The Angel Team: Keller Williams NY Realty

Happy Holidays!

Since my last blog some 8 weeks ago after the final Open House for Real Estate Brokers which, by the way, was well attended, I received my CofOs from the City of White Plains.  It took several inspections of the various trades to get this sacred, sought after document.  When it arrived in the mail some 8 months after the initial construction permit was issued, I was needless to say elated!  This document allowed me to eagerly and happily move back into my newly renovated GREEN home some six weeks ago.  Miracles of Miracles!  My 50s ranch gone GREEN is totally beyond!!!  We all feel privileged to live in this amazingly beautiful space for which the architect, Christina Griffin, won an AIA award!  Congratulations to Christina and her incredible staff, Suzanne Levine who worked tirelessly on the details and Josefa Mulaire who designed all the marketing material and created all the drawings.  Congratulations are also in order to the Murphy Brothers, the contractors, for winning two HOBI awards: Best energy efficient green remodel and Best promotional event for a home: LEED for Homes tour series.  Kudos to Michael Murphy for planning and conducting all the successful and well attended Home Tours.  Well done! 

I apologize for not keeping you informed of the final steps that brought this GREEN renovation to this point some 10 months later when the shovel first hit the dirt.  We moved into the house with the knowledge that we would be preparing for a photo shoot the following week so couldn’t completely unpack with the majority of the boxes and furniture relegated to the basement or the garage.  The photo shoot concerned the presentations that had to be submitted by both Christina Griffin and the Murphy Brothers, my contractors, separately to the AIA of NY and Home Builders Association of Connecticut and a Westchester Magazine contest.  At this point, the anticipation is over and the cat is out of the bag.  They both won their respective awards and deservedly so.

Consequently, we are still in the throws of unpacking boxes which still remain piled high in the garage, the guest bedroom, and in the basement where they had been placed out of sight while Josefa and Suzanne took their photographs.  But ironically, since I moved in to this amazingly inspired zen-like space with minimal furniture, I hesitate to bring back all my precious “stuff” that I painstakingly packed, stored and had moved back into the house!  The laugh is on me!   The majority of of my “stuff” no longer seems to work in this new cool space!  Clearly, a tag sale is awaiting me!

 It is a complete delight to be living in my exquisite Green home even though several projects like the driveway

needed completion as well as a few quirks that need to be worked out including the landscaping, ground grading for erosion control

and rain water retention tank which will capture, store and recycle the rain water for irrigation purposes. 

Consequently men continue to swarm around the house with things to do!  The Angel Green LEED’s for Home Project goes on!  We (Christina Griffin, the Architect, the Murphy Brothers, the contractors, and Richard Heller of Greener By Design are all working together in preparation of the last and final inspection conducted by the LEED inspector, Pasquale.  All have been diligent in their effort to produce the end result which will get us the LEED certification we are all hoping for.  That certification will be the icing on the cake.  It will only serve to add more credibility to the awards already won by the architect and the contractors.  

 My LEED for Homes project is being opened for a final open house targeted towards real estate agents who have acquired a GREEN designation from NAR (National Association of Realtors) or an Eco-Broker designation as well as agents interested in GREEN initiatives.   Knowledge is power!  Green initiatives are here to stay and will only become more and more important as codes change and saving our natural resources becomes even more crucial.  Having knowledge about Green initiatives to share with clients about how to live more responsible lives, a healthier lifestyle and save money through energy efficiency will serve to empower an agent and give them an advantage as they assist clients buying and selling house.  

Michael Murphy of the Murphy Brothers is keen on education regarding GREEN / Sustainable initiatives.  He conducts classes to the trades on a regular basis at their main office in Mamaroneck.  He feels passionate as does Christina Griffin, my architect about sharing their enormous list of resources and knowledge about Green products and methods of GREEN construction.  It is for this reason, they are willing to give their time and conduct this open house on August 7th from 5:30-7:30 PM.  It’s a unique opportunity to meet the best in their respective fields.  You won’t be disappointed and you can see what I did to make my house GREEN!

Please join us on my deck for a drink of Proseco and snacks on Tuesday August 7th from 5-7pm at 64 Holbrooke Road, White Plains, NY. There will be many tradespeople and suppliers whose work and products were vital to making this LEED for Homes project environmentally responsible, energy efficient and beautifully designed, including Total Green Geothermal Systems, GreenStar High Efficiency Insulation, Sunrise Solar Systems, Greener by Design Sustainable Garden Systems, Energy Efficient Marvin Windows and Doors, Benjamin Moore No VOC paints, as well as representatives from Klaffs, Davis and Warshow, Wittus and Others. Architect Christina Griffin and Murphy Brothers Contracting as well. Look forward to seeing you there.
 
Facebook link- http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=483516275010156&set=a.124702350891552.16834.124513457577108&type=1&theater <http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=483516275010156&set=a.124702350891552.16834.124513457577108&type=1&theater>

With the push for the last public open house in conjunction with the touring German Passive Haus July 14th behind us, the focus is on getting the CofO that will enable me to move back into my house!  The move-in date has been scheduled and re-scheduled to where we will be moving in August 17th!!! OMG! we cannot wait!  That said, Michael Murphy is planning a final open house August 7th, 5-7PM for real estate agents interested in learning about GREEN initiatives and for those who have already earned their GREEN certification such as myself.  Consequently, we are in the process of finishing a host of loose ends - incomplete jobs and following up on ordered items that have yet to arrive.   A punch list has been created by Adam Zdrilic, project manager and added to by Suzanne Levine, Project designer, and myself and overseen by Artie, the head of all Murphy Brother projects.  It is all about the inspections at this point - electrical, plumbing, LEED and final inspections!!!! 

