Going Green

Once SFH was built and looking fantastic, we realized something was missing. Like a great masterpiece, it deserved a fine frame. So, we added a lawn. After clearing a few trees and adding rich topsoil, Don and Jeremy layed down about 6,000 sq. feet of zoysia sod. The visual effect was immediate and dramatic. Best of all, zoysia grass is drought tolerant and requires little maintenance once established, making perfect for xeriscaping.

This got me thinking about how we've made the house green in other ways and I decided to make a list of all the eco friendly materials used in SFH.

• passive-solar home orientation on shaded lot
• high-efficiency multi-stage heat pump
• soy-based spray insulation on interior walls
• formaldehyde-free bat fiberglass insulation in faux walls
• VOC-free interior paint
• formaldehyde-free strand bamboo flooring
• natural formaldehyde-free cork flooring
• PaperStone 100% post-consumer recycled paper counter tops
• low-e glass
• Energy Star appliances
• high-efficiency Rais wood stove
• insulated concrete form foundation walls for crawlspace
• electric radiant bathroom flooring
• drought resistant zoysia grass
• energy efficient TPO reflective white roofing
• water-conserving dual-flush toilets
• dimmable compact flourescent light bulbs
• LED outdoor lighting
• sustainable, recycled pecan shell mulch
• locally quarried stone wall, stepping stones and river gravel paths
• Ipe deck from certified sustainable forests in Brazil
• CUZN (Copper-Zinc) water filter system