Renewal Construction updates a historic house with environmentally friendly materials.
Read 601 Third Ave. Home owners Blog.
The Boyce-Frost residence at 601 Third Ave., Oakhurst, is currently being renovated by Renewal Construction, Inc., using green buildig principles, practices and materials. The project will be featured on the Discovery Network’s new "Renovation Nation" TV show, which will debut in 2008.
Renewal’s project was recommended for the Green Home show by Southface, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable homes, workplaces and communities through education, research, advocacy and technical assistance. “We are excited about being chosen to serve as an example of what green building is all about,” says Renewal CEO Peter Michelson. “We are committed to these principles and practices and pleased to be a part of the effort to increase public awareness of environmentally safe and affordable renovation options.”
The show will be hosted by Emmy-award-winning television personality Steve Thomas, formerly of “This Old House.” Filming will begin in Oakhurst this fall and will follow Renewal’s progress in incorporating environmentally sound features into the Prairie-style home: Energy Star-rated windows, dual flush toilets, recycled glass countertops, low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, SIPs (structural insulated panels), geothermal heating and cooling, a tankless water heater, cisterns for rain water harvesting and on-site materials recycling. All materials are carefully selected for recycled content and minimal travel distance from the supplier to the job site.
Renewal and Rawlings – a Winning Team
Design plans for the renovation were created by local architect Eric Rawlings, AIA. “The enthusiasm of the homeowners, K.C. Boyce and Michelle Frost, for sustainable design made this a dream project for all of us involved,” he says. “Their willingness to make an example of their home for the whole community to learn from is more than admirable.”
The residence is in a neighborhood of older homes, many of them Craftsman style. “The historic fabric of the neighborhood compelled us to provide a compatible design solution,” he says. “At the same time we felt that an advanced architectural style was also appropriate. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Style was a natural inspiration as it influenced the Craftsman style yet is more advanced in appearance and better suited for passive solar design.”
Buddhist-style Rain Chains – a Unique Feature
The design seamlessly integrates several above-ground cisterns into the architecture, bringing the water playfully down Buddhist-style rain chains into a cluster of river stones at the top of the stone-clad cistern vaults. The captured rain water is available for landscape watering or car washing. The excess water spills out of the cistern vault down a cascade of stone and into a French drain trench that looks much like a Japanese-style dry riverbed.
Another important feature is the geothermal system, which provides temperate air using the Earth’s constant temperature as a heat source and heat sink. “The Boyce-Frost residence exemplifies the idea of living in harmony with, rather than living off of, the land,” says Rawlings. His firm, Rawlings Design, Inc., is at 108 Fifth Ave, Decatur, 404-488-2273.
Reducing Energy Consumption – a Practical Benefit
“Incorporating green elements into a renovation project saves the homeowner money in the long run,” says Renewal CEO Michelson. “Replacing inefficient equipment with high-efficiency equipment and materials can significantly reduce home energy bills, in addition to helping the environment.”
Watch the progress of this house here.
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