We enjoyed hosting almost 100 people today at our second of six Collaborative Informational Sessions. 

The day was structured with an open house from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, with a formal 60-minute presentation at 10:30 and 1:30 pm.  The Mayor of Monte Sereno, Don Perry, and Vice Mayor, Lana Malloy, opened each formal presentation.

Cleaning Up the Site from the Rain Last Night

It poured last night so we were scrambling to clean up the site and get rid of the water this morning. 

Dave Edwards (Earth Bound Homes) had several of his team on site helping to unbutton the site, pulling back the tarps and cleaning up the water. 

Eric Venzon (Teamwrkx) had his safety superintendant, Craig Butcher, ensure the site was safe and that signs were in place for our visitors, and had Dustin Barclay set up the presentation screen and provide electrical connections for the computers and projects.

Dave Stevenson (Insulspan) arrived and coordinated the presentation equipment so we were good to go.

John Rider (Jrider+Design) had just picked up the three new overview signs profiling the key green features of our house from San Jose Blue.  He placed these boards in three strategic locations around the house so our guests could identify and understand the various functions and benefits of the green features as they toured the house today.  The new overview sign is excellent (click here for a PDF).

Hosting the Morning Collaborative Informational Session

The sun came out and warmed the project site, drying up the pooled water all over the site.  And then our guests started to arrive.  Darrel Kelly (Builders’ Energy Services) stepped in graciously to receive each guest.  Darrel ensured that all of our guests signed a Site Tour Release form (waiver of liability), received a green Teamwrkx wrist band noting they had done so and then they entered the house.

We held a Q&A session on the ground floor where Eric introduced Bryan to respond to questions from the guests.  During this time, Don Perry (Mayor of Monte Sereno) and Lana Malloy (Vice Mayor of Monte Sereno), Perry Haviland, Architect of Record (Haviland Associates Architects), and Bill Brown (Bill Brown Construction) arrived.

Both Don and Lana spoke briefly, outlining how the City of Monte Sereno supported this project and are actively working with citizens of Monte Sereno to encourage ‘green building’  Specifically, Don outlined how the City had changed their ordinances to allow window wells in the setbacks, which was required prior to our project receiving our building permit.  Also, Don explained that the City Manager, Brian Loventhal, is updating Monte Sereno’s sign ordinance to allow a sign under the LEED for Homes program (which is currently prohibits signs that would qualify under the LEED-H criteria).

Then, everyone went to the lower level for Dave Stevenson’s AIA accredited presentation on Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs).  After Dave’s presentation, Dave Edwards presented an overview of green building, providing examples and insight that he has gained over the past eight years with Earth Bound Homes.

The group moved upstairs, into the warm sunshine for a final look at the house and to see some of the details that our presenters had explained.

Hosting the Afternoon Collaborative Informational Session

The weather continued to improve and it turned into a beautiful, blue-sky California day.  Don and Lana returned to open the afternoon session and Judy Peterson, the local writer from the Los Gatos Weekly Times, was on site to cover the event.

We were especially pleased to have several students from Richard Holman’s classes at De Anza College attend our event this afternoon (Richard’s first visit to our site was on Saturday, February 6, 2010).  Richard teaches classes on building performance and energy systems.  As well, Jerry Kauffman came to the site today.  Dave Stevenson is presenting to Jerry’s Wednesday class tonight at San Jose City College.  Jerry and Bryan will coordinate a field trip for his students to visit our site next Wednesday, March 17 (St Patrick’s Day!).  Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders in sustainable building so we encourage and support their visits to our site.

The author of the first book on Eichlers, Jerry Ditto, stopped in to see our progress.  Jerry, who wrote Eichler Homes:  Design for Living, has been involved in our project since the beginning and testified at the Site & Architecture meeting where we received our Site Development permit.  Interestingly, Lana Malloy, who is now Vice Mayor, was on the Site and Architecture Commision at that time.

Wrapping Up

After everyone left, we decided not to wrap the house with tarps as the overnight forecast was for clear skys.  Jo-Anne arrived and climbed the ladder to see the lower roof in the warm sunshine.

It was a good, full day.

(Left to right) Darrel Kelly receiving guests and having them sign Site Tour Release forms. Toni DeWaal and Patrice Green were among our first guests. Maria Dohadwala (white hard hat) had just signed in.

John Rider (Jrider+Design) put together a new overview, profiling the green features of our house. These boards helped our guests to identfy and understand the functions and benefits of the various green features around the house today.

