One thing we have realized in our pursuit to build better homes is that it’s hard to tell the story of green building in the short amount of time that people are experiencing our homes on their first visit. First impressions go a long way, and we have thought a lot about the best way to quickly impress some of the most important aspects of what we were trying to accomplish. We want to first build cool houses, and then make them even better by being more efficient, healthy, comfortable, environmentally friendly, and well connected to their surroundings.
With this challenge in mind we have been very excited about our work with GreenDwellingSeattle on a piece we think says so much about our goals in a format that’s recognizable, clear and simple, and that give a realistic comparison to other similarly sized homes. We have put forth our best efforts and we think the Environmental Facts Label says a lot about how we are building better homes. It provides the basic facts of a home and the means by which we achieve efficiencies. It lets people know what they can expect in the way of utilities costs compared to local average homes of similar size. It speaks to walkability, public transit time and also what certifications the home has targeted. It also includes one basic number: the HERS index, which represents what percentage of efficiency a home should realize over code built homes. Low is good and each number represents a 1% improvement, with code built homes being 100. Keep in mind that to achieve Energy Star certification a home must be at least 15% better than code. At 1105dwell our homes are 45% more efficient and we are very proud of that. We reached this number by building with SIPS, utilizing an airtight drywall approach, tireless air sealing to keep hot and cold air where we want it, and including efficient systems like Tankless Hot Water, and Heat Recovery Ventilation.
There is a lot more to tell about green building, but quite a bit of it is said in this label. We hope it connects and resonates. Come see for yourself. See the recycled and renewable materials, smell the clean fresh scent of a healthy home, realize that with so much natural light you use the light switches less often. We are happy to share our work and that it is being appreciated by our buyers and the community. 3 of 4 have sold and we are looking forward to completing this project just in time to release our next, 436dwell.
This is an amazing single family home that could quite possibly be the most efficient speculative home built to date in the city. Not only is it extremely cool, it has a HERS rating of 46!!! We would love to welcome you to a release party on Thursday, September 2nd from 4:00-7:00 pm. More details to come on this project. Stay Tuned!!!
Today’s topic in the pursuit of better built homes: SIPS (Structural Insulated Panels). The exterior envelope at 1105dwell is completely comprised of this amazing building material that gives a great deal of benefit while using far less in the way of energy and materials than it’s traditional stick frame counterpart. We want to take a quick look at exactly what a SIP (Structural Insulated Panel) is and talk a bit about the many benefits their use offers for structural durability, energy efficiency, and reduced environmental impact. The benefits of SIP’s are many, but most notable would be that they create a strong, durable building envelope with high insulation values and minimal air infiltration. For comparison, a 4-inch SIP wall has an insulation value of R-14 and will outperform a 2×6 stick frame wall with R-19 fiberglass insulation.
SIP’s are most commonly made of OSB (Oriented Strand Board) panels that are sandwiched around a foam core made of expanded polystyrene. These core materials are made of 98% air and the blowing agent used to expand the foam is CFC-free. Only a small amount of petroleum is required to create the foam insulation and the manufacturing process uses 24% less energy than fiberglass of equivalent R-Value. The OSB panels are typically made from fast growing species such as aspen or poplar and use nearly all of the wood of the harvested trees with very little waste.
When blower door tested, SIP’s have been known to be 15 times more airtight than their stick framed counterpart with fiberglass insulation. Constructing a home using SIP’s can reduce heating and cooling costs upwards of 50%. They are manufactured offsite to custom specifications and as such offer a reduction in initial resource demand and jobsite waste. While the technology for SIP’s was developed in the 1930’s in the severe Wisconsin climate, they are now widely used in construction projects all over the world. Dwell made the decision to use SIP’s for their latest project because of what they had to offer from a structural, efficiency, and environmental benefit perspective. The future homeowners here will value them for their durability, comfort, and reduced utility costs.
Another one of the many features of 1105dwell is the attention given to healthy indoor air quality. We started with an extremely tight envelope; meaning we worked tirelessly to ensure that the house was as airtight as we could make it in order to lay the foundation for the efficiencies we were striving for. The finishes that went into the homes were also very important, and we are proud to say we used only Low/No VOC finishes to make sure we were creating a healthy environment from the get-go. Passive ventilation is also great in the summertime (cracking a few windows), but in the cooler months we needed an efficient means by which to fill the homes with fresh air on a constant basis without additional heating costs.
