Greening a Bathroom

Bathrooms, along with kitchens, are the most expensive spaces to construct in a home, because of the plumbing needed, the greater density of lighting and numerous appliances. To create a sustainable bathroom, it must be energy efficient, use minimal water, be comfortable, non-toxic, quiet and basically maintenance free.

California codes keep nudging all new and remodel construction to be more sustainable. Consequently, any remodel project today triggers upgrading ALL plumbing fixtures throughout the home or business. The most recent State standards are: 1.8 gallons per flush for toilets; 1.2 gallons per minute (gpm) for bathroom faucets and 1.8 gpm for showerheads, giving California the toughest standards of any US state. For comparison, these flows are about a quarter or less of what was standard 3-4 decades ago.

Not only are these standards saving hundreds of billions of gallons of water each year, but also lots of energy and greenhouse gas emissions, since 19 percent of energy consumed in California is used to pump, transport, treat and heat or cool water.

Selecting an efficient and effective showerhead has become easier in the last decade, due to the Federal WaterSense program. To carry the WaterSense label, a showerhead must list its flow rate, which must be below the maximum allowable federal standard, and meet strict user satisfaction standards. A popular WaterSense model by Niagara, rated at 1.5 gpm and receiving stellar customer reviews, costs only about $8.

A promising development that cuts water consumption even more is the atomizer mist technology. Showerheads using this approach disperse water through millions of microscopic droplets into an effective wet area while saving 70 percent of water. Similarly, with sink faucets, the fine mist produced is a 98 percent reduction in water use, with no loss in functionality.

Controlling humidity in bathrooms is key to promoting health. Good natural ventilation (operable windows) as well as effective air-moving equipment avoids mold, mildew and rot. A good bathroom fan needs to move about 150 cubic feet of air per minute while having a noise rating of 1 sone or less, making it virtually unnoticeable.

The leading green-building thinking today emphasizes all electric homes, where the loads are minimal, and the power needed is produced on-or-off-site by the sun or wind. LED lighting and super-efficient equipment keeps loads to a minimum without sacrificing performance. Hot water can also be heated by solar electric panels or directly by solar thermal panels. Water and heat can be additionally saved by on-demand hot water delivery. At the push of a button, a pump turns on, rapidly bringing hot water to faucets while pushing the cold in-line water out into the cold-water lines rather than wasting it down the drain.

Good insulation, high performance windows, using only non-toxic materials and avoiding carpeting are additional strategies to improve sustainability in bathrooms and are even more important for the entire house. Savings on water and electricity are often easily calculable. Putting a price on good health is not easy but for most of us it is priceless.

Creating the Eco-Friendly Kitchen

The framework for an environmentally friendly home and kitchen is being all electric. Electricity is increasingly being generated by renewables, either on or off site, thus avoiding the pollution and climate issues linked to using fossil fuels. Clean electricity has none of the harmful health issues tied to home gas appliances. A Federal EPA report asserts that a gas stove adds between 25 and 39 percent more nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide to the air in a home.

Fortunately, a great alternative to gas stoves exists in the electric magnetic induction cooktop. Because it directly heats a pan using magnetic fields, an induction unit can provide great power, instant adjustability, excellent thermal efficiency and precise control—better than with gas cookers and without the negative impact on indoor air quality. The energy efficiency of induction coils is approximately double that of gas burners.

To create an eco-kitchen, all appliances need to be minimally Energy Star rated. The Energy Star label, a Federal program that evaluates energy efficiency of household appliances, enables shoppers to knowingly purchase appliances that use the least energy and water to operate. Created in 1992, the program now covers 40,000 products and saves more than $30 billion (2013) in energy costs annually.

Choose cookware and utensils that stand the test-of-time and won’t have to be thrown away and replaced. Stainless steel and cast iron are good choices for pots and pans (also metallic cookware is required for magnetic induction cookers). Similarly, choose high-quality knives. One only needs a few good ones, plus they stay sharp longer.

Good natural lighting and ventilation can reduce the need for artificial lighting and mechanical ventilation. Carefully locating windows and skylights can improve the ambiance in a kitchen and enhance air quality. When needed, electric lighting is best provided by LEDs (light emitting diodes). They are super-efficient—requiring fewer photovoltaic solar panels—and provide excellent task lighting.

Equipment, lighting and ventilation are important, but one’s devotion, passion, common sense and experience focused on efficient food prep and cleaning habits are as key, if not more so, in creating an eco-friendly kitchen. Examples:

·         Use cloth towels rather than paper towels.

·         Avoid bottled water.

·         Buy cleaning products from companies that make non-toxic, biodegradable, plant-based products

·         Shop at the farmers’ market for local, fresh, organic, highly nutritious food without packaging.

·         The difference between ordering takeout and tossing together a salad with farmers’ market ingredients shifts from big to small impact on our agricultural system and the larger eco-systems. Food accounts for a greater portion of our ecological impact than home energy.

·         Minimize gadgets.

·         Don’t install a garbage disposal. Learn how to compost. Set up for easy recycling.

·         Design an open pantry for maximum convenience.

·         Have only drawers below counters. Avoid cabinets with doors and pull-out shelves. They require 2 operations every time one accesses a cabinet.

Energy Upgrades for Existing Homes

Information on how to build an energy efficient home is easy to come by these days—but what if you can’t start from the ground up? What about the 18 million homes that already exist in California? Are those of us living in existing homes relegated to changing light bulbs and adjusting thermostats?

