Easy to be Green in Washingtonian

I was excited to see my story on green building in the new April issue of Washingtonian, which landed on our doorstep earlier this week:

I learned so much writing this story—I think I interviewed close to two dozen people trying to figure out the best angle. The bottom line: There are more and more architects and builders who are specializing in green design and construction, just as building codes are starting to require more environmentally friendly features in new construction.

The article has some gorgeous photos in it, but because real estate is tight in a magazine, they obviously couldn’t fit them all in. So I wanted to post more images of these lovely, super-green homes.

The opening page shows a gorgeous green remodel in Bethesda by Gardner Mohr Architects. The Liuzzos, who own the house, also showed immensely good taste by hiring Jennifer Gilmer to do their kitchen. Gilmer, by the way, lives nearby and hired Amy Gardner to renovate her own house.

Here are additional images of the home, shot by the talented Jim Tetro:

LiuzzoHse_kitchen — Sustainable elements in this kitchen include bamboo flooring and countertops made from recycled paper.

The translucent screen here is the interior of what you see from the rear lawn, looking up to the second floor. A great way to let the light in while maintaing privacy. This material also has a really good R value of insulation. — The translucent screen here is the interior of what you see from the rear lawn, looking up to the second floor. A great way to let the light in while maintaing privacy. This material also has a really good R-value of insulation.

The next image you see in the story is this dreamy beach house, designed by Jim Rill in a way that the walls have a foam core, filled with concrete, and are very good at standing up to high winds—a big consideration in places like Bethany Beach, Del.

Photos courtesy of Rill Architects

This is why you come to the beach, for the outdoor showers!

Paul and Heather Haaga commissioned Rill to build this house next to one they’ve owned for a long time, to accommodate their children and grandchildren. Because they anticipate being here forever, they didn’t skimp on beautiful Arts & Crafts detailing throughout, in addition to the green building features, including a geo-thermal heating and cooling system—obviating the need for outdoor HVAC machines, which are much more inefficient, and rust quickly in the humid, salty air.

Check out the inside:

You almost don't need any art in this house, because the architectural details are so dramatic. — You almost don’t need any art in this house, because the architectural details are so dramatic.

Here's a view from the other side, with all those windows, and a cheerful kitchen on the other side of the hearth. — Here’s a view from the other side, with all those windows, and a cheerful kitchen on the other side of the hearth.

I wouldn't mind having this space as my home office! — I wouldn’t mind having this space as my home office!

The third house in the article belongs to Dr. Don Wright and his wife, Dr. Kathryn Palmer, in the Palisades section of Northwest DC. They had purchased the house a long time ago, but it was old, and so inefficient that there were rooms upstairs they never used, because they were too hot in the summer and too cold int he winter. A new, totally green renovation by Chryssa Wolfe and Jake Hanlon of Hanlon Design Build fixed all that.

The professional photos are by Jason Weil.

Here’s an up-close of the beautiful deck (and the red metal trellis):

The indoors are also beautiful, and my own pictures don’t do it justice. As you can imagine from the outside, it has an Asian feel:

Here's the entry. Dr. Wright let my son take a whack at the gong! — Here’s the entry. Dr. Wright let my son take a whack at the gong!

The window-lined loggia. In the winter, you can see through the trees to the Potomac River.

The cozy family room. Interestingly enough, they already owned this curved sofa, which works perfectly in the new space. The coffee table is by the Phillips Collection.

Their dog also has a beautiful space to curl up in.

One of the builders I quoted in the story, Jim Tabor of Tabor Design Build, uses his own house to demonstrate to clients how easy it is to go green. The photos didn’t make it in, so here they are, courtesy of Jim Tabor:

The exterior looks utterly normal, but look closely at the addition on the far right -- it has a reflective roof that doesn't absorb so much of the sun's heat, which makes it easy on the geo-thermal cooling system. — The exterior looks utterly normal, but look closely at the addition on the far right — it has a reflective roof that doesn’t absorb so much of the sun’s heat, which makes it easy on the geo-thermal cooling system.

The side addition has larger-than-normal eaves, which shade the high sun in the winter, but lets in the low sun's warming rays in the summer. — The side addition has larger-than-normal eaves, which shade the high sun in the winter, but lets in the low sun’s warming rays in the summer.

I hope you’ll pick up a copy of the magazine and read more — this is one of those stories where I really enjoyed speaking to people on all sides of green building, from homeowners to builders and architects, from real estate agents to experts on building codes.

Meanwhile, I’m putting the finishing touches on my package on bath design trends of the May issue of Washingtonian. Stay tuned!

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