www.thedesignermagazine.com 47
all GE Energy Star qualifi ed refrigerators that were sold in 2005 is water from the washing machine and showers to irrigate the land.
equivalent to eliminating more than 71, 000 cars from US roads for An underground cistern was also used to collect 75 per cent of the
an entire year. rainwater from the gutters for irrigation.
Secondly, the showers, taps and toilets used for Project7Ten From the very outset, recycling and the use of renewable or
were supplied by Kohler and all use the latest technology in water sustainable materials played a very important role in the overall build,
conservation. For example, only low fl ow taps were used and all the even before the construction actually started. During the demolition
toilets were dual fl ush, which allows a higher degree of effi ciency. of the house that was formerly on the site, any materials that
Lighting is another way in which the property was able to were able to be recycled or reused were saved for this purpose. For
increase its energy effi ciency. Throughout the house there are no example, wood that was in good condition was sent to Guadalajara
incandescent bulbs. These are highly ineffi cient, have short life-spans in Mexico to be used in the construction of housing for low-income
and give off unnecessary heat and so instead the lighting fi xtures families and the old foundation slab was also removed and sent to a
are either the latest in compact fl uorescent bulbs or LED lighting concrete recycling centre.
which can have an expected life cycle of up to 50 years. Many The concrete that was used in the building of the new
of the fi xtures also included motion detectors so that lights are foundation of the property was composed of 30 per cent fl y ash
automatically turned off when a room is unoccupied. content, which is a byproduct of coal mining and a highly polluting
The windows also play a fundamental role in increasing the substance if it is not recycled. By incorporating the fl y ash into the
energy effi ciency of the house. Provided by Fleetwood, the windows cement the carbon output was reduced.
act both as insulation and as a light source. The windows themselves The framing of the house was built using Forest Stewardship
are manufactured using aluminium and also use a technique called Council lumber, which is a process by which faster growth wood is
‘Thermal Break’ in which a narrow bridge of polyurethane separates used and reforestation is guaranteed. Any construction waste was
each aluminium shape. This helps to keep the house cool during the also sent to a wood recycling centre. The interior fl ooring was made ➔
hot summer months and warm during the winter.
In addition, a series of skylights were installed which are Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) is a Green Building Rating
thermostatically controlled. They open automatically when the house System developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). Introduced in 1998, it
is too hot in order to allow the hot air to escape and then close is a nationally accepted benchmark which can be used to help transform the built
automatically when the house cools down. environment and make it more sustainable. It is a similar system to the UK BRE
It would be easy to believe that sourcing so many eco-friendly Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM).
materials and products for the house would be no simple task, yet
according to Schey: “It was fairly easy, and is easier today. There is so
THE LEED SYSTEM WAS CREATED TO: THE LEED RATING SYSTEM ADDRESSES
much on the Internet if one is curious about these things. It is easier
• Defi ne ‘green building’ by establishing a
FIVE MAJOR AREAS:
than ever to track down good ideas and good products.”
common standard of measurement; • Sustainable site development;
Self-suffi ciency was also identifi ed as key to the design of the
• Promote integrated, whole building • Water effi ciency;
property. Permacity solar panels were installed on the roof, which
design practices;
• Energy effi ciency;
on sunny days are used to heat the water. Then another set of solar
• Recognise environmental leadership in
panels are used to provide the electricity to pump this hot water
• Materials selection;
the building industry;
throughout the house for both potable and non-potable use.
• Indoor environmental quality.
The solar panels were also designed to act as overhangs to create
• Stimulate green competition;
areas of shade for the property and protect it from direct sunlight
• Raise consumer awareness of green
LEED projects are currently in progress in
during the hot summer months.
building benefi ts;
41 countries.
Water conservation was covered thanks to a drip irrigation system
• Transform the building market. LEED: www.usgbc.org/leed
which was installed, allowing a grey water system to fi lter and reuse
Project 710 p.indd 47 24/7/08 10:18:07
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