June 30, 2006

Sustainable Sarasota


I have to find out more about this group but they are trying to create a green corridor that's against the strip mall, big box that is becoming the US. Very interesting site with lots of information about green and sustainable living. Sarasota is very near Englewood and it's nice to see such a great movement so close to our future home. "The 2050 Plan is a 50 year, incentive based land use plan to manage and shape future growth in Sarasota County. Sarasota 2050's primary goals are preserving the county's natural, cultural and physical resources and making all neighborhoods, both old and new, more livable"

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 12:28 PM 0 Comments

100 years ago in Englewood

If I have the map right I think our 2 acres is part of the 30 acres that was Gottfried farm sitting on Gottfried 100 years ago. At the Link, The Sun-Herald printed a fond recollection from Fred Gottfried about being in Englewood in 1919. "She (Fred's mother) was not an enthusiastic visitor to Englewood. She was a city person who was content with her little circle of friends and relatives and the easy mobility of city life. Here she was limited to what few neighbors had occasion to stop by for a few minutes. She did not rebel, but she was not amused by the area." Hmmm, I wonder if I will share the feelings of Fred's mother when I think of Brooklyn.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 12:19 PM 0 Comments

June 29, 2006

Charlotte County FL had a history

"1898 -- Col. James M. Lewis, wealthy sportsman from Old Point Comfort, Va., builds hunting and fishing lodge at Gottfried Creek and sells home sites for New Point Comfort." View a complete timeline at the Link.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 2:44 PM 0 Comments

Is insurance in FL worth it?


At the Link, the NY Times writes of insurance woes in Fl. From the article, "I'm in a pickle," Mrs. Litt Lyon said. "I want to have it for my peace of mind, but do we really need insurance? I just spent $8,000 for storm shutters. We live in this 1961 concrete building that's a fortress. Even if you make a claim, the deductibles are so high that you don't even really make a claim." We were hoping to incorporate features that would give us a maxium in incentives since we are starting from sratch anyway. We'll have to investigate further all the specifics.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 1:05 PM 0 Comments

June 28, 2006

The Eco-$mart catalogue


All the wall systems came from the Eco-Smart catalogue at the Link. I found it on the FL Green Builders Associationwebsite. Whether we go with any of these products or not, the catalogue is great place to learn more. "Eco-$mart, Inc. is operated under license from the non-profit Florida House Institute for Sustainable Development"

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 3:52 PM 0 Comments

Q: What is R-value?

A: R-value relates to thermal resistance. Thermal resistance is the measure of a material's ability to retard heat flow. An R-value represents the amount of time (in hours) that is required for one Btu to be transmitted through one square foot of a material (or structure) when there is a temperature difference of one degree Fahrenheit between the two surfaces of the insulation. Since R-values are a measurement of the ability to retard heat flow, the higher the R-value, the higher the insulation value. Materials which have the same R-value, regardless of thickness, weight, or appearance, are equal in insulation value.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 3:44 PM 0 Comments

BES-ABC Modular SIP

They say, "Delivered complete, including pre-stressed concrete slab - just connect electrical and plumbing.

Features and Benefits of Modular SIP Buildings:
Hurricane Resistant
Energy Efficient
Healthy Indoor Air Quality
Affordable
Wood-Free Non-Flammable Structure
Fast Construction
Florida Building Code Approved"

We say, we're going to need a more interesting design than the picture.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 3:32 PM 0 Comments

BES-Snap-N-Lock Complete Shell Packages

They say, "SIPs are high-performance building panels for floors, walls and roofs in residential and commercial buildings. Structural Insulated Panels use expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam insulation sandwiched between two structural skins of steel (used in the patented Snap-N-Lock™ panel). The result is a building envelope system that is very strong, predictable, energy efficient, and cost effective."

We say, because of the use of polystyrene this one seems questionable.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 3:25 PM 0 Comments

BES-Pro-TEC Cement Board SIP


They say,"ProTec is a structural insulated panel system comprised of interior and exterior cement-fiber boards, with an extruded polystyrene (EPS) core. The system includes galvanized steel base plate, top plate and "H" splines (for panel to panel connection), as well as stainless steel fasteners to attach all components together.

The system has an R-Value of R-20, does not allow for mold and mildew to grow inside the walls, contains electrical chases within the panel, and has a 15-minute fire rating, so no furring or drywall is needed. The ProTec cement-fiber boards are non-combustible and lightweight and take conventional stucco directly to the outside. No special tools are need, so construction is fast and easy."

