Green Mode Designs

USGBC – LEED Certified Home Projects in Houston

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 22:00:35 +0000

Comprehensive list of Certified LEED homes/residential projects in the Houston area.

(As of November 2011)

Project # | Provider | Builder | Rating | Date Certified

166 | Contects | GreenHaus Builders | Gold | January 9, 2008
408 | Contects | Avalon Place Projects | Silver | September 26, 2008
1273 | Contects Virkus | Collaborative Design | Silver | April 23, 2009
1637 | Contects | Catama Builders | Silver | July 13, 2009
1638 | Contects | Catama Builders | Silver | July 13, 2009
1639 | Contects | Catama Builders | Silver | July 13, 2009
1640 | Contects | Catama Builders | Silver | July 13, 2009
1641 | Contects | Catama Builders | Silver | July 13, 2009
1642 | Contects | Catama Builders | Gold | July 13, 2009
1755 | Contects | Dovetail Builders | Platinum | September 18, 2009
2924 | Contects | Dovetail Builders | Silver | February 11, 2010
2925 | Contects | Virkus / Collaborative Design | Silver | February 11, 2010
3734 | Guaranteed Watt Saver | Kerry Galvin Homes, Inc. | Certified | August 16, 2010
3745 | IBS Advisors | Green Mode Designs | Gold | August 18, 2010
3960 | Contects | New Hope Housing | Platinum | October 8, 2010 (166 Low-Rise Multi-Family units)
4513 | Contects | Shade House Development | Gold | December 2, 2010
4850 | Contects | Mod-Fab | Certified | January 28, 2011
4996 | Contects | SSH Homes | Silver | March 29, 2011
4997 | Contects | SCM Construction | Gold | March 29, 2011
5447 | IBS Advisors | Horizon Group International | Silver | April 21, 2011
5448 | IBS Advisors | Horizon Group International | Silver | April 21, 2011
5793 | Contects | Martin Harris/State Construction | Silver | June 28, 2011
5815 | Contects | R&F Construction | Certified | June 27, 2011
5863 | Contects | Mainland Construction | Silver | July 29, 2011
5986 | Contects | InTown Homes | Certified | August 18, 2011
6034 | Contects | Catama Builders | Certified | September 23, 2011
6035 | Contects | Catama Builders | Certified | September 23, 2011
6036 | Contects | Catama Builders | Certified | September 23, 2011
6040 | Contects | Unika Construction| Silver | August 29, 2011
6045 | Contects | W.E. Gilbert | Certified | September 1, 2011
6137-6178 | Contects | Watermark Construction | Platinum | September 1, 2011

Source: USGBC LEED for Homes program

2011 Houston Modern Outdoor Design Tour

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:13:17 +0000

Tour 13 modern homes Saturday Nov 12, 2011 that were selected for the Houston Modern Outdoor Design Tour. Ticket holders will be able to tour these homes stunning exterior spaces as well as most of the featured homes interiors.

Homes on this tour include:

11602 N. Lou-Al Ct. | Houston | 77024
709 Sue Barnett | Houston | 77018
538 Arlington | Houston | 77007
6504 Rodrigo | Houston | 77007
5007 Dickson | Houston | 77007
719 Bomar | Houston | 77006
1906 Park | Houston | 77006
3231 Audley | Houston | 77098
1916 Banks St. | Houston | 77098
1713 Vassar | Houston | 77098
5301 Chenevert | Houston | 77004
1815 Southmore | Houston | 77004
5910 Grace Ln. | Houston | 77021

Complete details at http://houstonmod.modernhometours.com

2011 Houston Solar Tour

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:15:13 +0000

The 2011 Houston Solar Tour is back again this fall. The free self guided tour takes place on October 15, 2011 from 9a – 5p.

Visit commercial installations and residential projects to solar thermal hot water and pool heaters, don’t miss out on this opportunity to see renewable energy solutions. Meet homeowners with solar systems, plus learn why solar energy systems are becoming more and more popular.

