Ann Arbor-based green design, building and remodeling company, Meadowlark Builders, will be conducting tours of a “Deep Green” home under construction in Northfield Township. Guided tours will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 20 – 22, 2012.
The event is free; however, pre-registration is required by visiting www.behindthedrywall.com or by calling 734-332-1500.
Attendees will be able to see what makes up the core of a super energy-efficient home using “long life – loose fit” design principles to accommodate the owners’ needs today, tomorrow and far into the future. The tour will showcase a variety of the latest cutting-edge green design and building strategies, including geothermal heating and cooling systems, advanced indoor air quality techniques, advanced thermal wall and roof envelopes and Not-So-BigTM design principles.
This home has been named the Forest Green house to reflect the serene forest-like setting overlooking Fleming Creek. Maximizing the views and bringing the outside in was a primary goal in the design of this exceptional home. The result is a series of vignettes that capture the nature of the surrounding forest and also bring in an abundance of natural light from an interior courtyard.
Using state-of-the-art building envelope techniques, Meadowlark Builders maximizes structural integrity and thermal performance. “Tried and true” methods combined with the latest technological advances result in a home that performs significantly better than it’s standard counterpart. Doug Selby, co-founder of Meadowlark Builders, said, “At this year’s tour we will demonstrate the future of insulation and air-sealing in homes – beyond fiberglass and beyond spray foam.”
Doug also adds that he is “looking forward to a robust discussion of the super-efficient heating and cooling systems to be used in this home – systems that utilize the latest technology and will keep this home comfortable with excellent air quality.” This tour will demonstrate the science behind building the world’s best-performing homes and will feature interactive learning opportunities.
WHY “Green” construction matters
Considering our dwindling energy and material resources and our planet’s ecological distress, each of us, as homeowners, has a unique and important role to play to make a change for the better. American buildings are the most inefficient buildings on the planet and we waste hundreds of billions of dollars annually as a country through casual waste.
American buildings are also unhealthy when taken as a whole. Indoor air pollutants can often be four to five times as high as outdoor levels of the same irritants. The EPA states that American homes have worse air quality than our most polluted cities and are the 5th most costly environmental health hazard. Green homes address these issues by recognizing that many of these performance issues are inter-related.
ABOUT the Builder and Designer
Meadowlark Builders is a full-service design/build firm specializing in “deep green” building techniques and custom finish work. As a national award-winning green building company, they build and remodel homes that are among the most efficient in the world. Meadowlark’s goal is to help re-make the landscape of American homes – homes that make more energy than they use and produce a net positive environmental impact.
Click here to be introduced to Meadowlark Builders
Source: Meadowlark Builders