Green building, the future is here today

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Today’s homebuyers are becoming more green aware than ever before.

Certainly, soaring energy costs have sparked some of the demand, but there’s also a very altruistic component for going green—a desire to preserve our natural environment for future generations. The Spring Preview includes a “mini-tour” of green—homes demonstrating efficiency and sustainability that you can tour. Following are descriptions of a few of these homes.

• #91, TJB Homes
• #161 Morr Construction Services, Inc.
• #172 A.J. Wismin Homes
• #199 Bob Michels Construction
• #221 McDonald Construction
• #254 Bierman Contracting, Inc.
• #268 Kathy Trimble Custom Homes
• #415 College City Homes
• #444 Shane Homes
• #530 Boyer Building Corp.
• #544 Vogue ICF Homes
• #702 Rottlund Homes
• #724 Croix Custom Homes, Inc.
• #732 Landstead, LLC

TJB Homes

Parade HomeSM #91
2963 Aspen Lake Drive, Blaine
$989,900
Minnesota GreenStar Pilot Program Participant

Since 1982 TJB has built homes that exceed the energy code, known as “super energy design” homes. These homes focus on using mainstream materials that balance cost and the environment in the building process. TJB has come up with a combination of techniques and materials that save homebuyers real money, while saving some of the earth’s resources for later generations.

One key factor is insulation, using R-21 high-density insulation batts and R-50 fiberglass (non-formaldehyde) ceiling insulation, plus using spray foam insulation in the rims. A standard practice is to make sure every opening in the home is gone over and sealed with foam. Andersen high-efficiency windows, an air exchanger, and fluorescent lights add to the green materials. Using fast-growing trees like Lyptus and Brazilian Cherry are renewable choices. Building with finger-jointed studs and engineered headers that come from recycled materials helps save resources. By using these green techniques, the industry as a whole could save entire forests. It’s time to feel good about coming home.

Bob Michels Construction

Parade HomeSM #199
11055 66th St. N., Stillwater
$2,149,000
2008 Dream Home

This geothermal-heated-and-cooled home brilliantly displays how innovation can take a beautiful home plan and make it green beyond your wildest dreams. Michels started with re-cycling an existing pole barn to another property. The building process included engineered framing lumber and structural components. Icyenene, a water based non-toxic spray foam insulation, keeps the home sealed and warm, while Sherwin Williams “vapor barrier” wall and ceiling primers keep the home dry. Cabinetry in the home comes from Dura Supreme and was crafted using green manufacturing techniques.

The home boasts a geothermal heating and cooling system to knock your socks off—the floors are warm enough to go barefoot all winter. The heating, cooling, and domestic hot water systems run at “off-peak” power utility rates, which now cost roughly half the price of standard household rates. This system, coupled with advanced building and insulation techniques, boils down to real energy savings that will pay off the cost of these systems in a relatively short period of time and pay the owners dividends over the life of the home.

College City Homes

Parade HomeSM #415
8535 Moraine Dr., Shakopee
$525,00
Minnesota GreenStar Pilot Program Participant

College City Homes introduces a truly environmentally and family-friendly home located in Glacier Estates of Shakopee. This home is framed with BluWood™—the framing material is actually blue. BluWood building components are engineered to resist the effects of moisture, mold, and wood-ingesting insects. The wood is engineered with The Perfect Barrier ™ system, a factory applied, two-part system developed by chemists. BluWood reduces lumber waste by controlling moisture and has virtually no volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Adding to the green building components are engineered wood floors using both floor trusses and I-joists. Increased insulation by skim coating the exterior walls with one-inch thick spray foam, and adding two inches of foam under the basement slab, is another energy saver. These techniques greatly increase the insulating value of the home and seals against moisture and air infiltration. The landscaping plan also maximized the solar energy of the lot and includes room for a food garden and rain barrel to collect rainwater for reuse.

An appliance package from Guyer’s Builder Supply enhances the home’s energy efficiency with Energy Star-rated Whirlpool refrigerator and dishwasher, which use less energy than required by current federal standards. The laundry room features find front-loading clothes washers, which use comparatively low amounts of water and energy but have large capacities.

Shane Homes

Parade HomeSM #444
2825 Chowen Ave. S., Minneapolis
$1,059,900
Minnesota GreenStar Pilot Program Participant

This metro farmhouse could be described as “urban green,” with green influences starting long before the foundation was excavated. Building on a site close to existing amenities like public transportation and trails and selecting native plants to be watered by collected roof water run-off are all part of this green home’s functionality. Since the use of water has a huge effect on the environmental impact of any home, the design pays its respects to H2O with low-flow shower heads and toilets, and no plumbing lines in outer walls to help decrease heating needs. Polyethylene tubing was placed for water lines, which delivers hot water faster, and is more efficient to produce, transport, and install than traditional metallic piping.

This home also features many of the popular green improvements, including a high-efficiency furnace, spray-foam insulation, and Energy Star appliances. Another innovative green choice was metal roofing as a lifetime roofing solution to eliminate replacing petroleum products.

Boyer Building Corp.

Parade HomeSM #530
4051 Pipewood Ln., Excelsior
$879,700

This home was built to be both energy efficient and “green,” with a specific focus on lowering monthly energy costs for the homeowner. Boyer found that when you upgrade to green products, you are also upgrading in quality. The Energy Star rating halves energy needs for heating and cooling and electricity usage for lighting. When costs are lowered this much, families can upgrade to more home and still afford it.

From day one, this home was planned for efficiency and comfort. Recycling all the waste from the building process, the Low E Marvin windows, the storm water system, and the footprint of the home are all eco-friendly pieces that add up to a very green home. Another green perk of this home is its proximity to many outdoor recreation centers, promoting biking, playing ball, and all the other “old fashioned” ways to be green.

Vogue ICF Homes

Parade HomeSM #544
2116 Noble Ln., Mound
$2,890,000

Vogue understands that today’s customers are making energy savings a high priority, and they are at the forefront with their insulating concrete form (ICF) construction. Building this way makes an enormous dent in heating bills, while helping save trees by conserving lumber. Styrofoam forms are stacked in place and filled with concrete to make a seamless, super-insulated, tornado resistant, airtight envelope that extends from the footings to the roof.

Homeowners can expect 50-60 percent savings in heating and cooling costs. Add in the minimal geothermal heating and cooling and you are presented with extraordinarily low energy costs, estimated at $850 per year for this 5,400-square-foot home. Geothermal heating uses in-floor radiant heat, which is more efficient and lowers the circulation of air pollutants inside the home. The home features many more green building products that blend well with the cottage style of this well-crafted home. Vogue has been building green long before it was considered “in vogue.”

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