Not at all. Enter the Home Performance contractor. Home Performance is the discipline of applying building science and retrofit techniques to existing buildings, and the results can be dramatic; numerous case studies cite total measured energy used by the home reduced by as much as 70%!

Building science developed in the 1980s along with sophisticated equipment making possible the measurement and study of buildings. By applying these tools and scientific principles, we now know how to transform the energy performance of buildings.

The good news doesn’t stop there. It turns out that many of the same retrofit measures that reduce energy use also improve the quality of indoor air, humidity and moisture levels plus the overall longevity of the structure itself. The benefits are many and varied, from reduced indoor allergies to less frequent dusting to decreased home repair work.

But what goes into an energy upgrade? Since every home is unique, a good Home Performance contractor starts by running tests to understand exactly what is needed for the specific building. With this data, the contractor then recommends the upgrade measures for maximum improvement.

Because most homes are “leaky”—that is, air can pass more or less freely between indoors and out, the first priority is to stop the leaks. Typically, we spend energy (and money) to heat or cool our indoors, but, because of leaks, we end up heating or cooling the outdoors. Home heating and cooling is by far the biggest use of energy in homes, so stopping this energy wastage represents a key first step used by the Home Performance contractor.

Most of us think of windows when we think of building air leaks, but the science shows us that windows are usually not the main culprit. Because warm air rises (the stack effect), most air escapes at the top and bottom of buildings, through the attic and the crawlspace. Consequently, air sealing is one of the most important strategies. With this single measure, both energy use and indoor air quality can be improved.

One caveat, this work should be done by a professional trained in building science and home performance. Tightening a home can have unsafe side effects. For example, if gas appliances are present, there is a danger of trapping noxious, life-threating fumes inside the home. A professional will understand these risks, and will use test equipment to verify that they’ve been avoided.

Specifics for a Resilient House

Structural Considerations:

Meet or exceed current seismic codes for tie downs, lateral (sheer) bracing, masonry chimney supports, etc.

A building’s ability to flex and absorb vibration is as important as how strong it is when it comes to earthquake resistant design. Install expansion joints to allow a building to move without damage during seismic activity.

Fire Resistance:

Use non-combustible materials for the building shell: 3 coat plaster, cementitious siding, clad or metal frame windows, clay or concrete roofing tiles or standing seam metal roofing. Avoid exposed wood outside. If have exposed wood, coat with water-based intumescent paint.   Avoid attic venting [use foam insulation (Icynene) to meet code]. Consider metal gutters integrated with metal facia. Use gutter guards to keep gutters cleaned out. Since eaves are one of the most vulnerable areas, cover with non-combustible material like plaster or cementitious boards.

Make deck surfaces non-combustible with tile or masonry combined with plaster skirting and plaster or metal guardrails.

Make structure super tight to prevent/minimize smoke intrusion.

Top chimneys with ¼” mesh spark arrestors.

Install state-of-the-art flame and ember resistant foundation vents. Use similar vents for soffit, ridge and gable openings, if they exist, but try to avoid. Brands to consider are Vulcan, O’Hagin, FAMCO, Ember Out and Brandguard.

Establish defensible space around your home, by planting fire resistant landscaping, keeping trees limbed up and cleaning debris around the house. Absolutely no wood or other combustible material should be stored near the outside of your house.

Protect from Extreme Weather:

Reinforce structure to withstand severe wind loads (basically same steps as for seismic strategies)

Prepare for heavy precipitation and flooding. Use deep overhangs (suggest 24”) to keep much of the rain away from the house. Use gutters, downspouts, French drains, soil slopped away from structure and site swales, infiltration basins and catch basins to let water penetrate ground and protect the building from heavy storms. (Can use gutter system to capture and store rainwater for future irrigation).

Provide permeable surfaces at patios, walkways and driveways to absorb storm water.

Build drainage planes behind wall skins to allow trapped moisture/water to escape and drain out at base of walls.

Pay special attention to basements and crawlspaces where water may collect. Locate mechanical equipment and electric panels above grade. Attic spaces are ideal for such equipment (furnaces, boilers, AC equipment, and water heaters).

If located in a flood plain or the coastal zone, think about rising seas, storm surges and even possible tsunamis. Elevate the main living quarters and install breakaway walls at the lower level. This is standard practice in Hawaii.

For Survivability:

Employ passive solar design strategies. Create a tight shell with substantial insulation, thermal breaks, thermal mass, strategically placed windows, natural ventilation, stack ventilation, and moveable shading devices on the sunny sides of the house. Maximize daylighting. These steps can save operating costs and assure a reasonable level of comfort when heating/cooling equipment is out of commission.

Go All-Electric with Backup Storage:

Use Energy Star or better appliances or equipment. Use heat-pumps for heating, cooling, hot water and clothes drying. Install a magnetic induction stove for cooking. (Emergency back up for cooking could be a Coleman camp stove using propane cannisters). Generate your electric power with photo-voltaic panels and a backup storage system (maybe Sonnen-a German battery). Arrange your electric circuitry for survivability. Run your refrigerator, cooker, some minimal LED lights, your media/information center and at least one receptacle for charging phones off the battery backup system. A Yeti Tundra 65 cooler makes an effective emergency backup for frozen foods when power goes out.

Consider an electric vehicle or bicycle (electric or pedal) in case of an extended power outage where gasoline will not be available. Avoid a diesel generator for backup. Fuel may not be available plus it contributes to the climate crisis.

Develop an Emergency Water Supply:

Stored water, perhaps collected rainwater, can be purified/filtered with an MSR Guarding Purifier System.