The first inspection to take place was the electrical and although we thought it was a shoe in, it was of course not the case!  The one back splash where I did not want any outlets to disrupt the movement of the convex tiles, the electrical inspector insists that code requires an outlet on either side of the cook top!!! I am so very bummed!  We had placed outlet strips out of sight under the upper cabinets but code requires that an outlet be 22” from either side of the cook top.  Great design takes a backseat to code!   A pop-up electric outlet was considered but decided against as it would have taken up too much space from the drawers under the counter and would have created a tricky proposition cutting the milk glass counter tops.  Left with no alternatives we were forced to cut away some tiles sections to accommodate the outlets.  It also meant the freshly painted wall on the other side in the garage had to cut to allow for the wiring and then patched calling for additional finishing work and painting - a small request that turned out to be a big job:(((  Code equal safety and safety rules!  That applies to the light fixtures as well.

 

The inspector checks each light fixture to ensure that the wiring is UL listed. Philip Christon, the electrician, tells me when the inspector returns this week he has requested that the sconces in the hall bathroom (above photo) be removed so he can check if it is UL listed and If not, it has to be replaced! Yikes, these light fixtures are not inexpensive so I have to trust that Klaff’s knew to only order UL listed fixtures. At this point in the process, my budget doesn’t allow for a replacement should it be needed.  Fingers crossed! 

Various odd jobs not crucial to the CofO like the breakfast bench area are being redone to create a better line alignment.

\

And a kitchen cabinet door which has been taken back to the Murphy Brothers workroom to be repaired. We await its return installation.

One of the biggest projects that has caused some concern is the landscaping and the soil erosion that needed to be stopped.  Richard Heller dropped fresh top soil on the front yard and then went on vacation!  Everyone deserves a vacation but who knew to anticipate three major rain storms in a row challenging the landscaping work that he had done before leaving on vacation!  And then again, the day before he returned from vacation another rain storm!  Talk about luck! 

However the last rain storm didn’t cause any soil runoff because the Murphy Brothers installed a new Skim boundary line and Richard Heller’s team rose to the occasion and put down filtered vegetation paper which has served to control the rain water flow until Sedum planting can be planted to control the rain water.

As final back order items arrive, various projects get completed like the shower door supplied by Klaff’s,

the missing shower glass tile pieces from Waterworks were installed this past weekend by Luis of Ecua Stone Corporation and grouted Monday morning as seen below.  We had to wait three weeks for just a few tiles to arrive to finish the job.  Luis and his crew have been a dream to work with throughout.

,

On Friday, the Bacci glass pendants on either side of the master vanity were hung by Eric of PNC Electric. He loves what he does and only wants to execute well.

the Dornbratch tub filler flange has finally arrived from Germany after two faulty deliveries but has yet to be installed, the folding doors hinges, LED bulbs, and many other last minute items like the hall bathroom shower doors which were just ordered from Mr. Shower Door.  Eugene measured and drew a rough drawing of what will be installed in 2-3 weeks.

The Beat goes on and soon I will have a home to move in to!  None too soon!

The Murphy Brothers pulled it off!  Under the direction and hard work of Adam, Artie, Ryan, and some 30-50 others working in concert, the house was more than presentable for the scheduled open house on Saturday, July 14th.  A lot still has to get completed before the final inspection for the CofO but their incredible coordinated effort produced an open house that was a Dazzling Success!  At least that seemed to be the reaction of visitors who came to the open house and especially those who have been following the construction process from the very beginning like my neighbors.  Most importantly, many visitors showed a sincere interest in learning more about Green initiatives and eagerly sought out the Green experts on hand to learn about them.  http://theloopny.com/blog/1950s-ranch-goes-green-come-see-it/

In one week the exterior of the house went from this…

to this!  The result was, in large part, to the valiant, brilliant, and non-compromising effort of Vale Sobreiro, the mason and his crew of 8 men.

Within one day - the day before the open house, Richard Heller of Greener By Designs and his crew worked frantically to plant trees, shrubs and flower plantings.  Summer, not being the ideal time to plant trees, shrubs and flowers, Richard was restricted to those plantings that could tolerate and survive the hot 90 degree temperatures.  Although minimal at this point, the landscaping was totally put in Friday along with the grass sod which will eventually be replaced with a type of sustainable sedum planting.  Being that the sedum was not available for Friday, the Murphy Brothers purchased sod to roll out for the open house in order to give the exterior a more finished clean appearance.  Safety was also a major consideration.

This unique open house was conceived by Milagros Lecuona, WP Council Woman, and chair of the WP Sustainability Committee.  It was her idea to connect my LEEDS for Home project with the touring DAS HAUS Exhibit in downtown White Plains.  If you haven’t seen it, treat yourself to viewing this German passive house.  For details and times, check out www.dashaustour.com.

Milagros originally contacted Michael Murphy who in turn asked me if I would be on board with such an event.  Wanting my house to serve as an inspiration to others who might contemplate Green initiatives, it was a no-brainer!  And for those who have asked and for those of you who thought about it but didn’t ask, NO I am not getting any special discount from anyone for allowing these “Green open houses”. 

Having the bike rack on hand gave Milagros an opportunity to promote the new bicycle lanes that have only recently been created throughout White Plains.  The objective is to encourage residents to use bicycles rather than their cars - when possible - to help reduce gas emissions (pollutants) into the air.  We might think about developing new habits like using our bicycles to run errands or get us to the train station. Yes?  The added bonus would be exercise and better health! 