Just before the formal presentation started, Bryan provided an overview of the project and then answered questions from the group.

After the group moved to the lower level, Don Perry (Mayor of Monte Sereno) opened the presentation on behalf of the City of Monte Sereno.

After Don Perry spoke, Lana Mally (Vice Mayor, Monte Sereno) stepped into the sunlight and took the stage.

Dave Stevenson, from Insulspan, presented the AIA-accredited session on Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)

There was a full audience for Dave's presentation.

Meanwhile, on the ground floor, Joel Lemons (Jrider+Design) was reviewing the green features (somewhat loudly) of the house with both Vivienne Kelvin (left) and Wendy Parker (right).

And, Bill Brown (left) and Bryan were answering questions on the ground floor, too.

The presentations were the very first use of our home theater, in the lower level. Note the water from the heavy rains last night.

Dave Edwards (Earth Bound Homes) presenting during the second session in the afternoon.

When Dave Stevenson presenting during the afternoon, when it was much warmer in the lower level.

The second presentation went very well.

Using one of our 12-1/4 inch SIPs, Dave Stevenson explains how SIPs are manufactured and why SIPs have more strength as a composite building material that the indivdiual components by themselves.

Some interested guests climbed the ladder and walked around the SIP roof. It was much warmer in the sunshine of the roof. Eric Venzon (left), Teamwrkx, Shannon McElyea (center) and Rory Faber (right), Stramit International.

Jerry Ditto (left) and Bryan, in the Garage.

Paul Dodds (left) speaking with Bryan on the roof.

We've been working with John Rider (Jrider+Design) since July 2008.

Jo-Anne, on the roof, at the end of the day.

We posted the invitation to our second Collaborative Informational Session.

Registration

You can register for the session by clicking on the button below.

It was a beautiful blue-sky California day today to host our first collaborative informational session.  We had more than 35 people attend, including architects and designers, home owners, contractors and students.  We were honored that Lana Malloy, a council member of the City of Monte Sereno and Barbara Allen, a long-standing commissioner and current Chair of Monte Sereno’s Site and Architecture Commission, were able to attend our event.

Preparing for the Collaborative Informational Session

Bryan’s father, John, was visiting from Edmonton, Canada, and helped us prepare the site for the event.  We had to ensure the temporary wooden railings were in place and appropriate caution signs highlighted dangerous areas.  Of course, Jo-Anne drafted a simple Site Tour Release Form for all attendees to read and sign prior to entering our active construction site.

Todd Bennett, from Teamwrkx Construction, arrived early and worked with Bill Brown, from Bill Brown Construction, to arrange a display table for the plans on the main floor.  The approved job copy of our plans were on the plan table in the lower level (basement).  Greg Wilkinson, a LEED AP from Graniterock, arrived with some information on their concrete products and quickly set up his materials.

The site was safe and we were ready for our guests.

Hosting the Collaborative Informational Session

Our first guests arrived at 12:30 sharp.  Todd was registering the guests and having them sign the waivers.  Within minutes, we had 15 people on site reviewing the features.  Bill Brown was answering questions from our guest and describing the concrete and other features.  Greg was busy explaining the key aspects of the concrete used on our site.

Shortly after Bryan was showing a small group how the ground source water loop was going through our concrete piers, a group had gathered in the kitchen area.  This was a natural time for Bryan to introduce Bill Brown, Greg Wilkinson and Dave Edwards (from Earth Bound Homes), who had just arrived.  Our guests asked a questions on various materials and the construction process.  They liked the hollow core concrete panels and were very interested in how the house was insulated.

We then moved down the interior stairs and reviewed the lower level (basement).  Given the roof in not on, we described how the trademark Eichler atrium would extend into the lower level with the finished ceiling 24 feet above the finished floor.

Our last guests left at 4:30 pm and we were cleaned up and locked up by 5:30 pm.

It was a beautiful blue-sky California day for our first of six Collaborative Informational Sessions.

Bill Brown greeting guests and answering questions.

Bryan showing photos of the construction to date.

The display table, with samples of the building materials and the house plans, was a popular spot.

Todd Bennett, from Teamwrkx, pointing out features in the hollow core concrete panels.

Greg Wilkinson, from Graniterock, answering questions on the concrete mix we used.

Reviewing the house plans. Note the SIP (structural insulated panel) at the left side of the table.

Bryan highlighting aspects of the design and materials used.

It was a great day to host our first of six Collaborative Informational Sessions.