by Charles Hendricks | Apr 23, 2014 | architecture, Building Science, green term defined
Rainwater harvesting is the collection of water for reuse before it reaches the aquifer.
Uses include landscape irrigation, car washing, flushing toilets, drinking water, and/or washing clothes. Rainwater provides protection against short-term droughts for keeping your garden alive. It can also reduce the impact of runoff in neighborhood streams and ponds. A rainwater collection system can also be used in the event that public water supply becomes unusable or polluted.
Rain water harvesting systems are easy to set up. You need a collection system like a gutter and roof and a storage system like a barrel or cistern. Adding a filter can prolong the life of your storage system and reduce the first flush pollutants from getting into the system.
In some areas in the mid-west, it is illegal to collect rain water. Charlottesville now has a Storm water Fee based on your impervious surface on your property. This fee may be reduced by having a rainwater harvesting system on your property.
by Charles Hendricks | Apr 23, 2014 | architecture, green term defined
Rain water harvesting is the collection of water for reuse before it reaches the aquifer.
Uses include landscape irrigation, car washing, flushing toilets, drinking water, and / or washing clothes. Rain water provides protection against short-term droughts for keeping your garden alive. It can also reduce the impact of run off in neighborhood streams and ponds. A rain water collection system can also be used in the event that public water supply becomes unusable or polluted.
Rain water harvesting systems are easy to set up. You need a collection system like a gutter and roof and a storage system like a barrel or cistern. Adding a filter can prolong the life of your storage system and reduce the first flush pollutants from getting into the system.
In some areas in the mid-west it is illegal to collect rain water. Charlottesville now has a Storm water Fee based on your impervious surface on your property. This fee may be reduced by having a rainwater harvesting system on your property.
by Charles Hendricks | Apr 7, 2014 | architecture, Building Science, Green Building, green term defined, Indoor Air Quality
Permeability is a HUGE topic in our mixed humid climate for anyone involved in the construction industry. The perm rating of a product is the measure of the diffusion of water vapor through a material. This vapor drive through a building material can make or break the durability, efficiency, and indoor air quality of a project.
In our climate, the key is to have a wall and roof assembly that is air tight and vapor permeable. This is an almost impossible task so there are other things that need to be done for the house to be as efficient and durable as possible – but I will not go into that depth with this post.
Vapor permeability (air tight and vapor permeable) is sometimes referred to as the breath-ability of a system or ability to let water vapor pass. This should not be confused with stopping bulk moisture, which is a must for a wall and roof assembly. Bulk water is moisture in liquid form and water vapor is a gas.
So why is vapor permeability so important to the health, efficiency and durability of a building system? Because walls and roofs do get wet. Condensation will occur in some systems. Plumbing leaks do happen on occasion. Most important, we have two seasons here in Virginia and therefore have two different vapor drive directions. So walls and roofs need to be able to dry in both directions. When a wall cannot dry out, it becomes susceptible to moisture damage (rot, mold, insects).
Anything with a perm rating of less than 1 is a semi-vapor barrier. These products should be used sparingly for the thermal envelope in our climate. Anything less than 10 has low permeability and care needs to be taken to dry the assemblies out and not trap vapor inside.
Many products we use traditionally need extra thought due to their permeability:
Open Cell Foam = 15 Perms
Closed Cell Foam = 1 Perms
Concrete = 3.2 Perms
Gypsum wall board = 50 Perms
Plywood Sheathing = 10 Perms
OSB Sheathing = 2 Perms
Oil Paint = 1.6 Perms
15# Felt = 8 Perms
Kraft paper batts = 1 Perms
House wrap = range 5 to 50 Perms
Having an architect that understands building science is a must in our mixed humid climate. A well planned wall and roof assembly will be healthy, durable, and energy-efficient.
by Charles Hendricks | Mar 31, 2014 | architecture, green term defined
This is my favorite time of year. Plants are blooming, trees are sprouting leaves, and my compost bin is working hard. Many soils in our area are made largely of clay. You need to add good organic matter, compost, to have a successful garden and vibrant flowers. Composting is a great way to “grow better soil.”
Composting is the practice of mixing organic waste that can biodegrade quickly to create a planting medium called compost. This material can be used as a soil enrichment for your garden and flower beds. A quality compost is crumbly, earthy, and has the smell of decomposing organic matter. I used leaves, food scraps, yard waste, in mine mainly. The more you mix the matter the faster the compost is produced. I am a lazy composter so I built a huge bin and just let it set for a couple of years to do the work.
by Charles Hendricks | Mar 5, 2014 | architecture, Building Science, Green Building, green term defined, Indoor Air Quality
There are many terms used to describe a home that is built to a higher standard, green, sustainable, LEED Certified, and EarthCraft Certified to name a few. EarthCraft is a regional green rating system that has been adopted across the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Projects that receive EarthCraft certification have an independent third-party verification, along with meeting the EarthCraft programs criteria. The EarthCraft brand ensures each project addresses indoor air quality, energy and water efficiency, reduced resource consumption, and reduced maintenance demands.
Developed in 1999 by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and Southface, EarthCraft was adopted in Virginia starting with the Blue Ridge Area Home Builders Association. This is the only regional green building residential rating system in the state. There are certification programs for Single Homes, Light Commercial projects, multi- (more…)
by Charles Hendricks | Feb 12, 2014 | architecture, Building Science, green term defined, Harrisonburg Architect
A green roof, living roof, or vegetated roof are all terms used to describe a partially or completely covered roof with vegetation over a waterproof membrane. There are two types of vegetated roofs, intensive or extensive. The difference is simply the depth of the planting medium.
The traditional vegetated roof uses larger plants and a deeper soil to support the root growth. Newer technology has allowed for a lighter planting medium that supports sedum plantings, but would not work for larger plants.
Vegetative roofs are not a new concept, having been developed originally in Germany in the 1960s. They have become more popular with the benefits of added insulation, reduced storm-water runoff, habitat creation, and protection of roof membranes. Vegetative roofs also benefit the reduction of heat island impacts in the urban setting.