Featured homes and sites on the tour include:

Krieg residence / 850 E. 25th St., Houston, 77009
Haggard residence / 1101 E. 6th 1/2 St., Houston, 77009
Arvey’s High Performance Home / 344 W. 24th St., Houston, 77008
Solaris Homes / 6611 Radcliff, Houston, 77091
Smith Associates / 5306 Hollister, Houston, 77040
Zemanek residence / 2235 McClendon St., 77030
Thomson residence / 3703 Drummond, Houston, 77025
Wilson residence / 4010 Mischire Dr., Houston, 77025
Oswald residence / 8814 Birdwood, Houston, 77074
Houston Habitat for Humanity / 8801 Sterling Shire, Houston
Bluebird Gardens residence / 3811 Bluebird Way, Pearland 77584
Williamson Residence
Contempo Builders

Details at http://www.houstonsolartour.com/the-tour/.

Houston Modern Home Tour 2011

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 20:16:28 +0000

The Art Institute of Houston is proud to present the first annual Houston Modern Home Tour.

On June 11, 2011 from 11am to 6pm, join modern architecture lovers exploring 9 of Houston’s most stunning examples of contemporary residential architecture.

Homes on this years tour (Address – Architect/Developer)

3 W. Shady Ln. – Contour Interior Design
8210 Hillcroft – MC2 Architects
4907 Valerie St. – Todd Blitzer/Mirador Group
1818 Palm – Intexure Architects
2025 Colquitt – b2 Housing Group
1513 Fairview St. – masa STUDIO Architects
1216 Hyde Park – Collaborative Designworks – LEED Certified
6007 Glen Cove – Charles Todd Helton, Architect
6120 Maxie St – WAI Architects – Maxie Moderne development

Then, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, ticket-holders can head to the After Party Presented by BMW West Houston. Enjoy complimentary cocktails and a chance to talk with the architects and sponsors providing unique, sustainable products in the home design industry.

Tickets are $15 plus a $2 service fee in advance or $25 on the day of the tour.

Luxe Downtown Home Tour April 16, 2011

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:11:19 +0000

Experience downtown-living through a tour of private residences on Saturday, April 16. It all starts at the tour headquarters, Post Rice Lofts on Texas and Main, with complimentary beverages and bites from Saint Arnold Brewing Company and The Shops at Houston Center. Notable stops are the homes and studios from Houston artists Nicola Parente and Olga Porter, plus the newly-renovated and award-winning historic Cash Register Building.

Featured Lofts and Dwellings – Address

Post Rice Lofts – 909 Texas Avenue
City View Lofts – 15 North Chenevert
Bayou Lofts – 915 Franklin
Cash Register Building – 515 Caroline
Commerce Towers – 914 Main
Four Seasons Private Residences – 1111 Caroline
Franklin Lofts – 201 Main
One Park Place – 1400 McKinney

This self-guided tour begins and ends at the convenience of the guest, anytime between noon and 5 p.m. Guests preferring to ride rather than walk can catch the official shuttle, The Houston Wave.

Tickets are $10 for members of Houston Downtown Alliance, Emerging Leaders and Houston Young People for the Arts; $20 for non-members. Get your tickets in advance online, or on the day of the event at Post Rice Lofts.

Heights Home and Garden Spring Tour

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:51:49 +0000

The Heights Home & Garden Tour will be held on Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3, 2011, from noon to 6 pm each day, and consists of six spectacular homes and gardens—four historic and two recent construction—each reflecting the unique character and architecture of one of Houston’s most cherished and eclectic neighborhoods.

Featured Homes

Cohen Home—726 E. 8^th St
Bohnn/Green Home—945 Columbia St
Willis Home—711 E. 19^th St – LEED Certified home in 2010
Vaughn Home—1802 Cortlandt
The Sitton Home—247 W. 21^ST St
Perez/ Eronko Home—1401 Herkimer St

Also on the tour this year will be an opportunity to see the “before” version of Immanuel Lutheran Church—a historic structure which will soon be transformed into a community center for art exhibits, receptions, and community and youth programs.

Luxury Bus Shuttles to all of the homes, included in the price of your ticket, will be standing by at the Heights Fire Station at Yale & 12th Streets where parking is available. Buy your tickets early and online for $20 each and at the Fire Station and at each home tour home during the tour for $25 each. Special pricing for blocks of 10 tickets (before the tour only) will be $175.

Gulf Coast Green 2011

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:56:16 +0000

May 25, 2011 marks the date of the annual Gulf Coast Green Symposium and Expo. This years event will be held at the United Way of Greater Houston.