We say, The stucco look could be a way to go if it's done so that it looks rustic and real vs. the polished look of the fake Spanish style new homes going up all over FL.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 3:14 PM 0 Comments

BES-Hybrid SIP/ICF

They say, "A patented structural insulated panel / insulated concrete form system. This stay-in-place form is manufactured full height, with window and door openings pre-cut, then delivered to the jobsite to erect and fill with concrete.

The forms are comprised of fiber rock exterior panels held by steel studs to a 2" thick interior closed cell foam board, with furring strips already mounted on the interior.

Foundations are prepared with 24" vertical rebar (as with concrete block), the forms are placed by crane (typical 10‘ wide sections), horizontal rebar is placed in the forms, resting on the steel studs (no tying of rebar required) then the forms are poured with concrete. The concrete pour creates a 3 1/2" solid concrete wall all the way around the building.

Fiberrated stucco is applied directly to the exterior boards with a link / bonding agent. The result is a stronger, faster built, more energy efficient, healthier wall system, competitively priced with concrete block. Replaces: concrete block, furring, insulation, tie beams, sills and lintels - all in one step. R-14 to R-24 insulation value, 250 mph wind tested, no termites, no mold and mildew, low sound transmission."

We say, the crane installation seems a but over the top.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 3:07 PM 0 Comments

BES-ICF Wall System


They say, "Insulated concrete form wall system with forms made from recycled wood and concrete. System requires less labor and bracing than polystyrene ICFs, takes conventional stucco or siding directly on wall. Hurricane resistant, termite proof, R-18 to R-20 insulation value (equal to R-40 or more with infiltration and thermal mass considered). Factory training available. Will quote from plans."
We say we don't know what the R-## are and the texture looks strange.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 2:59 PM 0 Comments

BES-4EverGreen

They say, "The complete 4EverGreen shell for a 2500 square foot house can be built in as little as three days, by a single crew, eliminating delays between trades.

Advantages of 4EverGreen Shell Packages

1. Replaces six to nine trades with one subcontractor. (Replaces wall mason, poured beam contractor, interior framer, truss and floor system installer, insulation contractor, stucco contractor, exterior painter, optionally: window installer, roofing contractor)
2. Much faster shell construction.
3. At or below conventional construction costs.
4. Truly "Green", healthy, efficient, disaster resistant structure.
5. Complete shell is engineered to 150mph and up.
6. Miami-Dade approved.
7. Manufacturing tolerances below 1/32 of an inch.
8. Offers a variety exterior options (concrete/stucco, AAC, siding)
9. Residential and commercial pre-engineered designs available.
10. Design build services available."

I don't see where siding would work in a hurricane but we wouldn't be doing that anyway.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 2:50 PM 0 Comments

BES- Autoclaved Aerated Concrete


I'll let them sell themselves. "For nearly 70 years, Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) has proved its superior quality in all areas of building construction and in virtually all climatic conditions throughout the world. AAC buildings are inherently fire resistant (2 to 4 hour rating), pest resistant, moisture resistant and energy efficient. The raw materials - quartzite sand, lime and water - can be found in almost unlimited quantities throughout the world. These raw materials are then processed to provide a building material with a large number of air pores - aerated concrete. And it is precisely these pores in addition to the solid structure of calcium silicate hydrates which give AAC its exceptional product properties: high compressive strength, excellent thermal insulation, low material weight, ease of workability and handling, universal application, non-allergenic, and efficient construction. Available in block or panel formats."

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 2:38 PM 0 Comments

The boring world of Building Envelope Systems


It has to be done, although it is probably the most boring thing to highlight, I have to go through the h-zone, wall system options so I can get things straight. I've decided I'm not really in love with the container idea or the castle-like facade of Dac-Art so the search continues. The next thought is to pick a Building Envelope System (I guess that's a good way to describe it) and have our architect just design with that material in mind. It would still be somewhat prefab no matter what. I do know we could hire someone to make all these decisions for us but I want to understand what's out there and how it works.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 2:24 PM 0 Comments

A Powerhouse in Maryland


Our Baltimore contingent was kind enough to send along this article in The Baltimore Sun at the Link about a prototype "zero energy" house now being shown in Bel Air, MD. by Bob Ward Homes. Of course Bob Ward is promoting himself above but hey, we'll support green builders. Once we are up and running in FL one of the future projects will be adding up how much we save and spreading the word. No one is really correctly marketing green design to consumers. The overall impression is that it costs extra and people dismiss it right away. Also, let's get some more tax credits going as incentive.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 1:57 PM 0 Comments

