOCs, CFCs or HCFCs in the finished foam.

BioBased 501 voted "Outstanding green product of the year 2003.
BioBased 1701 is GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified and Certified.













BioBased spray foam insulation being professionally installed. The reason the guy looks to be in a 'haz-mat' suit is because, as with most foams, the material is extremely sticky and should not be handled until it has fully settled in...at which point it is completely safe. They also scrape off the excess foam and recycle it for future use.

LEED update

We met with two representatives from the ECA (Energy Coordinating Agency) - our LEED for Homes provider - last week to walk the project for the first time. It was a good time to really see some progress as the contractor had just removed the roof. They were excited to see the reality of what we had only been discussing on paper up to this point.

We started in the back yard with a discussion about erosion control during construction. Currently, we were not providing any physical barrier at the edge of our property that would prevent material run-off from traveling into the neighbors yard and the street. Seeing that the back yard had been filled with a lot of debris until just a couple of days ago, it would have been difficult to set up any kind of prevention system. But now that the rear yard is clear, we can accomplish this. Usually, erosion control is taken care of with what is called a 'silt fence' - a kind of fabric fencing that allows water to pass through but prevents dirt and debris from traveling through. Seeing that this is such a small application, an alternative was offered up: Straw bales. We will place bales at the perimeter of the rear yard and at end of the alley where is meets the sidewalk. This will help contain our run-off and prevent any further erosion.

Next, we discussed the insulation of the house. I explained that we will be using the BioBased spray foam insulation throughout the entire perimeter of the house (including the existing basement walls and the new crawl space) except the roof where we are placing 8" of rigid insulation on top of the roof decking. The main reason for the rigid, opposed to the spray foam, on the roof is that we want to expose the structure at the third floor ceiling. In regards to the insulation, we are essentially talking about two things: the R-value (Thermal Resistance) and the 'tightness' of the building envelope. The minimum values we are looking to achieve are roughly R-20 for the walls and R0-40 for the roof. The closed-cell spray foam at the existing brick walls will will give us about R-20 and at the new wood stud walls, about R-30. The foam also doubles as our vapor retarder. The 8" of rigid on the roof (insulation only) will give us R-40, and it only gets better as we add material (decking) and if we end up having a green roof, that will help even more. This level of insulation, along with the Kolbe windows, which are achieving a U-value (Thermal Conductivity) of .34, will provide us with a very energy efficient building envelope. Of course, it is also very important for us to detail the connections of where all of the different surfaces meet each other so as to prevent any leakage. The reps from the ECA were quite pleased with the way in which we were tackling the energy-efficiency in regards to insulation.

I then pointed out all the salvaged material (heart pine flooring and wood joists), along with the old claw foot tub, in the basement that we were storing for later use in the project. Also, at this point they were able to see that all the lumber used in the construction was either FSC Certified or reclaimed. Lastly, we discussed the layout of the mechanical system and they offered some suggestions and examples as to how we could improve the efficiency.

In the end, it was a great initial site visit and I think everyone now has a better understanding of what we have we have done so far with the project, what we are doing now, and where we are going.