In regards to the open house, Michael orchestrated and planned the entire open house from marketing it, ensuring the interior would be in a certain completed state to arranging for the various Green Pros to be on hand and all the other details it takes to conduct a successful open house.  Based upon the attendance and the reaction it was a job well done.

Milagros organized the shuttle which brought visitors from the Das Haus exhibit to my house and back.  It gave the visitors a chance to talk to the various Green pros about their respective Green product I.e. solar panels, insulation, geothermal, etc…. It was encouraging to see the sincere interest on the part of many homeowners who are considering Green initiatives.  As i always say, it is not mandatory to do everything all at once - one GREEN step at a time is better than none in my book.  It is about a philosophy, a vision and a process!

Once in the house, the visitors were greeted by a Murphy Brothers representative who either ask them to remove their shoes or provided them booties to put on over their shoes to protect the newly finished hardwood floors. 

Below a Wittus representative was explaining the value of a wood burning fireplace insert as a heating system.  For me it will serve as my backup heating system to the geothermal system.

Below the Sunrise Solar Solution team is using their laptop to demonstrate how the solar panels look. can be installed and function.

In the middle of the photo below Joe of Green Star was explaining the difference between open and closed cell insulation while behind him Christina Griffin, the architect for my home, was discussing the LEEDS For Home process.

Below, Paul Auerbach of Total Green is demonstrating the Geothermal systems to interested visitors.

Below visitors were reviewing the landscaping plans as drawn by Richard Heller, the landscape architect.  Many visitors were fascinated by the Rain Water Harvesting Retention (Cistern) system.

As the photo below illustrates, there is a lot of landscaping to do!!!

Congratulations are almost in order! The Blower Test was almost a success! :(  Almost is not good enough!

Pasquale Stroccia, the test rater for my LEED’s for Home certified project performed three tests over a 4-5 hour period on June 29th.  The first test involved rating the geothermal heating system which performed well, the second test involved the A/C part of that system which didn’t perform so well and the third involved the very important HRV air exchange system which completes the balancing act of this “high performance” house - the house must be air tight but also able to breath via well placed ventilation units.  HRV provides fresh air and improved climate control while also saving energy by reducing the heating and cooling requirements.  Consequently, Paul Auerbach of Total Green who installed the Geothermal system must make adjustments to the cooling system; it will have to be re-tested. Very disappointing!   I have not yet seen the report but was told that the overall insulation value of the house passed with a rating of 72% energy efficiency which is well above the required rating set by USGBC for LEED certification. However not all the LED lights had been installed, nor the energy efficient appliances and neither was the rain water harvesting system along with the sustainable landscaping and impervious driveway - all of which are being completed (hopefully) for the July 14th Open House deadline.  Thus Pasquale will have to return a 2nd time to test all those other Green initiatives as well.

In the meantime, the house was cleared of everything including trades people to prepare the new rift oak hardwood floors for staining.   The floor people showed up the first scheduled day to sand the floors but then didn’t show up till several days thereafter to apply the Ebony stain (which now looks great in my opinion even though I thought the floors would be a lot darker - almost black).  They did show up the following day to apply the first finishing coat however with the July 4th holiday interruption they still have two additional finishing coats to apply. Adam Zdilric tells me the last two coats will be applied after the public open house on the 14th.  Nonetheless, their delay unfortunately sets the schedule behind for other trades to get in and finish their respective jobs before the open house deadline.  Adam Zdrilic, the project manager, does an excellent job of scheduling and staying on top of everyone but when one trade doesn’t show, the carefully planned synchronization is thrown off.  And where the floors are concerned, it is especially disruptive because no one is allowed back in now until Wednesday just two day before the open house!!!  PRESSURE!  The pressure is on Adam and everyone to work quickly while at the same time not compromise their respective jobs.  Due to the time crunch, I am not quite sure just what will get completed for the public open house scheduled for this Saturday, the 14th in concert with the Das Haus Touring Exhibition in downtown White Plains on Court St.  Providing all the materials i.e. lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures, tiles, plantings, etc… arrive, Adam assures me the majority of what is planned will get completed.  Fingers crossed!

In the meantime, the cement has been poured in preparation for the (native) Blue Slate walkway;

the second walkway up to the street level along the driveway and the driveway tire tracks as well as the aprons at both the top and bottom of the driveway.  To accommodate the rain water run-off a long drain is being installed to prevent water from going into the garage or foundation of the house and thus my basement.

The masons are working furiously to select, cut and place the granite pieces.

The driveway has a granite border and all the cement surfaces on the driveway will get the same granite used on the chimney and house exterior.  The old driveway was dug down 23” with the black asphalt surface carted away and disposed of in a manner sensitive to the environmental while the excess soil was re-purposed to level the backyard.  Then several inches of stones were laid in preparation for the cement.  With those steps completed these skilled masons are now cutting and laying the granite.  It is back breaking work!

When I arrived back at the house Monday, there were six masons working on the walkways alone cutting these enormous big slabs of (native) Blue Slate to create this unique and fabulous design by Vale Sobreiro, the lead mason and owner of ALMI Construction.  Keeping in mind the clean lines of the house and conforming to the curved shape of the walkway he cut three huge slate pieces into triangle shapes - genius in my mind! These are amazingly skilled craftsmen.

OMG! By the end of the day, the edges of the walkway had been cut to perfection and voila this gorgeous custom walkway was almost complete! I love the elegant simplicity!  I am in awe of the skill of these masons - how they use their tools and expertise to manipulate these huge slabs of slate i.e. the one below that took all eight guys working in concert to lift and move that one piece!!!

