Santa Barbara Contractor

Miramar Home
Green Building Design

Project:
Contemporary, environmentally conscious remodel of Miramar Beach residence. Santa Barbara, CA

Owners:
Brad and Julia Hall

Architect:
Syndesis
David Hertz, Project Architect
John Meachem, Project Manager

Builder:
Jed Hirsch, General Building Contractor, Inc.

Interior Designer:
Kathryn Ireland

Year Built 1930’s
Remodel:  October 2001 – October 2002
Square Footage Approx. 3500

The Owner’s desire to remodel their home as ecologically conscientious as feasible was incorporated into the Architect’s specification book.  Syndesis, Inc. is proficient and knowledgeable of green building techniques and utilized them in all aspects of the building’s design.  The Contractor, Jed Hirsch General Building Contractor, Inc. took the task seriously and incorporated the ideas into all aspects of the building process.

WASTE MANAGEMENT/DEMOLITION PHASE

  • All doors, windows, plumbing fixtures and electrical fixtures were salvaged and donated via the Contractors Builders Exchange in the Santa Barbara News Press.  The windows and doors were shipped to Hawaii to be built into a home there. 
  • All usable wood was cleaned and reused in the framing stages.  Trellis beams were used as headers, and so on.  The decking surrounding the house was given away to a happy recipient.
  • All demolition materials were sorted by type into separate bins; concrete, plaster, dirt, wood scrap, recyclable metals, give-aways and landfill.  This process cost slightly more, but money was saved on dump fees.
  • Subcontractors were involved in the process and bins were checked regularly.
  • Crews read and signed a pollution control guide outlining proper disposal.

BUILDING ORIENTATION

  • The ridge runs East to West allowing optimum South facing solar electrical and water panel exposure.
  • Large South facing windows and large operable skylight to allow natural light.
  • Heat mirror glass used has maximum UV protection and very low heat transmission.
  • Large eaves shade higher sun in Summer months.

HOT TUB

  • Chemical free ozonated.

ENERGY

  • Solar electrical contribution Kyocera Solar Xantrex by Solar Electrical Systems.
  • Solar water contribution by All Valley Solar.

COOLING

  • Passive cooling.  Operable skylight at stair well creates thermal chimney which sucks cool air through open windows and doors.
  • Casement windows hinged to optimize sea breezes.

WINDOW GLASS

  • Southwall Technologies California series.
  • Shading co-efficient .43.
  • Daylight transmission 62%.
  • U value 1.08.

MECHANICAL/HEATING

  • Radiant heat system heated by domestic hot water heater.
  • Radiant tubing encased in Thermal-Crete for thermal-mass heating.

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

  • Most framing lumber was certified sustainable resource by the Forest Stewardship Conservancy.
  • Engineered lumber used for headers and beams.
  • Of all rough lumber used on the project 71% was sustainable resource:

    Sustainable framing lumber (22%).
    Decks and fences IPE sustainable resource (11%).
    Siding and trellis beams purchased from certified sources, though no certification paperwork was provided (38%).
    Non-sustainable (plywood, sheet goods, miscellaneous materials, arsenic free PTDF). (29%).

    Figures calculated by costs. Breakdown provided by Hayward Lumber.

DOORS AND WINDOWS

  • All doors, windows and jambs are made of certified sustainable resource mahogany. 

CABINETS

  • All cabinets are made of certified sustainable resource mahogany.
  • Veneer laid onto formaldehyde free particle board.

INSULATION

  • All exterior walls cellulose “wet spray” which fills all voids and cracks for a tighter insulation job.  Seventy to eighty percent of the material is made out of recycled newspapers.  This product has higher R-values than fiberglass. 
  • Blown in ceiling insulation is fiberglass cotton containing no binders.

FLOORING

  • Sustainable bamboo flooring and base.

COPPER

  • All flashings and gutters are made of copper which holds up best in moist sea environment and is infinitely recyclable.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

  • No carpeting minimized off gassing.
  • All materials selected based on low formaldehyde content.  Examples; medite formaldehyde free, arsenic free PTDF.

INDOOR NOISE QUALITY

  • All laminated glass.
  • Wet spray cellulose insulation reduces noise transmission.

  APPLIANCES/HOUSEHOLD

  • No trash compactor, warming ovens or wine coolers.
  • Recycle program in use.
  • Hot water heater is a Voyager Super High Efficiency with built-in heat exchanger.  This eliminates the need for a separate boiler.
  • Hot water pipes are insulated their complete length.
  • Energy Star washer and dryer.
  • Energy efficient refrigerator/freezer.