Gulf Coast Green Symposium has become the leading green building conference targeted to design and construction professionals within the Gulf Coast region, organized by the AIA Houston Committee on the Environment.

Keynote speakers include:

Lance Hosey President and CEO of GreenBlue
Alex MacLean Pilot and Landscape Photographer

Environmentally Conscious Home Buyers Checklist

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 22:47:35 +0000

Whether you’re a home buyer or a renter looking for an energy efficient home that is healthy for you to live in, how do you know if a home is truly energy efficient and built sustainably?

This checklist will help you identify an energy efficient home that’s better for your family’s health, costs less to operate, and has fewer environmental impacts.

What should you look for?

Location
- Infrastructure – located within an area that already has public utilities and transportation access.
- Amenities – Within walking distance of parks, schools, and stores.
- Public transit — easy access to bus, light rail, bike paths and subway systems.
- Not built on prime soil – New homes/neighborhoods must not be built on environmentally sensitive sites like prime farmland, wetlands or endangered species habitats.
- Infill property – built on former developments such as parking lots, rail yards, shopping malls, and factories where the land had already been developed once with existing infrastructure.
- Compact development – built where the average housing density is at least six units per acre.
Sustainable Home Site
- Size – choose a smaller footprint home, no matter how many green building elements go into your home, a smaller home consumes less natural resources, building materials and energy than a larger one.
- Landscaping – should minimize water consumption but still provide protection and shading. Look for drought-tolerant native plants rather than water-guzzling plants and grass in most regions.
- Driveways and Sidewalks – utilize permeable paving/gravel instead of concrete.
- Building Layout – Home oriented to bring abundant natural daylight into the interior to reduce lighting requirements and take advantage of any prevailing breezes.
- Rainwater Harvesting System – particularly in drier regions where water is increasingly scarce
- Compost and Recycling systems - space available for these in yard/lot
- Exterior Lighting - use solar powered lighting where applicable and direct light downward to reduce light pollution
Sustainable Building Materials
- Recycled content – building and finish materials should incorporate significant pre/post consumer waste into glass tiles, raw steel, crushed concrete, carpet, insulation, drywall, engineered lumber, counter tops, etc.
- Locally or regionally produced – cabinetry, tile, lighting, paint
- Rapidly renewable – Wood-based features should come from sources like bamboo or cork.
- Durable - solid wood cabinetry, re-finishable hardwood flooring
Energy Efficiency
- Wall Construction – framing utilizes solid walls or thicker wall (2×6, ICF’s or SIP’s)
- Roof - Light colored Energy Star rated 30 year shingles or metal panel
- Attic – well insulated poly-sealed to interior walls with Radiant Barrier roofing
- Insulation – A nontoxic insulation, without formaldehyde, with a high R (heat resistance) factor in a home’s walls and ceilings prevents heat loss/gain during the year.
- Windows – Dual-pane, high-performance insulated Energy Star compliant
- Air Conditioning - 90% or higher efficient furnace, programmable thermostat, insulated ducts, heat pump, radiant floor heating, ceiling fans, energy-efficient zoned air conditioner (SEER 14 or more)
- Lighting – day-lighting, CFL’s, LED’s, skylights/solar-tubes, and/or motion detected lighting
- Water Heating – Natural gas fired On-demand Tank-less or Solar Thermal
- Windows and Doors – Windows and exterior doors should be Energy Star rated, and they should seal tightly to avoid heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter. Look for proper weatherstripping, caulking and ensure that there is no evidence of water penetration inside.
- Renewable Energy – Ideally, the home would generate some of its own energy from renewable sources using technologies like solar photovoltaic panels, wind-turbines or solar thermal heating systems.
Water Conservation
- Landscape – no/limited lawn, native plants, drip irrigation, gravel-scapes/zeri-scapes
- Rainwater Harvesting System – particularly in drier regions where water is increasingly scarce
- Faucets – high efficiency faucets use 2 gpm or less (or WaterSense certified)
- Showerheads – high efficiency shower stalls use 2.0 gpm or less (or WaterSense certified)
- Toilets – high efficiency low-flow toilets use 1.3 gpf or less (or dual flush toilet)
- Dishwasher – consumes less than 6 gallons per cycles (Energy Star labeled)
- Clothes washer – front-loading (Energy Star certified)
Indoor Environmental Quality
- Natural ventilation and day-lighting- via building orientation includes operable windows in all rooms to allow plentiful fresh air and natural light to reach at least 75% of the home’s interior.
- No/low-VOC products – paint, primer, sealers, wood finishes, adhesives, carpet, padding
- Formaldehyde-free products – cabinets, shelving, woodwork, insulation
- Ventilation - exhaust fans that vent to exterior in all bathrooms, kitchen and garage kitchen fan, bathroom fan, whole-house fan
- Air conditioner filtration - MERV 8-12 or high-performance filter
- Air condition ducting – sealed and insulated (verify by performing a Duct Blaster leakage test)
- Carbon monoxide/smoke detectors – installed on each floor and near garage entrance
Certification and Testing
- The home should be rated and certified by independent third party who can assess a score through a nationally recognized home rating systems
- Testing methods – Thermal Imaging, Blower Door, Duct Blaster, Air Quality analysis, etc.
- Department of Energy – Energy Star Home (% efficient over standard home)
- US Green Building Council – LEED for Homes (Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum)

