Back in the day I was kind of a “punk” girl. Well, in the strictest sense (of the day) I was a new-wave girl, then a punk girl (for about a minute, in the grand-scheme), then a goth girl. In a social sense, this kind of association is all about aesthetics: what kind of clothes you wear, what music you listen to, how you cut/dye your hair, tats+piercings, etc. Because I grew up relatively poor (like the “original punks”…though not homeless on the street) I think I embraced the genre because of its DIY nature and ethic of resourcefulness. I also really gravitated toward the anti-establishment nature of it: WHY can’t I dress this way, listen to this “noise”, create my own path? Why SHOULD I follow the rules, go along to get along, follow the path that “the man” has created, subscribe to “the establishment”, be a “sheep”? In retrospect this was, of course, all the stuff of adolescent angst. Exercises in stretching my own boundaries and testing the limits of others.
This M.O., incidentally, DID carry through to post-adolescence (the college years) where I managed to manifest it in a way substantial enough to take part in creating an entirely new curriculum/tract of study at University of Illinois UC. When I graduated from U of I there was no “environmental studies” department per se. There was the Department of Ecology, Ethology and Evolution and there was the Institute for Environmental Studies - mostly a research facility (I know because I worked there part-time). I chose the university, in part, because it had an Independent Plans of Study (IPS) program: create a “major” by assembling my own curriculum based on offered courses, write a rationale as to why my chosen tract of study cannot be met by existing majors, and describe what I plan to do with the course of study upon graduation. Then I had to sit in front of the IPS Board (who by then had read my written submission) and verbally justify my plan.
The university was practically founded on the Agriculture Department (duh…it’s the Midwest), so it’s not like the connection wasn’t inevitable. I guess by virtue of sheer timing I was able to, in small part (a few others in the IPS program had created similar, environment-related tracts), make an impact by assembling my DIY studies because, shortly after I graduated (with a B.S. in Environmental Studies…yes, they let me make that up), a department of Environmental Studies was established. This experience solidified one of the “punk rock” tenets I took from my misspent youth:
Question everything.
This has simply become part of my being. But just because I question everything doesn’t mean I KNOW everything…quite the contrary. Part of this M.O. is questioning myself…probably to a fault. I want “it” – whatever “it” is - explained to me. I want to understand so I can make the best-informed decision for me (or my family or a client or anyone else that relies on or has entrusted me with something). “That’s just how it’s done” NEVER flies with me. Explain it to me. I’m not an idiot.
So when I was recently offered nothing but an “in the box” solution for my house’s HVAC needs from FIVE HVAC contractors, I seriously started to think that perhaps I was wrong about what I *thought* I knew would be the right (and conservative – as per the previous post) strategy for our HVAC needs in this house. THANK GODDESS I listened to my instincts (and my contractor) and contacted our energy auditor. Here’s what he had to say:
“Hi Christie-
I'm sorry this has been challenging for you, thanks for getting in touch. As a matter of fact, our calculations did touch on HVAC sizing. The report called 'Equipment Sizing Report' which would be the last page in your package, and is also attached to this message, shows that after all improvements are made, your home should only require 154 kBtu per hour, and you have 180 kBtu available with the equipment you possess. The unit sizes are fine. What we did is not a Manual J calculation in the strictest sense, but it is based on all the same elements (air leakage, insulation, house volume, etc) that a Manual J uses. The Manual J would come in close to our number IF it was performed to the features of the house as it'll perform AFTER all retrofits are complete.
Incidentally, a Manual J is a great way to not oversize the equipment, which is usually how things happen. We find most equipment is oversized, unless it's been run with a Manual J. But if professionals are terse and don't have good client relations, you shouldn't have to work with them in any case.”
(Incidentally, what I DID learn through all these exchanges with HVAC dudes was that Manual J is the “Bible” for HVAC guys. They study it in school – or via Union training - and, apparently, live and die by it. And that’s fine as Manual J does serve an important function in properly sizing a new unit. But we’ve had NO intention, all along, of replacing these 4 y.o. units. We want to work AROUND them so they won’t NEED to be replaced).
Our home should only require 154 kBTu per hour, and we have 180kBTu available with the equipment we possess. PLUS, beyond the energy efficiency improvements we are having done per the energy auditor’s suggestion, we are installing an air exchanger across all four floors and radiant heating in the basement - systems that will further reduce load on the units.
If we had listened to these five HVAC contractors that INSISTED we needed bigger, all new units we’d have no $$$ in the budget for the bad-ass, DIY rainwater management and collection system Steve (contractor) and Nathan (landscape designer) conjured-up at today’s meeting - which I am TOTALLY GEEKED about! – and promise to share details of in a future post.
