Lochwood-Lozier Northwest Idea House

In partnership with 425 Magazine, Lochwood-Lozier’s team set out to build the 2021 Northwest Idea House to showcase innovation in technology, sustainable materials, appliances, furnishings, lighting, and more, while also focusing on protecting and preserving the wetlands that surround the home.

Vital Stats	Section	Points
Location: Woodinville Star Level: 5-Star Checklist: 2018 Single Family/Townhome Verifier: Evergreen Certified	Site and Water	189
	Energy Efficiency	188
	Health and Indoor Air Quality	136
	Material Efficiency	128
	Total Score	665

The project has a five-foot setback from a wetland ecosystem, creating connectivity to a landscape with plenty of native wildlife and vegetation. Throughout construction, the project team observed Herons (Great Blue & Grey), beavers, Columbian Black-tailed deer, dragonflies, pacific tree frogs, American bullfrogs, and many other creatures in the backyard.

Lochwood-Lozier Northwest Idea House exterior

From the street view, the modern and trendy farmhouse-style home stands out from other more traditional houses in the neighborhood. Amidst the isolation that the pandemic has brought about, many of society’s “normal” activities were constrained to their residences and made virtual. As a result, this project sought to integrate some of those activities into the space itself. The design features a “Zoom Room” for an unbeatable work-from-home setting with a stunning view of the backyard. Outside of the workday, the residents can enjoy a variety of in-home activities: an entertainment/theater room complete with a wet bar and beverage fridge; a music room with decorative sound attenuation tiles; an exercise room with a sauna and steam shower nearby and is equipped with ventilation systems that filter and pre-heat fresh air into the entire home.

Throughout the early stages of construction, Lochwood-Lozier explored different iterations of building components and systems to achieve significant energy savings to target Built Green 5-Star’s required 30% energy savings or greater (as compared to code). The combination of a ducted heat pump system, ceiling cassette mini-split heads, in-floor hydronic radiant heating, balanced ventilation system, and humidity sensor exhaust fans allows for the home to remain comfortable and energy efficient. The intentional placement of the mechanical systems keeps them in the background while bringing the interior finishes and outdoor views at the foreground. A 5.6 kW solar photovoltaic system was installed at the southeast and southwest sides of the roof to offset some of the energy consumption of these mechanical systems, the EV chargers, and luxurious amenities.

Lochwood-Lozier Northwest Idea House exterior back

Lochwood-Lozier Northwest Idea House front door

Lochwood-Lozier Northwest Idea House dining area

The three-bedroom, two bath house is meant to allow the occupants to age in place. The first floor has a kitchen, main living space, a bedroom and bathroom, and ADA-compliant doorways.

Overall, this home is a comfortable, clean, net positive building, allowing the homeowners to be happy, healthy, and confident in the knowledge that their home is serving their needs, meets a high standard of excellence, and is protecting the environment in the process.

To monitor the energy consumption and usage of the home, the project incorporated a Brilliant Smart Home System that integrates an audio/video intercom, lighting, HVAC controls, and security cameras along with an EcoBee Smart Thermostat. Innovative features like motorized touch-sensor cabinet doors, Alexa-enabled kitchen faucets, touchscreen wine and coffee dispensers, switchable glass windows in front of the bathtub for privacy, a bidet in the primary bathroom, lights tubes in the primary closet, and an operable skylight also makes this home hard to leave! Many of these technological elements will also allow for its residents to age in place and ensure this is their forever home. Ultimately, the 2021 Northwest Idea House shows that high-performance and innovation is achievable in a large, luxury home with intentional design, details, and execution.

