March 2, 2010

New Home a Model of Energy Efficiency

Tompkins Weekly – March 1, 2010
By Carol Eichler

Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, already noted for building new LEED certified – and affordable homes, is taking energy efficiency to the next level with its latest new home under construction at 711 Hancock Street, in Ithaca’s Northside neighborhood. This home is being constructed using SIPs, Structural Insulated Panels. Think of a structural insulated panel as a gigantic “ice cream sandwich.” The panels are formed using foam insulation placed between rigid materials such as particle board or plywood cut to design-specific dimensions. These panels form the walls and roof of the house. Because the SIPs panels are prefabricated, it allows for the above ground structure of a house to go up in a matter of hours, resembling an old-fashioned barn-raising, with the assistance of a crane to lift the panels into place.

A SIPs home offers certain advantages – it goes up quickly, saves labor costs, and minimizes use of materials and waste products. However its greatest advantage is its energy efficiency. SIP structures provide superior thermal performance, which will last the life span of the building. Due to the solid core of insulation throughout the structure, the building is heated evenly and free from cold spots. Compared to a home built to existing energy code, the energy saving measures translate to a 50% or more reduction in utility bills. Precisely how much energy savings can be realized is a question INHS intends to find out.

Taitem Engineering has been contracted to monitor and compare the energy use of this house with another INHS house of similar size and design that was built using more conventional energy efficient methods. While it will cost slightly more to build the SIPs home, the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (or NYSDERDA) awarded a grant to this project, one of four statewide as part of its High Performance Residential Challenge, to help offset the additional expense. INHS wants to determine whether the additional costs can be justified. Will building with SIPs be cost effective?

This 1,300 square foot home has incorporated many other energy saving features such as triple pane low-e rated windows, Energy Star appliances, low-water use plumbing fixtures and faucets, and compact fluorescent lighting. The home is heated with a 95% energy efficient natural gas boiler which incorporates an on-demand water heater. This home was planned to include many other “green” features as defined by the U.S. Green Building Council under its LEED-certification point system. Most notable among these considerations are the home’s proximity to community resources, the use of sustainable and recycled building materials, and the incorporation of native plants in the landscaping. From INHS’ preliminary calculations this home will likely be LEED-certified at the highest Platinum level.

Construction on the Hancock Street house is well underway with completion anticipated sometime this spring. At that time INHS will place the home on the market to be sold to a first-time homebuyer of low income. 711 Hancock Street will make a wonderful home for some deserving family – a home that embodies energy efficiency and long-term sustainability – and long-term affordability too. 711 will certainly be someone’s lucky number.

Carol Eichler is Director of Community Relations at Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services.

February 23, 2010

2010 Green Building Seminar Series

Tompkins Weekly by Apollonya Porcelli

ITHACA, NY – February 22, 2010 – What makes the built environment sustainable and also comfortable and beautiful? How can we make our homes as functional as possible while using the most “green” materials available and still stay within budget? These are issues that plague anyone interested in green building. But, while they may make the process challenging, they should never force anyone to drop the initial dream.

By balancing the feasible with the ideal, green building confronts the status quo of traditional construction without forsaking practicality, comfort, and beauty. As the need for an environmentally conscious future is becoming increasingly significant, so is the role of green building as both a means of development and a framework for sustainable living. In its sixth year, the Green Building Seminar Series will explore some of the latest concepts in green building and give you the tools to wade through some of the most significant challenges to making your next project a fully sustainable and green one.

The Seminar Series will kick-off on March 2^nd with an investigation into “Evaluating Green Products and Materials”. As “green” becomes mainstream, it’s becoming harder to assess how products and materials stack up. This presentation will include an overview of resources used by the pros to evaluate materials, life cycle assessment techniques, commercial programming tools for making design decisions, and other decision-making strategies. Whether you’re a homeowner, builder, or contractor this presentation will help you in choosing the materials that best fit your needs while meeting the “green” criteria most important to you.

On March 9^th, “Designing for Change” will cover aging in place and functional design that can adapt to changing lifestyles and stages, as well as planning for additions—and how to make the most of your space without adding on.

Staff from Finger Lakes ReUse will cover strategies and local resources for reducing, reusing and recycling construction materials and confront the issues of on-site waste management in “Reducing Construction Waste” on March 16^th. They will also discuss the basics of deconstruction and options in the community for salvaging usable building materials.

