Optimum Performance Home

In the past few years, green has become a mainstream phenomenon. High profile politicians, celebrities and advocates have jumped on board the green bandwagon, touting the benefits of eco-sensitive products and practices. Legislation has passed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and people are working together to reduce our collective footprint.

It’s reported that 35 million Americans now purchase eco-friendly products instead of the traditional alternatives. While consumer awareness on sustainability issues has advanced significantly over recent years, the green movement planted its roots decades ago.

Many people believe the movement was launched with Rachel Carson’s 1962 legendary book Silent Spring, which focused on the effects of pesticides on the environment. Others trace the beginnings of the movement to intellectuals from the 1800s, such as transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, who is renowned for his calls to action for conservation of and respect for nature.

In the construction industry, green steps were being taken as early as the mid-to-late 1800s. One of the first notable sustainable building architects was Alexander “Greek” Thomson (1817-1875). Thomson is credited with introducing key aspects of sustainable housing to the industry, from glazing streets to retain heat to improving ventilation through simple building techniques.

In the 21st century, the bar was raised with the development of an entire green community. The Sea Ranch, a 43-year-old development in Sonoma County, California, has been and continues to be celebrated worldwide for placing environmental awareness and preservation at the forefront of design and construction.

Though the ranch existed in many different forms from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, it wasn’t until 1963 that architects and planners began to transform it into an eco-mecca. Architect and planner Al Boeke wanted to create a community that complemented and respected the environment. His vision was so compelling that a number of environmental experts joined his team, helping to create the world’s leading eco-community.

The team started by reintroducing a wildlife refuge, native grasses and wildflowers, as well as taking steps to reduce the effects of erosion by planting thousands of trees. In addition, they conducted studies on the area’s soils, plants, animals and climate. With this information, they developed a community master plan with strict construction guidelines to ensure homes would be built to minimize their physical and aesthetic impact on the environment.

Totalling 5,200 acres, the Sea Ranch is composed of 2,310 individual building sites, 1,500 acres of forest preserve, 40 miles of private roads and common, open space. In 1988, the last of all the individual sites was sold. Since then, the community has begun to expand to accommodate the demand for ownership.

The famed community approaches a new milestone this year with the completion of the Optimum Performance Home® - an innovative type of home that embraces the Sea Ranch principles.

Conceived and owned by Californian Gary Reber, the Optimum Performance Home is a showcase project that integrates universal design with eco-friendly, sustainable building methods and materials. No other residential development combines so many diverse, progressive ideas and technologies. It was the first of two custom homes to qualify for the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes pilot program in California.

The three-building, 4,500 square foot compound was designed to be a Zero Energy Home. It will include solar panels on the roof for electricity and hot water. It will also adopt net metering to pull power from the electrical grid when needed while also pushing and selling excess energy back to the electric company, resulting in an annual net energy cost of zero dollars.

The Optimum Performance Home will use water efficiency techniques, natural light, indigenous vegetation and recycled materials. In the end, the home will exceed California’s building code requirements and will achieve platinum-level LEED certification. The home is an outstanding example of the ever-evolving green movement.

Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean posed a unique construction challenge for Reber and his team. Naturally-occurring sub-grade water overly saturates clay soil in the area. The construction team needed to ensure water remained outside the building envelope while also abiding to the strictest environmental standards for residential construction. To accomplish this goal, the team turned to Kryton International Inc.

Kryton’s concrete waterproofing admixture, Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM), was selected for its environmental attributes and waterproofing ability. KIM is a chemical admixture in dry powdered form that is part of Kryton’s Integral Crystalline Waterproofing System. When combined with water and unhydrated cement particles, it reacts to form millions of needle-like crystals. These crystals grow and fill the naturally occurring pores and cracks in concrete, providing permanent waterproof protection. Using KIM eliminates the need to use conventional waterproofing membranes by protecting the concrete from the inside out.

KIM is touted in the industry for its environmental properties. It is non-toxic, non-flammable and odorless. Unlike surface-applied membrane waterproofing systems, KIM becomes part of the concrete matrix. This means that the concrete can be recycled for future use. KIM is also available in pulpable bags, which assists in minimizing construction waste.

In contrast, many traditional external membranes are petroleum-based. They use adhesives with highly volatile organic compounds. The vapour from these compounds can cause respiratory problems and contribute to “sick building syndrome”.

Oil can also leach out and contaminate ground water.

Three concrete mixes have been created to date for the Optimum Performance Home: a specifically engineered Controlled Density Fill (CDF), a standard foundation footing and mix for the Amciv ICF’s, as well as a slab-on-grade. KIM has been used in every mix except for the engineered CDF.

While KIM is only one part of an extensive waterproofing system, it helped to solve a design and environmental challenge. It is now part of a legendary community with a green history spanning more than four decades. More importantly, it is part of a new type of home that will change the face of green development and building practices across the globe well into the future.

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