TechPractices are outstanding housing projects throughout the U.S. where innovative technologies are implemented. Builders and remodelers can use these examples as models for projects of their own.
| Greenlee Park Snapshot |
| Location: |
Boulder, CO |
| Builder: |
McStain Enterprises, Inc |
| Project Scope: |
168 units; single-family detached, duplexes, townhouses on a 22-acre site |
| Price: |
Average unit base: $139,000 |
| Financing: |
Market-financed, for-profit development, no subsidy |
| Innovations: |
Emphasis on sustainable materials, products, and site development; energy-efficient HVAC systems and features. |
What's It All About?
Greenlee Park, completed in 1997, is the first environmentally
sustainable development built by McStain Enterprises, and has
since had a big impact on how this company (which averages 250
units a year) builds homes. McStain conducted research on the
most feasible sustainable technologies to use, built a "research
house" to test them in the field, and then monitored the
results. It then developed Greenlee Park as a sustainable community,
and marketed the project to play up its green appeal. What McStain
learned at Greenlee has ended up having a lasting impact on the
company and how it builds green. McStain has since developed
a "green spec" that it uses on all its new projects.
Why Did They Do It?
Greenlee Park goes hand in glove with McStain's stated company
philosophy to build housing that minimizes the impact on the environment,
and uses sustainable materials, products, and technology. In
fact the company has been active in the "Green Builder"
program of the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver. "Our
responsibility goes deeper than this project," says Tom
Hoyt, President of McStain, which has a staff of 90. "We
have to consider how sustainable our practices are, the impact
on the environment, and the health of the homeowners." Indeed,
the company is noted for its land-planning, which incorporates
nature walks, preserves vistas, and sets aside land in developments
as miniature nature preserves for the residents' enjoyment. McStain
also has a corporate grant program, which distributes $15,000
annually to support local non-profit organizations engaged in
environmental work. So building green is just one part of McStain's
big picture as a developer and builder.
As interest has grown in the building community in green materials
and energy efficiency, McStain was incorporating such materials
and systems into their developments. For Greenlee Park, McStain
made a concerted effort to pack in as many green features as
was economically feasible. "We felt that the market was
ready for this kind of development," says Kristin Shewfelt,
head of McStain's Market Research and Environmental Programs.
And since this was to be the first green development of its kind
in the region, notes Shewfelt, "it got lots of press."
How Did They Do It?
The company decided to build a environmental research house
-- a 2,500-square-foot semi-custom home -- to test different
materials and systems that would be used in Greenlee Park. The
first step was to research what technologies were available,
so McStain hired Planetary Solutions, (an environmental consulting
company) and local environmentalist David Johnston to compile
a catalogue several inches thick of materials and systems that
were in the market.
After examining product information and sample materials,
McStain then chose a number of these materials and products for
its research house. Here, the emphasis was on energy conservation
and better indoor air quality -- two issues that McStain believed
would get good market response. After the research house was
completed, McStain mounted what Shewfelt describes as a "mini
trade show," inviting manufacture reps to exhibit their
products and invited the public. Prospective homebuyers were
asked to fill out a survey on the sustainable products and materials.
McStain learned some very important lessons that would guide
the design and construction of Greenlee Park: what products and
materials appealed most to prospective homebuyers, and what they
would be willing to pay for these green features. The big winners
of the survey were items that improved the thermal performance
of the building envelope and conserved energy costs, such as low-e
double-pane windows, a super-efficient heating unit, and better
insulation with reduced air infiltration. Improved indoor air
quality features such as low off-gassing carpet and air-to-air
exchangers were popular. Prospective buyers also responded strongly
to resource-efficient framing members and finish materials with
recycled content.
What would folks be willing to pay for such green features?
Amazingly, 71% said they would pay between $2,500 and $10,000
more, with the largest percentage comfortable with a $2,500 to
$5,000 premium. "We figured that the green package would
average between 1% and 3% of the total cost of a house,"
says Shewfelt, and that was right on target with what the majority
said they would be willing to pay.
Taking market reaction, availability, cost, and likely performance
of the green materials and products into consideration, McStain
put together a core package of features:
- Engineered wood products such as LP I-joists for floor and roof framing, not only because they replace old-growth lumber but also because they're stronger, straighter, and lighter.
- Finger-jointed studs from LP that recycle 2x4 scrap.
- Oriented strand board (OSB) from LP for its young tree-farm content.
- Hardboard siding and trim made of reconstituted wood fibers or finger-jointed pieces.
- In some homes, the HVAC systems utilized Water Heaters with Space Heating Capability. See the section below titled "What Would They Do Differently" for further information.
- Ducts sealed with mastic and tape.
- Set-back thermostats that vary heating demand during the day.
- Vinyl-frame windows with Low-e, argon-filled, double-pane glass for better thermal performance.
- Blown-in cellulose wall insulation made with recycled content.
- Recycled wood-fiber and plastic exterior decking.
- Carpet with minimal off-gassing for better indoor air quality, made from recycled soda pop bottles.
- Interior paint with no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for better indoor air quality.
