Environmental Design + Construction - March 2009 - (Page 30) SPECIAL SECTION A Tightknit Group Clearly, I had strong partners in these clients. The next step was to surround myself with talented professionals who could assist in realizing Sarah and John’s deep-green vision. The result was among the strongest, most rewarding teams I’ve had the pleasure to work with: ■ Co-designer: I first met Chris DeVolder through his wife, who worked at my firm at the time. Chris later became the drummer in my Irish rock band, and we quickly developed a strong friendship that spilled over into the collaboration at Green Dirt. If you can make music with someone, who better to collaborate with on a creative project? ■ Builder: When Chris and I found Greg Rothers, we knew the house would meet the clients’ highest expectations. Originally trained GREEN DIRT FARM RESIDENCE Size: 2,500 square feet Location: Weston, Missouri www.greendirtfarm.com Materials Reclaimed timbers for columns, trusses, decking, finish carpentry and more. Corrugated metal, board-formed concrete, cedar siding, standing-seam metal roofing on exterior. Triple-paned windows and structural insulated panels for an efficient envelope. Low-VOC paints and sealers with minimal finishes inside the house. Solar hot water, geothermal heat pumps with radiant floor heating and cooling, laminated amorphous silicon photovoltaic solar panels and a wind turbine on site. Compact fluorescent lighting, ENERGY STAR appliances, dual-flush water-saving toilets. Wood-burning masonry heater (Kachelofen) for backup and also as a bread oven. Low-maintenance native landscaping and outdoor kitchen for summer cooking. Rainwater collected from roofs for agricultural needs. Natural ventilation for cooling during shoulder seasons. CollinsWood it's the right choice ® Collins Lakeview Forest in Oregon Hardwoods Softwoods ® FreeForm Particleboard ® TruWood Siding & Trim as an architect, Greg possessed design sensibilities rare among builders. His expertise truly enriched the process. ■ Mechanical engineer: My friend, colleague and mentor, Houston-based Ron Perkins was the natural choice for this project given his innovative talent and vast green experience. ■ Etc.: Many others contributed greatly. Topping the list were Bob Solger who helped with the energy systems and Kansas City-based Elmwood Reclaimed Timber who guided us through the process of re-milling and re-using the salvaged wood we purchased. Seeking and Sizing the Right Materials As it happened, I was aware of a substantial stock of salvaged wood that had come from a torndown Kansas City warehouse and was awaiting its next incarnation after being purchased by Bob Berkebile, my mentor and partner at BNIM. Sarah and John agreed to use this gorgeous 120-yearold heart pine, a substance that is now nearly impossible to find. In spite of the fact that we had to scan each board with a metal detector to locate and remove all old nails (we filled buckets with them) and re-mill the wood, the unbelievable beauty and character it brought to the structure made the extra effort more than worthwhile and kept this historic wood in the community. CollinsWood.com 800.329.1219 30 Reader Service No. 195 www.EDCmag.com/webcard ed+c M AR C H 09 http://www.greendirtfarm.com http://www.CollinsWood.com http://www.CollinsWood.com http://www.EDCmag.com/webcard
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