Enter Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV). It basically works like this:
In a home there is an inbound flow of fresh outdoor air, and an outbound flow of moist indoor air that needs to vented. In a tight house that is highly interested in efficient operations we want to be able to control moisture and air temperature, and to minimize the heat loss that occurs as we ventilate. An HRV works by using a heat exchanger between the cooler, incoming fresh air and the warmer, moist indoor air that needs to be vented from the home. The cool air picks up heat from the warm air as it is brought into the home and also helps to reduce the humidity of the indoors at the same time. These systems can recover as much as 75% of the heat from the air that is being vented and ensure a low humidity interior that can have a significant effect on the health of the indoor air quality, the integrity of the home and furnishings; all while reducing the operational costs of the home as a whole.
While we’re on the subject of operational costs, the cost of financing a new home comes to mind. With interest rates at historical lows (4% range in most cases) it is hard to think of a better time to buy. At 1105dwell we have put together a great preferred lender program with Golf Savings, and are offering various other incentives to bring the total to almost $25,000 in buyer incentives per home. We are even offering a $1,000 referral from Dwell for anyone who brings us a buyer that leads to a closed transaction.
Just produced this short video to share a bit about what we do and the philosophy behind it. It’s about raising the bar on residential development; to contribute to community, to promote Health, Efficiency, Sustainability, and the value of investment in a better built home. Our project 1105dwell is our latest addition to the Judkins Park neighborhood and we are very proud of our efforts there. If you are interested in a tour or would like to know more about the project let us know at dwell@dwelldevelopment.net.
This weekend is Seafair and many of us have already started looking up in the sky to follow the scream of the Blue Angels as they streak across the sky. Seemed like a perfect time to say a little something about the roof top decks that have all but become a staple of dwell projects and are a beautiful, functional, sustainability added feature of our latest project 1105dwell.
Rooftop decks are a fantastic way to add living space to homes built in the urban environment. We have been adding them to our projects for years and the feedback we get from our homeowners is they are the place they most often find themselves from the first signs of Spring on into the long Indian Summers we are so fortunate to enjoy in the Northwest. We outfit ours with everything from a natural gas line to hot and cold running water, plenty of open space for entertaining, and ample gardening areas so our homeowner’s can grow a full spectrum of fruits and vegetable year round.
Rooftop decks get you up and away from it all. The view is always outstanding and they offer outdoor privacy seldom found in the urban environment. They are far more than a deck. They are a place to entertain, relax, cook, and garden with the added benefit of watering all those fruits and vegetables from our rainwater catchment systems. They are definitely a way to enhance the urban living experience and something we are proud to offer on all of the homes at 1105dwell.
We are excited to share the details of these homes and will be doing so every few days or so for some time. Monday will be a video update that tells the story of dwell and what we hope to accomplish with our developments. Stay tuned. If you have any questions about the project as we go along or would like to arrange a tour, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at dwell@dwelldevelopment.net.
Thoughtful design is a collection of many things, not the least of which are efficient operations and technologies that offer as much in the way of comfort and convenience as they do in savings for the residents. Today’s topic: Tankless Hot Water Heaters.
Tankless Hot Water Heaters are an excellent example of just one of the features of our latest project 1105dwell that offer all three; comfort, convenience, and efficiency. Tankless Hot Waters heater have become more commonplace in residential design as of late and we thought it might be nice to share a few of the benefits of these compact little powerhouses that are often overlooked. Yes, they have the capacity to offer forever showers, and take up much less space than a conventional hot water tank, but there’s far more to it than that.
Let’s take a look:
Tankless Hot Water Heaters are designed to last 20 years, compared to Tank Water Heaters that have a lifetime of 2-9 years.
Tankless have a standby heat loss of 0% compared to an average of 20% on Tank Heaters.
Tankless save an average of 30% on the water heating bill.
Tankless burn less fossil feuls than a Tank Heater that heats water that isn’t being used.
Tankless are more efficient over the life of the heater due to reduced mineral build up.
Click on the image and look closely at the yellow Energy Guide Label on the side of the unit. See where it lands on the range of efficiency for water heating units….Amazing!!
At 1105dwell we chose an incredible 98% efficient Navien Condensing Tankless Water Heater. This unit delivers not only the domestic hot water (sinks, showers, laundry) but is also the heat source for the 3-zone radiant floor heating in these homes. The efficiency of the unit for space heating is complemented by the superior insulation and air sealing that went into the construction, all of which add to the overall comfort, convenience, and efficiency of this system and technology.
There is far more to thoughtful design of course, including use of sustainable materials, natural daylighting, passive ventilation, improved stormwater management, durability, quality of construction, etc. But let’s bite this off in small pieces and talk a bit about each. We would love for you to visit our project and see the result of our approach to thoughtful design for yourself. These homes are on the market and we are offering up to $25,000 in buyer’s incentives and will pay anyone a $1,000 incentive for referring a buyer who purchases one of them. Check out these images and see for yourself the approach we have taken to thoughtful design at 1105dwell.
