National Parenting Expert Robert (Daddy Nickell) Takes The LEED On Building Green Home
When thinking of family advocates, Daddy Nickell’s name is at the top of the list for a new green home. As a caring father of 7, Robert Nickell and wife Dr. Katy Nickell are concerned about raising a happy family and creating a healthy environment for them as well as the surrounding community of Manhattan Beach.
As the Nickells moved forward with the building of their new eco friendly home, they discovered that their design plans would put them on track to achieve the LEED Platinum certification. LEED is a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of green buildings, homes and neighborhoods. In order to qualify for the highest level of certification, the Nickell’s need to score 80 points or more on the evaluation scale which includes the following categories:
1. Sustainable Sites (SS)
2. Water Efficiency (WE
3. Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
4. Materials and Resources (MR)
5. Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and
Innovative Design (ID)
The point allocation is highly weighed on the most crucial factors of a green build – CO2 reductions and energy efficiency. The most important factors to be considered are: climate change, indoor environmental quality, resource depletion and water intake.
The new green home building project is anticipated to take 18 months to complete and is on track to become one of 2,147 LEEDS Platinum certified homes built since 1998. Below you find several benefits you can expect to find in a LEEDS certified build:
New Green Home Equals Community and Family Benefits
Reduces Construction Waste
Precutting wood framing before delivery to the building site saves trees and reduces waste sent to landfill.
Promotes Healthy Lifestyle – Building a home within walking distance to town, beach, community parks and fields reduces the usage of automobiles and promotes exercise and community involvement for Nickell’s Family.
Reduces Water Consumption
–By utilizing drought tolerant native California plants and vegetation in their landscaping the Nickell’s are creating lower water consumption and reduced irrigation needs.
Creates Sustainability – By thoughtfully using quality products to increase durability of home their home, the Nickell’s are minimizing the need for replacement of products thus reducing refuge in landfills.
Protects the Environment – The Nickell’s LEED certification inspired their builder Luann Development to participate in the “Energy Star” program by installing high efficiency appliances and plumbing fixtures.
Increases Energy Efficiency
By installing state of the art lighting the Nickell’s are creating high efficiency that adheres to Energy Star guidelines.
Reduces Greenhouse Gases – Using solar panels to heat water, pool and air cool home reduces energy levels to heat and cool the home.
Preserves Air Quality – All paints and materials used in construction are Low VOC. Cabinetry will be painted/stained off site to reduce off gassing and harm to the Family’s air quality.
Reduces Strain on Community Utility Consumption
By incorporating the best air filtering system into their plans, the air ventilation and exhaust are clean and will protect interior air quality and reduce strain on the communities electric and gas consumption.
New Green Homes Creates Less Strain on Community Resources
If the Nickells build their new green home with geothermal heating and cooling technology, they can reduce the amount of energy needed to keep the house comfortable throughout the year. Geothermal systems use the relatively stable temperature below the ground to help heat and cool a home. As a result, the system can operate far more efficiently than many conventional HVAC systems.
In addition, a properly designed geothermal system can give the Nickells greater control over airflow and indoor temperatures throughout the home. Zoned heating and cooling can direct conditioned air where it is needed most. Therefore, rooms that are not being used may require less heating or cooling, which can further reduce unnecessary energy consumption.
That efficiency can also place less strain on community energy resources. During extremely hot summer days or cold winter periods, traditional heating and cooling systems can create significant demand on the electric grid. However, an efficient geothermal system generally requires less electricity to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. Consequently, the home’s peak energy demand can be lower.
Reducing peak demand matters because communities must maintain enough electric generation, transmission and distribution capacity to handle periods of unusually high energy use. When homes use energy more efficiently, utilities face less pressure to supply additional power during those peak periods.
Geothermal technology can provide another benefit as well. Because the system transfers heat rather than creating most of it through combustion, homeowners may reduce their dependence on natural gas, heating oil or other fuels. That can lower household emissions while also reducing demand on local fuel infrastructure.
For the Nickells, geothermal technology can therefore become more than an efficient way to heat and cool their green home. It can help reduce energy consumption, improve indoor comfort and lessen the home’s overall demand on community resources. As more homes adopt efficient technologies like geothermal heating and cooling, those individual energy savings can collectively support a cleaner and more resilient local energy system.
Creates Public Awareness
LEED home certification creates public awareness of environmental education. The Nickells will have a LEED sign on outside of their construction project. They are hoping to feature their home in newspaper, magazine and web sites about benefits of LEED Homes.
Choosing to build a LEED certified home will provide many lasting benefits for the Nickell family and the community of Manhattan Beach. Follow their journey to see how this program can truly make a difference to this family and a community of families. Join them as they track the progress of their new home: http://luanndevelopment.workzonecam.com/luanndevelopment.
Source: Daddy Nickell who owns Daddy n Company and has a daddy blog
