Green Building
Our work includes some of the latest and broadest thinking on “green building,” which we define as increasing the efficiency with which homes use resources (materials, energy and water) while reducing impacts on human health and the environment -- through better design, site development, home construction, operation, re-use and deconstruction.
Like most professionals working in green building, we use the LEED for Homes system, promulgated by the United States Green Building Council. The article in the sidebar, “What Makes a Home Green?” illustrates this system in summary.
Since 2003 we have been conducting our own original research in various areas of green homebuilding. We have focused on two topics: pre-fabrication and “systems building” of homes (practices for which LEED for Homes awards additional credit in the rating process) and, secondly, current Japanese homebuilding practices, which generally include green features.
Our research work has been presented at conferences of the American Institute of Architects, and other venues, for example to the staff of the Museum of Modern Art (New York) in preparation for their “Prefab” exhibit in 2008. Some illustrative presentation materials are available in the sidebar, as are materials from our research visits with 5 of the 6 largest Japanese homebuilders conducted in 2004 in Japan.
Our “Featured Home,” Evertson Hill, incorporates a range of green features; please see that section for information specific to that home.