Go! Go! Go! We are progressing quickly on 26th. The framing is complete, the roof is on, the windows and sliders have been placed and the electrical, plumbing, gas lines, radiant heat, and the heat recovery ventilation system we have chosen to ensure an evenly, well ventilated interior are essentially ready to go.
As with most of our homes we are utilizing the efficient, compact technology of a tankless boiler as the heat energy source for our domestic and space heating needs. The single piece of technology we have chosen for these purposes is a Navien Condensing 98% Water Heater. The Navien system is 98% efficient, meaning that out of every dollar spent to heat the water only 2¢ worth of that energy is lost to the exhaust. This is an all-in-one unit comprised of a boiler that heats the water as needed to deliver hot water for the radiant heating as well as for use in laundry, dishwashing, showers/baths, and sinks.
The plumbing and radiant heat systems are being supplied with the use of Pex, or Cross-Linked Polyethylene tubing. This tubing can be seen in the slideshow identified by red and blue tubing for the domestic water use and as black for the radiant system. The radiant system is embedded in the concrete slab that will serve as the finish floor on the entry level and is placed into the space between floor joists for the upper floors. You will notice that on the upper floors the tubing is held back from the sub-flooring and has diffusers attached to help distribute the heat evenly to the space above. These bays will be filled with insulation which will also aid in directing the heat upward.
The electricians have been busy setting the service panel and running the vast amount of wiring throughout the home. The plumbers have completed their work running the drain and venting work. There is still much to do and in the coming weeks we will be installing the Owens Corning Energy Complete air sealing and insulation system. This is an exciting technology that will help us to achieve our goal of near Passive House insulation standards.
We would be happy to arrange tours of this project at any stage of it’s completion. Please contact us at dwell@dwelldevelopment.net to schedule a private tour. The home is scheduled for completion in early August and is available now for pre-sale. For more information please visit the 436Dwell page through the link above.
Things are moving along quickly at 436Dwell. With the framing and sheathing in place the design is really starting to take shape. As we mentioned previously this home is focused on the combination of high design and high efficiency. On this project the tools we are utilizing to achieve outstanding efficiency began with the fully insulated foundation and will continue all the way to the roof ridge. With a deeper wall assembly, intensive air sealing, triple-glazed windows, and systems designed to require less energy to maintain a warm, dry interior we will be passing the fruits of our thought and effort on to this homes future residents.
As we continue on an agressive construction schedule we will share in detail the steps we’re taking to achieve our goals; not only for efficiency, but the execution of good, modern design. We feel that we will be succesful in our endeavors when design leads the way, and the efficiencies and reduced environmental impact of our homes are integrated in such a way to be most noticable in the value of the investment this home will represent.
We would be happy to arrange tours of this project at any stage of it’s completion. Please contact us at dwell@dwelldevelopment.net to schedule a private tour. The home is scheduled for completion in early August and is available now for pre-sale. For more information please visit the 436Dwell page through the link above.
Our latest project 1105Dwell is now complete and is on the market. We are very proud of this project and the advancements we have made regarding the blending of high efficiency, materials choices, healthy indoor air quality, and community contribution.
In it’s first two weeks on the market we have had excellent traffic through the project and been honored to have received media coverage from such sites as Jetson Green, Materialicious, Contemporist, and a few international media outlets who will be writing about the project in the weeks to come.
We would love to have you come by the project and will be open on weekends for public open houses and tours through at least June. If you would like a private guided tour of the project we would be happy to arrange one. Matt Muhsam from GreenDwellingSeattle is working closely with us on this project to help communicate the value and benefits of the green building materials, techniques, and technologies that help make these homes so special. GreenDwellingSeattle has been following the construction of this project from it’s foundation to it’s finishes. The complete collection of these posts can be viewed by clicking here.
This Saturday, May 8th starting at 11:00 am there will be an educational green home tour featuring our latest project, 1105Dwell. This tour is being held in partnership with GreenDwellingSeattle and Seattle environmental building products retailer Ecohaus. The experience includes a guided tour of the Ecohaus facility, a light lunch, and then a tour of each of the four homes in this project and a discussion led by Anthony Maschmedt and architect Julian Weber.
Please visit the GreenDwellingSeattle tours page for more information and to sign up.
One thing we have realized in our pursuit to build better homes is that it’s hard to tell the story of green building in the short amount of time that people are experiencing our homes on their first visit. First impressions go a long way, and we have thought a lot about the best way to quickly impress some of the most important aspects of what we were trying to accomplish. We want to first build cool houses, and then make them even better by being more efficient, healthy, comfortable, environmentally friendly, and well connected to their surroundings. 
