Originally published April 19, 2009 at 12:00 AM | Page modified April 22, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Comments (10)
E-mail article
Print view
Share
Northwest supergreen home provides its own water, energy
A Northwest family builds a supergreen, self-sufficient home with its own potable rainwater and solar photovoltaic systems — which means they pay no water or energy bills. The home surpasses the LEED Platinum rating, the highest standard of energy conservation and environmental design.
JACQUELINE KOCH
For Katharine Lawrence, Charlie Weiss, their 11-year-old daughter, Julia, and Jenny the dog, building this cutting-edge home with a minimal carbon footprint means dramatically lowered maintenance costs and healthier indoor air quality. "Having taken big steps to shrink our usage and having chosen the greenest-possible energy source, we feel we've done almost everything we can," says Charlie.
JACQUELINE KOCH
Not your average plumbing job. Installing a working potable-rainwater-harvesting system is still in the pioneering stages.
JACQUELINE KOCH
Katharine uses rain to wash dishes. The 2,000-square-foot standing-seam metal roof provides a smooth surface for collecting as much rainwater as possible. One inch of rain produces 1,500 gallons. The water is then filtered and sterilized, and supplies all the household's water needs.
Resources
U.S. Green Building Council: More on LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) athttp://www.usgbc.org
Earth Advantage: Northwest nonprofit for builders and developers at www.earthadvantage.com/about.phpRainwater harvesting: Basics for in-home use at http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/
Conservation tech: Advanced technology for water, energy and environmental conservation at
Cool green features
• No water bill! A potable-rainwater system with low-flow fixtures means "net zero" water usage.
• No electricity bill! Energy-saving lighting and appliances powered by 6-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system equals "net zero" energy use over the course of the year.
• Sustainably stunning: Pacific madrone countertops, and all the home's lumber, are locally sourced, renewable, Forest Stewardship Council-certified (FSC).
• Self-sufficiently warm: High-performance wood-burning fireplace; exposed concrete floors; radiant floor heating.
![]()
The Family: Charlie Weiss, 54, founding partner of LaunchBox, a market-research company; his wife, Katharine Lawrence, 46, who has been engaged full time on the southwest Portland house project for the past two years; and their 11-year-old daughter, Julia. In 1999, they bought a lot with two building sites: one for a 2,600-square-foot home of their own, which includes a 600-square-foot apartment they'll rent out; the second for a 2,000-square-foot spec house to sell.
They named the project "LeapFrog House." Charlie says it's a "nifty double-entendre" — a tribute to the croaking frogs who lived there, the few tadpoles the family salvaged before excavation, and the concept of "jumping further into green" building. The family moved from their original home across the street into the new house in July 2008, and frogs are still there.
Goals: "Our passion for the challenge of building with a minimal footprint motivated us," says Charlie, who describes himself as a "raving enviro" since the 1970s. Tired of hearing so much green talk with no action, "We decided to take action on our own." In addition to striving for — and surpassing — the LEED Platinum rating, the highest standard of energy conservation and environmental design, Charlie and Katharine also wanted a home with at least a 100-year life. Their paramount goal: conserving energy.
The challenges: "It's tough to do that scale of innovating on a schedule," Charlie says. Be it recovering rainwater, creating effective natural daylighting or efficiently heating hot water, the project required extensive problem-solving. "We thought it would take nine months, and it's taken all of a year."
Two of their more difficult dilemmas were selecting insulation and paving the driveway: "There are lots of choices, none are perfect." Despite many green insulation options such as straw bales, recycled newspaper or blue jeans, they ultimately opted for Icynene, a polyurethane spray foam, for its long-term energy performance. For the driveway, they recycled a mix of crushed demolition waste — asphalt, concrete, brick, tile, rock, as well as toilets and sinks — rather than go with the traditional surface materials of asphalt or concrete, which both have significant energy footprints.
Blazing the trail: The home's feature that most pushes the envelope is its potable-rainwater system, which harvests rainfall from the roof and stores it in a 6,000-gallon cistern.
The Rewards: Building a house that's entirely electric and uses no fossil fuels — a difficult decision in an era of beloved gas heating and cooking ranges — proved a satisfying choice. When he reads of impending natural-gas hikes, Charlie feels vindicated. Their solar-generated electricity, Charlie says, insulates them from energy costs, "And that's pretty cool!"
Quote: Charlie says: "It's been a chance to educate ourselves with a sense of urgency and to share what we've learned."
Cost: Ballpark of $700,000, including land, for each of the houses, which Charlie notes includes a premium for pioneering a learn-as-you-go supergreen model. To afford expensive, energy-saving features they made utilitarian picks on others, for example, installing inexpensive metal siding for the house exterior. And rather than spending $50,000 on premium kitchen cabinets, Charlie says, "We said, 'Let's just go to IKEA.' "
Architect: Kathy Kremer, based in Lake Oswego, OR
Builder: Green Hammer Inc., based in Portland
Jacqueline Koch is a Seattle photographer and writer.
Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company
Washington businesses break ties to industrial-food chain
This holiday gift list lets your conscience be your guide
Antique wood stove can light your decorative fire
Northwest Living: On Whidbey, a unified home from multiple recycled parts
Plant Life: Good soil is the secret to successful gardening

LA Galaxy's David Beckham
Los Angeles Galaxy's David Beckham talks about the upcoming MLS Cup final during after a team practice.
nwjobs

Post a comment

Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
How to tell your office you're gravely ill
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Italian lead prosecutor argues Knox motive was hatred
- Tugboat sinks on Seattle's waterfront
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Italian prosecutors request life sentence for UW student
- Man shot in chest on E. Union Street in Capitol Hill
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Mariners Blog | A Mariners-Tigers swap makes a whole lot of sense for both teams
- Senate vote clears hurdle
239 - Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
121 - Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
120 - Tight Senate vote launches health care over hurdle
119 - Palin excitement builds in Tri-Cities
119 - Cutting through breast-cancer confusion
90 - Prosecutor requests life in prison for Amanda Knox
88 - Game thread
70 - New York terror trials will restore faith in rule of law
54 - Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
48
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Nonprofits get creative using Twitter and Facebook to make donation easier
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Lynnwood is reinventing itself — again
- Great places to cross-country ski for free (or almost) in the Methow
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Recipes: Sesame Pork Roast, Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce and more
- Banff: powder, peaks & purity
- 175 foster kids in Washington get 'forever families'













