Low FootPrint MATERIALS & Construction
The construction process prioritized reducing as much waste as possible and to follow various responsible sourcing guidelines within the LEED Platinum certification. For example, our wood was sourced locally, following sustainable forest practices, and materials used across the project were often composed of recycled materials, reused materials and sustainable sourced. In terms of waste, there was only a fraction of dump truck runs needed compared to traditional building methods – due to resource efficient construction process. For example, in the metal framing, all major supporting joists were fabricated on-site to length with near zero waste. During the wood construction, extra trimmed ends were typically reused on the property via our onsite storage and also to reuse racks.
Reusing and Reducing Materials
Many parts of the house were constructed with reused material. This includes the concrete walls of the house’s foundation, which had 30% fly ash. Reusing fly ash provides a way to substitute the energy inputs of creating more concrete and also contains flyash that could otherwise cause environmental damage. Other reused materials includes vintage repurchased bricks that were used in the landscaping and exterior design. The fireplace are composed of reused Jerusalem stone that was acquired at a local San Francisco hotel which had an extra supply. Additionally, using the solar power technology of SunTile serves a dual function of providing roofing material.
Electric vs Gasoline Powered Tools
Our project has eliminated all gasoline powered “gen-sets” for powering tools and air compressors. This was accomplished by running temporary power to the project site at the outset of construction, and by installing a single, large electric compressor, with hose bibs running around the perimeter of the jobsite, for providing compressed air to the nail guns and other pneumatic tools used in the construction process. Small gasoline gen-sets have no emissions controls and eliminating them from the job site significantly reduces air pollution generated during construction.
