Where Preservation and Sustainability Meet

At the recent California Presentation Foundation Conference at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel and Bungalows Santa Monica, I moderated a session with Brenden McEneaney and John Berley regarding the challenges of designing and remodeling a historic home using Green design. Using some simple principles, a remodel can help improve not only the look of a historic home but the health of the people that dwell inside it.

Bau-Biologie®
In 1987, Helmut Ziehe formed the IBE (International Institute for Bau-Biologie & Ecology), with a mission to raise awareness that buildings can abide by the laws of nature. His principles, which emerged in Germany due to problems with post-war housing construction, are based on the premise that what is healthy for the occupants (biologically compatible) will also be good for the environment (ecologically sustainable). Among his recommendations were:

• Providing natural light and using illumination of color in accordance with nature.
• Providing protection from noise and vibrations.
• Preserving green space.
• Supporting building activities and production of materials which do not have adverse side effects of any kind.
• Using natural and unadulterated building materials with neutral or pleasant scents.
• Use building materials that do not have elevated radioactivity levels.
• Minimize A/C fields.
• Utilize physiological knowledge in furniture and space design.
• Considering harmonic orders and shapes in design.

 (For more information on Bau-Biologie®, visit http://buildingbiology.net/)

When we consider our interior environment, two primary things to think about are home health (indoor air quality and chemical free materials) and resource conservation (“saving the planet” by reducing water, energy and material consumption). Take these tips into consideration:

• Supporting your local economy is also a great way to help the environment! Choosing cabinetry made of responsible materials, (within 100 miles of your site’s location) rather than shipping bamboo cabinets from china reduces the pollution and damage caused by the amount of fossil fuel needed to get those cabinets to your home.
• Look for Energy Star rated appliances. A modern, energy efficient suite of appliances will markedly decrease your home’s overall energy use, which adds up to quantifiable reductions on your monthly electricity bill! http://www.energystar.gov/
• Seek Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood products. You get the added peace of mind that your kitchen cabinets are “benefiting people and nature around the world”. http://www.fscus.org/

• Design Recycling and composting into your kitchen plan! Homeowners who make the switch from a singular trash bin to separated trash, recycling and compost, quickly find that they are able to divert almost all of their household waste from the landfill!
• Install Dimmable Fluorescent light fixtures! Dimmable fluorescent fixtures are eco-friendly because, in addition to being fluorescent, they allow you to adjust the light levels to what you need, allowing you to create moods that you wouldn’t be able to with a standard switch.
• Avoid vinyl – period. Vinyl flooring, mini blinds, wallpaper or anything else that contains Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). The harsh truth is that PVC has been shown to cause asthma and poisoning! http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/how-to-find-and-avoid-toxic-vi
• Use NO VOC natural paints, stains, sealers and adhesives. Anything that has to be applied with a mask and gloves can’t be good for your indoor air quality! Try one of the following alternatives:
• American Clay makes Natural Earth Plaster that will transform your home from a place you live into a place with life. http://www.americanclay.com/
• Benjamin Moore “Eco Spec” a low VOC acrylic latex paint
• Sherwin Williams paints with the “GreenSure” logo. Their line of LEED compatible products include; “Harmony” a NO VOC line of interior paints, as well as “Duration Home” which has low levels of VOC’s but is intended for areas where durability is a concern.
• Dunn Edwards currently offers a number of different “earth friendly” solutions, some of which qualify for LEED certification. My favorite is “EcoShield”, which is a line of “low odor, NO VOC” primers and latex paints.
• Farrow and Ball makes an incredibly high quality, rich, luxurious paint in four water based, eco-friendly finishes
• Remember that Fresh Air and Sunlight are still free! Plan for operable windows and/or skylights to ensure a visual connection to the outdoors and adequate air exchange.
• Consider composite products made of agricultural waste, instead of trees!
• Kirei (Key’-ray) offers wheat board panels in ½”, ¾” and 1” thicknesses. Sheets are 48”x96” and can be ordered in custom sizes and thicknesses for special applications. Wheat board can be painted or laminated and is a renewable, non-toxic alternative to MDF.

When it rains…
Rain water and irrigation run off can be collected and re-used as part of a sustainable landscape. Install a water catchment system to supplement landscape irrigation and reduce stress on ground water resources. Los Angeles-based “Environmental Concept” offers full service organic landscape design, installation and maintenance. We use Environmental Concept on every project we build. www.envconcept.com

Quiet Time
As we become more aware of how the objects in our home affect indoor air quality, it is only natural to want to start cleaning up the bedroom first. When we consider how much of our lives we spend in our bedrooms, and specifically how our bodies regenerate during sleep, it is easily understood how our mattress and bedding needs to considered.
All conventional mattresses, and even most eco-esque mattresses, are held together with chemical adhesives that will off-gas to some degree. A mattress that is completely natural, void of any synthetic materials and typically with a organic wool cover may pass fire regulations without the use of additive flame retardants (wool has natural fire retardant properties).
Alternative materials are gaining popularity and are becoming easier to find (for quite reasonable prices). One material that is on the rise is kapok. My clients are eager to try a material for bed pillows that is not down or synthetic. Kapok is a fiber that comes from a tree pod and has a natural resistance to dust mites. Kapok pillows are available through interior design professionals and a variety of internet retailers.

