Dan's Papers - May 1, 2009

Can eco-chic be stylish to the point of elegance while being comfortable? Even luxurious? Several projects across the twin forks indicate that not only are people committed to the concept of reducing their environmental impact, they're devoted to good design. Private homes, commercial buildings and large scale residential developments have taken seriously the new Leaders in Environmental Education (LEEDS) standards in the design process.

LEEDS has several new award categories to help architects and landscape architects in their design. For example architects can work with engineers to create efficient maintenance systems that minimize building waste and transportation costs during construction, and reduce energy usage by the homeowner. Landscape architects can use native plants and outline organic maintenance programs.

Glynnis Berry, a local architect from studio a/b in Orient and Riverhead, recently welcomed people at the door of a project she designed and built in Greenport. The Peconic Land Trust had organized a benefit for their Charnews Farm Project that inviting the public to see a LEEDS gold standard home, and quiz the builder and the designer on how the standards were incorporated.

"It's a lot of small things that add up," Berry explained, "a lot of it is common sense and taking the extra care." (Architects have always thought this way, but the LEEDS concept is becoming more visible and manufacturers are getting on board with new building products.) The house in Greenport was built of structural insulation panels. Berry designed templates for the panels, which were precut by the manufacturer. Although the builder had some tweaking to do, the result was a tightly fitted structure with very little heat loss. Materials overruns were substantially diminished since the contractor only bought what he really needed. This means more efficient climate control and less construction debris.

The house is modern, open and airy in feel. A line of intimate spaces is intelligently laid out in a way that allows you to see through the length of the house. This plan takes advantage of the east/west orientation of the site and incorporates passive solar heating with large south facing windows. An elegant stairway runs up along a wall of beautiful wood cabinets on the north side of the house that actually creates greater insulation from heat loss against cold winter winds.

Hot water is point of source or on demand through out the house. Anyone who's traveled to Europe may have seen a simple version of this type of system. The hot water pipe itself is heated so that as the water passes through the pipe it comes up to the desired temperature. This eliminates the need for a water heater, reducing not only that energy drain but heat loss that happens between the basement and the bathroom or kitchen.

Location is also a part of a LEEDS qualification. Within walking distance to the village of Greenport, the owner also likes the short stroll to the beach, the bus, ferry or church as a way to stay out of the car.

Location also came into play with the Water Mill Ateliers, a new commercial development of retail and apartment space. Its LEEDS platinum status may set a new standard for commercial construction on the East End, but how the design fit into the aesthetic of the hamlet was of more concern to locals. The buildings' facades have large windows which seem to be a design derivative of the garage style fenestration at the Hampton Coffee Company next door, settling the new building nicely into the neighborhood. Trees flanking the building will provide afternoon shade and soften the edges, but the landscaping in this project was also in large part what helped earn the higher ranking in energy efficiency and environmental concern.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the Olde Towne subdivision in the Village of Southampton. As the project has taken shape over the last year it is clear for all to see that careful planning and good design have produced more than just another elegant tree lined street. The layout was based on a canopy of trees along Wyandanch Lane and the history of four acre lots granted to the original settlers of the area. There is an extension to the existing nature preserve, and a wildflower meadow with native plants.

Perhaps best of all, the original plan designed by Hart/Howerton landscape architects of New York for Robert Gianos, is that all potential homeowners will have to consent to reduced pesticide use. Over 40 landscape chemicals have been banned from the site. Gianos has already made an enormous commitment to this philosophy by using bio-dynamically produced compost and compost teas while planting the large London Plane trees. Gianos wanted to set the standard for new development, which some may say has been long overdue, and he asks "Don't we all want to live in a clean environment? This gives people good food for thought when they are getting ready to build their dream home." Gianos is proud to have, in his words, "Taken history and married it to the landscape and land planning to create an environment, putting in long-term sustainability and organic land practices."

For years, both the North and South Forks have been highly focused on land preservation. But now the spotlight seems to be on conserving energy and minimizing the impact of a seeming trend toward overdevelopment. Bringing in only the materials specified for a job alone can reduce traffic, garbage and landfill needs. In the future, it may be that planning regulations stipulate that some LEEDS standards are met in all new construction as a way to reduce its impact on the community as a whole. For now it is reassuring to see that those on the cutting edge are here in our area, practicing good design and common sense.