Lochwood-Lozier Northwest Idea House bedroom

Lochwood-Lozier Northwest Idea House family room

Built Green Highlights

Site and Water

Over 50pts dedicated to lot design and protecting the site’s natural features and processes on-site:

Natural resources inventory and third-party review of the site development plan for critical areas and habitat protection
70% of site left undisturbed
75% of trees retained on lot
Retaining native vegetation

Low flow Brizo plumbing fixtures

Energy Efficiency

38% more efficient than code
AeroBarrier installed to achieve a blower door score under 2.5 ACH50
Panasonic balanced ventilation system installed
Combination of ducted and ductless mini-splits and in-floor radiant heating
5.78 kW solar PV system
EV chargers installed
Collapsible indoor drying rack installed with humidity sensor exhaust fan

Health and Indoor Air Quality

Multiple moisture management strategies including rainscreen under siding, dimple drainage mat at foundation walls, and moisture meter pre-drywall and flooring
GreenGuard Gold & SCS certified insulation products
Low or no VOC/toxic interior products (paints, caulks, adhesives, etc.)
Central vacuum

Materials Efficiency

Over ten regional materials used throughout the project
Third-party certified sustainably harvested engineered hardwood flooring (FSC), dimensional lumber and beams (SFI Certified Sourcing)
Shou sugi ban siding
Fiberglass windows
No-Added Formaldehyde millwork
Brilliant smart technology system (with audio/video intercom)

Lochwood-Lozier Northwest Idea House kitchen

Media Recognition

425 Magazine 2021 Northwest Idea House
King 5’s Evening

Exterior front photos by Michael Walmsley. All other photos by Cory Holland with Clarity Northwest Photography.

Opening Keynote

The Climate Crisis in the Time of COVID-19: What Can We Learn From Now?

Gil Friend, CEO of Natural Logic Inc. and author of "The Truth About Green Business," will deliver a provocative opening keynote. As a sustainability pioneer Gil will take stock of sustainability and green building movements that have taken place in the past, our accomplishments, and how much we have left to go. The pandemic has shown us that we can act at a speed, scale, scope, and level of coordination that we never thought possible. What if we could mobilize that same collective force around the climate and future crises—as if our lives depended on it?

Sessions We Are Buzzing About

Built Green Conference Session: People as Priority: The Business of Listening to Communities of Color and the Triple Bottom Line, featuring Biruk Belay, project manager, Site Workshop; Erin Feeney, associate, David Baker Architects; Simba Mafundikwa, associate, GGLO; and Whitney Lewis, associate, GGLO

Built Green Conference Session: Building Common Ground Towards Energy Code Consensus, featuring Kjell Anderson, LMN Architects; Leah Missik, transportation policy manager, Climate Solutions

Built Green Conference Session: Electrification of Multifamily Buildings, featuring Jonathan Heller, Ecotope

Built Green Conference Session: A Recipe for Affordable Net Positive Homes for a Carbon Neutral Future, featuring Ted Clifton and Jake Evans, TC Legend Homes

In People as Priority: The Business of Listening to Communities of Color and the Triple Bottom Line Resilient Communities, Whitney Lewis, Biruk Belay, Erin Feeney, and Simba Mafundikwa will address how we sometimes overlook people, especially BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities. The panel will explore how to weave social justice into a sustainable project through large and small design gestures.

Building Common Ground Towards Energy Code Consensus is an interactive roundtable session facilitated by Kjell Anderson and Leah Missik, which delves into what a consensus strategy could look like when advocating for building energy codes and policies. A great way to express your ideas and see what other people have to say to help evolve your ideas.

Jonathan Heller will showcase examples of established solutions for heat pump water heating and how best to incorporate other heat pump technologies to create carbon-neutral multifamily buildings in his Electrification of Multifamily Buildings presentation.

Ted Clifton and Jake Evans of TC Legend Homes will present their award-winning recipe to obtain a net positive home—in detail—that doesn’t break the bank. Both these presenters will also take the time to answer and discuss any questions or comments attendees may have.

Stacy Smedley, Built Green Conference Keynote

Afternoon Keynote

Stacy Smedley, Director of Sustainability at Skanska USA Building, will close out the conference on the imperative that the building industry work together to understand and create shared solutions for reducing the environmental impacts of construction, such as embodied carbon emissions. Learn about the building industry’s current environmental hot spots and real-life examples of collective impact leading to tangible and actionable reductions.

