Houston Remodeling Guide Editorial about the Nations 1st Certified Green Renovation with an addition. Fort Bend Publishing and Larissa Michael of Volume Control colaborated on this project. Brad Carr of b-rad STUDIOS provided the photography.

1. HOME
CertifiCate #00949

2. Houston
Builders Produce
Nation’s First
green
Renovation
By Sandra Meineke
W With money getting tighter and people becoming more
aware of their own carbon footprints, the green move-
ment has reached new heights. It not only affects the
great outdoors, but the indoors as well.
The government is offering tax incentives to home-
owners for making green improvements to their
homes. More trees are being planted, and con-
sumers are asking for the most environmentally-
friendly products available.
In 2009, the National Association of Home Builders
began offering green certification at three different
levels. The nation’s first Certified Bronze Level Green
Renovation and Additions is right here in Houston, inside
the loop. The home is a Certified Green Home under
ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard.
“There’s been a change in the market ,” said remod-
eler Allen Griffin, CGR, GMB, CAPS, CGP, of Gryphon
Builders. “Where people used to tear down older inner
city homes and replace them with new construction,
One-story 1950s home now
a two-story green home
Photos courtesy of Brad Carr, b-rad studios
HOUSTON REMODELING GUIDE / 2010 31

3. CLOSET
4'-5" x 2'-0"
FAMILY
16'-3" x 14'-3"
CLOSET
Second Floor - 1/4" scale LIVING AREA 4'-5" x 2'-0" BEDROOM
16'-7" x 15'-0"
Wood Floors
8' Ceiling
Second Floor - 1/4" scale LIVING AREA
Second Floor BEDROOM
16'-7" x 15'-0"
UP
Wood Floors
8' Ceiling
WH
Second Floor - 1/4" scale
BATH
6'-7" x 4'-11"
STORAGE
3'-4" x 4'-11"
LIVING AREA
BATH
5'-0" x 9'-7" Center Center
Wood Floo
9' Ceiling
BEDROOM
11'-1" x 15'-2"
CLOSET Wood Floors BEDROOM
15'-6" x 13'-1"
BATH
25" X 54"
8' Ceiling
Attic Access
8'-4" x 2'-1"
4'-6" x 8'-9"
Center
OPEN BELOW BEDROOM
9'-4" x 9'-0"
11'-1" x 15'-2"
Wood Floors
Tile Floors
8' Ceiling
8' Ceiling
CLOSET
BEDROOM 12'-0" x 2'-2"
12'-0" x 13'-2"
Vault Ceiling CLOSET
3'-9" x 1'-11"
FAMILY
16'-3" x 14'-3" UTILITY
8'-6" x 9'-2"
CLOSET
LIVING AREA 4'-5" x 2'-0"
450 sq ft
First Floor - 1/4" scale
Second Floor - 1/4" scale LIVING AREA
First Floor - 1/4" scale
MASTER BATH
7'-4" x 11'-9"
MASTER BDRM
16'-0" x 15'-11"
First Floor
LAUNDRY
8'-4" x 8'-1"
BEDROOM
16'-7" x 15'-0"
Wood Floors
8' Ceiling FAMILY
22'-8" x 13'-0"
UP Wood Floors
9' Ceiling
KITCHEN
14'-2" x 13'-0"
Wood Floors
9' Ceiling
BEDROOM
11'-1" x 15'-2"
Wood Floors
8' Ceiling BATH
4'-6" x 8'-9"
LIVING DINING
17'-10" x 12'-11" 10'-11" x 12'-11"
Wood Floors
9' Ceiling
Tile Floors
8' Ceiling
PORCH
32'-0" x 4'-7"
First Floor - 1/4" scale
LIVING AREA
2385 sq ft
Gryphon Builders 3630 Newcastle
Design * Build * Remodel Hynes Residence
4125 Hollister Rd. Ste B
Houston Tx 77080
SCALE PAGE
713-939-8005
www.Gryphonbuilders.com
Floor Plan 1/4" A-3
32 HOUSTON REMODELING GUIDE / 2010

