By Andrew Hunt
Permeable pavers. Excessive water run-off is a troublesome problem for urban areas, where every pollutant can get washed into the closest gutter. While all that water drains down driveways, local aquifers are shorted the rainwater they normally would get, and municipalities have to contend with maintaining high curbs, drainage and waste water treatment facilities.
Sometimes called the "surface for all seasons," permeable pavers hit the 2007 Top 10 list of technologies for PATH and also found their way to the Concept Home. "We're using permeable pavestones for the driveway area," said Lyons. "We looked at the LEED requirements for permeable hard services, and for these blocks to qualify, we had a slightly modified product. They clip off just a corner of the rectangle shaped block so that it creates a diamond when (four) are put together. There's a gravel sub-layer about 3 to 4 inches thick underneath that helps drain the water," said Lyons.
Price and year-around use were also taken into account. "We looked at snow shoveling. The upper surface has a tapered edge, so it will be less likely to catch on a snow shovel or plow. You do end up paying a premium, though, and installation is a little more expensive than pouring concrete." Offsetting the higher costs of installation is the aesthetic value. When finished, this style of paving looks very similar to cobblestone, which can command a higher selling price.
Mold-resistant gypsum.Take any organic material, add some water, warmth and time, and chances are you can grow mold. The paper backing on traditional gypsum boards can provide just the food mold needs to get started, leading to all sorts of issues. And what better place to mitigate the chance of mold growth than in the Concept Home?
"We have had the luxury of using the mold-resistant gypsum throughout the entire house, including the basement," said Lyons. "This gypsum board has no paper content. It has a fiberglass mat, so it has no organics on which moisture can form and mold can grow."
While many builders use "green board" or water-resistant gypsum board in areas prone to water, such as the bathroom or basement, the Concept Home used Georgia-Pacific Denshield, which has an acrylic covering. "It feels like layer of plastic and is a great backer for tile or around the tub surround or instead of concrete board under tiled floor," said Lyons.
Horizontal axis washer/dryer. Rapidly becoming a favorite of homeowners nationwide, horizontal or front-loading washing machines can save money and time by using significantly less water while washing larger loads. But the recent development of the two-in-one washer/dryer units that run the load from start to finish are a win-win for both consumers and the environment.
Priced less than two separate units, the appliance requires no venting and uses less energy consumption during the dry cycle because of the high RPM capability built into the washing motor.
"All the appliances within the home are Energy-Star-rated," said Lyons. "This is commercialized technology that is now available to consumers. Pretty much from top to bottom in the home, we created an efficient design of the water system, everything from low flush toilets to greywater recycling systems, and the horizontal axis washer/dryer unit integrates really well with the plumbing system in the house."
Design of the 2008 Concept Home is already underway and will employ even more cutting-edge building technologies, possibly including onsite power generation.
Andrew Hunt is a freelance writer who specializes in building technology.
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