Eric Gibson Photography
The bathrooms, which were designed with water savings in mind, f…
One of the first homes in the country to achieve both LEED-Platinum and NGBS-Emerald certification, the Incredibly Green Home is a living laboratory of energy-saving products and technologies.
Designed as a showcase model home, the five-bedroom bungalow incorporates a broad array of green building technologies and products, including a ground-loop geothermal HVAC system, a 1.75-kW PV system, and spray-foam insulation. Deep roof overhangs on the first and second floors and low-E argon-filled windows also help to keep energy use low.
Located on a 0.11-acre infill lot, the home is within a few minutes’ walk to shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Deconstruction of the previous home reclaimed nearly 3 tons of reusable building materials, including roofing, appliances, framing lumber, and 800 square feet of oak flooring, which was re-used in the theater room. Other reclaimed materials used for the project include 100-year-old farmhouse glass in cabinet doors, an antique soapstone sink, and columns made from an on-site elm tree.
But it was the interior’s gleaming jatoba wood floors, simple lines, and intricate Arts and Crafts details that won the judges over. “There’s a place for this type of Craftsman design, and this is a good representation of that,” they noted.
Project Details
Project
The Incredibly Green Home, Chevy Chase, Md. | Size: 4,761 square feet | Cost: $210 per square foot | Completed: November 2009 | Certifications: LEED-Platinum; NGBS-Emerald; EPA Indoor AirPlus; Energy Star for Homes; DOE Builders Challenge | HERS Rating: 41 | Architect: Christian Gladu, Bend, Ore. | Builder: Bethesda Bungalows, Chevy Chase, Md. | Verifier: Everyday Green DC, Washington, D.C.
Green Highlihgts
Energy: 1.75-kW solar array / R-20 Thermomass insulated foundation / Icynene spray-foam insulation / Jeld-Wen low-E Siteline EX windows / WaterFurnace Envision 30-SEER ground-source heat pump / Cree LR6 dimmable LED lighting / Miele Energy Star appliances / prewiring for electric vehicles | Resources: Enviroshake roofing with 95% recycled content / FSC-certified jatoba flooring and Lifespan interior and exterior trim / Trex decking with 50% recycled and reclaimed plastic and 50% reclaimed wood / Overhead Ecobuilt garage doors with 88% recycled content | IAQ: Dulux no-VOC paint / Renewaire ERV | Water: low-flow showerheads / Kohler dual-flush toilets / Belgard permeable driveway pavers
PRODUCTS
Windows: Jeld-Wen / Interior Doors: Woodharbor / Garage Door: Overhead Door / Siding: LP / Roofing: Enviroshake / Decking: Trex / Insulation: Icynene / Appliances: Miele / Countertops: Teragren; Icestone / Toilets: Kohler / Flooring: FSC-certified jatoba; reclaimed oak; Wicanders / Paint: ICI Dulux / Central Vacuum: Vacuflo / Interior Lighting: Cree / Exterior Lighting: Kichler / Pavers: Belgard / HVAC: WaterFurnace; Renewaire / Home Automation: Control4
