Attacking SAD With Lights On

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a medical condition that affects many people around the world. In the most severe cases it leads to depression; in milder forms it is often known as the winter blues. As a SAD sufferer I've learned that sunlight is indeed one of the best medicines.

Let There Be Light
People in northern climes have long worked to mitigate against winters with their short, gray days. But, SAD can affect people anywhere in the world. In southern climes it is more prevalent in winter when days are shorter and the sun is at a lower angle. One of the more effective therapies developed to date has been the introduction of new lighting technologies that produce far greater number of lumens (brightness) than do our average incandescent or fluorescent bulbs.

Low light after the sun goes down really isn't the challenge. I've found that it is more critical to ensure adequate lighting during daylight hours. We attacked this issue in designing Upstate House in two ways. First, we placed additional windows on our southern/western exposure to better capture and disperse natural light -- especially in winter.

Increasing Natural Lighting Without Sacrificing Energy Efficiency
We additionally featured two large VELUX (www.velux.com) operable skylights in the dining area between the den and kitchen. These nearly 2' by 4' windows will shower the living area with additional sunlight in all seasons. And, the operable feature will allow a natural venting function when outside temperatures cooperate. They will serve to pull cooler air from the basement area and exhaust hotter air from the living level.

Enhanced Lighting in the Office is Critical
I have for several years augmented my desk area lighting with a "sun lamp" specifically designed for SAD patients. The six windows in the upstairs office will be further enhanced by two Solatubes (www.solatube.com). On the roof, the two projections look like large vent pipes with rounded-glass caps. In the ceiling they resemble two high-powered lights. A pipe and high intensity reflectors will capture natural sunlight and direct it into the office.

We believe the combination of ample windows, two VELUX skylights and two Solatubes should more than provide adequate natural lighting to provide therapeutic advantages. On really cloudy days we'll click on the sun lamp for added help.

Creating an Energy Efficient Envelope

The EarthCraft House Standard rests solidly on the EPA EnergyStar energy efficiency platform. While much can be done to address energy conservation inside the house -- lighting, appliances, etc. -- the most important step is to make sure that the "building envelope" is tight.

Starting with the Foundation
To ensure an energy efficient and waterproof basement and foundation we went with the Arxx ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms) that yield an R-50 equivalent wall. The quick construction, clean look and ease of covering both the exterior and interior, were added benefits. While we could have opted for the entire frame to have been ICF and therefore addressed walls and insulation in one step, we had already decided on traditional woodframe for the above-ground portions of the house.

Invest in Good Windows
Windows are a very expensive component in any construction project. While almost all codes require double-pane windows, not all windows are created equally. In our past homes we've had all-too-much experience with double-hung windows that begin to fail early in their life -- rotted seals, sagging weatherstripping and slipping upper windows that leave cracks for air infiltration. In our last neighborhood of custom homes, most owners were faced with replacing all windows at somewhere between 12 and 18 years.

After deciding that we would indeed "invest" in good windows we arrived at Marvin Windows & Doors -- www.marvin.com. Marvin produces one of the best products in the market and they have additionally taken a leadership role in ensuring that their product components (e.g. wood) come from well-managed sources. We went with the casement windows because they offer a much tighter fit and, in our experience, have a longer life than double-hung windows. The wood frames are all clad with aluminum exterior to withstand the harsh southern environment.

We could have purchased windows at a much lower price, but when looking at "total cost of ownership" (original cost + maintenance + durability) -- not just original purchase price, we think Marvin offered real value.

Insulating the Rest
With the Arxx ICF's making up the basement walls and Marvin windows efficiently letting light into the structure, the next decision was how to insulate the remainder of the envelope. After having had traditional batt or blown- Fiberglas insulation in all of our other houses, we knew that this wasn't the direction we wanted to go. In fact, that decision was driven home when I visited a $750,ooo house under construction. As the sun was setting in the west, there were numerous "lines of light" streaming through the walls where the batts didn't quite meet the studs. Sure, many of these gaps would be addressed by the siding, but clearly there would still be lots of opportunities for air infiltration.

