Our first order of FSC-certified framing lumber arrived at the job site this morning, which we unloaded.  Then, we lifted the grinder/polisher out of the lower level to the ground floor.  Finally, we moved a stack of SIPs from the house to behind the house so we can grind and polish the concrete on the ground floor.

Scheduling West Coast Cranes

We have the following three tasks this morning that require a crane:

• Lift the 800 lb grinder/polisher from the lower level to the ground floor.
• Unload our first order of FSC-certified lumber, and move part of it to the lower level.
• Move a stack of SIPs from the ground floor to behind the house.

The 30-ton crane arrived on site and was set up when the wood arrived.

Lifting the 800 lb Grinder/Polisher From the Lower Level

Since Pacific Decorative Concrete finished grinding and polishing the lower level, we moved the 800 lb machine out of the lower level to the main floor.  This was easy, fast and safe with the crane.

With the grinder/polisher out of the way, we had space in the lower level for the framing lumber.

Unloading Our First Order of FSC-Certified Framing Lumber

We are using FSC-certified wood products wherever possible in our home.  We engaged Dave Edwards, with Earth Bound Homes, for our framing and to install our SIPs (from insulspan).  Dave reviewed our plans in detail and, using advanced framing techniques, estimated the amount of lumber required for our framing, both on the lower level and main floor.  The initial lumber order had less than a 10% waste factor.

Currently, there is a cost premium for FSC-certified products but, with more supply to meet the demand, this premium is coming down.  Given the higher cost, we have several incentives to use less material.  In order to do so, we used advanced framing techniques to reduce the amout of wood required and we were diligent and careful in ordering just the amount of framing material required.  This is just plain common sense and, at the same time, allows us to meet the prerequisite for LEED-H Material & Resources MR 1.1, and garner points in MR 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4.  Of course, we will meet the requirements of MR 1.5 with our SIPs and hollow core concrete panels. 

The initial order included 2×4 and 2×6 materials (8, 10 and 16 ft lengths) in both untreated and presssure treated form.  The pressure treated material is for wherever the wood touches concrete; the 8 ft lengths are for the ground floor, the 10 ft lengths are for the lower level (9-1/2 ft ceiling height), and the 16 ft lengths are for top and bottom plates.

Using FSC-certified lumber for our framing will allow us to meet the requirements in MR 2.2 for Environmentally Preferable Products for the exterior wall - framing/wall structure, floor - framing, interior wall - framing, roof - framing, and roof, floor, wall - sheathing.   Using more than 90% FSC-certified wood in these components will yield 0.5 points per component.

Moving a Stack of SIPs on Our Project Site

We had a stack of SIPs stored on the ground floor and they blocked a section of concrete that we need to polish.  With the crane on site, we moved this stack of SIPs over to behind the Dining Room so Pacific Decorative Concrete could grind and polish all areass on the ground floor without any obstructions.

With the grinding and polishing completed in the lower level, Dave Edwards’ team started framing today!

A significant milestone for our project.

The first load of FSC-certified plywood comes off the truck.

Here comes the framing wood, which is going into the lower level (note the opening in the temporary cover over the atrium).

Paul maneuvered the 30-ton crane easily. We use West Coast Cranes as they have good equipment and great operators. A crane makes moving items around our job site easy, fast and safe.

The results of our work with the crane this morning - stack of SIPs on the left (under cover now), lumber (to be covered), and grinder/polisher for the ground floor. We can start faming in the lower level now!

You can see the FSC logo sticker on this lift of 2x6 lumber. We will use this lumber on the ground floor.

Here is the FSC-certification of our 1/2 inch sheathing plywood.

More FSC logos on our initial order of framing lumber.

We were surprised to see FSC lumber at The Home Depot today.  While many say ‘building green’ is costly, due to the higher cost of ‘green’ materials (e.g., FSC lumber), it is comforting to see FSC materials at a low-cost supplier, such as The Home Depot.

