Home health care
Spec home brings new meaning to ‘green’
By Beth Anne Piehl
Photography by G. Randall Goss
John Plichta’s gone out on a limb.
Which, really, is an appropriate description for a guy who is building a house constructed with its environmental impacts leading the design.
In this economic climate, taking a chance on building one of the first “green certified” homes in Michigan — as determined by national standards adopted in January — Plichta knows he’s taking a financial risk.
“I just believe in it so much,” said Plichta, owner of J.R. Construction in Petoskey. “This just makes sense.”
Impressive place, out there on that limb.
Plichta’s all-green, 1,800-square-foot spec house is nearly completed on Channel Road, just across the street from Crooked Lake on a one-acre parcel backed by forestland. A long-time builder, Plichta set out on a challenge with this, his latest, project. Instead of using traditional building techniques and materials, he was going to build an “all green” house.
It turns out it is a monumental undertaking to go the green route, he notes now.
“It’s so important that the contractor is watching everybody regularly,” he said, adding that many workers who have hands in a home’s construction have done things the same way for years, and building green requires a new way of approaching a project, foundation to finish.
“The education process is huge. Every person that comes on the job has to be educated.”
That included Plichta, who shows the manual that outlines just what it takes to be a “green” home listed on a national registry. The booklet, “National Green Building Standards,” was drafted by the National Association of Home Builders and approved by the American National Standards Institute and the International Code Council.
The NAHB has four levels of “green” and Plichta is hoping this home will earn the pinnacle Emerald level of certification. A verifier has been through the house once, when it was studs, and will come back once it is completed to determine the final level of designation.
“Afterward,” Plichta noted, “8202 Channel Road will be on the national registry of green homes.”
Anyone today, it seems, can claim their home, their product, their lifestyle is “green,” but that’s not good enough to earn a spot on that registry.
“Rigorous testing of the house’s performance, supported by documentation, is essential in becoming certified green,” Plichta said.
Even the homeowners’ manual is extensive, outlining every product and finish used. The reason: If something needs replacing or repairing, certain materials need to be used so as to not sully the greenness of the home.
The future owners will learn about the bamboo flooring, low-VOC paints and caulk, the water-borne finish on the cabinetry that shouldn’t be cleaned with a toxic solvent; they’ll learn the cement siding has a 20-year guarantee, and that ICF blocks with an R-50 value constitute the foundation.
A geothermal heating and cooling system controls the home’s temperature, and with the variety of energy-saving measures undertaken, Plichta is guaranteeing the new owner the bills will not exceed $50 a month, or he’ll pay the difference.
“We will put our money where our mouth is,” he said.
Behind the scenes, the house is a green giant; it’s also a lovely home from the exterior with an accommodating layout that will become cozier once the furniture and appliances are moved in. Plichta plans to furnish the spaces with recycled and refinished furniture pieces, and Susan Letts Landscaping in Harbor Springs will massage the green landscape features once the weather breaks.
Then it’s wait-time, for a buyer with an interest in the environment and overall healthfulness of a clean-operating home; asking price is around $325,000.
At 1,800 square feet, with two bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, the home’s green features added between 4-8 percent onto the cost, though in the long run, energy savings will help recoup those costs, Plichta said.
Plus, where the typical house has a lifespan of 75 years, green construction techniques are estimated to double the life expectancy to 150 years.
“Green is a combination of materials for the betterment of the clients and society,” Plichta emphasized. “It’s really a stewardship program.
What’s so ‘green’ about it?
The contributing factors that make the Channel Road home better for the environment (and the homeowners) include:
• Finger-jointed studs, floor joists and headers made from recycled and chipped-wood materials;
• Low-formaldehyde OSB that meets green standards;
• Cement siding on a baked enamel finish has a 20-year guarantee;
• Water channels built in behind the siding to abate condensation issues; the condensation plane moves water out of the house to prevent rotting of wood in the floor and structure;
• Foundation is Insulated Concrete Form walls (ICF) with an R-value of 50;
• Plumbing system utilizes Pex and copper. Pex is a polyethylene tubing product that expands with varying temperatures and offers flexibility;
• A manifold plumbing system is configured for the pipes that service the water faucets; no water travels more than 30 feet from the hot water tank, which eliminates waste of water and energy to heat unneeded water;
• Insulation consists of blown-in cellulose, made with recycled products such as newspaper;
• All electrical outlets are sealed where they meet the wall to prevent air leakage;
• Drywall glue, caulk and other sealants all “green” certified;
• ERV, an Energy Recovery Ventilator, assists with regular air exchanges to bring fresh air into the home. The unit operates as a heat exchanger between warmer and cooler air, equalizing temperature in a cost-effective manner;
• A geothermal closed-loop system, configured horizontally on the property, meets the home’s main heating and cooling needs;
• Paint is Sherwin-Williams Pro Green line with low VOC emissions, resulting in less off-gassing;
• A passive radon elimination system is in place in the event radon is ever detected or makes it way to the ground beneath the home;
• Green-certified bamboo flooring;
• Trim boards and moldings recycled from other home construction projects;
• Appliances are all Energy Star rated;
• Air returns located at the top of walls to capture the warm air (which rises) rather than at the floor, which is common in traditional construction models;
• Water-borne finish on the cabinetry replaces more standard finishes that often can contain carcinogenic substances;
• Plumbing fixtures are all low-flow versions; dual-flush toilets use 50-60 percent less water;
• Windows from Pella’s energy-efficient Designer Series, with lower U ratings than typical windows;
• Fireplace is a sealed combustion unit;
• Vacancy switches installed that operate on timer system to shut off after a person has left the room.
• Exterior landscaping to include green features such as a rain garden to capture drainage in an attractive pond setting, plus a collection pond with a pump that can be used to irrigate the yard (by Susan Letts Landscaping, Harbor Springs);
• Interior furnishings will all be recycled from thrift shops.