About 10 years ago I boldly admitted to an old college friend that I always loved Olivia Newton-John and thought she was kinda bad-ass. At first he looked at me funny, as in a "that's SO NOT COOL" kinda way, then he said to me "That's gotta be the most punk-rock thing I've ever heard". He understood that I honestly didn't give a shit what anyone thought about the fact that I dig Olivia Newton-John. I like what I like and couldn't care less whether it fits into your little box of "cool".
With my house, I want what I want and I couldn't care less how it fits into your pro-establishment, tryin' to sell me some shit I don't really need, union-trained, industry-accepted box. You can bend YOUR numbers to suit your agenda all you want. MY numbers tell me what's right for us.
THAT'S punk rock.
And if, in the future, I find I was wrong? I will concede and make the changes then. But I will NOT be using someone unwilling to work with me now.
THAT'S being a responsible, self-asserting adult. Maybe my youth wasn't so misspent after all.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Let's talk conservation
To my mind, he main tenet of the "green rehab" is minimizing waste: in reconfiguration, retrofit, acquisition, conversion, increasing efficiency, etc. If it already exists, find a way to either re-use, reconfigure, re-purpose or recycle it. This M.O. reduces your carbon footprint not only by not consuming a newly-created thing, but also prolongs its useful life before its inevitable (?) demise to a landfill. This applies to existing systems as well as materials.
EVERYBODY loves their new, modern, of-the-day, high-efficiency stuff. Honestly, I am no exception...but I'm learning. I'm learning to appreciate the existence of what already is. I'm learning to think of the usefulness of existing things beyond their original intent. I'm learning to be creative about how to use existing materials and systems rather than just trashing them and buying new (the much easier route). Who hasn't bought some wonderful something at a garage sale or found something at a thrift store or an antique shop, gotten a hand-me-down and felt the satisfaction of having gotten GREAT deal?
I threw a Christmas party many years ago and wore a hand-me-down fur-collared sweater. My vegetarian, PETA-loving best friend was appalled when I opened the door to greet her. I immediately explained that this fur thing was handed down from my step-grandmother...it was decades old. By caring for it and wearing it I was prolonging the useful life of the by-product of the animal that gave its life to make this thing. That seemed to make sense even to her...and she became OK with my faux-pas. The offense in the questionable origin of the item became acceptable to her in learning that my use of it was thoughtful and conservative.
The concept of conservation in a home also applies to natural resources: we need them for our on-the-grid lifestyle, but how can we minimize our use of them? What systems can we put in place to make ourselves aware of our use on a daily basis in an effort to be more conscious about our consumption? What systems can we, with a little creativity, put in place to minimize our use of natural resources? How can existing materials and systems be repurposed or retrofit to extend their useful life?
The most effective things we can do are the least obvious to onlookers and, as a result, are also the least "sexy" as far as "green" goes. Conservation-minded rehab should be just that and ONLY that: creating systems that work functionally and fiscally for the user while also minimizing natural resource use. The installation of a geothermal heating/cooling system or a photovoltaic power system is great and is the sort of "sexy", high-profile greening that has become somewhat of a status-symbol. But if such systems are so expensive that it becomes impossible for a typical household to afford, then the technology - however "sexy green" it may be - becomes limited in its usefulness in affecting mass change in mindset about residential consumption. Installation of "sexy-green" systems without serious consideration of costs or true functionality is merely an exercise in status-symbol-seeking hubris...greenwash.
Every home is different, every set of needs is different, every budget is different. But every homeowner facing rehab. decisions can make small choices that have a big impact to reduce waste and consumption. And these choices shouldn't necessarily be made in an effort to "go green", but in an effort to pursue smart, thoughtful and responsible building practices.
Separating "green building" and "green rehab" from conventional building or rehab is an unnecessarily divisive practice. ALL building and rehab standards should follow these thoughtful and responsible practices.
EVERYBODY loves their new, modern, of-the-day, high-efficiency stuff. Honestly, I am no exception...but I'm learning. I'm learning to appreciate the existence of what already is. I'm learning to think of the usefulness of existing things beyond their original intent. I'm learning to be creative about how to use existing materials and systems rather than just trashing them and buying new (the much easier route). Who hasn't bought some wonderful something at a garage sale or found something at a thrift store or an antique shop, gotten a hand-me-down and felt the satisfaction of having gotten GREAT deal?
