Review of 2009 DVGBC Green Home Tour

This past Saturday was the DVGBC Green Home Tour. Around 30 people were in attendance, most of them being in the DVGBC. We visited, in order, Bancroft Green, Montrose Green, and the Thin Flats.

Here are my thoughts on each:

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Bancroft Green:
Key features: Geothermal heating and cooling, dual flush toilets, small green roof, rooftop patio, bamboo floors, energy star appliances.

Upon entering the 4 story units (basement included), it had a light and modern feel. Bamboo floors, modern cabinetry, the standard stuff. The landing is elevated from the kitchen, dividing the space, and giving more headroom and sunlight into the basement. The build quality was well done, using insulated concrete panels for the basement, and all of the finishes were very nice.

However, because of the narrow hallways and all of the walls dividing the spaces, the whole property felt a bit crammed. Nothing about the architecture or layout seemed overly innovative, and it had a very yawn feeling to it. The whole unit lacked defining character, character which we could easily see on the other two homes. It was easy to see that the Bancroft Green builders took a few common green elements, and added them to your 500k townhouse.

Bancroft Green photos: taken from http://picasaweb.google.com/BancroftGreen

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Montrose Green
Key features: FSC Certified Woods & Recycled Metals, Spacious Green Roof with small deck, Rain Water Harvesting system, passive ventilation design, No- and Low-VOC Paints & Stain, Soy Based Spray Foam insulation, energy star appliances, Low Flow Faucets and Fixtures and more...

From the street the unit stand out as the only one with a 3rd story, and it being a silver colored addition makes it stand out even more. Stepping into this updated rowhome, you can feel the richness and character of the old building coming through. The exposed brick, and newly-installed steel handrails and staircase, give the home an industrial, aged look. They went with a deep cherry for the floors, which matches the windows and stairs. You can look up the stairs all the way to the 3rd floor and right out a window with a whole house fan for air ventilation. The second floor has spacious hallways, two large bedrooms, and a beautiful bath with subway tile. The 3rd floor is a master suite with an office and a narrow stairway to the rooftop.

Coming away from this house, you can really feel the hard work that went into everything they've done. The architects are working on site and were easy to talk to. (I met Chris as the Go Green Expo a few months ago)

Photos from Montrose Green:

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Thin Flats
Key features: LEED Homes Platinum Certification, solar thermal panels, radiant floor heating, green roofs, FSC certified flooring, Low Flow Faucets and Fixtures, Fly Ash Concrete, No- and Low-VOC Paints & Stain, and more...

Approaching the Thin Flats, it screams for attention. Very sharp contrasts with the steel and glass and colorful paint. Located on a narrow street, the Onion Flats team really had to squeeze every inch possible out of the lot. Upon entering, we were greeted by Johnny McDonald. He talked in length about the challenges and benefits of seeking LEED Platinum. The properties are actually divided into 2-unit condo associations, lowering insurance costs and dues.

The most striking architectural element in the Thin Flats is the illuminated bathroom adjacent to the kitchen that they call the "Lantern". Completely surrounded by frosted glass, light flows in during the day, and out during the evening, providing a soft glow for both floors. The main hallway floor on the upper level is made of frosted glass, so light will shine through, opening the space even more. This project is on the cutting edge of sustainable, energy efficient, and smart design.

Photos from the Thin Flats:

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The tour was a lot of fun, it's a shame there weren't more students. Most of the tour-goers were 50+ years of age and were probably established builders or industry professionals. Unfortunately, I didn't take much time to make many contacts like I had hoped. I should have been more outgoing. I'm looking forward to running into these builders and architects in the near future.

Small Property In Conshohocken - Large Potential?

I'm a big fan of real estate. My father always had a handful of properties that he would pick up when they were distressed and then would turn them into rentals. However, living in Renovo PA, it's a lot like owning Baltic and Mediterranean Avenue...

So as a young man looking to start a bit of real estate investing, I've been kind of cheering the housing downturn. Prices have come back down to earth, and mortgage rates are more affordable than in the past 10 years. That said, I'm looking for something that I could handle renovating and turning into a nice house for the next few years.

That's why this unwanted and unsellable duplex in Conshohocken has caught my eye. I called the Coldwell Banker agent, Carly, and she showed me through the property Thursday after work. Yes it's zoned as a duplex, but I don't know if it's even fair to call it one; the bottom floor is a very small studio, and the second and third floors are no larger than 11' by 16'. The agent told me the borough won't allow the building footprint to be more than 60% of the property, so I'd have to get a footprint to see if I have any space to expand. The back yard is nonexistent, the whole thing is old and ugly.


