Richard Tilley, Tall Traditions Owner and President, was asked to comment by WRAL News on the "tear-down trend" in the Raleigh, NC residential building market, as people choose to build quality homes from scratch over renovating old houses.
New Custom Home boasts green building and environmentally-friendly features
In 2008, Tall Traditions undertook a one of a kind, new home construction project that featured some of the most innovative developments in green home building. From the site clearing to the finishing touches, great attention was paid to the environmental impact of the creation of this distinctive green home.
Precautions in Site Preparation
This inside-the-beltline home in Raleigh, NC, was built on a lot occupied by a former home. Both the contractor and new homeowners took care to ensure the former structure was responsibly removed and that all materials possible were processed for reuse. This included: recycling bricks for garden mulch; processing old concrete for use in future concrete; and sending all structural steel, glass and copper guttering to metal and glass yards for post consumer recycling. Care was also taken to implement a three phase grading plan which minimized the impact of the development to the surrounding environment and preserved water quality.
The hallmark of Tall Traditions' sustainability efforts in this phase of the project included carefully relocating a gorgeous 50+ year maple tree. While an enormous task, it was well worth it as both the home owners and tree are happy and thriving in their new location.
Innovative Green Building Features
Sustainability features didn't end with the site preparation and planning phases of this project. Every detail of the home's interior and exterior was considered and evaluated with regards to the energy efficiency and the environmental impact. Interior and construction green features included:
- A "sealed crawl space" for higher energy efficiency and moisture control
- Open cell foam insulation system that is both lightweight and provides for greater energy efficiency
- The highest quality Eagle Brand windows that offer low energy transfer from the outside and are outfitted with Argon gas between panes to keep heat transfer to a minimum
- Reclaimed materials were used throughout the house's decorative finishes including reclaimed brick, flooring, and cabinet materials and decorative beams
- The heating and air conditioning system featured the highest performing computerized system available with remote monitoring
- A state of the art water leak detection system for preservation and water conservation
- LL Energy Star energy efficient appliances including a low water use front-loading washer
Green Considerations in the Landscape
In the landscaping plan and installation, designers minimized the turf area used in order to control water usage demands and deployed an irrigation system based entirely on well water so that no city water was utilized.
We invite you to consider Tall Traditions for your green or sustainable building project and to tour this magnificent sustainable home.