As you can see, on site this one large piece was first measured to create six smaller pieces and then scored in preparation for cutting the huge slab into the six pieces needed for the two walkways.  And by the end of Monday, the top apron of the driveway was completed and they had started to lay the granite on the tire tracks.  This tedious back-breaking process might just get completed in time!!!!

While the masons worked, the crew from Sunrise Solar Solutions were completing the installation of the solar panels on the back roofs.

With the solar panels in place, John Cox of B&G Painters Inc and his crew were preparing the deck for staining.  While his men worked on the deck, John prepared and stained the front exterior door.

 

To avoid all the dust created by the masons cutting the stone, John put up a plastic barrier between the front entry way and the front yard and worked from inside the house to stain the front entry door.

The dark rich stain brings out the beautiful natural grain of the walnut and is an excellent color contrast or compliment, if you will, to the lighter natural cedar siding color. Suzanne selected this color stain as she did the exterior siding stain and interior paint colors - she has an excellent eye for color, not to mention scale, details and design.  Her input has been invaluable throughout this project.  Both extremely talented, she and Christina work together in the most harmonious manner deferring to each other at just the right moments like two professionals respecting the others expertise.   What more can a homeowner want in a design team???  I could not have been able to make the number of decisions this project demanded without them. 

Wednesday was an active day in the house with everyone meeting to discuss last minute details in preparation for the Saturday open house.  On hand were Artie, Adam, Michael and Chris Murphy, Suzanne Levine who has contributed so much and worked tirelessly on all the details and Christina Griffin who provides the final word regarding the whole vision.   During our meeting, Adam is simultaneously overseeing all the various trades present.  The Murphy Brothers lead cabinet maker, Ryan, directs the final touches on the kitchen cabinets as the appliances are being installed, a final stain is applied to all the kitchen cabinets to ensure a consistency of color, and the hardware gets applied to the door fronts while at the same time, the fireplace surround and hearth are being installed nearby.

The fireplace surround and hearth are both poured cement with recycled aggregates and mirror for added sparkle.  The effect is very subtle and will require an accent light to create the reflective quality of the mirror bits. 

Not all unfortunately but the majority of the light fixtures arrive from Klaff’s during our meeting. We will not have the light fixtures for the master bedroom, master bathroom nor the dining room which is the main sculptural-like chandelier of the large open space.  Philip of PNC Electric is on hand to install the light fixtures and complete the Smart house electronics that will serve to conserve energy.

The Plumbers are also busy installing the remaining plumbing fixtures all of which were ordered through Davis Warshaw in Mt Kisco.  The hall bathroom vanity has been taken to the Murphy Brothers workroom to be cut to accommodate the white vessel sink from Kohler.  But the BIG question is will the Murphy Brothers be able to pull this all together?  My money is on them succeeding! (No pun intended!)  Come see for yourself and learn about Green technologies and products from the experts who will be on hand along with the Murphy Brothers to address your GREENING ENERGY EFFICIENT questions.  Meet Christina Griffin the architect and Suzanne Levine, the Project Designer.  And if you haven’t seen the DAS HAUS exhibit there will be a shuttle available to take you there. 

Two crucial and exciting deadlines - June 29th (NYSERDA Energy Star test) and July 14th (Das Haus Exhibit from Germany) - are energizing the renovation process.  Nothing like a deadline to motivate people! The house is swarming with people from different trades working furiously to complete their respective jobs. 

The masons are finishing the stone work on the chimney and front exterior of the house.  Nearby Suzanne Levine, the project designer, Richard Heller, the landscaper, Val Sobreiro, the lead mason, and Adam Zdrilic, the project manager, along with Artie Bruno, the Murphy Brothers Director of Projects are discussing the front walkway and driveway options.

 

These are big considerations as they involve drainage issues! My driveway has a rather steep decline and therefore it is necessary to prevent water runoff from ending up in my basement!  Wanting to avoid an asphalt black top driveway we decided upon a more Green impervious driveway composed of two tire lanes made of the same stone being used on the front exterior with “no mow grass” or sedum in between.

It will involve a bigger drain at the bottom of the driveway than presently exists but the Belgium blocks used in the 50s to border the driveway are being dug up and re-used for the same purpose. The soil that is being dug up in preparation for the new driveway is being re-purposed to help level the backyard.  The stone tire lanes will allow the driveway to be easily plowed in the winter - a real consideration! The driveway concept was Richard’s brilliant idea.  Then the shape of the two walkways were planned as well as the design of its blue slate pattern. Blue slate has been selected because it is a local native product.  Val, an expert mason with a great eye, suggested a narrow 16” border garden along the one walkway parallel to the driveway - an idea I really like as it softens the hardscape.

At the same time, Kai and his crew from Sunrise Solar Solutions, are installing the solar photovoltaic (CVP) panels on the roofs.  The cool thing is that each panel has its own inverter of DC to AC power therefore if one panel is having an issue only that one panel is affected and not the whole system. There are four sections comprised of a total of 32 panels on four different roofs.  The expectation is that I will derive all my pollution-free power from these solar panels.  Now, isn’t’ that a sweet notion?  It is a huge upfront cost and If it were not for the rebates, I unfortunately would not have been able to consider this Green option.  Believing in the use of solar energy, I don’t mind putting the panels on my front roof - I think they are a functionally and esthetically beautiful thing! Just imagine never having to pay a ConEd bill!!!  That’s a beautiful thing and something to shout out loud about!