FSC Certification

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) established set of criteria that are used to review and certify wood products that meet their standards.  The following is from the ‘About FSC’ page on the Forest Stewardship Council’s web site:

FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC is a certification system that provides internationally recognized standard-setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services to companies, organizations, and communities interested in responsible forestry.

The FSC label provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decisions that benefit people and the environment as well as providing ongoing business value.

FSC is represented in more than 50 countries around the world.

FSC is an international association of members consisting of a diverse group of representatives from environmental and social groups, the timber trade and the forestry profession, indigenous people’s organizations, responsible corporations, community forestry groups and forest product certification organizations from around the world. FSC has a unique governance structure that is built upon the principles of participation, democracy and equity.

Here is a link to a consumer brochure published by the FSC.

Why FSC?

If we were not participating in the LEED for Homes program (LEED-H), we probably would not understand the importance and value of cerification of wood products by the FSC.  And we most certainly wouldn’t pay a premium price for their certification.

As we went through the LEED-H criteria, we noted that using FSC certified wood is only a prerequisite for tropical wood, and not for other wood products (e.g., framing lumber).  MR 2.1 is the prerequisite that states:

2.1 FSC Certified Tropical Wood: Meet the following two requirements, as applicable:

a) Provide all wood product suppliers with a notice containing all of the following elements:

i.) a statement that the builder’s preference is to purchase products containing tropical wood only if it is FSC-certified;

ii.) request for the country of manufacture of each product supplied; and

iii.) request for a list of FSC-certified tropical wood products the vendor can supply.

b) If tropical wood is intentionally used (i.e., specified in purchasing documents) use only FSC-certified wood products. Reused or reclaimed products are exempt.

Note: A species of wood is considered tropical for the purposes of this prerequisite if it is grown in a country that lies between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

LEED-H Points for Environmentally Preferable Products

Under the LEED-H program, we can receive points for using ‘environmentally preferable products’ so this is where we are incented to use FSC certified lumber in our framing.  There are 8 points available, with up to 4 additional points for exemplary performance.  There are 0.5 points available for meeting the criteria set forth in Table 1 under MR 2.2.

MR 2.2 states:

2.2 Environmentally Preferable Products (0.5 point each, maximum 8 points).  Use building component materials that meet one or more of the criteria below. Except as noted in Table 1, a material must make up 90% of the component, by weight or volume. A single component that meets each criterion (i.e., environmentally preferable, low emissions, and local sourcing) can earn points for each.

a) Environmentally preferable products (0.5 point per component). Use products that meet the specifications in Table 1.

Note: Recycled content products must contain a minimum of 25% postconsumer recycled content, except as noted in Table 1. Postindustrial (preconsumer) recycled content must be counted at half the rate of postconsumer content.

AND/OR

b) Low emissions (0.5 point per component). Use products that meet the emissions specifications in Table 1.

AND/OR

c) Local production (0.5 point per component). Use products that were extracted, processed, and manufactured within 500 miles of the home.

So, drilling into Table 1, we find the relevant ’components’ include exterior wall framing/wall structure, flooring, floor framing, interior wall framing, trim, roof framing, and roof, floor and wall sheathing.

We will receive 0.5 points by using recycled, FSC-certified, or reclaimed material in in each of these components of our home.

FSC-certified lumber at The Home Depot.

FSC certification label.

Priced competitively at The Home Depot.

We’re trying to get our CUDO cistern installed next week so that item is completed and stroked off ‘the list’ (an achievement for 2009).  This will require excavating so we need to confirm where the underground utilities are located.  Call before you dig …

Harvesting Rainwater at 17509 Via Sereno for Irrigation

Our plan is to harvest 100% of the rainwater from our roof and just under 100% of the rainwater from our hardscape for irrigation (the water from the driveway will flow into a small swale).  The water will be stored in an underground CUDO cistern (with capacity of 3,677 gallons).  We will have a pump in the cistern that will be connected to our irrigation system so we will avoid using potable water for irrigation.