Bee Social

Throughout the day you’ll be able to converse with other attendees, keynotes, and speakers about the sessions and gain professional connections. Explore our virtual Green Product Expo Hall where our sponsors will showcase the latest green products, schedule peer-to-peer meetings, and attend an Ask-Me-Anything session with a keynote.

Don't miss out on any of the action! Follow Built Green on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for conference updates. Use the hashtag #BuiltGreen2020 to share your excitement about this year’s conference.

For complete conference details and to register, visit builtgreenconference.net

Thanks to our 2020 Sponsors: Presenting Sponsor: King County GreenTools. Event Sponsors: Airmada, Craft, ERNwest, Greenhome Solutions, Mighty Energy Solutions, and The United Group

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Built Green™

03/29/2022

Planting the Seeds for Allergy Free Landscaping

Author: Nina Olivier, Built Green Coordinator

Selecting low-allergy, female species of plants for your garden can help mitigate allergies exasperated by increased pollen counts from climate change.

Young man blowing his nose outdoors

Spring is upon us in the Pacific Northwest and for many it also marks the beginning of allergy season, which affects up to 30% of the US population and 40% of US children. The CDC expects that climate change will lead to both higher pollen concentrations and longer pollen seasons. However, climate change is not the only contributing factor to the increase in pollen counts, it is only exasperating a situation caused by generations of selective breeding and prejudicial landscaping decisions.

All plants contain male sex organs called stamens and female sex organs called pistils. Pollen is dispersed from male stamens and captured by the female pistil to create seeds for germination. While most plant species are monoecious and include both male and female reproductive organs, many plant species are dioecious with individuals that make only pollen or only seeds. In fact, most of the tree species used for street trees in urban settings are male dioecious trees.

Tom Ogren, author of The Allergy-Free Garden, blames most of the allergy inducing problems on selectively only landscaping with male plants. He explains that male species of shrubs, trees, and flowers produce pollen and other air particles. “It all has to do with sex and the need to plant female plants.” Female trees were thought to produce unattractive and unwelcome litter in the form of fruit, seeds, flowers, cones, pods, and cotton. Since the 1970’s, city planners and landscaping crews began planting male trees to reduce cleanup costs and efforts. Ogren states, "I was able to trace it to the fact that many street trees that were planted years ago have finally reached maturity. And those trees are all male and now overloading the air with pollen." With this increased demand for male trees, horticulturalists began selectively breeding and cloning more and more dioecious male plant species, moving beyond trees into shrubs and flowers. Increasing more and more pollen-only producing varieties and species to fill the landscapes that surround us.

Ironically, if city planners and landscapers had prioritized female trees and plants, in the same way as male plants, neither pollen nor unwanted seeds or fruit would cause issues. Female plants do not produce fruits or seeds if there are no males of the same species within 20 to 30 feet from its roots. He goes on to explain that allergy-reducing landscaping includes not just understanding the importance of plant sex, but also encouraging pollinators and eliminating mold growth that can occur in hedges and compost piles.

From his observations Ogren now believes that the reason so many butterflies are disappearing is because the [female] nectar-producing trees were a major food source. "And they are disappearing because they are being replaced by the [male] pollen-producing trees," said Ogren. Planting native species of plants supports native pollinators with the foods they are accustomed to. Furthermore, non-native plants may become stressed since they are not used to the climate, and therefore, may produce more pollen. To guide cities to plant less allergenic trees, Ogren developed the Ogren Plant Allergy Scale (OPALS). The scale rates plants from 1–10 based on their allergy potential.

Grass is a major pollen producer, thus, to reduce allergy triggering pollen, the Asthma Society recommends mowing grasses regularly before it flowers. Better Home and Gardens recommends planting species that are pollinated by bees; the pollen of these species is heavier and sticky and therefore stays on the bees rather than floating around in the air. In addition, mold growth in hedges and compost can also affect allergies. To discourage mold spores Ogren recommends keeping hedges trimmed regularly to increase air flow between the branches, keeping compost bins covered, and turning compost piles about every 2 to 4 weeks.