Inside the house in the master bathroom, Simon, of Ecua Stone Corp, is installing the 2” square glass floor tiles in the shower.  He has almost single-handedly tiled this master shower which has painstakingly required patience and incredible skill especially in cutting the glass tile.  The shower is now ready to be grouted and is waiting for the shower doors to be measured by Glass Crafters.  Soon the plumbers will be able to install the low-flow shower head and body sprays.  The sink faucets with aerators serving to reduce water consumption have been installed. 

Ryan Schildwachter, the head cabinet maker at the Murphy Brothers, standing behind the built-in breakfast bench is on site to ensure the custom cabinets that he engineered and had built in his work room are installed correctly.  The kitchen cabinets made of rift oak wood with maple interiors (chosen because they are native woods) are stained brown with a lustrous pearlized-like finish while the dining room cabinet has five layers of poly paint to create a high gloss finish along with the family room shelving/media cabinet made of the same white poly finish.  It was a very difficult process of installing the cabinet boxes and then putting together the hundreds of component pieces. The fact that they all fit so perfectly is astonishing!  Ryan was amazingly and thankfully precise and organized.  Consequently the installations are coming together without a hitch!  The cabinets he built are stunningly beautiful.

Although, incomplete and missing some appliances and the hardware, the kitchen is slowly coming together and should be almost completed for the the Friday deadline.

A Murphy Brother’s framer is preparing the wall for the cement fireplace surround being made off site for the energy efficient Wittus wood burning fireplace insert.  The cement form which is asymmetric in shape is being delivered and installed next week by Get Real Surfaces in NYC.  The cement form is composed of recycled aggregate and mirror pieces.

The action is palpitating and for me it is exciting to see it all coming together - the puzzles are being put together and my house is suddenly becoming the house I always envisioned. 

Philip Christon, owner of PNC electric Corp and electrician extraordinaire, is actually on the white milk glass counter installing the electric component of the cook top exhaust hood!

 

Later he was balancing on a ladder installing the track lighting - a very complicated system with many, many little parts and energy efficient LED light bulbs.  The process was made easier by the careful planning and ordering executed by Nancy Holstin at Klaffs.  Every light fixture being installed will have LED lighting which is a requirement of LEED certification but one that makes total sense in that it is energy efficient and lasts a long time.

Simon, of Ecua Stone is now installing the back splash in the kitchen where the cook top will go. It is a porcelain concave 2” square pearlized tile - chosen because they are both beautiful and easy to clean.  Luis, owner of Ecua Stone and his men are absolute craftsmen and perfectionists.  Luis carefully plans everything a head of time to prevent needless mistakes.  The tiling materials chosen required special expertise and to date Luis and his team have my utmost confidence and respect.

The custom Walnut front exterior door created by artisan, Ron DiBlasi of Modular molding Co., Inc in his Tarrytown studio was made from six 2” thick planks of walnut. He sliced them into 1/3” thick pieces, arranged them and put them seamlessly together into what was delivered and installed Tuesday.  The Rocky Mountain hardware added on site. Although it still needs to be stained the door in my opinion is gorgeous and the grain is beautiful. Had initially wanted an exotic tropical wood but opted for a locally grown and milled native wood at the suggestion of Christina Griffin.  This walnut door works well with all the other exterior materials.

The most important Green trade, Total Green, for the blower test on Friday will finally be on site today, Wednesday, to complete the geothermal system (the pipes sticking up out of the ground is where the geothermal is located in above photo) and make sure it is 100% operational along with the HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilation system) which is being installed and will be 100% operational as well.  There is no room for error!

The later is very important in maintaining a whole home healthy environment. Outside fresh air exchange through vents filters the incoming air of pollutants. There are several such vents on the exterior wall as seen in the photo above.  The objective of the HRV is to prevent hidden dampness, condensation, dust, toxins or harmful pollens from contaminating the interior air quality.  This air exchange system is crucial in a house that is insulated in an air tight manner as this house is.  It is almost a passive house.

It is for this reason and the use of other green technologies that Milagros Lecuona, Chair Person of the Sustainable Committee in WP with the approval of the Das Haus committee have asked to include my house in the amazing touring Das Haus Exhibit on the 14th of July.  The Das Haus exhibit - a fabulouly designed passive house - will be in WP for 10 days during the month of July. It is an amazingly designed modern passive home not to be missed.  On the 14th of July, I am honored to have my house open to the public in conjunction with that exhibit.  Visitors to the Das Haus Exhibit will be encouraged to use the new bicycle lanes or be bused to my house where the various Green trades including my architect, Christina Griffin, and my contractors, the Murphy Brothers will be on hand to discuss the Green technologies employed in my house.

Go to the Das Haus website for more information regarding the passive house at http://dashaustour.com/#locations.

In the meantime, this Friday, the 29th, the NY Energy Star test and LEED Certification test are taking place.  The major test is called the blower test to determine just how insulated the house is. Crucial to a successful test is the effectiveness of the Geothermal system.  It is being performed by the LEED Certification inspector, Pasquale Stroccia.  It is a very big deal!  The objective is to get as many LEED points as possible as the total number of points determines if the house will be rated Silver, Gold or Platinum.  Based on all that I have decided to do to reduce my carbon footprint and make my contribution to creating a sustainable environment while creating a healthier Green home that is at the same time energy efficient and cost effective I feel my house and property is worthy of Platinum but that may not be in the cards!  Although LEED sets the standards, it is to some degree contingent upon the interpretation of one person - the LEED inspector.   If I don’t achieve a Platinum certification, it totally begs the question: What does the average homeowner have to do to achieve a Platinum certification?  How much money is one expected to spend upfront?  What kind of message will it send if my house only rates a Silver or Gold???   More importantly, in spite of the LEED certification,  I sincerely hope my house will serve as an inspiration to other homeowners.  As an Eco-Broker & Green real estate agent, that has always been my incentive.  And ultimately I will have my beautiful Green home to live in, benefit from and enjoy which was always the primary goal.  In the meantime, these two very important dates are making my dream home a Green realty regardless of the LEED certification level.  We look forward to meeting you at the open house on the 14th.

