“Green” Architect Helps Seniors Conserve Energy Use and Costs, Age In Place

During the Orange County Dept. on Aging Housing Expo

Arielle Condoret Schechter, AIA

Chapel Hill architect Arielle Condoret Schechter, AIA will help senior citizens and their families discover ways to make their homes more energy-efficient during The Orange County Department on Aging Housing Expo Saturday, October 25, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Seymour Center.

Schechter specializes in “super-green” housing with a focus on passive homes built to PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) standards, which are among the most stringent sustainability standards in the world.

“Passive houses are not quite the same thing as passive solar,” Schechter noted. “They are much more than that, although passive solar is often one of the many features of a passive house. ”

She explained that passive houses include super-insulation, a tight building envelope, and the elimination of thermal bridging (junctions where insulation is not continuous and causes heat loss). As a result, passive houses use dramatically less energy than the standard home and recoup the up-front costs for the extra insulation with dramatically lowered electrical bills for the rest of the house’s life.  The US Department of Energy has praised Passive House standards as being the best path to Net Zero.

From her booth at the Expo, however, Schechter will help seniors explore simple energy-conservation options for their existing homes.

“The US Department of Energy says that replacing 15 old light bulbs with LED lights will save you about $50 per year on your electric bill.” she said. “There are so many other little things you can do around your home that will add up to real energy cost savings, such as stopping air leaks with caulk and weather-stripping and insulation to save money and make your house more comfortable. When it comes time to replace an appliance, I’ll recommend buying ones with the Energy Star® rating. Same with windows: If you have to replace them, switch to high-efficiency windows that have the right type of glass. Some passive house windows have an R-value almost the same as a standard insulated stud wall. And with the droughts that are becoming the norm every summer in our state, I’m a big advocate of collecting rainwater, whether with simple rain barrels or more involved cistern systems for lawn and garden irrigation.”

Schechter also specializes in “age in place” houses. According to AARP, older homeowners overwhelmingly prefer to age in place, which means living in their homes safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age or ability. Schechter will be available to discuss home modifications that could allow seniors to remain in their houses rather than move into long-term care facilities by increasing access and maneuverability.

“Modifications range from simple solutions to elaborate undertakings,” Schechter said. “Simple modifications include changing out lights to brighter LED bulbs for aging eyes, adding bath and shower grab bars, and changing floor coverings to accommodate a wheel chair or to get rid of slippery surfaces. More involved efforts might include removing a shower curb to make it curb-less, adding a simple exterior ramp to your entry instead of a staircase, widening doorways, creating a multifunctional first floor master suite if the master bedroom is currently on the second story, and even installing a home elevator. How much you do will depend on need and budget.”

The Chapel Hill Seymour Center is located at 2551 State Road 1777, Chapel Hill, NC 27516. For more information on the Housing Expo, go to http://www.co.orange.nc.us.

For more information on Arielle Condoret Schechter and her work, visit http://www.acsarchitect.com.

 

Webcast Focuses On “Riding The Red Hot Healthy Home Trend”

Chapel Hill architect Arielle Schechter, AIA, helps builders embrace high-performance houses.

Should homebuilders produce houses that are as “21^st century” as cell phones and automobiles? TecHomeBuilder.com believes they should. From sustainability technologies to CO2 monitoring, the website’s mission is to help homebuilders and designers learn how to create high-performance houses by including high-tech features both efficiently and profitably.

One way TecHomeBuilder.com does this is through webcasts. On Thursday, October 9, at 2 p.m. EST, Chapel Hill, NC, architect and passive house specialist Arielle Condoret Schechter, AIA, will be the featured guest on the webcast “Riding The Red Hot Healthy Home Trend.”

Shechter and custom homebuilder Kevin Murphy of NewPhire Building in Chapel Hill, will discuss the host of “green” strategies and materials they used in “Happy Meadow Courtyard House,” perhaps the greenest single-family house in America, currently completing construction in Chapel Hill.

In September, TecHomeBuilder.com posted a story on this uber-green house entitled “Passive House Goes High Tech: The ultimate green home incorporates building science techniques and plenty of energy innovations.” The story listed the many green standards certifications this single-story, 2567-heated-square-foot house has received or will receive once it is completed. Among them are the National Association of Homebuilders Green Builders’ Standard Emerald certification, the standard’s highest rating; and PHIUS Passive House Plus, one of the most difficult certifications to receive.