We focused our review on one of the many spray foam insulation products on the market and came down on BioBased System's spray foam -- www.biobased.net -- a product that wasn't then available in the Carolinas. Spray foams offer a host of benefits, among them 1) complete seals with no gaps, 2) none of the dust or airborne particles that persist forever with Fiberglas, 3) a "sound proofing" effect that far exceeds that of Fiberglas, and 4) moisture resistance that essentially eliminates the possibility of mold or mildew and other allergens. Yet, on the environmental side, all spray foams are produced with petroleum. That's where BioBased rises above the rest. While it has all of the same benefits of other foam products, BioBased replaces a significant portion of the petroleum with American-grown and renewable soybean oil.

Addressing the Entire Envelope
One of the other added benefits of spray foam is that insulation is applied directly to the underside of the roof. Thus, instead of having a layer of insulation in the ceiling thus leaving the attic space to overheat in the summer and be cold and damp in the winter, the attic becomes a "semi-conditioned" space. Not only can one go into the attic without having to wear a mask and goggles to avoid Fiberglas particles, but the space now will vary from that within the house by perhaps only a couple of degrees in any season. Thus, our HVAC won't have to be "competing against" the temperature in the attic or the unfinished basement, as both are semi-conditioned. We were especially pleased by the enthusiasm that John Bessettia Enterprises, LLC of Greenville (the Upstate BioBased Dealer) 864-277-4240) brought to our job.

Saving Money from Day One
BioBased Insulating Foam is at least twice as expensive as traditional Fiberglas insulation at the beginning. However, if one factors that cost into a mortgage and then considers the monthly savings in energy bills, the product actually begins paying off in the first month of operation ... and every month thereafter as the added cost of the mortgage will likely be far less than the savings in energy. In fact, a number of lenders have caught on to the fact that the energy and health gains of environmentally-friendly construction allow the average homeowner to qualify for a larger loan. These "green loans" are increasingly popular and available.

The Roof -- A Visible Crown

The often harsh climate of the south -- intense summer heat and humidity, lashing rains, high winds, and occassional hail or ice storms -- make the choice of a roof more than just an afterthought. In our particular case we wanted even more than functionality and long-life, we also wanted to retain the mature trees on the site (another added environmental challenge for a roof) and we wanted to blend in with the mission/craftsman style of structures in the Pettigru Historic District.

Options Considered
With three objectives -- environmental performance, long-life and architectural fit -- we explored a long list of roofing options. We began with a goal of finding something that would approach the beauty and substantial look of slate that adorns several churches and large homes in the District. We quickly ruled out metal because of cost and the incompatible look with the neighborhood. Shale itself was also cost prohibitive. We then turned to two products that mimiced shale but had other environmental benefits. The first was EcoStar, a recycled rubber product that comes in individual tiles like slate. The other was MonierLife Tiles, a cementious product often seen on commercial structures. Both products met all of our original objectives, however, when we considered the full material and installation costs, both were several times more expensieve than traditional asphalt shingle roofs -- the norm for our area.

CertainTeed Centennial-Slate Fit Most Objectives
As discouragement was setting in that we would have to settle for a traditional asphalt roof, we came across a new class of products developed by CertainTeed -- the maker of a wide range of asphalt materials. We were especially attracted to the Centennial-Slate collection. The product we opted for is designed to mimic a slate roof with oversized "shangles" that have five large tabs. Each tab has a different color and is backed by another black tab that provides an aret "mat-type" effect or shadow that adds dimension and depth to each tab. The result at a short distance is a very attractive slate appearance.

We especially liked the CertainTeed product (www.certainteed.com) because the more substantial thickness and weight of the product accompanied by a life-time warranty offers the promise of long life to match the natural beauty. An added cost, but also an outstanding architectural feature, is a requirement that all drip edges and valley material must be copper. Too, each single is manufactured with algae-resistant cooper roofing granules and is warranted to protect against discoloration (a real problem in our area, especially under a heavy tree canopy). While the full cost of the product and installation was more than twice that of a traditional asphalt roof, the durability, life-time warranty and outstanding slate-like beauty, made it an investment we were willing to make. We went with the Smokey Quartz color scheme which accented our evergreen exterior window trim.

Final Thoughts
While the CertainTeed product didn't offer any unique environmental attributes, we don't believe the average consumer can or should buy a "green" product when the costs are several multiples of an acceptable alternative. In our case the arechitectural fit along with durability and long-life, all at an acceptable premium, yielded a fair compromise.