Local pollen counts can be tracked and monitored through the US Air Quality Index. The University of Illinois Extension recommends reducing exposure to plants that flare up allergens through wearing long sleeved shirts, long pants, gloves, hat, and even a mask while gardening.

Seattle Area Pollen Seasons

Increases in carbon emissions and climatic changes in weather patterns are causing more people around the world to experience negative health effects from pollen and other outdoor allergens. According to the CDC, individuals with preexisting respiratory illnesses such as asthma, are more sensitive to pollen, which has been linked to increases in asthma attacks and associated medical costs that exceed $3 billion every year. Decreasing the plants that contribute more pollen into the air can increase quality of life, especially for those already living in urban low-quality air zones.

The following is Allergic Living’s list of low-allergy options for your garden:

Flowering Plants	Shrubs/Bushes/Herbs
Lathyrus odoratus – Sweet pea	Coleus blumei – Coleus
Catharanthus roseus – Periwinkle	Hosta – Hosta, plantain lily
Digitalis – Foxglove	Physalis – Chinese lantern
Impatiens – Impatiens	Sempervivum – Hens and chicks
Myosotis – Forget-me-nots	Hydrangea grandiflora – Big leaf hydrangea
Nierembergia – Cup flower	Viburnum – Viburnum shrubs, highbush cranberry, nannyberry
Petunia – Petunia	Heuchera – Coral bells (many varieties)
Viola – Johnny jump up, pansy, violet	Teucrium crispum – Wood sage
Brodiaea – Elephant’s ears	Physocarpus opulifolius – Dart’s gold, ninebark
Crocus – Spring-flowering crocus	Bergenia – Elephant’s ears
Cyclamen – Cyclamen	Kolkwitzia amabilis – Beauty bush
Galanthus – Snowdrops*	Aronia melanocarpa – Black chokeberry
Gladiolus – Gladiolus	Rodgersia pinnata – Featherleaf rodgersia
Hyacinth – Hyacinth (numerous varieties)	Helianthemum – Sunrose, rock rose
Gentiana – Gentian	Gaura – Gaura, beeblossom
Geranium – True geranium, cranesbill	Vaccinium corymbosum – Blueberry bush
Hemerocallis – Day lily	Berberis vulgaris – Barberry bush
Peony – Peony	Daphne – Daphne
Polemonium – Jacob’s ladder	Nandina domestica – Nandina
Rhododendron – Azalea, rhododendron	Salvia greggii – Autumn sage
Fuchsia – Fuchsia	Salvia clevelandii – Cleaveland sage, blue sage
Dianthus – Carnation, pinks	Trees
Papaver – Poppy	Stick to female trees, which may drop berries or seeds but don’t produce pollen
Begonia – Fibrous or tuberous begonia	Persimmon – persimmon tree
Rosa – Rose (avoid high-scent varieties)	Amelanchier lamarkii – juneberry tree*
Phlox – Phlox*	Vines/Climbing Plants
Iris – Iris	Thunbergia alata – Black-eyed Susan vine
Erythrocoma triflora – Prairie smoke
Kniphofia – Red Hot Poker
Clematis – Clematis
Tulipa gesneriana – Tulip (bulbs may irritate sensitive skin)
Penstemon – Beardtongue
Antirrhinum – Snapdragon
Asclepias tuberosa – Butterfly weed
Hibiscus – hibiscus
Narcissus – Daffodil
Bulbine frutescens – bulbine

*Pictured below

Amelanchier lamarkii – Juneberry tree

Galanthus – Snowdrops

Purple phlox

planting-the-seeds-for-allergy-free-landscaping

Built Green™

08/10/2017

Why Third-Party Verification?