As appliances, plumbing fixtures, hardware, lighting fixtures and kitchen cabinets arrive in pieces, not to mention the stacking stone for the exterior facade, all these pieces are being placed in an organized manner that will allow the various trades to put together their part of this “giant” puzzle.  Adam Zdrilic, project manager for the Murphy Brothers, has a lot to manage and schedule. Puzzlemania is truly the order of the day at this point in the completion process!  We pray there are no missing pieces!  A missing piece could put a monkey wrench into the process and stall my move-in date!  All somewhat puzzling to me but exciting as it speaks to a light at the end of the tunnel!  I am growing impatient to see it completed!

During the arrival of all these pieces, Michael Murphy managed to arrange two very successful LEED oriented open houses in the past three weeks.  The first one was invitation only to architects where Richard Heller, owner of Greener by Design, and sustainable landscape architect gave a presentation on rainwater harvesting and sustainable landscaping.  The second invitation only LEED oriented open house was targeted to interior decorators/designers interested in GREEN interior spaces.  Jeff Cohen, Lighting Control specialist, of Yusen Associates spoke about LED lighting at the morning session while Richard Heller spoke about sustainable landscaping in the second session.  It was a fully booked event to which Tom Roach, Mayor of White Plains attended and spoke briefly in between sessions about the sustainable agenda which WP is embracing.  It was very exciting and a privilege to have such an esteemed city official take time out of his busy schedule to acknowledge my GREEN renovation and connect it to the greater community effort. 

Also present was Milagros Lacuona, chairwoman of the Sustainability Committee  and member of the Common Council in WP.  Milagros is a devotee to creating a more sustainable community in WP and promotes her passion on her radio program at WVOX every Friday from 2-3PM. Her goal is to raise the consciousness level of her listeners about sustainability.  Working tirelessly, she has her pulse on everything that is about sustainability including the traveling passive house exhibit “Das Haus Tour” from Germany which will be on display in WP for two weeks during the month of July.  She has brilliantly orchestrated the involvement of my almost passive house as part of the exhibit for one day - possibly on the 14th where she will bus interested attendees to my house.  Her proposed plan for that day is to promote car pooling, bicycling and walking to my site to reduce toxic emissions into the air. A very responsible notion!  To learn more about the tour click on
http://www.builderonline.com/green-building/german-passive-house-tours-north-america.aspx
http://dashaustour.com/#locations

In the meantime, the cabinets, bookcases, walk-in closet cabinets, etc are being installed along with plumbing fixtures.

These shelves are high gloss white shelving with white cabinet doors on the media cabinet.  The high gloss was achieved by painting 6 coats of white paint with sanding in between each coat!  Amazing finish.

The upper cabinets are high gloss white cabinets while the lower cabinets are a lush chestnut brown - both of which will get polished chrome hardware.

The polished chrome faucet has been installed on the mother of pearl wall in the master bathroom.

The plumbers installed the tub fixtures and were about to install the tub filler when they realized they were missing the plate necessary to install the filler.  OOPS!  Our worst fear realized! The plumbers were therefore not able to install the free-standing tub  and we are at a stand still.  They had to stop and cannot continue until we get the missing piece! Shoot!  There goes the time table!  Mania prevails! Yikes!

As the focus moves towards finishing the interior spaces, the devil is in the details! John of B & G Painters and his crew have almost finished painting the interior but are waiting for me to decide what color and paint finish to apply to the little trim and baseboard molding there is. Aiming to achieve a minimalist clean look, there is minimal wood molding throughout the house with the little there is being minimized.  The only color - a subtle taupe/grey - is in the family room and - a pale grey -in the hallway to the bedrooms with - a grey/blue - in the laundry room. Colors were chosen to create a subtle transition from the vast open living space.  The all white interior feels very fresh and very calm.  In fact, the insulation - hard board insulation on the exterior and blown in closed cell on the interior - adds to the sense of calm by providing a quietness that must be experienced to appreciate.

 

And while i am still selecting gutter/leader style and color, cabinet hardware, lighting fixtures, bathroom assessors, and addressing countless other things for the house, all the carefully wrapped custom cabinets for the master walk-in closet and kitchen including dining room hutch and master vanity have been delivered to the house.  They have arrived in pieces - lots and lots of pieces - with a very necessary master plan! What a job to put it all together!  All the pieces have been labeled and numbered to better identify them - it’s a giant puzzle!

And I just cannot wait to see these giant puzzles all put together! There are two men under the direction of Ryan Schildwachter, the Murphy Brother’s in-house cabinet maker, working on the kitchen alone. He has done an amazing job!  It took a great deal of planning. He had several of the appliances delivered to his work room several weeks ago to ensure that the cabinets would be built to exactly accommodate the various appliances.  The many emails to Suzanne Levine, project designer, attest to Ryan’s attention to detail and that goes for Steve Nadassi as well who was another carpenter who built the master vanity and master walk in closet.  It was too much for one carpenter to do at one time and adhere to the schedule.  Steve delivered his pieces the same day.  Adam Zdrilic, the project manager for the Murphy Brothers, who has become a highly regarded cult figure in my neighborhood has brilliantly kept all the vendors on task and schedule! 

Steve installed his pieces in the master walk-in closet but with no electricity as of yet in there this photo is very dark. 

