Builder takes environmental health, savings to new level

By Kathy Van Mullekom
Daily Press (Newport News, Va.)

A “green house” benefits the environment — and pads your pocketbook with extra green, said builder John Harris.

“When you really want to go green building or fixing up a home, there’s a lot you can do,” he said. “Most of these products save you money in the long run.”

To prove his point, he rattles off examples of simple energy-efficient items such as programmable thermostats that automatically adjust your home’s temperature while you are away. Ceiling fans, extra insulation and double-pane windows are other affordable products that can be retrofitted into existing homes.

Harris and his wife Debbie have taken environmental health and energy savings to the next level, designing and constructing their house with the latest in green technology and materials. Debbie also worked clutter-clearing extras into the house shelves, benches, closets and drawers that utilize every nook and cranny for organizing a busy lifestyle.

The home is one of 18 custom-built, fully furnished and landscaped models in Broad Creek, a mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood owned by the Norfolk Housing & Redevelopment Authority in Norfolk, Va. House prices range from $170,000 to $500,000.

From foundation to insulation to illumination, the Harris house shows you how green products make life comfortable.

Some of those choices cannot be readily seen. For instance, there’s an instant hot water unit tucked away in the attic. Instead of a conventional hot water storage tank, the tankless Bosch unit is shaped and sized like an oversized gift box. It’s small enough to fit in a linen closet, garage corner or anywhere you want to put it, as long as it can be vented for gas hookup. The unit costs $1,500 or less, depending whether you have gas or not, but will save you $250 to $500 a year for a family of four, said Harris.

“I’ve seen these units in Lowe’s for $400, so they are really coming down in price,” he said of other models on the market.
“It’s an endless supply of hot water; you can run it 24 hours a day.”

The attic in the Harris house is also where you see sprayed-in foam — an improved version of that foam-in-the-can kind — that seals gaps everywhere it’s applied, including around electrical outlets and light switches.

“The house is sealed tight for drafts,” he said. “If you want a breeze, you open the windows.”

Rafters and the undersides of roofing material in the attic are spray painted with E-Barrier, a reflective coating that reduces heat buildup in that storage space. The paint, made by Sherwin Williams, costs $40 a gallon and covers about 400 square feet.

Other energy-efficient features in the house — framed with 2-by-6 studs instead of the typical 2-by-4s to allow for more wall insulation — include R19 batt-type insulation instead of the standard R13 value, windows that withstand stronger winds and ductwork wrapped in thicker insulation. There are also recycled woods, high-efficiency appliances, extra air return vents and 9-foot ceilings for improved air circulation and a UV light kit in the downstairs heat system to kill off bacteria and mold.

Harris said using many of these products in new construction increases the overall cost about 10 percent to 15 percent.

But, it’s not just about saving money he said. It’s also about giving our children a healthy and viable future.

“I’ve got a 5-year-old, and I respect what we need to do for them,” he said.

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