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Brenden McEneaney, Green Building Program Advisor for the City of Santa Monica (http://www.smgreen.org/), presented “California’s Green Building Code: What does it mean?” which shed additional light on the CalGreen Building Standards which became mandatory as of 1/1/11. The Standards (contained in Title 24, Part 11) deal with:

• Planning and Design
• Energy Efficiency
• Water Efficiency and Conservation
• Material Conservation and Resource Efficiency
• Environmental Quality

Additional voluntary tiers (which reside in the appendices) were also established at that time and provide more stringent standards for new buildings and preservation efforts. As written in CalGreen, each Tier adds:

• Additional mandatory measures in each section
• Electives in each section
• Specific percent reductions to existing standards

But beware!  Since these tiers are voluntary, local jurisdictions have the option to adopt them as written in CalGreen, adopt only individual measures or create something completely different

But I follow LEED…
While there are similarities between the two, it is important to remember that CalGreen is Code; LEED is a rating system. According to Brendan:

• They both will get more stringent, but LEED will always strive to be a leadership standard
• Calgreen Tier I is intended for a local adoption, not as a rating system
• Meeting LEED should be substantially easier since you have to meet CalGreen
• Relative cost of LEED will look lower because of construction costs and documentation

Bottom line…Make sure you do your research before starting your project!

As with any project, the Reuse of Materials can make a huge difference in meeting the new Standards. Materials which can be easily reused include but are not limited to the following:

• Lighting and Plumbing fixtures
• Doors and trim
• Masonry
• Electrical Devices and Appliances
• Foundations or portions of foundations

The reuse of these items leads to not only meeting the new Standards but to more accurate interiors and more money saved by the project!

Preservation and Green Design
While it may seem like a lot of work, the recent renovation of the Empire State Building in New York addressed some of the most common issues faced when dealing with Historical Preservation including Energy, Adaptation of design, Incorporation of technology, Materials and Reuse. But the results speak for themselves!

Empire State Building Retrofit Findings

$4.4 million annual energy cost savings

Top 10% of commercial buildings in efficiency

38% energy reduced annually

3.1 years payback incremental cost

105,000 metric tons carbon emissions saved over the next 15 years

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According to John Berley’s Presentation, “Green Living For Historic Homes”, half of the buildings in the US are classified as Older or Historic. Adaptive Reuse strategies preserve the materials and original manpower that went into the construction of these buildings.

A little care and observation can go a long way! Look at what features your home has built-in to assist with energy conservation and heating.

• Overhanging eaves and porches help provide shade and are excellent outdoor work spaces.
• Large trees help shield the exterior from heat
• Courtyards provide shaded areas while operable windows allow cross-breezes, ventilation and natural light indoors

What guidelines are available?

• LEED for Existing Buildings applies mostly to commercial buildings but contains many standards that can be applied historical homes and buildings.
• LEED for New Construction and Major Renovation is also applicable to larger projects.
• ReGreen, a joint venture through the USGBC and ASID, also provides guidelines

Note: The USGBC is taking steps to make LEED standards more preservation oriented however, it is not currently preservation-friendly.

• The National Trust offers the Weatherization Guide for Older and Historic Buildings that details steps that can be taken to make these buildings more energy efficient.
• The BuildIt Green GreenPoint Rated System also provides separate guidelines for new and existing buildings. Among the features of this program are:
• Energy retrofitting adds to the amount of character features retained by the property
• Partial remodels of a home give partial point credits that can be applied later towards a complete upgrade of the home

Building Science engineers can test the building and point out areas that can be improved and offer suggestions.  Additionally, California is looking into a requirement at the sale of a building that a report card of the Energy Performance of the property be provided. Third party certifications including HERS (Home Energy Rating System) will meet this requirement.

Whose responsibility is it?

While many programs and rating systems exist, it is ultimately all of our responsibility to offer information and guidance to our communities that preservation is the most rewarding step towards sustainable living.

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Owners and preservationists of older and historic buildings do not have to give up on the idea of using sustainable products and methods. With a little research, some simple principles and a conscious effort, ANY project can be Green!

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SARAH BARNARD is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID),is certified by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), and is recognized by the International Institute for Bau-Biologie & Ecology as a Building Biology Practitioner (BBP)and by the United States Green Building Council as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP).She serves on the Santa Monica Conservancy’s board of directors and specializes in green interior design and historic preservation. For more information about Sarah and her practice visit http://www.sarahbarnard.com/