Construction
@ CopyRight 2005 Inner
City Christian Federation
Designed By Webmaster
At NonLinear Technology
Construction
@ CopyRight 2005 Inner
City Christian Federation
Designed By Webmaster
At NonLinear Technology
Energy Star Program
ICCF-NPH homes have been constructed to meet Energy Star certification, which includes an energy audit and blower door testing, for the past five years. Energy Star specifications include 92% furnace, sealed combustion water heater, foam insulation with caulk and sealing, low E/argon gas windows, energy recovery ventilator, energy star appliances and compact fluorescent light bulbs. The EPA estimates that Energy Star certified homes use 30% less energy than homes built to current building code.
In 2003, ICCF-NPH constructed an energy star home at 905 Franklin SE in Grand Rapids, MI. Annual utility costs for natural gas and electric in 2006 were $1,314, which was $256 less than the Energy Star estimated cost and $931 less than the current building code estimate. Energy Star upgrade costs were $3,000, which equates to a 3 year payback for these upgrades.
Green Built Michigan
A home certified through Green BuiltT Michigan follows the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Model Green Home Building Guidelines. The seven key principles for design and construction of the home are as follows:
Green BuiltT homes are certified by an independent, third party inspector who looks at all aspects of the home from the planning stage through completion. Points are earned through a scoring system within each of the key principles and once certain point levels are reached, a home can earn a Bronze, Silver or Gold overall rating.
Given current cost of energy, the most critical principle is that of energy efficiency. As a starting point, all Green BuiltT certified homes must meet the strict requirements the EPA ENERGY STAR® home program. This will include a complete energy analysis of the home design combined with independent testing of the final product. The testing includes air leakage tests, as well as duct leakage testing and even thermal image testing. It is a very thorough audit process which will ensure that the energy usage of your new home will be far less than the average home--in most cases 30% to 50% better.
Another critical component of a Green BuiltT certified home is improved indoor air quality. Many materials, including most paint, off gas inside your home which can have a negative effect for occupants with respiratory ailments like asthma and allergies. An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) is used to bring in fresh, filtrated air and exhaust stale air from inside the home to improve indoor air quality for the occupants.
Lastly, homeowner education is fundamental to insure ongoing home performance. Activities and habits in the home can have both positive and negative effects on the home. So the homeowner is trained on how to operate and maintain heating and cooling systems and care for the green products inside their home.
In 2006, ICCF-NPH constructed a home located at 843 Sigsbee SE in Grand Rapids, MI that was certified to a Silver level under the Green Built Michigan program. This home was built using Energy Star specifications and included an insulated basement wall system, structural insulated panels, low flow plumbing fixtures, shared driveway, and was walking distance to shopping and mass transit. This home is projected to use 50% less energy than homes built to current building code. David de Velder, ICCF's Director of Real Estate Development and Management, is a board member of the Green Built Michigan Board of Directors.
My Healthy Green Home
In 2004, ICCF-NPH received a grant from a local foundation for building internal capacity for green affordable housing. As a result, ICCF-NPH staff has attended local, regional, and national green building seminars, partnered with local universities and corporations on green building initiatives, and developed a strong relationship with the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum (SBF). ICCF-NPH and SBF developed green guidelines for affordable housing and designed a multi-unit building known as "My Healthy Green Home" that will be constructed in the Wealthy Jefferson Development Initiative area in the near future. My Healthy Green Home will incorporate advanced green building technologies including reduced storm water runoff, vegetated roof, durable exterior façade, renewable/recycled building materials, increased density and community interaction, post occupancy evaluation, and homeownership education.
LEED for Neighborhood Development
The LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building into the first national system for neighborhood design. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a development's location and design meet accepted high levels of environmentally responsible, sustainable development.
Currently in its pilot period, LEED for Neighborhood Development is a collaboration among USGBC, the Congress for the New Urbanism and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The pilot program is no longer accepting projects. The post-pilot version of the rating system, which will be available to the public, is expected to launch in 2009. In summer of 2007, ICCF-NPH started hosting the newly formed US Green Building Council, West Michigan Chapter, LEED for Neighborhood Development (ND) Member Circle. The purpose of this group is to evaluate projects participating in the LEED ND pilot program and select projects in Midwest Michigan area that are likely to be certified when the LEED ND program launches in early 2009. ICCF's Wealthy Jefferson Development Initiative is a likely candidate to be certified under the LEED ND program.
Renovation of Madison Square (renamed Hattie Beverly) Housing Development
ICCF and the Dwelling Place of Grand Rapids are working with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) on the potential redevelopment of a distressed 133 unit low income housing project located in Grand Rapids. Because of the extensive work needed to bring efficiency and beauty back to this project, a green design charrette was held. Michael Holcomb of Alliance for Environmental Sustainability and other green consultants met for one day to thoroughly review and redesign this housing project. Some of the site planning outcomes were the redesign of a large parking lot complete with rain gardens, the vacation of driveways with greater focus to rear alleys to increase green space, the addition of large front porches to increase historical sensitivity, and private back patios/yards for additional outdoor living space. We are proposing high performance building technology items such as spray foam insulation, fresh air ventilation/improved indoor air quality, solar hot water heating, geothermal heating, and high thermal performance/reflective windows. ICCF and Dwelling Place are hopeful financing will be secured for this development and renovation work can begin in 2008.
Newberry Place Cohousing is Green Built Rated and Parade of Homes.
In April 2006, ICCF was awarded the contract to serve as owner's representative for the Newberry Place Cohousing Community located on Belknap Hill in Grand Rapids. This project is the first cohousing community to be developed in West Michigan. Newberry Place set a new standard in our area for sustainability with passive solar design, solar water heating, natural ventilation and daylight, tight thermal envelope, renewable/durable materials, and superior indoor air quality. This development is architecturally beautiful, historically sensitive, and achieved a very high-density of 20 units on just over an acre of land. ICCF also entered a unit of Newberry Place, 810 Livingston NE, in the Spring Parade of Homes. We are currently awaiting the Green Built Michigan certification of the 810 Livingston NE unit in Newberry Place.
Green Homeowner Education
ICCF and the Alliance for Environmental Sustainability recently completed a green homeowner manual and training course that will be used to educate families participating in ICCF's lease to purchase program. These materials will also be used to regularly train ICCF staff and subcontractors working on ICCF construction sites in green construction and development practices.
ICCF will also collect post occupancy evaluation surveys and utility information from ICCF home owners . We will collaborate with local educational institutions, Newberry Place cohousing community, and other sustainable building groups to share green product information and post occupancy survey forms and results.
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