SPOTLIGHT
21st
Century Building Science Meets 19th I
n 2010, Landis Design/Build was hired to take on a project that presented a double challenge: the own- ers wanted to achieve the highest possible environ-
mental rating for their home (LEED Platinum), but wanted to couple it with a historically accurate resto- ration. Te home owners lived on P Street NW, in a semi-detached row house in Washington, D.C.’s his- toric Georgetown neighborhood. Te home had gone through several renovations during the 20th century, during which parts of the original home were sloughed off or altered and replaced with features that reflected then-current trends. Te owners wanted a very en- ergy-efficient, sustainable house that also preserved and, where necessary, restored the architectural integ- rity and style of the original house. All of the planned modifications would also have to comply with the rigid preservation codes and would be reviewed by three separate bodies of preservationists who oversee build- ing facades alterations throughout the District.
LEED is a designation conferred by the U.S. Green Building Council and is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Te LEED desig- nation was first used for commercial building and lat- er expanded to include residential and other types of building and renovation projects. Because the own- ers made it clear from the beginning that they wanted the most environmentally efficient and healthy renova- tion possible, it was obvious that a lot of collaboration would be necessary among architect, builder, engineers, and owners.
Landis’ collaboration with the other partners was help- ful in many ways—such as its decision to lower the floor of the basement. Te owners indicated that they wanted to create an in-law suite in the basement. Rather than pour- ing a normal basement slab,
14 create | A REMODELING RESOURCE FROM NARI METRO DC
Century Historic Home = LEED-H Platinum Renovation
the company decided to dig out the basement floor in order to gain more ceiling height and, in turn, was able to make an insulated slab. Te cost of insulating the slab was only about $1,000.
Another decision that helped the house achieve LEED Platinum status was the LEED requirement that all of the home’s walls be entirely opened up, insulated and inspected before the wallboard was installed. Because the owner also wanted a more open floor plan which required guting, Landis insulated with an expand- ing open-cell, soy-based foam insulation, rather than blowing in insulation. Te spray foam made the house much more air-tight and, thus, energy-efficient.
Other measures and choices that Landis spearheaded to achieve LEED-Platinum status for the house were:
● Installing a state-of-the-art solar water heating system. ●
Installing a high-efficiency HVAC system with an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV), which, during warmer seasons pre-cools outdoor air before it is brought in and pre-heats the air in the cooler seasons.
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