The cabinets are made of rift oak wood (a readily available local wood) stained a light color with a sort of “pearlized” finish.  The walk-in-closet is not a large closet and is very basic - no bells and whistles (no pouffe or chandelier) but will be a total pleasure!  Everything will be visible and easily accessible.  Adding the final touches like the polished chrome hardware will add sparkle and a finished look.   In hindsight, two amenities I forgot to request: a hamper and built in ironing board with place for an iron!!!  My next life!  This is it for now and I am so very grateful!

The floating master silver leaf vanity with double glass sink slab - presently covered to protect it - has met my wildest expectations!  Steve tells me the silver leaf has 30 coats of clear finish! That is so amazing to me!  But it begs the question: why not 29 or 31 coats??? 

While all the above is going on inside the house including the Geothermal crew from Total Green who are back to connect the system, the deck posts have been installed and will get connected with rows of tightly pulled cable wires.  Again, very clean modern lines.  Difficult to see in this photo but the larger posts have lights built into them.  The deck has yet to be stained the same color as the exterior of the house and the outdoor sconces have yet to be selected.  Details, details!

And the other beautiful addition is  the simplistic new custom cedar garage door. Love it!  That hanging wire means a sconce needs to be selected!   And the driveway is still under discussion - how to select a surface that is GREEN and economically affordable!!

The stacked stone has been applied to the brick chimney.  Next, stacked stone will be applied to exterior to the left of the front exterior door and to the left of the garage door - where the pink insulation now serves as the exterior.

One of the last decisions at this week’s Thursday meeting was to agree on the pattern to lay the blue stone on the front stoop!  Not sure the decision was finalized!!! Yikes!  But knowing Suzanne Levine, the project designer, she will create a plan nonetheless for everyone’s consideration.  The devil is truly in the details and Suzanne is absolutely amazing at seeing them through.  This project would not be what it is without her input and that of Christina Griffin, the architect.  Totally hands on, they have guided me through the entire process.

The details keep getting worked out including the front exterior door which will be a solid custom made door created out of walnut wood and stained darker than the cedar exterior of the house.  Met with Ron DiBlasi of Modular Molding earlier in the day to approve the layout of the wood panels.  The front exterior door/vestibule demand decisions regarding the hardware and light fixtures.  Then there is the mailbox!  The details keep presenting themselves and requiring our attention.  Ultimately, the “devil” will move on and I will have the GREEN house of my dreams!  All worth it!  All I require besides money is patience. :)

The speed at which the interior space of the house is beginning to take shape is very impressive. After a somewhat quiet two weeks waiting for inspections to take place the action has picked up once again.  The wide plank white oak floors have been installed by Phoenix Flooring throughout the house and the framing crew led by Geraldo is custom cutting and installing the base board molding as well as the door frame molding.  And while all that is going on, the walls continue to be prepped by  B & G Painting for the base coat paint application .  The color white and the other paint choices have yet to be selected.  The majority of the house will be painted white with the exception of a few areas but there are many, many whites to choose from!!! It is mind boggling!  Each white takes on a slightly different hue or tone so Christina Griffin and Suzanne Levine suggested that John Cox, owner of D & B Painting Inc. paint a few different white samples on the walls for our review in the natural day light. The whites look different at various times of the day and it has to work with the white kitchen cabinets and counter tops.  Super White is the likely winner!

I am floored by how gorgeous the new floors look!  I had originally wanted a more exotic wood but being that tropical woods are not considered sustainable due to the fact they are not local and typically not FSC ( Forest Stewardship Certified) accredited.  Consequently, white oak which is local and a wood I like very much in any event was chosen.  Envisioning the white oak stained an Ebony color which i believe will be a crisp contrast to the super white walls and ceiling makes me want to move right in and start decorating.  The wider plank floors feel like a better scale for the large wide open space of the main living area.  The section which does not have wood but is framed out by the white oak will house the porcelain tiles (in photo below) planned for in front of the main island where the future sink is to be installed. 

This is a place where the floor gets a lot of traction so requires a harder surface that will wear better than the stain in hardwood flooring.  The color of the porcelain tile chosen will look similar to the ebony floors and will be barely noticeable but so much more practical and easier to maintain.  Besides wanting a GREEN home that functions to reduce my carbon footprint and works towards creating a more sustainable environment, my goal is to live a lifestyle that is almost maintenance free!  Therefore the primary consideration of almost every decision is whether it will be easy to maintain and/or require no maintenance.  My desire to live as stress-free as possible! is paramount

The floor professional stained a corner of the new floors an Ebony stain for our approval - meaning my approval and that of Suzanne Levine, the project designer and Christina Griffin, the architect.  And although, one cannot see the wood grain and the color doesn’t look that great in this photo it will look a lot better once it is finished with two or three coats of low VOC polyurethane.  The one downside of dark floors especially with all the daylight this house design will provide is that they will show dust and dirt more readily.  Some sacrifice has to be made in the name of esthetics!!!

I am also floored by the beautiful silver/metal like grey porcelain tiles laid on the hall bathroom floors.  Love them because they are not only beautiful but easy to maintain.  Large rectangular tiles are being consistently used in the two bathrooms, entrance vestibule and pantry/mud room.  It lends a cleaner more contemporary feel - less grout is required.  In fact, there is almost no space between the tiles and this is also true for the large 36” x 52” rectangular marble tiles on the master bathroom floors. Luis, the tile expert is amazingly talented, methodical, and precise in the way he approaches each job. I trust him 110% to do the best possible job! 