The current asking price is $139,900, for 581 sq ft. That's $240 a sq ft, which is average for modern upscale townhouse, but well above average for a fixer with limited potential. Translation: although price is small, the space is even smaller...

After walking through, can't help but think if this is a perfect building challenge opportunity. I could see myself pushing it back into the hill if I'm able, on top of the second and third floor, I could split the space with a green roof and deck, since the back yard is so small.

Here is the current housing layout, recreated by yours truly in Google Sketch-Up I'm still working on remodeled layout options and will upload them shortly.

Join Me On The DVGBC Green Home Tour!

Today I read about an upcoming home tour heading through a few of the areas progressive green building projects. I quickly signed up and sent the invitation around. If you read this in time, please consider signing up, it should be a great experience.



Green Home Tour - Sustainable City - Green Strategies For Urban Living

Join the Delaware Valley Green Building Council Residential Circle to examine three very different answers to building Green in the City. Thin Flats in Northern Liberties - the first LEED Platinum Duplex in the country. Bancroft Green, just south of South Street, are new energy efficient townhomes; Montrose Green, on nearby Montrose Street, aims for LEED Platinum status and is an innovative re-working of a Philadelphia rowhome. We will also visit New Market, LEED gold pending.

Tour Date: Saturday June 20, 2009
Time: 10am – 1pm +/-

Price: DVGBC Members-$15, Non-Members-$20, DVGBC Students-$10, Student Non-Members-$15

More Info and Registration

Engineered Hardwood Installation

Saturday morning we got an an early start at 7am, took measurements for the hardwood, picked up sub-flooring from Lowes with a rental truck, and then stopped by Hardwood Floors of Lancaster. I had previously and talked to the owner, Tom, on the phone and he took me for an experienced contractor and promised me a deal...so when we met in person he was a little surprised at my age. Either way, we talked extensively about our options and we settled on Brazilian Cherry Engineered Hardwood. It's a darker choice with great contrast in the dark and lighter areas.



Installation isn't too bad, as long as you take your time and make sure the boards are tight. It's looking much lighter than in the store, that's because when we put the sealer on it - it will get a darker, richer look. I spend some time showing Erica, Ralph, and Matt how to install it. Matt is Ralph's lounge manager and has been really stepping up to lend a hand.



While doing this, my allergies were getting really bad. At the end of the night I could barely breathe. Then I broke out in hives on my chest, back and neck. I must have been allergic to something in the wood, possibly the glue. I really need to look out more and get proper breathing equipment when dealing with something I'm not familiar with. Matt and Ralph were able to make a lot of progress throughout the week after I had to leave on Sunday.

The next step to finish is put quarter-round around the edges, then we seal it. I'll be looking forward to posting the finished product.

Hardwood, Engineered, or Laminate Floor on a Budget

Chances are you're familiar with this question: Hardwood or Laminate Flooring?

For the front part of the lounge in Lancaster, we have about 750SF of the cafe/coffee shop area. Ideally, we would lay natural, high-quality hardwood down, but everyone knows the price of doing so can be high. In the last property we renovated two years ago, we used the cheap laminate flooring that comes in at around $1 a SF and is about 1/4" thick. Under heavy use, it's opened up in a few areas in the butting areas, and has also chipped where furniture has been dragged across the edges. For these reasons, we should go with a higher quality material for this location, but as always, cost is an issue.

I recently read Green on Montrose's post about their choice of American Black Cherry because of it's a high quality material, locally produced, and comes from a company that is conscious of the environment, . It looks beautiful installed, but they were able to spend a bit more than we have in our budget. So what are we going to do?

There are higher quality laminate floor options, the engineered hardwood which is a blend of the best of both worlds. It has layers of engineered wood to increase flexibility and decrease shrinkage and expansion, it has up to 3/8" thick wood on top that will look and feel like natural hardwoods, and will also have the option to be refinished once.

I'm still looking into these and finding the best options. I'll try and post some photos of the available options and of the space we're covering...