- Compact fluorescent light bulbs for better energy efficiency.
A number of green practices where also employed during construction, such as collecting wood scrap that was then ground up and used for landscape mulch, using recycled asphalt for paving, topsoil conservation, reusable aluminum foundation forms, and optimum value engineered framing. McStain also provided homeowners with a guide to xeriscaping, using native plants and mulching, which requires far less watering.
What Did the Building Inspector Say?
Considering the number of innovative materials and technologies used at Greenlee, McStain reports that things went relatively smoothly with the building inspector. According to Pat Murphy, McStain's Vice President of Construction, there was a learning curve on the part of the code officials on a number of items. For example, there was curiosity about a heating system without a furnace -- which they had never heard of. After understanding how the system worked, however, it was approved. Cellulose insulation was also new territory for the officials, and the nature of its fire retardency. Again, once it was explained, McStain got the green light.
How Did They Sell It?
McStain developed a marketing plan for Greenlee that accentuated its green features. The thinking here was that buyers would respond to something different and in sync with the concern for the environment that Coloradans are noted for. Colorful brochures illustrate Greenlee's various sustainable features, explaining the reason why each was chosen. Print advertising in newspapers highlighted McStain's green approach. Realtors were invited to model homes and briefed on how Greenlee's sustainability not only saved resources but also contributed to better indoor air quality. Displays in model homes highlighted the green features, pointing out each and listing the advantages. The company describes the approach as very soft sell. "The idea was to give people accurate information about green products and materials," says Shewfelt, "so that they could make intelligent decisions, and that they made them for the right reasons." The fact that Greenlee was the first green development of its kind also generated a lot of press attention -- otherwise known as free advertising.
How Did the Buyers Like It?
Greenlee Park sold briskly, and that had as much (or probably more) to do with the reputation
of McStain as a quality builder that stands by its product, as it does with the development's
green features. However, in after-market research on Greenlee, McStain has discovered that a
good percentage of buyers chose Greenlee for its sustainability. According to the most recent
survey, in September 1998, 36% of Greenlee Park residents surveyed cited the environmental
package as their reason for buying a home there -- the third most popular reason after
location and home design.
As McStain has applied its "green spec" to new developments, it has seen positive
buyer reaction. At the time of Greenlee's completion, approximately 5% of the buyers of
McStain homes in a variety of developments said they bought for environmental features.
Today, that figure stands at 12% across the board for McStain communities.
Would They Do It Again?
The answer to that question is a resounding "yes," as McStain has continued to
expand and refine its environmental package, which is standard on all its new homes.
Cellulose insulation is now used in roof as well as walls, and R-11 blanket insulation
(fiberglass with a vinyl outer covering) is installed on the inside of concrete basement
walls. More energy-efficient appliances are used, formaldehyde-free materials, finishes, and
insulation have been specified, as well as roofing made of recycled fiber-glass and
asphalt.
What Would They Do Differently?
There a few things that McStain would do differently. For example, a
disappointment was the performance of the HVAC system, which provides space
heating off the hot water heater. At times of peak demand, there have been
complaints from homeowners about obtaining hot water for showers in
conjunction with space heating. The possible causes and solutions for the
less than ideal performance of the HVAC system are still being investigated.
In new homes, McStain uses a gas-fired sealed combustion furnace with 90%
efficiency, with a separate sealed combustion gas-fired hot water heater. The
furnace is usually centrally located to minimize duct runs.
A few other items have been substituted. The recycled wood and plastic decking had a
tendency to stain, and was not attractive. New decking made of 100% recycled plastic is
now used -- it costs a bit more, but is better looking and more stain resistant.
The no-VOC paint used at Greenlee chipped and cracked in low temperatures; a
low-VOC paint is now used and has performed well. The quality of the
recycled carpet has been upgraded (in response to some minor complaints about wear) and
the low-VOC subfloor adhesive was runny and difficult to apply, so a substitute was found.
McStain has found that a big challenge in achieving an energy-efficient, green home is
making sure that the what is specified in the drawings actually happens on site.
As is often the case, subcontractors not used to building green are prone to make
substitutions that compromise the quality that McStain is after. And sometimes such
a change is okayed by a McStain project manager. For example, all ducts in the HVAC
system are specified to be sealed with both mastic and tape. But in the field, it was
discovered that mastic was being used only on the main trunks, while branch ducts were
only taped.
What happened? Installers were reluctant to take the extra step, and the project manager
approved the change as a cost-saving measure. What this has revealed to McStain is the
need to get everyone in the company to consider the bigger, environmental picture when
making on-the-spot decisions on the job site. "You have to develop a value-base from
which decisions are made," says Kristin Shewfelt. "We need in-house training to
help people keep those big-picture reasons in mind, to help make those value-based
decisions."
Contact(s)
Do you have a specific question? Try the contacts listed below:
McStain Enterprises, Inc.
75 Manhattan Drive, Suite 1
Boulder, CO 80303-4254
303-494-5900 (phone)
303-494-4933 (fax)
info@mcstain.com