Case Study

Vital Stats Location: Kirkland Star Level: 4-Star Checklist: Single-Family Size: 3,632 square feet Section Points Site and Water 102 Energy Efficiency 81 Indoor Air Quality 83 Material Efficiency 114 Innovation 0 Multiplier 1.00 Total Score 395

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YS Development LLC
Project: 1102 5th Street, Kirkland, WA

This month's featured project is a speculative 4-Star home in Kirkland built by YS Development, LLC and designed by PLACE Architects. The home was a joint pilot program of the City of Kirkland and YS Development, to establish a new expedited permitting process for high-level green projects.

The City of Kirkland received a 2008 Built Green Hammer Award in part for establishing this program, as well as for their continued effort to promote green building practices. To address the site and runoff, the home features a green roof, drought tolerant native landscaping with a computerized drip-system and no grass.

The home also used innovative materials such as soy based foam insulation, FSC-certified flooring and recycled tile, among other products. The soy based insulation, combined with a 95 percent efficient furnace, advanced framing, high performance windows and an air leakage rate of less than 0.15 ACH will provide significant energy savings. To ensure healthy indoor air, the home features a rain-screen system which will prevent moisture from getting trapped in the walls, operable windows for cross ventilation, timed fresh air intake, ceiling and whole house fan.

Finally, in an effort to add further density to the infill site, the developer added a detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU), which can house additional family or be rented, a feature that is fairly uncommon in other cities on the Eastside.

Some of the many green features of the project include:

Site and Water Protection

• Vegetated living-roof system for a portion of the roof, maintenance free
• Home includes a detached ADU over the garage
• There is no turf grass on the site
• Site is landscaped with plants appropriate for the site that require no irrigation after initial establishment period
• Home is on an infill site
• Dual flush toilets installed throughout the home

Energy-Efficiency

• Home also certified by Energy Star Homes Northwest®
• Soy based spray-foam insulation used in roof
• Used Advanced Wall Framing techniques with studs on 24" centers and double-top plates
• 95 percent efficient furnace installed
• Tank-less gas water heater
• Blower door test with results better than 0.15 ACH
• Duct leakage test performed and loss results less than 6 percent
• Heat Recovery Ventilator installed to capture heat from warm air leaving the home
• High performance windows
• Passive solar design, No air conditioning
• Clerestory windows for natural daylight
• Energy Star® appliances used throughout

Indoor Air Quality

• Rainscreen system installed to prevent the trapping of moisture in wall systems
• Ducts cleaned and flushed at completion
• Project sub contractors were trained in implementing a healthy building jobsite plan
• Urea Formaldehyde-free cabinets installed
• Natural wool carpet limited to less than 1/3 of interior flooring
• Low-VOC/low-toxic paints used for all major interior surfaces
• Timed fresh air intake and heat recovery
• A high efficiency HEPA filter installed in the Heat Recovery Ventilator
• No use of PVC piping for plumbing
• Home ventilated with fans after new finish applications

Material Use

• Project waste sent to a recycling facility with a 90 percent recycling rate or better
• Installed 50-year warranted metal siding and roofing
• FSC-certified eucalyptus flooring installed
• Domestic soy based foam insulation used
• Use of recycled content tile
• Natural linoleum used as resilient flooring
• Natural certified wool carpet in bedrooms
• Used fiberglass framed windows as opposed to vinyl

Still Images

Click on an image to enlarge.

Photos by Bryce Mohan and Aaron Britton.

 

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