Dan's Papers - April 25, 2008 - Why You Should Buy the Green Cottage

One visitor to the Hamptons Home and Garden Show will come away from the event with much more than just ideas and contacts for building and improving his or her house. The highest bidder at a live auction held at the event will walk away with a 192-square-foot "green" cottage that can be used as a pool house, art studio, meditation room, or children's playroom. The winner doesn't have to literally walk away with the cottage - as part of the deal it will be delivered and installed.

Cold Spring Harbor-based architect Anthony J. Musso, who specializes in green design, designed the cottage. Last year he exhibited a similar cottage that was also auctioned off, with the proceeds being donated to the Children's Foundation of Suffolk. This year the cottage is slightly bigger and the proceeds will be donated to the American Heart Association, and all the materials and labor were donated. The value of the cottage is approximately $75,000 and the bidding will start at $10,000, said Musso.

What makes the cottage green? For starters the electricity is generated using solar panels and the roof is constructed with artificial slate tiles that are made from recycled rubber and plastic. The decking and a pergola were constructed with Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood that has been responsibly harvested. The shell of the building is made with expanded polystyrene SIP panels, which provide a super insulated thermal barrier. And the exterior siding is made of cement and wood fiber, another material used in green design because of its longevity and low environmental impact.

There is no plumbing in the cottage, said Musso, though it could be added at a later date. The interior is painted buttercup yellow with white trim. The exterior is off-white and the roof has an appropriately green hue. The cottage will be delivered to the winner's property, though it will be the winner's responsibility to prepare an area, which could involve removing planting or leveling the ground. Because of the cottage's small size and relatively light weight, Musso said there's no need for a full foundation.

Musso said he's been focusing on green design projects for the past six years, though green design has really taken off the past two to three years. As public education and consciousness is raised about environmentally friendly building, local laws have been changing to embrace higher environmental standards. Energy Star, a program of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has been urging towns to embrace a set of standards they set for efficiency in building.

One hurdle for people considering building a green house from scratch or making green renovations to an existing home is the perception that building green means spending more green. Building a house that is 30 to 50% more efficient will be almost a trade off to a conventionally built house, said Musso. There will be additional expenses for some materials, but these expenses will be offset because smaller equipment for heating, cooling and so forth can be used.

A house that's 50 to 90% more efficient than a conventionally built house will cost more to build, said Musso, but those costs are offset down the road by savings in water, electricity, heating and cooling bills.

So it's time to start thinking about where a new green cottage could go. Between the green design and the proceeds of the auction being donated to charity, it's a win-win situation. And imagine how great it would be to have a small separate space away from the house for chilling out, painting, yoga, or letting the kids take over.

The green cottage auction will be held on Saturday, May 3 at 2 p.m. Viewing times are Friday, May 2 from 3-7 p.m. & Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Hamptons Home & Garden Show, Southampton Elks Lodge Fairgrounds, 605 County Road 39 (Route 27), Southampton. For more information, visit www.hhgshow.com.