FROM THE TAILGATE
Sage advice from the trenches
By Ron Jones
Busted! (Yes, I Like Old Homes, Too)
OK, I’ll happily admit that I’m a real soft touch for old dogs, old trucks (you can easily tell how comfortable I am leaning against this cherry ’51 Chevy!), and old buildings, like the one housing the Clock Tower featured in this issue.
These days, I don’t have much time for close involvement with projects other than those in our VISION House® series, and that means I have little direct participation with homeowners compared to a few years ago. So, even though I’m regularly contacted by people requesting my involvement in various projects, I’m rarely able to make an exception—just due to time limitations.
But when a remodeler acquaintance asked me to look at an historic structure in New Orleans’ Warehouse District, I couldn’t resist the invitation. She and the property owners were struggling with design solutions, in hopes of producing results that would do justice to an opportunity as unique and memorable as this. They offered me a chance to be involved, and after one visit there was no way I could refuse.
My reward was that I got to know the creative and stubbornly determined owners, learn the fascinating story of their project, and offer a little input along the way—at the same time helping to make connections with some of the manufacturers of the essential products and systems that were needed to help assure maximum (and sustainable) results for this extraordinary residence.
I’ve long maintained that most existing buildings inherently have a “green” head start, by virtue of the simple fact that they are already in place. The environmental costs for the land, materials and other resources required to construct them have already been paid—and there’s no going back—so why not reuse rather than replace whenever possible? Still, they come with their own set of special concerns as well, including structural uncertainty, outdated and obsolete systems and fixtures, logistical difficulties and code and safety challenges, to name a few.
It is no small task to incorporate code-compliant plumbing, electrical components, fire protection, controls and appliances (not to mention modern air conditioning and ventilation, sound attenuation, insulation, modern glazing, air and moisture barriers) into a traditional masonry-and-heavy-timber structure. Few surfaces are plumb or level, square corners are almost nonexistent, and the utilities are perhaps a century old—but, in this case, the result was more than worth the effort!
I hope you enjoy reading about the Clock Tower as much I enjoyed being involved. GB
02.2012
www.greenbuildermag.com 64
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76