Whole-house remodel using Sustainable Design & Green Building methods and materials completed in 2006.

1. 2006 Green Remodel - Design & Construction - Spectrum Fine Homes, Inc.2006 Green Remodel - Design & Construction - Spectrum Fine Homes, Inc.
Spectrum Fine Homes was chosen as the Design/Build/Interior Design firm because it was
essential to the Clients that their home was updated by building ‘Green’.
 They did not wish to add to the footprint of their home
 They wanted the home to be comfortable and energy efficient
 They wanted healthy indoor air quality
 They wanted to use technologies, materials, and building techniques that did not adversely
effect the environment & natural resources
 They wanted to use a team dedicated to the principles of sustainable design & building,
collaboration, and support of the local economy

2. After
 New dual pane, low-E, fiberglass windows
 Formaldehyde-free insulation placed in walls when new siding installed
 New entry doors & fiber-cement horizontal lap siding chosen because of low impact production has upon our natural resources
 Naturalized landscape mostly native plants with organic mulch created by recycling a eucalyptus tree removed from site during
construction
Before

3. After
 Entry & stairwell with closet removed
 Stair treads widened
 Walls removed both upstairs & downstairs drawing you
through the warm, inviting space
 Architectural ‘rain’ glass in doors & stair rails opens up
space
Before
 Entry confusing, confining & lower floor blocked
 Closet hangs over stairwell, with limited headroom

4. Before
 Home seemed dark, even though many windows with wonderful views on every exposure
During Design - ‘Building Science’ Important
‘Home Performance Audit’ conducted by sub-contracted specialist to determine how to best design a new, highly efficient HVAC
system and how to make all systems of the home operate as efficiently as possible
 Passive solar concept of ‘Daylighting’ utilized in deciding to open up the space
Overcoming Obstacles
Electrical lighting - Client is avid shortwave radio operator - both fluorescent light fixtures and dimmers interfere with the
signal to his equipment
After (Next Page)
 Permits were acquired prior to the more restrictive CA Title 24 requirements, so adjustable
low voltage halogen spots, on multiple switches, with no dimmers, strategically installed to highlight clients’ art-glass collection

5.  Extensive use of architectural glass helps to both expand and define space. Floating glass shelving is a repeated element
throughout the home.

6.  Floor outlets placed center of room for reading task lighting.
 Hand-forged in U.S.A., surface mounted light fixtures throughout home’s interior & exterior, coordinate with same finish and glass

7. Innovative Use of Materials & Building Techniques
 ‘De-construction’ used instead of demolition - 90% of
waste throughout project recycled, reused, salvaged
 Every material researched to
determine whether it was ‘Green’
 Flooring, decking, & railings are ‘re-claimed’ teak
from Terramai, a local California company with
‘Smart-Wood’ certification
 A simple palette of natural materials chosen for
finishes - same materials repeated
throughout for continuity
 Even choice of furnishings considered
with Sustainable Principles in mind
 Furniture purchased from Crate & Barrel,
a corporation which has as it’s mission to
support & maintain community, both here
and at the source from which furnishings
are supplied. Many pieces, like the
mango wood bench, use re-claimed woods
in their construction.
They also use recyclable and completely
biodegradable packaging materials.
Before view of the fireplace wall
 Brick on original fireplace façade had sheared from the wall during the
1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

8. Every choice ‘Green’ - Client chose not to have a protective finish on the upholstered furnishings because of the fluorocarbons
released into the atmosphere when finish is applied. All cleaning at end of project was done with vinegar & water.

9. ‘Green’ Choices
 Local hand-made accent tile
 Chosen instead of wood - A floating architectural
glass mantle, gently curving out in the center,
supported by stainless steel legs
Overcoming Obstacles
 Original choice for flooring was locally harvested
Eucalyptus, but the mill burned at the start of
Project, necessitating a product choice that was
As ‘Green’, but was also much more
expensive. With much deliberation, the Clients’ belief
in Sustainability won over the budget consideration.

10. After
 Walls opened & removed so light and ventilation from windows can flow through space
 Zoned HVAC system, with two separate zones on this level - only the area
being used is heated by the mechanical system
 No A/C needed, due to radiant barrier & insulation added in attic,natural ventilation,
and shading provided by mature trees in the landscape
Before - Closet over the stairs & kitchen wall block flow

11. Going ‘Green’ in the Kitchen
 Locally- made custom cabinets using FSC certified
maple hardwood and plywood
 Cabinet boxes constructed of plywood
made with soy-based, non-formaldehyde
binders
 Very low V.O.C. cabinet finish; pre-finished,
before installation
 Built-in refrigerator, though not Energy-Star Rated,
is Energy Star qualified, operating with
463 kwh annually
 Miele dishwasher conforms to International
Environmental Standards using no more
than 6.5 gallons/cycle of water
 After a 20+ year life, over 90% of dishwasher itself, is
recyclable
 Under-cabinet task lighting is LED technology,
operating with only 8 watts of electricity
Before - 1960’s kitchen with dropped ceiling

12. Maple butcher block counters facilitate Clients’ cooking style of using lots of fresh organic produce. Vulcanite is used around the
deep stainless steel sink.

