w04 LemonDrop Addition

With a focus on healthy home design, the addition features non-toxic building materials and finishes, natural ventilation strategies, and no carpet. The passive solar design incorporates energy-efficient construction, large south-facing triple-paned windows, and a stained concrete floor to create a space that is heated with the sun (even on cloudy days).

The second story loft contains an office that houses two businesses, reducing the need for commuting and allowing for good integration of green office practices. The site design includes rainwater harvesting, native and edible landscaping, garden beds, and three adorable chickens who enjoy their own green-roofed coop.

The original “LemonDrop” house was expanded from the original 720sf yellow “warbox” to provide a master bedroom and bath, dining space, family lounge, and home office, as well as front and back porches and a roof deck. It is an example of the “less is more GREEN” philosophy of LD Arch Design, a design approach that focuses on sensitively transforming your home with thrifty and thoughtful design improvements – maximizing reuse of the existing house while keeping any added spaces compact and efficient. As a project with a very tight budget, it is a great example of affordable green strategies for people who are interested in making their existing home greener.

“Less is more GREEN” design simply uses less – less space, less new stuff, less toxic stuff, less energy, and less water – which often leads to less money spent on your home. The LemonDrop Addition demonstrates these principles in several ways:

Less space

1. Efficient floor plan: Spaces are compact and storage is efficient. An open floor plan, interesting views, and dynamic spatial qualities create the impression of an expansive space within a small footprint.

2. Small bedrooms and bathrooms: More square footage is used for the shared living spaces.

3. Focus on outdoor spaces: Opportunities to “expand” the space by using outdoor porches, patios, and roof deck.

Less new stuff

1. Preserve existing: The design retained the existing home “as is” which:

• Allowed the family to live comfortably during construction
• Reduced the amount of materials sent to the landfill
• Economically repurposed materials already in the home

2. Reclaimed materials: Reused materials used in the design included:

• Reclaimed slate from a local school’s blackboards
• Salvaged doors
• Relocated kitchen cabinets

3. Material reduction: Design to reduce the amount of “new stuff” with very simple trim and finish choices:

• Stained concrete slab
• Plywood trim reduces need for virgin lumber
• Exposed structural glulam beam

4. Recycled content materials: Includes:

• Fiber cement board siding
• Gypsum wall board
• Concrete with fly ash content

Less toxic stuff

1. Non toxic materials: A priority was placed on selecting materials that would not outgas toxic fumes:

• Zero VOC soy-based paints with zero VOC natural pigments
• Non-toxic soy-based concrete stain and sealer
• Plywood with no added urea formaldehyde• Non-toxic caulks and adhesives
• Non-toxic hand-rubbed linseed oil wood finish
• Marmoleum natural linoleum flooring
• Existing cabinetry sealed with “Safe Seal” to encapsulate potential toxins

2. Hard surface flooring: A carpet-free home reduces the amount of dust and allergens in the home and makes cleaning easy. Floors include Marmoleum, stained concrete, and hard wood.

3. Natural ventilation design: When windows are open, the two-story space serves to draw fresh air in and up through the home, dramatically improving ventilation in the existing home as well as the addition spaces.

4. Non-toxic yard care: No pesticides or fertilizers used in landscaping. Gardens and chickens are all organic.

5. Non-toxic cleaning: Cleaning products are all natural and non-toxic

Less energy

1. Passive solar design: Includes efficient building envelope, triple-paned south-facing windows, and a concrete floor to capture and retain heat from the sun during the winter (even cloudy days), while overhangs provide shading from summer sun.

2. Green (vegetated) roof provides a high insulation roof

3. Energy efficient appliances and lighting:

• High-efficiency on-demand water heater
• Indoor and outdoor Energy Star lighting fixtures with photo sensors
• Energy Star ceiling fans and bathroom fan
• Energy Star dishwasher
• Indoor and outdoor laundry drying areas (a.k.a. "solar clothes dryer")

4. Green home office: Two green, paperless businesses operate out of the upstairs office loft, reducing energy needed for commuting.

5. Urban agriculture: Producing food onsite eliminates the energy required for transportation:

• Chickens provide eggs and nutrient-rich compost
• Raised garden beds
• Edible plants and herbs throughout the yard

Less water

1. Efficient plumbing fixtures:

• Low flow shower and faucet aerators
• Efficient horizontal axis washing machine
• Dual flush toilet

2. Water efficient site design:

• Green (vegetated) roof slows and stores stormwater
• Rain barrels harvest and store rainwater
• Native and drought-tolerant landscaping
• Grass-free yard
• Pervious pavers allow water to penetrate into the ground

Like most homes, this is a “work in progress” and there are still many dreams for future changes. Also featured with the tour will be the visions for planned green improvements, such as the electric car charging station and photovoltaic solar canopy over the roof deck. We look forward to seeing you, sharing our experiences, and hearing about the visions for your home.