Follow a Showcase Green Build Home in Needham, MA | FreeGreen.com

The New England Colonial Free House Plan is Released

David — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:19:00 -0600

Hello Everyone,

Well, after much suspense the New England Colonial Free House Plan has been released. We would like to thank all of our sponsors for working with us on this project, and we are excited about the release of the plans. That said, please click on the images below download your free house plan now:

New England Colonial Rendering

New England Colonial Finished Home:

Meet the Builder – Stevens-Burke

Robert — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:32:00 -0600

We had a great experience working with Bill Burke from Stevens-Burke who was the general contractor for our house. Bill is a Needham resident and from our first meeting with him, we could see that he was passionate about environmental issues and was open to testing and trying new things, knowing that it would add to the complexity of the project. Many of the builders we spoke with seemed reluctant to stray too far out of their comfort zone, but Bill is an unabashed technology geek and was more than willing to get his hands dirty with new products and processes. He also always answers his phone, which I appreciated after many past experiences with contractors. I can’t say enough about the great work he did.

About Stevens Burke
Stevens-Burke is a builder of new residential homes and large scale renovations across the Boston area with a focus on Wellesley and Needham. Stevens-Burke combines traditional craftsmanship with new green technology to build our clients' dream homes in way which ultimately costs the client less than standard construction methods. We believe that sustainable building technologies result in a healthier home environment for our clients and a healthier natural environment for us all.

Stevens-Burke LLC is a partner and builder of Free Green homes. Stevens-Burke, LLC Builders (339) 222-2657

The Pictures are Here...The Pictures are Here

David — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 04:58:00 -0600

See below for a sneak peek at the final photos from the showcase home. The Free House Plan launch is planned for late winter early spring so keep you eyes peeled.

Updated Photos

Robert — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:45:00 -0600

The warm weather is helping the grass come in, even though its almost December. Here is a final picture of the front, more to come.

PaperStone Countertop for Bar & Desk Area

Robert — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:10:00 -0600

For the bar and desk in the kitchen, we chose to use PaperStone, an innovative countertop made from post-consumer waste, recycled paper and petroleum-free resins derived from organic materials. PaperStone was introduced to us by the folks at Terenne Building Supply. It has a very unusual surface, with almost a “live” feel. And, even though PaperStone has a smooth finish, it incorporates a very subtle sense of traditional grain. The “slate” color we chose looks a bit like well-conditioned leather, which pairs nicely with the dark wood of the bar and desk areas.

One note of caution. Although PaperStone is waterproof and resistant to staining, liquids will not bead up as they would on a more traditional solid surface. Instead, the surface looks wet for a few minutes after being wiped down, which is especially noticeable on darker colors. If you think this might bother you, test out a sample at a store near you. This quality does not affect function or performance, but it was one of the reasons we chose to use PaperStone in areas that would typically remain dry. We really love the way it looks with the dark cabinetry.

PaperStone comes in two main series: Original, made from 100% post-consumer recycled cardboard, and Certified, made from 100% Forest Stewardship Council-certified post-consumer office paper. Although it comes in a variety of colors, most are darker tones, which may limit its use, depending on your color schemes.

IceStone Countertops in Master Bathroom

Robert — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:15:00 -0600

For the master bathroom, we chose Icestone counters and have been extremely happy with the product. Icestone is made from 100% recycled glass mixed with cement. It has twice the strength of marble, is very durable and requires no maintenance or sealing. Once again, we worked with the helpful folks at Terenne Building Supply, which supplies IceStone for most of Massachusetts, and Stonetech did a great job on the installation. We chose the “latte” color from the newer Icestone Refined Collection. These countertops feature smaller glass particles than those in the Classic Collection, providing a more traditional look.

Icestone is one of those rare green products that requires no sacrifice either in terms of function or durability; it has the look and thickness of marble or granite, yet it’s maintenance-free. Icestone has also achieved Cradle to Cradle certification, making it a great option for achieving LEED points.

Energy Star Qualified Home Certification

Robert — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:46:00 -0600

Today we received our Energy Star Qualified Home Certification (Level II) which also entitled us to free light bulbs and a $1,200 rebate from the local electric company, Nstar. We had a HERS index of 45, meaning that the house was about 55% more efficient than a comparable code built home. Thanks to the FreeGreen and Zero Energy design teams!

Triad Speakers, Great Custom Options

Robert — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:35:00 -0600

We used three types of Triad Speaker products throughout the house: the Omni Silver Bookshelf Speakers, the OnWall Mini LCR3.0 and Triad’s Omni Round In-Ceiling Speakers, all of which sound great. They were installed by System 7 and connected to the Sonos Music System.