I threw a Christmas party many years ago and wore a hand-me-down fur-collared sweater. My vegetarian, PETA-loving best friend was appalled when I opened the door to greet her. I immediately explained that this fur thing was handed down from my step-grandmother...it was decades old. By caring for it and wearing it I was prolonging the useful life of the by-product of the animal that gave its life to make this thing. That seemed to make sense even to her...and she became OK with my faux-pas. The offense in the questionable origin of the item became acceptable to her in learning that my use of it was thoughtful and conservative.
The concept of conservation in a home also applies to natural resources: we need them for our on-the-grid lifestyle, but how can we minimize our use of them? What systems can we put in place to make ourselves aware of our use on a daily basis in an effort to be more conscious about our consumption? What systems can we, with a little creativity, put in place to minimize our use of natural resources? How can existing materials and systems be repurposed or retrofit to extend their useful life?
The most effective things we can do are the least obvious to onlookers and, as a result, are also the least "sexy" as far as "green" goes. Conservation-minded rehab should be just that and ONLY that: creating systems that work functionally and fiscally for the user while also minimizing natural resource use. The installation of a geothermal heating/cooling system or a photovoltaic power system is great and is the sort of "sexy", high-profile greening that has become somewhat of a status-symbol. But if such systems are so expensive that it becomes impossible for a typical household to afford, then the technology - however "sexy green" it may be - becomes limited in its usefulness in affecting mass change in mindset about residential consumption. Installation of "sexy-green" systems without serious consideration of costs or true functionality is merely an exercise in status-symbol-seeking hubris...greenwash.
Every home is different, every set of needs is different, every budget is different. But every homeowner facing rehab. decisions can make small choices that have a big impact to reduce waste and consumption. And these choices shouldn't necessarily be made in an effort to "go green", but in an effort to pursue smart, thoughtful and responsible building practices.
Separating "green building" and "green rehab" from conventional building or rehab is an unnecessarily divisive practice. ALL building and rehab standards should follow these thoughtful and responsible practices.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Everything in its right place (Part 1)
In the days I have been spending at the house - meeting with this HVAC contractor, that siding guy, some interior designer, etc. - I have started to get my head around how this house is gonna work FOR our family and, in what way as it currently exists, it will NOT work for our family. Not how our family is gonna work around this house (which - as I well know - is how one thinks about an apartment, or a starter home, or a temporary house, or a flip), but how this house has the POTENTIAL to work for our family for the next 15+ years.
This was the ultimate end we were thinking of when we were looking for a house...for almost 2 years. Every consideration of EVERY house that we looked at (and we looked at, literally, 50+ houses in that time) had the "how is this house gonna work for our family?" consideration in mind.
In our search there were several things that, starting out, we were unwilling to compromise: school district, space (we wanted it to be at least as big as our last house), functionality (it had to have the spaces – or at least the potential to create them with in budget – that we needed), feel (an indescribable concept, but houses tend to have a “vibe” to them), location (we had almost no walkability in our old house. We really wanted to be close to “stuff” in our next one), etc.
Despite all the work we have to do, how egregiously huge this place is for our needs and how incredibly UGLY it is from the outside, here's what this house has for us:
LOCATION:
Without even living there I can already see how wonderful this is going to be. I envision weeks at a time where I'll never have to get into my car...I can walk or bike almost everywhere. OK...that's not true...but for "the basics" it certainly COULD be true. The stereotypical tenet of Real Estate that has always been "LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION" has never been as apparent to me as it has been with this house. I am SO excited about this! In this way, this house puts us in our "right place".
Our last house could have been totally fine for us for the rest of our lives if we’d remained childless. But, thankfully, we didn’t. And children change EVERYTHING. Our desire to change the location of our home was inspired by 2 things:
1. Shayna Geyden, a 13 year old child on her way home from the corner store, got shot by gang crossfire in the Funsten school playground that we liked to take G to. D and G passed that playground, in D's car, on the way home from grandma and grandpa's house, not 20 minutes before it happened.
2. Public Schools in West Logan Square were NOT an option for G. Not only did they score incredibly low as far as CPS went (I know, right???) but there was absolutely NO diversity. D and I used to like to quip that what made our neighborhood diverse (me white and him Chinese) was US. While we cared little about racial diversity, we quickly realized that there was little to no economic diversity in our 'hood...an experience that, to us, is VERY important in G's life. WTF is the benefit to him to be from the richest household on a relatively poor block in Chicago
SPACE:
I have always heard the tenet about homeownership "However much space you have, you WILL fill it". When we moved into our last house I couldn't conceive of how we, then two people, could EVER outgrow it. Even if we had a child, as we'd hoped (and were blessed with), I couldn't see it. During the 6.5 years we lived there, despite all the work and reconfiguration we did on it, it became clear what spaces we were missing.