June 27, 2006

The DAC-ART cost


The 3 reasons to consider this building system at all are the h-proof factors, the kit style building aspect and the cost. Although no cost per sq ft is offered by the owner they do break costs that will be part of our project as well (although no specific green systems were apparently used here). This does gives a rough estimate of what some of our costs may be. "Our lot is 400ft deep and we ran underground utilities the entire length (won't have to be repeated for future additions). We used high-end windows and doors with the seacoast upgrade on door hardware & exterior finish..... $17,000. We hung Dade County approved 'hurricane proof' shutters on all the windows-they look like wood but have aluminum interior frames and an interior sheet of Lexan....over $8000. In addition to the city water, we installed a well & pump for outside use water. Because the elevation is so low here, the local utility co. requires us to have a sewage grinder pump ($1000). We used no sheetrock. Our ceilings are 13 1/2 ft--(and we love that)." Shipping costs were minimal because they live close to the source. He estimates that this house cost about 130k but they did some interior design extras that wouldn't interest us. So it's a good example of a house addressing similiar issues to ours.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 11:24 AM 1 Comments

From container to castle


Well if we are considering living in a container than I guess the juxtapostion of a castle on the Gulf could work just as well. This is the interior of the Dac-Art home. While the floor to ceiling doors are perfect, the walls from the inside feel too cold and castle-like. We aren't afraid of cement walls so maybe it's the faux color that seems wrong.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 10:51 AM 1 Comments

DAC-ART Building System


This to us is a little like a mini-McMansion but worth investigating. The owners have a nice before and after of both Ivan and Katrina at the Link and show the vacation house still standing- good sign. The house is in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Dac-Art are hollow blocks filled with concrete and are shipped to be built as a modular wall system. This photo shows hurricane proof shutters on the windows. We like this idea but are not sold on the look of this house and would need to learn more on how environmentally friendly this material could be.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 10:32 AM 2 Comments

June 26, 2006

Green building- fad or trend?

I found this Link on The Central Florida Real Estate Blog. Interesting stats from the National Home Builders Association (NHBA). "The cost of building a green home stops 82 percent of buyers from opting for it, according to the survey; while 79 percent say a "lack of interest" holds them back. Only 39 percent said that the perception of green building as a fad and not something here to stay was a significant roadblock."Seems to be the same road blocks that kept people from using the computer back in the 90's.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 6:51 PM 0 Comments

The Florida McMansion

Southwest Florida is not immune to the McMansion crisis plaguing these United States. This place is huge and sits right on Lemon Bay. It is a good marker, however, if you happen to visit by boat. Just hug to the right of this behemoth and you'll be heading up Gottfried Creek to our place.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 4:11 PM 0 Comments

Guess who named a house BoKlok?


If you guessed Ikea, then at least we know their key marketing technique has paid off- naming products names no one can pronounce (ok, so maybe only in the US). The BoKlok prefab house is actually named after the Swedish phrase for "smart living." As soon as we thought prefab, Mr. Gottfried thought Ikea. This is an example of prefab that wouldn't be very smart for us as soon as the wind came through. Also, I can't seem to find if these are offered in the US officially yet.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 1:49 PM 1 Comments

A Container Life

We had been ignoring prefab housing kits as an option because we assumed they would blow away even in tropical storm winds. While googling hurricane proof prefab houses, Mr. Gottfried came across the 12 container house designed by architect Adam Kalkin. This house also came up in the book "kit homes modern" by Ima Ebong we received recently as a gift. The NYTimes article at the Link explains the idea thoroughly with a great slide show as well. We are so excited to think about actually taking this road as it uses recycled materials and I assume could be implemented further with green systems. Who knew a container shed so much light?