The line of attack for reducing energy consumption includes lifestyle, materials and design choices. While weatherization and conserving energy are critical, there are some approaches that take a radical look at reducing consumption. On March 23^rd, a panel of local experts will present “Designing for Maximum Energy Efficiency”, a discussion of alternative designs including Passiv Haus, Net Zero Energy Building Design, and Climate Responsive Energy.

The Seminar Series continues on March 30^th with a presentation by Ian Shapiro, President of Taitem Engineering, who will discuss a new approach he developed for looking at how we think about our built environment. “Designing from the Outside In” will delve into the importance of looking at the surrounding natural environment and its relationship to the inside environment.

The final seminar will be held on April 6^th and cover “Green Building Theory and Reality”. Based on a collection of data-driven and anecdotal experiences, this presentation will look at how we’ve been doing with green building in the Tompkins County area—are our materials and methods achieving everything we expected of them?

It is through the continued regional support from citizens throughout Tompkins County and the surrounding area that the Seminar Series has been able to be so successful over the years. The goal of the series has always been to highlight topics that are pertinent to the public agenda while emphasizing new exciting concepts and processes. So, come with an open mind and eager participation!

The seminars run Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9, and will be held in the First Unitarian Church of Ithaca Annex (208 East Buffalo St., near the corner of Aurora St.). The series is presented by Tompkins County Cooperative Extension in partnership with the Ithaca Green Building Alliance, with support from the First Unitarian Church of Ithaca. Fee: $5/seminar or $25/series, scholarships available. Dates and topics are subject to change. For the latest information, contact Guillermo Metz at gm52@cornell.edu or 272-2292, x.185, or visit www.ccetompkins.org.

Apollonya Porcelli is a Cornell University senior who has worked with Cooperative Extension and IGBA on a variety of green building initiatives over the past couple of years, including helping to coordinate the Green Building Seminar Series and the Green Building Open House.

February 13, 2010

Take charge of your transportation

February 9, 2010
by Chrisophia Somerfeldt

Transportation is critical to people’s lives and the life of our community, yet it often carries a high price. Parking and roads eat up land and money. Vehicle exhaust is linked to rising asthma, while the US transportation sector produces more carbon emissions than the entire economy of any other nation except China.¹

Meanwhile, the typical household spends more to get around than to eat. The high price tag of keeping a car or truck on the road leaves many on the edge or in debt, with others left out of the ‘car economy’ altogether.

Going ‘green,’ saving ‘green’

Fortunately, people across our community are finding ways to make transportation more affordable, accessible and better for people and the planet. Way2Go, a transportation education program of Tompkins County Cooperative Extension, shares these goals, providing information and engaging in projects to help people to take charge of transportation in their lives and communities.

Way2Go offers a website, workshops and other educational resources that enable people to weigh their options. Consider that one adult could, for a year, ride the bus, commute by vanpool, use an Ithaca Carshare car two hours a week, spend $30 a month on taxis, buy $150 walking shoes, invest $350 in a bicycle, and rent a car for a week’s vacation—and still save over $4,000 over the average cost of owning and using a car.

It’s not all or nothing

Replacing a car with other options isn’t for everyone. Way2Go can help people get around for less in their own vehicle, try a new trip by walking or bicycling, or find others who want to carpool. Even taking unneeded weight out your car, going easy on the gas and brakes, turning off the ignition instead of idling, and keeping tires inflated can lower the cost—to your wallet and the planet—of transportation.

Way2Go has information on free gas cards and bus passes for households that qualify, and on new services on the way, such as rural vans that will run between Enfield and Newfield and Ithaca (known as ‘CityVan’), a guaranteed ride home program for ‘alternative commuters,’ and a new ride-matching website for Tompkins County. Way2Go can even help people give effective feedback to transportation providers and planners, and get involved in shaping transportation across the community.

Upcoming FREE Workshop

The public is invited to attend a free ‘Going Green, Saving Green: Getting Around for Less” workshop on THURSDAY, MARCH 11, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm at Tompkins County Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Avenue, or on SATURDAY, MARCH 13, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm in the Borg Warner Room of Tompkins County Public Library at 101 E. Green Street. Whether participants drive everywhere, or don’t have a car at all, they can explore fattening their wallet while cutting contributions to local pollution and global warming.

More information can be found at way2goinfo.org, or by calling Way2Go at Tompkins County Cooperative Extension at 607-272-2292. Way2Go also welcomes your transportation feedback, stories, tips and information.

Chrisophia Somerfeldt is the Way2Go Transportation Educator.