This new house has existing space for almost every use we can imagine: my office (with a separate street-side entrance), a guest room, G's playroom, a gym, D's woodworking shop, etc. It has all the spaces we were able to make in our old house and all the ones we wanted for our lifestyle. And this is what we were looking for. The problem is that all there spaces are MUCH larger then we'd ever envisioned them to be. This is a challenge in and of itself we’ve taken on in choosing this house: how do we justify buying such a large house for our small family?
The first thing that comes to mind is that this house, having been vacant for the last 4 years, needed a family. The intact craftsmanship needed to be appreciated. The house needed to be fixed to be habitable (as all previous “fixes” left it inhabitable). It almost seemed to scream to have its spirit, its soul restored. We got it for a price that enabled us to heed this call. This is what we hope to do in the coming years: make this mistreated and abandoned house a home…and find the “right place” for us. We are very calculated people, but this was something, a “vibe”, we can’t explain in making our choice. In the end, I suppose we simply appreciate a challenge…but one with heart behind it.
This was the ultimate end we were thinking of when we were looking for a house...for almost 2 years. Every consideration of EVERY house that we looked at (and we looked at, literally, 50+ houses in that time) had the "how is this house gonna work for our family?" consideration in mind.
In our search there were several things that, starting out, we were unwilling to compromise: school district, space (we wanted it to be at least as big as our last house), functionality (it had to have the spaces – or at least the potential to create them with in budget – that we needed), feel (an indescribable concept, but houses tend to have a “vibe” to them), location (we had almost no walkability in our old house. We really wanted to be close to “stuff” in our next one), etc.
Despite all the work we have to do, how egregiously huge this place is for our needs and how incredibly UGLY it is from the outside, here's what this house has for us:
LOCATION:
Without even living there I can already see how wonderful this is going to be. I envision weeks at a time where I'll never have to get into my car...I can walk or bike almost everywhere. OK...that's not true...but for "the basics" it certainly COULD be true. The stereotypical tenet of Real Estate that has always been "LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION" has never been as apparent to me as it has been with this house. I am SO excited about this! In this way, this house puts us in our "right place".
Our last house could have been totally fine for us for the rest of our lives if we’d remained childless. But, thankfully, we didn’t. And children change EVERYTHING. Our desire to change the location of our home was inspired by 2 things:
1. Shayna Geyden, a 13 year old child on her way home from the corner store, got shot by gang crossfire in the Funsten school playground that we liked to take G to. D and G passed that playground, in D's car, on the way home from grandma and grandpa's house, not 20 minutes before it happened.
2. Public Schools in West Logan Square were NOT an option for G. Not only did they score incredibly low as far as CPS went (I know, right???) but there was absolutely NO diversity. D and I used to like to quip that what made our neighborhood diverse (me white and him Chinese) was US. While we cared little about racial diversity, we quickly realized that there was little to no economic diversity in our 'hood...an experience that, to us, is VERY important in G's life. WTF is the benefit to him to be from the richest household on a relatively poor block in Chicago
SPACE:
I have always heard the tenet about homeownership "However much space you have, you WILL fill it". When we moved into our last house I couldn't conceive of how we, then two people, could EVER outgrow it. Even if we had a child, as we'd hoped (and were blessed with), I couldn't see it. During the 6.5 years we lived there, despite all the work and reconfiguration we did on it, it became clear what spaces we were missing.
This new house has existing space for almost every use we can imagine: my office (with a separate street-side entrance), a guest room, G's playroom, a gym, D's woodworking shop, etc. It has all the spaces we were able to make in our old house and all the ones we wanted for our lifestyle. And this is what we were looking for. The problem is that all there spaces are MUCH larger then we'd ever envisioned them to be. This is a challenge in and of itself we’ve taken on in choosing this house: how do we justify buying such a large house for our small family?
The first thing that comes to mind is that this house, having been vacant for the last 4 years, needed a family. The intact craftsmanship needed to be appreciated. The house needed to be fixed to be habitable (as all previous “fixes” left it inhabitable). It almost seemed to scream to have its spirit, its soul restored. We got it for a price that enabled us to heed this call. This is what we hope to do in the coming years: make this mistreated and abandoned house a home…and find the “right place” for us. We are very calculated people, but this was something, a “vibe”, we can’t explain in making our choice. In the end, I suppose we simply appreciate a challenge…but one with heart behind it.
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