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 10:57 AM 1 Comments

June 22, 2006

All of Florida is beneath sea level anyway

This is where we are on the gulf side shown above. Gottfried Creek specifically is found next to the B marker on this google map. Gottfried Creek flows into Lemon Bay where the ICW takes you to Stump Pass and onto the Gulf of Mexico. There are barrier islands that separate Lemon Bay (and us on Gottfried Creek) from the gulf. You can be sure I'll be measuring the creek's water level just in case the rise in sea level is even quicker than everyone is predicting... anywhere from 3 to 20 feet by 2100.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 3:29 PM 0 Comments

What a difference a century makes

I could go crazy trying to carry the world on my shoulders with this green building project. I am not going to make even a dent in slowing global warming with these efforts but hey, it's a project and you never quite know how it turns out until it's finished. Yesterday at www.NYTimes.com (which seems to be eyeballing FL this week) I watched a video showing how quickly the beaches are shrinking along the east coast of FL. We are on the gulf side although not right on the beach. According to their research above, we will be moderately affected by sea level rise. I wonder how they are defining moderately here?

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 2:34 PM 0 Comments

The hurricane factor

The NY Times covers the hurricane proof building boom going on in the gulf region- TX, LA and FL. Some of the resources listed in the article are going to point us in the right direction as far as the hurricane-proof factors but what about the sustainable, green issues? We also want to enjoy some aesthetic value in what is built. The fundamental systems, water, solar etc., are a good starting point as they are designed green to begin with but the selection of materials and design are still far out of reach.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 1:27 PM 0 Comments

The lagoon


The lagoon that can be seen from the aerial view is seen here looking out onto it from the lot itself. The lagoon makes for a sheltered little nook along the bank.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 12:39 PM 0 Comments

Aerial View

Here is an aerial view of the lot which can be recognized by the lagoon that exists slightly inland from the pointer (Mickey was our realtor). You can also see the neighbors house in white. The lot is 150 ft x 600 ft. approx. and the property lines are somewhat visible all around in red.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 12:34 PM 0 Comments

Gottfried Creek


Here is the bank as it looks from Gottfried Creek. There is a house on the left. Our lot begins where it becomes overgrown. There are mangroves that border most of the bank and the banyan tree sits just behind the bank.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 11:39 AM 0 Comments

June 21, 2006

A neat little list


Over at the Herald Tribune, Rosemary Sadez Friedman highlights a simple list of some sustainable options for flooring and walls etc. and is local to FL.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 10:26 AM 0 Comments

June 15, 2006

The Checklist

The Florida green Building Coalition offers many resources that I am just starting to get into. The idea of a check list of green building standards is such a wonderful idea. It provides a snapshot into what should be considered upfront- everything from water systems to windows. Also, there is a points system for different levels of green which makes this less intimidating to those who have budget restrictions- like ourselves. Let's hear it for the waterless toilet!!

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 11:12 AM 0 Comments

What's in an architect?

I think the biggest challenge is where we are going to find an architect who can navigate all the green design aspects, stay within our budget and have an insight into the overall look of the house. I feel like I'd like to hire someone who is just fresh out of school because they may be more in touch with using green systems etc and not cost a premium as there would be a learning curve perhaps. At this point, we really don't know where to start. The NY Times seems to hit this nail right on the head.
"Indeed, the notion of sustainable design -- balancing architecture's emphasis on style and structure with the creation of buildings that protect the environment, human health and save resources -- presents a challenge."

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 10:52 AM 0 Comments

June 13, 2006

Hot air rises!


Something we are going to do as soon as we reach FL is visit The Florida House. This is more along the lines of consumer friendly education. A place you can actually walk in and see for yourself how one house was put together green. This is a nice way for the lay person to get their head around some simple design concepts- The cupola above the great room area...provides light; promotes whole house ventilation; draws and ejects heat and humidity from areas that produce the most - the kitchen, the laundry room and the bathroom. We want to do something a bit different aesthetically overall but this cupola idea seems standard, useful and appealing. To gain hands on insight into some general and affordable green building ideas helps us to start to understand choices and technology at the same time.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 3:02 PM 0 Comments

Greentrends 2006


GreenTrends 2006 is Florida’s Third Annual Green Building Conference & Trade Show. The conference serves as a forum for bringing together those businesses, government agencies, organizations, and individuals involved in greening the design, construction, and operation of Florida’s built environment. It is interesting there is this great resource particular to FL and its green building movement BUT my biggest beef is I still feel it alienates the consumer/homeowner. Very unfortunately I missed this (but would it have been appropriate for me to attend anyway?) I will definitely use the site as a resource but it starts to become more marketing of new green/h-zoned products vs. solid information to help make an informed unbiased buying decision. This is referring more to the trade show side of this with so many products flying at you. We are embarking on one of the hard parts of this project trying to navigate the bs from the real deal.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 12:20 PM 0 Comments

