At David Design & Development, inc., we pride ourselves on using environmently friendly “green” practices. Essentially, we minimize waste, and maximize the use of what we need, creating a home uniquely suited to each client we design & build for, thereby leaving a unique signature and style, just like the people we work for and with.
Done correctly, green building is not only good for the environment, but it can significantly reduce the overall life-cycle cost of your home. While it may cost a little more, up front, to design and build your home, cabin, or estate, the construction phase roughly accounts for only about 20% of the total lifestyle cost of the structure. While this may seem false, it nevertheless is true.
By investing heavily on the front end, you'll save on the overall cost of the project AND enjoy increased comfort, livability, durability, lower operating costs, easier and/or less maintenance, with less impact to you, your neighbors, and the environment, allowing you more time to spend with your family and friends. It will provide more enjoyment of your home, cabin, or estate, and allow you more freedom to explore what our area has to offer.
Specifically, here are some of the things we do that give you more, while using less:
1) By impacting the site less to begin with, we create less damage and cost for grading, naturalization and landscaping at the end of the project. We also re-vegetate using plants that need little or no extra watering.
2) We build using proprietary methods that are super energy efficient, utilize materials better, save on costs, and expedite the building process.
3) We use engineered lumber products as much as possible.
4) In some projects, we utilize dimensional lumber for the foundation forms, and reuse it in the floor framing system.
5) We re-use materials harvested from the site for architecturally pleasing structural members.
6) We like to blend your home to the site using local rock; we tend to use indigenous wood species, both inside and out, which helps minimize transportation impact.
7) We utilize air scrubbers, and HEPA filters that result in healthier living environments for you.
8) We can install heat exchangers on the wastewater side to salvage heat gains for the supply side, saving energy and money for you.
9) As much as the site and views allow, we orient the home for maximum solar gain.
10) We examine and calculate the appropriate overhangs to maximize shading for the summer’s sun and allow winter’s rays to penetrate and warm the interior, making your home more comfortable.
11) We specifically match our glazing to the aforementioned overhang & shading system.
12) We consider alternate heating and powering systems that put you further off the grid without removing yourself from it, or your access to it.
13) We use low or no odor/VOC paints, stains & finishings whenever and wherever possible, greatly minimizing the impact to your immune system and the environment.
14) We build what we design, ensuring the job is done right and that the design features of your home are maximized to their greatest potential.
In its simplest form, green building is ultimately about designing more efficiently, building less wastefully, and utilizing materials more effectively, mostly by making more intelligent choices,
while consciously implementing better practices, procedures, and policies, and sometimes by being inspired to come up with whole new ways of doing things that help us all. . .
Copyright © 2017 David Design & Development, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
AIBD: Certified Professional Building Designer #5-633. California General Contractor License #519606
Office: (530) 546-7767 Cell: (530) 320-7797