Notes:

GPM – Gallons per minute
GPF – Gallons per flush
HVAC – Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
VOC – Volatile organic compounds
MERV – Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, commonly known as MERV Rating is a measurement to rate the effectiveness of air filters. The MERV rating for typical applications is shown below:
- 20 – Cleanroom
- 16 – General Surgery
- 12 – Superior Residential
- 11 – Commercial Office Buildings
- 8 – General Commercial
- 4 – Minimal Filtration

Source:

US Green Building Council
Green Home Guide

MERV     Example Application
20     Cleanroom
16     General Surgery
12     Superior Residential
11     Commercial office buildings
8     General Commercial
4     Minimal Filtration

Tour Houston’s only LEED Platinum Net-Zero Energy Home

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 06:34:39 +0000

This Friday, November 12, 2010, the Virginia Point residence opens its doors in conjunction with the City of Houston Green Building Center to allow you to learn more about the features and systems that make this a Net-Zero energy home.

Location – 3319 Virginia St., Houston, TX
Time - 11a – 2p
Tour info - www.houstontx.gov/mayor/leedtour.pdf

The home is currently the only LEED Platinum certified residence in Houston. Along with producing more energy that it uses, the home also features a 7000 gallon rain water harvesting system which provides potable water.

Along with many other sustainable features, energy efficiency from the top down includes the following systems.

On the roof – 140 solar panels (each 170W which generate a total combined output of 23.8 kW)
In the home – Passive ventilation systems
Below the house – Geothermal heating/cooling system (with four 2-ton heat pumps and ten 300-feet-deep wells that house cooling loops)

All of which contribute to a Home Energy Rating (HERS) index performance of negative 11. The HERS index is a 100-point scale based off of a reference home built to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, where a score of zero equates to being net-zero energy.

Architect – Adams Architects
Builder – Dovetail Builders
LEED Consultant – Contects

Heights Holiday Home Tour – 2010

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 20:53:38 +0000

The Houston Heights Association’s festive annual event will be held on Friday, Dec 3, 2010, from 6-9pm, and Saturday, Dec 4, 2010, from 3-9pm.

The Holiday Tour consists of six unique homes decked out for the Holidays, three historic and three recent/newer construction. There will be free shuttle bus pick up at the Heights Fire Station (located at Yale & 12th Street) for travel to all of the homes on the Tour. There is parking available at the fire station and nearby.

Recently described by National Geographic Traveler in their March 2010 issue as: “Small town in a big city: Houston Heights offers Texas history, global cuisine and stately architecture”…the Holiday Tour offers the opportunity to experience our unique neighborhood all decked out in the wonder of the holiday season!

Homes on this year’s tour include those listed below.

Home – Address – Year Built

The Blackman Home – 729 Rutland – 1920
Modern Craftsman – 1222 Allston Street – 2008
Wade Home – 1432 Tulane – 1999
Classic Queen Anne – 1629 Cortland – 1915
Batterson Home – 1439 Harvard – 2003
Batterson-Drouin Home – 1445 Harvard – 1903