When the University of Puget Sound (UPS) asked BCRA and Mountain Construction to design and renovate an early 19th century home on campus to become a prototype for sustainable student living, the team was anxious to meet the challenge. There was just one catch — the project had to be designed, constructed and ready for students to occupy in just four months while meeting the requirements for LEED for Homes certification at the same time.

If this project was to succeed, it was imperative that the owner, architect and contractor work as a well-oiled team. Close communication throughout the design, demolition and construction process was critical to meet the tight deadline for students to begin living sustainably by the start of the 2008 school year.

UPS is a nationally ranked liberal arts college located in the heart of Tacoma, Washington’s historic neighborhood. This private university offers cultural, artistic and social opportunities to students from all over the world. As an early signature to the Talloires Declaration, President Ron Thomas marked the official beginning of the university’s sustainability drive in 2005. At that time, he also initiated the Sustainability Advisory Committee (SAC) — a coalition of students, faculty and staff committed to increasing sustainable behaviors on campus and fostering individual responsibility for living sustainably.

The renovated home houses five students that have agreed to the challenge of a sustainable lifestyle. The house was designed and constructed to LEED for Homes, achieving Gold certification, and will serve as a learning center for the campus and the regional community. The students will host university and public tours throughout the year, create an Internet blog on the experience, and monitor the home’s performance while documenting the living experience for the university.

If successful, UPS plans to renovate many more of its homes on campus to follow the example of this Live Green House. This house will serve as a template for other residential living environments on campus. The transformation of this cottage-style bungalow into a living experiment, however, did not come without its challenges and lessons learned.

Challenges

BCRA had four weeks to review the existing house and to work with the university and the contractor to develop plans and specs to build the prototype. The team began with a sustainable charrette to determine features to be included in the house, assign responsibilities and develop a workable schedule. Converting the home into a sustainable living space for students required immediate conversations with local building officials to gain approval of the concept. The City of Tacoma became an integral part of the design process and was instrumental in a quick building permit turnaround.

The original home was part of a community of early 19th century homes in the neighborhood and a part of the university’s student housing inventory. It would need to maintain its character while quietly speaking the language of sustainable living. Theme homes at the UPS are a tradition, and this house would become the “Live Green House.”

The immediate challenge for the university was convincing the board of regents to approve funding for a prototype project with uncertain results. The importance of the future of building sustainable student-living environments at the university was enough to convince the board to move ahead with the project. The university, however, needed to keep a close eye on the project budget and worked closely with BCRA and Mountain Construction to find cost savings throughout the project. The university team met with the architect and the contractor on a weekly basis to review design and construction issues and to make on-the-spot decisions to help keep the project moving forward and within budget.

Mountain Construction was faced with the task of mobilizing a motivated team to accomplish the renovation in just 11 weeks. The challenges included procuring the green building materials, maintaining a sustainable construction site, documenting construction debris, working with the LEED for Homes provider during inspections, and working closely with the university and architect to make timely decisions.

It was apparent when demolition started that the team had its work cut out for it. The turn-of-the-century home was built without traditional building standards. Most of the structure was inadequate to carry its own weight, let alone capable of meeting the current building code. Much of the structural frame, roof and exterior sheathing of the house had to be reinforced or replaced. LEED measures during demolition included minimizing site disturbance, maximizing the diversion of demolition materials from landfills, erosion control methods, and reduction in noise, dust and other construction disturbances to the neighbors and the environment. Nearly 100 percent of construction waste was successfully diverted from landfills.

The floors needed to be leveled and reinforced on both levels while preserving the existing hardwood floors throughout most of the first floor. The roof required re-framing to meet current codes and to make room for the insulation needed to meet LEED for Homes standards and the local energy code. All of the plumbing, heating and electrical was removed and replaced with high-efficiency systems including solar hot-water heating, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and ENERGY STAR appliances and light fixtures.

What To Remember

Develop a trusting relationship with team members and include everyone involved from the start including the owner, architect, contractor, LEED for Homes provider and local building officials. Meet early with your LEED for Homes provider to understand requirements that will need to be met by this program and inspections required. Add this information to your schedule. Make sure the owner’s goals are clear and concise and the budget is adequate.

Agree on LEED points and sustainable features to be included in the house at the start, and make sure all team members have a copy. Assign specific responsibilities for meeting the sustainable goals of the project to each team member.

Gain as much knowledge about the history of the old structure prior to beginning design. Perform preliminary investigations of the structure, foundation and site whenever possible.

Know your sustainable materials. Up-front research on sustainable materials and the application to your project can save your team time and costly changes when the schedule is critical.

Sidebar: Living Green House

LEED Status: LEED for Homes Gold

Location: University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Wash.

Size: Approximately 1,600 square feet

Completion Date: August 2008


Sustainable Features:

Exterior and Interior wall framing and sheathing, window framing, roof framing, and wall structures, FSC-certified lumber.

Roof Framing: includes reclaimed lumber. Flooring in the living and dining areas of the house were existing re-finished materials.

Stairs/Flooring areas in the house, FSC-certified (and non-tropical) wood product by Armstrong.

Kitchen Countertops: Richlite paper-composite.

Bathroom Counters: Novustone.

Casework: Crystal’s Green Core.

Molding and millwork: SPERO.

Bathroom Flooring: Terra Green Ceramics.

Bedroom Flooring: Interface 1st Avenue line.

Paint: Sherwin Williams ProGreen 200, Kelly Moore E-coat paints.

Windows: Anderson 400 Series.

Doors: Masonite and Lynden Door.

Insulation: Knauf Batt Insulation.

Adhesives and sealants: low-VOC (volatile organic compound) products.

Hot water: Solar panels for hot water heating with back-up heater.

HVAC: Ultra high efficiency HVAC system, no ozone-depleting refrigerants.

Roof Shingles: GAF-Elk Prestique Cool Color, limits heat absorption and heat build-up to reduce smog.

Appliances: ENERGY STAR-rated.

Plumbing: Low-flow toilets and showerheads reduce water usage.

Rainwater collection barrels collect water for irrigation


Design and Construction Team

Owner: University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Wash.

Architect: BCRA

General Contractor: Mountain Construction

Interior Design: BCRA

LEED for Homes Provider and Green Rater: O’Brien and Company