The Mini LCR3.0 is a particularly great product, featuring three high-quality speakers (two fronts and one center) in a single attractive enclosure designed for use on the wall with flat-panel video displays. Even though the speakers are alltogther, the sound is very three dimensional. It can also be custom paint-matched at Triad to any color you desire (we ordered low-VOC white paint), and Triad offers custom sizing to match your TV’s width in increments of ¼ inch, which we found useful. Triad manufactures all its products in the United States using very high-quality materials which by their nature are longer lasting and a eco-friendly manufacturing process.

Rainwater Recovery & Irrigation System from Rainstay

Robert — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:22:00 -0600

We were very excited to connect with Ken Dews from Rainstay, who helped us install a rainwater recovery/reclamation collection system that will meet almost 100% of our irrigation needs during peak watering seasons. Ken is one of the few people in the area who specializes in these systems, and he has been a pleasure to work with. As droughts become more prevalent, I think it’s going to be harder and harder to water your lawn with drinking water, making a gray water solution the only viable approach. Here is how it works.

Water Collection
Every gutter on the house is connected to a plastic pipe that sends rainwater to the filtration system. As an added benefit, all water is directed away from the house.

Filtration
Water from the downspouts is transported by pipe to a Graf underground filter, where water and debris flow across a fine stainless steel screen. Clean water falls through the screen and exits the filter; debris and a small amount of rinse water washes out through a separate pipe and is directed away. The clean water then travels to the storage tank. The water that enters the tank is clean enough to pass through the pump and through the small-diameter emitters in a typical irrigation system.

Water Storage
After it is collected and filtered, rainwater is stored in an underground tank. Our tank holds approximately 1,800 gallons and is buried 3 feet down. Access to the tank is provided by a 22-inch cap and riser system. The tank is strong enough to support the weight of the ground above but light enough to be easily transported and installed. These tanks come in a range of sizes from 500 gallons to 2,000 gallons.

Water Supply
Rainwater pumped from the storage tank supplies the irrigation system. However, during extended dry periods, municipal water can be used as a backup. The task of coordinating the backup supply is handled by a SmartBox™ from Munro. The SmartBox is connected to the irrigation system timer/controller. When the controller turns on the irrigation system to start a watering cycle, a signal is sent to a relay that turns on the power to the cistern pump. At the same time, a valve is closed to prevent municipal water from entering the irrigation system. If the cistern runs dry, a sensor will detect a drop in pressure in the line from the pump and send a signal to the SmartBox. The SmartBox then turns off the pump and sends a signal to open the valve, letting municipal water complete the watering cycle. At the end of the cycle, the SmartBox automatically resets itself.

PulseWorx Lighting Control & Automation System by System 7

Robert — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:40:00 -0600

I can’t say enough about the PulseWorx lighting control system, which was recommended to us by Gerry Lynch at System 7. Unlike other systems, which use proprietary elements and require expensive home-run lines, PulseWorx uses a technology called Universal Powerline Bus (UPB) to send commands over existing power lines. You simply replace existing switches with PulseWorx “on network” switches, which are also dimmers and look like typical Decora Rocker switches. Then, you add control units (they plug in anywhere) that are programmed to find these switches and control them via the power line without additional hardware or wiring. If you know you are going to use PulseWorx, you may want to hide groups of switches in a closet and put control switches near room entrances. This will eliminate gang boxes of more than three switches, which both look ugly and can be confusing. The PulseWorx switches can be programmed three ways: manually, with basic commands; from your computer, using a free software download; or by a trained dealer such as System 7, which I recommend, especially if you want advanced functionality.

PulseWorx lets you get into light automation for about 1/4 of the cost of comparable "homerun" systems and allows you to grow your system over time. It’s easy to install, can be retrofitted and does not require any special or additional wiring. It’s also an open-source product that can be connected to a bigger home automation system should you ever go that route.

Hunter Douglas Applause Shades | Blindfolds

Robert — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:50:00 -0600

Today our Hunter Douglas cordless shades were installed by Richie Sher at Blindfolds and he did a great job. We chose cordless, room-darkening shades, coated to increase energy efficiency. The backing on these shades is white to help deflect heat transfer from sunlight. The shades are GreenGuard certified, which means they meet stringent indoor air quality guidelines.

Good shades can really contribute to keeping your house cool in summer and warm in winter, an effect measureable through the shade’s “R-value,” which rates resistance to heat flow. In a home during winter, R-values indicate the ability of walls, roofs and windows to keep heat inside. The higher the R-value, the more insulation a product provides (higher is better). A product’s “solar heat gain coefficient” (SHGC) is a measurement of its ability to reduce heat gain from the sun. For windows, the SHGC is the fraction of solar energy striking a window that actually passes through to heat the room. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 (none) and 1 (all). The lower a window’s SHGS, the less solar energy it transmits (lower is better).

The Applause Shades give a combined R-value to low E glass (the most common type) of 5.78, adding 2.28 to the glass; the solar heat coefficient is .26. The shades also fit perfectly, look great, and it’s nice to not have to worry about cords with little kids in the house.