During the webcast, Schechter will help viewers understand that passive homes like Happy Meadow start with attention to such “low-tech” considerations as orientation on the site to maximize natural ventilation from prevailing breezes and natural light; deep roof overhangs to block the high sun in the summer; a special white roof membrane to reflect heat; triple-pane windows; and super-insulation in the roof, walls, and flooring. They also created a wildlife habitat and frog pond on the property.

Where passive principles stop technology takes over: She and Murphy will discuss the green technologies they employed — including a photovoltaic array, geothermal heating and cooling, a rainwater capture system, and the “CERV” ventilation system, to name only a few — to make this house net zero for energy use and perhaps net positive when it produces more energy than it uses.

They will also explain how up-front investments in sustainable materials and green technologies reduces a high-performance house’s energy consumption and costs to a fraction of that of a conventional house.

Viewing the “Riding The Red Hot Healthy Home Trend” webcast requires preregistration (at no cost). Go to www.techomebuilder.com, click on “Events,” scroll down to “Webcasts,” then click on “Register for the Webcast” under the name of the show.

About TecHome Builder:

TecHomeBuilder.com is a primary resource for homebuilders who want to make the inclusion of high-tech features in the homes they build efficient and profitable, from energy, lighting and HVAC and IAQ to advanced appliances, electronics, and connectivity. TecHomeBuilder.com provides education, application strategies, and inspiration. For more information: www.techomebuilder.com.

 

“Green” Architect Helps Seniors Conserve Energy Use and Costs, Age In Place

During Orange Co. Dept. on Aging Housing Expo

Chapel Hill architect Arielle Condoret Schechter, AIA will help senior citizens and their families discover ways to make their homes more energy-efficient during The Orange County Department on Aging Housing Expo Saturday, October 25, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Seymour Center.

Schechter specializes in “super-green” housing with a focus on passive homes built to PHIUS (Passive House Institute US) standards, which are among the most stringent sustainability standards in the world.

“Passive houses are not quite the same thing as passive solar,” Schechter noted. “They are much more than that, although passive solar is often one of the many features of a passive house. ”

She explained that passive houses include super-insulation, a tight building envelope, and the elimination of thermal bridging (junctions where insulation is not continuous and causes heat loss). As a result, passive houses use dramatically less energy than the standard home and recoup the up-front costs for the extra insulation with dramatically lowered electrical bills for the rest of the house’s life. The US Department of Energy has praised Passive House standards as being the best path to Net Zero (zero energy consumption).

From her booth at the Expo, however, Schechter will help seniors explore simple energy-conservation options for their existing homes.

“The US Department of Energy says that replacing 15 old light bulbs with LED lights will save you about $50 per year on your electric bill.” she said. “There are so many other little things you can do around your home that will add up to real energy cost savings, such as stopping air leaks with caulk and weather-stripping and insulation to save money and make your house more comfortable. When it comes time to replace an appliance, I’ll recommend buying ones with the Energy Star® rating. Same with windows: If you have to replace them, switch to high-efficiency windows that have the right type of glass. Some passive house windows have an R-value almost the same as a standard insulated stud wall. And with the droughts that are becoming the norm every summer in our state, I’m a big advocate of collecting rainwater, whether with simple rain barrels or more involved cistern systems for lawn and garden irrigation.”

Schechter also specializes in “age in place” housing. According to AARP, older homeowners overwhelmingly prefer to age in place, which means living in their homes safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age or ability. Schechter will be available to discuss home modifications that could allow seniors to remain in their homes rather than move into long-term care facilities by increasing access and maneuverability.

“Modifications range from simple solutions to elaborate undertakings,” Schechter said. “Simple modifications include changing out lights to brighter LED bulbs for aging eyes, adding bath and shower grab bars, and changing floor coverings to accommodate a wheel chair or to get rid of slippery surfaces. More involved efforts might include removing a shower curb to make it curb-less, adding a simple exterior ramp to your entry instead of a staircase, widening doorways, creating a multifunctional first floor master suite if the master bedroom is currently on the second story, and even installing a home elevator. How much you do will depend on need and budget.”

The Chapel Hill Seymour Center is located at 2551 State Road 1777, Chapel Hill, NC 27516. For more information on the Housing Expo, go to http://www.co.orange.nc.us.

For more information on Arielle Condoret Schechter and her work, visit http://www.acsarchitect.com.