Web Posted:
10/14/2004 12:00 AM CDT
There are no
mud walls or rainwater traps in
In fact, the
house looks like a prime example of upscale suburban living. To local advocates
of environmentally friendly building, that's a selling point in their effort to
bring green homes to the masses.
"It shows
that you don't have to build out of the ordinary," said architect Stephen
Colley, coordinator of the San Antonio Sustainable Building Coalition. "It
hits the mark."
The
3,982-square-foot home in the posh Fossil Ridge subdivision garnered the honor
as the first home certified under the new Build San Antonio Green program.
Builder Todd Glowka unveiled the house Wednesday.
The program,
instituted in April, is a partnership of the Metropolitan Partnership for
Energy, CPS Energy, the city of
Melissa Glowka, partner and wife of Todd Glowka,
said they were able to meet the requirements without driving up costs.
"There are
so many things you can do that cost no extra expense and create such a dramatic
impact, as far as utility and water consumption, that it is just the right
thing to do," she said.
The house has
several features aimed at saving power. The roof is metal, which reflects the
sun's heat. The home is insulated between the first and second stories, and the
programmable air conditioner cools only those rooms needed. All the appliances
are energy-efficient and the metal roof is vented, which allows the attic to
breathe and helps keep the house cool.
The Build San
Antonio Green program and CPS plan to track the home's power usage to determine
how effective the building methods are.
Glowka, who has built similar green homes in
The amenities
go beyond power savings. The lawn is native Zoysia,
which needs less water than many other grasses and needs mowing only about once
a month. The air conditioning system and laundry room drain to the sprinkler
system to save water.
The green
building methods apparently didn't hurt the home's marketability. It is under
contract for $574,000.