Gold Award
Judges’ vision award

Team Entry: Architectural Resource, Ann Arbor, Mich. & Meadowlark Builders, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Project location: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Sq. ft. before: 1,330
Sq. ft. after: 1,864
Project cost: $420,000

The project began like many remodeling projects: The soon-to-be-married owner needed more room, and previous “remuddlings” had been less than successful. In addition, the 1830s home was one of the oldest in the city of Ann Arbor and was in need of significant energy upgrades.

The owner turned to Architectural Resource and Meadowlark Builders, both of Ann Arbor, to sensitively expand and reconfigure the home to accommodate the new family situation and also address the home’s serious energy retrofit needs.

While energy efficiency was a key ingredient from the start, discussions between the architect, remodeler and owner soon set the bar higher. The project went on to become the first USGBC Platinum level whole-house project in Michigan and only the fifth in the entire nation.

A key consideration in the redesign of the home was Sarah Susanka’s Not So Big design philosophy, a concept which is complementary to and supports the energy-efficient and green elements of the design.

Budget constraints were another concern, and the project was able to align good design and the homeowner’s budget without compromising. “I don’t know how you did it, but you got it all in there,” the owner said when reviewing the final plans.

The design solution entailed tear-down of an earlier addition, salvage of materials from the demolition, and addition of a new basement, first floor and second floor in a T-like configuration on the rear of the home. As part of the green philosophy that informed the design, recycled materials were used extensively on the project.

The exterior of the home remained complementary to the traditional streetscape. However, once past the front door, the home took on the young couple’s decidedly more hip, urban, funky contemporary aesthetic. The floor plan was altered to make better use of the space.

Green features include an ICF (insulating concrete forms) basement foundation and optimal value engineering. Optimal value engineering reduces the amount of lumber used for framing and allows for more insulation in the exterior walls.

Other energy features include SPF air-barrier insulation; geo-thermal heating and cooling; on-demand tankless water heater with a PEX manifold water distribution system; low and ultra-low flow plumbing fixtures; low and no VOC building finishing materials; HRV with HEPA filtration; and Energy Star appliances. On average, heating and cooling costs are about $45 per month.

Specified Products

Uforo soaking tub: Diamond Spas
Toilet: Toto
Exterior doors: Pella
Vinyl flooring: Marmoleum
Wood flooring: Stranded bamboo
Flooring tile/stone: Ann Sac
Kitchen appliances: Gaggenau, Kenmore, KitchenAid
Roofing: CertainTeed
Skylights: Velux
Insulation: Demelec
Decking: Trex
Kitchen/bath cabinets: Custom/Meadowlark Builders

Silver
Marrokal Design and Remodeling, San Diego, Calif.

Bronze
MyGreenBuildings, Sarasota, Fla.

Honorable mention
TreHus, Minneapolis, Minn.