Green Homes Gain Ground

REGION

Green homes aren't just for eccentric, nature-loving types.

The cost savings that environmentally friendly homes produce - and the fact that the dwellings can be built in rural or urban settings - is drawing the attention of planners, developers and builders in Central Pennsylvania.

It doesn't take cutting-edge technology or unique materials to build a green home either. Orienting a dwelling on a lot to make use of sunlight and tree shading and building the structure with materials from local resources suffices, said Eric Menzer, vice president of Wagman Construction Inc. of York County.

Wagman was a sponsor of the "Green At Home: Green Construction Hits the Residential Market" program at the Valencia Ballroom in York. The April 12 event touting the benefits of building green was hosted by the Urban Land Institute's Central Pennsylvania Regional Committee.

"Green building is at a tipping point, and builders are beginning to move from a majority less involved, to a majority more involved with green building," said Larry Brown, program manager of energy efficiency with the National Association of Home Builders. "There was a 20 percent increase over last year in terms of those builders dedicated to green building issues. In 2007, it's expected to rise by another 30 percent."

Green homes cost about 6 percent more than traditional homes. But the operational cost savings generated by the environmentally sound homes makes building green sensible, said Chris Gulotta, executive director of the Cumberland County Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

The authority blazed a trail for green building in Central Pennsylvania when it developed Petersburg Commons, the area's first green residential community. The commons is just north of Duncannon, on Basin Hill Road in Penn Township, Perry County. The $2.1 million development consists of 14 three-bedroom townhouses built by Wagman. The townhomes were constructed on an existing subdivision adjacent to a residential neighborhood in late 2005.

Plans for a similar green residential neighborhood along Bedford Avenue in Carlisle are making their way through the municipal landdevelopment process. If the project gets the green light in the next year, 20 green homes will be built in a mixed-income development, said Bruce Quigley, principal of the Office for Planning and Architecture in Harrisburg. Quigley's firm was subcontracted to design Petersburg Commons and the next green project in Carlisle.

Petersburg Commons units sold for about $85,000 each. The development was subsidized by state grants and other public and private funding and will serve as a model for future rural and urban green developments throughout Central Pennsylvania, Gulotta said.

You don't have to sacrifice style or space to build green, Menzer said. A builder can construct green homes to replicate or improve on any normal home. "These improve on a prototypical townhouse. You are not only improving environmentally, you are making them better places to live," he said. "These are houses in Central Pennsylvania that at the end of the day have to function like a regular home. And these homes can be built anywhere."

Petersburg Commons is a green residential community in Penn Township, Perry County. The $2.1 million development consists of 14 three-bedroom townhouses.

About Petersburg Commons

Many homebuilders use brick and other stone composite materials to craft the exteriors of green homes. But at Petersburg Commons in Perry County, the wood of otherwise-unusable dead Hemlocks was used to cover the outside of the structures. Each townhouse roof has a cupola window to invite additional sunlight into the homes. A fan in the cupola's ceiling helps circulate air to keep temperatures cool in the summer. This setup keeps the air conditioner off longer and the electric bill lower, said Eric Menzer, vice president of Wagman Construction Inc.

The townhouses are Energy Star rated, which means they meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Energy Star homes are at least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to meet the 2004 International Residential Code.

Perhaps the most energy-efficient aspect of the townhouses is their tight-seal build that prevents the majority of heat from escaping. Larger, 2-by-8 studs frame walls in the homes. Typically, houses are framed with 2-by-4s or2-by-6s. Using larger studs creates room for additional insulation to be sprayed between walls. The insulation is composed of recycled material.

Petersburg Commons is living up to its promise in the heating department. The houses feature electric heating and, so far, electric bills average about $60 per month, said Chris Gulotta, executive director of the Cumberland County Housing and Redevelopment Authority. There is not much variation in cooling or light costs. But the monthly heating average is 15 percent less than a typical home, he said.

-Eric Veronikis

Each townhouse roof at Petersburg Commons has a cupola window to invite additional sunlight into the homes.

BY ERIC VERONIKIS

ericv@journalpub.com

Copyright Journal Publications Inc. Apr 20, 2007

(c) 2007 Central Penn Business Journal. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.