« Back to Homeplace Front

« Back to Homeplace Archives Front

Going Green

By Cindy Hodnett
HomePlace Writer

This afternoon is the last chance most people will have to visit Don Hamrick's Spring Festival home on Gloria Avenue in the Washington Park community, and anyone interested in the green building process should put the property on their "must see" list. Hamrick, a Triad builder who is known locally for incorporating energy-efficient and green building techniques into his homes, has achieved Gold Level green certification on the property from the National Association of Home Builders, and visitors to the home will be surprised to see how luxurious and efficient "going green" can be.

"This house is on a 40-foot-wide lot, so we worked with a local architect to design a home that would meet the needs of the homeowners and fit nicely on the homesite," Hamrick said during a recent interview at the home. "The width we had to work with was only 26 feet, so we built up."

The visible amenities of the Gloria Avenue home are apparent at first glance and include gorgeous stained-glass windows, custom walnut trim and intricate architectural details. However, the Gold Level certification involves many things that most people won't immediately recognize, and energy consultant Danny Gough points out that people are surprised at the many green options available in new construction.

"The NAHB certification has seven guiding principles, as do most other green building programs," Gough said. "In each category, the builder has the opportunity to employ any number of strategies which meet the objectives of building a green home."

The factors involved in certification are: lot design, preparation and development, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, operation maintenance and owner education, and global impact. Hamrick earned 485 points on the certification scale, well above the 395 minimum.

"It is noteworthy that Don avoided environmentally sensitive areas by building on a lot where an existing house was removed," Gough said. "There was minimal soil disturbance, and the surrounding lots were protected from damage by an erosion-control plan. Don also marked areas of the lot to be protected from grading and supervised the process to protect those areas.

"Resource efficiency involves using advanced framing techniques, which not only reduce energy costs, but also cut waste as much as 30 percent," Gough continued. "He used several pre-cut framing members and several other products which have substantial recycled content.

"Item number three is energy efficiency, and Don always goes off the chart here," Gough said. "With the over-the-top insulation and air-sealing package, this home could almost be heated with a hair dryer. All the elements used add up to saving about 40 percent of the energy of a code-built house. The home also has solar heating and water heating with a 96-percent efficiency gas boiler as backup. The cooling is provided with two heat pumps, and one is a Fujitsu mini-split with no ductwork. It uses less energy than a flat-screen TV."

Hamrick will have information on the green features of the home available during the Spring Festival tour today from 1 to 5 p.m. In addition to learning more about the ease of going green, visitors will also get a firsthand look at a successful new-construction project designed to blend with an established community of historic homes. Inside, the Gloria Avenue residence has almost every amenity desired by contemporary homebuyers, from abundant natural light to custom granite countertops made from salvaged granite. Outside, the property looks as if it has been part of the community for years.

"Don's house is also Energy Star with a HERS Index of 59," Gough said. "That means it will use only 59 percent of the energy a code-built home would use."

To visit Hamrick's Spring Festival entry on Gloria Avenue, take Main Street away from downtown and past Old Salem; follow to right on Gloria Avenue across from the North Carolina School of Arts; home is on the right. For more information on Homes by Hamrick, call 336-595-3631.