Accessible + Sustainable Home
In 2006 Clive Pardy and Molly McCabe of McCabe by Design commenced a remodel of their 1979 manufactured home into a Three Star Built Green® home. The objectives of the project were to create a healthy, accessible, and sustainable home that had low maintenance requirements. The house was methodically deconstructed to preserve as much usable materials as possible for reuse, donation, or sale. Materials that did not meet these criteria were responsibly recycled. The home was reconstructed using accessible and sustainable design-build principals and materials. The net result is a beautiful, accessible, energy/water efficient, healthy, low maintenance home. The project received the 2009 Environmental Design + Construction Magazine Finalist Award for Excellence in Sustainable Design.
Accessible Design Attributes: open floor plan, zero threshold garage and back door entrance, touch latch and wall hung cabinetry, convenience hardware, lowered counter heights, wider doorways, thoughtful lighting, and first floor master suite/laundry/home office/kitchen/dining/living room.
Sustainable Attributes: low/no VOC wall, floor finish and cabinetry finishes, high durability/low maintenance flooring and countertops, recycled and recycled content materials and furnishings, layered lighting, high durability/low maintenance and well insulated envelope, Heat Recovery Ventilator, hydronic heating, timed hot water circulation, energy star and low water usage appliances and plumbing fixtures, and pervious pavement.
Health and Wellness Features: hydronic heating, whole house ventilation system, breathable clay wall finish, water filtration, humidistat, health centric kitchen appliances (induction cooktop, steam oven, dual compressor refrigeration), flooring that mitigates the collection of dust and dander, therapeutic air jet bathtub that uses less than 45 gallons of water, low flow bidet toilets, layered/dimmable lighting, and cork flooring for sound attenuation.