Energy Star GE Appliances from Jarvis Appliance

Robert — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 06:17:00 -0600

For the kitchen and laundry room, we chose a GE Monogram (link) Energy Star dishwasher, refrigerator, and washing machine from the very helpful folks at Jarvis Appliance in Wellesley, MA. The models we chose use about a third less energy than comparable products and are eligible for local and federal rebates, so we should recover the extra cost within a few years. The refrigerator is particular impressive, because even at 48 inches, it will use less than $100 a year in electricity, according to the Energy Star label. (Refrigerators have traditionally been among the largest consumers of electricity in the home.)

For everything but the range top and ovens, we chose cabinet panels so that the appliances would blend into the kitchen and didn’t risk being dinged or scratched, which is the drawback of stainless. All information about each model is available in the house plan, which is available for download.

Victoria & Albert York Freestanding Bath Tub

Robert — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:46:00 -0600

We wanted to incorporate a freestanding bathtub for the master bath and the Victoria & Albert York Tub was the perfect fit. Like most adults today, we will probably use our shower about 99% of the time and most of the people we know with oversized Jacuzzis either don’t use them or have enough hot water to fill them. Rather than skipping a tub altogether, we tried to find a traditional style freestanding tub, but without the claw foot.

We originally found the Victoria & Albert Marlborough Tub featured on the 2008 HGTV Dream house and loved the transitional (modern + traditional) look. However, the York ended up being a bit fit for our design. The V&A tubs are made out of a material called Englishcast, which looks like acrylic, but is made up of 50 percent naturally occurring volcanic limestone. A V&A tub is more energy efficient than cast iron or acrylic; the former retains heat without having to absorb it and the later dissipates the heat. The reduced weight of the tub also makes for easier transportation and install and the tub was shipped in recycled cardboard on pallets made of reclaimed wood, with strapping made from recycled bottles.

We are very excited how it came out with the glass tile half wall, which we added so that we could fill the tub without needing a freestanding tub filler, which can equal the cost of the tub itself.

Safe, Green Low VOC Polyurethane | Vermont Natural Coatings

Robert — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:48:00 -0600

Green Polyurethane sounds like an oxymoron, however we found a great product called Polywhey from Vermont Natural Coatings (VNC) to use on the hardwood floors. With the floors now stained, the floor guys starting putting down the first coat of polyurethane yesterday. After seeing a lot of new houses, I am used to the horrible and pretty toxic smell that accompanies that shiny new floor look. Typically it lingers for weeks after the floors are done and is not something that you want your family to breath. The folks at Vermont Natural coatings have made what they call a PolyWhey, a water based polyurethane. The product is pretty much odor free, dries in a few hours and is made from a renewable resource which is a byproduct of Vermont cheese manufacturing that would otherwise be discarded. As a result, it does not contain imported crude oil, is very durable and has indoor VOC levels below 180g/L, which exceeds the toughest standards in the U.S.

The floor guys and our GC were pretty shocked at how little the product smelled, it had less odor going on than most polyurethane’s would a week later. As promised, it also dried in about 2 hours and the semi- gloss finish that we used isn’t too shiny; we were trying to avoid that bowling alley look. Polywhey qualifies for LEED credits and can be found locally at Terenne or nationally at paint, hardware and green building supply stores. It’s really a great product which offers both health and environmental benefits with no major sacrifices. It can also be used by any floor installer without new training which is often a challenge with newer products.

Application After 10 Minutes

Application After 1 Hour

Caesarstone Fabrication & Install, Stone Technologies

Robert — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:43:00 -0600

We chose Caesarstone Quartz for the main kitchen island and countertops, using the Honed Lagos Blue, which we originally saw on display at Kitchen Views and loved from our first visit. The folks from Stone Technologies in Woburn, MA did the fabrication and install. They did a great job with all the seams and managed to use the slabs very efficiently without much waste.

Caesarstone is an engineered material that provides a more uniform look than granite. It does not need to be sealed and is scratch and heat-resistant. The other nice benefit is that it has no toxic or emitting materials and as non porous which helps prevent surface mold and microbes. We really liked the honed look and natural color over polished granite. It works better for the day to day realties for a kitchen with three kids.

Coordinating countertops is a tricky thing. We purchased the slabs from the very friendly folks at Marble & Granite (M&G) in Westwood. They are the largest natural stone wholesaler in New England and have a huge range of granite, marble, limestone, onyx, slate, travertine, soapstone and CaesarStone onsite. They even have an iPhone app to help pick colors on their website. M&G then provided the slabs to Stone Technologies for templating fabrication. Stonetech was one of the few fabricators in the area with experience with all the different green countertop products that we are using including Icestone, Paperstone & Ecotop. It made it a lot easier to be able to work with one vendor.

The kitchen counters look great and we can now build the arch over the stove and start putting in the top cabinets.