--Friday 5/22/09 Update--

I've been in contact with local flooring store in Lancaster. The manager is very knowledgeable and told me they have a number of FSC Certified hardwood and engineered hardwoods available for under $3SF. I'll be stopping in tomorrow to look with Ralph, and we'll be making our selection. I'll try to take some photos of all of the options.

Responding to My Own Questions

I sent a message to the MSSD Program Co-Directer, Professor Flemming, around three weeks ago. Since there's been no response I figured I'd give it a shot and play prof, answer myself, and see if my conclusions will change over the next two years. What the hell, right?

Hey Rob,

I love the radio show, thanks for putting on a great discussion every week. I met with you about two months ago about the MSSD program and was just offered acceptance a few weeks ago! I'm really thrilled and can't wait to get started. I have two questions for you though:

1. Do you see a pull-back with the term "Sustainable" anytime soon? As Architecture and Engineering Programs acknowledge the need for sustainable design take these principles and incorporate them into their studies, will the MSSD Program continue to be competitive in the years ahead? This specific article got me thinking about the issue http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/04/mocoloco-dumps-sustainable-design.php

2. I noticed on the PhillyU website that there may be a 12 credit Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Practices offered. Would this be separate than the MSSD Program and does it offer a lot of the same education? As someone looking for a career change, would it benefit me to look into this also as I want to move into this exciting field as soon as possible.

Thanks again,
David Ross

My Answer to Question 1: While the term "Sustainable" is used a little too freely, it's not something that is as easily accomplished. Yes, companies and educational institutions are taking steps to incorporate greener learning and business methods, but sustainability is an ongoing challenge. The term sustainable is not going anywhere, but public perception needs to change to understand that it's a movement. It's about being as efficient as technologically possible, minimizing usage and waste of resources far further than current levels. All the while, maintaining a comfortable standard of living for the masses. So yes, it's going to be a challenge for a long time.

Also, as other institution and career fields embrace the sustainability movement, there will be more doors opened. Philadelphia University will be providing access to architects and engineers on the edge of this movement, so it's your responsibility to get the most you can out of them. Therefore, I wouldn't be afraid of the MSSD Program being less competitive at all, in fact, possibly the opposite. By blending students with different backgrounds, you'll get a better understanding of all the facets of sustainability in a variety of fields.

My Answer to Question 2: Since there has been increased interest in the program, we are taking steps to get people into the growing green economy as quickly as possible while still providing them with a good education. The Graduate Certificate Program is not as in depth or thorough as the MSSD program, but it will prepare workers to take the step from blue collar to green collar jobs. It's really up to you.

Demo Continues, Electrical and Drywall Work Begins

This weekend was my second in Lancaster and most of the insane ripping and tearing had been already been completed. So this time I was able to focus on knocking a door through where the café and prep areas are going to be. Once I opened up the wall, I was greeted with a multitude of wires that needed to be moved - that took a whole day's worth of work.

Ralph and myself also got started on some drywall work, in particular where we went a little demo-crazy by the bathroom, and the ceilings near the fireplace. All in all it was a pretty smooth weekend with few hiccups. This coming weekend Erica will be down to assist me, as well as Ralph's girlfriend from out of town. We should have a healthy crew to knock out a lot more work.

Demolition Weekend: Lancaster

Ah, a little bit of hard construction work feels good once in a while. In this case, it was a fun weekend of demolition. Ralph, a great friend of mine, has been running a hookah lounge in Reading for almost two years. He's been looking to move into Lancaster, PA, and found the perfect property about a month ago to open his second place. We talked about the options after acquiring the blueprints from the city, I made a few sketch-up designs to show an architect and the city. Permits approved and we were ready to roll.

This weekend we started renovating the large property in downtown Lancaster. It's a 3500 SqFt property that had around 6 offices that needed to be removed. They were all non-load bearing, steel-frame construction, so they came down easily once we figured out how to do it properly. You can see from the pictures that there was a lot of steel, wood, and drywall that came out of it

Now as I've stated before, I'm keeping documenting stuff here to track my progress into the Sustainable Design Program and beyond. The whole time I've been on site I've been looking for ways to minimize our trash, and use less new materials to rebuild the place. I was able to salvage enough steel studs to create a small office with the scraps, the only thing we needed to purchase was the track pieces. The rest will be recycled. The trim and wood will be re-used where possible. The drywall is pretty much a lost cause, I don't know of anything that can be done with it off the top of my head. Any ideas are welcome. So this is the project for the next few weeks. I'm looking forward to publishing more.