Comfort, class and conscience have all gone into the design and building of Carl and Sheryll Strang's new house in Winter Haven.
Designed by their son, Max Strang, the contemporary house features walled gardens, a lap pool and ultra-modern conveniences, as well as many aspects that are environmentally friendly.
Some of the "green" aspects of the house include highly technical equipment that heats and cools the interior air using lake water; solar panels on top of the house, which harness energy from the sun; and on-demand hot water instead of a hot-water tank. In addition, the design uses common sense when aligning the windows for maximum cross breeze and minimal sun exposure and banked parts of the house under the earth for insulation.
"As you can see, there is a lot of cross ventilation in the design of the house," Max Strang says. "The placement of the windows is extremely important, especially in Florida where the sun is so hot. In this house, we do not have any southern-facing windows and these sliders that go out to the pool have an eight-foot overhang to keep the direct sun out."
The house sits on Lake Otis, beside another Max Strang house, owned by his brother. Carl and Sheryll Strang decided to build their home next to their other son to be close to their grandchildren.
Environmentally friendly building practices have become fashionable, easier to implement and are encouraged by the U.S. government. In fact, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, homeowners may claim tax credits for many environmentally low-impact systems.
The Strang house uses a solar photovoltaic system and a geothermal system, both of which are systems the government recognizes for tax credits. The rain water is collected in a cistern, and that water is used for the landscape. The swimming pool uses a saline solution to clean the water instead of chlorine, which can be damaging to the environment.
The solar photovoltaic panels on top of the house will not provide all of the energy for the dwelling; however it is anticipated to lower monthly electric bills and cause less drain on the local electric grid. In addition to the geothermal technology, which uses water from the lake to cool and heat the house, Icynene spray-foam is being used as insulation. Icynene is dense enough to fill all possible pinholes in the rafters to keep outside temperatures at bay. A white, reflective roof will keep out the heat of the Florida sun as well.
The flooring in most of the house is polished concrete. This particular concrete contains flyash, the ash produced by power plants and often dumped in landfills. In the master bedroom, the Strangs decided to use palm wood for flooring. On the outside of the house, Brazilian walnut, a dense and strong wood expected to hold up under Florida temperatures for many years, will be used for accents and decking. The Brazilian walnut is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as being harvested from responsibly managed forests.
"The palm wood is a renewable resource," Sheryll Strang says. "It grows quickly and, therefore, is easily replaced by replanting."
As interest in responsible building grows worldwide, the availability of products, technology and designs are pushing the boundaries of innovation and responsible use of natural resources. The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has developed internationally recognized criteria for communities, businesses and individuals interested in minimum-impact building techniques and supplies. LEED was organized to track and improve the efforts of saving water and energy, managing natural resources, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
According to Max Strang, there are four different levels of certification, including certified, silver, gold and platinum. The Strang residence is expected to receive a silver designation. After completion, it is anticipated that the Strang house will be the first LEED-certified residence in Winter Haven and one of only three certified houses in Polk County.
"Another big thing LEED is into is indoor air quality," Max Strang says. "We have put an oversized, recessed mat at the front door, we have installed a built-in vacuum system, and the polished, concrete floor will be easier to keep clean."
In addition, there is a side door that opens into the laundry room from a path between the Strang house and their grandchildren's residence.
"I imagine they will be coming over a lot to use the pool and whatnot," Max Strang says. "This way, they come into the laundry room before going into the rest of the house."
Click here for more "green" house pictures.
