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d’Souza & De La Torre Residence, Blemont

Why This Is Important

Global climate change is often blamed on automobiles and industry, but residential buildings account for nearly one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. These buildings consume 50% of all energy generated, including 70% of the electricity. Annually, 15 trillion gallons of water and 3 billion tons of raw materials are used by buildings. Our very homes are contributing to climate change. Fortunately, green construction technologies andsustainable practices have become available.

What Does Green Building Mean For Homes?

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A green residence means that living spaces are energy efficient, save natural resources, and conserve water. Green homes utilize durable, non-pollutant, and recycled construction materials. Also, they make economic sense: operating costs are reduced and the quality of living is increased.
Developments in green residential architecture and technology have created a wide range of ways to make daily life sustainable. In a sustainable state, green residential buildings would emerge out of the minority. To achieve sustainable building practices, governments must incorporate green building policies into building codes.

A Local Example:
The D’Souza and de la Torre family residence embodies the state of sustainable living. In 2005, their Belmont residence won the Sustainable San Mateo County Best Practices Award in Green Building. Mr. D’Souza’s motivation for building an energy and resource efficient home came from his concern about deforestation and pollution around the world and its human impact. D’Souza read about solar technology and other sustainable practices and utilized the knowledge of the Arkin-Tilt Architects, who build sustainable houses.
In 2000, the family submitted construction plans to the City of Belmont. It was a new process for the city since a green home had never been built before. From 2002-2004, Arkin-Tilt built the house using their understanding of green architecture. The house was carefully built around two trees, one of the main reasons the lot was chosen. In 2004, the family moved into their Belmont home, into a cleaner environment away from pollutants present in the average home.

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The 1,823 square foot home does not receive power from Pacific Gas and Electric.

  • Photo-Voltaic System: 20 solar panels (2.5 kW AC and 3kW DC capacity) generate 4.6 kilowatt hours of electricity. This system creates an excess amount of energy that is sent back into the electric grid, acting as a local power generator.
  • Solar Thermal System: 5 Heliodyne Gobi Panels control the temperature of water and living spaces and double as roofing and an awning that covers their front patio.
  • High-mass Radiant Heating System: Under the house lies an 18” heat-storing sand bed, which radiates into the house during cool temperatures. This regulates the house temperature for many months.

Energy Star: The family uses appliances that are part of the Energy Star Program, which save money and protect the environment through high-energy efficiency. These include compact fluorescent lamps, a compact ConServ refrigerator, and a solar oven. Visit (www.energystar.gov) for more information on the program.

Water Saving Practices
Water conservation and its efficient use is a common practice for the household.

  • Gray Water System: Used city water is stored for irrigation or is sent into the sewer system. All wash water is recycled to water the plants in their garden, which is adapted to a drier Northern California climate.

Materials
The family prides itself in the house’s abundant use of recycled and post-consumer building materials. While Mr. D’Souza and his family found some of the materials, Arkin-Tilt used a contractor to locate safe, less toxic, and non-polluting materials.

  • The walls are designed to provide thermal insulation by inserting aggregate materials likedsouza_stairs_lorezjpeg.jpg gravel, sand, silt, and clay in between concrete blocks.
  • Recycled automobile tire roofing
  • Recycled wood framing
  • Post-recycled concrete floors
  • Post-consumer glass countertops

Interior Design
The compact, five-level house functions as three separate sleeping units arranged about a common kitchen-laundry-living area.

  • Space Optimization: The entrances to downstairs bedrooms double as a laundry room and workspace. A library lines the sides of the staircase, which leads up to a home-office, master bedroom, balcony and extra storage space.
  • Natural Light: Exterior and interior window placement allow natural light to flood into all spaces, decreasing the need to use electricity during the daytime. A “light tower” rises above tall ceilings that allow sunlight to enter rooms and open up smaller spaces. The walls divide space and serve as storage, but allow “light sharing,” which lets light travel in between adjacent rooms.
  • Double-Paned Windows: Windows allow light to enter, but keep heat from dissipating through the glass. The house does not use blinds because there is less of a need to mitigate heat since their home is located inland from the bay.

Location
Mr. D’Souza believes that it was important for his family to lie where they could best utilize a well-developed infrastructure.

  • Personal Transportation: The garage features storage space, where the family keeps their numerous bicycles, a main means of transport. While the family car is a hybrid-electric vehicle, they use it only when necessary.
  • Public Transportation: The home is located near the center of Belmont, where many needs can be met by walking or biking. The family uses CalTrain and the bus to transit in their neighborhood and throughout the area.

Project Cost and Benefits
Greening their home has produced a great deal of benefits. The family has experienced lower gas, water, and electric bills since going green. On average, they pay only $4 for natural gas a month, and $35 total December through January to heat the home. The home pays $6 a month to stay on the electrical grid “in case of emergency,” rather than using batteries, which are toxic and require special disposal. The house’s passive solar technology generates power locally and sends back excess into the community, up to $50 worth of energy monthly. Most importantly, the greening of their home addressed their desire to live in a cleaner place.

A Sustainable San Mateo County
While many cities in the county are integrating sustainable practices into their building codes, currently only San Mateo County has adapted a green building policy. Other examples are Brisbane and Pacifica who have incorporated codes, policies, and guidelines that promote green construction. The San Mateo Countywide Sustainable Buildings Guide is currently being distributed throughout Portola Valley and Pacifica. Other cities are promoting the recycling and reuse of materials and educating the public about green technology. KQED recently showcased a piece about the San Francisco Bay Area’s Green Building Revolution and the upcoming transformation of commercial and residential buildings. To view the report, visit (http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/view/155).

A Sustainable United States
In February 2007, the United States Green Building Council launched a new program advancing the greening of residences. The Council is a non-profit which aims to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated to enable an ecologically and socially responsible, and prosperous environment (http://www.usgbc.org). Their campaign, The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Ratings Program for Homes will hopefully invigorate architectural firms’ and consumers’ desires for sustainable designs, and set the standard for a national green building revolution. To read the report and see how LEED homes will be rated, visit (http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2267).