By Leah Missik, Built Green Program Manager

One of the most commonly asked questions we get from builders and home buyers is what third-party verification is and why it is required by Built Green for certification. Similarly, when I’m asked about my work of certifying green homes, people wonder how many times I visit a certain project before I certify it. I explain that, in fact, I’m not usually the person out in the field—it's one of the third-party verifiers that Built Green has approved. Not only is it physically impossible for me to inspect over a thousand projects multiple times in a year, but Built Green’s third-party verifiers also play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity and rigor of the program; they bring a lot of green building expertise to the table. As the Built Green Certification Process Diagram shows, verifiers are involved throughout construction and provide a lot of assistance to builders. Let’s explore how third-party verification came about and why it is so important and beneficial.

How did third-party verification come about?

Today, Built Green certifies projects at the levels of 3-Star, 4-Star, 5-Star, and Emerald Star. What happened to 1- and 2-Star? When the program first launched in 1999, those two levels, along with 3-Star were available. Once the program started growing and builders got on board, 4- and 5-Star levels were developed, and with them, third-party verification. The lower star-levels allowed builders to fill out a checklist, sign it, and thus obtain certification. New, higher star levels demanded more rigor, especially since Built Green was now being considered as a basis for green building incentives. Therefore, in order to obtain 4-Star or higher on a project, a builder had to work with an approved third-party verifier who would do a home energy model as well, as ensure items claimed on the checklist were done correctly and that this could be demonstrated to Built Green.

Now, third-party verification is required for all projects at all star-levels. In October 2013, the Built Green Executive Committee decided it was time to introduce this requirement; it came into effect on March 1, 2014. This had been a goal of the program for some time, as it would ensure program integrity and greater brand credibility.

But why does third-party verification matter for integrity and credibility?

As mentioned earlier, many municipalities and utilities offer incentives for Built Green projects, including expedited permitting, density bonuses, and cash rebates. In order to grant these rewards, officials need more assurance than someone’s word. That’s one important role that third-party verifiers play: they ensure that a project has done what has been claimed on the checklist and they provide detailed, on-the-ground scrutiny before the final Built Green certification packet review. When a project is certified, that means it has been evaluated by two different entities, the verifier and Built Green, and both have affirmed that the project meets a certain level of green rigor.

In addition to providing an independent set of eyes on the project, third-party verifiers also bring a lot of expertise to the project. Built Green projects require energy models demonstrating performance above code and not just anyone has the expertise to do this. Verifiers help by performing energy models and can often provide builders who are newer to the program with guidance on how to meet the program requirements. Since they are more familiar with each individual project, they are able to provide tailored advice and recommendations.

We’ve seen the results of this quality assurance in our research. In a soon-to-be-published post-occupancy study, we found that Built Green homes exhibited less variability in total electricity usage when compared with non-certified homes. In other words, there were fewer outlier homes that used far more electricity than average. Further, Built Green 4- and 5-Star homes exhibited even less variability than 3-Star homes did. Most of the homes that were included in this study were third-party verified, but some 3-Star homes were certified before the verification requirement was in place. That 4- and 5-Star homes were more consistent in their efficient performance demonstrates the quality control that third-party verification provides.

So, who is a third-party verifier and how does Built Green approve them?

Third-party verifiers must have obtained a number of green building-related certifications and acquired related education in order to be approved by Built Green. Additionally, they must interview with the program. Anyone who is qualified may apply and the application details the requirements. In addition, Built Green third-party verifiers must sign onto a Code of Ethics which states that verifiers may not provide verification services for projects in which they have a financial interest (for example, a verifier could not verify a project being built by their own business), that they will be clear about their services and costs, and that they will conduct their business in a way that reflects well on them and on the Built Green program.

Currently, Built Green has thirteen approved third-party verifiers. Some verifiers specialize in certain building types and others in a particular facet of green building, but they all are able to provide verification services for projects aiming for Built Green certification. Built Green does not set pricing for their services, which are often context-dependent, so it is a free market.

Third-party verification is now an integral part of the Built Green program, providing quality assurance, assuring program integrity, and lending brand integrity. It allows Built Green to be a basis for incentives that reward green builders. Verifiers also help promote and represent the Built Green program through their services—their collaboration really is of a benefit to the program and for increasing green building in the region. Their expertise helps their clients and their enthusiasm for green building helps advance Built Green and our region!

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