13. Before - Clients felt cut off from the rest of the living area, and from the views and fresh air.

14. Overcoming Obstacles
Most compact fluorescent fixtures create ‘feed-
back’ buzzing in shortwave equipment.
After testing many fixtures during the Design
Process, this commercial fixture was found to
perform with the least interference.
 By opening the wall and reconfiguring
the appliances, new kitchen is now part
of the living area
 Lowered ceiling removed - space flows
 Suspended glass shelves with halogen lighting
from above are perfect for displaying Clients’
art glass collection
 Minimalist fluorescent light fixture provides
plenty of general lighting by using ‘up-lighting’
reflecting light off ceiling
 Electric range with convection oven/warming
drawer combines the old cooktop and double
oven configuration, providing bigger oven
in less space
 The large self-closing drawers house pots,
pans, dishes, small appliances, and much more
 Continuity of finishes from room to room
Enhancing the space Functionally
& Aesthetically

15. Range Backsplash
 Mirrored architectural
‘rain’ glass - a solution
to the feng-shui consul-
tant’s suggestion to mirror
this area
Custom made chopping
block/compost recycle bin
Top ‘drawer’ pulls out
and locks to lower
recycle drawer, and is
very stable for chopping
 Removable stainless steel
‘chute’ can easily be put in
dishwasher to clean
 When time to empty, lower drawer unlatches for
easy removal
Countertops made of ‘Vulcanite’ (Lava stone)
 Vulcanite has less of an impact on the environment, since not quarried
 Local supplier, annually makes trip to collect boulders in lava field,
then slices into slabs, and applies a high-fire ‘crackle’ ceramic glaze
in any color, resulting in a durable tile-like surface, with minimal grout
Innovative Use of ‘Green’ Materials and Concepts

16. Lower Level Before
 Drop-ceiling (7’) in hall to accommodate large heating
duct
 Basement-like; dark & cold; no daylight
 Stairs coming down from Front Entry terminated at
bedroom wall on left of photo
After
 New high-efficiency, multi-zoned HVAC system
eliminated one furnace, re-routed ducting & allowed
ceiling to be raised
 Bedroom removed to create large East Entry Foyer
 Cork flooring throughout lower level - ‘Green’ material
from a renewable source

17. Enhancing Space Functionally & Aesthetically
 Chase-ways built to accommodate ducting for new
HVAC system - create interesting architectural niche
with horizontal ‘rain’ glass window
Before -Lower Floor Bathroom
After
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

18. Client wanted soaking tub in 6’ x 9’ bathroom adjacent to
Exercise Room for post-workout soaks.
 Existing space reconfigured to allow for
one-person Japanese-like soaking tub
 Blocking in walls if future grab-bars necessary
 Decorative grab-bars on tub deck to aid in getting in/out
of tub
 Same Jade-Green polished slate used on Upper
Floor fireplace
 Jade-Green rough finish slate on the floor &
stair treads for safer, slip-free surface
 Glass pedestal sink repeats architectural glass
elements throughout home & visually takes
up less space
The Client’s Needs & Desires

19. Before
 Below street level Bedroom referred to as the ‘Cold Room’
 Moisture intrusion into home in this location
 Too damp & cold to use for much more than storage
After
 Now called the ‘Warm Room’ - A cozy guest bedroom!
 Moisture problem repaired on exterior
 Moisture barrier placed between slab foundation and new cork flooring
 More efficient dual pane windows installed
 walls painted a warm yellow with Low V.O.C. paints
 Soffit is re-routed duct for
high-efficiency HVAC system
 Multi-zoned HVAC system - guest
bedrooms on separate zone - can be
unheated when not in use.

20. After
 Cork floating floor - perfect resilient surface for
exercising
 Closet from eliminated bedroom, re-oriented to open
in Exercise Room
 Mirrored closet doors expand space & bring
in daylight
Before
Clients’ Needs & Desires
An Exercise Room for daily workouts shared with the
Shortwave equipment

21. Before
 Deck off Upper Floor - with rarely used stairs
from below
 Deck hangs over the Lower Floor patio door &
contributes to dark, basement feeling
After
 Stairs eliminated; new, narrower balcony accessed
from the Dining Room sliding doors
 ‘Green’ material: re-claimed teak posts & decking
 Architectural glass balusters and glass post caps don’t
block great views of valley & birds
 Clients requested high end-posts to hang bird feeders
within view of indoors, but out over landscaping below

22. After
 Lumber used was ‘Green’ - FSC certified framing lumber, Engineered
structural lumber, OSB and FSC certified plywood
 New TruStile French doors replace bedroom window to right of
old back door - open into generous Foyer instead of narrow, dark hallway
 Overhang extended and new trim feature installed at post bases both the
front and back of the home
 New exterior paint color integrates home into natural environment.
Clients’ Needs & Desires
To use as many ‘Green’ building techniques and materials in project as possible.
To make East Entry and Lower Floor more functional & comfortable.
Before -East Entry with old back door
Before -East Entry; Interior hallway