Focus on Architecture in Sarasota, FL


Harold Bubil covers the architecture happenings in Sarsota on his Herald Tribune Blog. Sarasota is just 1/2 hour north of Englewood but has much more of a solid foundation as far as builing history. The question on these panels was more preservation of existing buildings (and a new modern movement) vs. new green building designs and systems which is where we'll need the most guidance. However, we will take a trip into Sarasota to specifically view its architectural past for ideas. Since I unfortunately could not attend, I don't know if green building was part of the discussion at all. I am, however, for preserving old buildings- that's what we've been doing in Brooklyn these passed few years.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 11:28 AM 0 Comments

Mid-Century Modern in Miami still makes sense

I have a lot of catching up to do with past articles I still need to post. I found this link on www.organicarchitect.com about a mid-century modern house designed by Chuck Reed Jr. that still exists in Miami. ''It gives me a sense of time and place,'' says James String, 76, a land surveyor who, with his first wife Lydia, hired Reed to design the home. ``It belongs. I thought when it was built that my neighbors would see it and want to build more like it, but then the builders came with their stock plans and that was that. Maybe I'm not being modest to say it's a work of art. I am liking the bare cement walls. One of the options we'll be looking at even in light of the new wall systems available in hurricane zones.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 10:26 AM 0 Comments

June 12, 2006

No papercrete or straw bale in a hurricane zone


I found this old post on treehugger.com which suggests why this site came into existence. After searching high and low I was unable to find a homeowner based site that applied to the special considerations of building green in a hurricane zone. "Most building codes in 'the zone' now require new construction to be strengthened to resist hurricane force winds. But that's a one-off approach to sustainability. Do the new designs require owners to consume more energy intensive building materials? What about the impact on long term energy consumption? Think about it for a while and many more difficult and unanswered questions emerge with landscaping, stormwater management, and daylighting."

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 7:02 PM 0 Comments

"Man is fire ants' best friend."


Fire ants are found along Gottfried Creek where we'll be. A good sign is that when we were there no one was attacked. It will be something to look out for as there is a Miss Gottfried running around. The Florida State University myrmecologist, Walter Tschinkel believes fire ants get a bad wrap. "Humans make habitat for fire ants and fire ants are very abundant and, therefore, I'm provided with abundant research material," Tschinkel said. "My favorite phrase is `Man is fire ants' best friend.'" When was the last time you heard a myrmecologist say that?

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 2:25 PM 0 Comments

Alberto is on track


Funny, just as I finally got this blog started and became a little focused on the upcoming Gottfried Green project, here comes Alberto. Englewood is said to have only a tropical storm warning so I am sure things will be fine. Afterall we have no house yet to be destroyed by the wind. I only worry about the banyan tree. I did have dreams last week of every hurricane that came through the gulf cutting straight through Englewood. I know that's part of the reality of living in FL but I can't believe the first one of the season mentions Englewood.

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 11:51 AM 0 Comments

Brad Pitt is seeing green on PBS


I unfortunately missed some of these on Thirteen here in NY but hopefully they will run again soon. What does Brad Pitt know about sustainable Architecture? After narrating a six part series entitled e2, the Economics of Being Environmentally Conscious, more than we may have thought. From the stars own mouth: “By employing the intelligence of natural systems we can create industry, buildings, even regional plans that see nature and commerce not as mutually exclusive but mutually coexisting.” Who knew?

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 10:08 AM 0 Comments

June 08, 2006

There's a lot in a lot

The lot in FL is 2 acres and gorgeous but how does one take a picture with a disposable camera that does justice to unbridled land? I do need to get better pictures once we get down there. There is a banyan tree (which was the inspiration for all this change) and other old palm trees, vegetation and mangroves along the bank of the creek. For now though, we can only imagine it in our heads and hope it still looks as dreamy when we get down there- did we fall hard too fast?

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 12:53 PM 0 Comments

June 06, 2006

Out with the very old in Brooklyn

We are currently in the process of selling our 150 year old townhouse in Brooklyn, NY which will allow us to undertake the FL green project. Even with a love of old houses , our Lefferts Place dream proved too much labor and in the end, not enough love. It does appear from this house that we do like green buildings so maybe this new idea isn't so crazy. I have a feeling we will exist in 2 worlds for a while as Brooklyn will be missed terribly. What on earth are we doing?

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posted by Mrs Gottfried at 1:48 PM 0 Comments