A dream of a 'green' home anchors 2008 Parade of Homes

West Calhoun

Gulf Breeze builders West and Amy Calhoun of West Calhoun Construction are building the 2008 American Dream Home for the West Florida Home Builders Association Parade of Homes, and they can't wait to share the "green" dream they have come up with.

The home will be open to the public during the annual Parade of Homes April 19 - 27.

"Having built the American Dream Home in 2005, our firm knew that the home needed to showcase new and innovative ideas," explains Calhoun. "To further enhance the public's 2008 Dream Home experience, we decided that the home should be a Green Dream! What does this mean? It means that we are building the home to qualify for the Florida Green Building Coalition's Certification as a Green Home."

In order to qualify for a true Green Home Certification, builders must incorporate facets of construction that comply within the guidelines. A minimum number of points for each of eight different categories is earned. These categories range from site location to energy savings.

A few of the energy saving features incorporated in the Dream Home that you don't necessarily see (except in a monthly energy and water bill savings) are geo-thermal heating and cooling system, icynene insulation that insulates the home like a blanket and U-factor windows to screen harmful rays.

"It was a new experience making the interior design selections for the home because not only do the selections have to complement each other and the design of the home but they also have to be made from recycled or eco-friendly materials," Amy quips. "With the help of our valued subcontractors and suppliers, our adventure began!"

The interior design process always begins with cabinetry selection. Calhoun chose a manufacturer whose plant has been certified 'green' and chose countertops such as granite and Cambria, which are natural materials. Next, faucets and toilets were chosen based on low volume water usage and design appeal.

"Flooring was probably the easiest selection to make because you'd be surprised at the availability of natural products," Calhoun continues. "Cork and bamboo floors are both natural and eco-friendly. Carpets are also easy to choose based on recycled materials used in many on the market. Another easy selection was energy efficient appliances. Lighting, always important in a beautiful design, was a bit of a challenge. With the emerging Energy Star standards, there are a limited number of exciting light fixtures available. However, we overcame this obstacle and achieved the same result by choosing other awesome fixtures and utilizing compact fluorescent bulbs rather than standard bulbs. The compact fluorescents are more expensive to purchase but outweigh the cost of the standard bulbs because of their energy savings and their longevity."

It's all about choices to go green and you do not have to be totally green to make the score. Green Build Certification requires that the overall design needed to be light in color. A lighter paint palette with just a splash of darker color here and there throughout the house accomplished that goal. The exterior features a complementary blend of brick, hardi-plank and cultured stone, and exterior landscape consists of indigenous varieties of shrubbery and trees and as much of the existing landscape as possible left natural.

"We're even adding bird baths, feeders and bird houses along with a compost pile to achieve a true green feel," says Amy.

While some green items are easier to find than others, both Calhouns expressed confidence that soon the green initiative will have all the manufacturers scrambling to make sure that their products comply. The more consumer demand there is for green products the more cost effective and available they'll be.

"That's why we felt it was important to bring the Green Dream to Pensacola - if you see how easy it is to 'Go Green', maybe you'll jump on board, too!" Amy urges.

During the home tour, a complete breakdown will be provided of all the items incorporated to make this 2008 American Dream Home truly a Green Dream. Complete tour information can be found at www.westfloridabuilders.com.