The photo above of the marble floor in the master bathroom is not totally in focus but at the same time the marble having been cut against the grain and honed gives it a cloud like appearance which I love.  I prefer this look to a marble with a lot of veins as the detail of interest.  This feels luxurious but quiet and contemporary to me!  Looking forward to seeing the walls get their adornment to compliment these fabulous floors.

The above is a rather odd photo of the 8”x24” porcelain tile in the pantry/mud room.  The same tile with a stylized wood pattern is being used in the entrance foyer and the laundry room.  Practical and economically sound.  Net week the wood floors get stained!!! Ebony stained floors are going to transform how one experiences the whole house. I am excited!  Bring it on!

Adam Zdrilic, the project manager, promised the sheetrock would be taped and compounded this past week and finished the following week.   And true to his schedule and promise, the Murphy Brothers crew finished the preliminary taping of all the sheetrock that needed to be done, meaning not the green board installed in the bathrooms and the laundry room which gets tile therefore doesn’t need to be taped and compounded.  The men work from scaffolding and on stilts to reach the various ceiling and wall heights.  The stilts make it look like fun but imagine it puts stress on the neck and arms.

The collar tie supports over the kitchen area below are getting sheetrocked but the  ties themselves will remain exposed.  The large steel ridge beam in the living room is encased in sheetrock and taped to look like an architectural feature.  For such a large open space that include the kitchen, family room, dining and living rooms, there are several different ceiling heights and ceiling shapes reflecting the various support shapes of the roof that add visual interest.   The interior space is truly taking shape and starting to look like the beautiful home the architect, Christina Griffin, designed and the one I envisioned.  Gives me the goose bumps!  i can see my son’s art displayed on the walls!  Many of the walls were designed with the sole purpose to display art and specifically my son, David’s work.  Lucky me!!!

The crew needed scaffolding to reach the sheetrock on the high cathedral ceiling.  At the same time, one cannot help but be attracted to the beautiful views of the lush woods!  As Spring moves along and the trees come into full bloom, I just cannot ignore the view of the woods through the glass - the very reason for all the windows and glass doors in the kitchen/family room - actually the entire back of the house.  The objective of this renovation apart from going GREEN to live a more energy efficient sustainable life was to marry the exterior to the interior.  Wouldn’t you agree that the architect succeeded in making a marriage made in heaven???  It will be appreciated that much more once the deck is installed and completed.  That said, the real challenge for the crew was compounding and smoothing out the compound around the interior of the skylights which bring in loads of natural daylight as illustrated in the photo below.

 The sunlight that streams through the skylights darkens the room in the photo but at the same time highlights every imperfection!  Consequently the finishing crew has to be very skilled to make it smooth and free of any imperfections. These skylights are a very special feature in this large open space.  While this finisher is working diligently on the skylights over the dining room/kitchen/living room areas, another finisher is working in the master bedroom.

Again, in my master bedroom the glass doors and corner windows bring in the beauty of the outdoors!!  WOW! What a marriage! The exterior is so much a part of the interior enjoyment. This is the view from where my bed will be placed. Cannot wait to sit on what will be a gorgeous cedar deck and meditate! Most importantly, relax!

Speaking of relaxing, the bathroom will complete the retreat I hope to create with the master suite.  I anticipate a gorgeous spa-like bathroom but it will not have the amenities that most luxury master bathrooms have today and that is by choice. Apart from body sprays in the shower, this bathroom will not offer more than the basics.  Although I love a steam shower and a jacuzzi type bathtub, I felt I had not used them enough in the past to substantiate the expense this time around nor did i want to have to worry about maintaining them. I did not want to be wasteful.  Being that i enjoy the tactile and visual of natural material, i chose to put the money into marble, glass tile, and milk glass tiles which will give me pleasure every time i go into the bathroom and walk on the radiant heated marble floors.  The tactile and visual can be just as sensual to me as a steam shower or whirlpool bath.

The shower has been prepared to be tiled.  It was supposed to be larger but had to be made 12” smaller to give more room to the free standing bathtub. I hope I won’t regret that decision being that i take a shower daily and a bath less often but I tend to think I will not - not if I want to clean the tub and the floor around it!  Right?

Above photo illustrates where the double sinks, vanity and two medicine cabinets will be placed.  The floor will get radiant heat under the honed marble stone floor.

The Hall bathroom above has also been prepared and awaits to be adorned with the beautiful white glassos tiles on the wall and porcelain tiles on the floor with a feature mosaic marble tile wall that will house the vanity, sink and medicine cabinet flanked by sconces.  Luis, the skilled tile professional, met with Christina Griffin, the architect, to go over what goes where and how throughout the house. 

Afterward their meeting, the radiant heating was installed as illustrated in photo above. And the photo below shows the pantry/mud room floor being prepared for mud tile application which will have the 6x24” porcelain tiles that have sort of stylized wood imprint.

The same porcelain tile is also being used in the entry vestibule as in the mudroom which also doubles as a pantry.   The majority of the tiles being used throughout the house are on the larger side to lend a more modern contemporary feel.  The corner window is being removed and replaced with a solid wall.  The Murphy Brothers do excellent work and seldom make a mistake but when the architect showed them the corner window was not on the architect drawings they owned up to it and willingly agreed to credit me the cost of the window and repair the wall at their expense. 

The clear cedar decking is being installed and will be stained the same color as the exterior of the house.  The deck which extends the entire back of the house will be accessed from the kitchen and the master bedroom and will get a steel, wood, cable railing.  Love it!

 

The wide plank white oak flooring has arrived and will be laid in the next few weeks. The next few weeks will be a true turning point as the bathrooms come to life, the hardwood floors are installed and the deck is completed.  More to come!