4. they are now realizing that revitalizing older homes
makes sense economically. Remodeling is a better
option for the overall environment because much of
the old structure is reused and updated with the lat-
est technologies, compared to a tear down which
would all be in a landfill.”
Changing an older home into a green home often
takes minimal effort and expense. The Houston home—
a one-story, three-bedroom 1950s ranch style house in
“People are
discovering that it is
better to revitalize
than to rebuild. “
Afton Oaks—has been transformed into a two-story, five-
bedroom, traditional style home that qualifies for green
certification. Remodelers saved the main components
of the home—slab, structure, wood floors and bricks—
and dispersed the new construction over the existing
structure—going up, not out. “There are many post WW II
production homes in the Galleria and Memorial areas
with close access to town,” Griffin said. “People are dis-
covering that it is better to revitalize than to rebuild. “
The homeowners didn’t specifically request a green
THESE PAGES: The first step in the design/build
process is creating a floor plan that meets the needs
and desires of the homeowner. Next comes the
tear-down, where the roof comes off and the work
begins. The floors and interior elements that will be
recycled have to be protected from the elements
during reconstruction. Á After the roof and outside
walls are removed, the newly-designed second
story begins to take shape.
HOUSTON REMODELING GUIDE / 2010 33

5. 34 HOUSTON REMODELING GUIDE / 2010

6. home. They just wanted a traditional, comfort-
able home where they could raise their fam-
ily. They wanted to get the children upstairs with
their own bedrooms, bathrooms and playroom.
The existing 8-foot ceilings were raised to nearly
10 feet. A stairway was added, along with trim
and elements inside. Crown moldings were
detailed larger than normal, and the down-
stairs powder room became the main focal
point. Built-in cabinetry in the powder room,
designed by Peggy Fuller, ASID/RID#3904, of
By Design Interiors, Inc., has the look of an
antique mahogany piece of furniture, which
fits nicely with the homeowners’ love of
antiques. The tub was replaced with an acces-
sible shower. Some windows were enlarged,
and all were replaced with Low-E (emissivity)
insulated glass with vinyl frames—designed to
be low/no maintenance. All floorings in the
home are wood or tile because of allergies in
the family. The new high-efficency HVAC sys-
tem also helps with allergies.
Other green features include low flow water
fixtures and toilets, centralizing the location of
the water heater and indoor paint stains and
finishes that are low VOC (volatile organic
compounds).
The project, led by Griffin, involved a num-
ber of local NAHB members. “Having long THESE PAGES: A spiral staircase connects the downstairs to the new second floor. The family room is
term relationships with your team is critical to decorated with a mix of old and new furnishings. Á Above left, the small downstairs powder room was
pulling a project together,” Griffin said. “At one functional but not aesthetically pleasing. Above right, the new antique-look cabinetry makes the powder
point, because of weather and other issues, room the focal point of the home.
we were weeks behind on our production
schedule. Everyone on our team understands
HOUSTON REMODELING GUIDE / 2010 35

7. Newly-enlarged, energy-efficient windows bring the outdoors into the home, brightening a previously dark living room. Crown molding and triple-pane windows
give a dramatic look to the recycled floors and furniture from the original home.
Changing an older home into a green home often
takes minimal effort and expense.
the importance of taking care of the client, workmanship and quality that went into every and site development, indoor environ-
and they all worked beautifully together to help detail of this major transformation. “We are mental quality and homeowner education.
us deliver the home on time.” ending up with a new house essentially, while Some examples are:
Included in the project were: BMC Select maintaining the unique qualities and charac- •heating, air conditioning and ventilation
(cabinetry, doors, millwork); Pella Corporation ter that made this our home to begin with. The must be appropriately sized for an efficient
(windows and doors); Casas Group (masonry); end result is a top quality home that our family and properly ventilated home,
Cangelosi (stone); Truss Plumbing (plumbing); will enjoy for years to come.” •fans in the kitchen and bathrooms should
and Ferguson (bathroom accessories and fix- According to the NAHB Model Green cycle fresh air inside, and release stale air,
tures). Interior designer Peggy Fuller, with By Homebuilding Guidelines—based on the •low-VOC paints and finishes and wall
Design Interior, helped the homeowners make national standards—a builder, remodeler papers should be used as well.
difficult decisions about the interior aesthetics or developer must incorporate a minimum This project took five months from design to
of the home. number of features in the following areas: build out. The result is a newly-remodeled
The homeowners are delighted with the energy, water and resource efficiency, lot Certified Green Home. l
36 HOUSTON REMODELING GUIDE / 2010

8. Houston’s Unique Flooring Store
FLOORS
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UP TO
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sq. ft.
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289 sq. ft.
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sq. ft.
1
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sq. ft. $
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Purchase of $1500 or More Includes Installation, Padding
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20680 Westheimer Pkwy. #150 16945 N. Eldridge Pkwy. #100 24150 Hwy. 290 #270 17111 West Rd. #105 5015 FM 2920 Suite A
281.647.0777 281.257.5955 281.758.2980 281.656.2224 281.288.2300
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