LEED Points

Our design will provide LEED points in a number of areas.  Under WE 1.1 Water Reuse, we will get 3 (of 4) points for harvesting rainwater for external use.  We cannot use water inside the house so we are giving up one point here.  Since our system is designed to harvest rainwater from 100% of the roof area, we are eligible for an additional point for Exemplary Performance.

Also, we will receive points under SS 4 Surface Water Management under Sustainable Sites.  Specifically, we will receive 3 of 4 points for having over 90% of the hardscape surface water going to a cistern (SS 4.1 Permeable Lot), 2 of 2 points for Management of Runoff from Roof (SS 4.4) since we installed permanent stormwater controls to manage runoff from the home and we had a professional engineer design our lot to manage runoff from our home on site.  

Consequently, our complete underground CUDO cistern system will result in 9 LEED points (of 136 possible points).

Underground Requirements

Once the underground CUDO cistern is full, any additional water will flow to the back of the storm drain in an underground 6-inch pipe.  This design was approved by the Town of Los Gatos (they own the storm drain) and the City of Monte Sereno.  Yes, we will require easements fro  m each municipality.

The 6-inch underground pipe needs clear access to the back of the storm drain and it will go under the sidewalk.  This is where we need clear access from other utilities.  All of the services on Via Sereno are underground so we need to ensure the cable TV (Comcast), telephone (Verizon), water and sewer (San Jose Water Company), electricity and natural gas (PG&E) and street lighting and not located where we will be digging.

So … we marked our excavation locations with white paint and called USA (Underground Service Alert) so they could visit the site and identify where all of the underground services are located.

White paint showing where we plan to excavate from the underground CUDO cistern, under the sidewalk, to the back of the storm drain.

We’re Clear to Dig!

We received notification that all of the service providers (Verizon, PG&E, etc.) had been to our site and marked the location of their underground services.  There are no underground services in the path from our underground CUDO cistern to the back of the storm drain - we’re clear to dig!

Our biggest concern was that there could be some underground utilities in the dirt strip between the curb and sidewalk, which would increase the depth of the excavation for the drain and require us to dig by hand.

The markings are on Winchester Boulevard so there is nothing in the dirt strip at the left. We're good!

Markings on the curb and sidewalk. Note the very faint marking by the light standard showing the power source is going toward the sidewalk and not into the path of where we need to dig.

We are planning to increase the structural strength of our building so it will meet the upcoming changes to the seismic building code requirements.  The U.S. Geological Survey is updating their maps and those changes will take effect with the update in the building codes in California. 

Perry Haviland, FAIA, is on the Structural Design/Lateral Forces Committee, which is part of the Code Change Committee that will be recommending changes to the California Building Standards Commission. Perry is currently reviewing our design, including the structural elements.

If we were planning to build this house and then sell it, we would simply meet the minimum code requirements and be done.  However, since we are planning to live in the house for the next 15 years and we believe that a major seismic event will occur during that time, we will do our best to strengthen the various components of the structure without retrofitting any of the materials that have already been completed (e.g., our concrete and SIPs).  Increasing the structural strength is part of our Durability Risk Assessment. 

Under the LEED-H requirements, the Durability Planning prerequisite (ID 2.1) requires that our project team address durability explicitly in the home design by assessing durability risk factors and identifying and incorporating specific measures into the home’s design to address each factor. Our team completed the Durability Risk Assessment and, with us living less than five miles from the San Andreas fault line.  We need to address the high risk of seismic activity.

We requested our structural engineer of record, Innovative Structural Engineering, to review and approve our proposed changes to increase the structural strength of our building.  As part of that review, Shane Lothrop needs to know the spacing of the anchor bolts that are embedded in the top of the concrete wall between the atrium and the garage.

A digital camera and measuring tape tell the story nicely.

These anchor bolts are embedded in the concrete.

First two anchor bolts.

Second two anchor bolts.

The anchor bolts are offset from each other in a staggered manner.

Other offset.

Another view of the anchor bolts.