New Dream Home in Colorado LEEDs the way in Sustainable luxury design and building.

August 2007

Mountain Living Magazine has teamed up with a Dream Team of developers, architects and builders to construct their next Luxury Green Living - Dream Home 2008. Over the next twelve months Mountain Living will take their readers to the site of Dream Home 2008 using photography and editorial to document each phase of construction on the 8,000 square foot high performance home…proving that building green resort homes can be very luxurious. This spectacular home is the second in the Dream Home series for Mountain Living. The Dream Home project is committed to creating sustainable solutions by building high performance, energy efficient luxury homes that provide healthy places to live. “The promotion gives our readers a chance to learn about the latest in technology and green building techniques, by giving them a step by step guide on how to implement the solutions used to create the home.” said Holly Scott, Publisher of Mountain Living Magazine. Upon completion in June 2008, Dream Home 2008 will be one of the most environmentally progressive luxury homes in the country. Green building is among the fastest growing trends in homebuilding today. It is predicted that Green Building will reach a tipping point in 2007-08 setting the stage for the rest of the world to follow. Green homes of today will become the standard for the future, as reported by the NAHB and McGraw-Hill joint study, the Residential Green Building SmartMarket Report. A NAHB report released in early June 2007 reported more than 50 percent increase since 2004 in the number of green homes “certified by voluntary, builder-supported green building programs around the country”. The Dream Home 2008 is one of only a few homes in the country to be included in the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) pilot program. The Dream Home series was created to inspire a change in luxury living and design by showcasing how the latest green technologies or High Performance building strategies can be incorporated into luxurious resort properties. Developed and built by Margie Hamrick, of Ecoexistence, Dream Home 2008 will serve as an educational tool for builders, architects, designers, sub-contractors of various trades and homeowners to promote high performance building, green living, and conservation. "We believe that just because you have access to energy, doesn’t give you the right to waste it.” Said Margie Hamrick. “This is an opportunity to be part of a solution, this home is a great example of what we can do today to make a difference in the environment tomorrow.” The home was designed by Peter MacDonald, of Peter Stafford MacDonald and Company from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is currently under construction. Upon its completion, Dream Home 2008 will be the largest LEED for home certified project in the country. The first property of this size to combine energy-efficient technologies starting with the excavation of the site to the photovoltaic solar panels that will not only provide a majority of the Dream Homes electrical needs but will also feed the grid. The Dream Home 2008 will also receive certification from Eco-Build, Built Green Colorado and Energy Star. Other Green Features include: Resource sharing Photovoltaics or PV, solar power technology that uses solar cells to convert light from the sun into electricity Logs and trusses rescued from Beetle Kill Reclaimed and environmentally-certified woods High Performance Triple glazed low-E windows Solar tubing that directs natural lighting into the garage, closets and other rooms Energy Star lighting and appliances Cabinets constructed with SFI certification, manufactured with a formaldehyde-free resin, but also has no VOC (Volatile organic compounds) emissions High Efficiency faucets, shower heads Slow-flow and dual flush toilets Chemical free carpet and non-toxic low VOC paints and stains Recycled products on floors, countertops and on the roof Touch panel computer system that manages/monitors the home’s energy and water use Building materials that have a high percentage of recycled content and that are sourced as close to the project as possible The home will serve as a living classroom that will encourage, inform and demonstrate the importance of building homes that are environmentally responsible. The 2008 Dream Home will share the knowledge and the resources of each of the trades responsible for creating this sustainable residence. With all the sponsors lined up to support the project, the developer, Ecoexistence will donate a share of proceeds to Habitat for Humanity. The local chapter of Habitat for Humanity will receive funds, volunteers and recycled products from the building of the Dream Home, said Hamrick. We will begin the construction of one Habitat Duplex unit that is part of the Fox Hollow project located in Edwards, Colorado. The unit is scheduled to break ground in the summer of 2008, she said. The goal will be to share what we learned on the Dream Home project to create an energy efficient/LEED certified Habitat for Humanity home. By building a high performance Habitat Home, it will lower their bills and set the families up for long-term success as a responsible homeowner. This will also set an example for future Habitat projects and hopefully encourage a change in their building standards across the board. "Since we were selected to be a part of Mountain Living's Dream Home 2008 I have seen a great level of excitement surrounding our commitment to the environment and it is catching on. It gives everyone involved with the project the chance to make a difference within his or her own trade." said Hamrick. After meeting with the subs it isn't unusual to get a call back from them saying we are changing the way we do business because of this project…this is our way of being a part of the solution, as we encourage everyone involved with our project to raise their standards and challenge them to do things differently, they see the benefits and then share them…we all become a part of the change ” said Hamrick. We will be there each step of the way showing us how-to, where to buy, who installs it and what makes it green. Ecoexistence is investing in the solution. The Green Movement has marched. Building green makes both environmental and economic sense. This is my opportunity to take part in a solution that will encourage people to stop counting what they spend and start counting what they SAVE…We are in this together and together we can transform the market one green home at a time.