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Architect Michael Klement and contractor Doug Selby worked together with the client to achieve LEED platinum level certification for this green remodel. The first such project in Michigan.

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Forward Tradition

  • Architect Michael Klement and contractor Doug Selby worked together with the client to achieve LEED platinum level certification for this green remodel. The first such project in Michigan.

    http://www.remodelingtoolbox.org/Images/tmp29A3%2Etmp_tcm17-202972.jpg

    Architect Michael Klement and contractor Doug Selby worked together with the client to achieve LEED platinum level certification for this green remodel. The first such project in Michigan.

    600

    Jim Haefner Photography

    Architect Michael Klement and contractor Doug Selby worked together with the client to achieve LEED platinum level certification for this green remodel. The first such project in Michigan.

  • Before: The existing kitchen.

    http://www.remodelingtoolbox.org/Images/tmp29A4%2Etmp_tcm17-202979.jpg

    Before: The existing kitchen.

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    Before: The existing kitchen.

  • The new open kitchen. Green features in the house include advanced framing techniques, an energy recovery ventilator, an insulated concrete form foundation, geothermal heating and cooling, water conservation methods, and spray foam insulation.

    http://www.remodelingtoolbox.org/Images/tmp29A5%2Etmp_tcm17-202986.jpg

    The new open kitchen. Green features in the house include advanced framing techniques, an energy recovery ventilator, an insulated concrete form foundation, geothermal heating and cooling, water conservation methods, and spray foam insulation.

    600

    Jim Haefner Photography

    The new open kitchen. Green features in the house include advanced framing techniques, an energy recovery ventilator, an insulated concrete form foundation, geothermal heating and cooling, water conservation methods, and spray foam insulation.

  • Before: The existing living room and staircase.

    http://www.remodelingtoolbox.org/Images/tmp29A6%2Etmp_tcm17-202993.jpg

    Before: The existing living room and staircase.

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    Before: The existing living room and staircase.

  • The treads on the custom stairs are made of recycled wood from a commercial project.

    http://www.remodelingtoolbox.org/Images/tmp29A7%2Etmp_tcm17-203000.jpg

    The treads on the custom stairs are made of recycled wood from a commercial project.

    600

    Jim Haefner Photography

    The treads on the custom stairs are made of recycled wood from a commercial project.

  • Bamboo flooring in the yoga room. The adjacent bathroom has Marmoleum [http://www.marmoleum.com] flooring. The house also has bike staging area for the homeowners.

    http://www.remodelingtoolbox.org/Images/tmp29A8%2Etmp_tcm17-203007.jpg

    Bamboo flooring in the yoga room. The adjacent bathroom has Marmoleum [http://www.marmoleum.com] flooring. The house also has bike staging area for the homeowners.

    600

    Jim Haefner Photography

    Bamboo flooring in the yoga room. The adjacent bathroom has Marmoleum [http://www.marmoleum.com] flooring. The house also has bike staging area for the homeowners.

Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Contractor: Doug Selby, Meadowlark Builders, Ann Arbor
Designer: Michael R. Klement, AIA, Architectural Resource, Ann Arbor

Though the architect did not initially consider LEED certification for this project, when his design, the homeowner’s goals for the remodel, and the builder’s construction knowledge aligned, he opted to apply. The remodeled house earned Platinum level certification — the first house in Michigan to do so.

The team started by demolishing the structure’s collapsed rear portion and salvaging the materials for the new design. The house has a new basement, updated first and second floors, and a wrap-around front porch.

The project successfully marries green building principles with the home’s traditional style, something that one of the judges noted will educate the public that sustainable building techniques can work with any style home.

The green features, which the architect estimates added 15% to the cost of the project, include an insulated concrete form (ICF) basement foundation, a geothermal heating/cooling system, a tankless water heater, and Energy Star appliances and fixtures.

The judges also praised the use of reclaimed timbers for the stair treads and legs of the custom dining table.

—Nina Patel, senior editor, REMODELING.